Medicis Completes Graceway Purchase

Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp. (MRX) recently announced that it has completed the acquisition of Graceway Pharmaceuticals, LLC. in November last year, Medicis first announced that it had successfully bid for the purchase of Graceway Pharma at the latter’s bankruptcy auction. Graceway Pharma had filed for bankruptcy in September 2011.

According to the terms of the bid, Medicis paid $455 million to Graceway Pharma in return of its pharmaceutical product portfolio, consisting of dermatology, respiratory and women’s health specialty products, and certain other assets. Medicis expects the transaction to be accretive in 2012.

Graceway’s lead drug is Zyclara, which is approved for the treatment of actinic keratoses and genital warts. the drug has marketing exclusivity until July 2014.

We view this acquisition as a smart strategic move, as it will expand Medicis’ product portfolio, and help reduce the company’s dependence on Solodyn. Solodyn is Medicis’ lead marketed product. the drug is approved for the treatment of acne. Solodyn is available in the 55 mg, 80 mg and 105 mg dosage strengths in addition to the previously available dosage strengths of 65 mg and 115 mg.

We note that exactly a year earlier Medicis had entered into a research and development agreement with Anacor Pharmaceuticals inc. (ANAC) for the discovery and development of boron-based small molecule compounds for the potential treatment of acne.

Under the agreement, Anacor is working on the early development of candidates, utilizing its proprietary boron chemistry platform, while Medicis has an option to exclusively license those products. Additionally, Medicis is responsible for further worldwide development and commercialization of the licensed products.

We currently have a Neutral recommendation on Medicis. the stock carries a Zacks #3 Rank (Hold rating) in the short-run.

Read the full analyst report on MRX

Read the full analyst report on ANAC

The Immunostimulating and Antimicrobial Properties of Lithium and Antidepressants

Eicosanoids are products of arachidonic acid (AA), an essential fatty acid. they include prostaglandins (PGs), prostacyclin (PGI2), thromboxanes (TXs), leuko-trienes (LTs) and hydroxy fatty acids. AA is derived enzymatically from membrane phospholipids and to a lesser extent the diet. Eicosanoids self-regulate every cell,including those synthesizing serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine and thos esubserving immune function, such as T-cells, B-cells, natural killer cells, macrophages, monocytes and dendritic cells. there is objective evidence that prostaglandinsregulate the physiology of the hypothalamic –pituitary – adrenal axis (HPA).

Elucidation of the structure and metabolic pathways of eicosanoids galvanizedresearchers into illuminating their role in physiology, pathology and pharmacology.Striking contradictions arose: eicosanoids were shown to activate and suppress microorganisms, potentiate and suppress immunity and possess pro- and anticancer properties. As prostaglandins are the most heavily studied eicosanoids in the contextof mood and immunity I will focus on them in this article. I will present evidence of the immunostimulating and antimicrobial properties of lithium and antidepressants and propose that these properties are linked to the antiprostaglandin actions of these compounds.

(© 2004 the British Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. all rights reserved.)

Eicosanoids, the metabolic products of arachidonicacid, include prostaglandins (PGs), leukotrienes (LTs), prostacyclin (PGI2) thromboxanes (TXs) andlipoxins. Eicosanoids self-regulate every cell including those subserving immune function and those subserving mood. they self-regulate all cells insynapses, in neuro-immune interfaces and in the hypothalamic – pituitary– adrenal axis (HPA).

Bacteria, parasites and fungi synthesize eicosanoids.

Bacteria, parasites, fungi and viruses have the ability to induce eicosanoid synthesis in host cells. the ability of the host to resist such induction in?uences the outcome of exposure. An increase in production ofPGs in the immune system may lead to the activationof a dormant virus. While in vitro studies show that lithium and antidepressants have direct antimicrobial properties their actions on the brain may be responsible for their immunostimulating properties.

PGs are highly active in the brain.[1] Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) is elevated in the platelets of manics and reduced in those of depressives, while prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is increased in the platelets of depressives.[2] PGE2 and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) are elevated in the plasma of depressives,[3] PGE2 in their cerebrospinal ?uid [4] and saliva.[5] When administered intravenously to alleviate Raynaud’s syndrome or phenomenon prostacyclin can precipitate acute depression.[6] a prostacyclin analogue caninduce depressive effects in mice.[7]

The literature on the role of eicosanoids inimmune regulation and the physiology of micro-organisms mainly involves PGs. PGs have diverseactions on humoral and cellular immunity, including modulation of natural killer cell activity,[8] delivery of signals leading to T-cell activation,[9] induction of dendritic cells,[10] control of suppressor cell and B-cell activation and modulation of macrophage-T lymphocyte interactions.[11]

The relationship between PGs and viruses has been studied with many viruses,[12] most intensively the human immu-node?ciency virus (HIV). PGE2 creates a selectionpressure favouring HIV at many host/virus inter-faces. where HIV comes into contact with AA itconverts it into PGE2.

