Archive for the ‘Humor’ Category

« Older Entries

Truck Air Suspensions: What You Need To Know Before You Buy

Tuesday, September 4th, 2007

If you’re a serious towing enthusiast, you probably already know the reasons why you should add a truck air ride suspension system to your heavy-duty truck: a quality truck air suspension system helps by cushioning a bumpy ride, leveling your vehicle, reducing wheel hopping, limiting trailer bucking and adding stability during braking. And, an air ride suspension system helps you protect your investment in your heavy-duty truck by preventing the harsh wear and tear caused by heavy towing.

But, before you make a decision to buy a product that can have such a significant impact on your truck, your trailer and your load, there are several factors to take into consideration, including load capacity, manufacturing quality, ease of installation, adjustments to your vehicle, warranty, and much more.
Here are a few tips for serious shoppers who are looking for optimum performance and value in a truck air suspension system.

All Truck Air Suspensions are NOT Created Equal

As you start shopping around, keep in mind that there are two main types of air suspension systems on the market:

• Adjustable “helper” springs. This type of system is generally comprised of an add-on helper spring that aids in leveling the truck and reducing vehicle bounce, dip, or bottoming out when hauling a heavy load or towing. The air springs can be adjusted, often with a service station air hose, to the truck’s load condition for more control and leveling support.

Disadvantages: The helper springs are bolted directly onto your truck’s factory leaf springs. Unfortunately, factory leaf springs deflect and twist under acceleration and braking. This axle “wind-up” not only makes the truck drop when you accelerate, but it also makes the truck dive forward when you apply the brakes, throwing nearly all the weight of the truck and trailer onto the front suspension and brakes. Helper springs also tend to distort the natural spring frequency of the leaf springs, actually making the ride worse in certain situations. This type of air suspension system is best suited for leveling the ride and light or occasional towing.

Advantages: initial cost is less expensive. (Note that additional equipment may be necessary over time, offsetting the cost).

• Complete towing suspension system. This type of system is designed to both level the truck and improve the overall ride. Installing these kits involves removing the steel leaf spring on the truck and replacing it with an entirely new air spring. Some manufacturers also replace front and rear shocks for optimum performance.

Disadvantages: More expensive. (Note: if you purchase a quality kit that comes complete with all the bells and whistles for long-term performance, it may offset the initial expense)

Advantages: Truck’s steel leaf spring is removed and replaced with a new spring, which allows for greater handling and control, stability, and safety, even when hauling the heaviest loads. Sometimes the manufacturer will install front and rear shocks to match the frequency of suspension.

Compare Important Features and Options

As with any product, each truck air suspension system claims to have the “latest and greatest” features and benefits. It’s easy to get caught up in all the hype, but when you come right down to it, there are a few things that are more important than others. Here’s a list of major features and options to consider when comparison shopping.

• Quality of materials. Does the manufacturer use high quality premium parts that will hold up over years of heavy hauling? Avoid plastic fittings and lower grade materials that may wear out or need to be replaced. Quality materials translate to greater reliability and a longer life for your air ride suspensions system, even under the harshest towing conditions.

• Ease of use. Is the system easy to use? Can you easily adjust your suspension level? Are there in-cabin controls to help you determine air pressure and load information? An air suspension system that’s difficult to level and adjust will cause you added stress and unpredictability.

• Articulation. Articulation, which is the up and down tilt of the axle, is a critical feature to consider. If you should have an accident and your trailer winds up in a hole, you want the axle to have maximum up and down movement. Most systems have heavy linkage between the front spring and the axle, which prevents adequate articulation.

• Towing capacity. Look for the towing capacity of the air suspension system and be sure it can adequately handle the load you plan to tow. When it comes to towing capacity, the bigger the air spring, the more weight it can handle. Keep in mind that your truck and trailer load should never exceed the gross combined weight rating (GCWR), which is the total weight of the trailer under fully loaded conditions, including food, water, gear, etc.

