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Deep Pencil - the musings of Morgan Bell

 
If a tree falls in the woods and nobody is there to hear it did it really make a sound? If i post a blog and nobody reads it was there really any point? You have entered the random thinking space of Morgan Bell . . . These are my musings . . . things about my life written off the top of my head . . . written in an informal disjointed style almost completely devoid of punctuation, this is where i flesh out writing ideas, discuss my life, and generally be self indulgent . . . it is also the bargain bin for articles which do not fit in with the film or arts themes of my other blogs . . . so have a wander around my mind, have a laugh, have a think, be nice, and humour me!

22 tubs of yoghurt or one capsule?

June 30th 2008 12:22
ok ill give it a go!

after years and years of regularly taking antibiotics due to chronic sinus infections i decided to try this new probiotic to help raise my lowered immune . . . i may have just fallen for a convincing advertising campaign but i thought it sounded like a brilliant concept!

inner health plus


INNER HEALTH PLUS DAIRY FREE
High Potency Probiotic Capsules
30 or 90 Capsules
Each capsule contains:
25 Billion Good Bacteria
12.5 Billion Lactobacillus Acidophilus (NCFM) Organisms
12.5 Billion Bifidobacterium Lactis Organisms


One of the strongest and most convenient medical strength acidophilus available in Australia. Medical Strength therapeutic strains of Acidophilus and Bifidobacterium. Suitable for dairy and lactose intolerant people who want to maintain their intestinal health.

Inner Health Plus promotes the growth and adherence of beneficial intestinal bacteria. The formula combines Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Bifidobacterium Lactis, Colostrum, and ProbioplexTM

Lactobacillus acidophilus (NCFM strain) is therapeutic strain of acidophilus which is acid and bile resistant. It adheres to the gut wall and combines well with Bifidobacteria to provide a balanced, holistic approach to probiotic supplementation.

Bifidobacteria comprises about 90% of all beneficial bacteria in the mature large intestine, and makes up 99% of endogenous beneficial probiota in breast-fed babies. Bifidobacterium lactis (BBL strain) has been specifically developed to repopulate the intestine quickly for maximum benefit. It also adheres to the gut wall and rapidly repopulates intestinal flora levels that have been reduced by antibiotic or oral contraceptive use.

Just having the right strain of acidophilus is not enough to be therapeutic. To be truly effective, a supplement intended to repopulate and rebalance the bacterial cultures in the human gut should also contain an immunoglobulin concentrate derived from colostrum (the first milk secreted during lactation).

ProbioplexTM is a immunoglobin concentrate which increases the adherence and nourishment of the lactobacilli to speed up their colonisation of the gut wall. Inner Health Plus is one of a small number of products that provide both the good bacteria with a specially designed complex (ProbioplexTM) to assist in restoring healthy intestinal flora and achieve maximum adherence in the human gut. ProbioplexTM is a specially designed complex of rice maltodextrin and lactalbumin. It is a biologically supportive matrix designed to encourage the growth of probiotic organisms.





The Yoghurt Myth

Many people believe that eating a tub of yoghurt will give them all the acidophilus they need but in many cases you’d have to eat at least 22 tubs of yoghurt to get the same amount of good bacteria contained in just one Inner Health Plus capsule.

To effectively repopulate and rebalance the gut, these bacteria need the right environmental conditions and a culture strength of at least 2 billion live organisms per gram! This is about 75 times the strength of good bacteria available in the best yoghurts, and 7,500 times more than some!

The varieties of bacteria contained in most yoghurts are not well adapted for the human gut, and often they are not plentiful enough to have a significant therapeutic effect. Often the acidophilus used for yoghurt cultures are ‘transient bacteria.’ That is, they are chosen for their taste properties rather than their therapeutic ones. This bacteria does not attach to the bowel wall and will generally pass straight through. Therefore, the user will experience no benefit whatsoever aside from the pleasant taste.

The bacteria that live inside us are very well adapted to our internal environment, needing specific ranges of temperature, pH (acid/alkali balance), nutrients, etc., to flourish. The bacteria present in yoghurt produced at or around room temperature are unlikely to flourish when exposed to conditions that exist inside us.