Monocytes from drug-addicts with AIDS elaborate elevated concentrations of PGE2.[13] a soluble factor of transformed B-lympho-cytes in patients with HIV infection stimulatesmonocytes to produce PGE2.[14] An HIV glycoproteininduces monocyte AA metabolites [15] and promotesapoptosis in rat brain by deranging the AA cascadein favour of PGs.[16] Secretion of PGE2 by macro-phages induces signalling events resulting in acti-vation of pro-viral DNA in T-cells latently infected with HIV-1.[17] Humans with AIDS dementia have a marked increase in PGE2 in their spinal ?uid;[18] this PG may be responsible for the immuno-suppression that is the hallmark of AIDS.

PGs are present in high concentrations in thesaliva of such blood-sucking arthropods as ticks. PGs are involved in parasite metabolism and physiology. they facilitate feeding by increasing local blood ?ow and prolong attachments of ticks by suppressing immune mechanisms.[19] Release of PGs by protozoa and metazoa play a role in penetration, immune suppression, in?ammation and modulationof haemostasis.[19]

Induction of two-series PGs bysuch parasites as Schistosoma,[20] Leishmania dono-vani, [21] Amoeba, [22] Fasciola, [23] and Trypanasoma [24]suppress immune responses in favour of thepathogen.

Induction of PGs and their synthesizing enzymes are responsible for many of the symptoms of bacterial infection including the immunosuppression.[25 – 31] Pathogenic fungi such as Cryptococcusneoformans and Candida albicans produce and respond to immuno-modulatory PGs.[32 – 35] PGs regulate the physiology, immunity, reproduction and toxicity of microorganisms and the resistance of their hosts. the virulence of a pathogen and the resistance of the host determine how negatively the host will be affected.[36 – 46]

As aspirin inhibits cyclooxygenase (COX), the primary PG synthesizing enzyme, it was inferred that this mechanism accounts for its analgesic, anti-in?ammatory and antipyretic properties. Compounds that inhibit COX were synthesized, inparallel with research showing that PGs causemany in?ammatory, infectious, neoplastic and reproductive disorders. the failure of prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors, also known as non-steroidalanti-in?ammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in infectious disorders led to the conclusion that PG inhibition has limited clinical application in infection.

Isolation of the COX isomer, COX-2, and the synthesis of selective COX-2 inhibitors have stimulated considerable investment by the pharmaceutical industry in such inhibitors. COX-2 inhibitors are claimed to have a reduced risk of gastrointestinal hemorrhage when compared to NSAIDs. all the while the PG inhibiting properties of lithium and anti-depressants have been neglected, along with their unique immunopotentiating and antimicrobialactions.

Lithium carbonate inhibits the synthesis of PGE1,[47 – 50] decreases phospholipase A2 activity [51 – 53] and the turnover of AA in several brain phospholi-pids,[51] and reduces brain concentrations of COX-2 and PGE2. [53] Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) inhibit PGE2 synthesis by limiting the mobilizationof AA. [54 – 56]

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are weak PG agonists and powerful PG and TX antagonists.[57]

TCAs uniquely and powerfully activate the PG degrading enzyme, 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase. [58] Fluoxetine, a speci?c serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), inhibits the synthesis of two-series PGs. [59] the MAOI tranylcyprominereduces the levels of prostaglandin D2 in the brainsof mice.[60] given the PG-opposing properties of these agents, reports of their immunopotentiating and antimicrobial actions are not surprising. ThePG-opposing actions of lithium and antidepressants support the role of PGs in mood disorders.

In the early 1950’s clinicians observed that patientstreated for tuberculosis with the MAOIs isoniazid and iproniazid were energized. This observation was the foundation of the pharmacology of depression and became part of its folklore. that MAOIs have dual antimicrobial and antidepressant properties failed to have an impact on the pharmacology of infectious disorders. Remission of such manifestations of viral infections assinusitis, sinobronchitis, frequent colds, sorethroats, cold sores and genital herpes in patientstaking lithium carbonate has been reported.[61 – 65]

In a retrospective study of the antiviral activity of various psychotropic agents, chronic lithium administration reduced the mean rate of recurrent labial herpes infections. Lithium and antidepressants reduced the mean yearly rates of common, ‘?u-like’colds.[63,64] In a randomised, double blind, placebo [64] controlled study lithium reduced the frequency andduration of recurrences of genital herpes.[64]

The polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) of a 29-year-old woman with eczema and recurrent staphylococcal and streptococcal skin infections were unresponsive to standard chemotactic stimuli.

