Thursday, January 7, 2021
Not many events can overshadow a pandemic.
Not many events can overshadow a pandemic.
[This was after the 1-6-21 riot at the Capitol]
-----Latest Data---
Let's remind ourselves of the pandemic's magnitude in the U.S.: 7-day daily rolling averages of 2500+ deaths and 200,000 new cases.
Global-View:
https://www.ft.com/content/a2901ce8-5eb7-4633-b89c-cbdf5b386938
Nationally:
https://ig.ft.com/coronavirus-chart/?areas=usa&areas=gbr&areasRegional=usny&areasRegional=usca&areasRegional=usfl&areasRegional=ustx&areasRegional=usco&cumulative=0&logScale=0&perMillion=1&values=casesf
Also, look at https://covidtracking.com/data
The U.S. Regionally - N.Y. Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html
About the data:
https://covidtracking.com/about-data/visualization-guide is the best resource to understand data visualization and data integrity.
Vaccine Tracker!
https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/
-----
A loyal reader shared this fantastic Twitter thread I call "a layman's guide to mRNA vaccines." I read this one out loud to my teenagers.
https://twitter.com/wheatnoil/status/1339624815137722368?s=10
Immunologists from the University of Amsterdam published this pre-release article (not peer-reviewed yet) looking at the antibody response to COVID in 844 patients over 34 weeks. This data seems to confirm the presence of IgG antibodies for 2-5 months. This article continues to offer support for the notion that a two-dose vaccine is superior to a single infection. And, you don't run the risk of hospitalization and death (as you do with the infection).
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.06.20249035v1
Brief19 offers a robust roundup of the latest models and policy trade-offs of various vaccine rollout options. It is your coffee read of the day.
https://brief19.com/2021/01/06/brief
Dr. Westafer shared some data and some commentary on the knowns and unknowns of mRNA vaccine use in pregnant women. The bottom line is we think it is safe, based on analogous experiences with what crosses into the placenta, but there is no specific data on mRNA vaccines.
https://twitter.com/LWestafer/status/1346820929180078082
Infographics of the day: Learn something every day.
Heimlich maneuver for dogs. I have never thought about this. Probably because I don't have a dog.
http://www.yorkiesunited.com/heimlich-maneuver.html
----Bonus round: Empirical data on non-Western medicine and why your iWatch keeps telling you to breath.
In my community, we have several naturopaths who often give out "evidence-free" advice combined with, what I call, pills, unguents, and potions. While I am sympathetic with what my patients want (simple and "natural" solutions), I have a high degree of skepticism. However, I do enjoy finding actual data supporting non-Western medical practices. But it is never simple. I found these articles and a short video on measurable physiologic changes from a set of meditation involving g-tummo breathing. These data capture measurable changes in core body temperature and EEG patterns for trained practitioners of these techniques. So as you parse these links, think about the small steps. These data demonstrate a measurable physiologic change in well-trained meditation practitioners. These data do not speak to any medical benefits or disease treatment. But it is interesting to see what we can learn by applying empiricism to anecdotes.
2013 Neurocognitive and Somatic Components of Temperature Increases during g-Tummo Meditation: Legend and Reality
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0058244
Here is a 7-minute trailer for a documentary on Herbert Benson, MD - who did 1980's investigations measuring physiologic changes associated with g-Tummo meditation. Interestingly, Benson could not demonstrate the differences in casual practitioners - he had to go to Tibet.
https://vimeo.com/248297652
Here are some relaxation techniques based on Dr. Benson's work. You know, in case the news gets you anxious or something. And now you know, partly, why your iWatch tells you to breathe. Which may or may not do anything.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/using-the-relaxation-response-to-reduce-stress-20101110780
And some info on the extrapolation Apple has done in justifying the Breathe App: https://www.mactrast.com/2016/09/science-behind-apple-watch-breathe-app-watchos-3/
Clean hands and sharp minds, team
Adam
I am back at my clinical office tomorrow. More email on Monday.
