Caturday

Hi all here we are at Saturday and it's hot so today I am sharing some cat photos.

Asthma: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment and History

 

Today I am looking at asthma, a long-term condition that affects the airways in our lungs. Inflammation and tightening of the muscles around these airways can make breathing difficult. It affects both children and adults, but treatment can help people lead active lives.

Asthma is quite common in Australia. According to the 2022 National Health Survey, around 2.8 million people, or about 11% of Australians, were living with asthma. That is roughly 1 in 9 people.

Among children under 15, asthma affected approximately 10% of boys and 6.3% of girls. From age 15 onwards, it was more common in females than males. These figures describe the 2022 survey, rather than a count taken today.

There is often no single cause. Family history, allergic conditions such as eczema and hay fever, and environmental exposures can increase the risk of developing asthma. Tobacco smoke, air pollution and workplace dust or fumes can play a part.

Causes and triggers are not quite the same thing: a trigger brings on symptoms in someone who already has asthma. Common triggers include pollen, dust, smoke, strong perfumes, respiratory infections and changes in the weather. Exercise can also bring on symptoms. Triggers vary from person to person.

The main symptoms are wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath and a tight feeling in the chest. A cough may be particularly troublesome at night, and symptoms can come and go or worsen during exercise. Sudden worsening is known as an asthma attack. Other conditions can cause similar symptoms, so a healthcare professional should assess them.

There is currently no cure, but asthma can usually be managed. Inhaled corticosteroids reduce airway inflammation and help prevent serious attacks. Bronchodilator medicines open the airways to relieve symptoms, while combination inhalers contain both types of medicine. The right treatment depends on the person and should be prescribed by a healthcare professional.

Knowing your triggers, using your inhaler correctly and having regular reviews are important. A written asthma action plan helps guide day-to-day care and what to do when symptoms worsen. Severe symptoms may require emergency treatment.

Asthma treatment has changed greatly over the years. In Victorian times, medicinal pipes, steam inhalers and even “asthma cigarettes” were used for breathing difficulties. These are historical practices, not treatments to try today: smoke can trigger asthma attacks.

By the mid-20th century, squeeze-bulb inhalers were in use. The metered-dose inhaler, developed in 1956, made inhaled medicine more convenient to deliver. Modern care now combines medicines that open the airways with treatments that tackle inflammation, rather than simply trying to relieve breathlessness.

Asthma may be common, but it deserves proper attention. With appropriate treatment and support, people with asthma can enjoy a normal, active life.

 

Bone-Headed Dinosaurs: Big Heads, Bigger Attitude

 A playful prehistoric imagining—with a real dinosaur in the spotlight

Imagine a dinosaur turning up to a prehistoric party wearing what looks like a built-in crash helmet. No fancy entrance needed: that magnificent bone-headed look would do all the talking.

In our imaginary dinosaur neighbourhood, this would be the character everyone remembers: a determined little swagger, an impressive head and the expression of someone who has absolutely no intention of backing down over the best patch of shade.

You can almost hear the conversation: “Nice helmet.” “Thanks. It came with the head.”

There really was a dinosaur with a built-in “helmet” look that was the Stegoceras. This plant-eating pachycephalosaur lived during the Late Cretaceous, around 76–74 million years ago, and its fossils have been found in Canada and the USA. At approximately 2.4 metres long, it was a relatively small dinosaur with plenty of character.

They walked on two legs and had a thick, rounded dome on top of its skull, with bony knobs around parts of the head. What was that impressive dome for? Scientists have proposed head- or flank-butting contests, display and recognising members of the same species, but its exact role remains debated. So “Sir Bonks-a-Lot” is a fun nickname—not proof that every encounter ended in a head-butt!

There was also a pachycephalosaur its name means “thick-headed lizard”—a fitting name for an animal with a large bony dome surrounded by spikes and bumps! It walked on two legs and lived in North America around 69–66 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous.

Pachycephalosaurus shared its world with dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops. It had a beak for cropping plants and is generally thought to have eaten plant material, although some scientists suggest it may also have eaten meat because of the shape of its front teeth. Like Stegoceras, its dome may have been used for contests, display or both—the details are still debated. One thing is certain: this dinosaur didn’t need a party hat to stand out!

