The Food and Drug Administration ordered stronger warnings about the risk of potentially deadly fungal infections on four medications widely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other serious illnesses. The FDA has received 240 reports of patients taking such drugs as Cimzia, Enbrel, Humira, and Remicade, known as TNF-alpha blockers, who said the drug lowered the body’s defense to infections. Overall, 45 patients died. They developed histoplasmosis, a fungal infection which spreads throughout the body.

The drugs work by suppressing the immune system to keep it from attacking the body and they are approved to treat rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, plaque psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis and Crohn’s disease. But the treatment can leave patients vulnerable to other complications, or diseases.

“FDA has asked the manufacturers of these four drug products to highlight existing warnings of fungal infections,” Dr. Jeffrey Siegel, clinical team leader at the FDA...He added that the box warning must be upgraded to “strongly warn doctors to consider the occurrence of histoplasmosis and other fungal infections.”

The agency is also investigating a possible link between the four medications and cancer in young patients. The FDA had received 30 reports of cancers, mainly lymphomas, in patients who began taking the medications when they were 18 or younger. The agency said it has a six-month timeline for the review. “We intend to meet that timeline,” Siegel said.

Scary stuff. Once again, you have to question the thoroughness of FDA pre-release testing.

Scientists are not sure where the fungus came from, and are currently investigating two possibilities. Jon Bielby, an amphibian expert from the Zoological Society of London, explains: "One hypothesis is that is was that was already all over the place - and it could be that something suddenly changed, like the weather, causing amphibians to become more vulnerable to the fungus or the fungus to become more pathogenic."

This is called the "endemic pathogen hypothesis". The other is described as the "naïve pathogen hypothesis".

Dr Bielbly said: "This is the idea that it came from one area and then spread all around the world - and because it is being introduced to populations that have never seen the fungus before - naïve populations - it has a serious effect.

"The evidence at the moment seems to favour this slightly - the first records of the fungus go back to Southern Africa in the 1920s."

Around this time, he said, an aquatic amphibian called the xenopus toad, that was native to the area, was being exported all over the world for use in pregnancy tests - certain hormones only found in pregnant females make the amphibian spawn.

This toad is able to carry - and spread - the fungus without suffering any ill effects.

Dr Bielby added: "This was a possible way that it spread from South Africa."

The use of fake nails does not cure the underlying problem of disease of the nail which is why you probably need something to help you out.

Let's look a bit at how toenail fungus lives in your toes.
All fungus loves to live in places where there is plentiful food and moisture and not much light. If you think about mushrooms, they grow in the woods under the shade all the time. Fungul infections are the same. Fungus can also be spread extremly easily on moist feet. If your feet are kept dry until the infection has gone then there is a reduced chance of spread.

So how do we treat them?

If you are looking to prevent fungal infections then a fanstastic and simple way is to just keep those nails trimmed! By doing that the fungus won't have as good chances of surviving. But don't pick your nails or cut them down too short as this will loosen the nail from the bed and make a comfortable home for the fungi. So a pair of scissors is essential!

After fugus has infected you and your nails become discolored you can try putting vinegar on the nail to try and kill the fungus but thats no always the most effective thing. Alternatively you will have to go to the doctors.

For a very fast cure for discolored nails Zetaclear is meant to be quite good and i think they are giving you two free bottles for every order or something like that!

Dan
Pretty sunny in the UK at the moment! Makes a change

Experts poised for rare frog hunt

The golden toad has vanished from Costa Rica's rainforests

Scientists are set to begin a hunt for the some of the world's rarest frogs in Costa Rica, including the iconic golden toad, last seen some 20 years ago.

A team from Manchester University and Chester Zoo are in Costa Rica to track down the highly endangered creatures.

News will follow their trek deep into the cloud forests of Monteverde.

Amphibians numbers around the world have crashed, in part because of a deadly fungus. Costa Rica has been particularly badly hit.

Expedition leader Andrew Gray, from the University of Manchester's Manchester Museum, said: "Costa Rica's highlands used to be major biodiversity hotspots - but in many areas amphibian populations have been completely decimated."

Killer fungus

The killer fungus

In the late 1980s, herpetologists around the world found that amphibian populations were suffering unprecedented declines, but they struggled to understand exactly why.

A decade later, researchers isolated a previously unknown fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which was infecting amphibians, effectively suffocating them by making it impossible for them to breathe across their skin.

Recently, the scientists working on the Global Amphibian Assessment estimated that one-third of all amphibians were threatened by extinction and about 120 species had already become extinct since the 1980s.

