security lapse at SM Megamall; etc.

security lapse at SM Megamall
at Mandaluyong City on February 17, 2009. Because of said lapse by guard at entrance to said mall on said date, I could have brought deadly weapons into said place. On said date, I bought product from First Macro Trading, Inc. at Cyber Zone in said
mall. I was issued First Macro Trading, Inc, sales invoice No. 139379A dated 2/17. Said invoice bears an indication that said invoice was paid Feb, 17, 2009.



web sites with free useful information:

Bartleby web site
Bartleby.com


Falls and Older Adults
http://nihseniorhealth.gov/falls/toc.html
* About Falls
* Causes and Risk Factors
* Preventing Falls and Fractures
* If You Fall
* Frequently Asked Questions
* Videos
* MedlinePlus - more information on Falls and Older Adults

Last reviewed: 07 November 2008
First published: 16 October 2006

National Institute on Aging, U.S. National Library of Medicine
National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services


FDA Advises Public of Serious Adverse Event with Psoriasis Drug Raptiva
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2009/NEW01958.html
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 19, 2009

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued a public health advisory concerning three confirmed, and one possible report of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare brain infection, in patients using the psoriasis drug Raptiva (efalizumab). Three of those patients have died. All four patients were treated with the drug for more than three years. None of the patients were receiving other treatments that suppress the immune system.

The FDA is reviewing this latest information. The agency will take appropriate steps to:

* ensure that the risks of Raptiva do not outweigh its benefits;
* that patients prescribed Raptiva are clearly informed of the signs and symptoms of PML; and
* that health care professionals carefully monitor patients for the possible development of PML.

PML is caused by a virus that affects the central nervous system. PML usually occurs in people whose immune systems have been severely weakened. It leads to an irreversible decline in neurologic function and death. Symptoms may include unusual
weakness, loss of coordination, changes in vision, difficulty speaking and personality changes. There is no known effective prevention or treatment.

Psoriasis is a chronic disease, for which a number of effective therapeutic options are available, including four other approved biologic agents, ultraviolent light therapy, and the drugs cyclosporine, acitretin, and methotrexate. Generally,
treatment for psoriasis patients involves a rotation of therapies.

In October 2008, the product labeling for Raptiva was revised to highlight in a boxed warning the risks of life-threatening infections, including PML. At that time, the FDA directed Genentech, the manufacturer, to develop a risk evaluation and
mitigation strategy (REMS) to include a medication guide to educate patients about the drug’s risks.

The FDA strongly recommends that health care professionals carefully monitor patients on Raptiva, as well as those who have discontinued the drug, for any signs or symptoms of neurologic disease, and that they periodically reassess the benefits of
continued treatment. Patients should be aware of the symptoms of PML and contact their health care professionals immediately if they experience any such symptoms.

Raptiva is a once-weekly injection approved for adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic (whole body) therapy or phototherapy. The drug works by suppressing T-cells (blood cells that help fight infection) in the immune system. These cells, when activated, migrate to the skin and cause inflammation which results in the red, inflamed and scaly patches of skin, which is associated with psoriasis. By suppressing T-cells, Raptiva decreases the
function of the immune system which increases a patient’s susceptibility to infections.

FDA Top Consumer Updates as of February 19, 2009
http://www.fda.gov/consumer/default.htm


Reducing Radiation from Medical X-rays
Printer-friendly PDF (361 KB)


On this page:

* What are X-rays?
* X-ray Risks
* Steps for Consumers
* FDA's Role

One of medicine's most remarkable achievements is the use of X-rays to see inside the body without having a surgeon wield a scalpel.

"Before medical X-ray machines were available, people who were in an accident and had serious injuries would often need exploratory surgery to find out what was wrong," says CAPT Thomas Ohlhaber, U.S. Public Health Service, a physicist and deputy director of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Division of Mammography Quality and Radiation Programs.

"But today, if you're brought to the emergency room with severe injuries, within a few minutes you can be X-rayed, often with a sophisticated computed tomography, or ‘CT,' unit, have your injuries assessed, and be treated quickly before you progress
to a much more serious state," says Ohlhaber.

X-rays are used for much more than identifying injuries from accidents. They are used to screen for, diagnose, and treat various medical conditions. X-rays can be used on just about any part of the body—from the head down to the toes—to identify
health problems ranging from a broken bone to pneumonia, heart disease, intestinal blockages, and kidney stones. And X-rays cannot only find cancerous tumors, but can often destroy them.

