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pan⋅dem⋅ic  /pænˈdɛmɪk/ Spelled Pronunciation [pan-dem-ik] –adjective

1. (of a disease) prevalent throughout an entire country, continent, or the whole world; epidemic over a large area.

Today's Cool Image is an illustration of the virus that causes Bubonic Plague, by CMSP illustrator Laura Olear.

The Bubonic Plague caused a massive pandemic in the world in 1330 in which countless people died. It was recognized by black spots called by bubos caused by swollen and infected lymph glands and by gangrene due to a devastated circulatory system. It came to be known as the Black Death. It was spread by fleas which transmitted the disease from rats to humans.

During the Second Sino-Japanese War, plague was used as a bacteriological weapon by the Imperial Japanese Army. These weapons were provided by Shirō Ishii's units and used in experiments on humans before being used on the field. For example, in 1940, the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service bombed Ningbo with fleas carrying the bubonic plague.[2] During the Khabarovsk War Crime Trials the accused, such as Major General Kiyashi Kawashima, testified that, in 1941, some 40 members of Unit 731 air-dropped plague-contaminated fleas on Changde. These operations caused epidemic plague outbreaks.

In modern times, several classes of antibiotics are effective in treating bubonic plague. These include the aminoglycosides streptomycin and gentamicin, the tetracyclines, tetracycline and doxycycline, and the fluoroquinolone ciprofloxacin. Patients with plague in the modern era usually recover completely with prompt diagnosis and treatment.

Wash your hands!!!!

Custom Medical Stock Photo has images of the virus that causes Swine flu, the plague and of people washing their hands :)

Contact CMSP for more info or FREE research. Have a nice day.

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Picture caption: Sports fans show off their new Haz-Mat Snuggies on their way to see their favorite team (just kidding).

As Swine Flu disease has spread from country to country in recent days, reports have emerged of people purchasing all sorts of products on the internet.

Next up: HAZ-MAT SNUGGIES. Order by midnight tonight and receive a second HAZ-MAT SNUGGIE FREE!

The Department of Health has focused on getting what are known as respirator masks. These have filters, which stop a person breathing in some particles in the air. They are much more effective than the standard surgical masks or dust masks that are sometimes used by builders.

However, none of the masks can stop 100% of the particles getting through and become less effective once they become moist. Instead, they are better at stopping the virus getting out.

If you sneeze with a mask the virus will be contained so from that point of view if everyone wore them it might stop the spread. And the problem is that when someone sneezes they tend to take a mask off. I think masks give people a false sense of security.

They are not bio-chemical suits. Masks are obviously just covering one part of the body so your hands and clothes could all have the virus on and when you take them off you will infect yourself.

So wash your hands often and wear a haz-mat suit whenever you go out shopping, or to a show, or dinner.

Custom Medical Stock Photo has a number of Swine Flu related images available for license for your blogs, newsletters, newspaper or magazine articles, etc.

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Another Cool Image of the Swine Flu virus. Custom Medical Stock Photo has a few images available of the Swine Flu virus that is effecting the World today.

The human swine flu outbreak continues to grow in the United States and internationally. Today, the CDC reports additional cases of confirmed swine influenza and a number of hospitalizations of swine flu patients.

Internationally, the situation is more serious with additional countries reporting confirmed cases of swine flu.

Contact CMSP if you would like to use a CMSP image in your next article or report.

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History tells us there are global epidemics every 30 to 50 years, with the last one happening in the late 1960s, governments across the world have been on alert for the past decade. The World Health Organization describes the current outbreak of swine flu as a major concern.

Today's Cool Image comes from CMSP photographer and co-founder Mike Fisher, who recently photographed this pig on a Mexican farm.

Governments across the world have been revising and making new plans since the re-emergence of bird flu six years ago in south east Asia. Nearly 150 countries are now known to have drawn up contingency plans covering everything from the response of health services to travel restrictions and international co-operation.

In 2007, the International Health Regulations came into place compelling all 194 member states to respond to a "public health emergency of international concern".
They are required to report results of surveillance activity to the WHO and open lines of communication with other governments.