Many believe the disease caused by the chytrid fungus is a key factor for this crash. Other causes are thought to include habitat destruction and changes in climate.

Frog rediscovery

Countries in Central America have been particularly badly affected by the deadly chytrid fungus, which is now widespread there. A great deal of effort is now being put into place to safeguard any remaining species.

To find this species last year that was thought to be extinct at the same times as the golden toad was incredible Andrew Gray

Andrew Gray said: "For the last 10 years, I've been working with others to ensure the future for frogs that have so far escaped extinction.

"One of the main things I have been doing is establishing breeding populations in Manchester Museum for a number of very, very rare species - including the splendid leaf frog (Cruziohyla calcarifer), the yellow-eyed leaf frog (Agalychnas annae) and the lemur leaf frog (Hylomantis lemur).

"I've also been working with the Costa Rican authorities and scientists to put conservation measures into place at the sites where any rare frogs are found."

Last year, Mr Gray caught a glimpse of the Ithsmohyla rivularis in the cloud forests of Monteverde - a frog that was thought to have gone extinct about 20 years ago.

Manchester Museum has a splendid leaf captive breeding population

He said: "To find this species last year that was thought to have become extinct at the same time as the golden toad was incredible - it is the rarest tree frog in the world."

He has now been given special permission by the Costa Rican authorities to collect some of the frogs to take back to Manchester.

He told : "We are returning to thoroughly search the site in the hope of finding more specimens.

"It's not going to be easy - they live deep in the Monteverde rainforest, they are only a couple of centimetres in size and they only come out in the dead of night - and while the males do call, the females don't make a sound."

'Never say never'

The rediscovery of Ithsmohyla rivularis has spurred the team on to also try to seek out a golden toad (Bufo pereglines).

This colourful amphibian, which scientists only discovered in 1966, became the iconic symbol of amphibian decline. In 1987 there were approximately 1,500 of the toads, but just two years later it had vanished from the face of the rainforest.

Mr Gray said: "We are going to be trekking through an area where the golden toad used to thrive. It is very unlikely we will find one - but as last year's discovery showed us, never say never."

While in the rainforest, the team will also trying to track down the miniature red-eyed tree frog (Duellmanohyla uranochroa) - a species on the brink of extinction - to investigate how some frogs may be able to prevent the chytrid fungus from taking hold.

This is a unique opportunity to study the frogs in their natural habitat Mark Dickinson

Previous research has shown that some species of tree frog have a special pigment in their skin that enables them to reflect light, allowing them to "sunbathe" without drying out.

Physicist Mark Dickinson, from Photon Science Institute at the University of Manchester, will be taking a spectrometer into the field to investigate how different frog species reflect light.

He said: "So far, I've only been able to investigate captive frogs in the lab. This is a unique opportunity to study the frogs in their natural habitat."

The team believes that the ability to sit out in the Sun may allow the frogs' skin to heat up just enough to kill off chytrid - preventing the disease from taking its grip.

Some of the team will also be heading to the last known breeding site of the green-eyed frog (Lithobates vibicarius) where Chester Zoo is helping to support a conservation programme. ]]> http://gocb.wordpress.com/2008/08/30/dryads-saddles-mushrooms-august-29-2008/ Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:43:18 +0000 Camp Naturalist http://gocb.wordpress.com/2008/08/30/dryads-saddles-mushrooms-august-29-2008/

So, my question was "What would you do if you were a giant?" The first answer out of both of them was "Crush the school". Yeah, I would have done the same thing at eight.

Speaking of mushrooms, check out this video of mushrooms growing in time lapsed photography:

Inhaled into the lungs of a mammal, spores from a class of six related soil molds found around the world encounter a new, warmer environment. And as soon as they do, they rapidly shift gears and assume the guise of pathogenic yeast, causing such serious and sometimes deadly afflictions as blastomycosis and histoplasmosis. Continue Reading >>

The Growling Grass Frog is predicted to be the next on the list of frogs to be wiped out by the chytrid frungus infection that is responsible for the dissapearance of many different frog species.  The fungus grows under the frogs skin preventing the transfer of moisture and oxygen.  Read the full article at TheAge.com.

Mold can be dangerous if it is found inside your home. Mold is usually something that most people do not think about. Disinfecting and cleaning surfaces exhibits the maintenance of a healthy environment, but mold can grow just about anytime, anywhere. It can be found on your bedroom wall behind the bed’s headboard. It can be found in your bathroom. It can be found growing in your laundry room or garage. It can even be found in your carpet. It can be found anywhere where the environment is right for mold to grow.

