Pinoy Nurse: The Epitome of Care: January 2008

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

PRC IDs for Philippine Nursing Licensure Exam Passers of June 2007, now available up to letter M

Professional Regulation Commission Cagayan de Oro has already received the second batch of PRC IDs from PRC-Manila, thus complementing the ID's from letter A up to letter M.You can get your PRC IDs in PRC Cagayan de Oro now, just bring your PRC Receipts and your Board Certificate for verification.

Thank You.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Oral Contraceptives Offer Long-Term Protection Against Ovarian Cancer

The use of oral contraceptives have linked it to increased risk for breast cancer

Oral contraceptives offer long-term protection against ovarian cancer, with the reduction in risk persisting for more than 30 years. This finding, from a huge analysis of 45 studies reported in the January 25 issue of The Lancet, offers "unequivocal good news" says an accompanying commentary. A hard-hitting Lancet editorial published alongside says that the finding has "important public health implications" and calls for oral contraceptives to be made available over the counter.

In the article, researchers from the Collaborative Group on Epidemiological Studies of Ovarian Cancer analyzed individual data on more than 100,000 women from 21 countries. They report that 10 years of oral contraceptive use was estimated to reduce the incidence of ovarian cancer from 1.2 to 0.8 per 100 users and reduce death from ovarian cancer from 0.7 to 0.5 per 100 users. Expressing these figures another way, the researchers, headed by Valerie Beral, MD, from Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom, point out that if 5000 women used oral contraceptives for 1 year, approximately 2 cases of ovarian cancer and 1 death from ovarian cancer before the age of 75 years would be prevented.

Dr. Beral and colleagues estimate that in the last 50 years during which oral contraceptives have been available, approximately 200,000 cases of ovarian cancer and 100,000 deaths have been prevented worldwide. As use of these products continues to increase, they estimate that for the next few decades, oral contraceptives could prevent 30,000 cases of ovarian cancer annually.

"These findings set a new standard in primary prevention for a deadly cancer," the editorial comments. "There are few drugs available that confer powerful and long-lasting protection against a highly lethal malignancy after such a short exposure."

However, an accompanying commentary is more cautious. Eduardo L. Franco, PhD, from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and his wife, Eliane Duarte-Franco, MD, from the Institut National de Sante Publique du Quebec, also in Montreal, say that "women and their health-care providers are once gain at a balancing act of judging risks versus benefits."

In addition to ovarian cancer, oral contraceptives have also shown a protective effect against endometrial and colorectal cancer. However, they have also been linked with an increased risk for breast and cervical cancer, they point out, and "calculation of the next effect on women's health is fraught with uncertainties."

Source: Lancet. 2008;371:275, 277-278, 303-314. Click clinical tests.

Pharmacology in a Song. Memorize Drugs (generic names) easily.. i think

This is quite a nifty stuff to actually learn drugs, medications through a song, though I personally don't think that this funny song might actually help you memorize all that's on it, but at least, it would help you memorize some. The good thing is that, the writer actually compiled the most commonly used drugs based on their classification. Memorizing the drug's actions would be the least you could do here (well, you would still need a drug handbook or the infamous MIMS/PIMS.)

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Link Love, anyone? Viral Linking!

Got this over at Nakanampucha .
Link Love anyone?

Everyone who owns and maintains a blog understands just how important Page Rank is! This includes your ranking in Technorati, Alexa, Google PR, SERP (Search Engine Result Page), etc. Are you happy or satisfied with your current Page Rank? I’m quite sure you’re not, or you won’t be reading this post! A few weeks ago a fellow by the name of Andy Coates started a link building concept that helps bloggers increase their Page Rank. This concept is called Viral Linking. A lot of bloggers from all over immediately jumped on the train and are now enjoying some really good link loving that’s increasing their Page Rank. Nice huh?
So! If you’re serious about boosting your Page Rank, then read carefully and do these simple steps!

Instructions:

1.) Copy and paste the entire matrix of “ViralTags” below.

2.) Substitute the Host Tag and one of the “ViralTags” in the matrix with your anchor text of choice containing your blog’s URL. Please keep anchor text to a maximum of 3 words to keep the matrix size manageable.

3.) When you get a ping back from someone that has your link in one of their “ViralTags”, practice good karma by copying his/her Host Tag’s anchor text (automatically the associated link will also be copied) and paste it over one of your “ViralTags” below.

4.) Encourage and invite your readers to do the same and soon this can grow virally.

=========== Copy and Paste below this line ===========

Host Tag: Pinoy Nurse!

