blogenvira

World's first root canal treatment on working elephant

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 11:40:00 +0000

World's first root canal treatment on working elephant

Dentists in South India have performed a root canal surgery on the gigantic scale to rid a 27-year-old elephant suffering from chronic tusk pain, officials said Friday.

A team of three dental surgeons assisted by a veterinarian surgeon carried a two and a half hours of surgery on a male pachyderm, who developed a cavity in one of his tusks, they said. The operation took place in early November after the owner of the pet elephant brought the animal for diagnose of infection, which has damaged its tusk.

The dentist Sunil Kumar told the AFP reporter in the capital Trivandrum as “We decided to use the traditional root canal process as a remedy,” He said the elephant was a perfect patient as the dentists drilled and pumped resin into a large cavity in chipped tusk.

Sunil also said “We needed extra-large instruments and equipment and large quantity of resin to fill the crack,” “For humans, we use only four grams of resin to fill a cavity but we had to use 188 grams (0.41 pounds)) of resin to fill the crack in the elephant’s tusk,” said one of the dentist.

Sunil Kumar reported to said that, the tusk was 50 inches (1.65 meters) tall, although the hole was six inches deep. The doctor added by saying “During the surgery, the tusker was not tranquilized and he was very cooperative and obeyed his handler,” Elephants are of great importance in Kerala, as they use it for various ceremonies, and also used in religious processions, weddings and social celebrations.

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7 high tech medical gadgets that just might save your life

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 10:37:00 +0000

7 high tech medical gadgets that just might save your life

Everyone likes to play doctors and nurses. Patients and surgeons? Not so much, unless you're some kind of sicko or Jigsaw from Saw.

Luckily your actual hospitals have moved on apace since the chloroform, rusty saw and sawdust days.

The Novalis Tx by Varian Medical Systems

Now you'll find all kinds of high tech instruments that'll poke, prod, slice and dice you in more ways you can possibly imagine.

Now just slip this green gown on and lie on that comfy table. Nurse! The two-handed saw, please.

1. daVinci Si HD System

The trouble with humans is that they're all icky and squelchy inside which is why surgeons are increasingly turning to robots to do the dirty work for them.

The da Vinci Si System from Intuitive Surgical helps that happen by giving doctors a high definition 3D view of your bits and bobs, while multiple robot arms armed with scissors, scalpels and other horror movie nasties go to work.

And just like a very gory games console, the da Vinci Si System has a two-player mode so two surgeons can have a go at once. Devices like the da Vinci Si System offer all kinds of possibilities to medics, including remote surgery where doctors in one country work on the patient lying in hospital in another, as happened with the Lindbergh Operation last year.

2. CyberKnife

Now this is more like it. The Accuray CyberKnife is a massive medical instrument that does away with scalpels and drills in favour of targeting bits of your body with highly focused beams of radiation. Yes, we said radiation.

Because it's non-invasive, the CyberKnife helps patients recover more quickly from the effects of surgery that the other more old-fashioned kind, although patients usually have to undergo several treatments to totally eradicate tumours.

You can go under the CyberKnife at several locations across the UK, including the aptly named CyberKnife Centre London and at The London Clinic, which has just opened a new £80 million specialist cancer treatment centre. The Novalis Tx by Varian Medical Systems offers similar benefits.

3. InnerCool RTx Endovascular System

Most of us try to avoid hypothermia like the plague (medical term), but Philips InnerCool RTx system actually does the opposite - chiefly to help neuro and cardiac surgeons work on patients in the operating theatre - something known as Temperature Modulation Therapy.

Instead of old-fashioned ice packs and blankets, InnerCool RTx cools patients from the inside using a catheter with temperature sensor, which is placed next to the femoral artery below the heart.

In practice, the InnerCool RTx works a bit like a heat exchanger - reducing body heat by transferring it to a cooling cart using a saline solution. All of this is especially good news for brain surgeons, who can keep their patients conscious and responsive while they work on them.

4. Olympus VisiGlide

There's no easy way to put this. Surgeons dealing with tummy troubles often resort to endoscopy - a kind of medical procedure that ends up with them sticking a tube up into a body cavity (your nose, mouth, bum) with all kinds of cameras, scalpels, clamps and other implements on the end.

The Olympus VisiGlide is more specialised kind of instrument designed to make access to the pancreatic and bile ducts easier. Measuring just 0.025-inches in diameter, it's made from a kink-resistant super elastic alloy and covered with a hydrophilic coating, which makes it easier to move around. Thank goodness for that.

5. PillCam

If you're feeling queasy at the thought of having a regular endoscopy, then why not try the PillCam instead? Shaped like a medicine capsule, this 11mm x 26mm device slips down your throat with glug of water and enables surgeons to get a good look at your insides without having to poke you up the bum or open you up using a knife.

