MARCO Grand Rounds for 12/31/2006

From Warren, KD4GUA:

This Sunday we will discuss "Dizziness" and "Tinnitus" if we have time. Also, about the Eplex maneuver to relieve postural vertigo.

Need the check-in list for last week.

MARCO Grand Rounds for December 24, 2006

From Warren, KD4GUA:

This Sunday we will attempt to conclude the discussion on Polonium 210 and the Russians. Harry WB9EDP will be net controller as I will be in Washington D(amn)C(crowded). Should be a good won [sic].

Radiation Detectors

From Chip, N5RTF:

Enjoyed the talk this morning on radioisotopes. As a sideline, I enjoy building geiger counters and usually have a couple quietly clicking away at home. They are sometimes illuminating. I was once able to detect a leak from a local nuclear plant 2 days before it was announced publicly. It is also interesting to observe counts go up when it starts raining.

If any MARCO members would like to build their own counters, I recommend Charles Wenzel's web site:

http://www.techlib.com/science/geiger.html
Tubes can be purchased from LND incorporated at: http://www.lndinc.com/

His circuits are impressive, in that they can be built mostly out of a junk box and draw only about 1 ma. in operation. Output from the detector can be modified to drive any number of devices: lights, speakers, digital counters, software, etc.

Be the first in your neighborhood to know you've been nuked!

MARCO Grand Rounds as of December 8

From Warren, KD4GUA:

Last week we tried to discuss Polonium 210 but were snowed by a pile-up. Harry WB9EDP will again try and explain the murder of the Russian agent by radioactivity.

If we have time, we will also hit on the new program "Isabel" that is coming into vogue.

So far, our Sunday net is holding up fairly well being at the bottom of the sun spot-cycle. Below are averages for Sundays of each year:

1998, average check-in was 14.45 members 2003, average check-in was 28.63

1999, average check-in was 15.95 members 2004, average check-in was 29.50

2000, average check-in was 20.25 members 2005, average check-in was 29.17

2001, average check-in was 22.6 members 2006, average check in was 28.96

2002, average check-in was 26.15 members.

MARCO Grand Rounds - an Addition

From Warren, KD4GUA:

With the second reported poisoning with Polonium 210 in Europe, our physicist, Harry WB9EDP has promised to give us a brief description of this radio-active substance prior to our discussion of "Isabelle" this upcoming Sunday. You might read Peter Zimmerman's fine article in the Wall Street Journal of Dec. 1 concernng this gruesome death.

Tune in, should be interesting.

MARCO Grand Rounds for December 3, 2006

From Warren, KD4GUA:

This Sunday Grand Rounds we will discuss "ISABEL." Who is she? She is a little girl in England who was misdiagnosed and almost died...her Dad began a program to help doctors make the right diagnosis. It has been very well received and is now on-going in the VA and many teaching hospitals. It is time we all knew about it--its ability to make diagnosis and its cost

I have tried to get hold of Albert Breland KA7LOT MD who has had experience with this program. I hope he can come on board. He was last heard to be in Alaska working for the VA. Bert was a neuro resident of our late President Bob Currier.

If Chip N5RTF or any other MARCO members have experience with Isabel, please be on board Sunday, 10 a.m. Eastern 14.308 (go down to 14.307 if Latin stations antagonistic.)

Good news--Bill Hazell, W4TAD is out of sick bay and home.

MARCO Grand Rounds for November 26, 2006

From Warren, KD4GUA:

This Sunday we will discuss Chantix, the new FDA approved drug for quitting smoking. We will also discuss your methods to induce your patients to quit. Other meds being studied include rimonabant a pill and upcoming vaccines . Early tests of these new meds have been promising. 15 years after quitting--the risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker! (Do you believer that?)

Let's help those with, kick the habit, which is tougher than opium to quit.

Sunday 14.308, 10 a.m. Eastern. If we are bombarded by the Latins on 14.310 go DOWN to 14.307. "If you can't lick 'em, leave 'em."

NOTE: The December pdf version of the Newsletter is available on the internet via listserve. The mail-version should be in the pipeline by Tuesday.

MARCO Grand Rounds, November 16, 2006

From Warren, KD4GUA:

Last Sunday, November 12, we had 34 check-ins for a discussion on the use of Statin drugs. Due to time limitations we were unable to finish and thus, will continue this Sunday, 10 a.m. Eastern 14.308...if we hit the Latins go DOWN to 14.307 as they will probably be haunting at 14.310.

