Causes of Osteoporosis

Thanks to Jishu JP for sending me this mnemonic from his website for medical students http://mbbsmadeeasy4u.blogspot.com/

Causes of osteoporosis are ACCESS :

Alcohol

Corticosteroids

Calcium deficiancy (low intake)

Eostrogen deficiency

Smoking

Remember the Spinal levels of the sacral plexus branches : Video mnemonic

Medical software for Android mobile : Epocrates

This is a fantastic software which I personally used. Revise your pharmacology, check for drug interactions on the go. You need internet, preferably wifi connection for first downloading and updating the data and completing the free registration but later you have all stored in your android mobile. There are also lots of calculators including pregnancy wheel, drug dosing calculator, mean arterial pressure, Parkland's formula, Pediatric maintainace fluid calculator, unit conversions etc to name a few. Another useful utility for quick revision and memory are the "tables" - Includes steps in ACLS - The ABCDs, Bradycardia, Rapid sequence intubation, Tachycardia etc ; Antibiotic regimen tables; Drug classes table (comparison of corticosteroids, etc); Endocrinology - Insulin comparison; Pediatric vaccinations; Glassgow coma scale; Apgar score; Normal lab values in adults....... and the vast list goes on.
The software is available for all mobile platforms including iPod/iPhone, Blackberry, Palm, Windows mobile etc.

Posterior relations of the kidney

Many thanks to Keshav Acharya for sending this mnemonic.
Remember the posterior relations of the kidney with the mnemonic LM(N)OPQRST:
Lateral arcuate ligament,
Medial arcuate lig,
    (Nothing - Take a break :-)),
Psoas major,
Quadratus lumborum,
Rocky means diaphragm as diaphragm is like rock,
Subcoastal vessels,
Transverse abdominis.

Henoch–Schönlein purpura

P's of HS Purpura:
Palpable Purpura
Pressure (Blanches on pressure)
Pruritis
Pain abdomen and joints
Positive Guaiac sign in faeces
Proteinuria
Prednisolone given in treatment
Platlet count may be raised but not low (DD: ITP)

Absolute Indications for Dialysis

Remeber the vowels: A, E, I, O, U

Acidosis : intractable metabolic acidosis
Electrolytes : severe persistent hyperkalemia
Intoxications : menthol, ethylene, glycol, lithium, aspirin
Overload : hypervolemia (not managed by other means)
Uremia : based on clinical presentation (like uremic pericarditis)

Bacteria, Fungi and Parasite Capsules for quick revision

It is a very good effort taken on behalf of  http://www.medfools.com/ to tabulate, encapsule and compare the bacteria, fungi and parasites in three pdf files. Great download for quick revision of your confusing microbiology chapters.
Download BACTERIA revision charts here
Download FUNGI revision charts here
Download PARASITES revision charts here

Fragile X Syndrome

M's of fragile-X Syndrome:
Male
Mental retardation
Macro orchidism
Mutation in FMR1 gene (caused by Methylation of part of chromosome)
Multiple CGG repeats
Maxillary excess (Long face)
Muscle tone decreased
Mothers (females) are obligatory carriers

Side effects of Lithium

Remember "LITH":
Leukocytosis
Insipidus, Diabetes
Tremors; also Teratogenic
Hypothyroidism

TURP animation video

Next time you will remember TURP (Trans Urethral Resection of Prostrate) better if you watch this video :-)

Study embryology with interactive flash animations

This is a wonderful site to study human embryology with running animations (Click on play button over the top left side of animation to see the animation) : http://www.indiana.edu/~anat550/genanim/latfold/latfold.swf

Myasthenia gravis:Use of Edrophonium and Pyridostigmine

Often you get confused between the use of these two drugs in MG. Remember:

• eDrophonium is used to Diagnose Myastenia gravis
• pyRIDostigmine is used to get RID of symptoms

Various picture mnemonics

These are various sample visual mnemonics from http://pictorialmnemonics.com/Sample_Mnemonics.html

Action of medial and lateral pterygoid muscles

Medial pterygoid closes your mouth - When you say "M" you have to close your mouth.
Lateral pterygoid opens your mouth - When you say "L" you have to open your mouth.