Along with their tremendous value, medical X-rays have a drawback: they expose people to radiation. FDA regulates radiation-emitting products including X-ray machines. But everyone has a critical role in reducing radiation while still getting the maximum benefit from X-ray exams.


What are X-rays?

X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation that can penetrate clothing, body tissue, and internal organs. An X-ray machine sends this radiation through the body. Some of the radiation emerges on the other side of the body, where it exposes
film or is absorbed by a digital detector to create an image. And some of it is absorbed in body tissues. It is the radiation absorbed by the body that contributes to the "radiation dose" a patient gets.

Because of their effectiveness in the early detection and treatment of diseases, and their ready access in doctor's offices, clinics, and hospitals, X-rays are used more today and on more people than in the past, according to the National Council on
Radiation Protection and Measurements.

* In the early 1980s, medical X-rays made up about 11 percent of all the radiation exposure to the U.S. population.

Current estimates attribute nearly 35 percent of all radiation exposure to medical X-rays. (Nuclear medicine procedures, which use radioactive material to create images of the body, account for about 12 percent of radiation exposure, and natural
sources of radiation in the environment that we're exposed to all the time make up approximately 50 percent.)
* Radiation dose per person from medical X-rays has increased almost 500 percent since 1982.
* Nearly half of all medical X-ray exposures today come from CT equipment, and radiation doses from CT are higher than other X-ray studies.
Source: National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements


X-ray Risks

The risks of medical X-rays include

* a small increase in the chance of developing cancer later in life
* developing cataracts and skin burns following exposure to very high levels of radiation

The small risk of cancer depends on several factors:

* The lifetime risk of cancer increases as a person undergoes more X-ray exams and the accumulated radiation dose gets higher.
* The lifetime risk is higher for a person who received X-rays at a younger age than for someone who receives them at an older age.
* Women are at a somewhat higher lifetime risk than men for developing cancer from radiation after receiving the same exposures at the same ages.

The risk of cataracts and skin burns are mainly associated with repeated or prolonged interventional fluoroscopy procedures.

These types of procedures show a continuous X-ray image on a monitor (an X-ray "movie") to determine, for example, where to remove plaque from coronary arteries.

"The benefits of medical X-rays far outweigh their risks," says CDR Sean Boyd, U.S. Public Health Service, an engineer and chief of FDA's Diagnostic Devices Branch. "And everyone involved with medical X-rays can do their part to reduce radiation
exposure—whether they're a consumer or patient, doctor, physicist, radiologist, technologist, manufacturer, or installer."


Steps for Consumers

Consumers have an important role in reducing radiation risks from medical X-rays. FDA recommends these steps:

Ask your health care professional how an X-ray will help. How will it help find out what's wrong or determine your treatment?

Ask if there are other procedures that might be lower risk but still allow a good assessment or treatment for your medical situation.

Don't refuse an X-ray. If your health care professional explains why it is medically needed, then don't refuse an X-ray. The risk of not having a needed X-ray is greater than the small risk from radiation.

Don't insist on an X-ray. If your health care professional explains there is no need for an X-ray, then don't demand one.

Tell the X-ray technologist in advance if you are, or might be, pregnant.

Ask if a protective shield can be used. If you or your children are getting an X-ray, ask whether a lead apron or other shield should be used.

Ask your dentist if he/she uses the faster (E or F) speed film for X-rays. It costs about the same as the conventional D speed film and offers similar benefits with a lower radiation dose. Using digital imaging detectors instead of film further
reduces radiation dose.

Know your X-ray history. "Just as you may keep a list of your medications with you when visiting the doctor, keep a list of your imaging records, including dental X-rays," says Ohlhaber. An X-ray record card you can keep in your wallet can be found
at www.fda.gov/cdrh/consumer/record_card.pdf. When an X-ray is taken, fill out the card with the date and type of exam, referring physician, and facility and address where the images are kept. Show the card to your health care professionals to
avoid unnecessary duplication of X-rays of the same body part. Keep a record card for everyone in your family.