Maker GivenImaging offers three different variants to surgeons, enabling it to detect things like internal bleeding, bowel tumours and Crohn's Disease. Eight hours after you swallow the PillCam it pops back out again. We'll leave it to you to guess how.

6. Siemens SOMATOM Definition Flash

Dicky ticker? The Siemens SOMATOM Definition Flash CT scanner can find out what's wrong in less than half a heartbeat. It uses a very low dose of radiation to image your heart - and you don't even need to be taking beta blockers or hold your breath while it works. In fact the scanner can image your whole chest region in less than 0.6 seconds - and there's already one example doing its thing in a UK hospital. That's another load off, eh?

7. Antenna Pill

Also trying the high tech pill route is the University of Florida, which has come up with the Antenna Pill - a capsule that has a dose of your medicine at one end and a tiny radio microchip at the other.

Swallow the pill and the non-toxic chip transmits a signal to a monitor around your neck, which it's hoped, will eventually be built-in to mobile phones and / or a wristwatch so doctors and family members can tell when you've had your medicine. The Antenna Pill is currently at the prototype stage. Check out the video at redOrbit.

envira blog

Black rice may relieve inflammation caused by allergies, asthma

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 10:03:00 +0000

Black rice may relieve inflammation caused by allergies, asthma

Scientists have reported that black rice - a little-known variety of the grain - may help soothe the inflammation involved in allergies, asthma, and other diseases.

Bran is the outer husk of the grain, which is removed during the processing of brown rice to produce the familiar white rice. Those experiments, which were done in cell cultures, hinted that black rice bran suppressed the release of histamine, which causes inflammation.

Mendel Friedman and colleagues injected the extract into the mice, it reduced skin inflammation by about 32 percent compared to control animals and also decreased production of certain substances known to promote inflammation.

Brown rice bran extract did not have these effects, they say. When the scientists fed the mice a diet containing 10 percent black rice bran, it reduced swelling associated with allergic contact dermatitis, a common type of skin irritation.

The findings "further demonstrate the potential value of black rice bran as an anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic food ingredient and possibly also as a therapeutic agent for the treatment and prevention of diseases associated with chronic inflammation," the article noted.

Their study appears in ACS' bi-weekly Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

envira blog

A hormone that ups longevity if you're rich

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 09:57:00 +0000

A hormone that ups longevity if you're rich

LONDON: British scientists have identified a hormone which they claim helps you live longer — but only if you are rich. Researchers at the University College London found that higher levels of the hormone, called DHEAS, help boost memory and ability to cope with stress, particularly in men aged over 50 years.

But the levels of DHEAS, secreted by the adrenal glands that sit on top of the kidneys, are found to be higher among those who exercise more and have an active life with lots of pastimes, interests , friends and family — all of which tend to come with wealth.

The findings, according to the researchers, could pave the way for new class of drugs, patches or injections which will help boost the DHEAS level. Michael Marmot , who led the study, said it's too early to say higher level of DHEAS is a result of being rich.

But, factors such as a better diet, greater control over life, less stress, more travel and involvement in the wider world through hobbies, sport or other interests — which all are benefits of wealth — seem to be encouraging the body to create DHEAS, he said. Improving the level of the hormone is not a simple matter of popping a pill. "In my view, it is a much bigger issue and involves the package of choices that wealth opens up," he said.

Production of DHEAS is greatest in childhood and teenage years, before gradually declining through adult life. By the age of 80 it could be just 10% of the peak teen level. The two hormones help control reactions to stress and regulate various body processes including digestion, the immune system, mood and energy, the experts said.

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Moon has water and its own water cycle: NASA

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 09:52:00 +0000

Moon has water and its own water cycle: NASA

WASHINGTON: A year after announcing the discovery of water molecules on the moon, NASA scientists have now said the earth's satellite is not only rich in useful materials, it has a water cycle of its own.

In fact, new studies suggest that there is a lot more water on the moon than earlier thought.

The new data uncovered by NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO found evidence that the lunar soil within shadowy craters is rich in useful materials, and the moon is chemically active and has a water cycle.

Scientists also confirmed the water was in the form of mostly pure ice crystals in some places. The results are featured in six papers published in the October 22 issue of Science.

"NASA has convincingly confirmed the presence of water ice and characterised its patchy distribution in permanently shadowed regions of the moon," said Michael Wargo, chief lunar scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

The twin impacts of LCROSS and a companion rocket stage in the moon's Cabeus crater on October 9, 2009, lifted a plume of material that might not have seen direct sunlight for billions of years.

As the plume traveled nearly 10 miles above the rim of Cabeus, instruments aboard LCROSS and LRO made observations of the crater and debris and vapour clouds.

After the impacts, grains of mostly pure water ice were lofted into the sunlight in the vacuum of space, NASA said.

