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Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy or Erb's muscular dystrophy is a type of muscular dystrophy that includes Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Becker's muscular dystrophy, and a large number of rarer disorders.

The term "limb-girdle" is used to describe these disorders because the muscles most severely affected are generally those of the hips and shoulders -- the limb girdle muscles.

Common symptoms of limb-girdle muscular distrophy are muscle weakness, myoglobinuria, pain, myotonia, cardiomyopathy, elevated serum CK, and rippling muscles.

The muscle weakness is generally symmetric, proximal, and slowly progressive.

Generally pain is not present with LGMD, and mental function is not affected.

LGMD can begin in childhood, adolescence, young adulthood or even later. The age of onset is usually between 10 and 30. Both genders are affected equally. When limb-girdle muscular dystrophy begins in childhood the progression appears to be faster and the disease more disabling. When the disorder begins in adolescence or adulthood the disease is generally not as severe and progresses more slowly.

The distal muscles are affected late in LGMD, if at all. Over time (usually many years), the person with LGMD loses muscle bulk and strength. Eventually, he may need a power wheelchair or scooter, especially for long distances.

While LGMD isn't a fatal disease, it may eventually weaken the heart and lung muscles, leading to illness or death due to secondary disorders.

LGMD is typically an inherited disorder, though it may be inherited as a dominant, recessive, or X-linked genetic defect. The result of the defect is that the muscles cannot properly form the proteins needed for normal muscle function. Several different proteins can be affected, and the specific protein that is absent or defective identifies the specific type of muscular distrophy.

Treatment for LGMD is primarily supportive. Exercise and physical therapy are advised to maintain as much muscle strength and joint flexibility as possible. Assistive devices may be used to maintain mobility and quality of life. Careful attention to lung and heart health is also required.

Right now, I'm watching NASA TV with RealPlayer in a corner of my screen while working on wireless tests. It's nice to follow the mission this way and hear and see status updates while working. First two landing attempts were cancelled because of the bad weather in Florida. Next opportunity is at 13.06 CEST (engine burn) and another hour and 6 minutes later Discovery should touch the ground in California.

Constantine II (Causantín mac Áeda) (874?–952) was king of Scotland from 900 to 942 or 943. He was the son of King Aedh, first cousin of the previous king Donald II, and first cousin once removed of his successor Malcolm I, to whom he left his kingdom upon abdicating and becoming a monk. Constantine's reign is the second longest reign in Scottish history.

Constantine succeeded Donald to the Scottish throne in 900. If a coronation took place, then there is no surviving record of it.

During his reign, Constantine had to fend off Viking (or Norse) raids from the north and west. The earliest of these involved driving the Vikings away from Scotland, and this reached a triumphant climax at the Battle of Scone in 904, after which the Vikings were forced to withdraw from Scotland. However, by then, the Vikings had laid waste to much of Scotland, and in particular the Dunkeld and Alba areas.

Constantine later struggled to win land from, or at least not lose land to, his neighbour to the south, the Saxon area of Northumbria, where the Vikings, led by Viking king Ragnall, had resettled themselves. Constantine was involved in two battles with Ragnall (referred to as the Battles of Corbridge) in that area in 914 and 918, both of which resulted in Scottish victories and ultimately a cessation of hostilities there with the Norse.

When he was not involved in fighting Vikings, Constantine remodelled the Christian church of the day to be more Gaelic in nature. This included a Synod at Scone in 906, and he introduced the mormaer (earls) system to Scotland.

Constantine married at some point in his life, but virtually nothing is known of it. The date and place of the marriage are unrecorded, and his wife's name is likewise forgotten. It is known, however, that the marriage produced at least three children: two sons and a daughter.

Constantine's daughter, whose name is also no longer known, married Olaf III Guthfrithson, the Norse king of Dublin at the time, in 937, in order to establish a more stable relationship with the Norse. At least three children later came from this marriage. If it was intended to contribute to holding back Northumbria, it did not. Constantine was defeated at the Battle of Brunanburh by King Athelstan of England in 937. One of Constantine's sons, Cellach, died in this battle.

In 942 or 943, Constantine abdicated in favour of Malcolm and entered a Culdee monastery in St Andrews, Fife, and eventually became Abbot there. He died peacefully in 952, and was probably buried at the monastery. Constantine's surviving son, Indulf, later became King of Scotland.

Binnenkort verdwijnen enkele kanalen van de analoge kabel. Ik kan me echter wel inbeelden dat kanalen zoals CNN, BBC World en ARTE wel gemist zullen worden door de studenten-homebewoners. Ik heb dan ook eens rondgezocht naar wat de mogelijkheden zouden kunnen zijn in de universitaire gebouwen met het interne TV-netwerk. Het ontvangen van het digitale signaal zou wel mogelijk moeten zijn, denk ik, een returnpad voor het interactieve deel echter niet. En de prijs zou normaal ook moeten meevallen: ofwel een waarborg van 50

Wie dacht dat het begrip aflaten in de hedendaagse maatschappij niet meer bestaat, heeft het bij het verkeerde eind. Aflaten zijn een gedeeltelijke of volledige kwijtschelding van de staffen voor begane zonden, uitgereikt door de paus. In het verleden hadden de pausen een bloeiende handel hierin en konden de rijkeren voor een mooie som hiermee hun zonden afkopen.

Vandaag de dag bestaan die dingen blijkbaar nog. Paus Benedictus XVI heeft namelijk beslist dat de deelnemers aan de Wereldjongerendagen in Keulen kunnen rekenen op dergelijke aflaten. Wilt u ook een aflaat, maar bent u verhinderd om naar Keulen te trekken? Bid dan voor de deelnemers en u krijgt gedeeltelijke kwijtschelding van uw zonden.

Bron: dit artikel in De Standaard.
Edit: de bronverwijzing is een artikel uit het snelnieuws, nu staat er ook een ander artikel: Kom naar Keulen, verdien een aflaat