FDA's Role

FDA works to reduce radiation doses to the public while preserving image quality for an accurate exam by

* establishing performance standards for radiation-emitting products, recommending good practices, and conducting

educational activities with health professionals, scientists, industry, and consumers to encourage the safe use of medical

X-rays and minimize unnecessary exposures
* working with professional groups and industry to develop international safety standards that build dose-reduction technologies into various procedures and types of radiological equipment
* working with states to help them annually inspect mammography facilities, test mammography equipment (X-ray machines to help detect breast cancer), and ensure that facilities adhere to the Mammography Quality Standards Act, which establishes
standards for radiation dose, personnel, equipment, and image quality
* monitoring industry technological advances that reduce radiation doses. Equipment manufacturers have already incorporated several advances to decrease the dose in newer machines that perform CT, which is considered the gold standard
for diagnosing many diseases but also contributes greatly to the collective radiation dose to the U.S. population.
* participating in "Image Gently," a national initiative to educate parents and health care professionals about the special precautions required for children who get X-rays. (Children are more sensitive to medical X-ray radiation than adults.)



For More Information

X-ray Record Card
www.fda.gov/cdrh/consumer/record_card.pdf

Medical X-rays
www.fda.gov/cdrh/radhealth/products/medicalxray.html

Radiology & Children: Extra Care Required
www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/radiology_kids062308.html

What are the Radiation Risks from CT?
www.fda.gov/cdrh/ct/risks.html

RadiologyInfo, a radiology information resource for patients
www.radiologyinfo.org/

Whole-Body Computed Tomography (CT) Imaging
www.fda.gov/womens/getthefacts/ct.html

National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements
www.ncrponline.org

Date Posted: February 19, 2009



FDA Consumer Health Information
Consumer Updates archive




Improper Use of Skin Numbing Products Can Be Deadly
Generic Drug Roundup: February 2009
FDA Web Page on Salmonella and Peanut Products
Food Allergies: Reducing the Risks
Final Guidance on Genetically Engineered Animals
Understanding Antidepressant Medications
Tainted Weight Loss Pills Flagged as Health Risks
Caution to Dog Owners About Chicken Jerky Products
Botulism Risk From Ungutted, Salt-Cured Alewives Fish
Prescription Drug Leaflets Need Improvement
Kidney Risk Spurs Warning on Bowel Cleansers
Get Set for Winter Illness Season
Some Medications and Driving Don't Mix



merckvetmanual
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp

security lapses on February 16, 2009 at Ayala Center, Makati; web sites with free useful information

security lapses at Glorietta, etc. Ayala Center, Makati, on February 16, 2009.
Because of security lapses on said date at entrances to Glorietta, SM Makati, Park Square 1, I could have brought deadly weapons into said areas. While I was at said areas, I purchased foods from Tokyo Tokyo restaurant at SM Food Court, (Tokyo
Teriyaki Place, Inc. cash invoice dated 2-16-09), Magic Wok Restaurant - Glorietta 4 (Soprano Food Corporation official receipt No. 1005 dated February 16, 2999), etc.



web sites with free, useful information:

aviationhealth
http://www.aviation-health.com/

Frequently Asked Questions about Foodborne Illness
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/foodborneinfections_g.htm


Sleep Apnea
http://vsearch.nlm.nih.gov/vivisimo/cgi-bin/query-meta?query=sleep+apnea&imageField.x=0&imageField.y=0&v%3Aproject=nlm-main-w
ebsite


measuringworth web site
http://www.measuringworth.com/uscompare/

Peanut Butter and other Peanut Containing Products Recall List
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm
Information current as of 12 PM February 18, 2009
2396 entries in list


http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/globalwarming.html
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Climatic Data Center
Global Warming
Frequently Asked Questions

National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/

Radiological Society of North America web site
http://www.rsna.org/

web sites with free useful information

web sites with free useful information:

apic org web site
http://www.apic.org//


http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/story?id=6804508&page=1


Aging Initiative
http://www.epa.gov/aging/index.htm

Welcome to EPA’s Aging Initiative Website.
Due to the normal aging process, even older persons in good health may experience increased health risks from exposures to environmental pollutants.
As we age, our bodies are more susceptible to hazards from the environment which may worsen chronic or life threatening conditions. Older persons also have
accumulated a lifetime of environmental and occupational contaminants which are capable of remaining in their bodies.