Medical scrambled word game for better memory

More scrambled words at StudyStack.com

Solve Medical Crossword

For people interested in quiz and / crossword solving, here's a very good idea. Solve a medical crossword. When solving the crossword, you tend to think a lot. At last when you finally get the right word, you won't forget that fact again. Also this game helps you to remember the spelling better. Try the crosswords below to get started:
http://o2demand.com/crossword.html

Flashcards and educational games by StudyStack

Drugs causing hepatic necrosis

Remember "Very Angry Hepatocytes":
Valproic acid
Acetaminophen
Halothane

Order of closure of heart valves

Remember " Heart is a Mighty TAP which closes in this order":
The order of closure of heart valves is Mitral - Tricuspid - Aortic - Pulmonary.

Download TopDoc - medical info provider software from Vanmu.com

This is a very useful FREE software to search, refer the normal lab values etc etc, fully customised for medicos. It is very hard to get such free software nowadays. All thanks to Vanumu.com for providing it. More apps for your iPhone can be reviewed / downloaded from http://vanumu.com/apps/.

Adhesion Molecules involved in Cancer Pathology

To remember the adhesion molecules involved in invasion by local cancer cells remember FeViCoL:
FibronEctin
VImentin
COllagen
Laminin

How to use your computer to study Anatomy : Dissection softwares

3D visualisation makes things very simple. A 3D is worth 3,000 words :-). So get hold of such a software as this while you study anatomy. Anatomy clearly requiresv a good spacial oriental to grasp the subject.
See this video here to know what I mean.
Take your anatomy textbook, read a topic and see the actual orientation using this customisable 3D view software. This software can be accessed online at a subscription fee. However, this is not thev only software out there.
Adams interactive anatomy  and Direct anatomy are alternatives.
If you want to get true anatomy pictures, here's a FREE ONLINE ANATOMY DISSECTOR site which gives step by step dissection as you do in your first year.
Well, if you want frog / cat / rat / cockroach dissections, try this website or get links of lots of biology dissections HERE.
To watch VIDEOS OF DISSECTION CLICK HERE (You need to install quicktime player).

Download lots of medical notes in .doc and other formats

If you are searching for medical notes, this is a must have! Lots of notes medical categorised, most of them in .doc format can be downloaded and printed out. Very useful notes from Raymond Cheong, MD/PhD student at Johns Hopkins University, currently working in the lab of Dr. Andre Levchenko in the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

First year medical notes:
Molecules and Cells
Immunology
Developmental Biology
Human Anatomy
Neuroscience & Psychiatry
Epidemiology
Organ Systems

Second year medical notes:
Section 1 - Intro, Neoplasia, Blood
Section 2 - Infectious Disease
Section 3 - Immunology, Rheumatology, Endocrinology, Bone, Dermatology, Ophthalmology
Section 4 - Cardiology, Renal
Section 5 - Lung, Neurology, Pain
Section 6 - GI, Liver
Section 7 Reproduction, Sex, Psychiatry, Drugs, Shock, Geriatrics
General Resources - Clinical Skills, Pathology, Miscellaneous

Scarlet fever : Mnemonic notes

This mnemonic note was sent to me by Khairul Anwar (Thank you very much for the second mnemonic!). It's a really good mnemonic he has tried to remember many facts using the 'S'.

Components of breast milk

Here is a mnemonic sent by Khairul Anwar to remember components of breast milk:
Fatty Silly Mommies in Washington Loves to Puke their nEonates, But In North America, 3 Ladies Unsaturate their fats
The first letters stand for:
Fat, Salt, Minerals, Water, Lactose, Protein, Enzymes; Bifidus factor, Interferon, Non-specific factors, Antibodies, Lactoferrin, Leucocytes, Lysozyme, Unsaturated fatty acids

Carotid Sinus (Bulb) and Carotid Body

Do you get confused between the two? Carotid sinus, also called Carotid Bulb is a localised dialatation of the internal carotid artery at its origin and senses pressure changes. Carotid body is a set of chemoreceptors and supporting cells situated at the bifurcation of carotid artery and senses Partial pressure of Oxygen (PO2).
To remember the above facts see the picture below. The Bulb is under pressure of somebody's chappels. So carotid bulb senses pressure. (Alternatively remember Carotid SinuS - preSSure). On the right is somebody with a strong BODY with O2 written over him, so that helps to remember carotid BODY senses pO2. (Alternatively, remember Carotid bO2dy senses O2).