Important: Once I get a ping back from you, I will add your anchor text and the associated link you designate as “Host Tag” here, replacing one of the “ViralTags” from the matrix above. As more and more bloggers copy and paste this matrix, the more backlinks you will have from your anchor text. If everybody who copies and pastes from your blog does the same, pretty soon this will spread and go viral. Remember, the sooner you participate, the more links you will receive!

=========== Copy and Paste below this line ===========

There it is folks. This should help you improve your Technorati ranking, SERP and Google PR. Please leave comment here if you have copied from this matrix so that I can add you just in case your ping back didn’t reach me.

Rules
No Porn Sites
Only 1 link per person (i.e don’t hog the viralink!)
Please don’t tamper with other peoples url’s

The First Post, a win from auction.ph and yugatech.com!

Woho00oo! Just got home from an out-of-town trip and when i got home, this package greets me, the package which i anticipated from auction.ph. I won these from yugatech.com's New year giveaway, sponsored by non other than Auction.ph , the Philippine's most trusted Buy and Sell site. Thanks to Mr. Manu Ofiaza for sending the package, oh, the shirt fits me just well :)
Thanks again!

Deadline of filing for the 2008 Nurses Licensure Examination

The PROFESSIONAL REGULATION COMMISSION announces that the schedules and deadlines in filing applications for the Nurses Licensure Examinations for year 2008 are as follows:

DATES of Exam	DAYS of Exam	DEADLINE
JUNE 1 & 2, 2008	SUNDAY & MONDAY	APR18, 2008
NOVEMBER 29 & 30, 2008	SATURDAY & SUNDAY	OCT17, 2008

The PRC is now accepting applications for the June 2008 NLE at the PRC Central Office and at the PRC regional offices in the cities of Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Legaspi, Lucena, Tacloban, Tuguegarao and Zamboanga. Some 80,000 to 100,000 or more examinees are expected to take the NLE in June 2008.

Graduates of March or April 2008 will be accepted in the June 2008 examination, provided, they will be able to submit, at the time of filing applications on or before the deadline, all the documentary requirements, i.e., Transcript of Records with scanned picture, Birth Certificate in NSO security paper, Notarized/Sworn Summary of Related Learning Experience and OR/DR cases, .

The PRC enjoins early filing of applications to avoid over-crowding at the PRC filing centers.

APPLICATIONS WILL NO LONGER BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE DEADLINE.

p.s. There were some confusions regarding the filing deadline for the 2008 Nurses Licensure Exam prompting the PRC to release a circular memo, click HERE to download the Memorandum Circular No. 2008-01.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

7 Medical Myths and the Facts.

I'm sure we've all heard of at least one of these myths and the facts behind them.

The Myth

>People should drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
>Weuse only 10% of our brains.
>Hair and fingernails continue togrow after death^.
>Shaving hair causes it to grow back faster,darker, or coarser.
>Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight.
Eating turkey makes people especially drowsy
Mobile phonescreate considerable electromagnetic interferencein hospitals.

The Facts

People should drink at least eight glasses of water a day

The advice to drink at least eight glasses of water a day canbe found throughout the popular press. One origin may bea 1945 recommendation that stated: A suitable allowance of waterfor adults is 2.5 litres daily in most instances. An ordinarystandard for diverse persons is 1 millilitre for each calorieof food. Most of this quantity is contained in prepared foods.If the last, crucial sentence is ignored, the statement couldbe interpreted as instruction to drink eight glasses of watera day.

Another endorsement may have come from a prominent nutritionist,Frederick Stare, who once recommended, without references, theconsumption "around 6 to 8 glasses per 24 hours," which couldbe "in the form of coffee, tea, milk, soft drinks, beer, etc."The complete lack of evidence supporting the recommendationto drink six to eight glasses of water a day is exhaustivelycatalogued in an invited review by Heinz Valtin in the AmericanJournal of Physiology.That adequate fluid intake is usually met through typical dailyconsumption of juice, milk, and even caffeinated drinks. Incontrast, drinking excess amounts of water can be dangerous,resulting in water intoxication, hyponatraemia, and even deathFurthermore, existing studies suggestthat adequate fluid intake is usually met through typical dailyconsumption of juice, milk, and even caffeinated drinks. Incontrast, drinking excess amounts of water can be dangerous,resulting in water intoxication, hyponatraemia, and even death.

We use only 10% of our brains

The belief that we use only 10% of our brains has persistedfor over a century, despite dramatic advances in neuroscience.In another extensive expert literature review, Barry Beyersteinprovides a detailed account of the origins of this myth andthe evidence disputing it. Some sources attribute this claimto Albert Einstein, but no such reference or statement by Einsteinhas ever been recorded.^w10 This myth arose as early as 1907,propagated by multiple sources advocating the power of selfimprovement and tapping into each person’s unrealisedlatent abilities.

