Energy for Muscle Contraction

Let us start by subdividing muscle fibers into two types: Type I (Slow twitch, Oxidative) and Type II (Fast twitch, Glycolytic).

Homocysteine metabolism notes for USMLE

Hey!

Let's do a quick and dirty Q&A post :D

Homocysteine metabolism

Hexagonal crystals in cystinuria mnemonic

Hexagonal crystals are seen in cystinuria.

Envelope shaped crystals in urine: Calcium oxalate mnemonic

Heyyyyyy!

X in oXalate looks like an envelop to me :D

Drugs causing crystal induced AKI mnemonic

Hello!

So today I was reading about acyclovir and crystal induced acute kidney injury.

Acyclovir is rapidly excreted in the urine (being both filtered and secreted) and has a relatively low solubility. Intravenous (IV) therapy may lead to the deposition of acyclovir crystals in the tubules if the patient is volume depleted. This results in intratubular obstruction and foci of interstitial inflammation.

Normal AST, ALT and ALP values mnemonic

Continuing the normal values mnemonic posts :D

Today's post is on liver enzymes!

Normal SGOT, SGPT and ALP values!

Alkaptonuria notes and mnemonic

Today, Hari sent me his notes on Alkaptonuria.

Alkaptorr makes him think of helicopter! And he imagines a black ox sitting in it!

Alkaptonuria mnemonic

Biotin deficiency mnemonic

Hello!

Here's an interesting case of vitamin deficiency you should read.

Biotin deficiency is rare. Nice to know for exams though. Soooo.. I made a mnemonic. Biotin reminds me of the comic character, Tin Tin!

Biotin mnemonic

Study group discussion: A case of vitamin deficiency

Here's a vignette that I found on USMLE forums:

A 20-year-old male patient is admitted to the hospital 6 months ago following a motorcycle accident resulting in a severe closed head injury. The man has experienced recurrent fungal skin infections resistant to treatment for 1 month and severe vomiting over the last 2 days. Review of the patient's records shows he was well before the injury. He now suffers severe permanent cognitive impairment and requires continuous high-dose phenytoin therapy to manage chronic debilitating tonic-clonic seizures. The patient is resting comfortably in no apparent distress. He is unable to converse coherently. Vital signs are normal. Physical exam is striking for nearly total alopecia. A periorofacial erythematous macular rash is present along with severe seborrheic dermatitis and several truncal ringlike lesions consistent with tinea corpus infection.

Select the most likely vitamin deficiency.

Answer Choices:

A. Vitamin A deficiency

B. Vitamin B12 deficiency

C. Vitamin C deficiency

D. Vitamin D deficiency

E. Vitamin E deficiency

F. Thiamine deficiency

G. Pyridoxine deficiency

H. Folate deficiency

I. Biotin deficiency

Study group discussion: White jaundice

Can anyone explain about what is white jaundice?

I think it refers to cholestasis syndrome (obstruction of bile outflow)

Jaundice (Increased conjugated bilirubin)
Acholia (Pale stools, thus "white jaundice")
Choluria (Dark urine)
May have generalized pruritus (Due to cholesterol)

Here's what someone else wrote:

White Jaundice is not a separate disease, it is a very old term for jaundice.

Jaundice is a condition in which bilirubin, which is a yellow coloured pigment, accumulates in the body and causes the skin to turn bright yellow. In severe cases, the skin can appear brown.

To confirm that someone is jaundiced, and not just dark-skinned, the whites of the eyes are examined, yellow colouration here is a clear sign of jaundice, hence the old expression "white jaundice".

Cystic fibrosis and prolonged neonatal jaundice

Why does cystic fibrosis cause prolonged neonatal jaundice? 

Step 2 CK: Treatment of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) mnemonic

Hello my old friend!

Today's post is on  Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP)!

Here are my notes and mnemonics :D

Biochemistry – How to study?

We see many requests coming to our study groups, asking for few tips to study Biochemistry. Today I thought we should talk about it for the sake of our 1^st year Medicowesomites!! Yay!

Ok, Biochemistry, as the name itself implies is about Chemistry in Biological systems. So what do we most encounter in Biochemistry and how to tackle them?

Classification of enzymes mnemonic

Hello!

This mnemonic on classification of enzymes was submitted by Mohd. Ayub Ali.

The mnemonic is, "On The Himalayas, Lyf (life) Is Lightened."

Intermediates in Gluconeogenesis mnemonic

Hi guys!

So today I wanted to talk to you about Gluconeogenesis.

The first thing is that gluconeogenesis takes place in the mitochondria.

Now when anyone says, "mitochondria", I (and probably all of us) immediately jump to, "mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell".

Study group discussion: Lipid Metabolism Deficiency Enzymes

Hey guys, this is a minor post about Lipid Metabolism Deficiency enzymes we talked about in Medicowesome Whatsapp Group. (If you want to join our group, please email us!)

Hypoxia and radiotherapy

What effect do you think hypoxia would have on radiotherapy?

Okay I know this. Hypoxia kills cells so it should help right?
I'm afraid you couldn't be more wrong.

Mnemonic for Vit B complex

Hey guys, Jay here! These days we are having Nutrition subject and we were studying Vitamin B complex recently. Since it's confusing to me I made a mnemonic using the names of my class mates :P

With all due respect to my classmates who are future physicians, here is my mnemonic! :)

What is the difference between Vegetarianism and Veganism?

Hey guys Jay here once again. Today I thought to talk about a subject matter discussed in our Nutrition class. That is about Vegetarianism and Veganism.

Many think these both terms are interchangeable, but in fact it is NOT!!!

So let us compare Vegetarianism and Veganism...

Dextrorotary or levorotatory and D or L forms

Greetings readers!

Dextrorotary or levorotatory and D or L forms - We hear these terms, especially, in biochemistry of chiral carbon atoms.

Now, I always thought in D-glucose, the D is for dextrorotary. But I was wrong.