Beware & Protect Yourself 02 (Jan 09 - Aug 10)

[millionairemind]

Wah Piu, this thread becomes talking about an issue with under age girl and mata... haha....

Never miss a thread in Huatopedia, cos' you never know where the funny ones show up

[winston]

Warning: Quit-smoking drugs can kill ... but they're still on sale here

Beatrice Siu, The Standard HK and agencies

Two drugs to help smokers kick the habit will continue to be sold in Hong Kong despite claims they may trigger depression or induce suicidal thoughts.

On July 1, the Food and Drug Administration in the United States ordered Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline to highlight the safety warnings on their respective drugs Champix and Zyban.

According to an FDA report published last month, 37 suicides and more than 400 cases of suicidal behavior were linked to the drugs.

Champix is available at 32 smoking- cessation clinics in public hospitals, eight private hospitals and around 200 private clinics and some community pharmacies.

Fewer than 100 patients are currently taking Zyban, though between 700 and 800 have taken it since it went on sale in 2001.

The FDA is calling for an additional study of the drugs to determine the extent of their side effects.

The FDA said patients do not have to stop treatment, but urged medical staff to be vigilant.

A spokeswoman for the Hospital Authority said Champix is a self- financed medicine, but added frontline medical staff will heed FDA warnings.

Pfizer Corporate Affairs director Geraldine Ip Pui-see said depression and suicidal tendencies are among symptoms contained in the drug description.

The active ingredient, varenicline tartrate, is solely for smoking cessation.

There is no concrete proof the drug is directly linked to psychiatric syndromes, and depression may also occur during nicotine withdrawal, Ip said.

Champix was launched in 2007.

Pfizer has applied to the Department of Health to add the warnings of suicidal thoughts to its drug description.

GSK marketing director Rachel Fan Sze-leung said Zyban, which contains the active ingredient bupropion, is also used to treat depression.

Fan said depression is included among the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and there have been reports of suicidal tendencies during treatment.

GSK will not withdraw the sales of its product in Hong Kong.

Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Hong Kong president So Yiu-wah said patients who quit smoking may suffer depression even without taking drugs.

"Nicotine triggers the brain to secrete dopamine, which makes smokers feel happy. So patients may feel depressed after quitting smoking," So said.

He said hospitals will study any reports of mental illness before prescribing smoke-cessation drugs.

Instructions should also be in Chinese.

Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital corporate communication manager Sharon Lun Wai-ching said the hospital has prescribed Champix and Zyban to patients, but agreed to follow Department of Health instructions.

[winston]

For the coffee drinkers out there ...

Malaysian authorities seize 'Viagra coffee'

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's health authorities have seized over 20,000 dollars worth of coffee mixed with sildenafil, the main ingredient in erectile dysfunction drug Viagra, a report said Sunday.

"The coffee mixture had been distributed in sachets nationwide," an official was quoted as saying by the New Sunday Times newspaper.

"Officers found 900 boxes containing more than 9,000 sachets of the coffee mixture which retailed for more than 80 ringgit (23 dollars) per box," the officer added without naming the coffee brand in question.

Enforcement officials said the coffee was mixed with sildenafil to "perk up" drinkers beyond the usual stimulation provided by caffeine.

Health authorities recently raided the distribution company located in Gombak, just north of the capital Kuala Lumpur, the report said.

It cited a health ministry official as saying the company used individuals to distribute the product in small quantities to evade detection by enforcement agencies.

"Investigations revealed that the distributor attempted to mislead the public by claiming that the coffee mixture could provide an energy boost, besides being beneficial for men," he added.

Two years ago Malaysia made its largest single drug bust when it seized at least four million dollars-worth of a fake erectile dysfunction treatment labelled "Miagra".

The counterfeit pills, closely resembling the blue pills of the genuine Viagra brand, were destined for Malaysian and Thai markets.

- AFP/ir

[winston]

Microwaving Water!

A 26-year old man in Sydney decided to have a cup of coffee. He took a cup of water and put it in the microwave to heat it up (something that he had done numerous times before). I am not sure how long he set the timer for, but he wanted to bring the water to a boil. When the timer shut the oven off, he removed the cup from the oven.

As he looked into the cup, he noted that the water was not boiling, but suddenly the water in the cup 'blew up' into his face. The cup remained intact until he threw it out of his hand, but all the water had flown out into his face due to the build up of energy. His whole face is blistered and he has 1st and 2nd degree burns to his face which may leave scarring.

He also may have lost partial sight in his left eye. While at the hospital, the doctor who was attending to him stated that this is a fairly common occurrence and water (alone) should never be heated in a microwave oven. If water is heated in this manner, something should be placed in the cup to diffuse the energy such as a wooden stir stick, tea bag, etc.., (nothing metal).

General Electric's Response:
Thanks for contacting us, I will be happy to assist you. The e-mail that you received is correct. Microwaved water and other liquids do not always bubble when they reach the boiling point. They can actually get superheated and not bubble at all. The superheated liquid will bubble up out of the cup when it is moved or when something like a spoon or tea bag is put into it.

To prevent this from happening and causing injury, do not heat any liquid for more than two minutes per cup. After heating, let the cup stand in the microwave for thirty seconds before moving it or adding anything into it.

Here is what our local science teacher had to say on the matter: 'Thanks for the microwave warning. I have seen this happen before. It is caused by a phenomenon known as super heating. It can occur anytime water is heated and will particularly occur if the vessel that the water is heated in is new, or when heating a small amount of water (less than half a cup).

What happens is that the water heats faster than the vapor bubbles can form. If the cup is very new then it is unlikely to have small surface scratches inside it that provide a place for the bubbles to form. As the bubbles cannot form and release some of the heat has built up, the liquid does not boil, and the liquid continues to heat up well past its boiling point.

What then usually happens is that the liquid is bumped or jarred, which is just enough of a shock to cause the bubbles to rapidly form and expel the hot liquid. The rapid formation of bubbles is also why a carbonated beverage spews when opened after having been shaken.'

[iam802]

Normally, if I am that lazy and choose the microwave to heat my coffee, tea etc, I will put a metal spoon in it as well.

And of course, I restrict the heating to only a minute or two only.

[kennynah]

heng ah..... no microwave at home... we still use charcoal fire to cook our food...

[winston]

Normally, if I am that lazy and choose the microwave to heat my coffee, tea etc, I will put a metal spoon in it as well.

Hmmm... will there be a chemical reaction between the metal sppon and those microwave ?

[iam802]

Digressing from microwave.

Was taking a cab yesterday. The cab driver was sharing with me that he has received 3 messages in the same day (from the company) about counterfeit $50 bills being circulated. All 3 have different serial number.

Normally, from mainland Chinese.

Something to take note of.

[winston]

Normally, from mainland Chinese.

If they can make a fake BMW, what is a piece of paper ?

The fake Renmimbis now are so good, that some can pass thru those cheap fake money detectors.

[kennynah]

really smart people... i like them....for their abilities...although in this case, well misplaced...