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THIS MYSTERIOUS ILLNESS
Epileptic illness has been long since known to humanity. Many well-known people, such as Van Gogh, Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Nobel, Dostoyevski have suffered with epilepsy, and that fact itself rejects the viewpoint, that epileptic people have got mental problems. Before, epilepsy was even called an illness of geniuses. Questions about this mysterious illness haven't been finished yet. Unfortunately, number of patients suffering from that disease hasn't been reduced as well. Our interview is with the head epileptolog of Yerevan epileptology centre, a candidate of sciences Gayane Melikyan. By the way, her scientific manager has been (1996-2006) professor Vahagn Darbinyan, the chief neurolog of our republic, head of the neurological department of Yerevan Medical University.
- Mrs. Melikyan, is epilepsy an inheritable disease?
- In any case, the possibility of heredity is very small, it makes 1-2%. There are distinct inherited types of the illness: ideopatic epileptic co-symptoms, but in Armenia we can find that hereditary links with great difficulty, even during genetic symptoms, when they are already for a 100% proved by international data. According to foreign scientists' opinion, it's difficult to discover it in Armenia, as genocide has cut the way of that heredity off. I think in future, by means of cooperating with international medicine, we'll find the possibility to answer that question once and for all.
- Is this illness widespread in Armenia?
- According to details of 1995, there are registered 100 000 patients sick with epilepsy in Armenia, but their number increases gradually. At present our centre carries out a new statistical recruitment and soon, perhaps in summer, statistical data of the last year and a half will be analyzed and summarized. I should say that this is quite a big number for such a small republic as Armenia is.
- Is it true that the illness doesn't have a radical, exhaustive treatment?
- Unfortunately, complete treatment of epilepsy isn't discovered yet: there is only a symptomatic treatment being carried out. Today we hear many announcements on TV, that certain specialists are ready to cure epilepsy, but as the chief specialist of that illness, I can formally state that it hasn't been yet discovered the means of medicine all over the world, with which it will be possible to cure epilepsy. However, it must be noticed that there are types of epilepsy, which are self-limited, non-malignant and completely cease to exist in the course of time. I can especially state epilepsy with non-malignant rolando, which appears at the age of 3-4, and at 16, during puberty, it can cease completely. In the present case there is even no need to appoint a medicines treatment.
- How are self-limited and incurable types being differentiated?
- An accurate diagnostics is very important. In our centre, for example, we have got latest equipments, which enable us to record the tomography of brain in 1-3 days and realize what concrete symptom it refers to. It's very important for organizing a right medical aid for the patient. Very often the patient's relatives argue with us about why we don't subscribe medicines, when a child, for example, is having paroxysms. If the type of illness is found as self-limited, you mustn't experiment on the child.
- Can the illness arise at a mature age, because of a certain concrete reason?
- In general, epilepsy has got ideopatic, symptomatic and seemingly symptomatic forms. Apoplex-ies, etabolic disorders and degenerative diseases may cause a post-apoplectic epileptic illness, which requires treatment as well. Such kinds of patients are advised to turn to an appropriately professional centre and to be under the doctor's control, in order to avoid further complications.
- How long does the paroxysm last and how can one help the patient at those moments?
- The paroxysm has a duration of 1-2 minutes, which is reversible. During the paroxysm you mustn't open the patient's mouth or take the tongue out. It not only traumatizes the relatives, but may injure the patient's jaw as well and may cause other dangerous circumstances. During the paroxysm there is no danger for the patient. If he/she is in an indescent place, you must simply keep his/her head in order not to be injured, you must open his/her collar, if it's fastened, and turn the head till the paro-xysm is over. The patient and his relatives should be thoroughly aware of the history of the illness, of its types, of the possibility of heredity. Epilepsy may arise at any age, but the frequency of paroxysms can be very high at its certain types. It carries a frequent character at children till 5 years-old, especially in case of partial temple epilepsy.
- And does the patient know how to behave him/herself during the paroxysm?
- We teach the patient those rules, which have been worked out by members of the medical profession of our centre and by members of the public organization. They should know how to behave themselves in the kitchen, in the bathroom, in the working place and in lifestyle in general. They are being explained how to arrange their life during marriage and delivery. There are special guidebooks for them as well. There is no such an age at which it's necessary to hide the illness from them. The best variant is that the patient him/herself is in constant cooperation with the doctor and not his/her relative. At the age of puberty children become pigheaded, but it's desirable for them to understand and feel responsibility, as well as realize, that recieving treatment and taking medicines must be long-term and regimented. In order to avoid toxic effects and complications, in many cases there are diaries being kept and registered. If the medicine hasn't had a result in a fixed time, it should be exchanged with remedies of the next generation. I consider it groundless to subscribe certain epileptic remedies in a low dose. That kind of long-term treatment reduces the quality of the patient's life. The paroxysms also reduce the quality of life.