-----Latest Data---
Let's remind ourselves of the pandemic's magnitude in the U.S.: 7-day daily rolling averages of 2500+ deaths and 200,000 new cases.
Global-View:
https://www.ft.com/content/a2901ce8-5eb7-4633-b89c-cbdf5b386938
Nationally:
https://ig.ft.com/coronavirus-chart/?areas=usa&areas=gbr&areasRegional=usny&areasRegional=usca&areasRegional=usfl&areasRegional=ustx&areasRegional=usco&cumulative=0&logScale=0&perMillion=1&values=casesf
Also, look at https://covidtracking.com/data
The U.S. Regionally - N.Y. Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html
About the data:
https://covidtracking.com/about-data/visualization-guide is the best resource to understand data visualization and data integrity.
Vaccine Tracker!
https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/
-----
A loyal reader shared this fantastic Twitter thread I call "a layman's guide to mRNA vaccines." I read this one out loud to my teenagers.
https://twitter.com/wheatnoil/status/1339624815137722368?s=10
Immunologists from the University of Amsterdam published this pre-release article (not peer-reviewed yet) looking at the antibody response to COVID in 844 patients over 34 weeks. This data seems to confirm the presence of IgG antibodies for 2-5 months. This article continues to offer support for the notion that a two-dose vaccine is superior to a single infection. And, you don't run the risk of hospitalization and death (as you do with the infection).
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.06.20249035v1
Brief19 offers a robust roundup of the latest models and policy trade-offs of various vaccine rollout options. It is your coffee read of the day.
https://brief19.com/2021/01/06/brief
Dr. Westafer shared some data and some commentary on the knowns and unknowns of mRNA vaccine use in pregnant women. The bottom line is we think it is safe, based on analogous experiences with what crosses into the placenta, but there is no specific data on mRNA vaccines.
https://twitter.com/LWestafer/status/1346820929180078082
Infographics of the day: Learn something every day.
Heimlich maneuver for dogs. I have never thought about this. Probably because I don't have a dog.
http://www.yorkiesunited.com/heimlich-maneuver.html
----Bonus round: Empirical data on non-Western medicine and why your iWatch keeps telling you to breath.
In my community, we have several naturopaths who often give out "evidence-free" advice combined with, what I call, pills, unguents, and potions. While I am sympathetic with what my patients want (simple and "natural" solutions), I have a high degree of skepticism. However, I do enjoy finding actual data supporting non-Western medical practices. But it is never simple. I found these articles and a short video on measurable physiologic changes from a set of meditation involving g-tummo breathing. These data capture measurable changes in core body temperature and EEG patterns for trained practitioners of these techniques. So as you parse these links, think about the small steps. These data demonstrate a measurable physiologic change in well-trained meditation practitioners. These data do not speak to any medical benefits or disease treatment. But it is interesting to see what we can learn by applying empiricism to anecdotes.
2013 Neurocognitive and Somatic Components of Temperature Increases during g-Tummo Meditation: Legend and Reality
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0058244
Here is a 7-minute trailer for a documentary on Herbert Benson, MD - who did 1980's investigations measuring physiologic changes associated with g-Tummo meditation. Interestingly, Benson could not demonstrate the differences in casual practitioners - he had to go to Tibet.
https://vimeo.com/248297652
Here are some relaxation techniques based on Dr. Benson's work. You know, in case the news gets you anxious or something. And now you know, partly, why your iWatch tells you to breathe. Which may or may not do anything.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/using-the-relaxation-response-to-reduce-stress-20101110780
And some info on the extrapolation Apple has done in justifying the Breathe App: https://www.mactrast.com/2016/09/science-behind-apple-watch-breathe-app-watchos-3/
Clean hands and sharp minds, team
Adam
I am back at my clinical office tomorrow. More email on Monday.
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