Evidence from studies of brain damage, brain imaging, localisationof function, microstructural analysis, and metabolic studiesshow that people use much more than 10% of their brains.Studies of patients with brain injury suggest that damage toalmost any area of the brain has specific and lasting effectson mental, vegetative, and behavioural capabilities.Numerous types of brain imaging studies show that no area ofthe brain is completely silent or inactive. The manyfunctions of the brain are highly localised, with differenttasks allocated to different anatomical regions.Detailedprobing of the brain has failed to identify the "non-functioning"90%.Even micro-level localisation, isolating the responseof single neurones, reveals no gaps or inactive areas.Metabolic studies, tracking differential rates of cellular metabolismwithin the brain, reveal no dormant areas.

Hair and fingernails continue to grow after death

Morbid information about the body captures the imagination andreinforces medical mythology. In All Quiet on the Western Front,the author describes a friend’s fingernails growing incorkscrews after the burial. Johnny Carson even perpetuatedthis myth with his joke, "For three days after death hair andfingernails continue to grow, but phone calls taper off."To quote the expert opinion of forensic anthropologist WilliamMaples, "It is a powerful, disturbing image, but it is puremoonshine. No such thing occurs."

This myth does have a basis in a biological phenomenon thatcan occur after death. As Maples and numerous dermatologistsexplain, dehydration of the body after death and drying or desiccationmay lead to retraction of the skin around the hair or nails.The skin’s retraction can create an appearance of increasedlength or of greater prominence because of the optical illusioncreated by contrasting the shrunken soft tissues with the nailsor hair. The actual growth of hair and nails, however, requiresa complex hormonal regulation not sustained after death.

Shaving hair causes it to grow back faster, darker, or coarser

Another common belief is that shaving hair off will cause itto grow back in a darker or coarser form or to grow back faster.It is often reinforced by popular media sources and perhapsby people contemplating the quick appearance of stubble on theirown body.

Strong scientific evidence disproves these claims. As earlyas 1928, a clinical trial showed that shaving had no effecton hair growth. More recent studies confirm that shavingdoes not affect the thickness or rate of hair regrowth.In addition, shaving removes the dead portion of hair, not theliving section lying below the skin’s surface, so it isunlikely to affect the rate or type of growth. Shaved hairlacks the finer taper seen at the ends of unshaven hair, givingan impression of coarseness. Similarly, the new hair hasnot yet been lightened by the sun or other chemical exposures,resulting in an appearance that seems darker than existing hair.

Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight

The fearful idea that reading in dim light could ruin one’seyesight probably has its origins in the physiological experienceof eye strain. Suboptimal lighting can create a sensation ofhaving difficulty in focusing. It also decreases the rate ofblinking and leads to discomfort from drying, particularly inconditions of voluntary squinting. The important counterpointis that these effects do not persist.

The majority consensus in ophthalmology, as outlined in a collectionof educational material for patients, is that reading in dimlight does not damage your eyes. Although it can cause eyestrain with multiple temporary negative effects, it is unlikelyto cause a permanent change on the function or structure ofthe eyes. Even in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome(an autoimmune disease that features inflammation in certainglands of the body), decreased functional visual acuity associatedwith strained reading improves when they stop reading.

One review article on myopia concludes that increased use ofone’s eyes, such as reading in dim light or holding bookstoo close to the face, could result in impaired ocular growthand refractive error.The primary evidence cited was epidemiologicalevidence of the increased prevalence of myopia and the highincidence of myopia in people with more academic experience.The author notes that this hypothesis is just beginning to "gainscientific credence." In the past reading conditions involvedeven less light, relying on candles or lanterns, so increasedrates of myopia over the past several centuries does not necessarilysupport that dim reading conditions are to blame. In contrastto that review, hundreds of online expert opinions concludethat reading in low light does not hurt your eyes.

Eating turkey makes people especially drowsy

The presence of tryptophan in turkey may be the most commonlyknown fact pertaining to amino acids and food. Scientific evidenceshows that tryptophan is involved in sleep and mood controland can cause drowsiness.L-tryptophan has been marketedas a sleep aid.

