Pulse Issue 4

‫]‪[WHERE EVERY BEAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE‬‬

‫‪Issue 4 May 2009‬‬

‫‪Page‬‬ ‫‪1‬‬

‫‪In this issue‬‬

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‪...‬‬

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‫‪Hommage à Toi‬‬ ‫‪Joelle‬‬

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‫‪L’effet BLOUSE‬‬ ‫‪BLANCHE‬‬

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‫‪PULSE, The‬‬ ‫‪Making Of‬‬

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‫اﻡ یی‪...‬‬

‫‪5‬‬

‫‪L’HORIZON DE‬‬ ‫‪NOS ESPOIRS‬‬

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‫?‪THINK AGAIN‬‬

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‫‪When Music‬‬ ‫‪Sings, the Brain‬‬ ‫‪Listens...‬‬

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‫‪Sicko, THIS‬‬

‫‪MIGHT HURT‬‬ ‫‪A LITTLE‬‬ ‫‪8‬‬

‫  ار‬

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‫  ‪ ...‬و ‪...‬‬

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‫‪I THINK‬‬ ‫‪therefore‬‬ ‫!!‪I CURE‬‬

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‫‪Alternative‬‬ ‫‪Medicine‬‬

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‫‪Book Guide‬‬

‫‪12‬‬

‫!‪NO KIDDING‬‬

‫‪SAVING PLANET EARTH‬‬ ‫‪www.loveearth.com‬‬

‫

‪...‬‬

‫ﻡذا أآ'‪* + ,‬ی) آ'&‪ #‬ﺱر ﺱ‪$‬ا  ا‪ #‬ا" !ة ‬ ‫‪!12‬ه ا‪/‬ة! ﻡذا أ ل ‪ +‬ر‪ # ) 7‬ﺡ‪6‬ا ارﺡ‪!7 ,4/‬ﺡ‪#/‬‬ ‫ ‪!:$‬ة ﻡ ‪  $ +‬اوی! ;;‪ ...‬ی أآ@! اﺱء !دادًا ‪</+‬‬ ‫ت ﺱ‪$‬ا ‪ A‬ا)‪/ /‬‬ ‫‪ 47‬و أ;‪ /‬ﻡذا أآ'‪A$+ ,‬؟ أ‪ #‬ا'‪ 4‬ﻡ‪ِ D‬‬ ‫ ; ‪:‬ت ا‪ ,‬و ا‪H‬دة و ا‪G‬م‪.‬‬ ‫) ا"'&!ت ا‪M‬ف و ‪ # !K‬آﺱ‪ J‬ا!ة ﺡ ‪ $‬و ;ت ‪ AI‬و‬ ‫أ‪ 47 #‬ا@@ ‪!Q+‬ة ﻡ ‪!+‬ك ‪N‬ر‪  +‬ﻡ!ض ا‪!& !NH‬اءة‬ ‫‪ A'IR‬و ‪!R‬ه‪ J /+ #&/1'7 ,‬و اﺱ') ‪ #‬ا ة‪ .‬و ‪S H‬‬ ‫ﺱ‪$‬ات‪ ,‬ا"'&!ت ‪  !V‬ا!‪ ,+‬دث ﺱ ! ﻡ!وع اﺱ'ع أذی'‪A‬‬ ‫;یً و  ‪ A' NMK‬ا)ی ) ‪K #‬ﻡ‪ M‬و ﻡ‪!N‬ة ‪ </+‬ﻡ' ‪H‬‬ ‫ا ة ‪6H‬م و ﻡ@ !ة‪ .‬و ﻡ ان ﻡ‪ #‬ﺱ‪ $‬ﺡ'< ﺡ'< ‪+‬د ا!ض و‬ ‫‪ X‬ا‪)'X‬م ‪6‬ی'‪ 47 J‬ﻡ‪!H‬آ'‪ J‬او<‪,‬‬ ‫ ‪N‬رة ﻡ‪ ,I/'M‬ﻡو ً‬ ‫‪ A$‬و ه[‪ Z‬ا!ة أیً آ‪ #$‬ا ى ‪67‬ﻡ'‪ J‬و ‪!K #/‬ف ا ة‬ ‫‪ .ً 2‬و ‪ H‬ذ‪!Q A‬ی‪ ,‬ذ ‪ HR #‬ا و ﻡ!ار ‪ J‬ﺡ ‪ $‬أ* ‪ A‬أ‬ ‫ﺡد ‪ 47‬ا& أد"‪
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‫‪1‬‬

