11
May 2015

Just Do It!

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usbAnother Lesson Learned

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I’ve learned many great lessons in life – usually from my mistakes. In fact, I always say I’ve learned more from my mistakes than from anything I ever got right.

This has frequently been the case when it comes to all-things-technology!

My most recent Grrr Moment came from a fried memory stick incident. For about a year, I’d been carrying around a memory stick containing all kinds of wonderful information – typically stuff I would need quick access to at different locations – whether I was working at home, in the office, or working casually at Starbucks. I had a variety of things on it – collections of ideas, interesting articles to read, copies of my old tax returns, writing ideas, partly-written articles for my blog…..things like that.

There was nothing sensitive that caused me any horrific consequences (like unfinished work, or projects that hadn’t been forwarded to clients – I save all current projects on my computer hard drive which is backed up on an external hard drive, as well as in The Cloud). But the memory stick was just my general Go-To Guy, containing a whole bunch of stuff that I was intending to transfer to my hard drive “at some point”.

Then it fried. I distinctly remember sitting at home using my laptop one morning. My memory stick was plugged in, and before my very eyes, the light on the memory stick suddenly went out, and it was no longer being recognized by the laptop.

I tried all kinds of home remedies to revive it, to no avail. Even my IT guru couldn’t resuscitate it. So I had to just accept its loss. Even though there was nothing critical on it, it contained stuff that was helpful to me, so I felt really mad with myself for not transferring everything. Especially as I’d literally spent the year telling myself repeatedly that I’d transfer it to my computer at some point!

Now I have a new Go-To memory stick, and I just transfer everything from it to my computer whenever I update it!

So, if you’re like me, and carrying a handy little memory stick around, learn from my mistake. In the words of the great sportswear company, Just Do It – don’t wait too long!

Categories: Freelance Writing, Miscellaneous Tags: ,
02
Oct 2013

How a Cat Helped Convict a Killer

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Forensic scientists in England have used a cat DNA database to identify cat hair found on a dead body, and help convict the killer.

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The UK’s first cat database of DNA from British cats was established by forensic scientists at the University of Leicester, and has already helped to solve a homicide. When the remains of a man were found in a trash bag on an English beach last year, 8 cat hairs were found on a curtain wrapped around his body. And thanks to the help of this DNA database, the killer was subsequently convicted.

The cat hairs were initially examined by the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory at the University of California, Davis, and were shown to match hair of a cat belonging to the victim’s friend. DNA obtained from the cat hair, however, was not nuclear DNA (nDNA), but mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). While nDNA, found in hair roots, is individual-specific, mtDNA, present in hair shafts, is maternally-inherited and can therefore be shared by many animals.

Although the mtDNA was also shown to differ from 493 other randomly sampled cats in the United States, prosecutors needed to determine the evidential strength of the match by demonstrating how rare the match might be for 2 random cats in the UK.

Consequently, Jon Wetton, a geneticist at the University of Leicester, worked with his team to create a database of cat DNA for this purpose. After collecting samples of mtDNA from 152 cats across Britain over a 6-week period, only 3 were a match with the cat hairs from the crime scene, confirming that it was an uncommon type in the UK as well as in the United States. Although not a perfect match, it indicated that the hairs on the victim’s torso most likely belonged to his friend’s cat, and provided evidence that was able to be used to help convict the killer.

This marks the first time that cat hair has been used in a criminal trial in the UK, and the group at the University of Leicester aims to publish their data for use in future crime investigations.

 

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Categories: Medical, Veterinary
25
Sep 2013

Mushroom Compound Improves Survival in Canine Hemangiosarcoma

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In dogs with hemangiosarcoma, treatment with a compound originating from the Coriolus versicolor mushroom was shown to result in survival times longer than any recorded so far in dogs with this condition.