In vitro addition of lithium to her PMN preparations restored their chemotactic response. after receiving lithium carbonate, 1 g per day for 5 weeks she became free of infection and relapsed when lithium was withdrawn.[66]

Lithium chloride prevents replication of type 1 and 2 herpes virus in baby hamster kidney cells. Virus particle production, polypeptide and antigen synthesis were unaffected while viral DNA synthesis was inhibited. the replication of two other DNA viruses, pseudo rabies and vaccinia virus was inhibited but two RNA viruses, EMC and in?uenza virus were not inhibited.[67] Lithium augments several in vitro immune reactions. It increases rosette formation and thymidine incorporation by lymphocytes and phagocytosis by macrophages.[67] It reverses the PGE1 inhibition ofthe lymphocyte response to phytohemag glutinin,and enhances immunoglobulin synthesis by human lymphocytes.[68]

MAOIs can remit tuberculosis, aphthous ulcers,[69,70] cold sores, genital herpes, [71] upper respiratory tractinfections and plantar warts.[72] Furazolidone, the veterinary antibiotic, is a MAOI.[73]

TCAs can remitaphthous ulcers, [74] reduce the frequency of recurrences of herpes zoster, remit the pain of this disorder and prevent post herpetic neuralgia.[75] such TCAs as clomi-pramine and imipramine can destroy in vitro leishmania minor and major, the agents of kalaazar and old World cutaneous leishmaniasis,[76] and inhibit the growth of the intestinal parasite Giardia lamblia.[77] the TCA’s desipramine, imipramine and amitriptyline have antimalarial properties.[78] Many antidepressants enhance in vitro susceptibility to chloroquine in resistant Plasmodiumfalciparum.[79 – 82] various antidepressants are lethal in vitro against Trypanasoma parasites.[83]

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)can destroy such fungi in vitro as Candida and Aspergillus species.[84] Sertraline can remit recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis in vivo.[85] Munoz-Bellido and colleagues have shown that such antidepressants as sertraline, ?uoxetine and paroxetine have antimicrobial activity especially against Gram-positive microorganisms. These anti-depressants also show synergistic activity when combined with some antibiotics against several bacteria.[86] In a separate study Munoz-Bellido andcolleagues tested the in vitro activity of various antibiotics and psychotropic drugs against 32 strains of Corynebacterium urealyticum. Sertraline was the most effective psychiatric drug and it enhanced the activity of cipro?oxacin and tetracycline against all strains.[87]

The depressive effect of bereavement and other stresses on immune function is well documented.[88] Impaired lymphocyte function, reduced natural killer cell activity, reduced lymphocyte responses to mitogens and decreased natural killer cellpopulations have been demonstrated in depressives.[89,90] Antidepressants augment natural killer cell activity in vivo and in vitro.[91] the MAOI tranylcypromine enhances cell-mediated immunity.[92]

PGs play a key role in mediating the HPA axis response to immune insults.[93] PGs are involved innicotine and carbachol-induced [94] ACTH and corti-costerone secretion in control and stressed rats.[95] In rats interleukin-1 beta stimulates PG synthesis inthe HPA axis by acting on receptors located chie?y on endothelial cells.[96] the autonomic nervoussystem innervates lymphoid organs and is an important regulator of immune function in ani-mals.[97,98] Every cell in the sympathetic system andin lymphoid organs is self-regulated by PGs. In self-regulating every cell and signalling between them PGs regulate every site at which neurons make contact with the immune system.

While lithium is effective against some bacteria and viruses evidence for effectiveness against parasites and fungi is lacking. Antidepressants, on the other hand, are effective against various bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. As lithium and anti-depressants have immunopotentiating as well as antimicrobial properties they stand to be effective against a gamut of microorganisms. the response of infection to lithium and antidepressants mirrors depression with subjects responding to TCAs, to SSRIs, to MAOIs or to lithium. An infection should not be labeled refractory to antidepressants untilmany, if not all have been tried. Many comparison studies with antidepressants are biased by the generalization that ‘antidepressants’ lack a speci?c property when the study involved only one. Anti-depressants are highly speci?c and humans remarkably variable.

Excessive synthesis of PGs depresses brain and immune function. When depressives with an infection respond to lithium or an antidepressant the response is invariably simultaneous, suggesting that the central actions of the drugs are important.

The immunostimulating actions of lithium and anti-depressants are systemic and suggest central orchestration. While antivirals are not necessarily immunostimulants, the actions of lithium and anti-depressants suggest that immunostimulants are antivirals. the SARS epidemic was a clarion call for immunostimulants. the immunostimulating properties of lithium and antidepressants couldtransform the prevention and treatment of many such infections.

Tachyphylaxis may complicate the treatment of depression[99 – 101] and paradoxical reactions induce or intensify symptoms. These phenomena may interfere with the treatment of infection with lithium and antidepressants. Antidepressants are, paradoxically, capable of activating dormant viruses.[102] Remission of depression in subjectstreated for tuberculosis ushered in the pharmaco-logical treatment of depression.

The wheel will turn full circle when lithium and antidepressants areintegrated into the pharmacology and therapeutics of infection.

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baguio opinion

VALENTINE came a month early, after doctors with a heart conferred early January and confirmed their initial finding last November. They swore the stethoscope, and later the angiogram, found I have a heart, but it was not working well. They insisted it needed immediate repair, and one’s lucky it…

THE annual Marshall McLuhan Media Forum was held Friday at the UP Baguio, in coordination with the Canadian Embassy in the Philippines. three distinguished women journalists tackled the topic of community journalism.

I was asked to react.

