Smileband Health issues

Plague is an infectious disease caused by bacteria usually found in small mammals and their fleas.

It has an extremely high fatality rate and is very infectious, although it can be treated by antibiotics if it's caught early.

There are three forms of plague infection: pneumoic plague, septicaemic plague and bubonic plague, the most common form.

Bubonic plague was known as the Black Death in medieval Europe, where an outbreak brought entire civilisations to their knees and decimated the world's population.

Black Death is spread through the bite of infected fleas, whereas pneumonic plague, the most contagious form, develops after a bubonic infection.

Pneumonic infections can then be spread through the air, while septicaemic plague occurs when infection spreads through the bloodstream. The Black Death, a widespread bubonic plague infection, peaked in Europe between 1346 and 1353.

It was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, leaving an estimated 75 - 200 million people dead in Eurasia.

This fatality rate represents a staggering 30-60 per cent of the European population at the time.

After the plague, society experienced a series of marked changes, including a rise in religious fanaticism.

Lacking the medical knowledge to understand the pandemic, some groups blamed Jews and lepers for the outbreak - resulting in mass killings throughout Europe.

It took around 300 years for global populations to return to pre-plague levels after the outbreak. The three different types of plague all refer to different ways the disease can be spread.

In bubonic infections, plague-causing bacteria can be transmitted between animals and fleas, with infected fleas then passing the disease on to people through bites.

Infected people may then develop pneumonic plague once their bubonic infection becomes advanced.

Lung-based pneumonic plague can then sometimes be transmitted through the air between sufferers.

Following a pneumonic or bubonic infection, people can then develop septicaemic plague, which occurs when the infection spreads through the bloodstream. The Great Plague of London struck the city in 1665 and lasted well into 1666 and was the last major outbreak to hit England.

Across Europe, the plague was endemic in major cities, periodically erupting in pockets across the continent for centuries.

But the outbreak of 1665 was of a proportion far greater than had been seen for some time.

It is not known where the plague that hit London originated from but it is thought most likely to have come across on a Dutch ship.

While deaths began in late 1664 they struck in earnest at the start of 1665 and were rampant by the summer, causing the King to flee the city in July.

At its height the disease was claiming 7,000 lives a week, according to conservative measurements.

The outbreak did not fully come to an end until September 1666, coincidentally as the city was struck by another tragedy, The Great Fire.

Some believed that this is what caused the end to the plague but others argue that it had already virtually died out by the time it struck.

Smileband Health issues

First introduced to the UK by Amazon, now a range of retailers such as Tesco, Argos and John Lewis discount prices.

The term first began in the US, where Black Friday follows Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November.

There are plenty of rumours circulating online about how the day of sales first got its name - but which one is true?

Black slaves were sold at a discount.   Toni Braxton posted the pictures to her Facebook page, along with the accompanying caption which claims that "slave traders would sell slaves for a discount to assist plantation owners" when they needed extra help to prepare for winter.

The first documented use of the phrase comes a long time after the slave trade was abolished in the US and so it makes it unlikely that the term originated then.

It hasn't stopped people, especially in the US, to call for a boycott of Black Friday, with some citing the recent protests over the Michael Brown shooting as reason not to take part. Yes, it is true that both in the UK and the US retailers rely on the Christmas season to make much of their yearly profits - and there are plenty of queues on the high street and waits to access online stores.

In 2012, shoppers in the US spent an estimated $59.1bn (£37.6bn) on Black Friday, according to the National Retail Federation.

But because of the deep discounts offered, it isn't clear how much of that is profit and there is no evidence to suggest this is the day where they go "into the black". 

Most retailers in the UK have managed to make the sales to keep in business in all the years preceding the introduction of Black Friday.

Black Friday is a bad day for employers because everyone calls in sick to go shopping. 