- What can you say about the quality of the medicines for that illness?
- Several years ago there did not exist medicines of the second generation in Armenia. I'll happily state that it's now possible to find those medicines, which are used all over the world, in Armenia as well, which makes our work easier and the quality of patients' life much better. Today the whole world's attention is fixed on Armenia as well, which I consider to be a great achievement. In Transcau-casian region we are the first to realize large-scale works.
- When was this medical organization created?
- In 1992, an eplieptology centre was created in the Erebouni medical centre, and in 1998, with the centre's employees forces, the public organization "Armenian League Against Epilepsy" was created.
- What mission does the public organization have?
-"Armenian League Against Epilepsy" is engaged not only in diagnostics and treatment of the epileptic illness, but in social integration questions of the patients and their relatives as well. We carry out a social and psychological consultation with each of our patients, which they need very much. The centre also realizes clarification works in different regions of the AR.
- And which is the main purpose of the centre?
- Some of supreme goals of the centre are the increase of the patients' life quality and the maximum decrease of paroxysms' frequency, so as the patients can feel themselves as a full part of the society, can learn to study and work. Many people in the environment may not know that they are ill. By the way, there are doctors and scientists that don't consider eplilepsy as an illness at certain patients, but they view it as a state, when there sometimes occur paroxysms. There may be no pathological processes in their brains or in other organs, as those people are completely healthy and are often gifted with wonderful intelectual abilities. The illness doesn't effect on the life duration in any way as well. With the exception of accidents, of course, when during the paroxysm the patient is knocked down, falls out of the window and so on. They are certainly considered as rare events, unhappy accidents.
Taking the chance let me mention, that this year, on 15-23rd of August a conference will be held in Tsakhkadzor, in which eminent epileptolog-scientists will participate, having come from 16 countries, and will carry out an exchange of experience in our republic. It will contribute to the requa-lification of our centre's employees. By the way, at present also skilful specialists work here, being busy with scientific activities, many of which will tender for getting an academic rank in 2008.
ARMENUHI GEVORGYAN
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IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO HELP THE PATIENT, WHO CONSIDERS HIMSELF HEALTHY…
In spite of the efforts being made in Armenia, as well as in almost all the countries of the world, there is stated an increase of oncological diseases. To be more concrete, during the last 10 years (in 1997-2006) number of the patients with malignant new formations has increased from 4079 to 7163, and the intensive index of the malady - from 145.0 to 222.0.
During 1990-2006, in consequence of reduction of prophylactic activities in the health service system, as well as because of closing examination consulting-rooms in clinics, a kind of situation was created, which contributed to the increase of cervix cancer index: it has reached from 35.2% to 48.0%, it means that the disease index has increased for about 13%.
Consequently, it's difficult to underestimate the significance of oncology services, and especially of national centre of Oncology, which carry out struggle strategy and various arrangements in our country against malignant new formations.
Oncology med-services have been organized still in 1946 in the AR, when according to the decision made by the government, an Ins-titute of Oncology and Radiology was created for 80 patients. Nowadays it's a powerful medical structure, having a national significance and, is the only and leading institution, which carries out struggle against malignant new formations, under the protection of the republic's Ministry of Health. The centre realizes a specialized treatment of all malignant new formations, carries out serious scientific investigations, develops preventing and scrinning projects, helps methodically and consultatively all the oncological institutions of the republic.
Simultaneous treatment conditions are created in the clinic of the centre for 500 patients. The day-hospital also works hard: it attends daily to 110-120 patients. Highly specialized 15 departments and many-sided diagnostic and laboratory services function in the centre as well. Surgical interferences of all the organs are being realized. Besides, in case of 20% of diseases, a combined treatment is carried out, and in case of 17-18% - broadened interfernences, with reconstruction-rehabilitation factors. During the last years the percentage of organ-preservation operations has considerably increased, which is conditioned by early diagnostics of oncological diseases, as well as by modern chemistry and other possibilities of radial treatment. Stationary treatment for more than 7000 patients is yearly realized in the Oncology national centre, as well as more than 2500 operations. Nearly 2000 patients receive chemotherapy, and 1500 - radiotherapy. With the purpose of oncological diseases, modern methods of chrono-modulation, hormonal therapy and immuno-therapy are being applied here. In patho-morphological department of the clinic more than 30000 investigations of tissue, operating materials, scrapings and other things are being yearly realized, according to modern international measurements and records. The department obviously and consultitavely helps patients of the republic's other medical institutions with diagnostics of new formations. The clinical and biochemical laboratory secures a broad circle of biochemical investigations, as well as in a series of oncological fermentation and hormone variants.