I CAN still vividly remember in the late 70s when my mom would drive us to SPED Center every day. Breakfast of champorado and tuyo was our regular early morning fare prepared by my lola. For baon in a Tupperware, I always had hotdog and egg, fried chicken or adobo. I recall trading viands with…

Dear readers and friends, we are happy to share with you very good news and encouraging breakthroughs in the field of medicine. During its annual Innovation Summit, a panel of Cleveland Clinic doctors and scientists listed the top ten medical events over the past years expected to play important…

WHAT could be so special about rainbows? From our elementary science, we learned that a rainbow is simply an optical illusion, formed when the sun shines on to droplets of moisture (rain) in the earth’s atmosphere. Thus, being an optical illusion, we could never catch up to it; for when we…

THE chain of significant events leading to the fruition of the 1st Kennon Global Marathon Run set on April 15 will be launched this morning with a program to be held at the Col. Lyman W. Kennon Monument beside the zigzag view deck. The day’s spread of activities honoring the multi-racial…

IF PEOPLE cannot come to Baguio, Baguio goes to the people. This is what transpired last week, speaking of pre-membership seminars conducted by the Blessed Association of Retired Persons Foundation, Inc. (BARP), whose main office is located in Baguio City.

FEBRUARY 22, 1899 – October 11, 1964

Baldomero Nevada Sr. from Luna, La Union was a cashier at the Department of Public Works and Highways and later a mining prospector in the 1920s.

His mining claims are within the operations of the Philex Mining Corporation.

As a widower,…

LOOK around your university. look at the digital devices used by students and faculty members. look at how they use these devices. ask yourself: are they for fun and entertainment or for learning?

WHILE in their prime athletes enjoy physically fit bodies almost impossible for them to get fat since active training and a balanced diet seem are part of their daily habits. This is until retirement comes and physical activity drops lower than the usual and they develop unhealthy eating habits…

MORE and more architects are advocating green architecture in response for the strong appeal for immediate action to address concerns on the effect of global warming. in fact this is even now part of the curriculum of architecture students in the different universities.

According to…

DISASTER can strike anytime, anywhere. It can hit both affluent and impoverished areas. with the knowledge of what could possibly happen around us it is imperative that we make every effort to prepare ourselves to face and conquer disasters that threaten our lives. Knowing where and how a hazard…

EXPERIENCES are like shadows, we try to leave them behind but they keep on following us and they form part of what we become in future. Just like any other person, I’ve had so many experiences but one of the greatest of them all is my education in the Philippines. I came to the Philippines on…

AFTER a whole month of battering my students in round table discussions, I decided to give them a break and asked a very simple (the simplest) single question for a quiz. or perhaps I was giving myself a break. “What would be the world if we don’t have books”, I asked. They were instructed to…

MOST people hate long commutes and feel too inconvenienced by travel. I have always loved to travel, although that is not to say I have gone to so many far off places. believe it or not, I still don’t have a passport, but I intend to work on that this year.

WHEN you hear the word “Africa” what comes into your mind? Forest, Wild animals like lions, tigers and elephants? I have been in the Philippines for more than three years and anytime I tell people that I come from Africa that’s all they talk about. Sooner or later I might be leaving the…

PEOPLE dress up to look good. As we say, clothes make the man. true to its sense that no one would want to look shabby in a crowd, during gatherings and in the work place.

AFTER several weeks of intense deliberations and discussions on the annual budget of the City for CY 2012 the City Council finally gave its nod for its approval in the amended amount of P1,168,242,000.

YOU hear your heart pounding in your ears as you impatiently wait on the bed. After a few minutes of sitting in a lotus position on the bed, you stand up and rearrange the sheets. you ease out all the creases. you run your fingers through the soft linen. and then you sit on the bed again,…

AS I am about to fill up my SALN document amidst the impeachment proceedings and furor amongst the most influential officials of the land, I mused at myself, a lowly public servant whether what I will write in my form will not bring me to any trouble.

“When elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers.” – an African proverb

“Every blade of grass has its angel that bends over it and whispers, `Grow, grow.’” – The Talmud

WORDS stresses or inspire us. I know what it means to be under both situations.

THE donor must be asked to complete and sign a copy of the Donor History Questionnaire (DHQ) on every occasion that he/she attends to donate.

The DHQ and donor declaration must be completed and signed by the donor. The person who carries out the medical interview signs the box to certify…

PEOPLE whom this writer encountered are always telling me they’re saving, and then when I ask what their goal is, they tell me it’s to buy a new car, go on a lovely vacation with the kids, or put in a new kitchen wares, furniture, etc…. you name it, they have it. Well, this is “SAVING”… not in…

(We are sharing this information and announcement on the organization of real estate service practitioners coming the National Office of PhilRES through its Secretary General Josefina D. Magumcia)

ARAMID dagiti adu a drivers ditoy Baguio—singit dita, ditoy ditoy. Kaasi piman dagiti naanus nga agpaspasensia. Dagiti narasok, agkatkatawada ta nalalaingda kano a drivers. Ngen no madisgrasyakayo, isangityo pay ti agpakawan ken agpakumbaba. Naudin ti amin. Agbaliwkan kabsat. Saludsod: Apay…

Dr. Jason Eberhart-Phillips: What parents should know about HPV vaccine

VACCINES ARE stirring public debate like never before. none have triggered more controversy than Gardasil and Cervarix, the two vaccines approved to prevent cancers caused by the human papillomavirus, or HPV.

