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PSA Test Oversold Diagnoses

One great danger about the renowned prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is its established history of overdiagnosing prostate cancer, a recent study found out. A study conducted by H. Gilbert Welch, professor of medicine at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy, revealed that of the 3.7 million diagnoses of prostate cancer in the US alone from 1986 to 2005, 1.3 million were overdiagnosed. The sad fact is, one million of that 1.3 million have been recommended for radiotherapy or surgery to remove the prostate when that should not have been necessary as the growths it detects are not harmful at all. In fact, according to Welch, the test cannot discriminate the smally minority of cancers that spreads rapidly from the large, slow-growing ones that are not harmful. Click here for details.

Closing the Swine Flu Monitor

We have decided to conclude our worldwide monitoring of the swine flu cases as it has become a matter fact right now that A(H1N1) has already invaded Cebu and certain provinces in the Philippines. It is now up to the Department of Health (DOH) to ensure that no casualty of life would follow our first and apparently only death due to what is now called the "novel H1N1" virus. As of 6 July 2009, a total of 94,512 confirmed cases have been reported with 429 deaths worldwide. Countries largely hit (more than 1,000 confirmed cases) include: Argentina (2,485), Australia (5,298), Canada (7,983), Chile (7,376), China (2,040), Japan (1,790), Mexico (10,262), New Zealand (1,059), Philippines (1,709), Singapore (1,055), Thailand (2,076), United Kingdom (7,447), and the United States of America (33,902). Those with the most casualties (more than 10 deaths) include: Argentina (60), Australia (10), Canada (25), Chile (14), Mexico (119), and the United States of America (170).

First Philippine Death from Swine Flu

Exactly one month (31 days) after the Philippines reported its first H1N1 confirmed case on May 22, one Filipino citizen died from the flu. The Department of Health (DOH) announced on June 22 the death of Philippines' first victim of the worldwide pandemic swine flu virus H1N1. The victim was a 49-year-old female, resident of Sta. Rosa, Laguna, and a worker at the House of Representatives in Quezon City. She attended the seminar of the committee affairs department from June 15 to 16 in an unreported venue, and fell ill the following day. Her companion in the seminar also fell ill. Other attendees of that seminar can be reasonably considered infected too. She has also travelled to Kalinga together with officemates. She died on June 19 due to acute myocardial infarction, which is characterized by sudden chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, palpatations, and sweating. She displayed flu-like symptoms on June 17, two days before her death. Considering the incubation of aro

Philippine Swine Flu Cases

With our first case of swine flu infection in on May 18 in a 10-year-old girl and a report today on a confirmed 30-year-old infected woman who traveled in the Philippines for five days, and DOH unable to detect her infection, this lapse is a cause for serious concern as it raises the question--how many of these people came in and out of the country with their infections remain undetected. Worse, her three accompanying relatives has been confirmed by Taiwan's Center for Disease Control (CDC) as H1N1 virus-infected. Shih Wen-yi , CDC spokesperson, confirmed that the woman felt sick in Manila, and has consulted a doctor when she developed fever. Starting today, Breakthroughs Today will start keeping tabs on H1N1 virus infection in the country for your reference. As of Date Infection Cases Deaths Source 22May2009 1 0 23May2009 1 0 Philstar.com 24May2009 2 0 Associated Press 27May2009 6 o SunStar-Cebu 28May2009 10 0 SunStar-Cebu 29May2009 14 0 SunStar-Cebu 03Jun2009 22

Judy Trunnell, First American Swine-Flu Victim

Every deadly disease has its own unfortunate victims. And Judy Trunnell of Harlingen, Texas became the first American resident to die of swine flu. Trunnell, age 33 at the time of her death, lived at Cameron County, about 63,000 miles near the U.S.-Mexico border. She taught in the Mercedes Independent School District (MISD) at Mercedes, Texas about 15 miles west. She taught disabled children at MISD. She mothered a four-year-old, and was eight-month pregnant. On 14 April 2009, she had her checked up. Five days later, she went to the hospital, complaining of difficulty breathing. She tested negative for H1N1 by the local hospital but the Center for Disease Control later confirmed she was positive. She slipped into a coma and had to be hospitalized five days later and placed on life support thereafter. Her healthy baby girl had to be delivered by Cesarean section. The area was declared in epidemic for Type A influenza, of which swine flue is one variety (H1N1). She had "chronic unde

Stars with Buzz Cut

Some actors love to enjoy the lightness and pampering experience of the buzz cut. Will Smith wore this short hairstyle in his movie I Am Legend (2007). Some also celebrates this pure baldness in their own movies. Jeff Bridges sported it in Iron Man (2008). Patrick Stewart looks great with it as Professor X in the X-Men trilogy and Star Treks' Jean-Luc Picard. Bruce Willis too have an on-and-off affair with it. You also have Vin Diesel (XXX ) , The Rock, Michael Chiklis (The Shield ) , Samuel L. Jackson, and Bill Zane. Even Sigourney Weaver, Grace Jones had their own past romance with very short hairs or what was left of it after a good clean shave. "Proponents of the look," wrote Stacey Smith of Netscape Celebrity, "insist that baldness bespeaks power, confidence, machismo, even a compelling hint of danger." ( Click here to read this article. )