Free online classes for medical students

Well if your professor is not so good at teaching, here is Dr. Najeeb, a great teacher to take classes for you. Hear hime at your leisure when you are relaxed as you will remember things better that way. He deals with the most complex topics including Immunology, Nephrotic and nephritic syndrome, Renin Angiotensin system, basal ganglia, cardiac cycle, ECG, blood supply to CNS etc and more topics being added. Visit his online classroom whenever you wish at http://www.youtube.com/user/DoctorNajeeb

Pathology Mind Maps

Mind Maps have been refered to in our previous blogs. Here is a book preview of Pathology Mind Maps.

MAO-A and MAO-B Isoenzyme locations

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) isoenzyme locations are as follows:
MAO-A is located in Alimentary tract (intestine) and Adrenergic peripheral structures.
MAO-B is located in Brain and Blood platelets.

Which canula to use in casualty emergency

Here's a simple tip to remember colour code of commonly used canula in emergency. For adults in an emerGency use Green or Grey canula. For pediatrics use blue canula. (Note: Grey - 16G, Green - 18G, Blue - 22G)

A machine to stimulate your learning

If you have some extra dollars to shell out, try this "Mind Machine" which works with your PC /iPod / CD player connected to it. Attached to the Mindmachine CPU are "Mind Glasses" to boost your brain (as claimed by the manufacturers). Program CDs are available for faster learning, stress relief and vocab building. More details can be read here.

Cardiovascular Medications Presentation

This presentation will help you with your Cardiovascular Pharmacology.

Cardiovascular Medications

View more presentations from Jay-D Man.

Pediatric Milestones - 2

This is an alternative to our earlier post regarding pediatric milestones. Contributed by Youtube video user AlMarGhoub. If you are a playstaion player, you will remember the milestones thus:
Start at 3 O'clock  position of the 4 buttons of right side of PSP pad. You will see that the button is marked with a circle. So at 3 O'clock position - at 3 yrs, child can draw a circle. Now, go clockwise along the buttons; you will see the buttons are marked with a cross, square and triangle in that order. These stand for what the child can draw at 4, 5 and 6 yrs!

Download Medical Drugs software for your iPhone, iPod Touch, PDA

Make use of your gadgets to revise on the go and remember better.
Medical Drugs is a simple application that provides Doctors or students studying medicine, detailed Information on hundreds of prescription Drugs worldwide. Includes clinical results, side effects, mechanism of action,etc. For on The Go. No internet connection required and is updated for future drug products for 2009+.DOWNLOAD.

Interactive study of Glycolysis

Match either the reactant / enzyme name in the various steps of glycolysis. Study reactant structures of glycolysis interactively HERE.

Cranial nerves - Sensory, motor and mixed

This mnemonic must have come earlier in this post, but I thought that this subject has numerous mnemonics to it's credit including a lot of obscene ones. For sake of completion, let me include something different.

Remember OOOTTA-FAG-VAH for the cranial nerves in order:

1. Olfactory
2. Optic
3. Occulomotor
4. Trochlear
5. Trigeminal
6. Abducens
7. Facial
8. Auditory 
9. Glossopharangeal
10. Vagus
11. Accessory spinal
12. Hypoglossal 

Notes: To remember the first three OOOs, also remeber LPC (?Little PC) to remember the second letters of OLfactory, OPtic and OCculomotor in that order. Next, the TT - remember 0 & 1 which look like tr0chlear & tr1geminal (0 comes before 1). When somebody asks you which is the 10th cranial nerve, be quick to respond 10 / 2 = 5 = V (Roman) for Vagus
The mnemonics to remember the types of cranial nerves:
Some Say Money Matters, But My Brother Says Big Brains Matter More
S = Sensory, M = Motor, B = Both (sensory + motor)
(The first letters of the sentence gives you the property of each of the cranial nerves in order - So, Olfactory is Sensory, Optic is Sensory, Occulomotor is motor..... and so on)

List of Eponyms , Syndromes, Hallmark findings, Most common, Drug toxicities

Download the Wolf's amnesia capsule which will give list of the following:

• Table of eponyms / syndromes / named diseases
• Table of Hallmark findings
• Table of "most common"
• Table of signature drug toxicities

DOWNLOAD ALL THESE HERE.

Download software to remember numbers

Here's a software to remember numbers by converting them to words by look alike technique. Read more about this technique here.

