Degos Disease...Extremely Rare Vasculopathy !!

Degos disease (also called malignant atrophic papulosis) is an extremely rare vasculopathy that affects the lining of the medium and small veins and arteries, resulting in occlusion (blockage of the vessel) and tissue infarction.

The disease is named for Robert Degos who recognized it as a clinical entity in 1942, after it was first described by Kohlmeier in 1941.

What is Degos ?

Degos Disease seems to be a disease of the blood vessels - a thrombotic vasculopathy.

Cells in the linings of the walls of the medium and small veins and arteries under the skin swell when they become inflamed.

This causes the blood flow to be restricted.

Scars left after healing. Lesions on foot had coalesced, broken down and ulcerated. Cellulitis developed with MRSA, and treated with Vancomycin. Ulcers eventually healed after 5 months with daily applications of Manuka honey and then neat Vitamin E (D-Alpha-tocopherol). Scars are sensitive and severe neurological pain has occurred at intervals, treated with Ketamine.

Scars left after healing. Lesions on foot had coalesced, broken down and ulcerated. Cellulitis developed with MRSA, and treated with Vancomycin. Ulcers eventually healed after 5 months with daily applications of Manuka honey and then neat Vitamin E (D-Alpha-tocopherol). Scars are sensitive and severe neurological pain has occurred at intervals, treated with Ketamine.

Smaller groups of lesions, now about 8 years old - all scars and no sensitivity at all.

Lesions about 8 years old. Many have coalesced. Some still become inflamed but most are now scars. The white atrophic centres are flaky.

Lesions about 8 years old. Many have coalesced. Some still become inflamed but most are now scars. The white atrophic centres are flaky.

Where this happens ?

spots (lesions) appear on the skin. They are small and red, slightly raised.

As they develop, the centre becomes dry and white (atrophic). Sometimes the spots itch.

The blood vessels affected include those supplying the skin, gastrointestinal tract, and central nervous system. This can result in bowel ischemia (mesenteric ischemia or ischemic colitis), chronic skin lesions, ocular lesions, strokes, spinal lesions, mononeuritis multiplex, epilepsy, headaches or cognitive disorders. Pleural or pericardial effusions are also reported.

The outcome of this disease can be fatal with a median survival of 2 to 3 years, although some appear to have a benign form (Degos acanthoma) which affects only the skin. There are fewer than fifty living patients at present known worldwide, and less than 200 reported in the medical literature. Treatment options are limited, consist mainly of Antiplatelet drugs or anticoagulants or immunosuppressants, and effect of treatment is limited to case reports.

Sometimes the disease affects blood vessels in other parts of the body. Most commonly, the gut, the central nervous system or the eyes are involved.

Most case histories in the medical literature are of ‘worst case’ scenarios.

Don't get panic?

You will read statistics and numbers which might scare you - but they are often based on projections and on published case reports. There are lots of Degos patients whose cases haven’t been written up and who are alive and well.

There are also lots of confident assertions which just aren’t true! For example: “This disease affects mainly young men” - not in our experience! Or “The lesions don’t appear on the soles of the feet” - wrong again! Percentages and actual numbers can’t be right, as no-one has compared living patients until now. Take it all with a pinch of salt and add your experience to our site and to the data being collected in Dessau,Germany.

Other names for Degos disease are:

• Malignant atrophic papulosis
• Köhlmeier - Degos disease
• Köhlmeier disease
• Degos - Köhlmeier disease
• Degos disease
• Degos syndrome
• Erythrokeratoderma en cocardes
• Thromboangiitis obliterans

Women Lead India 3rd To The Death Journey...A Shocking Truth !!

Few months ago we submitted a brief report on smoking, where we clearly mentioned about the bad side of the cigarette smoking. But after watching this I'm quite sure that,our all effort to aware people about the bad impact of smoking, failed. The implementation of the post is 'Zero'. It is very shocking to me and I think as well as to the whole of the World !!

Here, in a latest survey report, it's revealed that India holds the third position in smoking and guess who made them..Third!! None other than women of India. I must say, the power of women in India is really impressive ! Cheers to the Indian Women :)

Indian women are among the worst in the world when it comes to smoking. According to the latest Tobacco Atlas, the country ranks third in the top 20 female smoking populations across the globe.

