orthopodvt

"All models are wrong. Some are useful." (Feynman) The blog sets up a straw man that oversimplifies how logic is used.

So there is such a thing as "knowledge". Learning problem solving skills in the absence of subject-matter knowledge is simply a Markov walk exercise.

edit - corrected spelling

I was in high school when calculators arrived on the scene. I still have several slide rules (one was circular so it would be more accurate :-) ). In the space of one year, slide rules completely disappeared. I stopped trying to show my kids how to use one when they kept looking at me like I was a caveman......

Seems like a pretty reasonable analysis of what is going on. I'd be interested in hearing any rebuttals.

The study conditions are so artificial (very slow), that any potential efficiencies would likely be negligible. My son, who ran track in college used to tell me that it was harder to run at a 7 minute mile pace than 6 minute mile pace, because they were doing all their training to run at sub-5 pace. My experience on the bike is similar. AS for the author's comment about how easy the neuromuscular coordination to bike is, he probably hasn't tried to consistently maintain a cadence of 110-120 rpm. It takes practice to be able to do that smoothly, and improves your technique when you're going at a slower pace.

Most of what is stated is simply not true. I am a physician, not a member of the AMA. They have absolutely no role in the selection of medical students, training of physicians, or their licensing. I have no particular love for the AMA. But lets keep the criticisms accurate.

What a great story and an amazing person. It's always nice to read about someone who was genuinely a good person. I especially liked the quote: “Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived that distinguish one man from another.”

While hypervitaminosis D is a real syndrome, as evidenced by this story, low Vitamin D levels are endemic in temperate and northern latitudes. We did a study several years ago ( Vitamin D Status in an Elective Orthopedic Surgical Population. Foot Ankle Int. 2016 Feb;37(2):186-91. doi: 10.1177/1071100715609054) in Vermont among healthy folks who were going to get surgery and roughly 2/3 had low vitamin D levels (<30ng). Low vitamin D is a significant risk factor for fractures, such as hip fractures in the elderly which is a major cause of mortality. So please don't interpret this story as a reason to avoid any vitamin D supplementation. 1-2000 IU/day has been shown to be safe with long term use, but if you have any questions, you should absolutely talk with your primary care provider. PS - Yes, I am a practicing physician.

The headlines don't reflect the results reported in the abstract. In particular, a erectile dysfunction rate of 25% at one year is very high. Furthermore, the criteria for cancer oblation seems to be PSA decrease of 75%, which was achieved in 96% of patients. However, one would generally expect a much larger reduction in PSA if the cancer were truly oblated.

Almost makes me wish I had gone to MIT instead of Harvard....