‫ﻡ‪G‬ﺡ‪ : :‬ه[ا ا‪   H‬ا‪GRX‬ع و اا‪ & J /+ )7‬ا‪ !Q$‬ﻡ & ا \ ا‪. G‬‬

Hommage à Toi Joelle, de la part de tes amis en Médecine... On est bien peu de choses Et notre amie la rose Nous l’a prouvé hier matin Nous baignant dans un monde de chagrin

Dors ma belle durant l'automne les étoiles brillent, la nuit est insomne le bonheur a perdu son sens l'injustice prédomine, c'est ce que je pense

Le vent n’a jamais été plus froid La tempête plus violente que ce soir-là Le soir où ton âme nous a quittés Pour aller rejoindre Celui qui l’a créée

Dors ma belle durant l'hiver je ne sais où aller, que dire, quoi faire pourquoi attendre alors la pluie quand la vie est morte et n'a plus d'esprit...

On a beau se dire que c’est une farce Que n’a jamais existé ce vendredi 13 mars Mais ton absence est pourtant une réalité Qui sera, pour beaucoup d’entre nous, dure à supporter

Dors ma belle durant le printemps le silence parle, la colère se répand sois le froid, sois la chaleur sois la vérité dont j'ai toujours eu peur

La seule image qui revient à ma mémoire C’est te voir souriante dans les couloirs, Élégante, rayonnante et pleine d’espoir, Chassant, par ton éclat, toutes nos idées noires

Dors ma belle durant l'été c'est ta résurrection que nous sommes en train de fêter dans la bataille, le ciel a gagné à cause de nos faiblesses, nous étions obligés de lâcher

Je pense à ceux qui t’ont aimée A ceux qui t’ont jalousement enviée A ta famille, tes amis, ton bien-aimé A ceux qui, peut-être un jour, t’ont offensée

Dors ma belle, dors mon ange la tempête se calme et rien ne la dérange N'oublie pas ceux qui t'aimaient Et sois sûre qu'ils ne t'oublieraient jamais

Pardonne-nous de ne pas avoir pu te sauver D’avoir baissé les bras et désespéré Jusqu’au point de laisser la mort t’arracher A nous, et te garder à jamais

Dors ma sainte et demeure belle je t'aimerai toujours, ma douce Joelle …

F.Haddad

Du fond du coeur, on te promet Que rien au monde nous fera oublier La personne que tu as toujours été Et qui en nous, vivra pour l’éternité Pauvres de nous, pauvres de nous, vivants enchaînés Dans nos faiblesses et nos banalités A Toi, la Résurrection et le Paradis Illuminé Et la Gloire de Dieu qui te berce à Jamais…

N.Kaadi ‫ق و ﻡ!ارة‬Q‫ ا‬, ‫ و‬, !‫  "أ" ا و"ﺡء" ا‬ .#‫ﺽ اﺱ أ‬... ‫ا!ﺡ‬ ...‫ ارض و ا 'ﻡ اوات‬H‫ دﻡ‬...‫ و ا 'ﻡ‬H‫ دﻡ‬#‫أ‬ ...‫ه ان‬6‫ ی‬S ‫ ر‬47 / ; K‫!ا‬7 #‫وأ‬ ...J‫ و آ أا‬S !‫ ن ا‬#‫  أ‬ .../ M‫ ا‬47 o ‫ ﺡ ة‬#‫وأ‬ ...‫!س ا[اآ!ة ه[ا‬+ 47 q ! ... ‫و‬G / ‫ة‬G* ‫ و‬,/ ;  *  #‫وأ‬ P.Kaazan .ً+‫ودا‬...‫ب‬/)‫ ا‬/‫ ی ﻡ‬...4 ! 1* ‫ی‬