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Hemangiosarcoma is an aggressive form of cancer with a high metastatic rate that originates in endothelial cells that line blood vessels. This tumor is not uncommon in dogs, and typically arises in the spleen of middle-aged to older animals, and is associated with rapid and widespread metastases. Although it can affect any breed, German shepherd dogs and golden retrievers are particularly predisposed to this fatal disease.

But could there be hope?

Coriolus versicolor, more commonly known as the Yunzhi mushroom, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years. It contains polysaccharopeptide (PSP), a compound that is thought to have immune-stimulating properties, and has more recently been suggested to also have an anti-tumor effect.

Some interesting data recently emerged from a study out of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Single Agent Polysaccharopeptide Delays Metastases and Improves Survival in Naturally Occurring Hemangiosarcoma (Brown DC and Reetz J. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Vol 2012 (2012); Article ID 384301) reported results from a double-blind, multi-dose pilot study designed to evaluate the effect of PSP treatment on survival time in dogs with hemangiosarcoma.

It included 15 dogs with the disease that were randomized equally across 3 treatment groups Each group was treated daily with a different dose of a manufactured formulation of PSP (25, 50, or 100 mg/kg/day). Dogs were examined monthly for disease progression.

The results of the study demonstrated that high-dose PSP significantly delayed the development of metastatic hemangiosarcoma, leading to the longest survival times reported in the veterinary literature in dogs with this tumor.

Previously, the longest median survival time reported in the veterinary literature in cases of splenic hemangiosarcoma, in dogs that did not undergo treatment, was 86 days. Although survival times were not significantly different between the dosage groups, the median time to development or progression of abdominal metastases was significantly delayed in the 100 mg/kg/day group (112 days; range 30-308 days), and the highest median survival time was 199 days. Some dogs in the study lived longer than a year.

Splenic hemangiosarcoma often remains undiagnosed until the tumor ruptures, leading to emergency presentation of the dog due to shock. At this stage, many owners choose surgical removal of the spleen rather than immediate euthanasia, despite the poor prognosis. But even if not evident at the time of surgery, widespread metastasis occurs rapidly, typically leading to fatal hemorrhagic crisis within about 3 months of the initial surgery.

Some owners consequently also opt for adjuvant chemotherapy with single agent and combination doxorubicin-based regimens. Although median survival times of 141-179 days are reported in dogs that have undergone surgery plus chemotherapy, this does not increase in the 12-month survival rate above that associated with surgery alone.

Although further investigation of this compound and its effect on survival time is warranted in dogs with hemangiosarcoma, results of this pilot study suggest that PSP may offer hope for use as a treatment alternative or addition to chemotherapeutic regimens.

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Image credit taliesin @morgueFile

 

 

Categories: Veterinary
17
Sep 2013

AMWA-New England Chapter Meeting

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Last week I attended our fall AMWA-NE Chapter dinner meeting, which turned out to be another fun evening.

We met at Mick Morgan’s Irish Pub & Restaurant in Newton, MA. It was a fun venue, although our private room turned out to be not-so-private! It was a side room that was continuous with the main part of the bar, and had no door. So we could still hear the music and antics in the bar, as well as the “Open Mic” event that started up shortly after ours did! But regardless, it was fun, and we all coped admirably with the side noise!

Our speaker for the evening was our very own AMWA fellow and former New England Chapter president, Jill Shuman. A certified Editor in the Life Sciences (ELS) and a Certified CME professional (CCMEP), Jill discussed various routes for a medical communicator to take in order to bridge gaps in expertise. A selection of those that she reviewed, included:

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Certification/credentialling programs

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Certificate programs

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University degrees

Although some colleges offer programs that require classroom presence, some now offer programs for medical writers that are completely online. These include:

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Although AMWA currently offers a variety of certificates for members to undertake, it will soon also offer a certification program – the first examination is set to be held in 2015, and the program will be open to all medical writers, not just AMWA members. And just in case you need a refresher, this link explains the difference between certification and a certificate.

If you haven’t already done so, don’t forget to join AMWA and check out your local chapter meetings.

And if you’re local to the New England region, please come and join us.