Smileband Health issues

We tested HGV RNA in serum in addition to HBV DNA and HCV RNA to study the causative agents involved in chronic non-B, non-C hepatitis. Twenty five patients diagnosed as having chronic non-B, non-C hepatitis(negative for HBsAg and HCV-Ab), were investigated in this study. HGV RNA was detected by nested RT-PCR using primers in 5′-untranslated, NS3 and NS5 regions. Of the 25 patients, 4(16%) were positive for HGV RNA, only 1(4%) was positive for HBV DNA and none were positive for HCV RNA. Of the 4 patients with HGV RNA, 2 histologically has mild fibrosis and the remaining 2 had cirrhosis. One patient with cirrhosis also had hepatocellular carcinoma; HBV DNA was positive in this patient. All 3 patients with only the HGV infection had a mild histological grade. In conclusion, HGV infection was involved in 16% of Japanese patients with chronic non-B, non-C hepatitis. Chronic Hepatitis G seemed to exhibit mild hepatitis activity.  

Abstract

Background—The hepatitis G virus (HGV), a recently identified member of the Flaviviridae family, can cause chronic infection in man but the role of this agent in chronic liver disease is poorly understood.

Aims—To evaluate the prevalence and meaning of HGV infection in a large series of patients with chronic liver disease.

Subjects—Two hundred volunteer blood donors, 179 patients with chronic hepatitis C, 111 with chronic hepatitis B, 104 with alcoholic liver disease, 136 with hepatocellular carcinoma, and 24 with cryptogenic chronic liver disease were studied.

Methods—HGV RNA was investigated in serum samples by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction amplification of the 5′ non-coding region of HCV and hybridisation to a specific probe. The main features of HGV RNA seropositive and seronegative patients were compared.

Results—The prevalence of HGV infection was 3% in blood donors, 7% in chronic hepatitis C, 8% in chronic hepatitis B, 2% in alcoholic liver disease, 4% in hepatocellular carcinoma, and 8% in cryptogenic chronic liver disease. HGV infected patients tended to be younger than non-infected patients but no differences concerning sex, possible source of infection, clinical manifestations, biochemical and virological parameters, or severity of liver lesions were found.

Conclusions—The prevalence of HGV infection in chronic liver disease seems to be relatively low in our area. Infection with HGV does not seem to play a significant pathogenic role in patients with chronic liver disease related to chronic HBV or HCV infection or to increased alcohol consumption, or in those with cryptogenic chronic liver disease.

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President Donald trump said Friday he will uphold a ban on importing trophies of elephants hunted and killed in Zimbabwe, pending further review, reversing his own administration's decision from just a day earlier after a public outcry.

'Put big game trophy decision on hold until such time as I review all conservation facts. Under study for years. Will update soon with Secretary Zinke. Thank you!' Trump tweeted.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said the pair came to the decision after they 'talked and both believe that conservation and healthy herds are critical. Just hours before, Trump's spokeswoman Sarah Sanders had defended the US Fish and Wildlife Service's move to end the 2014 ban initiated under Trump's predecessor Barack Obama.

The service said Thursday that it would begin issuing permits to import 'sport-hunted trophies from elephants hunted in Zimbabwe' between January 21, 2016 and December 31, 2018.

Zambia would also have been covered under the revised rule.

The move was met with a barrage of criticism from animal rights groups and activists. It also came on the same day that the US State Department presented to Congress its first annual report on wildlife trafficking which, it said, 'remains a serious transnational crime.'

French screen legend and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot added her voice to the growing chorus of criticism, slamming Trump as 'unfit for office' after his administration's 'shameful actions.'

'No despot in the world can take responsibility for killing off an age-old species that is part of the world heritage of humanity,' Bardot said in a letter to Trump, released through Fondation Brigitte Bardot. The move is 'a cruel decision backed by Zimbabwe's crazy dictator and it confirms the sick and deadly power you assert over the entire plant and animal kingdom,' the 83-year-old actress added.

'Your shameful actions confirm the rumors that you are unfit for office.'

According to the Great Elephant Census project, African Savanna elephant populations fell by 30 percent between 2007 and 2014, while Zimbabwe saw a drop of six percent.

Despite an overall fall in poaching, Africa's elephant population has declined in part because of continued illegal killing, said a report this year by CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

African ivory, in particular, is highly sought in China where it is a status symbol.

A provision in the Endangered Species Act says the import of such trophies can be legal if accompanied by proof that the hunting benefits broader conservation of the species.

Trump's sons are known to have a passion for hunting.

In one widely shared photograph, Donald Trump Jr poses with a knife in one hand and an elephant tail in the other, the animal's corpse beside him. 