• Installation options. How is the system installed? Does your truck’s frame need to be altered to install the system? Do holes need to be drilled? Can the system be removed if necessary? Before you buy, be sure that installation won’t be a problem for your or your truck. Find out if you can install the system yourself or if it will require manufacturer assistance. If assistance is required, does the manufacturer provide you with a manual or access to a dealer or installation specialist?

• Warranty and risk guarantee. Does your system provide a warranty that won’t expire before you’ve had time to really test your system with a long haul? Does the manufacturer stand behind the product? Does the manufacturer offer a no-risk guarantee if you are not satisfied with the system?

Buyer Beware

Buyers need to especially beware of the claims made by many helper spring manufacturers that their systems are designed for heavy loads. In spite of the claims, the fact remains that these helper springs are bolted directly onto your factory leaf springs, which are NOT made for heavy towing. With this type of system, you run the risk of the leaf springs twisting under heavy acceleration and braking. In turn, this axle “wind-up” can make the truck drop when you accelerate, as well a throw the truck forward when you apply the brakes, throwing nearly all the weight of the truck and trailer onto your front suspension and brakes. If you merely want to level your ride, the helper spring makes a fine choice, but if you are serious about towing heavy loads, you need to consider a total performance towing suspension system.

Do a little research up front and you’ll avoid unnecessary wear and tear on your truck – and costly repairs down the road. Your main consideration should be overall ride performance, safety and stability during heavy towing. If you’re serious about towing, you need to be sure you are buying an air ride suspension system that can do more than level the ride; it needs to be suited for heavy towing. Like many things in the automotive industry, using an inexpensive aftermarket part often yields less than optimal results.

Author Bio

Matthew C. Middlebrook is the President of Talon - Performance Towing Suspensions. Talon provides “air tuned” truck air suspension systems designed exclusively for American-made heavy duty trucks. Talon’s state-of-the-art total suspension systems include linkage controls axle wind-up, wheel hopping, bucking, and oversteer for a smoother, safer ride. For more information, visit http://www.talon-usa.com

Posted in Home-Based-Business, Humor | No Comments »

Do American Truck Buyer Differ From Other Truck Advertising Websites

Tuesday, June 19th, 2007

Searching for a Semi Truck or a Heavy Truck can be difficult. For many years truckers have been obligated to search dealer by dealer hoping that their dream tractor-trailer would be in one of the dealers they would walk into. However, since the rise of the Internet truckers and companies have been increasingly aware of the efficiency of searching for trucks online. At American Truck Buyer our goal is to do just that. We want to make Searching for a truck fun and easy. Avoiding the sales pitch drivers can now use filters to find the perfect truck throughout the country in just a couple of minutes.

With so many Companies taking advantage of building their own truck search engines/databases one might ask how it is that we differentiate ourselves from the competition. Well in one example our business is Truckers not Trucks. Let me explain. While many companies out there are focusing on only making profits as a result of advertising trucks on the Internet, we are going the extra mile to not only focus on what produces revenues but on what a trucker really needs, which is certainly more than just having a truck. We have successfully built a web site where people can find great trucks, and also find insurance quotes, financing, dot inspection, transportation etc…. We also built other divisions that serve not only the people looking for a truck, but for existing drivers who are in love with their truck but need parts or services to tune up their baby. A full service web site for truckers is our vision. We want truckers to enter our site knowing that they won’t have to go anywhere else to find the equipment or service they need to get them back on the road.

Our parts and service page is effective in finding specific parts that a driver needs to repair or tune-up their truck. Saving the time of having to drive around town in search for a part nobody may carry. Our free service shoots out hundreds of emails to companies offering that part throughout a designated area. Within a couple of hours the driver can expect to receive several calls with shops offering their part along with a competitive price. This is the way we are innovating the trucking industry and making a full service web site for the truck driver. When people think of trucking we want them to think American Truck Buyer!