A major goal of the Aging Initiative is the development of a National Agenda for the Environment and the Aging. The National Agenda will prioritize
environmental health hazards that affect older persons, examine the environmental impact of an aging population in a smart growth context, and encourage
civic involvement among older persons in their communities to reduce hazards. The National Agenda for the Environment and the Aging, developed through a
public participatory process, will help guide the Agency’s work to protect the health of older persons now and in the future.

Information on this website can help you learn more about our ongoing work and how you can contribute to – and benefit from – the National Agenda for the Environment and the Aging. We encourage you to join our efforts to shape an environmentally healthy future for our aging population.

Last updated on Tuesday, January 13th, 2009.
http://www.epa.gov/aging/basicinformation.htm

Frequently Asked Questions


* Why is EPA focusing effort on older Americans?

* What are common environmental hazards that may affect the health of older Americans?

* What is the Aging Initiative?

* How can individuals get involved in their communities to help reduce environmental hazards?

As we age, our bodies may become more susceptible to environmental hazards because of the diminished capacity of various organ systems that occur in the natural aging process. For example, our bodies are less able to detoxify and eliminate toxins.

In addition, as we age, we are exposed to a lifetime of environmental contaminants capable of persisting and accumulating in our bodies.

Common environmental hazards that may especially harm the health of older persons include:

* Lead
* Mercury
* Ozone
* Particle Pollution (Particulate matter)
* Pesticides
* Temperature Extremes
* Water Contaminants

* Fact sheets on Environmental Health
o Asthma and COPD
o Carbon Monoxide
o Diabetes
o Extreme Heat
o Heart Disease and Stroke
o Pesticides
o Water
o Women
* Posters, Brochures and Other
* Special Topics
o After the Flood
o Tips To Save the Environment
o Forest Fires
* Power Point: Presentations


Effective Control of Household Pests
http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/factsheets/echp/index.htm

How to Reduce Exposure to Pesticide Hazards
Water Works

Effective Control of Household Pests
(2 pp, 143K, About PDF)

Eight out of ten U.S. households have been reported to use pesticides both indoors and outside their homes. Moreover, while older adults account for only 2.8% of reported poisoning incidents, they account for 5.9% of all cases with a moderate to major outcome and 28% of deaths. This page offers information on steps you can take to reduce your exposure to these environmental hazards. For more detailed information, please see our series of easy-to-read facts sheets and brochures.

* Environmental hazards of pesticides: Exposure to high levels of pesticides may lead to acute effects such as headaches, dizziness, muscle twitching, and nausea. Long-term and/or excessive exposure to some pesticides has been linked to cancer, reproductive effects, and effects on the central nervous system.

* Read the label: The pesticide label is your best guide for safe and effective use of pesticides. Never use outdoor-pesticides indoors.

* Storage: Store pesticides only in their original containers. Never use an empty pesticide container for another purpose.

* Disposal: Use a community disposal program and carefully follow the disposal instructions on the label.

* Avoid contaminating others: Keep people and pets away from areas where pesticide sprays are applied. Avoid spraying where you prepare or store food, and avoid treating entire floors, walls or ceilings. Before spraying close the doors and windows of your home. Avoid applying pesticides outdoors on a windy day. Limit pesticide applications to infested areas and use only the amount recommended on the product label. After applying a pesticide, wash any parts of your body or clothes that might have come into contact with the pesticide.

* Avoid unnecessary pesticide use: When possible try to use non-chemical control strategies and the least toxic pesticides possible. This will minimize the risk to human health and the environment. Examples include the use of traps, baits, and gels instead of sprays to control pests.

* Opt for Using an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system.
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/ipm.htm#whatIntegrated Pest Management or IPM is a pest management system that combines non-chemical control strategies with less toxic pesticide use minimizing risk to human health and the environment.



honoreform web site
http://www.honoreform.org/

Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/factsheets/pcmp/index.htm

Do you know that carbon monoxide (CO) is the most common cause of poisoning death in the United States? Approximately 500 deaths and 15,000 visits to the emergency room occur annually due to unintentional CO poisoning. Older adults over 65 years of age are especially vulnerable to unintentional CO poisoning due to their high frequency of pre-existing medical conditions. While CO alarms can save lives, less than one third of American homes have them installed.
What is Carbon Monoxide?

