Rust urine after intense hand drumming is caused by extracorpuscular hemolysis.

“BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:
During Carnival, groups of > or =60 drummers go drumming with their hands and marching for periods of 2 to 4 h. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency and type of urinary abnormalities after candombe drumming and to evaluate possible pathogenic mechanisms.
DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS:
For analysis of pathogenic mechanisms, a group of individuals were prospectively evaluated before and after candombe drumming. Methods: Candombe drummers were recruited in January 2006, 1 wk before prolonged drumming. After clinical evaluation, urine and blood samples were obtained before and immediately after drumming. (more…)

Applying morphologic techniques to evaluate hotdogs: what is in the hotdogs we eat?

“Americans consume billions of hotdogs per year resulting in more than a billion dollars in retail sales. Package labels typically list some type of meat as the primary ingredient. The purpose of this study is to assess the meat and water content of several hotdog brands to determine if the package labels are accurate. Eight brands of hotdogs were evaluated for water content by weight. (more…)

“Eye injury from flying bats are extremely rare, as they have a special ultrasonic echolation system which they use instead of sight to guide their way. This complex system enables them to avoid any obstacles when gliding at high velocities, even in complete darkness. There has been one other report of corneal perforation from collision with a bat. Here we report a case of a bat attack with a corneal foreign body which was a part of the bat’s claw, resulting in localized keratitis and anterior uveitis, a finding which has not been previously described. (more…)

Airflow efficacy of ballpoint pen tubes: a consideration for use in bystander cricothyrotomy.

“OBJECTIVE:To examine the suitability of commonly available ballpoint pens as a substitute emergency tracheostomy tube. METHODS: Commonly available ballpoint pens were examined and compared against two standard cricothyroidotomy sets. The pens were evaluated for dimensions, speed of construction of a temporary tracheostomy tube and airway resistance with differing flow rates. (more…)

“Brazil nuts are the second most frequent cause of nut allergy in the United Kingdom. We report the case of a 20-year-old woman with documented Brazil nut allergy who developed widespread urticaria and mild dyspnea after intercourse with her boyfriend who had earlier consumed Brazil nuts. (more…)

“INTRODUCTION: The unusual event of penile fracture occurs when there is a disruption of the tunica albuginea surrounding engorged erectile tissue during aggressive sexual behavior. There is often an audible crack and rapid detumescence with subcutaneous hemorrhage that follows.
AIMS:
Medical literature has described the etiology and treatment of penile fracture. We report the remarkably unusual social situations of a series of patients who sustained this unique injury.
METHODS:
We conducted a retrospective chart review of 16 patients whose injury was severe enough to require surgical repair at the University of Maryland between 2007 and 2011. Particular attention was paid to the intake interview in the emergency department and the postoperative chart notes by the attending urologist to ascertain out-of-the-ordinary social situations in which the injury was sustained.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
The occurrence of penile fracture is sufficiently rare that the author was able to interact personally with most of the patients. The patients were remarkably forthcoming with the personal social dynamics of the sexual encounter.
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“We describe a hitherto under-recognized curious response in some individuals: of sneezing in response either to sexual ideation or in response to orgasm. (more…)

Sex with Animals (SWA): Behavioral Characteristics and Possible Association with Penile Cancer. A Multicenter Study

“Introduction.  Zoophilia has been known for a long time but, underreported in the medical literature, is likely a risk factor for human urological diseases. Aim.  To investigate the behavioral characteristics of sex with animals (SWA) and its associations with penile cancer (PC) in a case-control study. (more…)

Fish-hook injuries: a risk for fishermen.

“Fishing is one of the best known and practiced human activities. However, you should remember that, when casting the hook from the riverbank or grasping it to add bait, fishermen run a real risk of injury if the hook punctures the skin. Briefly we describe a case where a young, 32-year-old fisherman who was reeling the hook back to shore when it hit him in the face and embedded itself in his upper eyelid. (more…)

“Each year, millions of people travel aboard airplanes and cruise ships. A significant portion of the newer larger airplanes (the Boeing 767 and the Aerobus) and cruise ships now have vacuum toilet systems. There have been no reports in the medical literature on the frequency of injuries associated with the use of these toilets, but serious injury, including soft tissue trauma and organ evisceration, may be associated with the use of such devices.) The investigators report a case of significant perineal injury accompanied by hypotension associated with the use of a vacuum toilet on an airplane. (more…)