This week's compendium

Here’s this week’s compendium – slightly longer than usual, to mark the last compendium of 2010. This week…

1. my cyberfriend Wordsmith sent me a link to a really good Alzheimer’s article in the NYT [1]. Thanks, mate.

2. a later, equally interesting NYT article focuses on the morality of Alzheimer’s screening in people with few or no dementia symptoms, given that so far there’s no effective treatment [2]. A quandary indeed.

3. the journal blood reported that a stem cell transplant produced an HIV cure [3]. I think there’ll be lots more stem cell transplant success in coming years.

4. the Annals of Internal Medicine reported that Echinacea produced only a minor (i.e. statistically insignificant) reduction in common cold severity or duration [4]. Ho hum.

5. Hepburn Wind’s two turbines are en route from Germany on the SE Panthea [5a]. (Click on ‘Current Vessel’s Track’ (left sidebar) to see its current position.) Slightly too early for transport on a high tech carbon neutral cargo ship – due to begin service in 2012 [5b].

6. the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council approved engine changes for F1 – downsizing from eight to four cylinders – starting in 2013 [6]. Fuel consumption will be 35% less. I reckon the reason for this change is financial and not environmental.

7. Nutrition Diva said there’s no reason not to drink water during meals [7]. Doing so promotes satiety and thus assists weight loss.

8. Grammar Girl published a list of the four most frequent grammar questions put to her in 2010 [8]. Fascinating.

9. US researchers found that happiness increases creativity [9]. And creativity increases happiness. So it’s a positive feedback loop.

10. and because happiness and creativity are both linked to physical fitness, here are the latest US [10a] and Aussie [10b] physical activity guidelines. Brisk walking for 150 minutes per week is all it takes, folks.

Finally, I wish you, dear Farmdoc’s Blog readers, a wonderful week.