Only the US with 2.3 crore female smokers and China with 1.3 crore women smokers are worse off than India in this chart. However, as far as percentage of women smoking is concerned, it is below 20% for India.

Among India's immediate neighbors, only Pakistan figures in this infamous list, but right at the
bottom at 20th with around 30 lakh female smokers.

Published by the American Cancer Society and World Lung Foundation, the Atlas makes another serious observation -- female smokers in India die an average eight years earlier than their non-smoking peers.

According to the Atlas, about 250 million women in the world are daily smokers -- 22% being from high resource countries and 9% from low and middle resource countries.

Releasing the potential of this growing market, the Atlas said the tobacco industry has been
marketing cigarettes to women using seductive but false images of vitality, emancipation, slimness,sophistication and sexual allure.

Reacting to the report, Dr P C Gupta, director of Healis Sekhsaria Institute of Public Health, told
TOI that this finding had very serious implications for India. "Even though the percentage
prevalence of women smoking in India isn't that high, the number is huge. In addition to all the
harm that tobacco causes to men, women are additionally exposed in a special way because of their reproductive function."

Dr Gupta added that tobacco consumption reduced birth weight of the fetus, decreased their
gestational age leading to premature babies, increased the risk of still births and heightened
chances of anemia among adult pregnant women.

"The government isn't focusing on anti-tobacco campaign that specially targets women. Smoking is definitely increasing in young college going women showing that the tobacco industry is targeting them very strongly," Dr Gupta added.

The Atlas said tobacco killed some six million people each year -- more than a third of whom will
die from cancer -- and drained $500 billion annually from global economies.

As 25% of smokers die and many more become ill during their most productive years, income loss devastates families and communities. In 2010, 72% of those who die from tobacco related illnesses would be in low- and middle-income countries. By 2030, 83% of these deaths will occur in low and middle-income countries.

Unveiled at the Global Cancer Summit on Wednesday, the Atlas said 2.1 million cancer deaths per year will be attributable to tobacco by 2015. "The Atlas is crucial to helping advocates in every nation get the knowledge they need to combat the most preventable global health epidemic," said John R Seffrin, CEO of American Cancer Society.

Now it is upto you whether you will ruin your future in the smoke of Death or stretch your hands to welcome the cheerful life.

The Feel Good Factor In Human Life !!

The trend is recent and something that picks up from the frantic pace of urban living. Often hectic schedules and lack of socializing leaves one feeling adrift and sidelined. Thus people draw support in whichever form they can or so observes, psychologist Surendra Mehta, Care clinic, "Casual sex is on the rise because of factors like loneliness, peer pressure, living away from one's home. It happens when there's no faith left in oneself. Think of someone who doesn't have a great job or a fulfilling relationship or lacks friends to bail him/her out in times of crisis. It is then that they fall on measures that they assume can lift their spirits for some time. Sex is more like an addiction just as people tend to eat a lot when depressed."

Hollywood too swears by the benefits of casual sexual encounters. Leading actress Cameron Diaz for instance recently stated that there isn't a better way to get back in shape than hitting the sack. Studies too have revealed that women are less likely to regret an impromptu fling, if they feel gratified sexually afterwards. Most women don't equate a romp in the sack with a walk down the aisle. Surveys reveal that over 52 per cent believe their most recent casual encounter to be 'just a one-time thing'.

Actress Sherlyn Chopra confessed her need for casual sex as a boost to her self worth. The starlet was quoted as saying she doesn't mind a one-night-stand and if the sex is great, she would feel good about herself.

Doctors claim that a session in bed with an unknown face can actually spice up your personal life.
Although none would advise it, but the fact remains that it jolts you back out of your boredom and pushes you to being innovative. Says a doctor on condition of anonymity, "I have had patients who find no interest in having sex with their husbands/wives. In fact, they complain of being turned off by the very thought of it. However, a torrid fling outside marriage breathes new life into a sagging relationship with one's spouse. Does it really matter if you get back your stamina and feel good about yourself, even if your spouse was unaware of what went on behind his back?"

