Friday, May 30, 2008

Mother To Child HIV Transmission Can Be Prevented


Pregnant women with HIV who are diagnosed early and properly treated can deliver healthy children. A study by University College London examined 5151 HIV positive pregnancies between 2000 and 2006.
Women who got proper treatment during pregnancy delivered only 1.2% HIV positive infants. This is a significant improvement, compared to 1990s when mother to child HIV transmission rates were 20%.
The study found that the key to success is the combination of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and antenatal testing for HIV.Antenatal testing diagnoses HIV in very early stages before the disease seriously affects health.
In 2000 HIV early diagnosis rates were 70%, compared to 95% in 2005. The testing method is very successful in early detection, giving more survival chances to patients.Antiretroviral therapy is very successful when given during at least the last 14 days of pregnancy. ART cuts the risk of mother to child HIV transmission to 0.8%. It is known that C-section delivery cuts the risk for HIV infant delivery, but the study suggests that a proper treatment can allow natural delivery of healthy children.
The study is very promising, but it also mentions that the combined treatment is very expensive even for those living in developed countries. Only 10% of women in these countries can afford such treatment. This is why about 1800 HIV infected infants are born each day.The study urges the need that the treatment must be affordable for all women.
This combined treatment can significantly reduce mother to child HIV transmission rates and ensure delivery of healthy infants. This means that the treatment is extremely important to have a healthy population.
Source: http://www.huliq.com/58970/mother-child-hiv-transmission-can-be-prevented

General Information Concerning Sinusitis

The term sinusitis is one many individuals have heard mentioned in the past yet may be unsure as to the true definition. Those who have been diagnosed with sinusitis may also be in the dark with regard to what causes sinusitis, the symptoms surrounding this medical condition and some of the more frequently cited treatment methods for sinusitis. It is important to look at all aspects surrounding this common medical condition in order to be better informed with regard to what causes it, what the most often cited symptoms are and how to treat sinusitis.

Where the Sinuses Are Located

Prior to delving into the true condition of sinusitis, it is important to know where the sinuses on an individual are located. The sinuses are in fact air chambers located behind the facial bones in the area around the eyebrows, cheeks and jaw. These air chambers produce mucus which is responsible for clearing the bacteria out of the air which one breathes in on a daily basis. The cilia, which are small hairs in the nose, are then responsible for sweeping the mucus out of the nasal passages.

Definition of Sinusitis

Now that the true location of the sinuses has been disclosed, it is now time to define the medical condition known as sinusitis. Sinusitis can be described as an inflammation of the sinuses. This is a condition which is quite bothersome to the individuals experiencing it and can be a bit painful as well. The severity of sinusitis is different with each case thereof and varies from individual to individual experiencing this medical condition.

Causes of Sinusitis

Many individuals wonder what type of things cause an individual to develop sinusitis. There are quite a few frequently cited reasons for coming down with sinusitis. The main causes of sinusitis relate to things which cause swelling of the sinuses or prohibiting the free movement of the cilia. Certain causes are a change in air pressure, change in temperature, use of nasal sprays on a frequent basis, swimming and smoking. All of these factors will somehow negatively affect the proper operation of the sinuses. Sinusitis can also lead to sinus infections whereby an individual suffers sinus problems due to bacteria or a viral infection. These often come about after an individual has just gotten over a cold.

Treatment for Sinusitis

There are ways individuals who are plagued with sinusitis can help themselves get over a medical condition of this type. Some treatment methods which are recommended for alleviating sinusitis include getting plenty of rest by lying on your side, drinking fluids including hot liquids, warm compresses or inhaling steam to lessen the pressure of the sinusitis, saline solution rinses and taking acetaminophen for the pain.

Acute Sinusitis

There is a particular type of sinusitis known as acute sinusitis. Acute sinusitis occurs when an individual is starting to get over a current cold and it changes course and gets worse as opposed to getting better. Some of the symptoms of acute sinusitis may include pain and pressure in the facial region, pain in the forehead when leaning down, stuffy nose, aching in the teeth and fever. The main treatment method for acute sinusitis is antibiotics.

Surgical Options

With regard to individuals who suffer from nagging chronic sinusitis, there are surgical options available. The main type of surgery is a nasal surgery meant to fix the problem. However, this type of surgery should only be considered in serious circumstances and should not be a treatment method for random incidences of sinusitis. Those who may wish to learn more about nasal surgery options for chronic sinusitis can speak with their medical health professional about surgery of this kind.

Preventing Sinusitis

For those who have suffered from sinusitis in the past or even those who may have never had it, there are ways to help prevent sinusitis from occurring. The first way is to avoid smoking. Smoking is a big cause of sinusitis and other sinus problems. Not only will quitting smoking help to prevent sinusitis issues but will also provide other positive health benefits as well.
Another way to help combat sinusitis and prevent it from occurring in the first place is to avoid excessive use of decongestant nasal sprays. Occasional use of sprays of this type may be alright for an individual; however, frequent use of decongestant nasal sprays has been linked to bouts of sinusitis in individuals.