But the best part of imagining bone-headed dinosaurs isn’t making them the punchline. It’s giving these unusual-looking characters their moment in the spotlight. Forget the usual roaring superstar; today, the dinosaur with the unforgettable silhouette gets top billing.

So, here’s to prehistoric style with a hard-headed twist: wonderfully odd, impossible to overlook and ready for a starring role in your next dinosaur daydream.

 

Week 45 of 2026

 

Sunday 1 November

I slept through the night I at 4am to pee and Tim wasn’t home yet but when I got up an hour later, he was, we talked for a bit before I went and had a shower. He went to bed but was only in bed for an hour he said he can’t sleep.

Tim managed to have around an hour of sleep-in front of the TV.

Steps:7,189

Monday 2 November

I slept through the night woke at 4am and decided to stay up, had a rough start due to being hot and sticky I was going to wear my brown shorts, didn’t have any trouble getting them on but when I went to the toilet I was so sticky that I had trouble pulling them down and trying to get them up was a waste of time, I took them off and tossed them in frustration. I changed into my orange shorts easier to pull up and down.

I went with Sue to her doctor’s appointment then we went to Lake Fair to do some shopping. I had to take my shoes off as my feet were hot and I felt unstable.

Steps:9,799

Tuesday 3 November

I slept through the night got up at 4.40am it has been a wet morning. Tim decided to come home between shifts today.

I walked up and checked the mail just before it started to rain this afternoon, but it didn’t rain much.

I reprinted the information for our holiday in January as Tim can’t remember what he did with the copy I printed and gave to him a month ago.

Steps: 5,999

Wednesday 4 November

I slept well and have had a good morning feeling good enough to sweep and vacuum, clean the kitchen, unpack the dishwasher and do a load of washing and hang it up to dry.

However, from around 10am till 12.30pm I wasn’t feeling really with it, I was tired and tried to nap but couldn’t till around midday when I managed to have a 30-minute nap.

Tim sent me a message letting me know he will be late he has a charter after his school run.

Steps:6,900

Thursday 5 November

I slept well woke only once to pee then again when the alarm went off, the morning has been

My tablet has stopped working, it was fully charged but when I went to used it after lunch it wasn’t working, it wouldn’t turn on. So, I will have to buy a new one.

Blain came down and said hi, he was dropping Panda (his cat) off at his mum’s and he and Ta’lia are going away for a few days, it’s Ta’lia’s 21^st birthday in two days. They are going to some place in QLD with her mum and brother.

Steps:6, 799

Friday 6 November

I slept well waking only twice to pee, I got up with when the alarm went off. I had a productive morning, swept out the front.

However, by 11am I was again extremely tired and unable to fully function by 2pm I had come good but around 5pm I wasn’t able to function again. I went to bed at 6pm slept for two hours and got up feeling like me again.

Sue said I could have the tablet we gave her at the start of the year as she doesn’t use it as much as I would. Tasha said she will pick it up in the morning.

Steps:5,488

Saturday 7 November

Ta’lia 21^st Birthday

After going back to bed, I slept through till 4.45am we are supposed to have a hot day. I sent birthday wishes to Ta’lia.

I walked down and posted some letters which was exhausting but in a good way.

Tasha and Tim went to Officeworks and Tim bought me a new tablet. It should be in the store either Tuesday or Wednesday.

I had to turn the A/C on around 1.30pm as the heat was getting to me.

Steps: 8,790

 

 

 

 

 

This week's links

 

Here are this week’s links

https://jamfn.blogspot.com/2026/11/sunday-stealing.html

https://jamfn.blogspot.com/2026/11/november-hodgepodge.html

https://jamfn.blogspot.com/2026/11/sharing-my-world.html

https://jamfn.blogspot.com/2026/10/my-hodgepodge.html

https://jamfn.blogspot.com/2026/10/tuesdays-four-on-thursday.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

 

Tuberculosis: History, Causes and Treatments

 

Today I thought I would write a bit about Tuberculosis (TB) this is an infectious disease that usually affects the lungs, although it can also affect organs such as the brain, kidneys and spine. It can be life-threatening without treatment, but it is preventable and curable.