Since October, federal authorities have recommended that all boys receive Gardasil at age 11 or 12 years, with catch-up vaccination advised for unimmunized males aged 13 to 21. This brings the guidance for males into line with recommendations from 2007 for females.

But many millions of parents are rejecting this advice. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only about one-third of U.S. teenage girls have been fully vaccinated against HPV and fewer than half have even begun the three-dose series.

The resistance to HPV vaccination is gaining traction among some politicians.

Former presidential candidate Michele Bachmann, a U.S. representative from Minnesota, drew attention last fall when she called the HPV vaccine “a dangerous drug.” Public health experts cringed as Bachmann then repeated in the national media a woman’s claim that her child had become mentally retarded as a result of getting the vaccine.

Most controversial have been efforts to make HPV vaccination mandatory for school attendance, as was attempted in Texas under an executive order in 2007 by Gov. Rick Perry. Perry, who dropped out of the presidential race in January, faced repeated attacks from his rivals over his failed mandate.

Discussion about mandating the HPV vaccine for middle-school kids inevitably raises divisive questions about adolescent sex, parental responsibility, the role of government in family decision-making and the reported influence of the pharmaceutical industry on the political process. Few public health issues push as many hot buttons as the HPV vaccine.

But none of the political rancor we’ve seen lately takes away from the fact that the HPV vaccine is a safe and effective tool in controlling a huge public health problem — particularly if it is given universally to girls and boys at age 11 or 12.

Genital HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States, with about 20 million Americans infected. the CDC estimates that there are 6.2 million new infections each year, with 75 percent of these occurring in persons aged 15 to 24.

Infection with HPV typically comes soon after the initiation of sexual activity. In one study of female college students, 39 percent of participants who were virgins at the start of the study had become infected with HPV within 24 months of first having intercourse.

The vast majority of genital HPV infections go unnoticed and disappear. But sometimes the infections can become persistent, and those — because of more than a dozen so-called “high-risk” subtypes — may cause precancerous cellular changes in the cervix, anus, vagina or penis, leading over time to cancer.

The American Cancer Society estimates about 12,710 new cases of cervical cancer were diagnosed in 2011 in the U.S. Annually, about 4,290 American women die from this disease. In Marin County there are about nine cases registered in an average year, with one or two resulting in death.

Nearly all of these cancers are thought to be because of HPV infection, with two viral subtypes — both targeted by the vaccines — accounting for 70 percent of the total. two other HPV subtypes — both targeted by Gardasil — are associated with more than 90 percent of genital warts. such warts affect about 1 percent of sexually active adults.

The good news is that both vaccines appear to be very effective in preventing cancers caused by the HPV subtypes they cover. Several large studies have shown they prevent more than 90 percent of the cellular changes that can lead to cancer arising from the two main cancer-causing subtypes.

The vaccines not only work, they work in a remarkably safe way. more than 35 million doses of HPV vaccine have been given so far with no increased risk of serious adverse reactions detected, based on close federal monitoring.

But as safe and effective as the vaccines have been shown to be, there is no evidence that they work in those already infected with the strains covered by the vaccines.

That’s why it is so important to give the vaccine at the tender age of 11 or 12. Like it or not, more than a quarter of American teenagers have had sex by their 16th birthday, according to the CDC.

The science behind the federal recommendations for HPV vaccine is somewhat complex, and it doesn’t lend itself to political grandstanding. In the current climate, a mandate for HPV vaccines is probably not an effective way to improve uptake.

It would be far better if parents and adolescents understood the risks HPV infections pose and appreciated the benefits of the vaccine well before exposure occurs. If that happens, we might see more parents seek the vaccine for their children, making a mandate unnecessary.

Dr. Eberhart-Phillips is the former Marin County Public Health Officer, whose column appears every third Monday. He is a specialist in preventive medicine and the author of two books on emerging infectious diseases.

People with Painful and Embarrassing Moles Now Have a New Weapon: The Electro Waveform Technology of the VyGone Inhibitor Zapper

Springville, UT (PRWEB) January 28, 2012

If you have moles or warts, you know how embarrassing they can be. But the power of electro waveform technology is a proven,effective way to get rid of moles and even provide an effective wart treatment.

Warts and moles are commonly small and flat, often single but sometimes clustered. they usually develop on fingers, hands and feet, and less frequently on arms, legs, neck, abdomen or back. Planter warts are common on the sole of the foot and if inflamed, may cause ongoing irritation or pain. Skin warts and moles are not easily transferred by contact.

The VyGone Inhibitor Zapper literally zaps away moles and warts using the power of electro waveform technology. when applied to warts and moles and other areas affected by microscopic viruses, the mild electro waveform released by the VyGone Zapper stops viral activities and allow fast natural healing.

