INDEPENDENCE DAY. On July 4, 1776, the thirteen colonies claimed their independence from England, an event which eventually led to the formation of the United States.
Polycythemia vera is a rare, chronic disorder involving the overproduction of blood cells in the bone marrow (myeloproliferation). The overproduction of red blood cells is most dramatic, but the production of white blood cells and platelets are also elevated in most cases.
Polycythemia occurs in response to some known stimulus for the production of red cells. This is in contrast to a disease called polycythemia vera, in which an increased amount of red cells are produced without a known cause. In polycythemia vera there is usually an increase in other blood elements as well. Polycythemia is a response by the body to an increased demand for oxygen.