Immunological laboratory of the clinics estimates the main standards of the immune condition of oncological patients, on the basis of which appropriate immune supervision and monitoring is carried out.
During the last years the Oncology national centre has been equipped with the newest technologies. Within the scope of relationships with "MAGATE", the latest equipments have been acquired for X-ray treatment. A new department of complex diagnostics has been created here, especially full of modern radiological equipments (tomography, mamography, an X-ray device, sonographies of the latest production). A dispensary department is created in the centre, with 9 multi-profile consulting-rooms, whe-re yearly more than 10 000 patients are being attended, which need control of primary and continuous dispenseries.
Oncology national centre is completed with a huge scientific power. 19 Doctors of medicine and 39 Candidates of science work here. They carry out multi-profile scientific investigations, which cover different spheres of oncology: advantages of operating interferences of various volumes are being studied, morphological peculiarities of tumour increase are being examined, new anti-tumour remedies, non-standard ways of X-ray treatment, methods of combined treatment are being renovated.
During the last 5 years employees of the Centre have published 5 monographies, have printed more than 500 scientific works. 7 of the doctors have defended a doctorate thesis, 22 have become candidates of medical sciences.
Oncology national centre is one of the base institutions of the AR's health service and medical education, where professional doctors-oncologists are trained and requalified: surgeons, chemotherapists, radiotherapists, morphologists, radiologists and others. 3 departments of oncology and X-ray diagnostics of YSMU and National Institute are functioning on the basis of the centre. The director of the centre is Hayrapet Galstyan, a famous oncologist-surgeon, correspondent-member of the National Academy, under the leadership of which 13 doctorate and 33 candidate theses have been defended.
Professor H. Galstyan is the enterprising and founder of the oncology native school, thus securing the process of professional personnel training in the sphere of oncology. The latter attaches importance to the fact, that the main direction of the centre's activity has been and will continue to be works, devoted to the prevention of malignant new formations, to their early discovery, diagnostics and resultive treatment, which will by all means contribute to the improvement of living standards and to their quality of life as well.
ARMENUHI GEVORGYAN
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NEW WORD IN CONSTRUCTION SPHERE
Today it is an essential issue as to what quality building materials are used to build such beautiful and splendid houses and how much they correspond to the modern criteria of exploitation of the houses. My concern is not to observe the building material market, but to introduce a new one that has something new to say in the production of building materials, having the aim of bringing new quality and approach in the technologies of the sphere of modern construction.
I mean the new noise and temperature insulation material that has been processed and is invested by “M and MAVR” OJSC.
Babylon was built of hardened clay, too …
During the development of human history one of the first technological inventions among those of Homo Sapience is the technology of clay processing, after being awarded the fire stolen from Gods by Prometheus. Man, discovering the peculiarities of clay, developing its processing technology, has simultaneously passed a huge way of regular reasonable advance.
The ceramic things and building materials made from clay are widely used today. Clay came to be stuff for art composition in Armenia, too, despite the fact that the qualitative attributes of Armenian clay were limited.
Using the local clay-stuff correctly was a problem and this became the subject of doctoral thesis of the doctor of technical sciences, “M and MAVR” OJSC president and director Michael Grigori Hamamchyan. Theoretically was proved and practically was applied the fact that Armenian clay, anyway, can be used to get quality ceramics. Moreover, Armenian clay became a building material the sufficient qualitative attributes of which were also admitted by well-known institutions having these problems as their main issues
And everything started so…
Leaving the scientific – investigational institute in 1979, Michael Hamamchyan moved to a plant which dealt in the production of porcelain and ceramics made from the stuff brought from abroad. This is the branch of “Armporcelain” Yerevan production – very well-known to all of us and situated in Artashat.
Once the production of the factory was famous not only in the former Soviet Union but also outside its borders. Common, coloured and fine porcelain illustrated things of household significance were produced.
“Some time people from all the parts of the USSR arrived in Armenia to buy shoes, porcelain and cognac”, notes Mr. Hamamchyan during our talk. A person who with his knowledge and experience and together with his companions, bore all the difficulties the company “Armporcelain” was facing, and they did their best so that the company does not stop working even during the cold and dark years. They did not stop dreaming about the production of ceramic tile and seeing our city with nice red roofs (as one can see in Europe from above).
After the independence in Armenia and after the country appeared to be in economic crisis, the issue of using local stuff turned to be of more significance. Of course, there were opponents who exhorted to “keep away” from the idea of making the local clay useful, as they called it from resistance movement. While today we can surely say (about this evidences also the conclusion of the tile and brick technical centre of the city Clamaire in France) that the tile produced by Armenian clay does not concede the tile of Euro-pean production.