Online anatomy software : Direct anatomy

Here's something that will help you remember better instead of idling your time in online surfing - An online interactive anatomy software! Visit this site HERE.

Cholestrol synthesis, transport biochemistry interactive animation

Click here to see this animation. Learn through interaction!

Fitz Hugh Curtis Syndrome

Fitz Hugh Curtis Syndrome refers to thickening of Hepatic Glisson's capsule (a type of perihepatitis) seen in females secondary to Gonococcal / Chlamydial infection (PIDs). To remember this syndrome see the word picture mnemonic below.

Download free Forensic medicine textbook

Download free Forensic medicine mini textbook / notes from
http://fliiby.com/get/203672/Aids-to-Forensic-Medicine-and-Toxicology-by-W.-G.-Aitchison--Robertson-vcr1sssbs3.html

Multiple Endocrine Neoplasias - Video mnemonic

See this video mnemonic to remember the various MEN (Multiple Endocrine Neoplasias)

Medical mnemonics / pnemonics / pneumonics / mneumonics

This is a little notice I want to put in this blog. I have seen people searching with all these wrong spellings for mnemonics. Google identifies and corrects most of these but it is better to have the correct spelling at your finger tips. There is no 'U' or 'P' in M-N-E-M-O-N-I-C-S. Just remember MEN on MONdays go to ICH (International Conference Hall / Indian Coffee House); Now rearrange MEN to MNE, add MON and ICS. So the correct spelling is MNE+MON+ICS. I just made up this silly rule to remember the spelling. You can thus split a large word to be remembered and split it as desired to rememeber them.

Anion gap mnemonics

These are famous picks to remember conditions showing variations in anion gap:

• Anion gap is increased in MUDPILES: methanol, uremia, diabetic ketoacidosis, propylene glycol, isoniazid, lactic acidosis, ethylene glycol, salicylates
• Anion gap is Normal in FUSEDCARS: fistula (pancreatic), uretogastric conduits, saline administration, endocrine (hyperparathyrdoism), diarrhea, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (acetazolamide), ammonium chloride, renal tubular acidosis, spironolactone
• Anion gap is DECREASED in conditions associated with HYPOalbuminemia (Causes of which are Hemorrage and NIL - Nephrotic syndrome, Intestinal obstruction, Liver cirrhosis)

Respiratory and Metabolic Alkalosis and Acidosis Mnemonics

Remember ROME = Respiratory Opposite, Metabollic Equal.
Explanation: Usually when pH decreases it is called acidosis and increase in pH is called alkalosis. There is no confusion to this point. Also I hope that you know that changes in PCO2 will lead to Respiratory acidosis / alkalosis and that in PHCO3 will lead to Metabolic acidosis / alkalosis. You can remember this by thinking that you respire PCO2 outside.
Next, take the mnemonic ROME - In Respiratory alkalosis / acidosis, the pH and PCO2 levels are Opposite; This means that in Respiratory acidosis (which means pH is low) the PCO2 will be high or in other words low pH with high PCO2 is called Respiratory acidosis. In respiratory alkalosis there is high pH and low PCO2. In Metabollic acidosis / alkalosis, the pH and PHCO3 levels are Equal (Not quantitively, but it means that increased pH and increased PHCO3 is the situation in Metabollic alkalosis and both are decreased in Metabolic acidosis).

To remeber this in another way: In METabollic acidosis / alkalosis the values of pH and PHCO3 MEET. In Respiratory there are like RX - 'X' denotes into mark for opposite.  Respiratory Raja's fight.

Functions of Temporal Lobe of Brain

Remember the functions when you wear a HELMet over your temporal lobe:
Hearing
Emotional
Learning
Memory

Medical mnemonics software for iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch

Medical mnemonics software for iPad, Android and Apple Mac family! Instant access to 1500 learning tools.

Device Requirements:

• Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
• Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.
• Android 1.6 or later
• 2.5 MB

Pricing and Availability:

• Med Mnemonics 1.6 is available for $1.99 (USD) in the Apple App Store and in the Android Market. Go to itunes App store to know more.

Lots of medical and surgical mnemonics

Mnemonics for Medicine

Mnemonic generator website / software

Don't have the imagination to create your own mnemonics? Create your own mnemonics online with these mnemonic generators.

• Enter the terms one by one and press the "generate mnemonic" button to create mnemonics CLICK HERE
• Enter the first letters of the terms to be remembered and press "go" CLICK HERE

Medical spellings

Potassium or Pottasium - Which is corect?
PoTaSSium is correct - remember that there is one 'Tea' and two 'S'ugars.