The myth is the idea that consuming turkey (and the tryptophanit contains) might particularly predispose someone to sleepiness.Actually, turkey does not contain an exceptional amount of tryptophan.Turkey, chicken, and minced beef contain nearly equivalent amountsof tryptophan (about 350 mg per 115 g), while other common sourcesof protein, such as pork or cheese, contain more tryptophanper gram than turkey.^w42 Any effects of the tryptophan in turkeyare probably minimised by consuming it in combination with otherfood, which would limit its absorption according to expert opinion.In fact, consuming supplemental tryptophan on an empty stomachis recommended to aid absorption. Other physiological mechanismsexplain drowsiness after meals. Any large solid meal (such asturkey, sausages, stuffing, and assorted vegetables followedby Christmas pudding and brandy butter) can induce sleepinessbecause blood flow and oxygenation to the brain decreases,and meals either high in protein or carbohydrate may cause drowsiness.^w46-w51Accompanying wine may also play a role.

Mobile phones create considerable electromagnetic interference in hospitals

In a search by www.snopes.com we could not find any cases ofdeath caused by the use of a mobile phone in a hospital or medicalfacility. Less serious incidents, including false alarmson monitors, malfunctions in infusion pumps, and incorrect readingson cardiac monitors, have occasionally been reported. Althoughno references or dates are given, one government website publishedan anecdote in 2002 describing how use of a mobile phone inan intensive care unit resulted in an unintended bolus of adrenaline(epinephrine) from an infusion pump. After publication ofa journal article citing more than 100 reports of suspectedelectromagnetic interference with medical devices before 1993,the Wall Street Journal published a front page article highlightingthis danger. Since that time, many hospitals banned the useof mobile phones, perpetuating the belief.

Despite the concerns, there is little evidence. In the UnitedKingdom, early studies showed that mobile phones interferedwith only 4% of devices and only at a distance of <1> in 2005, in 510 tests performed with 16 medical devices andsix mobile telephones, the incidence of clinically importantinterference was 1.2%. Similarly rigorous testing in Europefound minimal interference and only at distances less than 1meter. Recent technological improvements may be lesseningeven this minimal interference. A 2007 study, examining mobilephones "used in a normal way," found no interference of anykind during 300 tests in 75 treatment rooms. In contrast,a large survey of anaesthesiologists suggested that use of mobilephones by doctors was associated with reduced risk of medicalerror or injury resulting from delays in communication (relativerisk 0.78; 95% confidence interval 0.62 to 0.96).

It's funny that I actually believed three of the myths listed to be true. Hehehe.. All references can be found HERE.

Are we too crowded with Nurses? How badly do they really need us?

As I was on my way to the hospital where I am working, I noticed a significant increase in the number of nursing students I've been seeing lately. Almost 60% of the total population of the school that I graduated were nursing students, from 40% in my college days to a whooping 60% at present time, not to mention the other colleges who offer nursing education here in my city and in the Philippines in general.
When these youngsters graduate, would you consider the Philippines as way too crowded with nurses, with the rate of our Nursing Service Personnels flying out of the country?

Defintion of Nurses: individuals who successfully completed a BS degree in Nursing and has successfully passed the Local Nursing Licensure Exam (PNLE), may or may not be employed in a hospital.

I've done a little research and compiled some of the top global destinations of nurses and their projected Personnel Shortage below.

Projected Shortage:

United States

275,000 RN FTE shortfall in 2010
808,000 RN FTE shortfall in 2020

Canada

National projections unavailable
30,000 RNs will be lost in 50-65 age group by 2006, a 13% loss from 2001

England

108,000 additional RN FTEs needed by 2020

Wales

6,000 additional RNs needed by 2010

Australia

Projected shortage of 40,000 nurses by 2010

New Zealand

RN shortages reported throughout health sector

I've added some Factors that are leading our nurses (and students actually to take up nursing) to seek an employment abroad aside from the obvious financial freedom.

Push Factors

Low pay - Pinoy nurses earns an average of Php8,000/month
Poor working conditions - You've seen our public hospitals, you be the judge.
Poorly resourced systems - again, our political system is corrupt leading to a corrupted health sector.
Limited career opportunities - not to mention expensive. (masters, ph.d's, specializations)
Limited education - few masteral degrees available in the Philippines.
Dangerous environment - shortage of gloves is one contributing factor. None/shortage of protective apparels (masks, gowns, goggles)
Economic instability - fluctuating PPPeso.

Pull Factors

Higher pay/ opportunities for remittances - Isn't this obvious?
Better working conditions - You get paid better by doing less.
Better resourced systems - Foreign health sectors are far more efficient in terms of budget and delivery of services.
Career opportunities - e.g. nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, travel nurse.
Provision of post-basic education - foreign employers are strict on implementing CE units, thus providing more specialization opportunities.
Political stability - at least, not as shaky as the Philippine's.
Travel opportunities - You work.You earn.You travel and get vacations for free.