 

 

Categories: Business Resources, Freelance Writing, Medical Editing, Medical Writing
17
Jul 2013

2013 American Diabetes Association Annual Meeting

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A couple of weekends ago I was in Chicago for the ADA Annual Meeting. I was covering the conference for a client – it was actually the first time I’ve ever attended an ADA meeting, and I have to say, it was great.

Even though the McCormick Place conference center was teeming with attendees, it never felt overcrowded – it’s a huge venue, so there was plenty of room for everyone, and there were so many concurrent sessions that the rooms didn’t seem overcrowded either.

My client had arranged a room for me at the Hilton in the city, and it was the first time I’ve ever been booked into an executive suite – so my room was enormous too.

And one amusing aside – usually these medical conferences are filled with edible goodies. The press room is typically brimming with chocolates and other carbohydrate-loaded treats, as is the exhibitor’s hall. But it didn’t go unnoticed by me that these things were absent all around at the American Diabetes Association meeting! Clearly they were practising what they preach.

If you’re new to covering conferences, it’s always worth taking an organized approach to them, and even doing some advanced planning. Every little helps when it comes to these busy meetings.

 

 

Categories: Medical Writing
09
Jul 2013

AMWA-New England Chapter Meeting

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A few weeks ago I attended our final AMWA-NE Chapter meeting for the year, and I have to say, it was a great evening.

We met for good food and wine at an Italian restaurant, in Wellesley, MA, and were fortunate enough to have a guest speaker for the evening – Dr Julian Seifter, a nephrologist at Harvard Medical School.

In addition to being a leading nephrologist here in the US, Dr Seifter has experienced the “other side” of the doctor-patient relationship. During his talk he recalled memorable stories of working with patients, and his story as a patient dealing with his own chronic illnesses. And he talked of how dealing with his own conditions has helped his approach to his patients.

You can also check out this link to a conversation he had with The New York Times in 2010.

If you ever get the chance to hear him speak, I’d thoroughly recommend it – he was extremely engaging, and I could have listened to him all night.

With the help of his wife, Dr Seifter has written a book about his experiences – this is the image of the book from his website – it’s a wonderful read, and again, one I didn’t want to finish.

If you haven’t already done so, don’t forget to join AMWA and check out your local chapter meetings.

And if you’re local to the New England region, please come and join us.

 

 

Categories: Books, Medical, Medical Writing
08
May 2013

AMWA-New England 10th Biennial Conference

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On Saturday, April 6th, I attended the AMWA-New England Chapter’s 10th Biennial Conference at the Sturbridge Host Hotel and Conference Center, Sturbridge, MA. 

The “menu” on offer for the day was wonderful – great sessions to choose from. I attended the “Freelance Forum” in the morning, and “Transitioning to Medical Writing from Allied Fields” in the afternoon, and both were highly enjoyable and informative.

As always, it was so nice to meet new fellow writers at the conference, as well as catching up with some old friends, and I think everyone left feeling encouraged and motivated.

Are you new to medical writing? If so, I highly recommend joining AMWA and attending your local chapter meetings.

You’ll meet lots of fabulous, friendly writers, and your money will be very well-spent.

 

Categories: Medical Writing
03
May 2013

The Link Between Animal Cruelty and Interpersonal Abuse

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Did you know that April was “Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month”?
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Each year, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) “urges supporters across the country to support our efforts and Go Orange for Animals in honor of the signing of the ASPCA’s charter in 1866.”

No other relationship has lasted as long as that between animals and people. It’s amazing to consider how this dates back to prehistoric times, and to consider how it has evolved from an era when people merely used animals to their own advantage – to provide food, labor, and clothing, for example – to one in which companion animals have become increasingly important in contemporary life. Now, we not only rely on animals for companionship, but also regard them as friends and family members. 

