Monkey cave in Orissa
Kiiran(eating)from Spain
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Ifugao sculptor wins 2 prizes in Switzerland
Ifugao sculptor wins 2 prizes in Switzerland
by Brady Eviota, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
Posted at 06/22/2011 9:07 AM | Updated as of 06/22/2011 9:07 AM
BERN, Switzerland- A Filipino sculptor from Ifugao won the top two prizes in an international sculpture symposium which ended Sunday in Switzerland.
Gilbert Bergano Alberto won the Silver Award and the Prix du Public (Audience Choice Award) at the 10th International Sculpture Symposium held this year in Morges in Geneva.
The 45-year old Gilbert, a native of Hapao, Hungduan, Ifugao province, was one of the 30 artists from around 20 countries invited to showcase their talents at the annual stone sculpture competition.
The participants worked on a uniform-sized block of limestone weighing around 300 kilos for eight days at the gardens of Morges Castle along the Geneva lake.
Gilbert won the Silver Award for his sculpture entitled: "A sitting old Igorot Man playing a Gong."
"Everyone is a seed with much potential for greatness in it. Still, that potential, like a seed, needs elements to trigger its sprout and coax it to mature and bloom to its fullest. My sculpture may reflect such growth. It may inspire or communicate, or touch one's life," said Gilbert in explaining his works to the public.
Gilbert also won the public's choice, the Audience Choice Award.
Anny Misa Hefti, one of the numerous Filipinas who viewed the symposium, said one of Gilbert’s winning attributes which endeared him to the audience and judges was his unassuming personality.
"Gilbert is an epitome of humility. He mingles well without being boisterous. He is friendly in a shy way and he won the public in this manner," said Hefti.
Gilbert meanwhile, commented that he was amazed at the tools used by many of the artists at the competition, saying he only used four sculpting tools.
He also gave thanks to the support of the Filipino community, including many members of the Bibak-Switzerland, a women’s group with roots from the Bontoc-Ifugao-Benguet and Kalinga-Apayao provinces in the northern Philippines.
Gilbert’s works can be seen in his website: www.igorotgallery.com.
by Brady Eviota, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
Posted at 06/22/2011 9:07 AM | Updated as of 06/22/2011 9:07 AM
BERN, Switzerland- A Filipino sculptor from Ifugao won the top two prizes in an international sculpture symposium which ended Sunday in Switzerland.
Gilbert Bergano Alberto won the Silver Award and the Prix du Public (Audience Choice Award) at the 10th International Sculpture Symposium held this year in Morges in Geneva.
The 45-year old Gilbert, a native of Hapao, Hungduan, Ifugao province, was one of the 30 artists from around 20 countries invited to showcase their talents at the annual stone sculpture competition.
The participants worked on a uniform-sized block of limestone weighing around 300 kilos for eight days at the gardens of Morges Castle along the Geneva lake.
Gilbert won the Silver Award for his sculpture entitled: "A sitting old Igorot Man playing a Gong."
"Everyone is a seed with much potential for greatness in it. Still, that potential, like a seed, needs elements to trigger its sprout and coax it to mature and bloom to its fullest. My sculpture may reflect such growth. It may inspire or communicate, or touch one's life," said Gilbert in explaining his works to the public.
Gilbert also won the public's choice, the Audience Choice Award.
Anny Misa Hefti, one of the numerous Filipinas who viewed the symposium, said one of Gilbert’s winning attributes which endeared him to the audience and judges was his unassuming personality.
"Gilbert is an epitome of humility. He mingles well without being boisterous. He is friendly in a shy way and he won the public in this manner," said Hefti.
Gilbert meanwhile, commented that he was amazed at the tools used by many of the artists at the competition, saying he only used four sculpting tools.
He also gave thanks to the support of the Filipino community, including many members of the Bibak-Switzerland, a women’s group with roots from the Bontoc-Ifugao-Benguet and Kalinga-Apayao provinces in the northern Philippines.
Gilbert’s works can be seen in his website: www.igorotgallery.com.
Friday, June 17, 2011
AMD
AMD is a condition that affects the macula within the eye, the most sensitive portion of the retina which is responsible for central and fine vision. The cause of AMD is unknown. There are two types of AMD: non-neovascular and neovascular. Although it produces visible abnormalities in the retina, non-neovascular AMD rarely leads to symptoms or loss of vision. By contrast, neovascular AMD is the leading cause of severe and irreversible loss of central vision in people over the age of 40 in the United States, with an estimated 1.2 million people affected. Let's look at this condition and see how it can be prevented and treated.
Symptoms of AMD
People with neovascular AMD can rather rapidly develop a hazy grayness or blank spot in their central vision. Reading becomes difficult or impossible due to blurring of words on paper and color vision may be dimmed or lost.
