The 'Tree Man of Java' Dede Koswara
Epidermodysplasia verruciformis
Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (also called Lewandowsky-Lutz dysplasia or Lutz-Lewandowsky epidermodysplasia verruciformis) is an extremely rare autosomal recessive genetic hereditary skin disorder associated with a high risk of carcinoma of the skin. It is characterized by abnormal susceptibility to human papillomaviruses (HPVs) of the skin. The resulting uncontrolled HPV infections result in the growth of scaly macules and papules, particularly on the hands and feet. It is typically associated with HPV types 5 and 8, which are found in about 80% of the normal population as asymptomatic infections, although other types may also contribute.
The condition usually has an onset of between the ages of 1–20, but can occasionally present in middle-age. It is named after the physicians who first documented it, Felix Lewandowsky and Wilhelm Lutz.
Genetic cause
The cause of the condition is an inactivating mutation in either the EVER1 or EVER2 genes, which are located adjacent to one another on chromosome 17. The precise function of these genes is not yet fully understood, but they play a role in regulating the distribution of zinc in the cell nucleus. It has been shown that zinc is a necessary cofactor for many viral proteins, and that the activity of EVER1/EVER2 complex appears to restrict the access of viral proteins to cellular zinc stores, limiting their growth.
Diagnosis
Clinical diagnostic features are lifelong eruption of pityriasis versicolor-like macules, flat wart-like papules and development of cutaneous carcinomas.
Patients present with flat, slightly scaly, red-brown macules on the face, neck and body, or verruca-like papillomatous lesions, seborrheic keratosis-like lesions, and pinkish-red plane papules on the hands, upper and lower extremities, and face. The benign form of EV presents with only flat, wart-like lesions over the body, whereas the malignant form shows a higher rate of polymorphic skin lesions and development of multiple cutaneous tumors.
Generally cutaneous lesions are disseminated over the body, but there are some cases with only a few lesions which are limited to one extremity
Treatment
A totally effective treatment method against EV has not yet been found. Several treatments have been suggested, and acitretin 0.5–1 mg/day for 6 months’ duration is the most effective treatment owing to antiproliferative and differentiation-inducing effects.
Interferons can also be used effectively together with retinoids.
Cimetidine was reported to be effective because of its depressing mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation and Regulatory T cell activity features. A report by Oliveira et al. showed that cimetidine was ineffective. Hayashi et al. applied topical calcipotriol to a patient with a successful result.
As mentioned, various treatment methods are offered against EV; however, most importantly, education of the patient, early diagnosis and excision of the tumoral lesions take preference to prevent the development of cutaneous tumors.
Notable cases
In March 2007, a Romanian man named Ion Toader was diagnosed with this condition.The man, a patient of dermatologist Carmen Madeleine Curea, his pictures appeared on numerous blogs and Romanian press sources. Curea works out of Spitalului Clinic Colentina in Bucharest, Romania. Stephen Stone, past president of the American Academy of Dermatology, confirms this is Lewandowsky-Lutz.
In November 2007, a new video of a 34-year-old Indonesian man named Dede Koswara with a similar disease appeared on the internet. His story has appeared in the Discovery Channel and TLC series "My Shocking Story" ("Extraordinary People" on UK's Five) in the episode "Half Man Half Tree". And then on August 12, 2008, Dede Koswara's story was the subject of an ABC's Medical Mystery episode entitled "Tree Man".
Dede Koswara his ordeal started when he was 15 and cut his knee where a small wart developed and spread) with the bizarre condition, Dede expressed that he wants to get better and find a job and hopes that one day he will meet a girl and get married.
"This is the most remarkable case, the most severe case, I have seen in my career," said American doctor Anthony Gaspari at a news conference in Bandung, about a two-hour drive from capital city Jakarta.
For Dede (who is known by his first name), what started as a simple wart on his knee as a teenager spiraled his life out of control when it became infected. Treelike growths gradually spread all over his legs, arms, chest and face.
He became physically unable to do basic functions and everyday tasks.
As a result of his condition, Dede lost his job, and his wife left him. He moved in with his parents and has been supported by extended family. His two kids often visit him at the hospital.
On 26 August 2008, Dede returned home following surgery to remove 6 kg (13 lb) of warts from his body. The surgery consisted of three steps:
Removal of the thick carpet of warts and massive horns on his hand.
Removal of the smaller warts on his head, torso, and feet.
Covering of the hands with grafted skin.
In all, 95% of the warts were removed. The surgery was documented by the Discovery Channel and TLC in the episode "Treeman: Search for the Cure." However, his warts have returned and it appears he will need two surgeries a year for the rest of his life to keep them at bay.
In 2009 the Discovery Channel episode "Treeman Meets Treeman" reported on another Indonesian man, from the same region as Dede, who also has the disease and was given a similar treatment for it. Thus far his treatment seems to have worked better. In the Netherlands a man of Indonesian ethnicity also had the disease and was treated with radiation therapy, which seemed to be successful but gave him crippling cancer.
