General Questions Thread

[Solafighter]

Yesterday, i was at the Japan Day in Dusseldorf. Unexpeted, there were a lot more cosplayers, than i thought. Many of them had a sign around their neck with the writing "Free Hugs". Well, i understand so far, that you can simply hug them all(sounds fishy, doesnt it). I remember seeing a simillar situation a few years ago in New York. I wonder, if this has any sign. To show love, people care about eachother or whatsoever or this just for fun?

I wonder about that...
(Btw... From around a couple of thousand cosplayers i have seen, there were only 2 The World God only knows cosplayers around... Sad...)

[ogon_bat]

I just saw a free japanese doujin that is mildly funny, the thought of posting a link in this forum crosses my mind, to be sure I read the FAQ, so I need to ask exactly what "pornographic" is in this forum? Usually I understand anything with intercourse is deemed pornographic material, there is no intercourse in this doujin, but the brother (from what I can understand with my basic japanese) of the female protagonist looks sort like like an alien from the famous movie franchise, small, large ... do I have to say it out loud?

Spoiler:

looks like a talking phallus.

But anyway, even if it is silly to no end I would like to know what is considered pr0n for future postings consideration.

[Vexx]

@Solarfighter: Just for fun... human touch is generally for the win with consenting parties. It seems to have descended out of "glomping", another convention tradition.

[Solafighter]

Interesting. Thanks for the reply, Vexx.

[SaintessHeart]

Can someone list me the types of drugs needed to treat dengue fever, and indicate which are the antiviral ones?

[GenjiChan]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

Can someone list me the types of drugs needed to treat dengue fever, and indicate which are the antiviral ones?

Antiviral drugs for dengue? Is there?

Hmmm.... I'm just a nurse but I think there was none that I have encountered for now. (I'm saying it in a Philippine setting) The only drugs I knew is Paracetamol for fever but I think its not that advisable either since it contains aspirin (please correct me if I'm wrong). Cooling remedies are good like juice and tepid sponge bath. No dark colored foods!!!!

Usually sufficient intake of fluids and prevention of shock are the ways to prevent possible mortality.

Currently dengue seems to be at large in my place. Just yesterday we admitted eight patients mostly young children.

[MeoTwister5]

You normally don't give antivirals for Dengue, in fact in Asia there are no true approved antivirals for Dengue, because it's an acute illness lasting for barely 2 weeks at most. It's self limiting and the virus will be eliminated by the host within said 2 weeks and granting immunity to the serotype.

So far AFAIK possible antivirals for Dengue are possibly indicated only for reinfection with a different serotype, as the severity of the disease increases when infected by a second or more serotype.

The treatment for Dengue is purely supportive with Paracetamol for fever control and fluid hydration adjusted based on intravascular fluid loss to prevent hypovolemic shock during the febrile and critical phases.

[SaintessHeart]

Thank you both. Another question though, what are the treatment processes and differences between them for haemorragic and non-haemorragic cases?

[GenjiChan]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

Thank you both. Another question though, what are the treatment processes and differences between them for haemorragic and non-haemorragic cases?

Well, in my on words...

The last one is the complication or severe type of the former.

Dengue Fever
> fever
> muscle/joint pain
> rashes similar to measles
> laboratory results shows low platelet count

Treatment
> Treat the fever
> IV fluids and oral fluids
> Optional blood transfusion of platelet

Dengue Hemorragic fever
> fever ( body temperature may go down later if not treated soon)
> muscle/joint pain
> rashes are so severe.
> lowering blood pressure. ALERT!!!
> extremely low platelet count
> blood on stools and bleeding (nose, ears?)

Treatment
> Treat fever
> Blood transfusion (depends on the doctor. Pack RBC or platelet) and IV fluids

...thats what I think...bold ones are indicative of the worst scenario
...feel to correct me if I'm wrong...