"Seeing mostly pure water ice grains in the plume means water ice was somehow delivered to the moon in the past, or chemical processes have been causing ice to accumulate in large quantities," said Anthony Colaprete, LCROSS project scientist and principal investigator at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif.

"Also, the diversity and abundance of certain materials called volatiles in the plume, suggest a variety of sources, like comets and asteroids, and an active water cycle within the lunar shadow," he said.

Volatiles are compounds that freeze and are trapped in the cold lunar craters and vaporise when warmed by the sun.

The existence of mostly pure water ice could mean future human explorers would not have to retrieve the water out of the soil in order to use it for valuable life support resources.

In addition, an abundant presence of hydrogen gas, ammonia and methane could be exploited to produce fuel, it said.

envira blog

coming soon-take a back up of your memories and store in hard drive

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 09:40:00 +0000

coming soon-take a back up of your memories and store in hard drive

LONDON: Similar to the computer file back-up system, humans will also be able to back up of their brains and all memories contained in them within the next two decades, a leading scientist has claimed.

Dr.Raymond Kurzweil
Speaking at a science conference , Raymond Kurzweil, the award-winning American inventor and futurist, said that the human brain backup was now already technically possible. The 62-year-old scientist , who has pioneered in fields such as optical character recognition (OCR), text-tospeech synthesis, speech recognition technology, said humans can achieve this feat within the next 20 years.

By that time, "We will have thousands of nanobot computer machines in our blood that will heal our bodies, improve our performance, and even be able to back up all the contents of our brains, just as you backup your files on a computer," he told a gathering of 500 guests at a "future talk" event in Vienna, Austria.

"That means they would back up every thought, every experience, everything that makes us an individual," he was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail. "It may sound farfetched but in the early 1980s, people thought I was crazy for predicting the emergence of the world wide web by the middle of the 1990s; but it happened , and on the schedule I predicted."

At the age of 15, Kurzweil created a programme that could recreate music in the style of the great composers. He also built the first machine that could read written speech for the blind for his friend Stevie Wonder — for whom he also later made a revolutionary musical synthesiser capable of recreating real instruments .

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inflatable collar that can replace helmet

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 09:29:00 +0000

inflatable collar that can replace helmet
LONDON: Now, an inflatable collar which can protect bikers and cyclists who have been crying out for alternative to the helmet.

Before inflation, the collar's kind of stylin'.

Designers in Sweden have made the `Hvvding` helmet which is an airbag `collar` that springs into action within 0.1 seconds, covering the skull and neck of a rider in the event of an impact, the Daily Mail reported. Roughly translated into English as the "Chieftain" — the Hvvding was designed over some six years by two industrial design students.

After inflation: Well, looking a bit like an alien is a small price to pay to keep your head intact.

A small helium gas cylinder inflates the collar and it remains inflated for several seconds after impact. Designer Anna Haupt said the airbag will first cost around 260 pounds. She said the colour of the collar can even be changed to match whatever outfit the cyclist is wearing.

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innnovation: plastic from milk protein and clay

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 09:22:00 +0000

innnovation: plastic from milk protein and clay

Bangalore, Oct 21 (IANS) Scientists have reported development of a new ultra-light bio-degradable foam plastic material made from two unlikely ingredients -- the protein in milk and ordinary clay.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) said the news comes amid ongoing concern about plastic waste accumulating in municipal landfills causing environmental pollution, and reliance on imported oil to make plastics.

The new lighter-than-a-feather plastic could become a new bio-degradable substitute for Styrofoam - which is a trademark of Dow Chemical Company for polystyrene foam, the ACS said in a press release Wednesday.

David Schiraldi of Case Western Reserve University and co-workers reported the discovery in 'Biomacromolecules', a monthly journal published by the ACS.

'The new environment friendly substance could be used in furniture cushions, insulation, packaging and other products,' the ACS said.

Schiraldi and colleagues explained that 80 percent of the protein in cow milk is a substance called casein, which finds uses in making adhesives and paper coatings. But casein is not very strong, and water can wash it away.

To strengthen casein and boost its resistance to water, the scientists blended in a small amount of clay (sodium montmorillonite) and a reactive molecule called glyceraldehyde which links casein's protein molecules together.

The scientists freeze-dried the resulting mixture, removing the water to produce a spongy aerogel -- a substance very light and airy.

To make the gossamer foam strong, they cured it in an oven and then tested its sturdiness. The researchers found that their spongy material was strong enough for commercial uses. It was bio-degradable 'with almost a third of the material breaking down within 30 days', the report said.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, more than 29 million tons of non-biodegradable plastic waste ends up in landfills each year in the US. Once in the landfill, it does not bio-degrade.

According to ACS, the technology to create bio-degradable plastics from biomass, such as corn and soybeans, has been around for more than 70 years. But plastics made from these sources are expensive.