Manish Singh, a software professional, points out, "I think the key is that everyone wants to
matter, especially to their sex partners. We have created a world in which we treat sex as a
private recreational activity, with no moral or social significance. But when sex is a recreational
activity, my partner becomes equivalent to a consumer good. And we all know what we do with
consumer goods that cease to satisfy us beyond a point, we get rid of them. In this world of
consumer sex, it is socially acceptable to find pleasure with people you don't love. But yes, no
one likes to end up feeling used."

A recent study done by the University of Chicago on the sexual lives of adults reveals that
housewives bored by their routine look for affairs outside their marriage. In fact, a one-night-stand often reignites the lost spark that may have gotten snuffed out due to marriage and monotony, a la Tabu who played the rebellious wife in the Mahesh Manjrekar's film Astitva.

According to psychologist Suparna Puri, women often get attached while having sex. The hormone Oxytocin or the attachment hormone makes them feel closer to their partner. So she advises, "Be clear about who you want to indulge yourself with". Puri believes it's alright to be daring and adventurous, but warns that the high doesn't last for long. Soon there is a sense of wanting to pull out and starting again.

The balance though is heavily tilted towards women. And though the freedom of body is a heady
feeling, yet there are certain precautions to be kept in mind:
1. Get yourself checked for AIDS and STD frequently if you are indulging in casual sex.
2. Always, always use a condom or other precautions while having sex.
3. Having a one-night-stand is okay as long as you are consciously aware of what you are doing. You don't want to fall into the wrong hands and get beaten up.
4. Steer clear of strangers who you think come across as "weird". It is better to follow your gut than being sorry later.
5. If you are someone who gets carried away emotionally, then such affairs are definitely not for you.
6. Men take heed and check the background of the person you are going out with. You could easily be led to drugs if you don't watch out.
7. If you feel any kind of discomfort physically after an intercourse, see a doctor immediately.
8. Visit a psychiatrist if you think you are going through an emotional vacuum and need help.
9. Speak to friends, family and close ones if you think your loneliness is the reason for you to
hunt partners.
10. Believe in love and care because nothing works better than these.

It's all about a Healthy Relationship:-

In this entire cry about women and sex, it seems men are completely pushed away from the limelight. Could the reason be that sex gets easily associated with men and thus requires not much thought? Says Atul Suri,a consultant with an MNC, "A general conception is that men are more interested in sex. However, I think nowadays women are also free spirited while men are becoming conservative. I can indulge in sexual activities with anyone, but I don't want to. My friends of course do, but I think their outlook is changing as well. Today a guy wants to be just a one-woman-man, both physically and mentally."

Explains Puri, "For men it is no longer about sex and affairs. Men today concentrate on developing healthy relationships with the opposite sex. That could also arise from the fact that they are aware that the society is open to men having casual sex, so it isn't a big deal. However for women to do the same there is the pleasure of breaking barriers and also a sense of power. So it's more of women wanting to try out new things and explore areas so far a taboo to them."

Source : Times of India

Worst Pandemic Wave Of H1N1 - Everything You Need To Know !!

The H1N1 viral strain implicated in the 2009 flu pandemic among humans often is called "swine flu" because initial testing showed many of the genes in the virus were similar to influenza viruses normally occurring in North American swine.But further research has shown that the outbreak is due to a new strain of H1N1 not previously reported in pigs.

Swine influenza (also called H1N1 flu, swine flu, hog flu, and pig flu) is an infection by any one of several types of swine influenza virus. Swine influenza virus (SIV) is any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is endemic in pigs.As of 2009, the known SIV strains include influenza C and the subtypes of influenza A known as H1N1, H1N2, H3N1, H3N2, and H2N3.

Swine influenza virus is common throughout pig populations worldwide. Transmission of the virus from pigs to humans is not common and does not always lead to human influenza, often resulting only in the production of antibodies in the blood. If transmission does cause human influenza, it is called zoonotic swine flu. People with regular exposure to pigs are at increased risk of swine flu infection. The meat of an infected animal poses no risk of infection when properly cooked.

Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson has said swine flu cases may be peaking for now

The estimated new cases of swine flu last week was just 30,000 compared to 110,000 the week before, showing that the first wave of the swine flu pandemic has now past its peak in England, Sir Liam Donaldson, the chief medical officer said.

The number of deaths has increased from 27 to 36 but these have not occured in the last week, rather the invesigations into whether they are related to swine flu have now been completed.