A worldwide flu pandemic, could cost economies as much as $3 trillion. Already today, the markets have responded with declines in airlines stocks with major routes to Mexico.

We will keep watch on this potential problem. If you need photos of the swine flu (see last Friday's CMSP blog) email CMSP's research department of do a search on swine flu at cmsp.com.

CMSP's Cool Image of the Day

Today's Cool Image come from the CMSP files but the news comes from Mexico. The cool image is an electron micrograph of the swine flu virus.

A Swine Flu virus that is normally linked to contact with pigs has killed dozens of people and sickened hundreds of others in a viral outbreak in Mexico. Suspected is a strain of swine flu.

The WHO says it believes the virus is behind 60 deaths, mostly in and around the capital since mid-March. Mexican authorities have closed schools in affected areas and a vaccination campaign is being launched.

Seven non-fatal cases of a new form of swine flu have also been confirmed in the southern United States. Experts will carry out tests to determine if the two viruses are linked. It is not yet clear whether it is the same virus that left seven people sick in the US states of Texas and California.

US experts say they were suffering from a new form of swine flu that combined pig, bird and human viruses. "This is the first time that we've seen an avian strain, two swine strains and a human strain," says a spokesman for the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC said none of the seven victims had been in contact with pigs, which is how people usually catch swine flu. It was tracking those who had been in contact with the seven to see if the were ill, it said. All seven had made a full recovery.

Swine flu, bird flu and many other virus pictures can be found on the CMSP website. Custom Medical Stock Photo can help you find the images you need. Email our research department for FREE research.

It is Friday. Have a nice weekend.

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I am a day late for Earth Day, which was yesterday.

Earth Day 2009, April 22, marked the beginning of The Green Generation CampaignTM which will also be the focus of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day in 2010. With negotiations for a new global climate agreement coming up in December, Earth Day 2009 must be a day of action and civic participation, to defend The Green GenerationTM’s core principles: Family with windmills: Renewable energy for future generations.

* A carbon-free future based on renewable energy that will end our common dependency on fossil fuels, including coal.

* An individual’s commitment to responsible, sustainable consumption.

* Creation of a new green economy that lifts people out of poverty by creating millions of quality green jobs and transforms the global education system into a green one.

Custom Medical Stock Photo is building it's green energy file. If you need images of alternative energy, call or email CMSP's research department.

Have a green day.

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Water levels in some of the world's most important rivers have declined significantly over the past 50 years, US researchers say. They say the reduced flows are linked to climate change and will have a major impact as the human population grows.

The only area with a significant increase in water flows was the Arctic due to a greater snow and ice melting.

The study was published in the American Meteorological Society's (AMS) Journal of Climate. From the Yellow river in northern China to the Ganges in India to the Colorado river in the United States - the US scientists say that the major sources of fresh water for much of the world's population are in decline.

The researchers analyzed water flows in more than 900 rivers over a 50-year period to 2004. They found that there was an overall decline in the amount of water flowing into the world's oceans. Much of the reduction has been caused by human activities such as the building of dams and the diversion of water for agriculture.

But the researchers highlighted the contribution of climate change, saying that rising temperatures were altering rainfall patterns and increasing rates of evaporation. The authors say they are concerned that the decline in freshwater sources will continue with serious repercussions for a growing global population.

While some major rivers, including the Brahmaputra in South Asia and the Yangtze in China, have larger water flows, there is concern that the increased volume comes from the melting of glaciers in the Himalayas. This means that in future these rivers might decline significantly as the glaciers disappear.

Custom Medical Stock Photo has a nice collection of water shortage images and rivers.

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April showers is a term that denotes Spring rains in some parts of the Northern hemisphere.

Rain is liquid precipitation. On Earth, it is the condensation of atmospheric water vapor into drops heavy enough to fall, often making it to the surface. Rain is the primary source of fresh water for most areas of the world, providing suitable conditions for diverse ecosystems, as well as water for hydroelectric power plants and crop irrigation. However, not all rain reaches the surface; some evaporates while falling through dry air. This is called virga, a phenomenon often seen in hot, dry desert regions.