L’effet BLOUSE BLANCHE Pour se libérer de la “présence obligatoire” et de la soumission aux “ordres supérieurs”, on n’a besoin que de la Blouse Blanche. Non seulement elle te donne confiance en toi, sensation d’être médecin, de pouvoir et de savoir, mais son effet s’étend ailleurs à tout coin de l’hôpital. La Blouse Blanche y fera tout pour vous: La Blouse Blanche protège les filles du TOLTISH Au cafeteria, la Blouse Blanche paie moins …

Special points of interest:

•

Mais le pouvoir ultime de la Blouse Blanche se fait au lit du patient: La Blouse Blanche entrée, tout le monde sort de la chambre … La Blouse Blanche sortie, tout le monde se redresse, les yeux dévient vers elle, une seule question est posée: “Tammenna ya hakim…”. La Blouse Blanche voudrait répondre, sauf que pour un instant, celui qui la porte, se réveille, oublie cette fausse gloire et anticipe: “Je ne suis pas le médecin traitant, nshalla kheir…” H.El Haddad

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3

PULSE, PULSE The Making Of Have you ever wondered how PULSE is made? Well this our story… Conceived out of the vision of a few, delivered to so many. Whether you published an article or read one, whether you contributed a picture or liked one, PULSE is a story of success, mine, yours, ours… Everyone has something to say and PULSE is our voice, a loud one indeed. This is a tribute to the people who made it happen, this is a big thank you to our writers.

It all starts with ideas, articles delivered by email, drawings… Then comes the selection process making sure to include as many participants while at the same time trying to diversify the content. Thirty-five students and five professors had articles published in PULSE. Two interviews (with the dean and vice-dean), and a survey (that included 305 students) were also published. After a long editing process and fine tuning, PULSE undergoes a thorough check for typing errors. And finally it gets to be printed and we get to see the finished product. From “PULSE is Born” to this fifth edition, it has been a rewarding journey for all of those who shared their thoughts. The aim is that more and more of our colleagues take part in the magazine.

To the monotony of our faculty PULSE - in black and white added lively colors!

By the Editor: It has been a delight to work with such a motivated group, to achieve so much with so little, to reach to our fellow students. MEDCLUB and PULSE are two titles synonymous with unprecedented success in the history of our faculty, simply said: search for Lebanese University faculty of Medicine on Google, one of the first links you obtain is PULSE. Yet this will only incite us to aim at ever greater accomplishments. This is the last issue I shall edit but this is far from being the end, the project we created is bound to thrive in the hands of a junior team. Our new crew will be more creative than ever, they will make sure that PULSE keeps throbbing vividly. To them I say, take it away and GOOD LUCK. H.Bitar

Issue 0

April 2008

Issue 1

June 2008

Issue 2

October 2008

Issue 3 February 2009 Issue 4

May 2009

Issue 5 ...

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4

...‫اﻡ یی‬

Did You Know?