Smileband Health issues

 Hepatitis is a viral disease that affects the liver. There are at least six known kinds of hepatitis (hepatitises A, B, C, D, E and F). Hepatitis A, hepatitis B and Hepatitis C (which wasn't even identified until 1989) are relatively common in some places. Hepatitis D and hepatitis E are very rare. Hepatitis may be infectious or noninfectious. Six or seven virus are usually responsible for the infectious versions although other viruses, parasites, fungi may cause it.

 Hepatitis is debilitating disease that can last for months. It often creeps up slowly (between 15 to 50 days, usually around 25 days), peaks, sometimes with pronounced symptoms, and fades away slowly. leaving victims feeling weak and tired for a long time.

 Hepatitis A is contacted from contaminated water and hepatitis B is contacted from infected blood or bodily fluids. Both diseases can be very serious and debilitating and often include jaundice (yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes). Immunizations, consisting of a series of shots given over several weeks, are available for both diseases. If you are getting these shots for traveling make sure you get them well advance of your departure date.

 Hepatitis generally begins with mild symptoms that may or may not become severe. Hepatitis can go on a long time and cause considerable damage before people realize they have it. Early symptoms include a slight fever, achy joints, abdominal pain, lethargy and aversion to cigarette smoke. One telltale sign of hepatitis is urine that is deep orange in color regardless of how much liquid has been consumed (if you think you may have hepatitis drink a lot of water, if you urine is still really orange or yellow see a doctor).   Hepatitis E and F are rare and similar to hepatitis A but more deadly, particularly among pregnant women. They can be contacted from contaminated water and many people have no symptoms. There is no vaccine. Patients are advised to get lots of rest and drink lots of fluids.

 Hepatitis E is very rare in the United States and western Europe but does occur in epidemics in Asia, Africa and Mexico. Hepatitis F is still under investigation and is not universally regarded as a type of hepatitis. . Hepatitis G and Hepatitis TT are two other virus also being investigated. 

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Hepatitis E, sometimes called hep E or HEV, is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis E virus. A virus is a microscopic particle that needs to get inside living cells in order to reproduce (spread)6.

What is hepatitis?
Your liver responds to injury by becoming inflamed. Any inflammation of the liver is known as hepatitis7, whatever its cause. Sudden inflammation of the liver is known as acute hepatitis. Where inflammation of the liver lasts longer than six months, the condition is known as chronic hepatitis8.

Hepatitis can be caused by a number of things including:

• drinking too much alcohol (the most common cause of liver damage)
• a virus, such as hepatitis E or glandular fever
• the body’s own immune system – a liver disease called autoimmune hepatitis
• the side effects of some drugs and chemicals
• trauma/ injury to the body.

Inflammation is part of the process of repairing damaged tissue. In a similar way to a scab forming over a skin wound, a temporary fibrous ‘scaffold’ forms while liver cells regenerate9,10. If your liver is repeatedly injured, new liver cells cannot regenerate fast enough and the fibrous tissue remains as a scar10. This is called fibrosis and can take a variable amount of time to develop.

There are a number of viruses that infect the liver. The best known are hepatitis A, B, C, D and E. The ways in which they are transmitted (spread or passed on), how they cause liver damage and the effects they can have on your health are different. Of these viruses hepatitis B, C, D and E can cause chronic or long term disease.

Most people in the UK will not have heard of hepatitis E. Until very recently, it was thought to be a disease only found in developing countries. However, it is now accepted that the virus is also transmitted here11.

Hepatitis E is generally mild in its effect unless you have pre-existing liver disease or are pregnant12. Chronic infection (infection lasting over six months) caused by hepatitis E is very rare and usually only reported in patients with a suppressed immune system, for example in patients taking drugs to prevent rejection after an organ transplantation13.

There are four strains of hepatitis E called “genotypes.” Genotypes 1 and 2 are found in Asia and Africa; genotype 3 is found worldwide, including Europe and the UK; and genotype 4 is found in China and Japan14. In the UK, hepatitis E diagnosed in people who have travelled abroad is usually genotype 1, and in those who have not travelled it is genotype 3.