Storage: Store at 2°C to 8°C. (Refrigerate. Do not freeze.)


CLICKHERE for more info

inner health plus bottles






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Most woman who are sexually assaulted in Australia know their attackers

One in five women (19 per cent) have experienced sexual violence at some stage of their adult lives (since the age of 15)

78 per cent of these female victims of sexual assault knew the offender

Of the women who were sexually assaulted by a previous partner, 49 per cent were physically injured (bruising or worse) while 8 per cent of women sexually assaulted by their current partner were physically injured.

12 per cent of women have been sexually abused as children (before the age of 15)
Most of the abuse was perpetrated by other male relatives (35.1 per cent), father/step father (16.5 per cent), family friends (16.5 per cent) and acquaintance/neighbours (15.4 per cent). Only 8.6 per cent of these young women were sexually abused by strangers.

The United Nations measured crime victimisation across seventeen industrialised countries, including Australia. Sexual assault included incidents described as rape, attempted rape or indecent assaults. These were some of the results:

Women in Sweden, Finland, Australia and England and Wales were most at risk of sexual assault.
Women in Japan, Northern Ireland, Poland and Portugal were least at risk.
Women know the offender(s) in about half of the all sexual incidents: in a third they were known by name and in about a sixth by sight.
Most sexual incidents involved only one offender.
Weapons were very rarely involved.

Source:
Australian Parliamentary Library
Measuring domestic violence and sexual assault against women: a review of the literature and statistics

Really Long Link





According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
In the USA almost 2/3 of rapes are committed by someone known to the victim.
60% of sexual assaults occur in the home (either your own or that of a friend or relative)
Really Long Link



Help Lines in Australia
Domestic Violence Line Counselling Service - 1800 656 463 (FREECALL)
Rape Crisis Centre - 1800 424 017 (FREECALL)

Help Lines in the USA
National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE.






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women who undergo cosmetic surgery to enhance their bust dimensions are 3 to 4 times more likely to commit suicide compared to national averages (CLICKHERE for more . . . ) suggesting that women suffering from depression or low self-esteem may be opting to go under the knife believing it is a solution and becoming more than a little disappointed to find that being the proud owner of a super-perky set dont automatically lift the spirits and enhance quality of life . . .

Australias own Navy was recently ridiculed by the media for paying for breast implants for female officers, their justification was that the surgeries were done for psychological reasons (CLICKHERE for more . . . ) with the Navy believing that underlying mental problems relating to self esteem could be solved by giving women a bigger rack

"Just as there are in civilian life, there are some females who feel their breasts are too small and if their breasts were bigger, they might be more of a 'normal' woman . . . If they were lacking in self-confidence, this might provide the measure of self-confidence that would help them tackle their wider job. "

Neil James, Australian Defence Association spokesperson


perhaps instead of giving women bigger or better breasts we should be teaching them that the cup-size of their bra shouldnt be indicative of their worth?



how many women undergo breast augmentation in some desperate attempt to attract a partner or just general attention-seeking . . . certainly not all, im sure alot of confident level-headed women decide on the surgery to boost their careers (in the porn industry) or please their existing partners (if theyre dating hugh hefner) . . . are we finally going to admit that renovating the facade of a building doesnt actually strengthen the weight-bearing walls on the inside?

maybe you will lure a few more patrons in the door but will they be return customers?

breast surgery is a superficial fix . . . i would liken it to any kind of self-harming or mutilation . . . if there is no medical reason (ie breast reduction to ease back pain, breast reconstruction after cancer) then i would urge surgeons to act responsibly and actually excercise their duty of care by referring patients with pre-existing psycholocial issues to mental health professionals not the bargain box of saline implants . . .

i bet some women that get cosmetic surgery consultations proabably dont even know whether they want their breasts bigger or smaller . . . they just want to look like someone different, someone that is not themselves . . . i wonder how many surgeons hear women say "make me look like the kind of person other people love"?



Kelly Abbass 2008 - Photo by Steve Dilts - see more at www.KellyAbbass.com
Kelly Abbass is a fine art nude and pin up model from Canada




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Developments in HIV treatments

June 1st 2008 15:07
HIV is a virus that mostly infects cells in the immune system.