,‫ﻡت‬/H $/ ‫ و‬,‫ ا)ﺉ‬$&ّ‫ و  ا م  وﺽ‬,#‫ات  ﻡ‬$‫ ﺱ‬S ‫أر‬ ‫ت ول‬K $‫ ا‬Z[‫ ه‬./‫  !ة ا&  ای‬k/$$ ‫! ا)ر‬:'$ ‫ّن‬X‫و ا‬ ‫ﻡ‬l 4‫ ر ا'ع آ‬$/+  ‫ و‬:$‫ّل و ﻡ‬H7 ‫ب‬GR h/V‫ ﻡ‬h ‫ﻡ!ة ﺱ‬ $‫ﻡ أن ﻡ‬l $ , /H‫  و ا‬+';X‫   و ا‬7!'‫ت ا‬RQ$‫ب ا‬G/ .‫ ا< آ ا دی‬A‫ى ذ‬H' 4‫  ه‬,‫ أآ@! ﻡ رﺱ‬4‫ ه‬,‫ا‬ ‫ا‬:7‫ءة و ﻡ أن ی‬I S'' ‫ص‬MK HQ‫ ا‬/ ‫ ﺱف‬,J /+ ‫ ًء‬$ ‫و‬ X ,‫) ;د ه[ا ذج‬2
L’HORIZON DE NOS ESPOIRS L’espoir semble reprendre ses droits, dès que l’échec est là ! Formule concise qui dénote le courant de vie, dans une imagination plus ou moins fertile, rappelant les attentes d’un désir qui, la plupart du temps, se transforme en illusion de croyance. Malgré ça, notre but à atteindre est assez proche d’une reconversion de nos expériences passées, laissant apparaitre toutes les lacunes qui engendrent notre futur. Les jours, les mois, voire les années passent à un rythme effréné nous laissant mijoter dans une sauce aigre-douce ; nous sommes malgré nous mêlés dans le tourbillon, épuisés par les déceptions et même arrêtés, pris de vertige, devant l’inexplicable enchevêtrement d’incidents et de circonstances qui plus ou moins nous déterminent tous. De cet étrange amalgame ne peut ressortir tout ce qui manque à nos aspirations ; l’on voudrait tant les voir se transformer en de belles certitudes… Bref, notre mécontentement ne doit que s’améliorer, et si l’on n’y prend garde, nous serons asphyxiés dans la progression de notre devenir. Les échecs, les privations, les affreuses réalités quotidiennes doivent favoriser dans notre monde intérieur l’éclosion d’une conscience claire de ce qu’il y a ; notre volonté ne doit jamais cesser pour que puisse renaitre un avenir plus chaleureux et plus enthousiaste. Notre espoir est-il certain ? À nous de le prouver ! Z.Kourani

The sound heard by a listener when holding a seashell to his ear does NOT come from the shell itself. It is the echo of the blood pulsing in the listener’s own ear. Between 1997 and 2002, there was an increase of 228 % in cosmetic procedures in the United States. It has been medically proven that laughter is an effective painkiller. The eight most popular foods to cause food allergies are: milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, soy, tree nuts, fish and shellfish. 55 percent of people yawn within five minutes of seeing someone else yawn. Reading about yawning makes most people yawn as well. Dentists have recommended that a toothbrush be kept at least 1.8 m away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from the flush.

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5

THINK AGAIN? WHAT ARE HICCUPS? Hiccups are caused when the diaphragm becomes irritated and pushes air rapidly up in such a way that it makes an irregular sound. Hiccups are caused by distention of the stomach from food, or air, sudden changes in gastric temperature, or use of alcohol and/or tobacco in excess. Hiccups also can be caused by excitement or stress. While most cases of the hiccups last only a few minutes, some cases of the hiccups can last for days or weeks. This is very unusual, though, and it’s usually a sign of another medical problem such as hiatal hernias, severe gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or a tumor irritating the nerves in the chest. Doctors sometimes use the antipsychotic drug Thorazine to treat intractable hiccups. WHY ARE YOU SERVED JUICE AND COOKIES AFTER YOU DONATE BLOOD? There is no solid medical reason for juice and cookies after blood donation. The idea is that this little snack will help to replenish your fluids and raise your blood sugar. But donating blood shouldn’t really affect your blood sugar, and the small amount of juice that you drink probably has no significant effect on your fluid status. The best use of this snack is to allow you to rest and adjust before you go on your way after doing your civic duty. WHAT CAUSES AN ICE CREAM HEADACHE? One theory places the source for the brain freeze in the sinuses, where the pain may be caused by the rapid cooling of air in the frontal sinuses. This triggers local pain receptors. Another theory postulates that the constriction of blood vessels in the roof and rear of the mouth causes pain receptors to overload and refer the pain to your head. There is a nerve center there, in the back of your mouth, called the sphenopalatine ganglion, and this is the most likely source of the dreaded ice cream headache. IS IT BAD TO CRACK YOUR KNUCKLES? Cracking your knuckles is not as bad as people think. The usual argument is that knuckle popping causes arthritis. This does not happen. Chronic knuckle cracking may cause other types of damage, including stretching of the surrounding ligaments and a decrease in grip strength, but not arthritis. So what causes the pop? The sound is produced in the joint when bubbles burst in the synovial fluid surrounding the joint. CAN CARROTS HELP IMPROVE YOUR VISION? The carrot myth dates back to World War II when the British Royal Air Force was attempting to hide the fact that it had developed a sophisticated airborne radar system to shoot down German bombers. They bragged that the great accuracy of British fighter pilots at night was a result of them being fed enormous quantities of carrots. It is true that carrots are rich in betacarotene, which is essential for sight. The body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A, and extreme vitamin A deficiency can cause blindness. However, only a small amount of beta-carotene is necessary for good vision. If you’re not deficient in vitamin A, your vision won’t improve no matter how many carrots you eat. In fact, the ingestion of excess vitamin A can cause toxicity, which can include symptoms such as yellow-orange coloring of the skin, hair loss, weight loss, fatigue, and headache. Extracted from the book: Why Do Men Have Nipples?