For the treatment of warts and moles, simply apply the Viral Inhibitor Pro for 4 full cycles in a circular pattern around the edge of the wart in a 4-star pattern. because warts are typically dry, wet the skin for better electro signal conduction. Applications should be hourly, up to 8 times a day. Continue applications for several months until moles and warts shrink and fall off. MD, of Orem, Utah, said the healing power of the VyGone Zapper was amazing.

“My wife had a lot of moles,” MD said. “We treated these with the Viral Inhibitor Pro and they started to shrink. they were raised and became un-raised and started to disappear. Warts will also disappear, if you apply it regularly, they’ll just vanish! it wipes away genital warts and it wipes through warts wherever they occur.”

But the VyGone Zapper is not just effective against warts and moles. it also can be used to eliminate the symptoms of cold sores, genital warts, molluscum, genital herpes, and even shingles.

Cold sores are herpes viruses that are transmitted by kissing, eating or drinking after someone already infected with the virus. many people are infected unknowingly while they are still in their youth. the viruses – which are like a short DNA protein and are 100,000 times smaller than a cell — are not alive. Therefore, they can never be killed, so nothing can cure cold sores.

Instead, the viruses lie dormant until they enter cells, copy millions of times, then burst and invade more cells. when they do, symptoms of cold sores can include early irritation, tingling, itching, burning, redness, pain, fever and tightness.

When the damage from these eruptions is sensed by the body’s immune system, it toughens the cell walls, then “dilutes” and ejects the Herpes viruses in blisters and weeping lesions that may take weeks to heal. After the blisters fade away, some of the virus remains, enters nerves and resides there dormant until the next breakout. Eventually they re-emerge and attack again.

But the VyGone Zapper can stop the blisters and lesions caused by cold sore viruses from ever forming. Its electrical pulses simulate the neural signals that stop herpes activities outside nerves. Without viral interference, the body’s fast natural healing can start to heal the outbreak.

The VyGone Zapper Pro is good for thousands and thousands of treatments. a typical cold sore can be dealt with in four to eight treatments. however, you can treat it as many times as you would like, and it can be used up to every half hour until the symptoms disappear.

People with moles, warts and other conditions now have a safe and effective tool to combat their often painful and embarrassing condition. Safe and effective the VyGone Zapper wart remover and mole eradicator can make these growths disappear forever. For more information about the electro waveform technology used by the VyGone Zapper, visit our website at VyGone.com.

Read the full story at prweb.com/releases/2012/1/prweb9111916.htm

Mother inspired by Israelites to circumcise child

A lot of mothers are taking advantage of the free services offered by government to circumcise their children.they do so for various reasons including hygiene, religion and lately, the prevention of diseases, more especially HIV. However, a lot still needs to be done in enlightening the nation about the importance of circumcision. some men still argue that if God wanted them to be circumcised, he would have created them already circumcised. a report by the National Emergency Response Council on HIV and AIDS (NERCHA) says though Swaziland is a highly traditional and cultural society, male circumcision (MC) has been widely accepted.  procedureA study conducted in the Manzini region found that, although circumcision was not traditionally practised, the procedure has been successfully reintroduced as one of the strategies for HIV prevention with over 80% of men willing to be circumcised. Almost 70% of women supported circumcision for their partners while both men and women were willing to circumcise their sons. a mother at the Early Infant Male Circumcision (EIMC) unit at Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital, Khabonina Dlamini had brought her three-year-old son for circumcision because the Israelites did the same.“it is a family belief that male children must be circumcised. our family believes  it is God’s command that male children should be circumcised at eight days old as the Israelites in the bible used to do the same. All males in our family are circumcised,” she said. She had brought her son Melizwe Dlamini who had a week-old circumcision wound. She emphasised that it was the parents’ duty to think for their children with the hope that they would appreciate it in future. “I do believe my son will appreciate that he underwent this when he gets old because he will also be prevented from sexually transmitted infections including HIV.”EIMC unit staff nurse, Ndumiso Moyo said Swazis waited until there was an emergency to get circumcised. this could involve an injury or an infection in the penis. he explained that the procedure was easy with babies than adults and the wounds healed faster. “Complications are minimal with children as compared to adults because they are barely active, hence the wound heals faster. Also, the pain is much manageable with children,” Moyo said.Mothers of new born babies line up everyday at the unit which takes up to 12 babies per day. Tibekile Vilakati, who was found waiting for her one-day-old son Nkosingzwile Sithole’s turn at the unit, said she decided to take her son for circumcision after seeing her sister’s son with an infection in the penis. encouraged“My sister’s four-year old son gets infections in the penis every now and again. that is why I decided that when I deliver my baby, I will take him for circumcision. My mother-in-law also encouraged me to take him,” she said. another officer at the unit Cynthia Shongwe explained that the children were screened first before they were taken to the theatre for the operation. “The children qualify when they are 12-hours-old. Children less than that cannot be circumcised. we also take children weighing 2.5kg and above and premature babies don’t qualify. we also check if the babies are fit for the process. Sick babies are sent back,” she said.