Bruno Raschio is the owner of American Truck Buyer. Online advertising for truck dealers is what done effectively and efficiently and is in the business of advertising dealers who are interested in expanding their trucking empire. With much more activity than can be seen on the surface A.T.B. is more than just advertising. To find out how American Truck Buyer Corporation can help your dealer increase sales and expand opportunities for your business visit the link : Trucks for Sale

Posted in Health-and-Fitness, Home-Based-Business, Humor, Men's-Issues | No Comments »

5 Cool Mobile Phone Features

Friday, May 25th, 2007

The world is becoming a smaller place…literally! Gadgets of the yore used to have a certain presence in one’s home, but today most have shrunk down to fit in the palm of our hand. Technology has come a long way since the days of Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Alva Edison. In today’s fast paced world, ‘multi-tasking’ is the mantra for gadgets and people. For instance, today’s mobile phones are powerful feature packed devices that you can slip into a pocket of your favorite body hugging denims.

In the beginning, cell phones were used to merely make calls. Today, mobile manufacturers compete with each other to launch feature rich cell phones all the time. Here is a list of some of the coolest features available on a mobile phone today:

1. Cameras: The camera phone was invented in 1997 and now it constitutes 85% of all mobile phone sales in the United States. There are two types of cameras available on cell phones, these are VGA and digital. Camera Mobile technology has come so far that people can now even make mobile films using their phones. Mobile phones with cameras offer a great way snap pictures or shoot videos wherever and whenever. You can then transfer these images and videos onto your PC at your own convenience.

2. Music: With the current models of mobile phones, you can listen to you favorite tunes while on the move. Mobile phones these days can store and play most music formats including MP3 and .wav. In fact, you can even tune in to your choice of radio stations on your mobile phone and enjoy uninterrupted hours of musical nirvana.

3. Business: Many cell phone models have been customized to serve the needs of the traveling business man. Features include personal organizer, calendars, memos, reminders, email facility, etc.

4. Connectivity: The latest models of mobile phones offer a host of wireless connectivity features such as Bluetooth, infrared, etc. The Bluetooth is a software that allows you to connect and exchange various files with any mobile phone with a Bluetooth function within a radius of approximately 10 meters. This can also be executed with the infrared function, only in this case, the infrared ports of both the phones need to be aligned with one another in order for the exchange to take place. A mobile phone can even act as a wireless modem to the PC and one can even surf the internet using the GPRS feature on the mobile phone itself.

5. Appearance: Apart from the many high-tech features, mobile phones come in a plethora shapes, sizes and colors. The colors may range from a cute pink to blazing red, from the simple matte black to flashy chrome. Even the way you can operate the keypads of these phones has changed. Besides the various keypad designs with different backlight options, you can buy yourself different styles of cell-phones, ranging from the normal to the flip and slider varieties.

Any way you look at it, mobile phones are becoming smaller, slimmer, faster and smarter. There is one that fits every budget, pocket and personality. So go ahead and pick one up for yourself and discover a whole new world of mobile phone technology.

Find cool Mobile Phones at http://www.mediamobile.co.uk

Posted in Arts-and-Entertainment, Debt-Consolidation, Finance, Humor | No Comments »

5 Tips For Generating Loads Of Traffic From YouTube.com

Friday, May 11th, 2007

I have a weird question for you. Has anyone ever sent you an email saying something like this:

“I just saw this hilarious video on YouTube.com you have got to check it out!”

Then they give you the link to the video?

Here’s one more question. Have you ever considered that there’s a lot of money to be made by using YouTube.com to generate traffic?

Let’s face it, people are going absolutely nuts over YouTube.com. Millions of people use the site every single day, and some of those silly videos get millions of views. Only this evening I was watching a popular chat show here in the UK called “Richard & Judy” and they had a whole 30 minute slot showing amusing videos from the site.

Among the top 25 Web brands ranked by unique audience, YouTube was the fastest growing from January to June 2006, increasing 297 percent, from a monthly unique audience of 4.9 million to 19.6 million.