The ACS said that US scientists at Virginia Polytechnic Institute have also been finding ways to create bio-degradable plastics from agricultural byproducts such as poultry feathers and eggs that would be comparable to petroleum-based plastics. The protein 'keratin' found in feathers is a major component of hair and nails - making them hard and strong.

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Macbook Air review: Apple's new supercomputer

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 08:33:00 +0000

Macbook Air review: Apple's new supercomputer

Apple's walking on Air with the latest version of its new ultra-slim, lightweight laptop

Apple's new Macbook Air is just 17mm thin

On Wednesday night, Steve Jobs launched Apple’s latest uber-gadget. But the world’s most famous chief executive brandished not an iPhone or an iPad – instead it was a laptop that took the “one last thing” slot in which Jobs always announces his company’s flagship products.

The new Macbook Air, however, is no ordinary laptop – it seeks to apply the lessons Apple has learnt from its iPad to more traditional computing, and the result is as exceptional in its appearance as it is in its performance.

So the Air offers a battery that lasts for up to 30 days in standby mode, and runs for up to seven hours. Waking it from that standby mode is instant, and booting up from cold takes just 12 seconds.

All of this is in a package that, for the smaller 11-inch model weighs hardly a kilogram, is never more than 17mm thick and costs from a surprisingly reasonable £849. It may not quite be a computer for austerity Britain, but it shows Apple offering its genuinely premium experience at prices less than many equivalent Sony models.

That standard of service is about more than the little things, such as the Air coming fully charged – what makes the Air innovative is its combination of tiny size, low-weight and high performance. According to repairs website iFixit, inside the new Air is a previously unseen connector that makes very slim hard drives more possible than before. That means smaller, lighter computers, incorporating “solid-state” hard drives that are both faster and more reliable.

This is not to say that the MacBook Air is perfect – indeed, iFixit observed that its paltry 2gb of memory was so small as to require upgrading on the point of purchase. And a computer with all Apple’s trademark shininess demands a case to keep it pristine. But these are very small points, and the memory certainly doesn’t feel inadequate on use. In fact, perhaps even more so than with the iPad, owning and using the new Air feels both luxurious and productive.

At the same keynote speech, Jobs also announced updates to the popular iPhoto and iMovie programmes that help users store and manipulate pictures and video.

Photos, for instance, can now be automatically turned into a slideshow that scrolls rapidly across the globe, identifying where pictures were taken and when.

Integration with Facebook, too, demonstrates that Apple is keen to make its products work with others. Physical photobooks and cards can be ordered in increasing numbers of configurations; all of them feel like products that just a few years ago would have been prohibitively expensive.

Movies and sound can now be more easily tweaked in iMovie, which even has a tongue-in-cheek trailer template that can turn the dullest footage into an advert for a blockbuster.

The cumulative effect of this is not to make other laptops or photo websites redundant – but it is to emphasise that Apple’s expertise ranges far beyond one phone and tablet computer.

Small wonder their profits are spiralling ever upwards – in an increasingly crowded market, Apple is still holding its own.

our rating: 5/5

envira blog

Logitech's new gadgets at tech expo 2010

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 08:30:00 +0000

Logitech's new gadgets at tech expo 2010

The technological world is progressing rapidly and the demand for HD products is on a tremendous hike. Logitech has displayed its enthralling HD and captivating lifestyle products at the ongoing Com IT Expo. The company rolled out its HD Pro C910 and HD C510 web cameras and M950 Darkfield mouse.

The HD Pro C910 Webcam comes equipped with Logitech Vid HD technology which promises to put forth enhanced HD video calling experience. Owners can effortlessly upload their images or videos onto Facebook and YouTube. The Logitech M950 mouse allures users with excellent precision and can be purchased for AUD $199.95 (approx Rs. 8,748).

“In a time where the technology is changing rapidly and hi –definition products are being chosen by the consumers, they are demanding for the same experience on their computing devices. We are extremely happy to offer our latest range of computer peripherals that offer consumers in India a hi-definition experience. We believe that Logitech’s technology will continue to offer users in India the high value and experience they have come to expect from us,” commented Subrotah Biswas, Country Manager – India & South West Asia.

The Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 tagged at $79.99 (approx Rs. 3,567) is as sleek as 7mm and is powered by lights even indoors. The Logitech Speaker System Z506 which augments the audio experience with its 75 watts room-filling sound and efficient sub-woofer can be snapped up for $99.99 (approx Rs. 4,459).

The Logitech Webcam Pro 9000 priced at $79.99 (approx Rs. 3,567) comes equipped with Carl Zeiss optics with auto-focus and a 2MP sensor. The Pro 9000 offers fun-filled video effects and vibrant HD video recording. It works seamlessly with Skype, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger and other popular instant messaging applications.