Click HERE for immigration links that might help your dollar quest.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

How healthy are you?

Have you ever asked yourself this question? The new definition of health according to the World Health Organization is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity and the ability to lead a socially and economically productive life."
Do we have a method to actually measure our state of wellness or our state of health?
Being healthy is not just about the number of calories you burn per day, the total body fat percentage you have, the kind of food you consume or wearing safety precautions when travelling. Being healthy is having balance on all our life aspects, Psychological, Spiritual, Physical and Psychosocial.

I took a health test on ReadersDigest and fairly scored 43 which means that I'm at low risk for disease conditions. It does not actually say how healthy I am, but still being a low risk for diseases comforts me.

There are a lot of health quizzes on the internet but I chose to recommend these two sites since it has more credibility and more researchers on their side.

Both tests would only take around 5-10mins and differ in a few ways. Just answer the questions truthfully and if you are concerned with the results, you may need to see your doctor for it.

-dan

Friday, January 11, 2008

Win Another Hundred Bucks at Linkbaitme

-->> note: this contest is on-going at linkbaitme.com and the sites listed below who will pay whoever will win. <<--


The rules and links are between these lines:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To gain entries into the contest, just do any of the following:
- Subscribe to RSS via email = 2 entries (per blog you subscribe to!)
- Make a comment of value (not just "i agree", etc.) on a post = 1 entry (remember to comment on all blogs)
- Write a post about the contest on your blog (must include a link to this page and the links below to participating blogs) = 25 entries

How much easier can we make it?  So you can sneak in with just one entry by simply posting a comment here, you can increase your odds by reading and commenting on a few more posts here and at one of the blogs below and maybe subscribe to a couple, or you can really up the odds and subscribe to all all of our blogs (which you'll enjoy reading anyway), comment on a bunch of posts, and blog about this contest.  The more entries you earn, the better your odds, of course.  If you're going to post about this contest, just grab the image and code from here.

The deadline for this contest is 12:00 AM February 1, 2008.

Who wants to pay you?
- JoeTech.com
- Link Bait
- Gorilla Sushi
- Mixed Market Arts
- CK Marketing
- The Big Bald Blog
- How 2 Blogger

---- did all of those, I hope to win .. heheh -----

The Year of Rattus norvegicus , the RAT.

Last night, it was about 11pm, came from work (3-11pm shift) went straight ahead to my room only to find out that rattus paid me a visit, I was about to open the door when something fast came across me, a pesky ~~little~~ HUGE rat. Then, I thought, hmmm... this must be my lucky year since i was born on the year of Ox, which is directly compatible to the Rat according to ancient Chinese Zodiac. The ratty was literally knockin' on my door.
To commence this post, I would like to share a disease commonly caused by the rats excreted waste products (feces and urine).

Leptospirosis and it's chain.

Leptospirosis is caused by a spirochaete bacterium called Leptospira spp. that has at 5 different serovars of importance in the United States causing disease (icterohaemorrhagiae, canicola, pomona, grippotyphosa, and bratislava).^[3] There are other (less common) infectious strains. It should however be noted that genetically different leptospira organisms may be identical serologically and vice versa. Hence, an argument exists on the basis of strain identification. The traditional serologic system is seemingly more useful from diagnostic and epidemiologic standpoint at the moment (which may change with further development and spread of technologies like PCR).

Nursing Interventions - click here
For a complete information regarding the disease, click here. From Pathophysiology to Medical Interventions.

Have a bountiful and blissful, 2008 everyone!

-dan

Be sure to SUBSCRIBE in a reader or Subscribe to Pinoy Nurse by Email to get the latest, and nothing but!

Thursday, January 10, 2008

IV Therapy Updates (3 days)

There will be a 3-day IV Therapy update this coming February 26-28, 2008 at Deluxe Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City.

I still don't have the full detail of the event but what I am sure of is that it is 24 CEU (Continuing Education Units) which is needed to renew our license as a Nurse.
The cost of the said event is Php2,500, inclusive of : Free Lunch, Light Snacks, Seminar Kits and other freebies. Contact details will be posted here ASAP.

I will post further details of the event as soon as i get a hold of the memo / invitation.
If you like, you can

Subscribe to Pinoy Nurse by an RSS reader

or Subscribe by Email.

Thanks

-dan

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Sorry for the look.

sorry, the blog looks really trashy now. i cant seem to display the ads properly. i'll check back on it later. i still have work to do.

ciao.

-dan

Okay, no new posts for today.