Yet, despite our increasing personal bond with animals, we seem to remain the cruelest of all animal species.
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Animal Rights

The topic of animal rights continues to generate extremely diverse viewpoints among people. The mere thought of animal abuse is unfathomable to many, whilst others consider that “they are just animals”. Clearly a disconnect remains, and as many continue to feel that humans are the superior species, they don’t believe that animals deserve any moral consideration.

In 1866, the ASPCA was founded on the premise that “….persons who harmed animals would escalate their violent acts to include vulnerable humans” – interesting that the development of animal abuse legislation back in the 1800s related to concern for people, not animal welfare per se.

Do you have any idea how unprotected animals are, by law? The Animal Welfare Act is the only federal law that deals with animal protection, and it doesn’t even provide for rights for animals – and indeed farm animals and laboratory animals have even less protections than companion animals. Typically, animals are considered as “property” under the law, so in most cases of abuse, perpetrators tend to be punished less harshly than if they’d stolen someone’s expensive painting. Although there have been some pivotal cases reported recently, in which owners have been able to claim for emotional damages due to the loss of their pets. So maybe the legal landscape will slowly change in years to come.
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The Link Between Animal Abuse and Interpersonal Violence

The connection between abuse of animals and humans is irrefutable. Some of the data that have emerged in recent decades from studies investigating the link, have been both revealing and chilling:

  • 70% of animal abusers also have other criminal records
  • People who abuse animals are 5 times more likely to commit violent crimes than       those who do not abuse animals
  • Domestic partner violence is the most common cause of nonfatal injury in the US
  • 36% of emergency room visits by women between 1992 and 1996 were related to domestic abuse
  • 60% of domestic violence cases also involve pet abuse
  • 48% of battered women don’t escape to protect pets or livestock
  • 74% of battered women seeking refuge at a shelter reported that their pet was killed
  • More than 80% of families being treated for child abuse involve animal abuse, and in       in a quarter of these cases, the victimized child may later go on to abuse their pets
  • 31% of teenagers in one survey in Chicago had been to a dog fight
  • Men who abuse pets are more dangerous than those who don’t, using more types of violence, such as emotional and sexual violence, marital rape, and stalking
  • Most serial killers start out by killing animals

Animal abuse is known to represent part of a triad of behaviors for predicting criminal behavior. And the link between cruelty to animals and interpersonal violence is so well established that many communities now cross-train social service, animal control, and law enforcement agencies in how to recognize signs of animal abuse as possible indicators of other abusive behaviors. And some state laws now even mandate that veterinarians notify police if they suspect animal abuse.

So it’s easy to see how animal welfare plays an integral role in the welfare of humans, demonstrating the need to prevent, and intervene early in, animal cruelty cases. The concept of “animal rights” therefore clearly has implications in areas of society other than animal welfare.

“Every veterinarian has an obligation to protect the health and welfare of animals. Therefore the AVMA considers it the responsibility of every veterinarian to report animal abuse to appropriate authorities even when such reporting is not mandated by law or local ordinance. Such reporting is for the benefit of the animals, but there are often implications for people as well.”

[Dr Ron DeHaven, CEO, American Veterinary Medical Association]

 

Categories: Miscellaneous, Veterinary
27
Mar 2013

Mediterranean Diet Reduces Heart Disease Risk

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A diet high in vegetable fat is superior to a low-fat diet for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease
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February was American Heart Month, and it’s probably no coincidence that it also marked the release of a landmark study from Spain, reporting how a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or nuts markedly reduced the risk of severe cardiovascular events among people with high cardiovascular risk.

Until now, there was little empirical evidence that the Mediterranean diet lowered the risk of cardiovascular disease. It was based predominantly on data reporting that people from Mediterranean countries appeared to have reduced rates of heart disease – a statistic that could be affected by multiple factors in addition to diet. In one of the world’s largest and longest dietary intervention studies, a multicenter, randomized trial in Spain investigated the effect of the Mediterranean diet on cardiovascular risk. They reported their findings in the February 25, 2013 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

The results showed that a Mediterranean diet supplemented with either EVOO or nuts reduced the incidence of severe cardiovascular events by up to 30% in participants at high risk of developing heart disease.