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6

When Music Sings, the Brain Listens and the Heart Modulates Al Bustan festival hosted on the 12th of March a special “Concert-Lecture” presented by Kamal Chemali, MD and Prisca Benoit, piano. And the PULSE team was there to capture the moment for you. Dr. Kamal Chemali (graduate from the Lebanese University Faculty of Medicine) specialized in neurology in the US and is now practicing at the Cleveland Clinic. He completed the Lebanese National Conservatoire diploma at age 17. Since then he combines his role as a physician and a musician. The concert-lecture explored the effects of music on the nervous autonomic system and its repercussions on health and healing. Each section of the lecture was punctuated by a classical piece played by Benoit. The lecture mainly conveyed these ideas: •Music can physiologically affect the body by changing heart rate and decreasing blood pressure, body temperature, and respiration rate •Music talks to the unconscious, i.e. before the cognitive decision of liking or disliking the music, it has done its effect on the nervous system. •Music can physically stimulate conscious or unconscious body movements, such as toe tapping or large body movements. This idea was successfully applied in improving gait in Parkinson patients and in speech rehabilitation of post-seizure patients. •Studies are showing a dramatic improved response to chemotherapy in leukemia patients when applying music therapy. The endnote was (to the delight of everyone) a cheerful polka duetto performed by Chemali and Benoit. J.Saliba

Sicko, THIS MIGHT HURT A LITTLE Sicko is a 2007 documentary film by American film maker Michael Moore. The film investigates the American health care system, focusing on its health insurance and pharmaceutical industry. The film compares the for-profit, non-universal U.S. system with the non-profit universal health care systems of Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Cuba. According to Sicko, almost fifty million Americans are uninsured and those who are covered are often victims of insurance company fraud and red tape. Interviews are conducted with people who thought they had adequate coverage but were denied care, as well as former employees of insurance companies who describe cost -cutting initiatives that encourage

bonuses for i n s u r a n c e c o m p a n y physicians to deny medical treatments for policy holders. The documentary features striking s t o r i e s argumentatively organized as it highlights shocking facts about the health care system in the U.S. Overall, Sicko is a highly recommended documentary to watch regardless of the reviews –positive or negative– it received.

MED Headlines Erectile Dysfunction May Predict Arterial Disease . Erectile dysfunction appears to be strongly associated with an elevated risk of peripheral arterial disease even after investigators controlled for other risk factors. Such findings suggest that primary care physicians may want to consider routinely using erectile dysfunction identification tools, such as the Sexual Health Inventory for Men questionnaire, to better identify those at risk for peripheral vascular disease (PAD). Melamine contamination of milk products, e spe cially infant formula, has resulted in a major public health problem in China, where thousands of children have been diagnosed with kidney stones related to the contamination. Breast-Feeding Women May Have Less Postpartum Weight Retention. Exercise Prescriptions Keep Patients Moving Writing a prescription for exercise may help boost patients' physical activity levels.

