Anthrax Part 4: Science and Suspect

Farewell Friends

Just a brief update and farewell! After Helen was no longer able to join me in recording, I decided I wasn't happy or satisfied with going solo. But, BIG NEWS! I am working on getting re-credentialed and going back to work in the clinic. Maybe one day I will podcast again, but hopefully not as a defunct doctor. Best wishes to everyone and have a wonderful holiday season!!

Deadly Skeeters of the East

Ripped from the headlines! In late August, Massachusetts was alerted to a health scare when four individuals were diagnosed with Eastern Equine Encephalitis or “Triple E.” What is this disease and how can humans prevent themselves from becoming infected? Lynne will tell you all about it this week on the pod.  Also, introducing the Doctor Recommended segment - this week: Wonder Drug [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/588497/wonder-drug-by-jennifer-vanderbes/] by Jennifer Vanderbes Music by Helen Shui and Caplixo. Cover art by Lynne Kramer.  defunctdoctorspodcast.com Sources: 1. Eastern Equine Encephalitis [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557692/] by Cecilia Banda; Debopam Samanta 2. Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus: A Scoping Review of the Global Evidence [https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/vbz.2020.2671] by  Tricia Corrin, Rachel Ackford, Mariola Mascarenhas, Judy Greig, and Lisa A. Waddel 3. Clinical and Neuroradiographic Manifestations of Eastern Equine Encephalitis [https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199706263362604] by Robert L. Deresiewicz, M.D., Scott J. Thaler, M.D., Liangge Hsu, M.D., and Amir A. Zamani, M.D. 4. Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus in Mosquitoes and Their Role as Bridge Vectors [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3294553/] by Philip M. Armstrong and Theodore G. Andreadis 5. Notes from the Field: Multistate Outbreak of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus — United States, 2019 [https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6902a4.htm?ref=blog.augurisk.com] by Nicole P. Lindsey, MS; Stacey W. Martin, MS; J. Erin Staples, MD, PhD; Marc Fischer, MD 6. Current Year Data (2024) [https://www.cdc.gov/eastern-equine-encephalitis/data-maps/current-year-data.html] via the CDC 7. As eastern equine encephalitis spreads, a neurologist explains how to stay safe during this latest outbreak of the ‘triple E’ virus [https://theconversation.com/as-eastern-equine-encephalitis-spreads-a-neurologist-explains-how-to-stay-safe-during-this-latest-outbreak-of-the-triple-e-virus-237924] by Daniel Pastula 8. Massachusetts will begin spraying for mosquitos after first human case of EEE diagnosed [https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/massachusetts-spraying-mosquitos-eee/] by Laura Haefeli 9. Massachusetts arbovirus update [https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-arbovirus-update] via Mass.gov 10. Mosquito control and spraying [https://www.mass.gov/info-details/mosquito-control-and-spraying] via Mass.gov 11. Human Exposure to Mosquito-Control Pesticides --- Mississippi, North Carolina, and Virginia, 2002 and 2003 [https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5421a1.htm] via the CDC 12. DEET [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEET] via Wikipedia 13. Find the Repellent that is Right for You [https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/find-repellent-right-you] via the EPA Please contact me with questions/concerns/comments at defunctdoctorspodcast@gmail.com [defunctdoctorspodcast@gmail.com]. @defunctdoctorspodcast on Instagram and TikTok (also Facebook, Threads, & YouTube)

Fetus in Fetu

Lynne’s specialty, developmental pediatrics, is all about how infants and children develop and is closely related to neurology in many cases. So, when she read about a case of an infant with a head circumference too big for the baby’s age, it took her right back to her clinical training. However, the cause of the enlargement was not what she expected. This week, Lynne will discuss the unusual phenomenon in which one fetus absorbs another.    Special note: Dr. Helen Shui is truly a doctor, but is working under a pseudonym for privacy reasons. Dr. Lynne Kramer is using her real name.  Music by Helen Shui and Caplixo. Cover art by Lynne Kramer.  Sources: 1. Intracranial Parasitic Fetus in a Living Infant: A Case Study with Surgical Intervention and Prognosis Analysis [https://amjcaserep.com/abstract/full/idArt/944371] by Xuewei Qin, Xuanling Chen, Xin Zhao, Bo Wang, Lan Yao, Hongchuan Niu 2. Teaching NeuroImage: Intraventricular Fetus-in-Fetu With Extensive De Novo Gain in Genetic Copy Number [https://www.neurology.org/doi/pdfdirect/10.1212/WNL.0000000000201578] by Zongze Li, MD, Li Ma, MD, PhD, Yuanli Zhao, MD, PhD, and Chunde Li, MD 3. Girl, 1, is found to have a FETUS growing in her skull that was once her twin sister [https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13620831/twin-surgically-removed-skull-China-fetus.html] by  Maiya Focht  4. Fetus in fetu: Review of the literature over the past 15 years [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213576615300208] by Lindsey M. Prescher, William J. Butler, Tyler A. Vachon, Marion C. Henry, Thomas Latendresse, Romeo C. Ignacio Jr. 5. Fetus in fetu – a rare developmental anomaly [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1930043318304643#bib0009] by Della Harigovind, Harish Babu SP, Sunil V Nair, Nazim Sangram 6. Fetus in Fetu: Lessons Learned from a Large Multicenter Cohort Study [https://scholar.cu.edu.eg/sites/default/files/hebataher/files/fetus_in_fetu__lessons_learned_froma_largemulticenter_cohort_study_1_-_1.pdf] by Heba M. A. Taher et. al.  7. Fetus-in-fetu [https://thefetus.net/content/fetus-in-fetu-4] by Philippe Jeanty, MD, PhD Kay Caldwell, RDMS Patricia Dix, MD 8. Monochorionic Diamniotic Twin Gestations [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780323445481001601] by Karin M. Fuchs, Mary E. D'Alton 9. Monochorionic Twins [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monochorionic_twins] via Wikipedia 10. Embryology, Week 1 [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554562/] by Yusuf S. Khan; Kristin M. Ackerman. 11. Embryology, Week 2-3 [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546679/] by Baryiah Rehman; Maria Rosaria Muzio. 12. Teratoma [https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22074-teratoma] via Cleveland Clinic 13. Data Table of Infant Head Circumference-for-age Charts [https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/html_charts/hcageinf.htm] via CDC Website Please contact us with questions/concerns/comments at defunctdoctorspodcast@gmail.com [defunctdoctorspodcast@gmail.com]. @defunctdoctorspodcast on Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), Threads, YouTube, and TikTok  Follow Lynne on Instagram @lynnedoodles555