Mold spores are reproduced either sexually or asexually. These mold spores commonly travel through the air, although it can also travel through water and sometimes even insects. Spores are invisible to the naked eye until it finds a place to grow in your home. It can look like a smudge of dirt or a small gray stain. If it finds a surface that is wet, it will start growing and spreading. Mold cannot grow unless there is moisture. If you have a leak that you cannot fix yourself, call a plumber right away and have him fix it. If there is ever a flood in your home, then do your best to dry every nook and cranny, open up some windows or turn on the air conditioner for ventilation, call your insurance company, and get professional advice from a water damage restoration expert.

Keeping phals outside is not easy. I have to check on them every day. If I skip a week of checking, I almost always find a leaf or two rotting at the edges, eaten up by snails and slugs, infected by bacteria, yellowing, attacked by parasitic bugs or stung by pests.

A snail chewed on this new spike. The flower bud was also affected and will soon drop off.

Bugs like to sting the new leaves causing them to be deformed. In serious cases, the damaged parts get infected and if not snipped off quickly, the rot continues on to the crown of the plant. This has happened to a few of my phals.

Mushrooms also grow in my orchid media and orchid mounts.

These mushrooms grow at lightning speed, they appear overnight and mature in a day or two. Hence the phrase "...like mushrooms after the rain...".

I think they are toxic! Not a single insect around them.

Fungus too!

Tags: orchids, mushrooms, fungus, phalaenopsis, pests

For those of you new to this blog I will give you a little background information (the rest of you can just skip the next 2 paragraphs). I have a horse...a wonder 16 year old off the track Thoroughbred named Gennyral who I love VERY much. If I could dream up the world's most perfect horse I would be dreaming of Genny. I adore my four legged child like nothing else in this world. In March of 2007 he suffered a tendon injury. In April of 2007 his superficial digital flexor tendon started to disintegrate. By May of 2007 I was told that my horse would not live for another year. Genny got 2 rounds of stem cell treatment (in May and August of 2008) and was able to regrow his tendon. He is still very alive and very well today. He lives a normal horse life with lots of turnout, but he is unable to be ridden. I board him at a wonderful backyard barn, Hill Farm, and go and give lots of attention every single day. His tendon is permanently scared so that is why his leg looks so huge. The only concession we have had to make for this injury is that when he goes outside to play he has to have boots on. The boots that are the best for tendons are Sports Medicine Boots...and I like the Elite style of that brand. Unfortunately these boots are not meant for turnout and are not breathable so over the summer my horse gets a very gross fungus from having his leg be stuck in a boot with no air.

Now if you hear me talking about riding on this blog that is because my friend Lori, who is amazing, took pity on me and let's me half lease her older paint gelding, X. X spent the first 12 of his 15 years of life being used 7 days a week at a very well known hunter/jumper barn. We all call him a saint because he is a really sane and sensible horse. In addition to arthritis from being jumped and shown so much X broke his hip in November of 2007, an injury that made his left hip 15cm off from his right. X and I compete in dressage (at the very low levels) trying to do our best and have a lot of fun with it! X is my reward horse for working so hard to save Gennyral.

Now onto the real point of this post...FUNGUS! A while back I posted about our fungus issue this year. I thought it would be fun to take a look back so I am going to include pictures from the start of our Fungus out break and then pictures of our progress.

Every day I have been scrubbing Genny's leg with Betadine, rinsing that off, spraying white vinigar (a natural anti-fungal), dried the leg with a towel, waited for an hour to make sure the leg was totally dry and then applied a human anti-fungal medication in the form of a powdered spray. In addition to that I have been rotating out his SMB's for turnout so he only wears a pair one time between my scrubbing of the boots. I have enough pairs so that I always have a clean, dry pair for turnout. So what do you all think? I think it looks pretty damn good for it not even being one month later. If anyone has any good suggestions to add into the fight against fungus do share! I have a feeling that this is going to be an every summer kind of problem.

What Causes Cancer? 

Conventional medicine likes to focus on the impact of genetics as a causative agent in developing cancer, despite the fact that research indicates that genetics is not the main cause of this widespread phenomenon, even though it may play a small role in some people. Unfortunately, little attention is paid to the impact of plain and simple infections. 