Medical Personnel Needed in Africa

Received from MediShare International Chairman Bill Stenberg, N5QF:

Dear MARCO members:
MediShare has received a request for medical personnel by Nlogha E. Okeke,MD, FACS in Eastern Nigeria.
The Eastern Nigeria Medical Centre is a 98 bed nonprofit, non-governmental general hospital located in the eastern part of Nigeria. Some information about the hospital can be accessed at its web site- www.enmc-hospital.org.
If you can help please contact Dr. Okeke (ifeomake@yahoo.com), and please cc to me.
Thank you!!!
William Stenberg, DDS, MPH/ N5QF
MediShare Director
www.medishare.org

Audio Download of MARCO Grand Rounds

Chip Keister, N5RTF, has made audio of MARCO Grand Rounds available through his Website.

Here is the information from Chip:

Internet streaming audio of MARCO Grand Rounds is up and running again today. This is an MP3 icecast/shoutcast stream available by clicking the following link or pasting it into your favorite MP3 player:

http://tkeister.net:8000/stream.m3u or cut and paste http://tkeister.net:8000/stream

Winamp and VLC work best. Microsoft Media Player will work after a long buffering delay.

I have also set up an FTP site to download previous Grand Rounds audio. The link is:

ftp://tkeister.net User name is marco. Password is wb5d.

Files are listed by date. To download, you will have to have your browser set to active FTP. In Microsoft Internet Explorer, on the top toolbar, click Tools, then Advanced, then scroll down to an entry labeled: Use Passive FTP (for firewall and DSL modem compatibility). Uncheck this box, then click Apply, then OK. Go back to the file list and click on the desired archive, then follow the instructions from your browser.

This is not real audio on demand, but will allow people to catch Grand Rounds when they couldn't be on the air in person. Please send comments, positive or negative.

Note that real-time streaming is available during the net, held Sundayts at 10AM Eastern Time (1500 UTC in the Winter and 1400 UTC in the Summer).

MARCO Website updated

On November 4, 2006 the "Radio Links" page of MARCO's Website was updated with several new links added.

-KM2L

MARCO Grand Rounds for October 29, 2006

From Warren, KD4GUA:

This Sunday we will finally get to talk about "Just Who Needs Statin Drugs."

Last Sunday, I was out-of-town and I do not have the check-in list. Arnold WB6OJB wrote: Both Pauls from California were on board along with VE3OQM, Harry in Chicago and Chuck in Ohio. I hope someone kept a record.

I understand there was a LOUSY propogation period with no sun spots reported for about7 days. Let's hope it will improve this weekend.

On the Sick List is Bill W4Tender and Delicious, who had a lap last Friday and is in rehab.

Update from Western New York

Radio operations at KM2L were pretty well destroyed by the freak October 12 snowstorm that pounded the Buffalo area.

We expected scattered snowshowers, and instead received 20 inches of snowfall. The early date of the storm caught our trees still carrying most of their leaves, and this fact, along with the wetness of the snow conspired to bring down countless trees and/or limbs. They, in turn, brought down power lines throughout the area.

We were without power for 5 days, with electricity finally restored on the evening of October 17. All of the antennas at KM2L are down, and so are many of the trees that supported them. The cleanup effort continues and will run for a couple of months, at least.

I am attempting to salvage what I can and hope to jury rig some type of radiator this weekend. Perhaps it is an opportunity to re-engineer the antenna farm.

More later...

-KM2L

MARCO Grand Rounds update, October 17, 2006

From Warren, KD4GUA:

Last Sunday we discussed who and who shouldn't take statin drugs for lowering lipids. We didn't get through so will continue this a week from Sunday.

This Sunday, Harry WB9EDP is going to discuss Conformal Prostate Radiation for cancer of the prostate. I will be out of town leaving Florida for Pennsylvania on Thursday, scheduled to return Monday night.

Bruce KM2L was off the air Sunday as was Bill W4TAD, first time he has missed a Sunday in three years! Bruce probably lost power in that 4 foot snowstorm that loves Buffalo. Have fun Sunday.

MARCO Grand Rounds for October 8, 2006

From Warren, KD4GUA:

Last Sunday was a washout so we will try again this Sunday to discus "TRANS FATS" and the relationship to taking Statins. In other words do I stop eating cookies and not start taking Lipitor?

The subject is getting more intriguing every hour. Monsanto and DuPont are putting out a product that is low in linoleic acid (which causes fats to spoil) that does not have to be hydrogenated. Cookies that are hydrogenated can almost last forever.