Other website about The 'Tree Man of Java' Dede Koswara : The Telegraph
Source : Wikipedia
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The 'Tree Man of Java' Dede Koswara
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The 'Tree Man of Java' Dede Koswara
The Tarahumara - A Hidden Tribe of Superathletes Born to Run
The Tarahumara - SUPER ATHLETES OF THE SIERRA MADRE
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The Tarahumara a.k.a. The super Athletes of the Sierra Madre
The Rarámuri or Tarahumara are an indigenous people of northern Mexico who are renowned for their long-distance running ability.In their language, the term rarámuri refers specifically to the males, females are referred as muki (individually) or igomele (collectively).
Originally inhabitants of much of the state of Chihuahua, the Rarámuri retreated to the Copper Canyon in the Sierra Madre Occidental on the arrival of Spanish explorers in the sixteenth century. The area of the Sierra Madre Occidental which they now inhabit is often called the Sierra Tarahumara because of their presence.
Current estimates put the population of the Rarámuri in 2006 at between 50,000 and 70,000 people. Most still practice a traditional lifestyle, inhabiting natural shelters such as caves or cliff overhangs, as well as small cabins of wood or stone. Staple crops are corn and beans; however, many of the Rarámuri still practice transhumance, raising cattle, sheep, and goats. Almost all Rarámuri migrate in some form or another in the course of the year.
The Tarahumara language belongs to the Uto-Aztecan family. Although it is in decline under pressure from Spanish, it is still widely spoken.
Athletic prowess.
The word for themselves, Rarámuri means "foot-runner" or "he who walks well,"in their native tongue according to some early ethnographers like Norwegian Carl Lumholtz, though this interpretation has not been fully agreed upon. With widely dispersed settlements, these people developed a tradition of long-distance running up to 435 miles (700 km) in one session, over a period of two days through their homeland of rough canyon country, for intervillage communication and transportation.Before these long distance runs, they consume large quantities of corn beer which is very high in carbohydrate and very low on alcohol. Sport scientists have studied that it takes up to 46,000 kcal to run 700 km. The Tarahumara also use the toe strike method of running which is natural for bare-footed runners. The long-distance running tradition also has ceremonial and competitive aspects. Often, male runners kick wooden balls as they run in "foot throwing" competitions, and females use a stick and hoop. The foot throwing races are relays where the balls are kicked by the runners and relayed to the next runner while teammates run ahead to the next relay point. These races can last anywhere from a few hours for a short race to a couple of days without a break. It is widely believed that all ancient humans used this method to hunt their prey. They would chase the quadruped up to galloping speed until it overheated, causing it to stop and catch its breath. Quadrupeds don't usually sweat and therefore need to pant to cool down. Scientists have shown that virtually all quadrupeds cannot pant whilst running. And they've been known to irritate American ultramarathoners by beating them while wearing huarache sandals and stopping now and then for a smoke.
Tarahumara religion
The Rarámuri religion is a mélange of indigenous customs and Roman-Catholic Christianity, characterized by a belief that the afterlife is a mirror image of the mortal world, and that good deeds should be performed not for spiritual reward, but for the improvement of life on earth. In certain traditions (perhaps those more strongly based on pre-Columbian practice), the soul ascends a series of heavens, is reincarnated after each death, and after three lives becomes a moth on earth, which represents the final existence of the soul. When the moth dies, the soul dies completely. However, this end is not regarded as negative or a punishment, but merely as a continuation of the order of life. In Rarámuri cosmology, God has a wife who dwells with him in heaven, along with their sons, the so-called 'sukristo' (from Spanish 'Jesucristo') and their daughters, the 'santi'. These beings have a direct link with the physical world through Catholic iconography, respectively crucifixes and saint's medallions. The Devil's world is not necessarily evil, but is tainted through its ties with the 'Chabochi', or non-Rarámuri. The Devil is said to sometimes collaborate with God to arrange fitting punishments, and can be appeased through sacrifices. In some cases, the Devil can even be persuaded to act as a benevolent entity. The Devil and God are brothers (the Devil is the elder) who jointly created the human race. God, using pure clay, created the Rarámuri, whereas the Devil, mixing white ash with his clay, created the Chabochi. Thus, the Devil is as much protector and life-giver to the Chabochis as God is to the Rarámuri. The Rarámuri share with other Uto-Aztecan tribes a veneration for peyote.
Luis G. Verplancken, a Jesuit priest who lived among them for many years and is probably the greatest authority on their history and culture, describes them as loyal to God, to their own traditions and their own culture. Although the majority of them have converted to Christianity, there are still some "gentile" groups who have refused baptism. Those converted have introduced their own ancient concepts into their new religion.
The Rarámuri are also known for the brewing of tesguino, a corn-based beer brewed in ceramic jars, that features prominently in many Rarámuri religious rituals.