The number of Web pages viewed has grown even faster, increasing 515 percent, from 117.6 million in January to 724.0 million in June. The average time spent at the site has increased 64 percent during the same period, from just over 17 minutes to nearly 28 minutes.”

Here are 5 simple tips for generating website traffic from your YouTube video

1. Before you even start creating your video do some keyword research at YouTube to discover what keywords are popular in your market and what types of video get most views.

2. When you create your account be sure to create both a custom profile and your own custom channel information to increase your chance of being found by eager viewers.

3. Be sure to include your URL in the video but be subtle about it as you don’t want your video to scream “advertisement”.

4. Create a video that will get people’s attention or generate a buzz as you want to create a viral effect.

5. People have short attention spans so keep your video as short as possible and less than 2 minutes at most.

It is relatively easy to get a lot of people to view your videos and takes little effort to get a top 10 ranked video in the YouTube search results even if your video is not that good. So a little effort could see significant traffic visiting your website.

To discover more tips and techniques for generating website traffic from YouTube, including case studies and where to get the tools required at nil cost visit http://www.estreetuk.com/tubetraffic/

Posted in Arts-and-Entertainment, Humor, Reference-and-Education, Women's-Interests | No Comments »

How The HumVee Became The Hummer Of Today

Friday, April 27th, 2007

The popular hummer vehicle manufactured by General Motors actually uses the design of the HumVee military vehicle. This vehicle was created to replace the old military jeeps of the US Army because it was getting obsolete in the sense that it cannot be adapted to the new requirements of the US Army today.

The need to traverse rough terrain easily simply cannot be done using the old style jeep. The new HumVee can easily do this using its wide suspension and stronger body. Of course, a bigger and better 4 wheel drive installed also helps a lot in making sure that the HumVee can indeed go anywhere on the face of the planet. Moreover, a deep water fording kit can also make the HumVee capable of fording a body of water up to 1.5 meters deep.

Today, there are more than 15 versions of this vehicle in the US Army alone. The HumVee army vehicle has become the standard cargo carrier, troop carrier, ambulance, automatic weapons platform, missile carrier and surface to air missile platform of the US Army.

It has become so popular that people are familiar with it without even having seen a real one. You can see HumVees in the news, in your pc games and in toy models. HumVee has indeed become the standard vehicle of the US Army.

The HumVee also has its civilian counterpart called Hummer. This vehicle is manufactured by General Motors and has become one of the popular vehicles in the market today.

The hummer is a vehicle derived from the HumVee design but on a smaller scale with components added for both comfort and style.

Today, there are several models of this vehicle being sold as a midsized sport utility truck or a sport utility vehicle. They are generally used by people requiring a rugged and off the road vehicle for their line of work. Some people also prefer them because of the image or the size of the vehicle.

Popular versions of these vehicle are the Hummer 1, which was the original design, the Hummer two, which was a smaller version of Hummer h1 and is considered as an efficient multipurpose vehicle, Hummer h2 sport utility truck which is a pickup truck version of the standard h2 vehicle and the hummer h3, which is even smaller than its two precedents and is being marketed as a mid sized sports utility vehicle.

Greg Lucas is a small business owner and an on-line marketing expert who owns and operates a large network of informative and educational websites. for more information please visit:
hummer pickup truck

Posted in Baby-Boomer, Home-Based-Business, Home-and-Family, Humor | No Comments »

Which Hummer For You

Thursday, April 26th, 2007

The monster vehicle that used to be available only to the United States Army is now obtainable for civilians through General Motor’s Hummer division. Hummers became the rave of the whole country after the highly popular Desert Storm in Iraq where its military counterpart, the HumVee, was featured endlessly. This popularity triggered worldwide demand and thus, the Hummer edition was created. Nowadays, military and civilians alike can avail themselves of these superb vehicles.

Hummers are available in three types of model: the H1, H2 and H3. H1 Hummers are generally the largest of the three. H3 models are those designed very much like other sports utility vehicles to suit a civilian consumer’s need for aesthetics. The H2 balances rider’s comfort and rough driving to the hilt. There are many more other sub models available under each type but none stands out more than the H2 SUT model.

