My, oh my..! Japan is always a leader in the world of technology and that’s why I find the country so fascinating. But, it should not be forgotten that Japan is also the leader in weird ideas that Western culture can’t quite understand. buy stendra super force online https://pridedentaloffice.com/wp-content/languages/en/stendra-super-force.html no prescription
I guess that’s where I find myself with Shippo, the brain-controlled tail. Is this a real product??
I can’t say exactly how this works, but from their site, I gather that when you are relaxed, the tail will move slowly and when you are “concentrating” on something, the tail will move quickly. buy doxycycline online https://pridedentaloffice.com/wp-content/languages/en/doxycycline.html no prescription
I assume the sensor registers the muscle activity in your forehead, and this sensor is connected to a smartphone app, so you can record your mood and share it on the internet.
Here’s a short tidbit from the neurowear site:
“What will happen when people show their feelings even when they don’t express them? Interesting? Ashamed? Scared? In the beginning, people may feel strange, however people quickly become accustomed to controlling their new ears with their brainwaves. buy aurogra online https://pridedentaloffice.com/wp-content/languages/en/aurogra.html no prescription
Right now, Necomimi can become a part of your body.”
I think I’ll say “No Thanks” to the brain-controlled tail, but if you feel so inclined, you can check out Neurowear to see their already released, brain-controlled ears.
Mel Chin is a conceptual artist from Houston, TX who created this incredible Ax from some wood, a book, wax, and pigment. Here’s Mr. Chin describing his reason for making the Ax (it’s pretty entertaining):
“My very first lecture in New York City was in 1987 and I was nervous because it was at the New School for Social Research. I was paralyzed because I was asked to address graduate students of philosophy and psychology. I was so worried that the philosophers would know that I didn’t know what I was talking about and the psychologists would understand and dig out this buried secret of my early childhood trauma.
I took a two-by-four and cut and ax handle. I took a book and cut out the ax head. I stuffed some notes in there and I sharpened it up and waxed it shut. I wrapped the whole thing in newspaper, went downstairs to the local store, bought a six-pack of Budweiser and went to the lecture. They had placed a U-shaped table in the room and everybody was smoking pipes—a bunch of guys smoking pipes. I sat down and put the newspaper down and I started drinking beer as fast as I could.
After the third beer the head of the school of philosophy said, “Mr. Chin, I think it is time to start” At that moment, being allergic to alcohol, I suddenly turned red. I had a headache and I was already edgy, so I just ripped off the newspaper, picked it up and said,” This an ax!” The head of the psychology department said, “What the fuck you gonna do, man?” I turned around and slammed the ax into the blackboard. It broke apart and the notes fluttered down. I read from the notes. I was still shaking but I was drunk; it didn’t matter.
When the guy from the school of philosophy said, “I’d like to talk a little bit about Plato’s shadows.”I said, “I don’t want to talk about no damn shadows.”He said,”That’s fine, cool, that’s cool.”
Actually, it was a very successful lecture, but the lesson it taught me is that objects are incredibly loaded. Words and human expression can do some of the work yet objects themselves are loaded with a wealth of information and power and possibilities. Even as noted in Homer, “the arrow that strikes Achilles is freighted with dark pain. buy zofran generic mexicanpharmacyonlinerx.net over the counter
” I call that piece Lecture Ax.”
I am amazed at how closely Chin’s Ax looks to the real thing. I can understand why the head of the psychology department freaked out when he ripped it out. And after reading that story, I am officially a FAN of Mel Chin! buy cialis generic cialisnextdaydeliveryusa.com over the counter
For more of his work, check out his website: melchin.org
-RSB
“A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us.” – Franz Kafka
The Anatomical Basis of Medical Practice is a controversial medical textbook that Duke professors, R. Frederick Becker, James S. W. Wilson, and John A. Gehweiler, created in 1971 to inspire young medical students to learn anatomy. Duke underwent an overhaul to its medical curriculum in 1966 that lead to a drastic reduction to its anatomy training. Dr. Becker, though passionate in his teaching, was known to be rather eccentric. He had cut-outs of Male & Female Playboy Centerfolds posted around his office that he used to teach students surface anatomy. Dr. Becker was quoted discussing his controversial book:
“In our own student days we discovered that studying surface anatomy with a wife or girlfriend proved to be not only instructive, but highly entertaining. Since the majority of medical students still tend to be males, we have liberalized this text by making use of the female form. But, more to the point, we have done so because a large portion of your future patients will be women and few texts have pointed out surface landmarks on the female.”
This book was eventually banned as the feminist movement strengthened. Of note, “Robust, healthy males” were also included in the book for the female medical students.
Dan Beckemeyer, hailing from O’Fallon, Illinois, is the graphic designer responsible for the images above. They are from his series titled Systems. He used hand-made abaca paper to create these highly detailed images of human anatomy. He first drew the skeletal system, then stitched blood vessels before finally adding felt for the muscle mass.