A Medical Miracle

Listen as Lynne tells the story of Ruby Graupera-Cassimiro, a mother and a survivor who came back from the brink of death for reasons that her physicians could not explain. This week - sometimes things happen in medicine that are baffling and mysterious. Special note: Dr. Helen Shui is truly a doctor, but is working under a pseudonym for privacy reasons. Dr. Lynne Kramer is using her real name.  Music by Helen Shui and Caplixo. Cover art by Lynne Kramer.  Sources: 1. What Ruby Graupera-Cassimiro Saw When Her Heart Stopped for 45 Minutes [https://abcnews.go.com/Health/ruby-graupera-cassimiro-heart-stopped-45-minutes/story?id=26819365] via ABC News 2. 'Miracle' Woman Ruby Graupera-Cassimiro Survives After 45 Minutes Without Pulse [https://abcnews.go.com/Health/woman-survives-ill-effects-45-minutes-pulse/story?id=26808212] via ABC News 3. AFE Survivor, Ruby Graupera, shares her story on Dr. Oz [https://afesupport.org/dr-oz-afe-survivor/] via AFE Foundation News 4. She Was “Dead” for 45 Minutes [https://www.thehealthy.com/healthcare/medical-miracles/] by Amanda Friedman 5. Mother Dies and Comes Back to Life [https://kfoxtv.com/archive/wpec-mother-dies-and-comes-back-to-life] by Brittany Shammas 6. Amniotic fluid embolism [https://journals.lww.com/joacp/fulltext/2016/32020/Amniotic_fluid_embolism.4.aspx/1000] by Kaur, Kiranpreet; Bhardwaj, Mamta; Kumar, Prashant; Singhal, Suresh; Singh, Tarandeep; Hooda, Sarla 7. Amniotic Fluid Embolism [https://journals.lww.com/anesthesia-analgesia/FullText/2009/05000/Amniotic_Fluid_Embolism.38.aspx] by Gist, Richard S. MD*; Stafford, Irene P. MD; Leibowitz, Andrew B. MD; Beilin, Yaakov MD 8. About the Hospital [https://www.brrh.com/about/] via Boca Raton Regional Hospital website 9. Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation [https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/disseminated-intravascular-coagulation] via NIH Please contact us with questions/concerns/comments at defunctdoctorspodcast@gmail.com [defunctdoctorspodcast@gmail.com]. @defunctdoctorspodcast on Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), Threads, YouTube, and TikTok  Follow Lynne on Instagram @lynnedoodles555

Anthrax Part 4: Science and Suspect

Listen this week as we conclude our series on anthrax and its use as a weapon during the 2001 US postal service attacks. Lynne will discuss the science behind tracking the deadly spores back to their parent flask  - which was under the control of the researcher who became their prime suspect. Learn who this man was and the FBI’s evidence for why he likely committed the crime, even though not everyone who used to work with him is convinced.  Trigger Warning: Brief mention of suicide and discussion of stalking.  Dial 988 within the US for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233  Special note: Dr. Helen Shui is truly a doctor, but is working under a pseudonym for privacy reasons. Dr. Lynne Kramer is using her real name.  Music by Helen Shui and Caplixo. Cover art by Lynne Kramer.  Sources: 1. Anthrax Investigative Summary [https://www.justice.gov/archive/amerithrax/docs/amx-investigative-summary.pdf] via the FBI 2. Paul Keim: “We Were Surprised It Was the Ames Strain” [https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/paul-keim-we-were-surprised-it-was-the-ames-strain/] by Sarah Moughty 3. New Evidence Adds Doubt to FBI’s Case Against Anthrax Suspect [https://www.propublica.org/article/new-evidence-disputes-case-against-bruce-e-ivins] by Stephen Engelberg 4. The Anthrax Case from Spores to a Suspect [https://www.science.org/content/article/anthrax-case-spores-suspect]  5. NAS Study May Fail to Settle Anthrax Case [https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/science.322.5898.27'] by Yudhijit Bhattacharjee 6. Did Bruce Ivins Hide Attack Anthrax From the FBI [https://www.propublica.org/article/did-ivins-give-the-fbi-a-fake-sample-of-his-own-anthrax] by Stephen Engelberg Please contact us with questions/concerns/comments at defunctdoctorspodcast@gmail.com [defunctdoctorspodcast@gmail.com]. @defunctdoctorspodcast on Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), Threads, YouTube, and TikTok  Follow Lynne on Instagram @lynnedoodles555