Overall two thirds of the deaths are in people with serious underlying health conditions with 12 per cent in otherwise healthy people.

A fifth of the deaths occurred in young people, aged up to 15-years and almost one in three of the deaths was in the 16 to 44 year age group.

Sir Liam said there had been slight shift in the pattern with the proportion in older people and those with more severe underlying conditions increasing slightly, but overall the numbers are small and this does not suggest the disease is changing in any way.

The number of people in hospital with swine flu has also dropped from 746 on July 29 to 530 on August 5th.

Transmission to humans :-

People who work with poultry and swine, especially people with intense exposures, are at increased risk of zoonotic infection with influenza virus endemic in these animals, and constitute a population of human hosts in which zoonosis and reassortment can co-occur.Vaccination of these workers against influenza and surveillance for new influenza strains among this population may therefore be an important public health measure.Transmission of influenza from swine to humans who work with swine was documented in a small surveillance study performed in 2004 at the University of Iowa.This study among others forms the basis of a recommendation that people whose jobs involve handling poultry and swine be the focus of increased public health surveillance.Other professions at particular risk of infection are veterinarians and meat processing workers, although the risk of infection for both of these groups is lower than that of farm workers.

Signs and symptoms (In Human) :-

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in humans the symptoms of the 2009 "swine flu" H1N1 virus are similar to those of influenza and of influenza-like illness in general. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. The 2009 outbreak has shown an increased percentage of patients reporting diarrhea and vomiting.The 2009 H1N1 virus is not zoonotic swine flu, as it is not transmitted from pigs to humans, but from person to person.

Prevention :-

Prevention of pig to human transmission

Swine can be infected by both avian and human influenza strains of influenza, and therefore are hosts where the antigenic shifts can occur that create new influenza strains.

The transmission from swine to human is believed to occur mainly in swine farms where farmers are in close contact with live pigs. Although strains of swine influenza are usually not able to infect humans this may occasionally happen, so farmers and veterinarians are encouraged to use a face mask when dealing with infected animals. The use of vaccines on swine to prevent their infection is a major method of limiting swine to human transmission. Risk factors that may contribute to swine-to-human transmission include smoking and not wearing gloves when working with sick animals.

Prevention Of Human To Human Transmission

Influenza spreads between humans through coughing or sneezing and people touching something with the virus on it and then touching their own nose or mouth.Swine flu cannot be spread by pork products, since the virus is not transmitted through food.The swine flu in humans is most contagious during the first five days of the illness although some people, most commonly children, can remain contagious for up to ten days. Diagnosis can be made by sending a specimen, collected during the first five days for analysis.

Recommendations to prevent spread of the virus among humans include using standard infection control against influenza. This includes frequent washing of hands with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand sanitizers, especially after being out in public.Chance of transmission is also reduced by disinfecting household surfaces, which can be done effectively with a diluted chlorine bleach solution.Although the current trivalent influenza vaccine is unlikely to provide protection against the new 2009 H1N1 strain,vaccines against the new strain are being developed and could be ready as early as June 2009.

Experts agree that hand-washing can help prevent viral infections, including ordinary influenza and the swine flu virus. Influenza can spread in coughs or sneezes, but an increasing body of evidence shows small droplets containing the virus can linger on tabletops, telephones and other surfaces and be transferred via the fingers to the mouth, nose or eyes. Alcohol-based gel or foam hand sanitizers work well to destroy viruses and bacteria. Anyone with flu-like symptoms such as a sudden fever, cough or muscle aches should stay away from work or public transportation and should contact a doctor for advice.

Social distancing is another tactic. It means staying away from other people who might be infected and can include avoiding large gatherings, spreading out a little at work, or perhaps staying home and lying low if an infection is spreading in a community. Public health and other responsible authorities have action plans which may request or require social distancing actions depending on the severity of the outbreak.

Treatment :-

In humans

If a person becomes sick with swine flu, antiviral drugs can make the illness milder and make the patient feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms). Beside antivirals, supportive care at home or in hospital, focuses on controlling fevers, relieving pain and maintaining fluid balance, as well as identifying and treating any secondary infections or other medical problems. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the use of Tamiflu (oseltamivir) or Relenza (zanamivir) for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with swine influenza viruses; however, the majority of people infected with the virus make a full recovery without requiring medical attention or antiviral drugs. The virus isolates in the 2009 outbreak have been found resistant to amantadine and rimantadine.

