We take no part of any celebration of this day in solidarity with our indigenous population.
Sunday, January 26, 2025
Australia Day 2025
Australia Day, 26 January, is the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet convict ships from Great Britain, and the raising of the Union Jack by its commander Captain Arthur Phillip at Sydney Cove, in 1788.
This was the beginning of the British colonisation of Australia and the dispossession of country of the original inhabitants who had been here for at least 65,000 years.
We take no part of any celebration of this day in solidarity with our indigenous population.
We take no part of any celebration of this day in solidarity with our indigenous population.
Monday, January 20, 2025
Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy
Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is a neurological disorder that results in slowly progressive weakness and loss of feeling in the legs and arms.
It is caused by the body’s immune system inappropriately reacting against and damaging myelin. 
Because CIDP is rare, it’s often hard to correctly diagnose the disease, at least at first.
Myelin surrounds the peripheral nerves and acts like an insulator so that the nerves can conduct impulses properly.
CIDP can occur at any age and in both sexes, but is more common in men than women.
Symptoms include tingling, numbness or altered feeling which often begins in the feet and hands, weakness of the arms and legs, fatigue and aching pain in the muscles.
CIDP can occur at any age and in both sexes, but is more common in men than women.
Symptoms include tingling, numbness or altered feeling which often begins in the feet and hands, weakness of the arms and legs, fatigue and aching pain in the muscles.
Because CIDP is rare, it’s often hard to correctly diagnose the disease, at least at first.
Healthcare providers can confuse its symptoms with those of GBS (Guillain Barre Syndrome) because of the similarity between the diseases. If symptoms last longer than 8 weeks, a provider may suspect CIDP.
After taking a medical history and doing a physical and neurological exam, a healthcare provider may do two or more tests to confirm a diagnosis. These may include:
Video:
-Blood and urine tests.
-A nerve conduction study and an electromyogram to look for myelin damage in peripheral nerves. This involves using mild electrical currents to test nerve and muscle function and response.
-A lumbar puncture to see if levels of certain proteins related to the disease are higher than normal.
-A nerve conduction study and an electromyogram to look for myelin damage in peripheral nerves. This involves using mild electrical currents to test nerve and muscle function and response.
-A lumbar puncture to see if levels of certain proteins related to the disease are higher than normal.
To do this, a small needle is inserted into the back and a small amount of the fluid that surrounds the spinal cord (cerebrospinal fluid) is withdrawn.
-A nerve biopsy to look at microscopic changes in the nerves. This test is rarely done.
-MRI may show inflammation of the nerve roots. The roots are the part of the nerve where it branches off from the spinal cord.
-A nerve biopsy to look at microscopic changes in the nerves. This test is rarely done.
-MRI may show inflammation of the nerve roots. The roots are the part of the nerve where it branches off from the spinal cord.
Treatment for CIDP is aimed at suppressing the immune system.
First line treatment is usually with intravenous immunoglobulin.
If this is not available, plasmapheresis (plasma exchange) or oral medications which suppress the immune system such as steroids may be used.
Physiotherapy may improve muscle strength, function and mobility, and minimise the development of contractures.
The course of CIDP varies widely among individuals.
Some may have a bout of CIDP followed by spontaneous recovery, while others may have many bouts with partial recovery in between relapses.
Some may have a bout of CIDP followed by spontaneous recovery, while others may have many bouts with partial recovery in between relapses.
The disease is a treatable cause of acquired neuropathy and initiation of early treatment to prevent loss of nerve cells is recommended.
However, some individuals are left with some residual numbness or weakness.
More information:
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
The Sound of an Australian Summer / Cicadas
Back in the late spring of 2020 I posted about cicadas.
This summer season they’ve been very loud for months.
Experts have put it down to the wet winter season resulting in a mega hatching.
It’s a background noise most Australians are used to.
This year it seems to come in waves, going from virtually silent to a crescendo and back to silence.
Very unusual.
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| Some Australian Cicadas |
Sunday, January 05, 2025
Australia’s Christmas Beetles
There are 35 species of Christmas Beetles all of which are unique (endemic) to Australia with 21 species found in New South Wales. 
At least 10 species occur in the Sydney region, more if the Blue Mountains west of the city are included.
They are also found in forests and woodlands in other parts of southern and eastern Australia.
Anoplognathus viriditarsis is the largest of the Sydney Christmas beetles.
They have vibrant colours and the adults emerge close to the Christmas period.
But where have they gone?
I didn’t see one this year or in recent years for that matter.
It has been reported that total number of Christmas Beetles in the Sydney area has declined over the last 3 decades as the grassy woodland areas get used up for housing.
Sadly a sign of the times for our native wildlife inhabitants.
At least 10 species occur in the Sydney region, more if the Blue Mountains west of the city are included.
They are also found in forests and woodlands in other parts of southern and eastern Australia.
Anoplognathus viriditarsis is the largest of the Sydney Christmas beetles.
They have vibrant colours and the adults emerge close to the Christmas period.
The beetles come into Sydney from surrounding woodland where the adults feed on eucalyptus leaves and the larvae feed on grass roots.
In the past adults occurred in large numbers, sometimes completely defoliating trees.
In the past adults occurred in large numbers, sometimes completely defoliating trees.
But where have they gone?
I didn’t see one this year or in recent years for that matter.
It has been reported that total number of Christmas Beetles in the Sydney area has declined over the last 3 decades as the grassy woodland areas get used up for housing.
Sadly a sign of the times for our native wildlife inhabitants.
Wednesday, January 01, 2025
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