Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Medicine & Health

The Murder of Tessa Quayle

In a remote area of Northern Kenya, activist Tessa Quayle is found brutally murdered. Tessa's companion, a doctor, appears to have fled the scene, and the initial evidence points to a crime of passion. Members of the British High Commission in Nairobi assume that Tessa's widower, their mild-mannered and unambitious colleague, Justin Quayle, will leave the matter to them. They could not be more wrong.

Haunted by remorse and jarred by rumors of his late wife's infidelities, Quayle surprises everyone by embarking on a personal odyssey that will take him across three continents. Using his privileged access to diplomatic secrets, he risks his own life, stopping at nothing to uncover and expose the truth—a conspiracy far... Continue reading "The Constant Gardener: Unmasking Pharmaceutical Corruption in Kenya" »

Common English Idioms

• Like talking to the wall
• Speak their mind
• Straight from the horse's mouth
• Don't break a word
• Get a word in edgeways
• I'm all ears
• Beat about the bush
• Break the ice
• Break a promise
• Break a record
• Break someone's heart
• Break a/the law
• Break a/the habit
• Break the news

Common English Phrasal Verbs

Run

• Run an errand
• Runs in the family
• Run wild
• Running a risk
• Run short
• Running a temperature

Stand

• Stand by
• Stand up to - to please
• Stand up
• Stand for - to mean
• Stand out - to be different
• Stand in for

Come

• Come round - to visit
• Come through - to survive
• Come apart - to break
• Come down on - to criticize
• Come up with - to think of
• Come across - to discover

Go

• Go too far
• Cope with
• Turn into tears - to cry
• As long as
• Change for the better
• Boarding school

Essential Kitchen Tools

Here are some common kitchen tools and their uses:

• Peeler: Used to peel carrots, potatoes, etc. (to remove the skin of vegetables).
• Ice Tray: Water is put into the container and placed in the freezer so that ice cubes are formed.
• Spatula: Used to handle food. For example, if you are cooking a hamburger, you can turn it or remove it with a spatula.
• Strainer: Used, for example, when you make macaroni. Put the pasta in the strainer to drain the water, leaving the pasta behind.
• Cutting Board: Used as a support when cutting food, preventing knife marks on the counter or other kitchen surfaces.

More Kitchen Items

• Wok / Frying Pan (sartén)
• Strainer (colador)
• Saucepan (cacerola)
• Peeler (pelador)
• Rolling Pin (rodillo)
• Casserole Dish (molde)

English-Spanish Vocabulary Lists by Topic

Personality Traits

• Ambitious (ambicioso) vs. Pushy (sin escrúpulos)
• Assertive (asertivo) vs. Bossy (mandón)
• Broad-minded (de mente abierta) vs. Narrow-minded (de mente cerrada)
• Determined (decidido) vs. Stubborn (cabezón)
• Easy-going (fácil de tratar) vs. Nervous (nervioso)
• Generous (generoso) vs. Tight-fisted (tacaño)
• Frank (franco) vs. Brusque (brusco)
• Gifted (talentoso) vs. Slow (lento)
• Mature (maduro) vs. Immature (inmaduro)
• Modest (modesto) vs. Big-headed (creído)
• Tactful (con tacto) vs. Tactless (sin tacto)
• Outgoing (sociable) vs. Reserved (reservado)
• Self-confident (seguro de sí mismo) vs. Arrogant (arrogante) or Insecure (inseguro)

Buying and Selling

• Afford (permitirse algo)
• Bargain (ganga)
• Cash (dinero

Can Stress Be Helpful for Us?

We know what stress is and how it can affect people, but can stress be helpful for us? Can we make stress our friend? How?

(Video: How to make stress your friend)

Stress is a physical and mental condition that occurs when we adapt to the environment. There are some events that produce this internal state, such as work pressure, marital problems, financial problems, travel, dating, or getting a new job. Stress can be a major behavioral risk if it’s severe or prolonged, but it is not always bad. In this way, we know what stress is and how it can affect people, but can stress be helpful for us?

The Impact of Long-Term Stress

On the one hand, long-term stress produces maladaptive changes. Its impact can be understood... Continue reading "Transforming Stress into a Positive Force" »

Cushing Syndrome and Cushing Disease

Cushing Syndrome is characterized by the production of excess cortisol, often resulting from glucocorticoid (GCD) medication. Cushing Disease specifically refers to a pituitary tumor causing the overproduction of ACTH.

Clinical Features

• Sudden weight gain and truncal obesity
• Buffalo hump and moon face
• Abdominal striae
• Red face (due to thinning blood vessels)
• Hypertension

Laboratory Findings

• Hypernatremia (High Na)
• Hypokalemia (Low K)
• Glucosuria

Diagnosis

1. Low-Dose Dexamethasone Suppression Test: In cases of pituitary adenoma, there will be a suppression of cortisol.
2. No Response to Dexamethasone: If cortisol remains high, it indicates an ACTH-secreting tumor or adrenal neoplasia.
3. Adrenal Neoplasia vs. ACTH-Secreting Tumor: