It can be used for giving painless drug injections, to take blood for testing and forthings like a wristwatch-type diabetic glucose monitor.

A female mosquito sucks human blood by contractng and relaxing some muscles in its long needle-like thingie called proboscis. This creates suction (or negative pressure) that draws blood into its mouthparts. Contrary to popular belief, a mosquito bite does not hurt. It is the anticoagulant saliva that the creature injects to stop your blood clotting that causes inflammation and pain.

In the new design, sucking action is provided by a micro electromechanical pump, which works using a piezoelectric actuator attached to the needle.

In contrast to previous microneedles, which were made of silicon dioxide, the new device is robust because it is made of stronger titanium and related alloys, which dramatically reduces the risk of it snapping during injections.

The needle is also strong enough to penetrate as far as 3 millimetres into skin and reach capillary blood vessels.

Its size compared to earlier models also means that surface tension effects are exploited further, and the same capillary flow that draws water up into trees helps draw blood into the microneedle.

The researchers have calculated that their needle can extract 5 microlitres of blood per second. This volume is sufficient for measuring blood-sugar levels in diabetics using a glucose sensor that can be attached to the needle in a “wristwatch” design.

The lens of your eye should be an easy terrain for the visiting visual. The door and walls of the eye should be elegant enough to host the light and darkness that flow in. The tear operators should provide the much needed flush, once in a while. And the nerve hotline to the HQ (the brain) should be intact.

If these conditions (and a few others) are fulfilled, then the black and white equipment, famous for its subtle ways of communication, could very well help you distinguish the beauty from the beast.

If not, the adage stands changed: Beauty lies in the specs of the beholder!

According to available data, 75 million people wake up every morning groping in broad daylight for their eyeglasses, or, squinting to see without their contact lenses. But more than a million people, each year, give up their daily struggle and make the decision to have laser vision correction.

Yes. We are on the threshold of an ophthalmic revolution.

Call it LASIK (Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis).

Laser is not a new admission to the Ophthalmologist’s dictionary. In fact, doctors all over the world have been using laser since 1951 in the treatment of eye disorders. LASIK is the latest arrival, and it is far more precise than other laser treatments such as PRK (Photorefracive Keractomy). It is also the most significant, since it promises a life free from the transparent, gold-rimmed wall that prevents your eyes from feeling the world in front.

With LASIK there is less pain and discomfort in comparison to PRK. Patients experience faster visual recovery with LASIK, which allows them to return to work very soon. Many people experience dramatic improvement in vision within hours of the operation.

Says Dr. George Thomas, Professor, Regional Institute of Ophtalmology: “If you are thinking of a life without glasses, LASIK is the safest bet. LASIK can treat and rectify vision errors caused by nearsightedness, far sightedness and astigmatism. It is the procedure of choice for myopic errors from -1.5 to -15.0 points. For long sightedness, it is effective up to +3.0 points. While PRK treats the surface of the cornea, LASIK treats the inner tissue of the cornea.”

So, if you are the bespectacled genius who feels deprived of the natural ability of the living thing to communicate through its eyes, LASIK holds a promise. You can go after your ambitions, be a pilot, a movie star or even a boxer.

The only place in Kerala with LASIK treatment facility is Little Flower Hospital, Angamali. “On an average, 100 patients come here monthly for LASIK treatment. And the results are amazing.” says Mathew. K. Karingattil (Manager, MEDEA, Excimer Laser and LASIK centre, Little Flower Hospital).

The affectivity of LASIK is widely acknowledged. Then, what is preventing it from reaching the masses?

“The cost,” says Dr. George Thomas. “It would cost the patient around Rs. 9000 per eye. Although the cost is coming down it is still significant. Moreover, the capital investment is too big.”

Mathew Karingattil testifies to this. “The LASIK equipment at Little Flower Hospital cost us around Rs. 2 crore. The maintenance, too, is a costly affair.”

Moreover, most medical insurance companies do not pay for refractive surgery since it is wrongly placed under the category of cosmetic surgery.

Government hospitals too are reluctant to welcome the new technology, the major stumbling block being the lack of adequate funds.

“Quality is important,” says Dr. George Thomas. “The success of LASIK largely depends upon the quality of the machine and the expertise of the man behind it. The upkeep of the equipment alone would drain the pocket. Moreover, the government way of calling tenders and ushering in the lowest bidder is not going to ensure quality equipment,” he adds.

LASIK was first performed in the U. S. in 1991 during clinical trials. Even though the treatment is considered 99 per cent safe, there are a few voices of dissent as well. The fact that the treatment is too recent to gauge its aftermaths has definitely distanced LASIK from the sceptic.

“I am doubtful of its long term effects. I think it is too early to go for it. I will rather wait,” says Rajesh. C.V, a software professional who wears contacts for short sight.

Even experts agree to the one per cent risk that faces the LASIK candidate. ” But then, it is the case with every other operation,” says Dr. George Thomas.

However, the truth is that rare cases of post-LASIK damage have been reported. The most common post-operation disorders are dry eyes, aura, halo and resistance to light, which usually cease after a couple of months. There are a few pre-requisites for LASIK.

To the relief of optical shop owners (whose firms face the threat of extinction if LASIK becomes cheap and popular), laser treatment is not prescribed for people who are “weak-eyed”. The pre-surgery tests are meant to make sure that the patient is the right choice for the surgery. LASIK on wrong candidates could result in major complications. “A fair percentage of those coming for LASIK surgery does not pass the pre-LASIK tests,” says Mr. Mathew.

Ophthalmology is a fast changing science. Even as LASIK conquers the world, another invention, known by the name, Wavefront technology, is making headlines in the West. This new invention promises to give man what it claims to be `super vision’. In simpler terms, it is all about giving man the eye of the eagle.

“At this pace, LASIK could very well become obsolete by the end of the next decade,” says Dr. George Thomas.

For the time being, LASIK is all. We have seen it to believe it!

Flap and Zap

LASIK surgery, is also referred to as `Flap and Zap’, since it involves the removing of the corneal flap. First, a thin layer (about 3 hair strands thick) of the cornea is lifted up as the Microkeratome glides across the cornea. Then, in less than 30 seconds, ultraviolet and high laser energy pulses from the excimer laser reshapes the internal corneal tissue by removing about 1-2 hair strands thick of cornea. The corneal flap is replaced to its original position. Because of the cornea’s extraordinary natural bonding qualities, healing is rapid and does not require stiches.

The entire procedure takes less than two minutes. This procedure also works on the surface of the eye and never enters inside the eye.The pre-surgey tests play a crucial role in ensuring the safety and success of LASIK.

The screening of LASIK candidates are based on strict norms. You are not advised LASIK surgey if you have a history of one of the following.

1. Herpes simplex or Herpes Zoster (Shingler)

2. Glaucoma, Glaucoma suspect, or ocular hypertension

3. Eye diseases such as ureitis/iritis (inflammation of the eye and Blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids with crusting of the eyelashes)

4. Eye injuries

Patients who are below 18 years, whose hormones are fluctuating due to disease such as diabetes, who are pregnant or breast-feeding, who are taking medications that may cause fluctuation in vision are not ideal choices for LASIK.

If you have a disease or are on medications that may affect wound healing, this may not be a wise option.

Those with immunodefficency states (eg: AIDS) and diabetes or those who are taking certain medications (eg: steroids) may not have proper healing after refractive procedure.

surgery details !!!

LASIK is not usually performed on those with large pupils, thin cornea and dry eyes.

Cataract surgery is the removal of the lens of the eye (also called “crystalline”) that has developed an opacification, which is referred to as a cataract. Metabolic changes of the crystalline lens fibers over the time lead to the development of the cataract and loss of transparency. Following surgical removal of the natural lens, an artificial intraocular lens implant is inserted (eye surgeons say that the lens is “implanted”). Cataract surgery is generally performed by an ophthalmologist (eye surgeon) at an ambulatory (rather than inpatient) setting, in a surgical center or hospital, using local anesthesia (either topical, peribulbar, or retrobulbar). Well over 90% of operations are successful in restoring useful vision, with a low complication rate. Day care, high volume, minimally invasive , small incision, phacoemulsification (Cataract surgery) with quick post-op recovery has become the standard of care in cataract surgery all over the world.

The most common condition related to aging is cataract. More than quarter of all Indians aged 65 and older have a cataract. A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens. When the lens becomes cloudy, the light is blocked and scattered, and therefore the image that appears is blurred. As a cataract develops, it becomes harder for a person to see. The lens is that part of the eye which helps to focus light on the retina. The retina is the eye’s sensitive layer that sends visual signals to the brain. To produce a sharp image, the lens must remain clear. Cataract surgery successfully restores vision in an overwhelming majority of cases. Find out what cataract surgery involves, including what to expect afterward and rare complications. During cataract surgery, an eye doctor (ophthalmologist) removes the clouded lens from your eye and, generally, replaces the lens with an artificial lens. Cataract surgery is very successful in restoring vision — more than 95 percent of people who have a cataract removed have no complications and enjoy improved vision. If vision is still quite good, you may not need cataract surgery for many years, if ever. In younger people or people with diabetes, however, cataracts may progress rapidly, making the need for surgery more immediate. An older person who isn’t very active may have less need for sharp vision than does a younger person who needs to drive a car and earn a living. Some people with only minor vision loss from a cataract might want surgery because of problems with glare or double vision. Sometimes a cataract should be removed even if it doesn’t cause major problems with vision — for example, if it’s interfering with the treatment of another eye problem, such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy or retinal detachment. If you have cataracts in both eyes and decide to have surgery, your ophthalmologist typically schedules two separate surgeries. This allows time for the first eye to heal before the second eye surgery takes place.

Cataract surgery details

Symptoms :
* All hard drive partitions ( C: , D: , E: , …) have an autoplay

* Internet Explorer homepage set to some Thai site . Internet Explorer shows “Hacked by Moozilla” (sic)

on the title bar

* USB drives, and cameras and memory cards and portable hard drives and USB mp3 players and everything

USB shows an autoplay. And windows says it cannot stop the drive safely

* Another one creates copies of itself in every folder, each named as the folder with the folder icon.

USB drive has an extra “folder” disguised virus named “DATA user” or “DATA (computer username)”

Signs :

* Right clicking any drive shows an extra autoplay, auto, or open (each for different USB worms)

* If you enable view hidden files AND system files, you can see the virus files in the rrot folder of

every drive with an autorun file too. Both made system files.

* Using Alt-Ctrl-Del , to get Task Manager or any other task manager software, you can see wscript.exe

running (Other viruses include pfw.exe, br?????.exe, autorun.exe, copy.exe, …)

Investigations :

* If you try to run or download an antivirus and the computer shuts down, it’s probably brontok – very

dangerous

* If you can take Tools -> Folder Options, it’s not very dangerous

* If u can run regedit, u can cure the virus

* If u enable view hidden and system files, and can delete the virus files, u can cure it.

Treatment :

* Enable view hidden and system files, and delete the virus files.

* Open regedit, Go to HKeyCurrentUser>Software>Microsoft>Windows>Current Version>Run and delete the

virus entries

* then Go to HKeyLocalMachine>Software>Microsoft>Windows>Current Version>Run and delete the virus

entries

* After that Go to HKeyCurrentUser>Software>Microsoft>Windows>Current Version>Explorer>Mountpoints2 and

delete the virus entries

* Later that Go to HKeyCurrentUser>Software>Microsoft>Internet Explorer and delete the virus entries

By http://www.fundazone.com

© JohnDa da FunDa

Although naturally occurring smallpox has been eradicated( not quite true – see above), there is still heightened concern that the variola virus might be used as an agent of bioterrorism. In the first documented case of biological warfare, in the 18th century, contaminated blankets used by smallpox patients were distributed among Native American Indians by the British with the intent of initiating outbreaks. A smallpox epidemic occurred, killing more than 50% of affected tribes. If a strain of the variola virus could be obtained, it could be manufactured easily and disseminated widely in an aerosol release. A release of smallpox could escalate to a catastrophic global epidemic unless effective control measures can be implemented quickly.

Smallpox has been identified by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as a “Category A” agent, meaning it has been given high priority due to its potential threat to national security. The following references provide information on the use of smallpox as a bioweapon and associated issues to be considered during a smallpox outbreak.

• Emergency Preparedness & Response: Smallpox. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Contains extensive smallpox information, including fact sheets, overviews, FAQs, diagnosis and evaluation, infection control, laboratory testing, surveillance and investigation, selected publications, and education and training materials.
• Inglesby, Thomas V., et al. “Smallpox as a Biological Weapon: Medical and Public Health Management.” Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) 281.22(1999, June 9): 2281-2290. Considers the prospect of an aerosol release of variola virus, and provides information on epidemiology, infection signs and symptoms, diagnosis and monitoring, vaccination, medical treatment, infection control, environmental decontamination, and more.
• Textbook of Military Medicine: Medical Aspects of Chemical and Biological Warfare: Chapter 27 – Smallpox. Office of the Surgeon General, Department of the Army, (1997), 114 KB PDF, 21 pages. Provides a thorough review of smallpox, including its history and epidemiology, as well as biological warfare and clinical issues.
• USAMRIID’s Medical Management of Biological Casualties Handbook, Fifth Edition. US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), (2004, August). Provides links to PDF documents that contain information from this publication, known as the “Bluebook”, and recommendations regarding medical response to a biological warfare attack on a civilian or military population. Specific information on a number of potential bioterrorist agents is supplied, including smallpox.
• Variola major (Smallpox): Bioterrorism Information and Resources. Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). Includes a comprehensive clinical manual on smallpox, as well as other documents and resources.
• BW Agents: Smallpox. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), Center for Biosecurity, (2005). Provides links to fact sheets, FAQs, and other references.
• Smallpox. Saint Louis University (SLU), School of Public Health, Institute for Bio-Security. Provides links to quick reference material, education and training resources, news and journal articles, and other documents on smallpox.
• Smallpox and Bioterrorism. Michigan Department of Community Health, Bureau of Epidemiology, Division of Communicable Disease and Immunization, 118 KB PDF, 2 pages. Covers key facts related to smallpox and bioterrorism, including disease facts, risk, and treatment.
• Variola Virus (Smallpox). Texas Department of Health. Provides information on symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment available in the event smallpox virus is used as a bioterrorist weapon.

 Small pox is back !!! Kolkata ( formerly Calcutta – home of the Bengali babus), West Bengal, India. And Bangladesh. In the Indian subcontinent.

What should I know about smallpox?

Smallpox is an acute, contagious, and sometimes fatal disease caused by the variola virus (an orthopoxvirus), and marked by fever and a distinctive progressive skin rash. In 1980, the disease was declared eradicated following worldwide vaccination programs. However, in the aftermath of the events of September and October, 2001, the U.S. government is taking precautions to be ready to deal with a bioterrorist attack using smallpox as a weapon. As a result of these efforts: 1) There is a detailed nationwide smallpox preparedness program to protect Americans against smallpox as a biological weapon. This program includes the creation of preparedness teams that are ready to respond to a smallpox attack on the United States. Members of these teams – health care and public health workers – are being vaccinated so that they might safely protect others in the event of a smallpox outbreak. 2) There is enough smallpox vaccine to vaccinate everyone who would need it in the event of an emergency.

How serious is the smallpox threat?
The deliberate release of smallpox as an epidemic disease is now regarded as a possibility, and the United States is taking precautions to deal with this possibility.

How dangerous is the smallpox threat?
Smallpox is classified as a Category A agent by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Category A agents are believed to pose the greatest potential threat for adverse public health impact and have a moderate to high potential for large-scale dissemination. The public is generally more aware of category A agents, and broad-based public health preparedness efforts are necessary. Other Category A agents are anthrax, plague, botulism, tularemia, and viral hemorrhagic fevers.

If I am concerned about a smallpox attack, can I go to my doctor and get the smallpox vaccine?
At the moment, the smallpox vaccine is not available for members of the general public. In the event of a smallpox outbreak, however, there is enough smallpox vaccine to vaccinate everyone every person in the United States.

The Disease

What are the symptoms of smallpox?
The symptoms of smallpox begin with high fever, head and body aches, and sometimes vomiting. A rash follows that spreads and progresses to raised bumps and pus-filled blisters that crust, scab, and fall off after about three weeks, leaving a pitted scar.

If someone comes in contact with smallpox, how long does it take to show symptoms?
After exposure, it takes between 7 and 17 days for symptoms of smallpox to appear (average incubation time is 12 to 14 days). During this time, the infected person feels fine and is not contagious.

Is smallpox fatal?
The majority of patients with smallpox recover, but death may occur in up to 30% of cases. Many smallpox survivors have permanent scars over large areas of their body, especially their face. Some are left blind.

How is smallpox spread?
Smallpox normally spreads from contact with infected persons. Generally, direct and fairly prolonged face-to-face contact is required to spread smallpox from one person to another. Smallpox also can be spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated objects such as bedding or clothing. Indirect spread is less common. Rarely, smallpox has been spread by virus carried in the air in enclosed settings such as buildings, buses, and trains. Smallpox is not known to be transmitted by insects or animals.

If smallpox is released in aerosol form, how long does the virus survive?
The smallpox virus is fragile. In laboratory experiments, 90% of aerosolized smallpox virus dies within 24 hours; in the presence of ultraviolet (UV) light, this percentage would be even greater. If an aerosol release of smallpox occurs, 90% of virus matter will be inactivated or dissipated in about 24 hours.

How many people would have to get smallpox before it is considered an outbreak?
One confirmed case of smallpox is considered a public health emergency.

Is smallpox contagious before the smallpox symptoms show?
A person with smallpox is sometimes contagious with onset of fever (prodrome phase), but the person becomes most contagious with the onset of rash. The infected person is contagious until the last smallpox scab falls off.

Is there any treatment for smallpox?
Smallpox can be prevented through use of the smallpox vaccine. There is no proven treatment for smallpox, but research to evaluate new antiviral agents is ongoing. Early results from laboratory studies suggest that the drug cidofovir may fight against the smallpox virus; currently, studies with animals are being done to better understand the drug’s ability to treat smallpox disease (the use of cidofovir to treat smallpox or smallpox reactions should be evaluated and monitored by experts at NIH and CDC). Patients with smallpox can benefit from supportive therapy (e.g., intravenous fluids, medicine to control fever or pain) and antibiotics for any secondary bacterial infections that may occur.

 Small pox is back !!! Kolkata ( formerly Calcutta – home of the Bengali babus), West Bengal, India. And Bangladesh. In the Indian subcontinent.

Smallpox was responsible for an estimated 300–500 million deaths in the 20th century. As recently as 1967, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 15 million people contracted the disease and that two million died in that year. After successful vaccination campaigns throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the WHO certified the eradication of smallpox in 1977. To this day, smallpox is the only human infectious disease to have been completely eradicated from nature. However, there are recent reports of smallpox in Asia as reported by the Times of India(June 2007).

India Friday termed the West Bengal’s alert over return of smallpox, 30 years after it was eradicated from the global map, as a false alarm.

The West Bengal government Thursday had issued a warning in all its districts along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. West Bengal Director of Health Services Sanchita Bakshi said border security agencies have been asked to monitor if anyone is entering India with fever and rashes, one of the symptoms of the disease.

‘There is no need to panic as this is a false alarm,’ Health Secretary Naresh Dayal told reporters in New Delhi.

Dayal said, his ministry had interacted with the World Health Organisation (WHO), which assured them that there is no outbreak of smallpox either in Bangladesh or Myanmar.

Authorities in the health ministry said the whole scare germinated after a message from the government to a few border states about a possible outbreak of smallpox in neighbouring Bangladesh.

Cherian Varghese, a senior health coordinator of WHO-India, said that vigilance is always good but there is no such outbreak in Bangladesh. ‘We have no knowledge of it. Neither people nor authorities should not worry,’ he told IANS.

West Bengal government meanwhile informed Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) airport authorities about the reported danger and asked to screen the passengers arriving from Bangladesh and Myanmar.

State health department sources said any passenger arriving with fever and rashes from these two countries would be quarantined and tested.

A high alert has been sounded in the Indo-Bangladesh border districts. However, Bangladesh authorities have not yet confirmed any case of smallpox and said they have been investigating the situation.

Smallpox is a contagious human disease, which is believed to have been eradicated from India over three decades ago. The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared India a smallpox free country in 1977. The last case of smallpox in India was reported in May 1975 in Bihar when around 1,400 people were infected.

Smallpox is caused by the attack of two types of viral strains – variola major and variola minor. The early symptoms of the disease are high temperature, body ache and headache. In a few days, red spots appear in the mouth and tongue and break open into sores. Later the spots become fluid-filled bumps that turn into pustules.