Causes of memory loss

Remember the mnemonic Memory VANISHED to remember the causes of memory loss. Watch this video for explanation.

Mechanism of actions

Here is a diagram to remember mechanism of action of various drugs in one diagram; Symbols help you to remember the name of drugs (Eg;- Cycle symbol should bring Cyclocerine to your memory):
<< Please click on image to enlarge the picture >>

Wilm's Tumor - Mnemonics notes

Introducing new mnemonic notes. Make your own notes with mnemonics embeded. Take for instance this notes on Wilm's tumor. Try to remember the facts with the 'W' of Wilms as shown below:

Inter Nuclear Opthalmoplegia

This is a animation of left Inter Nuclear Opthalmoplegia. It's not my creation, I picked it up from http://www.medicalgeek.com/lecture-notes/23252-internuclear-ophthalmoplegia-animated-tutorial.html#post69877 . Go there to see this animation.
Animations are very helpful many times. You can copy and see this animation in your mobile for quick reference.

Causes of Cramps

Causes of Cramps are "CRAMP"-
Calcium level low, Respiratory Alkalosis, Metabolic acidosis, Magnesium level low, Porphyria

A good practical mnemonic

Here's a good mnemonic I found which is not a medical mnemonic, but you may meed to apply in your everyday life including medicine, esp while operating medical machinery; Very useful for orthopedic surgeons while operating during a sleepless night :-)
When you turn a screw / lid / bolt with your screwdriver / hand /spanner, which direction to turn to loosen it? May be you are very confident now and tell the answer, but people use to commit this mistake even though they know this fact. Sometimes our brain sleeps or get confused on such facts.
So here's the mnemonic: " Turn Left to Loosen; Turn rIGHT to tIGHT"

Fallot's tetrology

This video demonstrates the pathology in Tetrology of Fallot with open and closed Ductus arteriosus. Video animations are a great memory aid.

How to identify Radius and ulna's Square nails

In Orthopaedics viva, your professor may give you two square nails and ask you to identify which one for is used for Radius?
Ans: See the tip of the nails - Radial square nail tip looks like an "R" and ulna's tip look like it's second letter small "l". Hope you won't forget the two square nails now!

Extrapyramidal side effects

The extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) associated with certain antipsychotic drugs (like Haloperidol, Chlorpromazine etc) with the time frame when they will occur can be remembered by "I came 4 DISCO IN THIS INN):

Note: Start from '4' - The time these EPS appears are 4 hours, 4 days, 4 weeks, 4 months in that order.

• 4 hrs       - acute DYStOnia (DISCO) {EPS occurs like disco!}
• 4 days    - akINesia (IN)
• 4 weeks  - akaTHISia
• 4 months - tardive dyskINesia (INn - extra 'N' is for the delayed complication :-)  )

 Alternatively remember DAAD -  Dystonia, Akinesia, Akathisia, Dyskinesia in that order.

Medical terminology video song

This video above is a concert including lots of medical terms. It helps you to remember many terms. When you see this for the first time, it is better to pause on each term represented by a cartoon / clinical photo. You can revise the terms by seeing the video many time.

WPW Syndrome

Wolff-Pakinson-White Syndrome

is a

Wild Path Way (Wolf is a wild animal)

between

Atria and Ventricles.

Also Remember KENT's ART (Abnormal bundle is called Kent's. ART = Atrioventricular Re-entrant Tachycardia.)

EGG findings: Remember Dr. KENT wears SHORT Pants - ECG findings are 'Delta wave' and SHORT PR interval.

Symptom may be tachycardia, palpitation, syncope or may be asymptomatic- Remember you get palpitation on seeing a Wolf and your pulse goes up or you may faint; But if you are strong, you will be asymptomatic!

Body song video

The Body Song uses a kind of lecture form of text utilising medical terminology concerned with the horizon of bodily interiority. This treats the body as a kind of tube through which the nomenclature wanders, territorialising the body into zones of disembodied light (the Eye) and corporeal-but-sanitised filth (the digestive tract). The visuals present a kind of medical lecture in which the orator is eventually subsumed within and excreted from the interior of the corpus being illustrated.