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7

‫' ﻡ‪!+Q‬آ آ‪MN‬ر‬ ‫ا‪/‬ء‪ $+ k6$ ,‬ریح‬ ‫ا‪Q‬ات ا;ء‪.‬‬

‫ا‪!1‬ور ) ﺽ‪  H‬ﻡ‬ ‫ی‪ N‬ا< ا‪ ,4+‬و ی)!ر‬ ‫ا&)ء ‪ </+‬ا)‪ ...‬و‬ ‫ا'اﺽ‪ S‬ﻡ ‪6‬ة ﻡ اذا و*‬ ‫ا)‪ ,‬و;ه ﺱ‪&V ًI‬‬ ‫أﺱ<‪.‬‬

‫ﺡ[ار ﻡ ا  ‪47‬‬ ‫ا‪ ,7!H‬و ا‪V X‬ت‬ ‫ا‪ 47 7!H‬أذه‪ ,‬و‬ ‫ ‪ !V‬ا‪ 47 4+‬آ ‪,‬‬ ‫و  ‪ + 'I‬ا')م‪.‬‬

‫ ‪!I‬وا ‪ 47‬ا‪H‬دن ا@ ‪$‬‬ ‫و اﺡ‪V‬ر ا!ی ‪..‬ه‬ ‫*رت ‪X‬ءة ﻡ'ه‪V‬‬ ‫دون *)‪ ,‬وﺡ‪ A‬و‬ ‫ ‪[Q‬ی‪.,‬‬

‫  ‪
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‫‪8‬‬

‫  ار‬ ‫ '‪ 4$‬أﺱ' ‪ S‬أن أ‪!7‬غ ﻡ ‪ 4 47‬ﻡ أﺡ‪G‬م‪ ...‬و‬ ‫رؤوس أﺡ‪G‬م‪ ...‬رؤوس أ ‪G‬م ‪
‫ﺱ! ی‪6+ J&Q‬ی آ{‪ ...‬و ا 'ﻡ ;ی‪...‬‬ ‫وﺱ! ‪7‬رغ‪ ...‬أدرك أ‪  4$‬أآ'&‪ J‬یﻡً ‪.4I$‬‬ ‫‪P.Kaazan‬‬

‫  ‪ ...‬و ‪...‬‬ ‫‪7‬ر ‪ #‬ا ة ‪ /I_
I THINK therefore I CURE!! Could a little bit of sugar keep us from catching colds, curing a skin disease or even making a cancer disappear? All of these (and much, much more) have been reported as placebo effects in the scientific literature. The word placebo comes from the Latin verb “placere” that means “to please”. A good definition is the following: “placebo is a mechanism where patients use a fake medicine thinking that taking it helps them in getting rid of their ailment; the person automatically feels better even though the medicine contains no real active ingredient”. A cure is in the mind: the fact that the human mind can make heaven or hell out of life is a truism that helps the patient when confronted by conditions of health that don’t have immediate cure. The will to live and a strong faith, that he or she can surmount the problem with health sustaining drugs, do play a role in maintaining life. Our mind, what it contains and how we use it, is an infinite wonder. It has the fantastic ability to transmute our desires into physical counterparts and create a new reality for us. We can do anything that our mind can conceive, as long as we have the belief and will power to back it up. Skeptical? Cancer patients who were given placebo pills got well. How did that occur? The power to heal came from their thoughts. They were told that these pills contained the highest amounts of cancer-fighting ingredients which could effectively cure them in a matter of days, thus their minds registered that these pills will cure them of their illnesses. Hence, the belief embedded within their sub consciousness became a reality. A placebo doesn't have to be a pill; it can be any inert or 'dummy' treatment, such as special diets, exercise, physical therapy or even surgery; however, the placebo effect is triggered by the person's belief in the treatment and his expectations of feeling better rather than the specific form the placebo takes. In order for the placebo to work and be effective, several factors should be supplied, for example: the characteristics of the placebo (if the pill looks genuine, the person taking it would more likely believe that it’s really containing a medicine). Second, the person’s attitude (when the person expects that the treatment would work, the chances of a placebo effect to work are higher). Finally, doctor-patient relation represents the most important factor, this relation is reflected in the trust between the person and his health care practitioner. On the contrary, placebo effects were known to cause side effects; those negative results are often referred to as the “nocebo” effect, ranging from impotence and reduced sex drive to nausea, drowsiness, constipation and allergic reactions such as skin rashes. Those effects have been strongly used by critics to condemn the use of placebo effect believing that such deceit can undermine essential trust between the patient and the doctor. They often describe the doctors who use this method as co artists and they are classified as illegal and unethical. M.Kharroubi