So, as you can see the site has a new layout.. something that is more pleasing (IMO).
its 4am, gotta sleep. just need to figure out whats wrong with my adsense ads on the right
furnishing to be done tomorrow.
happy clicking!

-dan

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

join me at QASSIA.com

join me at http://asdix07.qassia.com and earn 500$ or more. this is actually true.

for internet cafe users, be sure that the computer you are using has not actually registered with qassia or they will not validate your sign up. had a warning with this one when used the same unit to actually sign up another individual..

see u there and lets start sharing knowledge (intel)

-dan

Friday, January 4, 2008

Disease Focus: Brain Tumor / Brain Neoplasms

Brain Tumors and Interdependent Treatments

Relevant information about brain tumors. I've had several cases of patients having brain tumor, one of the most memorable(is this word politically correct?) was that of the tumor actually caused a rupture of a minor vessel which lead to internal hemorrhage. Read on for a detailed insight into Brain Neoplasms.

Neoplasms of the intracranial components of the central nervous system, including the cerebral hemispheres, basal ganglia, hypothalamus, thalamus, brain stem, and cerebellum. Brain neoplasms are subdivided into primary (originating from brain tissue) and secondary (i.e., metastatic) forms. Primary neoplasms are subdivided into benign and malignant forms. In general, brain tumors may also be classified by age of onset, histologic type, or presenting location in the brain.

Benign brain tumors do not contain cancer cells:
- Usually, benign tumors can be removed, and they seldom grow back.
- The border or edge of a benign brain tumor can be clearly seen. Cells from benign tumors do not invade tissues around them or spread to other parts of the body. However, benign tumors can press on sensitive areas of the brain and cause serious health problems.
- Unlike benign tumors in most other parts of the body, benign brain tumors are sometimes life threatening.
- Very rarely, a benign brain tumor may become malignant.
Malignant brain tumors contain cancer cells:
- Malignant brain tumors are generally more serious and often are life threatening.
- They are likely to grow rapidly and crowd or invade the surrounding healthy brain tissue.
- Very rarely, cancer cells may break away from a malignant brain tumor and spread to other parts of the brain, to the spinal cord, or even to other parts of the body. The spread of cancer is called metastasis.
- Sometimes, a malignant tumor does not extend into healthy tissue. The tumor may be contained within a layer of tissue. Or the bones of the skull or another structure in the head may confine it. This kind of tumor is called encapsulated.
Doctors sometimes group brain tumors by grade—from low grade (grade I) to high grade (grade IV). The grade of a tumor refers to the way the cells look under a microscope. Cells from high-grade tumors look more abnormal and generally grow faster than cells from low-grade tumors.

Primary Brain Tumors

Tumors that begin in brain tissue are known as primary tumors of the brain. (Information about secondary brain tumors appears in the following section.) Primary brain tumors are named according to the type of cells or the part of the brain in which they begin.

The most common primary brain tumors are gliomas. They begin in glial cells. There are many types of gliomas:

Astrocytoma—The tumor arises from star-shaped glial cells called astrocytes. In adults, astrocytomas most often arise in the cerebrum. In children, they occur in the brain stem, the cerebrum, and the cerebellum. A grade III astrocytoma is sometimes called an anaplastic astrocytoma. A grade IV astrocytoma is usually called a glioblastoma multiforme.
Brain stem glioma—The tumor occurs in the lowest part of the brain. Brain stem gliomas most often are diagnosed in young children and middle-aged adults.
Ependymoma—The tumor arises from cells that line the ventricles or the central canal of the spinal cord. They are most commonly found in children and young adults.
Oligodendroglioma—This rare tumor arises from cells that make the fatty substance that covers and protects nerves. These tumors usually occur in the cerebrum. They grow slowly and usually do not spread into surrounding brain tissue. They are most common in middle-aged adults.

Some types of brain tumors do not begin in glial cells. The most common of these are:

Medulloblastoma—This tumor usually arises in the cerebellum. It is the most common brain tumor in children. It is sometimes called a primitive neuroectodermal tumor.
Meningioma—This tumor arises in the meninges. It usually grows slowly.
Schwannoma—A tumor that arises from a Schwann cell. These cells line the nerve that controls balance and hearing. This nerve is in the inner ear. The tumor is also called an acoustic neuroma. It occurs most often in adults.
Craniopharyngioma—The tumor grows at the base of the brain, near the pituitary gland. This type of tumor most often occurs in children.
Germ cell tumor of the brain—The tumor arises from a germ cell. Most germ cell tumors that arise in the brain occur in people younger than 30. The most common type of germ cell tumor of the brain is a germinoma.
Pineal region tumor—This rare brain tumor arises in or near the pineal gland. The pineal gland is located between the cerebrum and the cerebellum.