Ceramic tile is nice and very long-lasting. It is ecologically clean, devoid of chemical substances. It absorbs the heat, maintains the temperature balance of the flat (it is warm in winter, it is cool in summer), it does not rot the wood and takes out the steam due to its perforating and breathing quality, deafens the voice of rain, withstands the earthquakes etc.
The home of meeting…
In 1988 it was arranged to build a plant of ceramics in Artsakh, in the region of Hadrout as well. There was one purpose: to establish connection between the youth and the village as the region was of little industrial importance in Artsakh. A building was provided to build the plant. It was a building designed for the meeting of some officials. But it had already lost its “historical significance” and was eagerly provided to specialists for building the plant. Here also, Mr. Hamamchyan had his practical participation with his own project.
In a short period of time, only in two months a plant was built which had been producing ceramics for several years and stopped functioning only after it was destroyed during the war.
The Armenian mystery
“I have never put up with the work-style of civil servants. It’s impossible to create this way. For creativity great enthusiasm, romantics, faith and even a little madness is needed”, adds Mr. Hamamchyan who being dissatisfied with his achievements, as a result of his scientific researches and technological experiments, received new noise-and-temperature insulating material which he called ‘Amurkav’.
“Amurkav” is made exclusively with local clays. It’s light, strong, soundproof building material designed for temperature insulation of inside walls and also for the main walls. The walls built from ‘Amurkav’ are light, thin and economize living area in the same built-up territory, simultaneously providing great temperature resistance of the walls.
“During all my work activity I have come to a conviction that our ancestors were cleverer than us. They built walls, 80-90 cm thick, to provide the temperature resistance of the houses. Now it’s impossible to build such thick walls in tall buildings. As a result, the temperature resistance of the houses decreases. Here “Amurkav” comes as a solution to the problem providing the required temperature resistance that our ancestors received when building their houses”, notes Mr. Hamamchyan.
Presently, there is some interest in “Amurkav” in Russia, Holland, Switzerland, France. With the Dutch part, the stage of commercial negotiations is being held now. Mr. Hamamchyan is sure that soon it will have great demand only in Armenia. Stone is irreplaceable and eternal as a building material, isn’t it? It’s interesting that for getting ‘Amurkav’ also tufa waste is used, besides clay. The results of the laboratory investigations of ‘Amurkav’ were received last year and the production experiments were positively finished on September 1st.
Human-being who knows how to create
Practice is bare without theory, and theory is unfertile without practice. If work doesn’t include creativity, if “a child” isn’t born as a result, the work is senseless. For the development of the economy in the Earth, applied science should be promoted. We are not so rich yet, to devote oneself to science for the sake of science. Writing thousands of accounts of the creative works for dusty shelves is a non-afforded luxury. Something must be done so that the result of work comes to the country as a material and serves as means to develop the economy of the country. This has been my aim since I launched my production.
Today “M and MAVR” OJSC is the first specialized company that produces tile from clay in Armenia. After privatization, since 1997 the plant had been producing tile from local stuff. Hence, it made no sense to maintain the name “Armporcelain” and since 2006 the company has been renamed ‘M and MAVR’ OJSC (it consists of the initials of the names of shareholders).
In establishment and maintenance of the plant also great was the role of the shareholders. One can’t help mentioning the name of Gevorg Momjyan who in 1982 gave the plant equipments of German production worth 1 200 000 US dollars. He also ordered his two sons to support the plant after his death and this is what his sons do now.
Presently, the statue of Gevorg Momjyan is situated in the territory of the plant as a sign of gratitude.
“M and MAVR” Company employs 100 people. The production volume of the company can reach 1 million pieces of tile annually. If the second workshop is launches, there is a possibility to double the production volume. Unfortunately, the problem is having a small number of consumers. Production is consumed in the inner market. Till last year tile was exported to Georgia, but this market has stopped functioning for this reason or that. Tile has been exported to the USA, Russia and Ukraine for several times but they were made in small numbers because of great transport expenses.
“Our major consumer is the middle social layer but it can hardly solve its social problems. The consumers of more or less high social layers are left, number of which is limited. However, we consider ourselves monopolists in the market of ceramic tile as the latter is produced neither in Transcaucasus nor even in the territory of the former USSR (except Baltics). Our production exceeds other demands available in the market”.
Today the problems are different, and new approach is required for their solution . Mr. Hamamchyan is convinced that for the production of high-quality products, one must first acquire the production culture that comes from the household culture of man – hygiene, aesthetic taste etc.
“Our production is related to art, we must always stand close to art and I do my best to achieve this”, said the head director and added:
“Don’t deal in politics all of you, the politics of an intelligent man is a creative work:
ANUSH BULGHADARYAN
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