"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones." Albert Einstein

Recommended Textbooks

Step-Up to Medicine

Pocket Medicine

Recommended Websites www.pdfcoke.com www.kazem.co.nr www.ebookee.com www.miniclip.com www.lovingyou.com www.freemeteo.com

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9

Alternative Medicine The term alternative medicine refers to all healing practices and products which are different from those included in conventional medicine. It includes: herbalism, traditional Chinese medicine, yoga, hypnosis, meditation, homeopathy... These practices are different in their methodologies and foundations and they are based on traditional medicine or spiritual beliefs. But in most of the cases, they are not accepted by medical community because most of them lack safety and efficacy and they can develop some potentially dangerous biological or psychological side-effects; despite that, their use is increasing in most of the countries: a study in 13 countries including USA and UK concluded that about 41% of cancer patients use some of complementary and alternative medicine. In Lebanon, there is a raging battle between conventional medicine and herbal products especially with the proliferation of TV programs promoting such products and the continuous pressure on the government to curb irresponsible health claims related to dietary supplements and herbal remedies. Herbal medicine also called botanical medicine or phytomedicine, refers to the use of a plant's seeds, roots, leaves, or flowers for medicinal purposes. It is one of the most popular forms of alternative medicine. Herbal medicine treats many conditions, such as asthma, eczema, premenstrual syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine, menopausal symptoms, chronic fatigue… The general public tends not to be aware that herbs are dilute natural drugs that contain scores of different chemicals that can cause dangerous interactions with chemotherapy drugs, radiation therapy, anesthetics during surgery or conventional medications, and that they may contain heavy metals like lead, mercury or even arsenic. Homeopathy is another type of alternative medicine based on that large doses of a substance cause a symptom, while very small doses of that same substance will cure it because it stimulates the body’s own natural defense. Homeopathic remedies are made from substances diluted thousands of times in water or alcohol. The end result can be a solution more dilute than one molecule of salt placed in an ocean; some scientists say that homeopathy uses placebo effect. Today, homeopathic remedies are used to treat problems such as arthritis, asthma, colds, and allergies but not in the case of serious diseases or infections. Homeopathy's only medical danger lies in postponing recognized, proven treatment for major diseases or serious problems that are best diagnosed and treated as early as possible. Traditional Chinese medicine includes such treatments as herbal medicine, acupuncture dietary therapy, and both Tui na and Shiatsu massage. Acupuncture is the most commonly used; it refers to the practice of inserting needles into the body, then they are manipulated manually or by electrical stimulation to reduce pain or induce anesthesia. Several cases of pneumothorax, nerve damage and infection have been reported as resulting from acupuncture treatments. Certain Chinese herbal medicines involve a risk of allergic reaction and in rare cases involve a risk of poisoning. [email protected]

