Are all brain functions computable?

BACKGROUND: Whether the human brain is nothing but an advanced computer is a matter of inconclusive debate. This paper contributes to that debate. METHOD: Critical reasoning based on evidence provided by the history of a woman who complained of amnesia after each of two separate acts of attempted suicide. FINDINGS: A life-threatening tendency (suicidal impulses) may be countered by a functional imperfection (selective amnesia) or a feigned malfunction (malingering). INTERPRETATION: Some aspects of brain function may depend on operations that no hitherto invented computer can duplicate.

Ocular injuries from flying bottle caps.

Three cases of serious eye injury are described from flying metal caps of carbonated drink bottles. The injuries occurred while attempting to open the bottle in an unconventional and dangerous way. Though injuries from flying bottle caps have been described before, they have occurred when the bottle exploded. This is the first report of eye injuries caused by bottle caps while opening and are similar to the injuries caused by champagne corks.

Growth hormone deficiency in Sri Lanka: a preliminary study.

Growth hormone deficiency is a recognised cause of severe short stature. A community of 16,001 Sri Lankan children aged between 5 and 6 years was screened for short stature using a simple growth chart, and a sample of 172 identified as short was investigated for the aetiology. Growth hormone deficiency was confirmed in 12 out of the 172 children using the insulin-induced hypoglycaemia test. Another group of 27 out of the 172 children who could potentially benefit from growth hormone therapy were identified using an exercise screening test. Growth hormone deficiency has not been previously documented in Sri Lanka.