Carbon monoxide, or CO, is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause illness and death. CO is produced whenever any fuel such as natural gas, propane, gasoline, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal is burned. Devices that produce CO include cars, boats, gasoline engines, stoves and heating systems. CO from these sources can build up in enclosed or semi-enclosed spaces.
What are the Symptoms of CO Poisoning?

For most people, the first signs of exposure to low concentrations of CO include mild headache and breathlessness upon moderate exercise. Continued or acute exposure can lead to flu-like symptoms including more severe headaches, dizziness, tiredness, nausea, confusion, irritability, and impaired judgment, memory and coordination. CO is called the “silent killer” because if these early signs are ignored, a person may lose consciousness and be unable to escape the danger.
How to Tell the Difference between CO Poisoning and the Flu

Since many of the symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to those of the flu, you may not think that CO poisoning could be the cause. Symptoms could be the result of CO poisoning when:

* You feel better when you are away from your home.
* More than one person in the home gets sick at the same time (it usually takes several days for the flu to pass from person to person).
* Family members who are most affected spend the most time in the home.
* Symptoms occur or get worse shortly after turning on a fuel-burning device or running a vehicle in an attached garage.
* Indoor pets also appear ill, exhibiting symptoms such as drowsiness and lethargy (human flu viruses are not transmitted to pets).
* You don’t have generalized aching, low-grade fever, or swollen lymph nodes (these are typical of a cold or flu).

Carbon Monoxide Alarms
To Prevent CO Poisoning I Can: [Remember ICANB]

* Install CO alarms near sleeping areas.
* Check heating systems and fuel-burning appliances annually.
* Avoid the use of non-vented combustion appliances
* Never burn fuels indoors except in devices such as stoves or furnaces that are made for safe use.
* Be Attentive to possible symptoms of CO poisoning.

Resources


Additional Resources:

* EPA Air Quality Index
* Arsenic
* Indoor Air Quality

Fact sheets:

* English (PDF) (4pp, 371K)
Publication Number EPA-100-F-09-001
* Large Print: English (PDF) (7pp, 763K)
Publication Number
* Portuguese (PDF) (4pp, 305K)
Publication Number EPA-100-F-09-004
* New!Spanish | Español (PDF) (4pp, 302K)
Publication Number EPA-100-F-09-005

Aging Initiative Home | Customer Satisfaction Survey
Local Navigation

* Aging Initiative Home
* Basic Information
* Frequently Asked Questions
* National Agenda
* Public Listening Sessions
* Information Sources
* Fact Sheets
* Intergenerational Activities
* Calendar
* Where You Live
* Grants
* EPA Recursos en Español
* Iniciativa para los Ancianos
* News & Events
* Web Site Comments

* EPA Home
* Privacy and Security Notice
* Contact Us

Last updated on Friday, January 16th, 2009.

http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/factsheets/pcmp/index.htm

advisory vs. SM City Manila mall

advisory vs. SM City Manila
On June 29, 2008, a person, identified as Mapril Cheung, who was working at SM Department store at SM City Manila, received my written report of a security lapse on said date at said mall.Up to February 1, 2009, no one connected with SM has provided
me with information as to what action was taken, if any, regarding said security lapse.



www.health.gov is a portal to the Web sites of a number of multi-agency health initiatives and activities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other Federal departments and agencies.

http://www.health.gov/default.asp

General Health Information
healthfinder.gov — Daily Health News, Reliable Health Information, Quick Guide to Healthy Living, and Online Checkups
National Health Information Center
National Women's Health Information Center
MedlinePlus®
2008 National Health Observances
2008 Federal Health Information Centers
2008 Toll-Free Numbers for Health Information

Special Initiatives
HealthierUS.gov
Healthy People 2010
Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005
Physical Activity Guidelines


Health News
#
Eating Strategies for Healthier Holiday Parties
#
The Best Holiday Toys Are Safe Holiday Toys
#
For the Obese, Holiday Tables Serve Platefuls of Doubt
#
More Health News >>
#
Get Health News by E-mail >>
#
Noticias en Español >>

Federal Agencies
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
HHS Agencies
Office of Public Health and Science
Office of the Surgeon General
Other Key Government Agencies With Direct Health Responsibilities (DoD, VA, EPA....)

This site is coordinated by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office of Public Health and Science,

Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.


National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
The mission of NINDS is to reduce the burden of neurological disease - a burden borne by every age group, by every segment of society, by people all over the world.