Prevention of AMD
Research presented about 10 years ago showed that high doses of a mixture of zinc and the antioxidants vitamins C and E and beta-carotene slowed the progression of AMD by 25 percent, but only in those who already had intermediate AMD or advanced disease in only one eye. This cocktail is still used in such people unless they are smokers. Beta-carotene supplements are avoided in smokers because they may increase the risk of lung cancer.
Promising ongoing studies are examining the possible preventive benefits of supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids or the antioxidant carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, which are both present in the macula.
In addition, some studies suggest that AMD may be prevented by not smoking, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol levels, limiting intake of saturated fats, and avoiding exposure to sunlight.
Treatment of AMD
Photocoagulation of blood vessels with a laser decreases the risk of vision loss when new blood vessels can be identified growing in the area surrounding the macula. People must be followed closely following this procedure because there is a high rate of recurrence. But the procedure is risky because photocoagulation of vessels too close to the macula can damage the macula and result in a permanent blind spot in the central vision.
Because of this, photodynamic therapy has largely replaced photocoagulation for new blood vessel growth directly under the fovea, the most light-sensitive portion of the macula at its center. The undesirable new blood vessels are closed in a two step procedure: injection of a light sensitive drug which selectively binds to cells on new vessels is followed by delivery of a beam of low powered laser to the eye in order to activate the drug bound to the abnormal blood vessels.
Drugs that block new blood vessel growth
Three drugs for the treatment of AMD act by inhibiting the action of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The first medication approved by the FDA in 2004 is pegaptanib (Macugen); it is a nucleic acid that binds specifically to VEGF in the eye. In 2006 the FDA approved an antibody, ranibizumab (Lucentis), that binds to VEGF and blocks its action. Another antibody bevacizumab (Avastin), approved for treatment of colon and rectal cancer, has been used successfully off-label to treat AMD. All three of these drugs are injected directly into the eye and have been used for two years or longer. Lucentis and Avastin are now the most effective and standard treatments for AMD. A recent study showed they were equally effective when injected on a regular monthly schedule or as needed based on a monthly examination. However, costs may be a problem--each dose of Lucentis along with the procedure costs between $2,300 and $3,500.
Symptoms of AMD
People with neovascular AMD can rather rapidly develop a hazy grayness or blank spot in their central vision. Reading becomes difficult or impossible due to blurring of words on paper and color vision may be dimmed or lost.
Prevention of AMD
Research presented about 10 years ago showed that high doses of a mixture of zinc and the antioxidants vitamins C and E and beta-carotene slowed the progression of AMD by 25 percent, but only in those who already had intermediate AMD or advanced disease in only one eye. This cocktail is still used in such people unless they are smokers. Beta-carotene supplements are avoided in smokers because they may increase the risk of lung cancer.
Promising ongoing studies are examining the possible preventive benefits of supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids or the antioxidant carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, which are both present in the macula.
In addition, some studies suggest that AMD may be prevented by not smoking, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol levels, limiting intake of saturated fats, and avoiding exposure to sunlight.
Treatment of AMD
Photocoagulation of blood vessels with a laser decreases the risk of vision loss when new blood vessels can be identified growing in the area surrounding the macula. People must be followed closely following this procedure because there is a high rate of recurrence. But the procedure is risky because photocoagulation of vessels too close to the macula can damage the macula and result in a permanent blind spot in the central vision.
Because of this, photodynamic therapy has largely replaced photocoagulation for new blood vessel growth directly under the fovea, the most light-sensitive portion of the macula at its center. The undesirable new blood vessels are closed in a two step procedure: injection of a light sensitive drug which selectively binds to cells on new vessels is followed by delivery of a beam of low powered laser to the eye in order to activate the drug bound to the abnormal blood vessels.
Drugs that block new blood vessel growth
Three drugs for the treatment of AMD act by inhibiting the action of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The first medication approved by the FDA in 2004 is pegaptanib (Macugen); it is a nucleic acid that binds specifically to VEGF in the eye. In 2006 the FDA approved an antibody, ranibizumab (Lucentis), that binds to VEGF and blocks its action. Another antibody bevacizumab (Avastin), approved for treatment of colon and rectal cancer, has been used successfully off-label to treat AMD. All three of these drugs are injected directly into the eye and have been used for two years or longer. Lucentis and Avastin are now the most effective and standard treatments for AMD. A recent study showed they were equally effective when injected on a regular monthly schedule or as needed based on a monthly examination. However, costs may be a problem--each dose of Lucentis along with the procedure costs between $2,300 and $3,500.
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