A cell will often make new proteins in order to stay alive and to reproduce itself. In order for viruses to reproduce, they must hi-jack and infect a cell so they can use it to make new viruses. Viruses hide their own DNA in the DNA of the cell, and then, when the cell tries to make new proteins, it accidentally makes new viruses as well.

DNA is like the "blueprint" for building living cells. RNA is like the construction boss. Enzymes are like the workers of a cell. They build new proteins, transport materials around the cell, and carry out other important cellular functions. Cells use RNA to tell enzymes how to build a specific part of a cell. To make a new protein, enzymes will copy a specific part of the DNA into a piece of RNA. This RNA is then used by other enzymes to build a new protein or enzyme.

Although HIV infects a variety of cells, its main target is the T4-lymphocyte (also called the "T-helper cell"), a kind of white blood cell that has lots of CD4 receptors. The T4-cell is responsible for warning your immune system that there are invaders in the system. HIV searches for cells that have CD4 surface receptors, because this particular protein enables the virus to bind to the cell. Once HIV binds to a cell, it hides HIV DNA inside the cell's DNA: this turns the cell into a sort of HIV factory

Treatments currently exist to block HIV during its various stages of development

STAGE 1: BINDING
[blocked by entry inhibitors]
HIV has proteins on its outer envelope that are strongly attracted to the CD4 surface receptor on the outside of the T4-cell. When HIV binds to a CD4 surface receptor, it activates other proteins on the cell's surface, allowing the HIV envelope to fuse to the outside of the cell.

STAGE 2: REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION
[blocked by Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs), and Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs)]
After the binding process, the viral capsid (the inside of the virus which contains the RNA and important enzymes) is released into the host cell. In order for the virus to infect the cell, a process called "reverse transcription" makes a DNA copy of the virus's RNA. A viral enzyme called reverse transcriptase makes a DNA copy of the RNA. This new DNA is called "proviral DNA."

STAGE 3: INTEGRATION
[blocked by “integrase inhibitors”]
The HIV DNA is then carried to the cell's nucleus (center), where the cell's DNA is kept. Then, another viral enzyme called integrase hides the proviral DNA into the cell's DNA. Then, when the cell tries to make new proteins, it can accidentally make new HIVs.

STAGE 4: TRANSCRIPTION
[blocked by “antisense antivirals” or Transcription Inhibitors (TIs)]
Once HIV's genetic material is inside the cell's nucleus, it directs the cell to produce new HIV. The strands of viral DNA in the nucleus separate, and special enzymes create a complementary strand of genetic material called “messenger RNA” or mRNA (instructions for making new HIV).

STAGE 5: TRANSLATION
The mRNA carries instructions for making new viral proteins from the nucleus to a kind of workshop in the cell. Each section of the mRNA corresponds to a protein building block for making a part of HIV. As each mRNA strand is processed, a corresponding string of proteins is made. This process continues until the mRNA strand has been transformed or "translated" into new viral proteins needed to make a new virus.

STAGE 6: VIRAL ASSEMBLY AND MATURATION
[blocked by Protease Inhibitors (PIs) and Maturation Inhibitors]
New viral particles are assembled, then they bud off the host cell, and create a new virus. The maturation stage involves the processing of viral proteins and is the final step in the process which leads to the virus to become infectious. With viral assembly and maturation completed, the virus is able to infect new cells. Each infected cell can produce a lot of new viruses.

the six stages of HIV infection






Developments in NTRIs (from STAGE 2)

NRTIs, sometimes called "nucleoside analogues" or "nukes," contain faulty versions of the building blocks (nucleotides) used by reverse transcriptase to convert RNA to DNA. When reverse transcriptase uses these faulty building blocks, the new DNA cannot be built correctly. In turn, HIV's genetic material cannot be incorporated into the healthy genetic material of the cell and prevents the cell from producing new virus. An NRTI prevents HIV from entering the nucleus of healthy T-cells. This prevents the cells from producing new virus and decreases the amount of virus in the body.