Note: This was the 'blurb' from the "Liminal" interactive CD-ROM (2000). The video was made on a Mac in c.1997-8, using 3D animation and compositing, with footage shot in St. Petersburg, Russia. The music was composed by Glenn Rogers, performed by Alistair Foote, Penelope Reynolds and Samantha Podeu. Audio production by Alistair Dudfield. © Peter Morse 1997.

Websites to learn Emergency Radiology

Interactive sites to learn and remember radiology - Visit these sites below:

http://www.oncallradiology.com/

http://www.chestradiology.net/

Signs of Shock

Signs of SHOCK are SHOCK:
Sinus tachycardia
Hypotension
Oliguria
Cold and Clammy extremities
Kapillary refilling is slow (Read Capillary as Kapillary)

Types of Personality Disorders

Remember types of Personality disorders with mnemonic "BAD SHAPE":
Boderline
Antisocial
Dependent
Shizoid
Shizotypal
Histrionic
Avoidant
Paranoid
Passive - aggressive
Empathic disorder

VDRL : False Positive cases

VDRL is false positive in "Missed Positive VDRL"
Malaria
Pregnancy
Viral diseases - Hepatitis, IMN
Drugs
Rheumatic fever, Rheumatoid arthritis
Leprosy, Lupus

Orthopaedic investigations : Table

Memorising this table will help to differentiate the above orthopaedic conditions.

Renal physiology

This diagram is taken from the book "Clinical Physiology made Ridiculously simple". You can use it for Pharmacology dugs (mechanism of action) also.

Salmonella vs Shigella

• SalMonella is Motile unlike Shigella. (Or remember in Hindi मोटा सलमान)
• Salmonella is motile like ANIMALS - This helps to remember that Salmonella has ANIMAL reservoir.
• Shigella is transmitted by the F's - Food, Fingers, Flies, Faeces.
• ShiGella has Greater virulence than Salmonella.

Weber's test

This picture will help you to remember Weber's test. (Well, that's my photo in the background :-) )

The defective ear is the one marked with a red 'X' and  the normal ear marked with green 'tick' mark. In Webers test, the tuning fork is held against the forhead in the place of 'W'. Weber's is lateralised to defective ear in conductive deafness and Sound ear in Sensorineural deafness. You can remember the picture using mnemonic 'X CoWS S'.

Clinical jokes

Before you read these, let me tell you - All these jokes actually happened!!

 * * * * *

Medical student taking history from an old village lady.
MS: Ma'm, what did you come with? ( He meant the symptoms that she had )
Patient: Dear boy, I came here with 15 rs and only a mat to sleep on......

********************************

Medical student taking history in Orthopaedics ward from  a person with spinal cord injury following an accident: "Did any one else in your home, your father / mother / siblings meet with a similar accident at any point of time?"

******************************** 

 MS in Gynec wards: Ma'm is there any H/O diseases like Diabetes mellitus, Hypertension or Twin pregnancy in your family?
Patient: Is twin pregnancy a disease?

********************************

Anatomy practical exams; Examiner wants the student to take a bone and explain it's anatomy: 

Examiner: Take one (Looking at the bones over his table)

Student:  No sir (Looking shy)

Examiner: Why man? Take one, I say.....

The student took a glass of  tea over the table :-)

********************************

Anatomy practical exams again. Examiner shows clay model of placental circulation and demands - Explain this!

Student (Looking rather perplexed): Tree with branches sir!

******************************** 

Now, please add your jokes in the comments below.

Rinne's test : Confusion buster

Rinne's test is the worst confusion maker in ENT UG exams. The problem with this test is that normally Rinne's test is positive unlike other test. Rinne's test positive means Air conduction is better than Bone conduction.
To remember these use the following mnemonic:
NNN - Normally Rinne's test is Not Negative it's BACkwards test (Bone conduction better than Air Conduction)

Nerve supply of Laryngeal muscles

Remember "Brian LARa has enough world RECords, so he does not want more CRICket"
The fact to remember is " All muscles of LARynx are supplied by RECcurent laryngeal nerve except the CRICothyroid"

Lathyrism and Epidemic dropsy

What are the chemicals responsible for side effects associated with Lathyrism and epidemic dropsy?
Remember LAB is an Emergency Service

• LAthyrism caused by eating Legumes causes toxic effects with BOAA (ß-N-oxalyl-amino-L-alanine)
• Epidemic dropsy  (due to intoxication with Argemone mexicana) has it's toxic effects due to Sanguinarine

Sign and symptom

sIgn is what I detect from the patient.
sYMptom is what hIM tells me.