In Spring, the axis of the Earth is increasing its tilt toward the Sun and the length of daylight rapidly increases. The hemisphere begins to warm significantly causing new plant growth to "spring forth," giving the season its name.

Weather, lightning and rain images can be found at www.cmsp.com. Custom Medical Stock Photo has files far beyond medicine and healthcare. Contact CMSP for FREE research when looking for images for your next project.

Stay dry, enjoy the day.

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Today is 4/20 - April 20.

One explanation of the origin of the term 420 stems from a story about a group of teenagers at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, California, in 1971. The teens would meet after school at 4:20 p.m. to smoke marijuana at the Louis Pasteur statue. The exact time was chosen because that was the time that afternoon detention was dismissed.

April 20 ("4/20") has evolved into a counterculture holiday, where people gather to celebrate and consume cannabis. In some locations this celebration coincides with Earth Week. A large celebration is held every year on the University of Colorado's Boulder campus, with attendance reaching more than 10,000 in 2008. University police have tried various methods to prevent the gathering, including photographing students participating in the event, but the crowd has grown every year. In Dunedin, New Zealand, students at the University of Otago and other cannabis law reform activists meet under a walnut tree on the Otago University Union Lawn on Wednesdays and Fridays at 4:20pm to openly smoke cannabis in public in what they consider an act of protest. In 2008 a member of the Dunedin group was arrested and others were issued trespass notices after attempting to openly smoke cannabis at one of the regular 4:20pm protest meetings

On November 4, 2008, Michigan's medical marijuana law, received a resounding 63% of the vote and majority support in each of Michigan's 83 counties. The new law, which MPP's campaign committee drafted and ran the campaign for, went into effect on December 4, 2008. In the first five months, seriously ill patients had an affirmative defense available, which could be raised in court if they were arrested. On April 6, 2009, the full law went into effect and patients can now apply to the state department of health for ID cards that also prevent them from being arrested for the doctor-advised, medical use of marijuana.

You can leave comments on where you think the origin of 410 comes from. I always thought it was the police lingo in San Francisco when they caught people smoking pot.

Custom Medical Stock Photo has a great collection of drug images. Call CMSP of email research for more info.

Have a great day! And don't forget to pick up some munchies on the way home.

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Do you know how many calories are in your favorite alcoholic beverage?
According to a new study from the UK, 2000 people were questioned in a survey and only 60% of them had an idea. Many people are unaware of the calorie content of alcohol,the survey shows.

Four in 10 did not know a glass of wine has the same calories (120) as a slice of cake, or that a pint of beer has 180 calories.

"It's not only the calories in the drinks themselves that can help to pile on the pounds, we're also more likely to eat fatty foods when we've had one too many," says one of the researches involved in the survey.

Heather Caswell, of the British Nutrition Foundation, added: "Most people would balk at consuming a full glass of cream, but wouldn't think twice about a couple of pints."

Here is a fun idea.... If you see someone drinking wine, beer or hard alcohol this weekend, ask them if they know how many calories are in the drink! So you know, here are some facts: A glass of wine has approximately 120 calories. A pint of beer could have 190 - 200 calories, shot of vodka has 55.

It's Friday! I gotta go work out. :)

Custom Medical Stock Photo has pictures of beer, people drinking beer and other related images on file. Email CMSP for FREE research when looking for pictures to use in your next project.

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This patient has been treated with pan retinal photocoagulation (PRP) for diabeic retinopathy, the leading cause of acquired blindness in Americans younger than 65.

Laser photocoagulation is an outpatient procedure that slows the progress of vision loss in patients with diabetic retinopathy.

The coagulation (clotting) of tissue using a laser which produces light in the visible green wavelength that is selectively absorbed by hemoglobin, the pigment in red blood cells, in order to seal off bleeding blood vessels.