Researchers from the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona and the Universidad de Navarra in Pamplona in Spain, randomly assigned 7,447 men and women (age 55-80 years) with no cardiovascular disease but high cardiovascular risk factors (due to overweight or obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, or a family history of coronary heart disease), to one of three diets for five years, starting in October 2003:

  • A Mediterranean diet supplemented with EVOO (at least 4 tablespoons a day)

  • A Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts (one ounce a day of a combination of walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts)

  • A standard low-fat diet

Participants in the Mediterranean diet groups were also instructed not to reduce calorie intake, but to avoid commercially made cookies, cakes, and pastries, and to limit their intake of processed meats and dairy products. They were required to eat: at least three servings a day of fruits; at least two servings a day of vegetables; fish at least three times a week; legumes (beans, peas and lentils) at least three times a week; white meat instead of red. Those who drank alcohol were also asked to have at least seven glasses of wine a week with meals.

Those in the Mediterranean diet groups additionally attended regular dietary training sessions. Individuals following the low-fat diet, however, received leaflets for the first three years that explained a low-fat diet; at the three-year mark, these participants were then also invited to attend regular dietary training sessions, and received dietary advice at the same intensity level as those in the Mediterranean groups.

The trial was stopped early, at 4.8 years, when it was deemed unethical to continue the study due to the clear benefit demonstrated among participants in the Mediterranean group diets. Compared to the low-fat diet, individuals following the Mediterranean diet with EVOO or nuts were less likely (30% and 28% respectively) to experience a major cardiovascular event (myocardial infarction, stroke, or cardiovascular death).

The researchers reported that individuals stayed with the Mediterranean diet, while participants in the low-fat diet group found compliance difficult, and did not actually reduce their fat intake much. Consequently the trial ended up comparing the Mediterranean diet with the typical modern diet that comprises red meat, processed foods, commercial baked goods, and sodas.

Participants in the low-fat diet group were also twice as likely to drop out of the study, than those following the Mediterranean diets (11.3% vs 4.9%).

The results of this study confirm the benefits of the Mediterranean diet in reducing heart disease. They also support evidence that low-fat diets are not especially beneficial, and are difficult for individuals to maintain. The researchers did report, however, that although the diet reduced the risk of heart disease in individuals at high risk for it, further studies are necessary to determine the benefits of this type of diet in people at low risk of heart disease.

Categories: Medical
06
Mar 2013

Blogging for Medical Writers at the AMWA-NE Winter 2013 Roundtable Brunch

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Last Sunday was our AMWA-New England Chapter’s Winter Roundtable Brunch at the Hilton Garden Inn in Burlington, MA. It was a week later than originally scheduled, due to the winter snowstorm we’d been expecting the previous weekend (although that turned out much lighter than expected, but better to play safe and reschedule, rather than go ahead and have folk stuck in the snow – Murphy’s Law!).

I’d been asked to host one of the roundtables again – the same one as I presented at last year’s winter brunch meeting, on “Blogging for Medical Writers”. I’d also hosted the roundtable at the AMWA Annual Conference in Sacramento, CA, last October, so this was its 3rd run (I was recently asked if I’d present it again at this year’s Annual Conference in Columbus, OH, but I don’t yet know whether I’ll be able to make it to the meeting, so I haven’t been able to accept).

Once again I really enjoyed meeting some new fellow writers at the meeting, as well as catching up with some old friends – and the group discussion turned out to be a really fun and interactive one. Interestingly, all 3 of these roundtable sessions have brought up different discussions and commentaries, and it’s been great hearing experiences, tips, and comments from other writers about managing a blog.

And, as always seems to happen after our local meetings, I left feeling very inspired and motivated.

Are you new to medical writing? If so, I highly recommend joining AMWA and attending your local chapter meetings.

I guarantee it will be money well-spent.

 

 

Categories: Medical Writing
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