YeinJee's Discovery Journal » Health and Medical

3.3km condoms line in Bucharest to fight AIDS

Yein Jee — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 06:52:28 +0000

People tie 30,000 condoms to form a 3.269-kilometers line during an anti-AIDS event in Bucharest, capital of Romania, on October 28. Some 59% of the 10,447 HIV-infected patients and AIDS patients in the country are youth aged from 15 to 19.

Condoms for anti-AIDS (Image courtesy of Xinhuanet)

Skin patch to stop diarrhoea

Yein Jee — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 06:36:49 +0000

Scientist have announced a skin-patch vaccine that can save the wearer from the rumblings of diarrhoea when travelling to places where stomach bugs are endemic.

A clinical trial by Maryland-based vaccine maker Iomai Corporation showed that of 59 people who used the patch – which slaps on the skin to deliver the vaccine without a needle – only three found their guts growling with diarrhoea.

Comparing this to results from travellers who were given a placebo, the test showed that the patch cut outbreaks of diarrhoea by three-quarters.

“These are clinically significant results that suggest that the patch vaccine will address the most significant unmet need for travel medicine: prophylaxis for travellers’ diarrhoea,” said Gregory Glenn, the company’s chief scientific office. [News]

Hundreds ill after Peru meteor crash

Yein Jee — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 09:05:03 +0000

Hundreds of people have suffered headaches, nausea, and respiratory problems after a meteorite crashed in southern Peru. The meteorite landed in Carangas, Puno, southern Peru last weekend (Sep 16) and created a crater 65ft wide and 20ft deep.

Crater created by the meteorite (Image courtesy of Xinhuanet)

Jorge Lopez, director of the health department in the southern state of Puno, said at least 200 people had become ill after inhaling “toxic” fumes emanating from the resulting crater; but a team of doctors who reached the isolated site said they found no evidence the meteorite had caused sickness.

Modesto Montoya, a member of the medical team, told El Comercio that fear may have provoked psychosomatic ailments.

“When a meteorite falls, it produces horrid sounds when it makes contact with the atmosphere,” he said. “It is as if a giant rock is being sanded. Those sounds could have frightened them.” [Telegraph]

World largest hand no more

Yein Jee — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 13:53:27 +0000

The man with the largest hand in the world will be looking forward to a normal life after undergoing radical plastic surgery at Shanghai No. 9 People’s Hospital.

Liu Hua shows his abnormal hand (Image courtesy of Shanghaidaily)

Liu Hua, a 24-year-old Jiangsu Province native, was born with a left thumb, index and middle finger much larger than normal.

Liu was suffering from a rare disease called Macrodactyly, a birth defect in which toes or fingers are abnormally large. The cause of the disease is unknown but bone and soft tissue grows at an extraordinary rate.

On July 20 surgeons began a seven-hour operation to reduce the size of Liu’s fingers and thumb. Doctors removed 5.1kg of flesh and bone in the procedure. A second operation is scheduled in six months to reshape his left arm and shoulder.

Giant condom flying in the sky

Yein Jee — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 06:59:25 +0000

A giant hot air balloon (40 metres) that shaped like a condom was launched into the sky above the city of Lichtenvoorde, Netherlands on July 27.

Giant condom – hot air balloon

The giant condom was launched by Dutch Health Services (GGD) in conjunction with a rock concert that was attended by around 80,000 fans. The words ‘Vrij Veilig’ means ‘Safe Sex’ in Dutch.

A worker preparing the balloon for launching (Both images courtesy of Dayoo)

The officials have applied for the balloon to be listed in Guinness World Records book; the balloon will also feature at a balloon festival in Joure, north of the Netherlands, as well as other music and theatre festivals in the coming months. [Javno]