In the U.S., on April 27, 2009, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued Emergency Use Authorizations to make available Relenza and Tamiflu antiviral drugs to treat the swine influenza virus in cases for which they are currently unapproved. The agency issued these EUAs to allow treatment of patients younger than the current approval allows and to allow the widespread distribution of the drugs, including by non-licensed volunteers.



sources: en.wikipedia.org / telegraph.co.uk

Mr. Obama Affixed His Signature On Smoking Bill !!

President Barack Obama has signed into law a bill giving the government historic powers to curb cigarette makers, declaring the move emblematic of the change he is bringing to Washington.Mr Obama affixed his signature to the measure with a nod to his own struggles to kick the habit, and lamented the fact that 1,000 people under the age of 18 become regular smokers every day,
courting a range of grave health risks.

"I know, I was one of these teenagers, and so I know how difficult it can be to break this habit when it's been with you for a long time," he said."I also know that kids today don't just start smoking for no reason – they're aggressively targeted as customers by the tobacco industry.

"They're exposed to a constant and insidious barrage of advertising where they live, where they learn, and where they play."

The law grants the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a regulatory body, the authority to ban flavorings added to some tobacco products and require tough new warning labels, in a bid to lessen tobacco use among young people.Mr Obama argued that the bill's passage was just the latest sign that he was living up to his promise to forge fundamental political reform.

"When I ran for president, I did so because I believed that, despite the power of the status qua and the influence of special interests, it was possible for us to bring change to Washington," he said.

"And today, despite decades of lobbying and advertising by the tobacco industry, we passed a law to help protect the next generation of Americans from growing up with a deadly habit that so many of our generation have lived with."

Under the new law, the FDA will create a new Center for Tobacco Products to oversee the science-based regulation of tobacco products in the United States.It bans cigarettes dominantly flavoured with candy, fruit and spice by October this year, and forces tobacco firms and importers to submit information to the FDA about ingredients and additives in tobacco products.
The measure places strict limits on tobacco advertising in publications with a significant teenage readership, and bans the use of words like "mild" or "light" in advertisements that make tobacco products seem safer.The FDA will now be required to enforce a rule banning all outdoor tobacco advertising within 1,000 feet of schools and playgrounds, and the bill ends all tobacco-brand sponsorship of sport and entertainment events.

Under the measure, tobacco companies must disclose to the FDA the ingredients in their products, and allow the agency to require changes to protect public health, though not to reduce nicotine content to zero or ban a class of tobacco products.Larger and more specific health warnings will now have to cover the top third of the front and rear panels of tobacco product
packages and the FDA will have the power to require graphic warning labels that cover half of the front and rear panels.

The bill was backed by health groups like the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association for its curbs on smoking, the number one cause of preventable death in the United States.

Under the legislation:

1. Cigarette packages will have warning labels that cover 50 percent of the front and rear. The word "warning" must be included in capital letters.

2. Any remaining tobacco-related sponsorships of sports and entertainment events will be banned, as will giveaways of non-tobacco items with the purchase of a tobacco product. A federal ban will be imposed on all outdoor tobacco advertising within 1,000 feet of schools and playgrounds.

3. Point-of-sale advertising will be limited to adults-only facilities, and remaining vending machines will disappear except in places restricted to adults. Retailers who sell to minors will be subject to federal enforcement and penalties.

4. Smokers, particularly the younger crowd, will find they can no longer buy cigarettes sweetened by candy flavors or any herb or spices such as strawberry, grape, orange, clove, cinnamon or vanilla. Cigarettes advertised as "light" or "mild," giving the impression that they aren't as harmful to health, will no longer be found on store shelves.

When Creativity Goes With Anti-flu Mask

Everywhere you turn nowadays you’re bound to be flooded with news and updates surrounding the swine flu epidemic. 13above is not an exception but our news regarding the issue is much more colorful and is about the masks people wear to be protected.

 

Many of them have reacted to the threat with humour and creativity ! Check out more pics on Creative anti-flu masks after the jump.

Visit 13above For More Fun