Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Don't let the bed bugs bite

VERY few people are aware that there seems to be a worldwide epidemic of bed bugs. The statistics are there to prove this. The bed bug can live for months without feeding and they can hide themselves in clothes or luggage. So a guest at a hotel may bring them into a hotel in his clothes or in his luggage and the bed bug will then infest the hotel room. The bed bug may have come from an infested home or from another infested hotel.


Usually we go to bed at night and when we wake up we notice the bite marks from the bed bug on the skin and blood on our clothes or on the sheets. Some people may have an urticarial (rash) reaction in the morning from the bites of the bed bug.

Now bed bugs as far as we know do not transmit any diseases but they have tested positive for the virus Hepatitis B and have been suspected to be transmitters of this disease. The bite of the bed bug is painless but the saliva causes the problems.

The bed bug is a small bug that is black in colour and it has two rudimentary wings and six legs. It lives in the crevices of our beds and in our mattresses.

The treatment of bed bug bites is simply one per cent hydrocortisone cream for kids and Betnovate for adults. For the itching we may use oral antihistamines like DPH or Histal.



Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/AllWoman/html/20090426T210000-0500_150206_OBS_DON_T_LET_THE_BED_BUGS_BITE.asp

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

GSK acquires leading skincare specialist

Under the terms of the agreement GSK will acquire the total share capital of Stiefel for $2.9 billion. GSK also expects to assume $400 million of net debt upon closing. A further $300 million cash payment will be made depending on future performance.

GSK's existing prescription dermatological products will be combined with Stiefel's and the new specialist global business will operate under the Stiefel identity within the GSK Group.

The new business will have a broad portfolio of dermatology products including Stiefel's leading brands: Duac, for acne, Olux E for dermatitis and Soriatane for the treatment of severe psoriasis. GSK's key dermatology brands include: Bactroban, Cutivate and the recently launched Altabax.

Stiefel, part-owned by buyout firm Blackstone Group, is the world's largest independent dermatology company, with a range of prescription and over-the-counter products. According to Reuters.com it was put up for sale a month ago and attracted interest from a number of large pharmaceutical companies, including Novartis and Johnson & Johnson.

Following the announcement, GSK Chief Executive Andrew Witty said: "As part of our strategy to grow and diversify GSK's business, we are continuing to make new investments through targeted acquisitions. This transaction will create a new world-leading, specialist dermatology business and re-energize our existing dermatology products.

"The addition of Stiefel's broad portfolio will provide immediate new revenue flows to GSK with significant opportunities to enhance growth through leveraging our existing global commercial infrastructure and manufacturing capability. We look forward to working with Stiefel to develop this exciting opportunity."


complete coverage: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/BUSINESS/04/20/gsk.stiefel.sale/

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Azelaic acid key to plant immunity

A common plant metabolite used in creams for acne treatment and rosacea has a major role in priming plants’ systemic immune system, US researchers have found.

Azelaic acid has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and is commonly used in dermatological applications in humans.

Now, it has been identified as a signalling weapon in Arabidopsis to prime the plants to accumulate salicylic acid upon infection.

Salicylic acid, which is also used popularly in skin treatments, is a phytohormone in plants which plays a role in pathogen resistance. It is highly active in systemic acquired resistance (SAR) in plants, in which resistance to localised infections develops as a means of mounting a stronger defense upon secondary infection.

SAR involves infected leaves developing a sap called petiole exudate, which is then sent through the vascular system to confer resistance to uninfected leaves.

The US team, led by Ho Won Jung and Jean Greenberg from the University of Chicago, used gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to look for metabolites that were highly active in SAR-induced exudates.


Source: http://www.biotechnews.com.au/article/298428/azelaic_acid_key_plant_immunity

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Getting under the skin of treatments

IT IS impossible to open a magazine these days without seeing an advert or article on some kind of cosmetic enhancement.

They will usually feature an impossibly glamorous model who is at least 15 years away from needing any kind of cosmetic intervention.

A huge variety of treatments are available, from creams, which reduce your wrinkles, to plastic surgery under general anaesthetic.

All make bold promises about how much better they will make you look and feel. But interestingly they seldom, if ever, offer you your money back if the procedure fails.

Having said that, there are effective techniques available, but how do you know which ones are safe and effective and which will have been abandoned in a few years due to lack of efficacy or some high-profile disasters?

In this article I would like to outline some of the effective treatments available in the field of cosmetic dermatology and give you some guidance about which cosmetic procedure may be right for you.

Firstly, you should begin by looking in the mirror. Everyone would like to change something about their appearance but the important thing to bear in mind is whether the change will really be worthwhile and give you a lasting benefit, or whether it will be something that nobody would notice.

Source: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health-news/2009/04/06/getting-under-the-skin-of-treatments-91466-23319404/