Dr. Simoncini’s (info about Dr. Simoncini is at bottom of page) research has led him to believe that something as simple as a fungus, Candida, is the leading cause of cancer; that cancer itself is in fact a fungus. What we refer to as a tumor, is nothing more than your body’s attempt at protecting itself from that fungus. 

He brings up an analogy between psoriasis – an “incurable” disease of the skin that many treat as a fungus – and tumors, which are also an “incurable” disease of your body. Several studies have linked the presence of Candida with cancer, showing that anywhere between 79 to 97 percent of all cancer patients also have Candida. 

Dr. Simoncini’s explanation for how this phenomenon works – how Candida leads to deadly cancer – is that it’s a consequence of the weakening and exhaustion of your organs, and eventually your entire body, in the following stages: 

1. Candida roots itself in your deep connective tissue in various organs

2. As a result, this evokes an organic defensive reaction as the connective tissue of your invaded organ attempts to encyst the fungin colonies through cellular hyper-production, which results in the formation of tumors

3. Growths continue as the fungi spreads, both in your surrounding tissue, and remotely (aka “metastatis”). It is still always the same Candida attacking different tissues, but due to its highly adaptive qualities it is able to mutate to adapt itself to whatever environment it finds itself in, hence the various types of tumors

4. Your body becomes progressively more exhausted, which allows the fungi to spread and take over more rapidly

5. You die from “cancer” 

If Cancer is a Fungus, Then What is the Cure? 

In the video, Dr. Simoncini shows actual before-and-after footage of both bronchial cancer and colon cancer. Four days after his revolutionary and mind-blowingly simple treatment for bronchial cancer with a sodium bicarbonate and water flush, the tumors are gone… 

Sodium bicarbonate, a.k.a baking soda, is the most potent anti-fungal substance there is. The problem with anti-fungal drugs, however, is that fungi are extremely adaptive, and can adapt to a new environment in three to four days. This renders anti-fungal drugs largely ineffective. The fungi do not adapt to the baking soda, but it is far more difficult to use as it needs to be injected directly into the tumor; swallowing the baking soda would not work at all.

Candida yeast is not “one shared element,” so to speak, but rather “social elements,” or colonies, that are highly communicative.

Because of their unique adaptation skills, sodium bicarbonate must be administered directly onto the tumor, and in so doing changing its ph very quickly, from acid to alkaline, which quickly and effectively kills off the yeast before it has time to adapt. 

For example, Dr. Simoncini’s experience has shown that 99 percent of breast- and bladder cancer can heal in just six days, entirely without the use of surgery, chemo or radiation, using just a local infiltration device (such as a catheter) to deliver the sodium bicarbonate directly to the infected site in your breast tissue or bladder. 

Preventive Measures – Combating Candida 

If the cause of cancer is the Candida fungus, then what is the root cause of the fungi? And how can you tell you might have too much yeast in your body, which might eventually lead to the formation of cancer? 

A good sign that Candida is on the loose is feeling “run down” and developing a craving for sugars and carbohydrates, as this is the main fuel for the growing amounts of yeast in your intestine. The more sugar and grains you eat, the more the yeast grows out of control. Eventually, this will weaken your immune system, which in turn can allow it to infiltrate various other organs.

This imbalance in intestinal flora, sometimes called dysbiosis, can also lead to other more common, and less lethal, health problems, such as:

• Vaginitis

• Irritable bowel syndrome

• Weight gain

• Food allergies

• Migraines

• Asthma

• Depression

• Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia 

VERY IMPORTANT FACT: There are 79 different toxins released by the metabolism and die-off of Candida. This is why people with yeast overgrowth often feel so lousy; the Candida toxins are regularly entering their bloodstream. Two of these toxins, alcohol and acetaldehyde (the breakdown product of alcohol that causes hangovers), are in such high amounts in people with chronic yeast problems that you may actually end up feeling “drunk.”

Acetaldehyde also reacts with the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is why people with yeast overgrowth often experience mental and emotional disturbances such as anxiety, depression, poor concentration, and feeling spaced-out.

How to Cure a Yeast Overgrowth

1. The Right Diet and Exercise -- A diet rich in meats, chicken, eggs, seeds and nuts, vegetables, and healthy oils (free range and organic) -- while avoiding sugars and carbohydrate-rich foods -- will restrict the amount of fuel the yeast in your intestine has available to it. I would add to this to make your diet in tune with your nutritional type. Once you’ve started on the diet, exercising will begin to rebalance the levels of neurotransmitters in your brain and improve your mood. One of the elements of diet that does seem counter intuitive is the absolute restriction of even fruits when one is seeking to eliminate yeast, as even the tiniest amounts of sugar seem to worsen this condition.