About 1 300 children circumcised

About 1 300 children have been circumcised at the EIMC unit since 2009, Moyo revealed. The neonatal circumcision programme was introduced by the ministry of health with support from UNICEF and PEPFAR. “The other MC target in the NSF is to increase the percentage of mothers who support their newborn sons or teenage boys to be circumcised to 50% in 2014. this is targetting the Early Infant Male Circumcision (EIMC) or neonatal circumcision. a number of health workers have also been trained to provide EIMC both in the clinics and in the maternity units, said NERCHA Public Relations Officer Hlobsile Dlamini.

Benefits of male circumcision

MC Coordinator, Ayanda Nqeketho explained that HIV and other infections like to attach themselves to the foreskin of the penis and that during sex, the foreskin is more likely to get small cuts or sores that allow HIV to enter the human body. “The removal of the foreskin (circumcision) reduces the chances of cuts and sores, hence reduces chances of getting HIV during sex, though not providing 100% protection. it also reduces the risk of sexually transmitted infections such as Syphilis, Genital warts and Herpes and also lowers the chances of genital cancer. “Women whose sexual partners are circumcised are less likely to get cancer of the cervix,” he said.

40 Million Americans Suffer from Genital Warts: ‘BestGenitalWartsTreatment’ Offers a 5-Day Cure

Houston, TX — (SBWIRE) — 01/31/2012 — For most people, the idea of going out with friends and meeting someone special is a very exciting prospect. From butterflies to flirtatious eye contact, finding a person that makes someone’s heart beat fast can be an exhilarating and confidence-boosting experience. but for more than 40 million Americans suffering from genital warts, the idea of meeting a prospective mate can seem daunting and scary. Caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), genital warts commonly affect men and women in their early twenties and appear as small flesh-colored bumps or cauliflower-like growths on and around the genitals. currently, there is no cure for HPV and, up until now, figuring out how to treat genital warts has been a mixed bag of creams and painful burning treatments. Featuring a proven method for genital warts treatment, “The 5 Day (Or Less) Genital Wart Eradication System” by Ashton Christiansen and his wife Jill offers a two-step home remedy for genital wart sufferers everywhere. after numerous unsuccessful attempts to cure their own chronic genital warts, Christiansen and Jill quickly began working on a way to rid themselves and others of the embarrassing and painful effects of the infection. The couple’s downloadable e-book manual gives people the simple tools they need to permanently eliminate their genital warts in five days or less no matter how severe or how long they have had their infection.according to the Center for Disease Control, there are almost 6 million new cases of genital warts reported every year in the U.S. For those wondering how to get rid of genital warts, “The 5 Day (Or Less) Genital Wart Eradication System” provides a powerful, in-depth genital warts cure that can be accomplished from the privacy of their home. and the good news is, the genital wart removal system can be used by anyone who suffers from the terrible infection. Christiansen states, “Regardless of who you are, where you come from, and how bad your infection is, this system will arm you with weapons you need to finally defeat and banish this vilest of enemies …forever!”And according to past users, the system works. Joe Martinez, a past user, said, “I was mortified at going to my school’s health clinic and being lectured on what a terrible person I was … I can’t believe in 3 days I already got these amazing results!”“The 5 Day (Or Less) Genital Wart Eradication System” is available for instant download for only $47 and comes with a 100 percent 60-day money-back guarantee and costs.to download a copy today or for more information, visit BestGenitalWartsTreatment.netAbout BestGenitalWartsTreatment.netBestGenitalWartsTreatment.net is a website created by Ashton Christiansen who, like millions of others, was diagnosed with genital warts. The site features information on the breakthrough treatment that he used to permanently eradicate his genital warts. Visitors to the site can download the natural five-day system through links on the website.

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SOMEONE ELSE’S WINDOWS: Unanswered questions By H. Marcos C. Mordeno | February 2, 2012

MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/1 February) – in today’s regular session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Bukidnon, Vice Gov. Jose Maria R. Zubiri Jr. suspended the house rules to enable an official from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the province to render a report on what they have accomplished since …

COMMENT: Pacquiao the Boxer in Congress By Patricio P. Diaz | January 31, 2012

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/30 January) – Pacquaio is facing his acid test in Congress: first, how well on the way is he in rounding the square peg that he is to fit into the round hole that is Congress? How is he living up to the great expectation cast …

PACQUIAO WATCH: more than words By Edwin G. Espejo | January 31, 2012

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/30 January) – Rep. Manny Pacquiao is professing he is now a changed man.

Of course he is. from the dirt poor kid to the mega millionaire celebrity who can shell out US$ 500,000 for a private yacht without batting his eyelashes, he is indeed a changed man.