The Logitech HD Pro Webcam C910 costs $99.99 (approx Rs. 4,459) and captures exceptional HD videos and enables users to easily upload them on various SNS. Featuring Logitech RightLight 2 technology, the solution enhances video calling even in faint or poorly backlit settings. The Logitech Anywhere Mouse M905, price tagged at AUD $149.95 (approx Rs. 6,565), sports a leave-in receiver and Darkfield Laser Tracking. Crafted with great ergonomics, the peripheral puts forth improved navigation experience.

The company also displays other products like the Logitech Z305 laptop speaker tagged at $59.99 (approx Rs. 2,675), HD C510 at $59.99 (approx Rs. 2,675), S715I iPod speaker at $149.99 (approx Rs. 6,688) and wireless illuminated keyboard K800 at $99.99 (approx Rs. 4,459).

envira blog

Revoltingly unnatural concept-frozen embryos

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 07:38:00 +0000

Revoltingly unnatural concept-frozen embryos

Scientists have announced that a baby boy was born recently to a 42-year-old woman from an embryo frozen 20 years ago. Not surprisingly, the idea of frozen embryos has found instant takers. Its votaries defend it on the ground that it will allow greater freedom to career-oriented women to decide about their pregnancy.

However, there cannot be a more bankrupt idea where the joy of motherhood is postponed for the sake of a career. That's especially the case when medical science shows that greater complications can be associated with late motherhood. Moreover, a society which privileges career over parenthood cannot prosper. Let's not disturb a healthy natural process such as birth. A positive childbirth is not only spiritually more fulfilling, but can also strengthen the mother-child bond. Also, the difference between consuming a medicine and a meal ought to be maintained. In vitro fertilisation and embryo transfer were designed as medical procedures to give infertile couples a chance to establish a pregnancy. What should have been an elective therapy to be used in extraordinary situations is now becoming a norm.

Furthermore, there are ethical questions surrounding the future of leftover embryos. They are living beings that are not implanted but are frozen. How do we dispose of such human lives, which now run into millions in advanced countries like the UK and US? Even worse, the inter-generational donation will complicate and spoil family relations. For instance, how do we cope up with situations when an infertile daughter uses the eggs of her mother to give birth to her own half brother or sister? How would we answer a daughter who questions why she was left frozen as an embryo for decades? It is difficult to evade such ethical and religious questions. Society must make laws regulating this domain.

envira blog

Bilingualism is good for brain

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 07:34:00 +0000

Bilingualism is good for brain

Speaking two languages on a regular basis is associated with certain types of improved mental performances, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest in Toronto.

Bilingualism can delay Alzheimer’s disease symptoms by a span of four to five years, the study confirms.

The longer a person has spoken two or more languages, the greater the cognitive effects.

The effects are much stronger in case of kids and older people as compared to youngsters.

"Being able to use two languages and never knowing which one you're going to use right now rewires your brain," said Ellen Bialystok of YorkUniversity in Toronto, Canada, whose work Diamond cited repeatedly in the article.

"The attentional executive system which is crucial for all higher thought -- it's the most important cognitive piece in how we think -- that system seems to be enhanced," she noted.

The study details

The study looked at 100 people who could speak two languages and 100 people who could speak only one language.

The bilingual people have an ability to stop irrelevant or interfering information to enter their brain, allowing them to concentrate on relevant information only, the researchers explained.

This ability applies to language, wherein bilingual people focus on the language they are using and damp down on the one they are not using.

"We have demonstrated in at least two separate studies of several hundred people altogether that -- all else being equal -- people who have spent their lives speaking two languages are better able to cope with the pathology of Alzheimer's," Ellen said.

"They show symptoms of the disease up to four years later than monolinguals. Once the disease starts to destroy areas of the brain, bilinguals are able to keep functioning," he added.

Compensates for degeneration
Bilingualism does not hamper brain degeneration, in fact it provides a compensation for the degeneration.

It is similar to what happens when older people do crossword puzzles and Sudoku to keep cognitively active.

A cognitive reserve is produced in people speaking two languages, which scientists believe is linked with increased connections in the brain between neurons. That connectivity normally declines with age.

The study has been published today in the journal 'Science.'

envira blog

Watermelon lowers blood pressure

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 07:32:00 +0000

Watermelon lowers blood pressure

Watermelon, apart from being rich in nutrients, has been found to lower pre-hypertension, a precursor to cardio diseases.

Assistant professor Arturo Figueroa and Professor Bahram H. Arjmandi of the Florida State University conducted the study on the health benefits of watermelon.

They found that extracts of watermelon, given daily for six weeks, lowered blood pressure in a group of pre-hypertensive men and women aged between 51 and 57 years, reports the American Journal of Hypertension.