Photocoagulation has diverse uses such as, for example, in cancer treatment to destroy blood vessels entering a tumor and deprive it of nutrients, in the treatment of a detached retina, to destroy abnormal blood vessels in the retina; and to treat tumors in the eye.

Custom Medical Stock Photo has a huge selection of ophthalmic photos. Email CMSP for FREE research.

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Today's Cool Image depicts the NEST EGG. Examples of today's nest egg usually are intended for retirement, education, and even entertainment (vacations and cruises). The main idea is that the money in the nest egg shouldn't be touched except for the purpose for which you saved it.

But today is Tax Day. Taxpayers who owe taxes and don’t file their tax return by the deadline may face interest on the unpaid taxes and a failure-to-file penalty. Interest and penalties add to the total amount a taxpayer owes. Filing by the deadline allows taxpayers to avoid the failure-to-file penalty, even if they can’t pay all or some of their taxes by the deadline. Taxpayers who can’t file their return by the deadline can request an extension of time to file. However, an extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay. Blah blah blah.

Have a better day tomorrow.

Custom Medical Stock Photo

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Tomorrow is tax day in America. April 15.

When filing taxes it is best not to procrastinate. Haste to meet filing deadlines may cause a person to overlook mistakes. More and more people choose to file online and avoid the paper forms altogether. About 80 million taxpayers used electronic means to file in 2007.

CMSP doesn't have a lot of images about taxes, but you really only need one.

Call us at 773-267-3100 or email research for more info.

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Today's cool image is a cool image. How else can you illustrate the following story I found on the BBC news network. Enjoy.

A man faces a hefty fine and a driving ban after being caught having sex with his girlfriend while speeding on a motorway in Norway, police have said. Officers initially trailed the couple's car after noticing it was swerving from side to side and traveling at 20mph over the road's speed limit. But they soon realized the erratic driving was due to the woman "sitting on the man's lap", a spokesman said.

After filming the exploit for evidence, they pulled them over at a rest area.

The 28-year-old man's punishment will be decided within the next week, but police said he was likely to face a fine of several thousand Norwegian kroner and a lengthy driving ban. "Why they did it on a highway with such a high risk we don't know," Tor Stein Hagen, a superintendent with Soendre Buskerud Police District, told the AFP news agency.

"[The vehicle] was veering from one side to the other because the woman was sitting on the man's lap while he was driving and doing the act, shall we say," he added. "He couldn't see much because her back was in the way." Despite her prominent role in the incident, the 21-year-old woman was permitted by police to drive her lover home.

So, be careful driving home tonight.

Custom Medical Stock Photo has images on every health, science and medical image subject you can think of. Visit our website at www.cmsp.com or email research for more info.

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Pregnant women who suffer from stress are more likely to have a child with asthma, according to research from Children of the 90s study.

Researchers working with about 6,000 families in the UK found anxious mothers-to-be were 60% more likely to have a baby who would develop the illness.

The findings show 16% of asthmatic children had mothers who reported high anxiety while pregnant.

Mothers-to-be who were less stressed had a lower incidence rate.

Custom Medical Stock Photo has hundreds of asthma related images.Search on www.cmsp.com using the keyword ASTHMA.

Stress? It's Friday! Enjoy the weekend.

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A longitudinal wave can be created in a slinky. When the slinky is stretched out in a horizontal direction and the first coils of the slinky are vibrated horizontally. Each individual coil of the medium is set into vibrational motion in directions parallel to the direction which the energy is transported.

Now that is a cool photo. Multiple exposures using high speed electronic flash.

Custom Medical Stock Photo has thousands of educational pictures used to visually explain science.

The truth is, it is such a beautiful day in Chicago; I searched on the term SPRING on CMSP.com, thinking Spring the season. This cool image popped up.

CMSP's Cool Image of the Day

Today's Cool Image comes from CMSP's Educational Pictures collection.

ELLE OF GANDO - WEAVER of NAVAJO, ALBUQUERQUE NM

Navajo weaving is a gentle meditative art rich with historical cultural and spiritual significance. Highly treasured by collectors the Navajo rug has been an item that has been in high demand for hundreds of years. Originating back to the Spanish influence hundreds of years ago the Navajo people have created one the most beautiful and desirable art forms ever seen.