A.Abdo

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On vous retrouve, chers collègues avides de lecture, avec une nouvelle sélection, espérant que "PULSE" vous sera un guide bien utile dans le monde interminable des publications. Des livres délicieusement intéressants! ARABE:  ‫أم‬ ‫ل ا@رة‬G" ‫ !ات ﻡ‬1'‫ زﻡ ا!ب وا‬47 ,‫ ا‬+ ‫ ) وﺱﺡ!ة‬K‫ ر‬1/ ‫&!ت‬+ 4'‫ا!أة ا‬ ‫ی!ا‬N (!‫ ! ﺱ!ی‬+‫ﺽ< ااس و‬7‫ و‬V‫ث ) ذاآ!ة ا‬G@‫ روای  ا‬#7 ..‫اﺉ!ی‬6V‫ا‬ <‫ﺽ‬I‫م ا‬G‫رت أﺡ‬2‫ أ‬.. ‫ﺽ< ااس‬7 ‫ل روای‬G" ‫ و ﻡ‬..<@‫ آ‬R‫ ا‬kQH‫!; ﺡ  ی‬/ .‫ روای‬47 ً‫!ًا ﻡ!ﺱﻡ‬HK H *‫  أ‬1/‫!دات ا‬I‫!ت ﻡ‬VI'7 ...  ) R&‫  ا!ﺱ وا‬/ V‫ا‬ ‫ر أیل‬ $‫ ا< ای‬b‫!ا‬N 4/‫ إﻡ‬#;!" ‫[ور‬V‫دة ا< ا‬H‫رة وا‬$‫&ل @ ! ﻡ ا‬V‫ ﻡ&ع ﻡ‬/) " ‫ود‬/‫ ا‬, &‫ وه ا‬/)‫ ا‬S‫ داﺉ ﻡ‬+‫ *!ا‬.R‫ ا‬+ ‫ ًا‬H ‫ا‬7!7‫ل" ا[ی ر‬/‫ ر أی‬R" 4;$' ". ‫ وارادة ا  أدا‬/‫ﺽ‬$‫ ﻡ‬.‫ر‬$‫ " ا< ا‬$ " ‫ره و‬7‫رة أ‬N+ ‫ا[ي أ"!ج‬ FRANCAIS:

La Prochaine fois-Marc Levy: (Romans-Amour) Dans une histoire où amour et enigme défient le temps, Levy discute le "déjà-vu", montrant des routes qui se croisent involontairement, des vies prédestinées.

Et Après-Guillaume Musso: (Philosophie de la vie et de la mort) Thriller intéressant portant sur la vie et la mort, le destin, la paix interne: Nathan entre dans le tunnel lumineux de la "mort imminente"… arrêt cardiaque, mort clinique… Et puis, de nouveau la vie. "Et après" est une histoire d'amour et de suspense, une course vers l'inconnu qui s'écoute la gorge nouée avec l'envie irresistible de connaitre la suite. ENGLISH: DREAMS FROM MY FATHER-Barack Obama: (Biography–Social) The first African American president Barack Obama bravely tackles the complexity of his own upbringing, persuasively describes, in a provocative biography, his journey to greatness against all circumstances. Inspiring book, enlightening a life full of achievements.

PERSUASION-Jane Austen: (Literature) With this classical masterpiece, we may renew your passion to authentic literature, where Jane Austen, in her final novel, tell us a story about love and pursuit of happiness. (Free full sample version is available online on Google Books). R.Ghomrawi

Two Suicides With One Heart In 1996, Terry Cottle killed himself, and as an organ donor, his heart went to Sonny Graham. Twelve years later, Graham, who'd married Cottle's wife, also killed himself. Kidney Through Vagina In a first-of-its-kind procedure, doctors removed a kidney through a donor's vagina. "Removing the kidney through a natural opening should hasten the patient's recovery and provide a better cosmetic result," a doctor told CNN. Bangladeshi Surgeons Remove 43 kg Tumor A team of doctors in Dhaka removed what they called an "unusual" mass from a 35-year-old rickshaw puller. The giant tumor weighed 43 kg and lodged in his abdomen. Good news: It was benign.

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Go for it, Take your time For once your answers will not be Graded!

Need Samples An old man goes to the doctor for his yearly physical, his wife tagging along. When the doctor enters the examination room, he tells the old man, "I need a urine sample, a stool sample and a sperm sample." The old man, being hard of hearing, looks at his wife and yells: "WHAT?" "What did he say? What does he want?" His wife yells back, "He needs your underwear."

… As silence greets the last goodbye ... The Editor H. Bitar Dear Students, for those of you who would like to take share in MEDCLUB activities or have articles published in PULSE, please send your suggestions to our email [email protected] or contact us on these numbers 03756018-03085710. We would be more than pleased to publish your work in the upcoming issues. Thank you.

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