Rosetta, the comet chaser

 

During the past 10 years European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft was on a journey of 6.4 billion KM from the Earth bound for comet 67P, which hurtles away at 15KM per second and is situated 500 million miles from earth. The project was the first of its kind to reach its destination. It was launched on board a rocket. It had solar cells to provide electric power, its ‘orbiter’ carried 15 experiments and the ‘lander’ probes called Philae carried drills to sample beneath the comet’s surface. On th 12^th November 2014 Rosetta landed on Comet 67P which hurtles at 15 KM per sec. The craft got its name from the Rosetta stone of ancient Egyptians, which had hieroglyphics, carved on it revealing the history of Pharaohs. The present Rosetta hopes to discover the secrets of the solar system including the origin of planet Earth. Scientists celebrate this landing on one star while other stars watch us. Switzerland made the space watch capable of spanning 10 years.                                                               

                    

Comet 67P chosen for landing Rosetta

 

Rosetta with its landing gear

Rosetta bounced twice before settling down and stabilized finally, I KM from expected site of landing and settled at the edge of a crater unfortunately, a place where it will not receive direct sunlight to charge its solar cells.  Rosetta sent a tweet, ‘I’ll tell you more about my new home, comet 67P soon.’ A lot of data has now come from it but the cells need charging and it said in another tweet, ‘I am very sleepy’.

Sleep well little probe!

What scientists learn from Rosetta will rewrite textbooks.

·        Origin of man’s space program goes back to 1^st Oct 1957 when Soviet Russia launched the first satellite Sputnik into outer space.           

·        Americans felt humiliated but they reached the moon, 384000 KM from earth with Apollo 14 on 20^th July 1069 when Neil Armstrong walked the moon.

·        Few years later on 20^- 07- 1976 the American probe Viking 1 travelled 100 million KM landing on Mars, the red planet.

·        In 2005 the European probe Pagine, went 10 times as far, more than 1.3 billion KM to Saturn’s moon Titan.

And now to crown it all Rosetta is safely landed on Comet67P in November 2014 and once it faces the sun again its solar cells will recharge and send us valuable information even of the origins of life, so the scientists think.

                       *******************************

Put together by ZitaPereraSubasinghe from programmes on Euro News and BBC Radio website Ref: What is a comet

http://rosetta.jpl.nasa.gov/science/comet-primer/what-comet                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

An Update on Ebola

Compiled by Dr. Surangani Abeysuriya Fernando

Following up on Zita's recent contribution on Ebola, Sura has forwarded some facts gleaned from medical information websites such as Medline, Medicine Net, Medscape and those of international health agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) regarding symptoms, transmission and management of the disease.

Since Ebola is a viral haemorrhagic disease like Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF ) which is widely prevalent in Sri Lanka, Sura's update may be of interest to our colleagues based in Sri Lanka and elsewhere in the world.  

 EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE

EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE-  (EVD; also Ebola hemorrhagic fever, or EHF), or simply Ebola, is a disease of humans and other primates caused by Ebolavirus -  Ebola  is a highly infectious virus that can kill up to 90% of the people who catch it,

-Ebola virus is one of a group of viruses that cause a hemorrhagic fever syndrome. Symptoms of Ebola virus infection are similar to those produced by other hemorrhagic fever viruses

One of the difficulties in identifying potential cases of Ebola infection is the nonspecific presentation of most patients. Fever/chills and malaise are usually the initial symptoms, so all medical personnel should maintain a high index of suspicion in these cases.

 

Symptoms

 Usually begin with a sudden influenza-like stage characterized by fever, fatigue, malaise, reddened eyes, weakness, joint pain, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Patients experience a loss of appetite and often stomach pains. Some patients experience sore throat, rash, cough, hiccups,, Next, shortness of breath and chest pain may occur.,

 Later, as the disease progresses and worsens in severity, symptoms can include bleeding at various sites within or outside of the body. . In about half of the cases, the skin may develop a Maculopapular rash - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (a flat red area covered with small bumps).

Disease transmission

  WHO states that between people, Ebola disease spreads only by direct contact with the blood or body fluids of a person who has developed symptoms of the disease

 (through broken skin or mucous membranes in, for example, the eyes, nose, or mouth) with

• Blood or Body fluids that may contain ebolaviruses.  This  include saliva, mucus, vomit, feces, sweat, tears, breast milk, urine and semen. of a person who is sick with Ebola
•  virus contaminated needles, syringes etc
• infected fruit bats or primates (apes and monkeys)
  
  
• The fluids in question are primarily vomit and diarrhea, which develop as Ebola infection progresses .Most people spread the virus through blood, feces and vomit.

 The WHO states that only people who are very sick are able to spread Ebola disease in Saliva -
Ebola virus has not been reported to be transmitted through sweat

Ebola is not spread through the air, by water, or in general, by food. 

Recent report by  the World Health Organization has admitted that “wet and bigger droplets from a heavily infected individual, who has respiratory symptoms caused by other conditions or who vomits violently could transmit the Ebola virus over a short distance to another nearby person.”

WHO said it could happen when “virus-laden heavy droplets are directly propelled, by coughing or sneezing onto the mucus membranes or skin with cuts or abrasions of another person.”

 Ebola  is not transmitted  from casual contact, like sitting next to an infected person.But kissing or sharing food or a drink with someone who has Ebola could be a risk, since you might get his saliva in your mouth.

 Ebola virus is usually detectable in patients’ blood at the time of fever and symptom onset.
The bodies of deceased Ebola-infected persons are highly infectious Therefore disposal of a dead body is of paramount importance.              