This weaver sits outside her mud house. Elle of Gando. Navajo, Albuquerque New Mexico.

For FREE research contact CMSP via email at research@cmsp.com or phone 773-267-3100.

It is a beautiful day in Chicago. I hope you enjoy your day.

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News Flash!!!! Ice bridge ruptures in Antarctic. An ice bridge linking a shelf of ice the size of Jamaica to two islands in Antarctica has snapped. Scientists say the collapse could mean the Wilkins Ice Shelf is on the brink of breaking away, and provides further evidence of rapid change in the region. Sited on the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula, the Wilkins shelf has been retreating since the 1990s.

European Space Agency satellite pictures had indicated last week that cracks were starting to appear in the bridge. Newly created icebergs were seen to be floating in the sea on the western side of the peninsula, which juts up from the continent towards South America's southern tip.

While the break-up will have no direct impact on sea level because the ice is floating, it heightens concerns over the impact of climate change on this part of Antarctica. Over the past 50 years, the peninsula has been one of the fastest warming places on the planet.

Separate research shows that when ice shelves are removed, the glaciers and landed ice behind them start to move towards the ocean more rapidly. It is this ice which can raise sea levels, but by how much is a matter of ongoing scientific debate.

Custom Medical Stock Photo has several global warming images. Call CMSP at 773-267-3100 or email research@cmsp.com for assistance finding the image you need.

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Today's Cool Image shows a researcher using ultraviolet lights (UV) analysis of fluorescing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) DNA separations;

The polymerase chain reaction is a widely used technique for the selective amplification of particular DNA sequences, such as individual genes.

The PCR is useful where the amount of starting material is limited or poorly preserved. Examples of PCR applications include cloning DNA from single cells, prenatal screening for mutations in early human embryos, and the forensic analysis of DNA sequences in samples such as fingerprints, blood stains, semen or hairs.

Molecular genetics is the study of the agents that pass information from generation to generation. These molecules, our genes, are long polymers of deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA. Just four chemical building blocks—guanine (G), adenine (A), thymine (T), and cytosine (C)—are placed in a unique order to code for all of the genes in all living organisms.

Too technical? Later this week we'll show less technical images.

Custom Medical Stock Photo has a great selection of DNA related imagery. Call, email or visit www.cmsp.com when you are looking for science or healthcare stock images.

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Today's Cool Image is an MRI showing a brain aneurysm, also known as a cerebral aneurysm, is a bulging, weak area in the wall of an artery that supplies blood to the brain. In most cases, a brain aneurysm causes no symptoms and goes unnoticed. In rare cases, the brain aneurysm ruptures, releasing blood into the skull and causing a stroke.

When a brain aneurysm ruptures, the result is called a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Depending on the severity of the hemorrhage, brain damage or death may result.

The most common location for brain aneurysms is in the network of blood vessels at the base of the brain called the circle of Willis.

Weren't you in a band in high school called The Circle of Willis?
:)
Custom Medical Stock Photo has many images showing aneurysms.

Contact CMSP at research@cmsp.com or 773-267-3100 when your project or campaign requires licensed medical images.

CMSP's Cool Image of the Day

Today's Cool Image is of a DXA scan showing osteoporosis.

A DXA scan is a type of medical test which is used to estimate the bone density of a patient. Such tests are useful for spotting early declines in bone density, which could be indicators of osteoporosis or other conditions. DXA scans are also called DEXA scans or bone densitometry tests, and they are typically recommended for the elderly, as they are at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis. In rare cases, such scans may also be used as diagnostic tools for younger patients.

DXA stands for Dual energy E-ray Absorptiometry. During the DXA scan, two x-rays with different levels of energy are aimed at the area of concern, and the absorption rate of the x-rays is used to calculate the concentration of minerals like calcium in the bone. Bones with a high concentration are deemed to be dense, at low risk of breaking, while bones with low density are porous, and potentially at risk of fracturing.