COMMENT: Pacquiao the Boxer in Congress (3) By Patricio P. Diaz | January 30, 2012

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/29 January) — As a boxer and Filipino, has Emmanuel Pacquiao done much good for his country? Certainly! he made the sports world, American especially, take notice of the Philippines. he has given boxing in the Philippines the needed boost – inspiring promising Filipino boxers. for …

COMMENTARY: Week 2: the Corona Impeachment Trial By Edwin G. Espejo | January 30, 2012

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/29 January) — Being away and out of reach by technology during the days when many were expecting the Corona impeachment trial to proceed smoothly after a superb first week handling by Senator-Judge and presiding officer Juan Ponce Enrile, I am limited to picking up TV replay …

THE SEPARATIST: Memories of 2011: Pain, shock and a vow By Patricio N. Abinales | January 6, 2012

HONOLULU  (MindaNews/06 January) —  I wish I could say 2011 was a good year for us. But it was not. my memories of 2011 will always be colored by the pain and shock Angela and I felt when we woke …

Second exam important in child sex-abuse cases

When a child is thought to have been sexually abused, a second medical exam may be key to picking up injuries and sexually transmitted infections, a study found.

The American Academy of Pediatrics already recommends that kids being examined for sexual assault have a follow-up exam in the weeks afterward.

But until now, no studies had looked at the benefits of doing that.

For the new report, researchers reviewed the records of 727 children and teenagers who were evaluated for sexual abuse or assault over a five-year period.

They found that almost one-quarter of the time, the patients’ second exam changed the findings of the first.

In 18 percent of cases, there was a shift in the diagnosis of traumatic injuries.

Most often, the original examiner had said it was unclear whether the child had an injury suggestive of sexual assault (like tears or bruising), but the second examiner concluded that the findings were “normal.”

However, that “does not in any way” mean the child wasn’t sexually abused, said Dr. Nancy D. Kellogg, one of the researchers on the study and a child abuse expert at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.

It’s well known that sex-abuse victims often do not have telltale traumatic injuries, Kellogg told Reuters Health.

So it’s what the child says that’s most important.

Kellogg’s team also found that the second medical exam helped pick up sexually transmitted diseases that weren’t caught initially. That was true in nearly seven percent of cases.

Most often, Kellogg said, the follow-up exam caught genital warts — which would not yet have been apparent during the first exam.

The findings, reported in the journal Pediatrics, are based on 727 children and teens who were first examined at one San Antonio ER or the regional child advocacy center. A doctor or nurse trained in child abuse cases performed the exams.

The second exam was done about a month later at the child advocacy center, by an experienced child-abuse doctor or nurse.

During the initial exam, Kellogg explained, kids are “anxious or in pain — they’re traumatized. And that can affect the examiner’s ability to detect things.”

But the researchers also found that the first examiner’s experience mattered. if he or she had done fewer than 100 such exams, the second examiner was more likely to reach different conclusions on whether the child had a traumatic injury.

That, Kellogg said, points to the importance of having an experienced doctor or nurse do the second exam.

Some hospitals, she noted, have special “child abuse teams” who can evaluate kids for sexual assault. there may also be a nearby child advocacy center with doctors or nurses who can do the exam.

As for areas where those services aren’t available, Kellogg said she hopes the current findings give less-experienced pediatricians some guidance in evaluating kids for sexual abuse.

“We were a bit surprised by the findings,” she noted. “We didn’t expect the follow-up exam to make such a big difference in so many kids.”

Study: 1 in 14 People Has Oral HPV Infection

Pasieka/Science Photo Library RF via Getty Images

Human papilloma virus as seen through a colored transmission electron micrograph.

So how many people have human papillomavirus in their mouths?

Quite a few, say researchers who got more than 5,000 volunteers across the country to spit into a cup and answer detailed questions about their sex lives.

The bottom line: 6.9 percent of people in the U.S. (ages 14 to 69) have oral infections with HPV. some types of HPV are linked to cancer and genital warts.

About 3.7 percent of people have “high-risk” oral infections from types of HPV that are most likely to lead to cancer. about 3.1 percent have “low-risk” infections.

The results were just published online by JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association. an accompanying editorial says “these results are remarkable….”

How come?

 

A dramatic increase in cancers of the head and neck has been linked, in part, to HPV, which is also a cause of many cervical cancers. now we have some real numbers about the extent of infection in the U.S. to go on.

For instance, a virus type dubbed HPV-16 was found to affect about 1 percent of people. That’s the one that’s been detected in about 85 percent of oral cancers.

There were some other noteworthy findings. Men are much more likely to have an oral HPV infection than women (10.1 percent vs. 3.6 percent). And people who have had more sex partners and more frequent sex are more likely to be positive for HPV.

Merck and GlaxoSmithKline make vaccines against HPV. The vaccine is recommended for girls and, recently, boys to guard against cancers of the cervix and anus, as well genital warts.

But the vaccines aren’t approved to prevent oral cancers. And the researchers note that the vaccines’ effectiveness against oral HPV infections is “unknown, and therefore vaccination cannot currently be recommended” to prevent oral cancers.

Ohio State’s Dr. Maura Gillison, lead author of the paper, has served as a consultant to both Merck and Glaxo. Merck was one of the funders the study.

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