 Diagnosing Ebola in a person who has been infected for only a few days is difficult because the early symptoms, such as fever, are nonspecific to Ebola infection and often are seen in patients with more common diseases, such as malaria and typhoid fever, Dengue fever.

As given by CDC       Laboratory tests used in diagnosis include:

Timeline of Infection	Diagnostic tests available
Within a few days after symptoms begin	Antigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing IgM ELISA Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Virus isolation
Later in disease course or after recovery	IgM and IgG antibodies
Retrospectively in deceased patients	Immunohistochemistry testing PCR Virus isolation

 Treatment

Recovery from Ebola depends on good supportive clinical care and the patient’s immune response.Fairly long lasting antibody response is seen after recovery Therefore rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids- and treatment of specific symptoms, improves survival.

No specific treatment or vaccine for the virus is commercially available .But research and trials are  ongoing
.The World Health Organization gave a green light to the use of experimental drugs to combat the Ebola outbreak in West Africa

Who is at risk Healthcare providers caring for Ebola patients and family and friends in close contact with Ebola patients are at the highest risk of getting sick because they may come in contact with the blood or body fluids of sick patients.

 Air travel  is of interest with the freedom of travel . Are we at risk if a passenger has Ebola infection.? , according to the WHO "It is highly unlikely that someone suffering such symptoms would feel well enough to travel,"

14 August 2014 ¦ GENEVA - The World Health Organization (WHO) today reiterated its position that the risk of transmission of Ebola virus disease during air travel remains low.

Protective measures recommended by CDC include

respiratory hygiene,
 use of personal protective equipment (to block splashes or other contact with infected materials), 

No skin should be exposed while wearing PPE

 safe injection practices

 extra infection control measures to prevent contact with the patient’s blood and body fluids and contaminated surfaces or materials The most essential preventive measures is successive hand-washing 

 Safe  disposal of Ebola infected dead bodies.

Punsiri Fernando - A Life Remembered

 

By Nihal D. Amerasekera 

My recollections are from those magical and bohemian days in the Medical Faculty. He took life easy but sailed through those examinations with consummate ease. Punsiri had a fine relaxed attitude to life and we remained friends throughout those gruelling five years. The students’ common room was his refuge. He was never averse to that extra cup of tea and a chat at anytime.  I recall with great nostalgia the Law-Medical encounter, the resultant justice and his part in the numerous discussions in the intervening period. Even in those early years, tall and forthright he was a fine leader. His desire to do the right thing, stood out.  He was kind, generous and always gentlemanly. 

I remember the time he went into Public Health. We were all wracking our brains to decide on our careers. He rapidly developed a reputation as a superb physician in his chosen field. It didn’t surprise me to hear of his rise and rise to emerge as the Director of the Anti-Malaria Campaign.  When Malaria re-emerged as a potent killer worldwide, with nasty resistant strains, Punsiri played his part in controlling the disease in Sri Lanka. He conveyed a sense of calm organisation regardless of the challenge, which was his hallmark. With his egalitarian outlook he must have made a good leader to his staff and to the public at large. 

His sunset years were sadly marred by his struggle with prostate cancer. Punsiri, by his attitude to his illness was inspirational and enriched our lives . As we celebrate his life we feel the sadness that he is no more with us. We cannot now  put our arms around and chat, as we had done so often in our youth. We will remember his sense of fun and the tremendous sense of humour. 

In this time of loss I seek the wisdom and comfort of the words of Omar Kayyam: 

The Worldly Hope men set their Hearts upon
Turns Ashes--or it prospers; and anon,
Like Snow upon the Desert's dusty Face,
Lighting a little hour or two--is gone. 

Ah, make the most of what we yet may spend,
Before we too into the Dust descend;
Dust into Dust, and under Dust to lie
Sans Wine, sans Song, sans Singer, and--sans End!

………….. 

Farewell my friend  

May he find the Ultimate Bliss of Nirvana

 

 

Punsiri's Funeral

I have just returned from AF Raymonds Funeral Parlour. There had been an error in the message sent by the CCPSL. It was at the parlour that I got to know that the cremation was scheduled for 6.00 pm and not 4.00 pm. I met both of Punsiri's sons and their wives.

Please see Comments under my first posting where I have included all messages received from members of the batch.

A tribute to Punsiri written by ND will be posted soon.

Funeral Arrangements - Punsiri Fernando

The following message is from the Secretary, College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka.

Dear all, 

It is with deep sympathy I inform that former Director Anti Malaria Campaign, Dr. Punsiri Fernando has passed away.

 

Remains will lie at A. F. Raymond's, Borella till 4.00pm today (Sunday 16^th November 2014).

The cremation will be at Borella Cemetery today at 4.00 pm. 

Sec/CCPSL

Punsiri Fernando

Dear Friends,

 

Senerat has just called me with the sad news that our dear friend and classmate Punsiri Fernando had passed away a little while ago. As most of you know, Punsiri was battling cancer of the prostate for quite some time.

 

Funeral arrangements will be notified later.

 

Lucky

Creative Spot - Another "Speedy" Special

Sent in by Mahendra (Speedy) Gonsalkorala

 

SEEK AND FIND

We seek love

We seek comfort

We seek friendship

We seek freedom

Freedom from pain

Freedom from suffering

Freedom to dream

Freedom to think

We seek permanence

where transience rules

We seek to receive

when we should give

Stop clinging, let go

Let go and be free

Be free and be content

Be content and be happy