Secondary Brain Tumors

When cancer spreads from its original place to another part of the body, the new tumor has the same kind of abnormal cells and the same name as the primary tumor. Cancer that spreads to the brain from another part of the body is different from a primary brain tumor. When cancer cells spread to the brain from another organ (such as the lung or breast), doctors may call the tumor in the brain a secondary tumor or metastatic tumor. Secondary tumors in the brain are far more common than primary brain tumors.

Brain Tumors: Who's at Risk?

No one knows the exact causes of brain tumors. Doctors can seldom explain why one person develops a brain tumor and another does not. However, it is clear that brain tumors are not contagious. No one can "catch" the disease from another person.

Research has shown that people with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop a brain tumor. A risk factor is anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease.

The following risk factors are associated with an increased chance of developing a primary brain tumor:

Being male—In general, brain tumors are more common in males than females. However, meningiomas are more common in females.
Race—Brain tumors occur more often among white people than among people of other races.
Age—Most brain tumors are detected in people who are 70 years old or older. However, brain tumors are the second most common cancer in children. (Leukemia is the most common childhood cancer.) Brain tumors are more common in children younger than 8 years old than in older children.
Family history—People with family members who have gliomas may be more likely to develop this disease.
Being exposed to radiation or certain chemicals at work:
- Radiation—Workers in the nuclear industry have an increased risk of developing a brain tumor.
- Formaldehyde—Pathologists and embalmers who work with formaldehyde have an increased risk of developing brain cancer. Scientists have not found an increased risk of brain cancer among other types of workers exposed to formaldehyde.
- Vinyl chloride—Workers who make plastics may be exposed to vinyl chloride. This chemical may increase the risk of brain tumors.
- Acrylonitrile—People who make textiles and plastics may be exposed to acrylonitrile. This exposure may increase the risk of brain cancer.

Scientists are investigating whether cell phones may cause brain tumors. Studies thus far have not found an increased risk of brain tumors among people who use cell phones.

Scientists also continue to study whether head injuries are a risk factor for brain tumors. So far, these studies have not found an increased risk among people who have had head injuries.

Most people who have known risk factors do not get brain cancer. On the other hand, many who do get the disease have none of these risk factors. People who think they may be at risk should discuss this concern with their doctor. The doctor may be able to suggest ways to reduce the risk and can plan an appropriate schedule for checkups.

Myth & Snopes.com : Redbull energy drink contains stimulant that causes Brain Tumor!

MYTH :

Ever wondered what's in a can of Redbull Energy drink? The small print lists a host of ingredients and among them is Glucuronolactone, an artificially manufactured stimulant developed in the early 60's by the American Government.

Glucuronolactone was first used in the Vietnam conflict to boost morale amongst GI's who were suffering from stress and fatigue, but was banned after a few years following several deaths and hundreds of cases involving anything from severe migraines to brain tumours in personnel prescribed the stimulant.

That was in 1973 and Glucuronolactone is still banned for commercial consumption in America this day. The bad news is that the substance never found it's way to Europe in the early days and was therefore never banned by the EU community. An article in this months edition of the British Medical Journal has highlighted a growing number of cases reported by Doctors and Surgeons involving the very same side effects from the 70's.

All of the patients examined were regular drinkers of RedBull and it is believed that the safety of Glucuronolactone is currently under review in at least three major European countries.

Please pass this on to any RedBull drinkers you know, and next time you get a headache after drinking the stuff, you'll know why!

FACT:

Glucuronolactone is a naturally-occurring metabolite, a carbohydrate produced by the human metabolic system. It most certainly is not "an artificially manufactured stimulant developed in the early 60's by the American Government," as is claimed in the e-mailed exhortation to foreswear the drink. Yet a can of Red Bull contains 600 mg of the substance per can, which has been suggested is 250 times a person's normal daily intake. No proof has yet emerged that this would pose a danger of any sort, but it is a large enough number in and of itself to evoke concern.

Searches of The British Medical Journal fail to turn up the article described in the warning, belying the e-mail's claim that a piece on this lurking horror recently appeared there. Searches of the Food and Drug Administration's web site also fail to turn up anything about glucuronolactone, a situation unheard of even in the case of drugs or substances that are merely the subjects of questions raised by consumers, let alone ones that are "banned for commercial consumption in America." Were glucuronolactone the raging threat to mankind portrayed in the e-mail, the FDA database would be full to overflowing with articles about it.