2. Getting Plenty of Good Bacteria -- You will want to increase your probiotic (good bacteria) intake with a high-quality probiotic supplement or by eating cultured and fermented foods, such as natto. These contain the good bacteria that keep your vagina and gastrointestinal tract healthy and will ultimately replace the Candida.

3. Avoiding Exposure to Chemicals -- Paints, household cleaners, perfumes and scents may cause allergic reactions, and chemical sensitivities are very common in people with yeast overgrowth.

4. Addressing Emotional and Psychological Issues -- Food cravings, especially those for sweets, often are exacerbated by emotional dependencies.

ALERT ALERT ALERT:

Why the Baking Soda Cancer Cure is Not Available Everywhere 

** Unfortunately, Dr. Simoncini is yet another brilliant doctor who has been ousted from the medical community due to his revolutionary simple ideas of how to cure profit-making diseases.  

So many people refuse to believe that this is true and that it’s happening to good doctors, since “everyone knows” you must be a liability to human life if you’re stripped of your medical license.  

But the reason why Dr. Simoncini was kicked out is because as an oncologist – a cancer specialist -- he refused to use conventional cancer treatment methods, choosing instead to administer sodium bicarbonate, which is HARMLESS, as opposed to the often lethal use of chemotherapy.  

His lawyers have recently started a rehabilitation court trial at the International Court of Justice in Strassburg to have him reinstated.

Fact:

Jangan Lupa Lirik is a new local game show hosted by none other than Aznil Nawawi. As the title suggested, the player has to remember the lyrics to a certain song and win him/herself cash prizes up to one million big ones.

Question:

Do we actually need another singing show?

I think it's the last thing the country needs right now circulating the air time, another singing reality contest. Enough with the Akademi Fantasia, Malaysian Idol, Gang Starz, One In A Million, etc. this show is another catalyst of the raising level of hedonism the country is heading towards.

It seems like everyone wants to be a singer nowadays. Trying their luck for a fast and easy way to all the so-called "promising" glitz and glamour that they see on the media. It's utter nonsense, IMHO, and saddening that this culture of "express-artist" are gaining momentum and support from the public.

They faster they rise, the faster they fall, right? No?

Tell, me where have all the winners from these past contest end up? Some TV mobile game show host? Snack food endorsement ambassador? With an annual Hari Raya/Merdeka reunion concert tour at KLCC?

And who's the real "winner" behind their so-called success? The stations, network and their affiliates who did the show, of course. Cashing millions from the votes of the "pegundi bijak(smart voters)".

Oh yes, they shall have the last laugh too!

May God help us all.

I have dark spots all over my trunk - my doctor says its fungus.

It grows like hell in summers and also causes itching. I find in Internet more information and pictures about something like my trunk:

The type of trunk I have is caused by the fungus :Taenia Versicolor
This fungus grows very nicely in hot and humid environment, as I mentioned it grows like hell in summer.
It may or may not cause itiching.
It is contigious yes, but is particularly common in people with low immunity. As a rule this fungus is found on the skin of most of people, where it exists as the normal flora of skin. If however, the power of the fungus to cause infection increases more than the defense mechanism of the body then the spots can appear.
Cosmetically they don't look good so one should better get rid of them.
There are two ways for that, either use a topical creame (broad spectrum antifungal) or take antifungal drug course.
Both have their merits and demerits.
For creame on has to apply it daily all over and then wash it later.
For the drug, it may cause some side effect on liver, but it rescues one from the task of applying the creame to the body.

Peace, love and hippie grease!

Do you want to wear a big ant on your chest? The first Darwin Report T-Shirt is available at CafePress.

One of the greatest, most fascinating, invertebrate animals in the world has to be the Leafcutter Ant. There are about 40 species of this social insect and all of them make their living by growing a fungus (their food) on the chewed-up remains of leaves, which they diligently harvest.

When I was 12 years old, I visited one of the pyramids in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. And on the grassy field surrounding the pyramid, I spotted a long narrow path cut through the grass; it was only three or four inches wide. Curious I walked toward the strange sight and saw what appeared to be a fleet of tiny green sails traveling along the path like boats on a river. Upon closer inspection I saw that the green sails were actually sections of cut leaves, which were being carried along by a streaming army of ants. It's one of my favorite childhood memories.