Typically, the DXA scan is performed on a bone which is at high risk of fracturing from osteoporosis, such as the hip. The test is usually very quick, and totally painless, and the amount of radiation involved is usually about a 10th of that experienced in a chest x-ray. After the scan, a radiologist will compute a T-Score and a Z-Score. The T-Score compares the density of the patient's bones to a healthy young adult of the same gender, while the Z-Score takes factors like age and ethnic identity into account.

Custom Medical Stock Photo has a huge selection of diagnostic scan which includes x-rays, PET scans and ultrasounds.

Contact CMSP at research@cmsp.com or 773-267-3100 when your project or campaign requires licensed medical images.

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April 1, 2009 - In America, today is the day we celebrate April Fools day. Radio stations play jokes on their listeners, websites post things like:

Microsoft Buys Apple

Kids play jokes on their parents. Employees play jokes on their employers, etc.

So I did a search on our website www.cmsp.com on the word fool. Look at the picture carefully. Did you recognize the canon as being a fake?

Then I found this website, The Top 100 April Fool's Day Hoaxes of All Time
As judged by notoriety, creativity, and number of people duped. Here are the top 5:

#1: The Swiss Spaghetti Harvest
Spaghetti harvest 1957: The respected BBC news show Panorama announced that thanks to a very mild winter and the virtual elimination of the dreaded spaghetti weevil, Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop. It accompanied this announcement with footage of Swiss peasants pulling strands of spaghetti down from trees. Huge numbers of viewers were taken in. Many called the BBC wanting to know how they could grow their own spaghetti tree. To this the BBC diplomatically replied, "place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best."

#2: Sidd Finch, Major League Pitcher
Sidd Finch 1985: Sports Illustrated published a story about a new rookie pitcher who planned to play for the Mets. His name was Sidd Finch, and he could reportedly throw a baseball at 168 mph with pinpoint accuracy. This was 65 mph faster than the previous record. Surprisingly, Sidd Finch had never even played the game before. Instead, he had mastered the "art of the pitch" in a Tibetan monastery under the guidance of the "great poet-saint Lama Milaraspa." Mets fans celebrated their teams' amazing luck at having found such a gifted player, and Sports Illustrated was flooded with requests for more information. In reality this legendary player only existed in the imagination of the author of the article, George Plimpton.

#3: Instant Color TV
In 1962 there was only one tv channel in Sweden, and it broadcast in black and white. The station's technical expert, Kjell Stensson, appeared on the news to announce that, thanks to a new technology, viewers could convert their existing sets to display color reception. All they had to do was pull a nylon stocking over their tv screen. Stensson proceeded to demonstrate the process. Thousands of people were taken in. Regular color broadcasts only commenced in Sweden on April 1, 1970.

#4: The Taco Liberty Bell
In 1996 the Taco Bell Corporation announced it had bought the Liberty Bell and was renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell. Hundreds of outraged citizens called the National Historic Park in Philadelphia where the bell was housed to express their anger. Their nerves were only calmed when Taco Bell revealed, a few hours later, that it was all a practical joke. The best line of the day came when White House press secretary Mike McCurry was asked about the sale. Thinking on his feet, he responded that the Lincoln Memorial had also been sold. It would now be known, he said, as the Ford Lincoln Mercury Memorial.

#5: San Serriffe
1977, The British newspaper The Guardian published a special seven-page supplement devoted to San Serriffe, a small republic said to consist of several semi-colon-shaped islands located in the Indian Ocean. A series of articles affectionately described the geography and culture of this obscure nation. Its two main islands were named Upper Caisse and Lower Caisse. Its capital was Bodoni, and its leader was General Pica. The Guardian's phones rang all day as readers sought more information about the idyllic holiday spot. Only a few noticed that everything about the island was named after printer's terminology. The success of this hoax is widely credited with launching the enthusiasm for April Foolery that gripped the British tabloids in subsequent decades.

Be careful what you believe today!