The glucuronolactone rumor is not the only one circulated about Red Bull. Other whispers state that the drink is formulated from bull testicles, or that it's been proved to be wildly addictive, or that its drinkers will test positive in drug tests after downing just half a can, or that it shivers on the verge of being banned throughout Europe. With one partial exception, all of these rumors are
untrue.

Though the beverage is not barred from sale in Europe, some countries have indeed banned it, including Denmark, Malaysia, and France. These countries cite concern over the beverage's high level of caffeine.

Red Bull is the trendy drink of the moment among the dance club set. It is also expensive, and this carbonated nectar is sickly sweet. As for the second of the claims that needed to be addressed, Red Bull does contain glucuronolactone. But as we've seen, that ingredient is apparently innocuous.

The beverage was first concocted in Austria in 1987, and is marketed as an energy drink that "improves muscle tone," "increases endurance 25 percent" and "invigorates mind and body." Whatever wildly optimistic health benefits it lays claim to, the drink's current appeal among young people stems from its rumored legendary energy boosting properties, which it gets from its high caffeine content. The caffeine in one can of Red Bull (80 mg) equals that of one cup of black coffee (which varies in caffeine content from 80 to 180 mg depending on how it is prepared). The drink also contains taurine, a derivative of the sulphur-containing amino acid, cysteine. Taurine is often found as an ingredient in infant milk formulas.

Criticisms of the beverage primarily have to do with the amount of caffeine (equivalent to that found in a typical cup of coffee) and sugar (about 5 teaspoons per 250 ml can) contained in the brew. Caffeine is deadly when ingested in a massive dose, but the amount estimated to prove fatal is ten grams, which would require 125 cans of the drink. Disregarding the marketing hype, sugar is no better at giving energy than any other food or drink. The best fluids for rehydration contain just a pinch of salt and sugar, which makes Red Bull a highly unusual sports drink.

Despite whatever conclusions one might draw from the name, Red Bull contains no substances of animal origin. Even the taurine used in the formulation is synthetically produced.

Yet concern remains, fueled by misgivings about the drink's high concentrations of caffeine, a lurking gut feeling that large amounts of taurine might not be beneficial for folks, and suspicion that Red Bull somehow caused four deaths.

In 1991, the deaths of three people in Sweden who expired after drinking Red Bull were reported. Two of the deceased had mixed the drink with alcohol, the other downed it undiluted during rigorous exercise. No direct proof has yet emerged that demonstrates Red Bull is at fault in any of these deaths. In 1999, 18-year-old Irish basketball player Ross Cooney drank three Red Bulls before expiring on the court. The coroner attributed the young man's demise to thickened arteries and sudden adult death syndrome, yet due to guilt by association, his having had three cans of Red Bull just before his life ended is perceived by some as the one's having caused the other.

--== Well, I actually fell for this hoax once. I stopped drinking an energy drink before thinking that THIAMINE would also lead to brain tumors. This is just one of those strings of bad publicity for energy drinks.

Good Night :)

-dan

YUGA's new year gifts! www.yugatech.com

--- Here goes my entry ---

While we still have a few more days left for 2007, why don’t we cap off the year with yet another round of contest and giveaways? Thanks to the support of our friends at Auction.PH, we have more stuff to send out on top of what I have in my storage box.

Here’s what we’ll be giving away this time around:

Creative 2.1 Subwoofer System
Php2,000 Gift Certificate on any Nokia Stores*
Shell-Ferrari Model Cars**
Apacer USB 2.0 Drive
20 pcs. Auction.PH T-Shirts
2 accounts for 1-year Free 1GB Hosting and Domain***

Here’s how to win in the raffle:

For the Auction.PH T-Shirt, just leave a comment with your gender and shirt size. We’ll have 10 for males and 10 for females.

For all the rest of the prizes, just mention/trackback this contest/giveaway in your blog with a link to our sponsors (Auction.PH and plogHost).

You can win more prizes by commenting or blogging about this. Winners will be raffled and announced here on Monday, January 7, 2008. Total prizes cost over Php25,000. Happy New Year to all!

Note:
* GC valid on ff. store: Digital Exchange in Glorietta 3; Podium in Ortigas; and CyberZone at SM City, North EDSA
** Models depend on availability
*** Powered by plogHost (any .com, .net, .org with 1GB webspace & 20GB bandwidth valued at Php9,000 a year)
- T-Shirts will be shipped by Auction.PH anywhere in the Philippines via courier
- some items (2.1 Subwoofer) will have to be picked up at Makati

Disclosure:
- Yuga is the owner of web hosting company, plogHost.com
- He's one of the official endorsers of Auction.PH