Grand Rounds 3:45

Welcome to Grand Rounds 3:45! I'm just back from Singapore where I've been doing research for my new medical tourism/medical travel website MedTripInfo. I'm looking for contributors, so let me know if you'd like to write a post or else just leave a comment in one of the forums.GET FATTYBy now you must have heard about the study that concludes that obesity spreads across social networks. Clinical Cases and Images and Med Journal Watch have. Then along comes Junkfood Science and blows the whole thing out of the water: it's not a rigorous study of people but a computer simulation relying on dubious inputs, questionable assumptions, and improper interpretation of the results. Ouch!SPEAKIN' OF BIG FELLASNotre Dame football coach Charlie Weis lost his malpractice lawsuit, which alleged his surgeons botched a gastric bypass operation. New York Personal Injury Law Blog and NY Emergency Medicine cite a new study showing that --unlike in other personal injury cases-- defendants usually win malpractice trials. One reason could be Advanced Practice Strategies (APS), a litigation support and eLearning company that aided the defense in the Weis case and many others. (Disclosure: I'm Chairman of APS.)ANOTHER REASON TO STAY ACTIVEExercise, learning and social interaction may help people establish a "cognitive reserve" to offset the impact of Alzheimer's, according to Sharp Brains. And folic acid may not actually prevent or treat Alzheimer's. Rather "the link between high folate and lower risk of Alzheimer's may really be due to exercise," says The Tangled Neuron.PATIENT TALESDigital Doorway shows there's hope even for hardened heroin addicts and Rickety Contrivances of Doing Good says the same about alcoholics.Six Until Me shares her girlhood excitement in finding Stacey, a book character with diabetes.Cancer Treatment and Survivorship asserts that cancer treatment in community settings in the US is often woefully poor.Rebuild Your Back suggests sucking up to your doc to get more attention. (Whatever happened to the squeaky wheel getting the grease?)PROVIDER PERSPECTIVESDr. Anna Pou, the New Orleans doctor accused of murder, is off the hook and The Doctor Blogger offers a spirited defense of her actions. "If I am ever a patient in a hospital under these conditions, may God provide me with an Anna Pou to hover over my bedside..."Medical students spend a lot of time with dead bodies. No wonder Vitum Medicinus has developed aversions to 10 foods (including cream cheese) and Anatomy on the Beach is fixated on his cadaver. Meanwhile Medicine for the Outdoors is far from the beach, attending the Wilderness Medical Society's Annual conclave.Other things amanzi must have been paying attention in med school, since he was able to rip out a spleen successfully on his first attempt.How to Cope with Pain explores the nirvana of coordinated care. (Don't hold your breath.) Tech Medicine explores the reasons docs don't use email much with their patients.Musings of a Befuddled Pharmacist shares some ramblings along with photos of some pretty funny signs. "Licensed to Sell Drugs and Poisons" is my favorite.TECHNO TALKMed Valley High describes female leadership traits, which are increasingly relevant as female physicians become the norm. Speaking of which, Web 2.0 physicians are more likely to be female, says Science Roll.Eye on DNA explores a case involving genetic testing and "wrongful life."Diabetes Mine has been outfitted with DexCom's wireless continuous glucose monitor. Sounds better than the previous version but still a lot of kinks to be worked out. Speaking of kinks, ChronicBabe reviews a range of sex toys (btw a latex allergy need be no barrier to enjoyment).NEWS YOU CAN USESpine-Health has 31 back pain tips your doctor didn't mention. The Fitness Fixer shows how to stretch your hips, and The Diet Dish has a list of behaviors to avoid if you're nursing.A Chronic Dose lets us know that the gluten intolerant can still eat out.Are you a physician thinking of starting a blog? Read Health Care Law Blog's guidance first.POLICY AND POLITICS (FOR YOU HEALTH WONK REVIEW JUNKIES)InsureBlog boils health care reform down to two choices: rationing or fee cuts. Freedom from Smoking endorses SiCKO. Dr. Val shares the definition of a Canadian: an unarmed American with health care.Hope for Pandora and Healthline Connects examine the muzzling of former Surgeon General Richard Carmona.Anxiety, Addiction and Depression Treatments proclaims New York City's smoking ban a success, based on reduced exposure to secondhand smoke.Allergy Notes explores the different rates of EpiPen prescribing by region.WHEN THE TRUTH IS FOUND TO BE LIESAre the Chinese exporting tainted White Rabbit candies to the Philippines? Parallel Universes struggles to sort it out. Go ask Alice...----That does it for this edition of Grand Rounds.