Mnemonic to read chest xray

Remember this when you read a chest radiogram: SomeBody Pulled My Trouser Down while I was reading Chest Xray!
(Read the chest Xray in this order)
Soft tissue
Bones
Pleura, Pericardium, Pulmonary
Mediastinum
Thorax, Tubes and lines
Diaphragm

Meniere's disease

Symptoms of Meniere's disease can be remembered with the Ad of TVS scooty picture above. Note that the bike is FULL, occupied by two beauties with EAR rings. So see the ad, look into the ears of the babes ( remember that Meniere's disease affect the ears ) remember the symptoms of Meniere's disease with "TVS is FULL":
Tinnitus (Fluctuating, Uni/bilateral)
Vertigo (Episodic)
Sensorineural hearing loss (Fluctuating, progressive, Uni/bilateral)
FULLness inside ears

Which are the gram positive bacilli?

Before answering the question, do you know this Bollywood actress? Well, she is Lara Dutta. Now here's the mnemonic with some modification to this fact.....
"B" for Bollywood and also for Bacilli;
Will she Gram stain? Yes, because she doesnot have her clothes on :-)
So L. DATTA is Gram positive "B"..... Of course, we have made the Dutta to Datta and left out 3 letters of Lara. And L.DATTA wants NO Acne , as this will spoil her figure.
Remember that all Bacilli are Gram negative except L.DATTA wants NO Acne, i.e. the bacteria causing
Listeriosis (Listeria monocytogenes & also remember Lactobacillus sp.)
Diptheria (Corynebacterium diptheriae)
Actinomycosis (Actinomyces sp.)
Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis)
Tetanus (Clostridium tetani and others in Clostridia sp.)
Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis & cereus)
NOcardiosis (Nocardia sp.)
Acne (Propionibacterium acnes)

Diagrams of Mechanism of Action of Drugs from Book "Clinical Pharmacology"

This post is on shout box request from "Lalika". The request is for diagrams of mechanism of actions in Pharmacology. This book preview gives you mechanisms of actions of different drug groups. The diagram of mechanisms of action of actions of each group of pharmacological drugs can be seen in the same picture, so that you can easily draw separate diagrams for the mechanisms of individual drugs.

Download MM4U year book 2009

Here's a gift download to all our dear readers - The MM4U YEARBOOK 2009. All selected mnemonics published in this blog last year is compiled into a word document. This explains why we didnot blog for last 2 weeks. We were busy with the compilation of year book. Anyway return here for more content which will be added shortly. Below we give you many links to download the yearbook. No password required.

• DOWNLOAD MM4U YEARBOOK 2009 FROM 4SHARED.COM
• DOWNLOAD MM4U YEARBOOK 2009 FROM MEGAUPLOAD.COM
• DOWNLOAD MM4U YEARBOOK 2009 FROM FILE FACTORY
• DOWNLOAD MM4U YEARBOOK 2009 FROM ZSHARED 
• DOWNLOAD MM4U YEARBOOK 2009 FROM MEGA SHARE 
• DOWNLOAD MM4U YEARBOOK FROM HOTFILE 

Corynebacterium diptheriae

Remember the ABCDEFG of Corynbacterium Diptheriae:

ADP-ribosylation of EF-2 is the mechanism of action
Beta-prophage encodes exotoxin
Corynebacterium
Diphtheriae
Exotoin acts by inhibiting protein synthesis via ADP ribosylation of  Elongation Factor 2
Granules (Lab diagnosis: gram-positive rods with metachromatic Granules)

Remember ECG changes in arrythmias

Before you watch the video below, we recommend you to go through your EKG lessons. Once you read your lessons, watch this silent video to never forget what you learn! The professor demonstrates all ECG changes with his dance.


Now watch the video below to get a different view. Though it is a Portuguese video, you can understand most of the things.

Bouchard's and Heberden's nodes

These nodes are found in Osteoarthritis of the hand.