`Watermelon is the richest edible natural source of L-citrulline, which is closely related to L-arginine, the amino acid required for the formation of nitric oxide essential to regulate blood pressure,` Figueroa said.

Consuming L-arginine as a dietary supplement isn`t an option as it can cause nausea, gastrointestinal tract discomfort, and diarrhoea, Figueroa said.

Consuming watermelon caused no such problems, study participants reported. Watermelon is also abundant in vitamin A, B6, and C, apart from fibre, potassium and lycopene, a powerful antioxidant.

envira blog

Symbian 3 review

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 07:29:00 +0000

Symbian 3 review

The ever so popular Eldar Murtizan published his frankly ridiculously long review of the Symbian 3 OS that will be powering the Nokia N8 which you can read here. You have to give it to him despite his frankly hatred for Nokia he has written a long review on Symbian 3 which I bet you won’t find anywhere else.

Some of the interesting notes from his review :

Symbian 3 is a decent upgrade for Symbian users
Increased RAM improves the number of Apps which can be run improvement on previous devices
Ultimately Symbian 3 is a evolutionary step rather than revolutionary
Icons and UI are outdated
Browser didn’t get any significant updates (very disappointing)
Ultimately Symbian 3 is still catching up to competition (iOS, Android, Bada)
Significant Updates to Symbian 3 are lacking due to Nokia’s resources being stretched , due to Symbian 4 and Meego being developed alongside (isn’t that a good thing???)
Ultimately Symbian is inferior to its competition even though Nokia will sell tons of N8′s

I am still baffled that eldar has the guts to even compare Symbian with Bada. Bada is a glorified feature phone OS every one says that even renowned nokia haters engadget

Let us know in the comments of what you think of eldar’s review in the comments and whether it has changed your mind on the N8

All right I admit that Symbian is starting to look old now in terms of its UI but the UI in my opinion is better looking than S60 5th edition.

envira blog

Body Temperature Regulates the Circadian Rhythm

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 07:26:00 +0000

Body Temperature Regulates the Circadian Rhythm

Scientists have known for quite some time that our metabolism is regulated by the circadian rhythm, the human body's internal clock, but they didn't know what regulated the clock itself. A new study new sheds light on the mystery.

Investigators based at the UT Southwestern Medical Center reveal now that the circadian rhythm is in fact controlled by subtle variations in the body's internal temperature.

The research also sheds some more light into how the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) controls all tissues and organs, in terms of their response to the night-day cycles.

The SCN is a portion of the human brain that has been dubbed the body's “master clock,” and which is responsible for coordinating the circadian cycle indirectly, Science Blog reveals.

Previous studies have shown that this area of the cortex responds to light signals entering the eye. This information is then transformed into electrical signals, which travel through neurons, and eventually dictate the inner temperature of the body.

The UT Southwestern team notes in the October 15 issue of the top journal Science that these cyclic fluctuations are largely responsible for the way tissues and organs respond to the night-day cycle.

“Small changes in body temperature can send a powerful signal to the clocks in our bodies,” explains Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator Dr. Joseph Takahashi.

The expert also holds an appointment as the chairman of neuroscience at UT Southwestern, and he was the senior author of the new research paper.

“It takes only a small change in internal body temperature to synchronize cellular ‘clocks’ throughout the body,” the scientist goes on to say.

“Circadian rhythms in plants, simple organisms and cold-blooded animals are very sensitive to temperature, so it makes sense that over the course of evolution, this primordial mechanism could have been modified in warm-blooded animals,” he argues further.

In other words, this mechanism may be a vestigial remain from an ancient control pathway that may have developed in earlier animals, including in cold-blooded creatures.

Crocodiles and snakes are susceptible to temperature stimuli coming from their exterior, as they are unable to produce heat all on their own.

The new research effort was made possible by grants from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the HHMI.

envira blog

Fear of new technology begins in womb

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 07:23:00 +0000

Fear of new technology begins in womb
Technophobia or fear of new technology begins before we are born, say researchers.

University of Bath researchers claim pre-natal testosterone exposure has an effect on the way the brain develops that makes it either easier or more difficult to grasp technology.

Mark Brosnan, study leader at Bath said: "Lower levels of pre-natal testosterone exposure were related to anxieties concerning the use of new technologies, such as computers."

Levels of exposure were measured by comparing the length of the students' ring finger to the index finger, with the greater difference in length indicating higher exposure to pre-natal testosterone, according to the Daily Mail .

The study compared the finger lengths of 150 computer science students and found in every case, a clear link between a student's grades and the relative lengths of their index and ring fingers.

The team also looked at 119 non-computer science students and found that a relatively shorter ring finger relative to the index finger was connected to greater feelings of anxiety about using technology.

The research suggests that lower exposure to pre-natal testosterone relates to general anxiety sensitivity.