I really like how the piece has an unfinished, natural look. It also enables you to see the different layers of depth.
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), commonly known as Electroshock Therapy, has certainly gotten a bad rap. When most people imagine this treatment, they conjure up images of some sadistic psychiatrist laughing as he tortures his helpless patients. There are many misconceived notions about ECT, so I thought I would let you all know a bit about its history and why, in reality, it’s a good thing (despite the harrowing photo above).
The Origin of Electroconvulsive Therapy
ECT dates back pretty much to the dawn of recorded history. Before we found biological reasons for mental illness, humans believed that patients who suffered from schizophrenia and other illnesses were possessed by evil spirits. Hippocrates and his colleagues even spent time searching for plants that could induce seizures in hopes of “shaking the evil spirits from the body.” Doctors attempted many different methods to induce seizures such as fever, insulin, and camphor, before finally settling on electricity.
Vintage Electroconvulsive Device
In the 1930’s, Italian scientists, Ugo Cerletti and Lucio Bini noticed that if their patients who suffered from epilepsy had a series of seizures, then subsequently, their depression would be temporarily cured. After testing electric shock on pigs, they moved on to human subjects with excellent results. ECT gained tremendous popularity throughout the 1940’s and 1950’s before suffering from negative publicity.
So why so much negativity? Throughout the 60’s and 70’s, ECT was certainly overused. We didn’t have all of the pharmacological treatments that we do today, so we depended entirely too much on ECT as a treatment for all types of mental illness. Many physicians were accused of using ECT as punishment for poor behavior. Furthermore, physicians didn’t really use the muscle relaxants that we have today. During the seizures, patients would convulse their bodies violently, often resulting in bodily harm, especially in the older patients.
Back to the Basics
So What Exactly is ECT? A psychiatric treatment in which a generalized central nervous system seizure is induced by means of electric current.
Administration: Treatments are usually given 3x a week — on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for about a month. Electroconvulsive shock is applied to one or both cerebral hemispheres to induce a seizure. Variables include stimulus pattern, amplitude, and duration. The goal is to produce a therapeutic generalized seizure 30–60 s in duration. Electrical stimuli are usually administered until a therapeutic seizure is induced. A good therapeutic effect is generally not achieved until a total of 400–700 seizure seconds have been induced.
Anesthesia: General anesthesia – usually Propofol (+ Lidocaine for the burn of the injection). And a Neuromuscular blocking agent – succinylcholine, which helps relax all of the muscles from convulsion for safety.
Does it Really Work? Yes! Not only does it work, but it is actually the MOST EFFECTIVE treatment of severe depression with an efficacy of ~ 70-85%. Comparative controlled studies of ECT and pharmacotherapy show that it is more effective. This means that it works more often then Prozac, Zoloft etc… This is only a short term treatment, however, and maintenance treatments must be used to continue the beneficial effects.
Contraindications: There are no absolute contraindications to the use of ECT. It can even be used in pregnancy! – 2 reviews found a risk of about 5-10% for complications in pregnancy => should only be used when depression is recalcitrant to intensive pharmacotherapy.
Side Effects: The most common are memory disturbance and headache. Unilateral ECT is associated with less memory loss. Most memory faculties return to full capacity within several weeks. Confusion often lasting from minutes to hours is common, but reversible.
And if you would like to see a great TED talk on ECT, watch below, it’s quite moving:
Surgeon and author Sherwin Nuland discusses the development of electroshock therapy as a cure for severe, life-threatening depression — including his own. It’s a moving and heartfelt talk about relief, redemption and second chances.
Well, hopefully you enjoyed this information a bit. Electroshock for the win.
-RSB
References:
CURRENT Diagnosis & Treatment: Psychiatry > Section II. Psychiatric Disorders in Adults >
Chapter 18. Mood Disorders. Peter T. Loosen, MD, PhD, Richard C. Shelton, MD
Behavioral Medicine: A Guide for Clinical Practice > Section IV. Mental & Behavioral Disorders >
Chapter 22. Depression. Steven A. Cole, MD, John F. Christensen, PhD, Mary Raju Cole, RN, MS, APRN, BC, Henry Cohen, MS, Pharm D, FCCM, & Mitchell D. Feldman, MD, MPhil
Clinical Anesthesiology > Section IV. Physiology, Pathophysiology, & Anesthetic Management >Chapter 27. Anesthesia for Patients with Neurologic & Psychiatric Diseases. Steven A. Cole, MD, John F. Christensen, PhD, Mary Raju Cole, RN, MS, APRN, BC, Henry Cohen, MS, Pharm D, FCCM, & Mitchell D. Feldman, MD, MPhil
This is a model of the Human Head & Neck region showing some of the vasculature and nerves. I really wish I owned this. As far as I can tell, it was originally posted by The Cabinet of Photographic Curiosities, which has some extremely NSFW photos, watch out!