• Bouchard's - Osteoarthritic nodes in proximal interphalangeal joint
• Heberden's - Osteoarthritic nodes in distal IP joint

Confused about whose proximal and whose distal. How to remember ? - See 2 methods below:

• B comes before H, so Bouchard's is in proximal IP joint ( "B" is proximal to "H" in the alphabet chain)

• When you hold a Bat, you use more of your proximal IPJ i.e. B for Bat and Bouchard's. When you hold a Hair (H for Heberden's) you use more of your distal IPJ

How to use your computer for better learning and memory - Part 3

• We have introduced the concept of Mind maps in our earlier post. To make mindmaps in your PC, download software from http://www.mindmanager.com
• After installing mindmanager 30 day trial (or better you purchase it) download medical mindmaps which you can open in this software. For eg, download diuretics mindmap for opening in this software here .
• Now you can create your own customised and colourful notes and print it out for easy reference and revision. Your subsequent revisions will be faster and you can also make it more memorable with pictures and colours.
• Other software to create free mindmaps are FreeMind, Compendium, Sciplore etc. (Clicking on the link will take you to the software's download site). Download an algorithm to cough analysis and differential diagnosis made with Free Mind here .
• For more medical mindmap examples, visit http://medicalmaps.blogspot.com
• Download pdf Pharmacology mindmaps here(Please note that you will have to register to download the pdf mindmaps)

Functions of Interlukins

Remember the picture above: List the food items in order from left to right - Hot Tea, Mutton bone, EGG - All these go Into An OESophagus.
Now here are the functions:
IL-1 : Pyrogen (Hot)
IL-2 : Stimulates "T" cell (Tea)
IL-3 : Mutton BONE (BONE Marrow)
IL-4 : Stimulates IgE and IgG (EGG)
IL-5 : Stimulates synthesis of IgA and OESinophils (Into An OESophagus)

Tzanck smear

Q: What is the use of Tzanck smear?
A: To detect Herpes
Remember this "TzANcK god, I don't have Herpes" or TzANcK HER(pes) (Thank her)

Causes of Chronic Diarrhoea

Remember the 5 Cs as Causes of Chronic diarrhoea:
Crohn's disease
Colitis (Ulcerative) or Ulcerative Colitis
Coeliac diseases
Cystic fibrosis
Cow's milk intolerance

How to use your computer for better learning and memory - Part 2

Continuing from our previous post in this series:

• How do you like the idea of computer reading aloud the notes for you? Well to do this get hold of free Text to speech software like Talk it! or natural readers or read please or Panopreter . Out of this if the download link to the first program (Talk it!) works, that's the best because it has many voices which you can make to read normally / whisper / sing. Now type / copy the text you need to read. You can get the paid versions of these programs to get better sounds or other features. Sit back relaxed while the computer reads aloud the lesson to you. You can adjust the speed of reading, font size and watch your screen from a distance. To make better experience, you can connect your computer / laptop to the LCD TV, home theater etc.
•  As a next step, you can record what the computer speaks to a mp3 file and write it as an mp3 CD ! Here's how you do it. If you want programs that straight away do this job, there is paid version of above free programs or there is Text Aloud. 
• In case you want to create free mp3 file online these are 2 sites: 1 -  http://www.hearwho.com/   2 -  http://vozme.com/index.php?lang=en
• So having created your mp3 lessons, burn it into CDs, label the CDs, exchange with your friends, listen to these lessons on your home / car / Walkman mp3 player. Whenever you feel that your eyes are sore or tired from sleepless night just pop a CD into the player and relax. It is recommended that you hear your lessons while going to sleep, when the relaxing brain waves starts as you will remember better. May be you can order the mp3s to get a song between your lessons for refreshment. 
• You can get hold of free audio editing software like Audacity sound editor and mix you favourite song in background or you can put your song into the left channel of mp3 and lessons into the other channel.
• And if you don't want to get all this complex work, just plugin your mic and record in your own voice using the windows sound record utility ! You can then convert the recorded sound from .wav to mp3 format using the free small downloadwav to mp3 program. Then burn the mp3 file to a CD and you are done !
• The aim of all these ideas are to get effortless revision. Remember, the more you revise, the better your memory
  

Drugs acting on 30s & 50s ribosomes

Remember this picture: 30 year old robber named ATkins is in CELL no. 50

Drugs acting on 30s ribosome subunits :

• Aminoglycosides ( Including Streptomycin, Gentamicin, Amikacin, Tobramycin)
• Tetracyclines 

Drugs acting on 50s ribosome subunits :

• Chloramphenicol
• Erythromycin
• Lincomycin
• cLindamycin