Brosnan added: "Anxiety sensitive people, who may have technophobia, often think of themselves as failures or that they are stupid, but everyone has different strengths and weaknesses."

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'Humans will need two Earths by 2030'

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 07:19:00 +0000

'Humans will need two Earths by 2030'

Humans are overusing the planet's resources and will need two Earths by 2030,a new report warns. According to the Living Planet Report, human demands on natural resources have doubled in under 50 years and are now outstripping what the Earth can provide by more than half; and humanity

carries on as it is in use of resources, globally it will need the capacity of two Earths by 2030.
The report said that wildlife in tropical countries is also under huge pressure, with populations of species falling by 60 per cent in three decades, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

And the report, from the WWF, the Zoological Society of London and the Global Footprint Network, said that British people are still consuming far more than the Earth can cope with.

If everyone lived such a lifestyle, humans would need 2.75 planets to survive, it warned.

The study's authors looked at 8,000 populations of 2,500 species and studied the change in land use and water consumption across the globe.

Britain comes 31st in a list of countries based on their 'ecological footprint' - the amount of land and sea each person needs to provide the food, clothes and other products they consume and to absorb the carbon dioxide they emit.

The country has fallen down the league table from having the 15th biggest footprint in the last report two years ago, but WWF attributes this to an increase in other countries' impact rather than a reduction in the UK's use of resources.

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Opera CEO Lars Boilesen predicts the future of the web

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 07:17:00 +0000

Opera CEO Lars Boilesen predicts the future of the web

Apps move to the web, no OS monopoly on the mobile, proprietary tech will die are some of the predictions.

At the recently held conference, Up North Web, Opera brought its top executives to brief journalists from 18 countries around the world about the future of the web and how Opera is geared up for it.
The conference started off with a keynote by Lars Boilesen, the CEO of Opera Software. Lars outlined what the web will be like in the future. Here are the predictions:

1. All apps to become web-based
The first prediction from Lars comes as no surprise, because that's how most apps have been moving for quite some time now. Earlier, most local or network applications were made accessible over the web. Now apps are being developed purely for the web. The plethora of app stores that have followed the success of Apple's App Store are a clear indication of this trend. Apps will therefore run irrespective of what OS you're running.

2. No OS monopoly in mobile phones
There will never be an OS monopoly among mobile phones. Today, there are several different Operating Systems that are available for mobile phones, and there's only one thing that can connect all of them together-the web. Therefore, according to Opera, the mobile OS market will remain healthy and vibrant with lots of different players.

3. Proprietary technologies will die
New open technologies will emerge that would be very easy to use, such as HTML 5. CSS 3. etc. These technologies will replace proprietary tech.

4. Mobile web to outgrow desktop web
By 2015, the mobile web will outgrow the desktop web. Most new users will come from fast-growing markets, such as India, and a majority of them will connect from their mobile phones. According to Opera, as of Sep 2010, 71 million people around the world are using Opera Mini, which is a web browser for mobile phones.

5. The OS will become irrelevant
For most people, the OS will become irrelevant, especially on the mobile phones. That's because people don't care about the OS, but how they access their applications on their device.

6. All you'll need is a web browser ten years from now
Ten years from now, your device will only need a web browser. This web browser will do everything you need, including graphics, playing games, and managing your entire existence on the web.

'In the end, all people want to do is share ideas', said Lars. 'That's why Opera was created', he concluded.

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1,000 cyber attacks on Games, most from China

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 07:12:00 +0000

1,000 cyber attacks on Games, most from China

Six cyber networks of the Delhi Commonwealth Games faced at least 1,000 “potential” attacks in the 12 days of the event that concluded last night — that is, more than three attacks every hour.

Roughly three-fourths of these attempts to breach and paralyse the Games networks originated from China, experts in the Cyber Crisis Management Group (CMG), which was monitoring the networks round the clock, told The Indian Express.

A clutch of attacks — between October 3 and October 5 — originated in Pakistan. Some attempts to penetrate CWG circuits were made from Mumbai as well, top sources in the CMG said.

“In all, our systems detected around 5,000 incidents, about 20 per cent of which could be described as potential attacks. Many were ‘denial-of-service’ attacks, which, if successful, would jam entire networks. But none of these attempts succeeded in penetrating even the first of the three layers of cyber security systems that we had installed,” said a member of the CMG.

The CMG, which operated from an out-of-bounds Cyber Command Centre set up on the seventh floor of the Games Organising Committee (OC) headquarters, included cyber experts from the intelligence agencies, Delhi Police and the Government of India’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In).

The cyber security infrastructure which successfully detected, identified and neutralized the attacks was set up in only two months after Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar authorized the cyber CMG headed by CERT-In chief Gulshan Rai, who was empowered to disable sections of the CWG computer networks in case of a serious cyber attack.