Summary

Sinusitis is a medical condition which can range from slight annoyance to a painful persistent medical problem. The best way to diagnose and treat sinusitis is to inquire with one’s medical health professional regarding the symptoms being experienced to make sure that it is in fact sinusitis and see what the doctor can prescribe in the way of treatment methods.

Friday, May 9, 2008

WHAT ARE THE BASICS OF FLIGHT?-Learn to Fly

Although nothing is mind-boggling or mysterious about flying, there is much to learn -- just as there is in learning to drive a car. As you learn to fly step by step, you'll find your training enjoyable and challenging.
Although airplanes have been a part of our society for more than 85 years, most people have only a vague idea of the basic principles of flight. Flight may seem complicated, but in fact it's based on some simple laws of nature.
The principle of lift
When you examine a cross-section of an airplane's wing, or airfoil, you'll notice that the top part is curved and the bottom part is relatively flat. This special shape creates lift, which makes the airplane fly.
As the wing moves forward, the air flowing over the top travels faster than the air flowing beneath, resulting in a lower pressure area above the wing. The relative pressure differential provides the upward force called lift. Lift is basic to flying.
Lift and gravity
In order for an airplane to climb, lift must be greater than gravity, the force that holds objects on the earth.
For an airplane to maintain level flight at a particular altitude, lift and gravity must be the same, or in equilibrium. When gravity is greater than lift, the airplane will descend.
Thrust and drag
As an airplane moves forward, the wing produces lift. The force of forward movement is called thrust, and it's created by the engine-driven propeller or a jet engine.
Like the wing, the propeller is also an airfoil. As it rotates, it creates "lift" in a forward direction that is called thrust. Thrust overcomes drag (resistance of an object toward movement).
When thrust is greater than drag, during takeoff, for instance, the airplane's speed increases. When thrust and drag are equal, the airplane maintains the same speed. Whenever drag is greater than thrust, the plane slows down.
Lift, gravity, thrust, and drag are the four forces acting upon the airplane. You'll learn to understand them thoroughly as you advance in your study of flight.
The parts of an airplane
An airplane, of course, is more than a wing, a propeller, and an engine.
The body of the airplane, which holds the pilot, passengers, and baggage, is called the fuselage.
The tail of the airplane is called the empennage, and it consists of the horizontal and vertical surfaces called stabilizers. They create the stability necessary to use the lift and thrust created by the wing and the engine-driven propeller.
Parts of the wing, horizontal stabilizer, and vertical stabilizer are moveable to provide the pilot with the means to control the airplane. These control surfaces are called ailerons on the wings, elevators on the horizontal stabilizer, and rudder on the vertical stabilizer.
You'll become as familiar with the workings of these different parts as you are with the operation of a car.
Control
As the pilot, you control the airplane, and determine how it flies. The different movements of your controls will cause corresponding movements in the airplane. Here are some basic airplane movements.
Pulling the control wheel toward you raises the elevator, which in turn forces the tail down and the nose up. This serves to create more lift than gravity and the airplane will climb. To help produce the extra lift needed in the climb, you usually need additional power from the engine, which you achieve by using the throttle control. Pushing the control wheel away from you lowers the elevator, forcing the tail up and the nose down. This reduces the lift, and gravity makes you descend.
The rudder pedals control the movement of the plane from right to left in much the same way as the rudder of a boat. Pushing the right rudder pedal forces the nose of the airplane to the right, and the left rudder pedal produces the same movement to the left.
Turning the control wheel moves the ailerons in opposite directions, enabling you to raise or lower either the right or left wing which enables the airplane to turn faster than using rudder only.
To change the attitude of the airplane, its relationship to the horizon, you simply use the control surfaces and the power of the airplane. It's an exercise in coordination, much like riding a bicycle. Your flight instructor will discuss with you how these simple movements can be combined to maneuver the airplane.
The basic flight instruments
Although the instrument panel of an airplane may confuse you at first, you'll soon be familiar with the dials and switches and the valuable information they provide. The basic flight instruments are as follows:
Magnetic compass -- Like the compass you have seen in a car or boat, it tells you the airplane's heading -- the direction it's flying. It requires no power source.
Airspeed indicator -- It shows the speed of the airplane through the air.
Attitude indicator -- This instrument is like the horizon you see looking out from the pilot's seat. It tells you whether the nose of the airplane is pointed above or below the horizon and whether the airplane is turning (banking) to the left or right (left wing down or right wing down).
Altimeter -- This instrument shows the airplane's altitude in feet above sea level.
Vertical speed indicator -- This instrument tells you how quickly you're climbing or descending in feet per minute. When you're in level flight, it reads "0".
Heading indicator (directional gyro) -- This instrument is another compass. It shows the direction that the airplane is flying. It's usually bigger and easier to read than the magnetic compass, but requires some source of power to work.
Turn coordinator -- When you're turning the airplane, this instrument shows the rate and the direction of the turn. In this way you can adjust to a slower or faster rate of turn.
After your first few flights, you'll be thoroughly familiar with these instruments and how they work together with the airplane's control surfaces.

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