Other websites about The Tarahumara : National Geographic
Tarahumara: Festival of The Easter Moon : Der.Org
Here’s the quote from Born To Run:
“Think Easy, Light, Smooth, and Fast. You start with easy, because if that’s all you get, that’s not so bad. Then work on light. Make it effortless, like you don’t give a shit how high the hill is or how far you’ve got to go.”
You don’t give a shit how high is the hill or how far you’ve got to go.
You don’t care how far you’ve already run or how tired you are.
You don’t care about your pains or your shoes.
You don’t care about your run tomorrow or if you’ll ever run again.
You don’t care.
You just run!
Source : Wikipedia
Giant Catfish
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Blind woman catches record Albino Catfish.
A fisherman who introduced his blind wife Sheila Penfold, 59 to fishing has been upstaged twice - as he watched her break two world records for catching giant catfish.
Retired gardener Alan Penfold, 63, decided to start bringing wife Sheila along on his fishing trips four years ago but wouldn't have expected to be upstaged by his partially-sighted partner.
She has broken the record for the biggest catfish ever caught by a woman and then hooked the largest albino catfish ever caught in two fishing holidays.
The 59-year-old housewife, who has three children, three grandchildren and one great grandchild, said her second record-breaker came on October 4 this year when she reeled in a rare albino catfish.
She was rowed out into the middle of the river to place her bait before heading back to the shore - and within minutes she felt a tug on her line which she said 'felt like a car', she told the Angler's Mail.
After nearly an hour of reeling the fish to the surface, she almost dropped her rod in amazement when she heard people shouting around her that it was a very rare catfish.
Four fellow fishermen and the tour guide helped Sheila, from Wandsworth, south London, get the huge fish onto dry land.
The previous world record for an albino catfish- caught by either a man or a woman - was just 179lb, almost a stone lighter than Sheila's catch.
Speaking about the moment she hooked the albino catfish, Sheila - who is just 5ft 3ins - said: 'When I first felt the tug I thought, 'this is either a good biter or a massive fish and then all of a sudden it started streaming off the line and it felt like I had hooked a car.'
'My first catch was a 106lb catfish and I never really thought I'd do much better than that, but now I have two world records which is amazing.
'It's funny really because Alan matched my 214lb catfish this year, but then I go and get another world record by catching a 192lb albino catfish which put his catch in the shade somewhat.'
Alan said: 'What can I say. She's got two world records and I don't have any.
The biggest catfish ever caught in the world by a man is a staggering 646lb - or 46 stone - Giant Mekong Catfish caught in Thailand in 2005.
Source : The DailyMail
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Junrey Balawing the next smallest man in the World?
He might only be slightly taller than a glass bottle, but Junrey Balawing is set to break big world records.
The tiny teenager will soon be crowned the world's smallest man, standing at a mere 22 inches.
The minuscule man from Zamboanga del Norte, in the Philippines, is already 17 years old but is just the same size as a one-year-old.
And when he celebrates his 18th birthday in June he is excepted to shave five inches of the current Guinness World Record.
He struggles to walk and can't stand for long, but he looks forward to wearing the crown with pride.
'If I were the smallest man in the world, it would be very cool,' he said.
His mother, Concepcion, 35, says she noticed something was wrong as Junrey approached the age of two but no doctor was able to help
'He was always sick and we noticed he wasn't growing so we took him to see a doctor but they were baffled,' she says.
When Junrey was 12 the family took him back to the doctor but their only advice was to take more vitamins, which the family couldn't afford.
The family live in a very remote part of the Philippines, the nearest town is an hour away and they're 570 miles from Manila.
Junrey's father Reynaldo, 37, works as a blacksmith in the town centre and is only home at weekends because of travel difficulties
And while Junrey's younger but taller siblings, Jaycel, 13, Jay-art, 11 and Jeanritch, six, go to school, he stays at home all day with his mother.
Concepcion said: 'I would love to be able to work while my other children are at school but I can't leave Junrey. He needs my care every minute of every day.
'Junrey can only walk with some help and he can't stand for too long because he's in too much pain. But he loves it when I tell him he's the smallest man in the world, he just smiles with pride.'
Based on the Guinness Book of Records, the current smallest man in the world is 24-year-old Niqo Hernandez of Colombia, standing at 27 inches.
Source : The DailyMail
Junrey Balawing Shortest man Guinness World Record 2011
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Junrey Balawing the smallest man in the World.
Junrey Balawing, from a remote town in the southern Philippines, stands just under two feet tall and has been officially declared the World's Shortest Man by Guinness World Records. Balawing, who has just turned 18, is 23.5 inches tall (59.93cm), making him more than 7cm shorter than previous title holder Khagendra Thapa Magar from Nepal, who is 26 inches tall.
Source : The Telegraph
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Junrey Balawing Officially Shortest man Guinness World Record 2011.