[MeoTwister5]

In regular Dengue you just stuff in an assload of IV fluids, usually D5NM, depending on the intravascular status of the patient just to maintain blood volume, then you adjust the fluids once fluids return into the intravascular space during the recovery phase.

If platelets are too low, usually less than 20,000, then platelet concentrate is given to prevent bleeding complications.

In Dengue Hemorrhagic, IV fluids are added with blood products depending on blood loss. Usually it's just packed RBCs, but in high losses (which doesn't usually happen), whole blood is given.

In Dengue shock, well, it's rapid fluid infusion in an ICU setting.

In Dengue it's all about fluid balance and hematologic status. I won't go into the specific fluid calculations since that's too specialized for this thread. You can find the WHO guidelines for fluid rehydration in Dengue Fever and Dengue Shock online.

[GenjiChan]

@ MeoTwister5> doctor's knows best...

@ SaintessHeart> By the way, I don't find the question silly to be post here. But we're glad to be of help and share some......

[SaintessHeart]

Actually there has been an outbreak of dengue here, so I am interested in the treatment process and the costs. It is always either flu or dengue around this time of the year.....

Thanks guys, I can't share any lolis because they are all mine, but you guys can have an office lady instead......

[Paranoid Android]

Why are old monitors not flat? I mean what's the reasoning to make it curved if a flat screen is such an intuitive design to begin with.

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Paranoid Android

Why are old monitors not flat? I mean what's the reasoning to make it curved if a flat screen is such an intuitive design to begin with.

It was easier.... Cathode Ray Tubes spray a beam of radiation towards a phosphorous plated glass. That beam is directed by magnetic fields. Altering the direction of the beam moves it in a *radial* path - hence the need for a curved target area originally to minimize distortion.

At the very end of the CRT Era, they were able to flatten the target area somewhat ("flat CRTs") because the control sophistication of the field generators was good enough to compensate for the distortion of a radial spray onto a relatively flat surface.

And no, I don't miss CRTs at all.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Vexx

And no, I don't miss CRTs at all.

Not even the one you used to fire plasma balls in Area 51?

[Paranoid Android]

Originally Posted by Vexx

It was easier.... Cathode Ray Tubes spray a beam of radiation towards a phosphorous plated glass. That beam is directed by magnetic fields. Altering the direction of the beam moves it in a *radial* path - hence the need for a curved target area originally to minimize distortion.

At the very end of the CRT Era, they were able to flatten the target area somewhat ("flat CRTs") because the control sophistication of the field generators was good enough to compensate for the distortion of a radial spray onto a relatively flat surface.

And no, I don't miss CRTs at all.

Oh thanks! I wonder if the first monitor designs where hemisphere xD

I just remember how when I was a kid and smashed open a CRT monitor that someone threw out with a hammer and my dad yelled at me for touching the stuff inside lol XD

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Paranoid Android

Oh thanks! I wonder if the first monitor designs where hemisphere xD

I just remember how when I was a kid and smashed open a CRT monitor that someone threw out with a hammer and my dad yelled at me for touching the stuff inside lol XD

When I was a teenager, we used to gather junked televisions and shoot them for target practice because they imploded so spectacularly .

[Endless Soul]

Originally Posted by Vexx

When I was a teenager, we used to gather junked televisions and shoot them for target practice because they imploded so spectacularly .

Yep. Shooting old TV's (among other things) was fun.

Endless "The Shootist" Soul

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Vexx

When I was a teenager, we used to gather junked televisions and shoot them for target practice because they imploded so spectacularly .

Originally Posted by Endless Soul

Yep. Shooting old TV's (among other things) was fun.

Endless "The Shootist" Soul

With 2 engineers on this thread, think you guys can fashion a one-shot energy-based electric weapon out of an old CRT, an industrial-grade vehicle battery and a few step-up transformers?

[Endless Soul]

Sure thing. I'll have my team start working on it right away.

Spoiler for My team at work:

I'll let you know when they're done.

Endless "On the job" Soul