The H2 SUT model incorporates a pickup and four-door SUV type, thus earning the name SUT. This innovative way of maximizing the benefits of a sports utility vehicle and a pickup truck gained much popularity from Hummer enthusiasts. General Motors have equipped this model with various features that would surely increase the demand for such a vehicle in the years to come.

This baby is powered by a Vortec 6000 V8 engine with 325hp and 4-speed automatic transmission. A variable throttle control with 2 different progressions allows for a precise control over rugged and off-road terrain. The H2 SUT also features a power glass window at the back of the cabin which can be folded down along with the second row seats to allow for a larger cargo area. This virtually means that you can load almost anything on the pickup truck. This model also offers a 4 channel anti lock braking system that helps the driver bring the vehicle to a controlled stop. Its flawless design allows the driver to sit comfortably behind the steering wheel without worrying about the SUT from nosing downward while braking hard.

To top it all off, the interiors of this type of model surely puts any vehicle to shame. Full leather interior with electrically adjustable seats make for a comfortable and enjoyable ride over any type of terrain. Bose speakers with separate audio sources for the second row passengers add to the beauty of this model. The H2 SUT is truly the king of all Hummers on the road today but General Motors has announced that a Pickup truck model may soon be on the market so keep an eye for what may be the best Hummer yet.

Greg Lucas is a small business owner and an on-line marketing expert who owns and operates a large network of informative and educational websites. For more information please visit:
hummer pickup truck

Posted in Business, Home-Based-Business, Humor, Marketing | No Comments »

Fun in Maine

Wednesday, April 25th, 2007

As a skiing hotspot many tourists make their way to Maine to hit the slopes in the winter and many of the locals will leave town as well to get away from the cold. However, if you do choose to make your way up to Maine for February there are several events that will warm you up after a day of skiing, snowboarding or ice fishing. If you are an avid ice fisher you may want to try your luck at the Ice Fishing Derby. The annual event is hosted by the Pushaw Lake Snowmobile Club every February. The fishing takes place in Bangor on Big Pushaw Lake in Hudson. There are prizes for total poundage of pike each day, heaviest bass, pickerel and white perch overall as well as a door prize. The Bangor Region is located between the rugged coastline of Downeast Maine and the North Woods of Main. The area attracts travelers from Maine and Canada, as it also has a significant retail industry.

The Chocolate Extravaganza is held in Ogunquit and is free to the public. Guests get to try every kind of free chocolate treats as well as enjoy entertainment such as the live band, Sweet Deal or No Deal and a 5 foot chocolate sandcastle. Ogunquit is a beautiful beach town that is well-known for their arts community. There are several galleries, private studios, restaurants, lounges, gift shops and guesthouses while you are visiting the town. The International Snowmobilers Festival is a three-day event that allows Festival ID holders to enjoy the miles of snowmobile trails. There are 100-200 miles of trails on both the American and Canadian borders. The event also includes dinners, dancing, drag races and breakfast. The event is held in Madawaska and Northern New Brunswick.

The Annual Caribou Bog Ski Race and Tour is a cross-country ski race and tour held in Essex Woods and Bangor. This is a classic style race and tour that is approximately 20K. The course starts at the bottom of Essex St. Hill to the old Veazie Rail Line to Caribou Bog and finishes at the Sargent Rec. Center in Stillwater. The Flying Moose Classic Cross Country Ski race is a 10K race for all ages. The event is held at the Bethel Inn Nordic Center-Pine Hill Trails. Children’s races follow the adult races and are Lollipop, 1K and 3K.

Rob Vrabel is the co-founder of maine.2havefun.com, the largest directory of fun things to do in Maine. Visit this great directory at http://www.2havefun.com

Posted in Arts-and-Entertainment, Humor, Relationships | No Comments »

Does the Bible Allow Women of the Church to Teach Men?