Among pregnant women there is a risk of the virus causing a severe and rapidly occurring form of hepatitis that can lead to liver failure. This is called fulminant hepatitis and can cause premature delivery and infant mortality in the third trimester15.Up to 25% of infected pregnant women can develop liver failure resulting in loss of life16to both mother and baby.
In patients with pre-existing liver disease the virus can also cause liver failure, which may be fatal17.

How is hepatitis E passed on?

The hepatitis E virus is spread in a way similar to hepatitis A, known as ‘faecal-oral’ transmission. This means that the virus is passed out in bowel motions (faeces) and finds its way into the mouth (orally), usually through contaminated food or water. This is one of the reasons why it is important to wash your hands after going to the toilet15. The illness does not usually spread easily within families, except when all members of the family have been drinking the same infected drinking water18 and/or contaminated food.

In European countries, such as the UK, the illness can also be caused by what is known as ‘zoonosis’. This means the virus can be found in animals such as pigs, wild boar, deer, rabbits and rats15. It does not cause the animals any illness, however, the virus can sometimes be passed from the animal to humans11,15. One way this can happen is by eating raw or undercooked meat16. In most cases the source and route of infection is unknown19.

Widespread outbreaks of the virus can occur frequently or constantly in overseas countries (referred to as ‘endemic areas’) where water supplies are contaminated with sewage after monsoons and flooding14.

Unlike hepatitis B, C or D, there is no evidence of the hepatitis E virus being transmitted through sharing needles, bodily fluids or through sexual contact20. However, there is a risk of transmission if there is mouth contact with the anal area21.

There have also been a number of cases reported where hepatitis E has been transmitted through blood transfusions and organ transplants22.

What are the symptoms of hepatitis E?

After the virus enters your body there may be no symptoms for a period of two to nine weeks. This is known as the incubation period23.

Symptoms of hepatitis E infection can include23:

• mild flu-like symptoms
• fatigue (extreme tiredness), this can continue for some time after clearing the virus
• change in urine colour – dark or brown
• abdominal pain
• jaundice
• fever (high temperature)
• loss of appetite
• itching
• nausea and vomiting (sickness)
• aching joints and muscles
• tingling, numbness and weakness in your arms and legs.

Smileband General news

Asteroid will DEFINITELY hit Earth and could wipe out London, expert warns

AN asteroid impact on Earth is “100 per cent” going to happen and experts are currently unsure they have the ability to protect us. As every day passes, the likelihood that an asteroid strikes Earth increases, according to experts.

Professor Alan Fitzsimmons, from Queen’s University Belfast’s Astrophysics Research Centre, says one will “100 per cent” strike Earth again, and London could be completely wiped out.

The last major incident occurred in 2013 when a 20 metre meteor exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia, which smashed windows and caused injuries to more than 1,000 people.

Prior to that, in 1908, a small asteroid up to 190 metres in size exploded over Siberia’s Tunguska which ruined woodlands across 800 miles. In both instances, experts had no idea they were coming.

The Tunguska meteor was so big it would wipe out London completely.

Prof Fitzsimmons added that experts have detected roughly 90 per cent of asteroids that could strike Earth, but that there could be millions which could seep through and wreak havoc on our planet. Speaking ahead of Asteroid Day on June 30, he told Express.co.uk: “The dinosaur killer was so large and those guys are easy to spot half way across the solar system with the current generation of telescopes. 

“We know where those guys are, and we know they’re not coming anywhere near us in the near future. “But we may well still be taken by surprise by one of these smaller impacts such as Chelyabinsk or even Tunguska so we have to be prepared for that eventuality.

“I think time is on our side, we have made such great strides in our scientific understanding and the technology that we have at our disposal.

“But it is a random game at the moment, there could be one hitting tomorrow, there could even be one hitting on Asteroid Day, which would be slightly ironic.”

Although there are ways to protect Earth from asteroids, such as asteroid deflection systems where they can use rockets to knock them off their course, Prof Fitzsimmons says that no where near enough is being done. Even with the current protection methods, there is no way scientists can be entirely sure that they will be effective.

Prof Fitzsimmons continued: “We’ve never tried to move an asteroid and change its path around the sun. 

“And until we do that, there is a big question mark on our ability to protect people in the future.