Brand name NRTIs that are currently approved include Atripla, Combivir, Emtriva, Epivir, Epzicom, Retrovir, Trizivir, Truvada, Videx & Videx EC, Viread, Zerit, Ziagen and are available from pharmaceutical companies Bristol-Myers Squibb, Gilead Sciences, and GlaxoSmithKline

The generic names of these drugs are efavirenz, tenofovir, emtricitabine, zidovudine, lamivudine, abacavir, didanosine, disoproxil, fumarate, and stavudine.

Racivir (Pharmasset), amdoxovir (RFS Pharma), apricitabine (Avexa Limited), and elvucitabine (Achillion Pharmaceuticals) are all experimental drugs which are currently undergoing trials.



Developments in Apricitabine (an NTRI)

Apricitabine is currently being developed by an Australian pharmaceutical company Avexa Limited. The drug was first developed by BioChem Pharma, it was then sold the Shire Pharmaceuticals who then sold the rights to develop the drug to Avexa. Apricitabine has not yet been evaluated or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Apricitabine's chemical structure is similar to that of approved drugs Epivir (lamivudine) and Emtriva (emtricitabine). A study has determined that Epivir can decrease the amount of apricitabine inside cells, meaning that apricitabine cannot be combined with Epivir or Emtriva.

Recently clinical trials of apricitabine by Avexa showed CD4 cell counts doubled compared with approved drug lamivudine. Evidence has shown switching from lamivudine to apricitabine decreases the viral load of the patients. At 48 weeks more than 90 percent of patients had HIV levels below detectable levels compared to 80 percent at 24 weeks

Avexa said the demonstrated ability of apricitabine to withstand selection of HIV resistance, even in patients who have already failed other drugs, differentiated it from some of the other HIV drugs in clinical use. No apricitabine resistance has been identified after 48 weeks of therapy.

CLICKHERE for details of clinical trial on Biotech Daily








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Any woman who suffers from period pain should try Naprogesic
(Active ingredient: Naproxen Sodium 275 mg)

Many women experience uterine cramps, also referred to as dysmenorrhea, during menstruation.

Dysmenorrhea is a medical condition characterized by severe uterine pain during menstruation. While many individuals experience minor pain during menstruation, dysmenorrhea is diagnosed when the pain is so severe as to limit normal activities, or require medication.





Dysmenorrhea can feature different kinds of pain, including sharp, throbbing, dull, nauseating, burning, or shooting pain. Dysmenorrhea may precede menstruation by several days or may accompany it, and it usually subsides as menstruation tapers off.

When you have your period, tiny molecules called prostaglandins are released by your body to help the muscle of the uterus contract. These contractions occur allowing the uterus to expel its lining (endometrium). This happens as the endometrium would only be needed if an egg was fertilised.

The strength of the contractions depends on the amount of prostaglandins your body produces. If your body produces a lot of these molecules, or if you are particularly sensitive to them, you will feel pain.

The cause of most women’s period pain is tiny molecules called prostaglandins. A prostaglandin is any member of a group of lipid compounds that are derived enzymatically from fatty acids.These molecules have an effect on certain muscles in the body, for example they can cause contractions of the uterus or increased motion of the intestine. For this reason it is quite common for women to suffer diarrhoea just before or during their period.

Synthetic prostaglandins are used clinically to induce childbirth.



naprogesic


Naprogesic is a non steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) with the active ingredient Naproxen Sodium which is specially designed to treat the cause of period pain. It does this by inhibiting prostaglandin production. Naproxen Sodium works by inhibiting enzymes that are responsible for formation of important biological mediators called prostanoids (including prostaglandins).

If you are allergic to naproxen, aspirin, ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or are currently taking other medicines containing naproxen, aspirin, ibuprofen or other NSAIDs, do not take Naprogesic.

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im not an addict . . .

April 15th 2008 15:10
some time ago i read of something called pseudoaddiction where people who are under-treated for pain exhibit the drug-seeking behaviour of addicts . . . i feel like this is happening to me as whenever i try to fill my prescriptions and buy over-the-counter medications i am met with suspiscion . . . i feel it is this constant suspiscion which is eroding my quality of life more than the chronic pain itself . . .

im not an addict


[ Click here to read more ]
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