MARCO Grand Rounds for October 1, 2006

From Warren, KD4GUA:

Last week we began a discussion on "DO I REALLY NEED LIPITOR". We never finished it...so this week we will combine it with the news out of New York City--BAN THE TRANS FATS! We will discuss what they are and why they are used and what happens to them when they enter the human fat deposits--THEY ARE PRESERVED THERE--just like they are preserved on the grocer's shelf.

To those who get list serve and the Newsletter only--tune in so we can get to know you ear lobe to ear lobe.

MARCO Grand Rounds for September 24, 2006

From Warren, KD4GUA:

HOT ONE COMING UP....This Sunday we will discuss the use of lipid-controlling drugs....the latest information on the right drug for the right problem.

Even though HYPERlipidemia heightens vulnerabiity to heart attacks and strokes, many doctors are not doing a very good job controlling the condition--are they afraid of the drugs? Are the patients afraid of the drugs? If so, is this warranted?

Lipitor and Crestor are all over the TV-screens--does this encourage you or discourage you? Should be an interesting discussion--tune in Sunday, 10 a.m. Eastern 14.308---have your input ready.

MARCO Grand Rounds for September 17, 2006

From Warren, KD4GUA:

Four years ago, our former Marco Secretary Robin Staebler was flying to the Dayton Hamvention. When he arrived he had severe abdominal cramps diagnosed as a bowel obstruction due to the expansion and contraction of the air in his bowel while climbing and descending in flight. The obstruction was relieved by surgery and Robin returned to Maine.

This recurred. On a second operation carcinoid was found--presumed to have originated in the adrenal gland. Since there is an average of 9 years between the onset of carcinoid and its diagnosis there is a good possibility this condition was asymptomatic for years.

Robin succumbed from carcinoid on July 23, 2006 (The true case history is not available and the above is a presumption.)

The incidence of this disease is increasing thus the need for discussion this coming Sunday, 14.308, 10 a.m. Eastern.

Update from North Carolina

The following was received from Bob, K4RLC on September 4:

Our beach house at Windy Hill (now part of North Myrtle Beach) had minor flooding, debris washed in the yard and one tree toppled. Bobby and I dug it out, and propped it up, and maybe it will survive. Locals weren't very much concerned abt Ernesto, but they've seen lots worse here. We had 4 feet of water under the house (it's up 8 feet on stanchions) after Hurricane Hugo. Beautiful, fall-like weekend at the beach.

bc

-Thanks to all for your support and concern, while I was deployed again with the American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Services. In reaction to Katrina last year, the Red Cross wanted to set up inland shelters for evacuation and to pre-deploy services and be ready to immediately move into a disaster area. This is admirable, but nature doesn’t always cooperate, and weather/hurricane forecasting is maybe more art than science. Early on, Ernesto was predicted to be a major hurricane, and to hit the gulf coast, right on the first anniversary of Katrina. 38,000 families still live in FEMA small trailers along the coast, very much in harm's way.

-So, I completed a whirlwind (pun intended) trip of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and Florida, chasing Ernesto. However, it was psychologically nice to return to Gulfport-Biloxi-Bay St Louis –Waveland, and get closure from last year. There is still so much devastation and so much rebuilding to be done. Fortunately, most of the debris has been removed. The folks there were palpably anxious about another hurricane, especially one predicted to be strong and hit on the first anniversary of Katrina!

-Quite a trip – RDU to Memphis to Gulfport. On to Hattiesburg, but called halfway there, and told to go to Orlando. Orlando, via Atlanta. In Orlando, given a rental car and told to transport folks to Fort Lauderdale. Stayed in Ft Lauderdale a few days in a shelter (Challenger Elementary School - school dedicated to the Challenger Space Shuttle Crew, especially the teacher who died on that mission). As storm was heading for North Carolina, was sent back home to Raleigh. Not exactly a vacation.

-If you’re around here, you know we didn’t receive much damage. Leaving for our beach cottage this pm, as North Myrtle got 70 mph winds and 7 inches of rain. Always good to go to the beach.

-Thanks again for your best wishes. Hopefully that’s it for storms, but hurricane season doesn’t peak til Sept 9^th.

Take care,

Bob

MARCO Grand Rounds for August 27, 2006

From Warren, KD4GUA:

Last Sunday we had 36 check-ins for the discussion on AEDs (Automatic external defibrillators). We had several funny stories--the one about the doctor whose metal stethescope was touching the bed of the shocked....they now call HIM "Sparky."

This week we will discuss "Herpes I and II"...what has happened? GOOD NEWS: According to two members, the Sun Spot Cycle turned around July 31st and we are now in the upswing!