Sunday, April 22nd, 2007

The First Baptist Church of Watertown NY has created a controversy in the media with its firing of a long time Sunday school teacher on the grounds that she is a women. The mainstream media is of course all over the gender rights aspect of this story.

My question is, does First Baptist Church have it right? Does the Bible teach that women are not to teach men as a guide line to be followed by all churches or was this teaching meant only for the church at Ephesus?

The Ephesian Church at the time of Paul’s instructions to Timothy was ripe with false teachers and heresies. Timothy was to restrain (1 Tim 1:3) these false teachers on the grounds that they taught out of vain self interests (1 Tim 6:3-4)

As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer 1 Tim 1:3 (NIV)

If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 1 Tim 6:3-4 (NIV)

Paul in his second letter to Timothy makes a point of saying some of the women of the church were being swayed by these false teachers. (2 Tim 3:6-9)

They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. 2 Tim 3:6-9 (NIV)

He includes a sanction against younger women of the church who had corrupted their witness for the sake of earthly things. (1 Tim 5:11-15)

As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to. So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.

1 Tim 5:11-15 (NIV)

Understanding both of these facts also explains Paul’s call for women of the Ephesian church to silence. (1 Tim 2:11)

A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 1 Tim 2:11 (NIV)

Comparing the typical first century woman with the women of today from an educational background, we can easily see a cultural trend. The women of today are far better educated, thus better equipped to teach.
.
Allowing the Bible to interrupt itself we see instances of women teaching men (Acts 18:26) and even prophesying. (1 Cor 11:5) and (Acts 21:8-9)

He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. Acts 18:26 (NIV)

And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is just as though her head were shaved. 1 Cor 11:5 (NIV)

Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. Acts 21:8-9 (NIV)

The Bible is clear on the issue of women teaching, even teaching men. They are allowed to teach, no required if thus gifted to teach, even men.

1 Timothy 2:12 then would be for the Ephesian Church at that time and not a precedence for time immemorial.

Clyde Annach is the operator of the Web Log Aha! Clyde’s been thinking again!

Posted in Arts-and-Entertainment, Audio-Video, Computers-and-Technology, Humor | No Comments »

Landscape Architecture Education

Friday, April 20th, 2007

If you are seeking a landscape architecture education then you should know about some of the diverse courses that you will encounter while enrolled in a landscape architecture school.

For starters, candidates who are interested in the field of landscape architecture will need to attain extensive education and training to acquire gainful employment. In most cases, a quality landscape architecture education will lead to a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.

In addition to general education, the typical curriculum in a landscape architecture course would include: construction and design of landscape, geology, management, landscape ecology, urban/regional development, agriculture, historical aspects regarding landscape architecture, plant and soil sciences, environmental engineering and other relevant studies.

Since 2004, nearly all states in America require licensure or registration of architects and landscape architects. Upon successful completion of landscape architecture school and applicable work experience, students may obtain their registration when they sit for the Landscape Architect Registration Examination (L.A.R.E.).

A thorough landscape architecture education enables future architects to design buildings, roadways and sidewalks, prominent parks and playgrounds, industrial parks, shopping centers, school campuses, and more. Career prospects are promising, as job growth is anticipated to be faster than average through the coming years.

If you would like to learn more about Landscape Architecture Education or even Online Landscape Architecture Schools , you can find more in-depth information and resources on our website.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.

Copyright 2007 - All rights reserved by SchoolsGalore.com, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc.

Notice: Publishers are free to use this article on an ezine or website, provided the article is reprinted in its entirety, including copyright and disclaimer, and ALL links remain intact and active.

Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Landscape Architecture Schools, Colleges, Universities, Vocational Schools, and Online Schools at SchoolsGalore.com, your educational resource to locate schools.

Posted in Arts-and-Entertainment, Chocolate, Ecommerce, Humor | No Comments »

Tuberculosis (TB) Part 1

Thursday, April 19th, 2007

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is the number one infections disease killer worldwide. The World Health Care Organization estimates that 2 billion people have latent TB, while another 3 million people worldwide die each year due to TB.