TB has affected people for thousands of years: evidence of infection has been found in human remains around 9,000 years old. In earlier centuries, it was known as “consumption”, referring to the wasting associated with the illness, and as the “white plague

A major turning point came on 24 March 1882, when Robert Koch announced his discovery of the bacterium that causes TB. This helped establish the disease’s infectious cause rather than the earlier belief that it was simply inherited. Before antibiotics, patients were often cared for in sanatoriums, where fresh air, good food and sometimes surgery were used; separation from households also reduced transmission to families.

The BCG vaccine was introduced in France in 1921.

Antibiotic treatment marked another breakthrough: streptomycin was developed in 1943, opening the way to drug-based treatment.

TB is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It spreads through the air when someone with infectious lung TB releases bacteria, for example by coughing; another person can become infected by inhaling them.

Infection does not always mean illness. In latent, or inactive, TB, bacteria remain in the body without causing symptoms, and the person is not contagious. In active TB disease, bacteria multiply and cause illness; lung disease can spread to others. HIV, diabetes, undernutrition, tobacco use and harmful alcohol use increase the risk of developing TB disease.

Common symptoms include a prolonged cough, sometimes with blood, chest pain, fever, night sweats, fatigue and unexplained weight loss. Symptoms may develop gradually. Rapid diagnostic tests can help identify the disease, while skin or blood tests can identify TB infection.

Active TB: Treatment uses a combination of antibiotics. A common six-month course for drug-susceptible lung TB begins with isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol for two months, followed by isoniazid and rifampicin for four months. Selected patients may be eligible for a four-month regimen; others need longer treatment. The choice depends on drug-resistance results, other medical conditions and medicine interactions.

Completing the prescribed course is essential, even when symptoms improve. Missed doses or taking only some of the medicines can allow infection to persist or return and increase the risk of drug resistance. Healthcare support helps people complete treatment. Drug-resistant TB needs different antibiotic combinations and specialist management.

Latent TB: Preventive antibiotic treatment can reduce the chance that inactive infection develops into active disease. It is particularly important for people at increased risk, including those with HIV and close contacts of someone with TB.

Prevention: Early diagnosis and treatment, screening of people at risk, good ventilation and appropriate masks or respirators help limit spread. The BCG vaccine protects children against serious forms of TB, but it does not replace other prevention measures.

Dinosaurs: Natural Weapons and Amour

 

Today we are looking at what type of natural weapons and armour that dinosaurs have dinosaurs did not carry swords or wear metal armour. Instead, many had natural equipment built into their bodies: sharp teeth, powerful claws, horns, spikes and protective bony plates. These features helped them feed, defend themselves and sometimes compete with other members of their own species.

The Tyrannosaurus rex had powerful jaws and thick teeth suited to biting through flesh and bone. Its bite was far more important than its small arms when feeding.

Then we have the Velociraptor which had a large, curved claw on the second toe of each foot. Rather than simply slashing as films often suggest, these claws may have helped it grip and restrain prey. Scientists still debate exactly how they were used.

Moving on to the Triceratops carried two long brow horns and a shorter nose horn. The horns could have helped with defence and contests between individuals, while its large bony frill may also have played a role in display.

Some have spikes, clubs and protective armour such as the Stegosaurus had long spikes at the end of its tail, which could act as a defensive weapon. Its famous back plates were not a continuous protective shield; scientists have proposed roles including display and temperature regulation.

The Ankylosaurus was protected by bony armour embedded in its skin, called osteoderms. Its broad body and armoured back offered protection, while a heavy club at the end of its tail could deliver a powerful blow. Tail clubs may have been used against predators and in competition with other ankylosaurs.

Fossils reveal the shapes of these natural weapons and armour, but behaviour is harder to reconstruct. A horn or spike might have served more than one purpose: protection, display or competition. Dinosaurs were not simply prehistoric fighting machines; their remarkable bodies were adaptations to the challenges of staying alive.

Humans and non-bird dinosaurs did not live together, so dinosaur-mounted warriors and human-made dinosaur armour belong to fantasy rather than prehistoric history.