On average, the isoniazid (INH) resistance rate is approximately 10% and the rifampin resistance rate is approximately 1%, with lower numbers in countries with good TB programs and higher numbers in the countries with poor TB programs.

Pathophysiology: Humans are the only known reservoir for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB is transmitted by airborne droplet nuclei, which may contain fewer than 10 bacilli. Exposure to TB occurs by sharing common airspace with a patient who is infectious. When inhaled, droplet nuclei are deposited within the terminal airspaces of the lung. Upon encountering the bacilli, macrophages ingest and transport the bacteria to regional lymph nodes.

The bacilli have 4 potential fates:

1. They may be killed by the immune system.

2. They may multiply and cause primary TB.

3. They may become dormant and remain asymptomatic, or

4. They may proliferate after a latency period (reactivation disease). Reactivation disease may

occur following either 2. or 3. above.

Frequency:

In The US: Beginning in 1985, a resurgence of TB was noted. The increase was observed primarily in ethnic minorities and especially in persons infected with HIV. TB control programs were revamped and strengthened across the United States. After peaking at 25,287 (1993), the number of reported cases began to fall again. In 2001, 15,989 cases of TB were reported to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). An estimated 10-15 million people have latent infection. Among foreign immigrants, 74% of cases reported in 1998 were related to 7 countries:

1. Vietnam

2. Philippines

3. India

4. China

5. South Korea

6. Mexico

7. Haiti

Foreign born persons account for a steadily increasing proportion of all reported TB cases.

Internationally: An estimated 20-33% of the world’s population is infected with M tuberculosis. Countries with the highest prevalence include Russia, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Korea, China, Tibet, Hong Kong, Egypt, most Sub Saharan African countries, Brazil, Mexico, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Haiti, Honduras, and areas undergoing civil war (e.g. Balkan Countries). Countries in Eastern Europe have an intermediate prevalence. Costa Rica, western and northern Europe, the United States, Canada, Israel, and most countries in the Caribbean have the lowest prevalence.

Mortality / Morbidity: The case fatality rate for TB was 50% for untreated patients before the advent of antibiotic therapy. Deaths worldwide are are estimated at 3 million per year. In United States, the mortality rate dropped from 12.4 deaths per 100,000 population (1953) to 0.6 deaths per 100,000 population (1993); this is approximately 7% per newly identified case.

Multidrug resistant during tuberculosis (MDR-TB) cases have a higher reported mortality rate. Patients with underlying diseases predisposing to active TB also have higher morality rates.
Morality of untreated congenital TB is 50%.
TB can mimic congenital syphilis or cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection.

Race: Based on 1990 CDC data, case rates were 10 times higher for Asians and Pacific Islanders; 8 times higher for non Hispanic blacks; and 5 times higher for Hispanics, Native Americans, and Native Alaskans, as compared to non Hispanic whites. However, race may not be an independent risk factor. Risk is best defined on the basis of social, economic, and medical factors.

Sex: Despite the fact that TB rates have declined in both sexes in the United States, certain differences exist. TB rates in women decline with age; in men, they increase with age. Men are more likely to have a positive tuberculin skin test. The reason for these differences may be social rather than biological in nature.

Age: In the 1997 CDC data for the United States, more than 60% of cases occurred in persons aged 25-64 years. The age specific risk was highest in persons older than 65 years. Infection in infants and young children (up to 5years) always indicates recent transmission. If left untreated, it may result in life threatening meningitis or disseminated disease, Elderly patients may not have typical signs and symptoms of infection because they may not mount a good immune response. In elderly patients, an active tuberculosis infection may present as an non resolving pneumonitis.

Dr. D.S. Merchant Resident Medicine
Gold Medalist (Anatomy & Histology)
Visit: http://www.lipidholdings.com

Posted in Arts-and-Entertainment, Humor, Insurance, Marriage | No Comments »

« Older Entries