The six networks, including those of Games data, security, venues, Internet services and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL), were linked to the Command Centre, which constantly monitored over 3,000 computers, 3,000 CCTVs and 1,800 network switches. A special software detected and mapped all “deviant behaviour” on logs, which were examined by the CMG several times a day.

On October 13, National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon visited the Command Centre and reportedly hailed the cyber security initiative as a huge success. While declining to discuss the specifics of the system, Harsh Kumar, the OC’s head of technology, said, “The success of our system was that officials from all agencies such as the NTRO (National Technical Research Organisation) and IB, as well from vendors like MTNL, ECIL (Electronics Corporation of India Ltd) and TCIL (Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd) worked together as a group.”

Added Anil Chowdhary, the OC’s Adviser, Security, “The cyber security systems used in the CWG are now a model which can be replicated in major national networks, and used for cyber security in critical sectors such as railways, aviation and telecommunications.”

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25% traffic cops have less than 80% lung efficiency

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 07:09:00 +0000

25% traffic cops have less than 80% lung efficiency

JAIPUR. The rising pollution levels are left police persons short of breath. Of the 109 traffic policemen who underwent a spirometry test, 26 were detected with weak lungs. The tests on Thursday were held at the police control room by doctors from SMS hospital.

"These cops have lung efficiency of less than 80%, this could be because of a respiratory disease or may be an early indication. However, precaution and treatment is a must for such patients," said Dr Virendra Singh, professor, department of medicine, SMS medical college.

Spirometry test indicates the lung efficiency, even as the efficiency should be 100% in ideal conditions, those above 80% of the efficiency are considered healthy. Even as the test results are being further examined rising pollution levels are being considered as the major cause.

According to doctors, nearly 6% of the general population above 40 years of age is suspected of asthma and other respiratory diseases due to unhealthy lifestyle and tobacco-smoking. However, the numbers of young patients with respiratory issues have also been rising over the past years. Rajasthan records more than 600 cases of complex respiratory issues each year as the disease or disorder often remains untreated for a long duration.

As the trend continues to increase, the respiratory diseases are expected to be a major reason for patient mortality in the coming decades. The threat is even more for traffic policemen and other professionals spending much time in the busy traffic. The department has provided the field staff with air masks. However, many of the cops find it uncomfortable for everyday use. Despite the use of masks the probability of lung damage continues to prevail.

Carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and other pollutants emitted by vehicles remain a threat to the public health. The European Lung Foundation and European Respiratory Society observe October 14 as World Spirometry Day each year to generate public awareness about the issue. Hectic schedule, lack of rest and exposure to other forms of fumes can also increase the chances of lung infection. Confinement to air conditioned premises and dust are also among the major reasons for rising lung infection.

As part of a nationwide Spirometry campaign 1,700 people of Pune, Chennai, Coimbatore, Kolkata, Jaipur and Kota underwent the test earlier this month. Research by Chest Research Foundation (CRF), Pune revealed that 6.4% of the people who underwent the test had obstruction in the airway, which usually occurs in cases of asthma and COPD. Among these only 24% of patients were aware that they have either asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The rest were diagnosed for the first time, 34% people had obstruction of the small airways on spirometry which is a strong indicator of early asthma and COPD.

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Women Don't Sweat as Much or as Effectively as Men

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 16:09:00 +0000

Women Don't Sweat as Much or as Effectively as Men

Now there's science to prove it: Men sweat more – and better – than women.

Researchers measured the rate at which both men and women perspired while biking for an hour under controlled conditions. Men who were physically fit sweat more readily than anyone else, and men, in general, also appeared to benefit more from physical training than did women. This difference became more pronounced as the activity level increased.

Physically fit people begin to sweat at a lower core body temperature. And since sweating is our body's way of cooling off (and keeping from overheating), this allowed men to perform longer, according to the researchers. Inactive women had the lowest sweat rate.

"It appears that women are at a disadvantage when they need to sweat a lot during exercise, especially in hot conditions," said Yoshimitsu Inoue, the study's coordinator and a researcher at Osaka International University in Japan.

The researchers had 37 subjects cycle for an hour at increasing intensities – active subjects had participated in endurance sports for more than six years, while inactive subjects had, for the most part, not performed regular physical activity in the previous three years. The scientists measured the subjects' temperature, sweat rate and activated sweat glands for a number of sites on the body, including the forehead and thigh. The information was used to calculate sweat gland output and measure performance.

Fit women had higher sweat rates than inactive men, though this difference was not statistically significant. But fit men saw a more dramatic improvement in their performance over inactive men than did fit women over inactive women. Overall, fit men sweat the most.

Sweat output per gland was significantly higher for fit subjects during more intense exercisethan for their unfit counterparts, but fit men's sweat gland output increased more rapidly than the others as their body temperature rose.

Untrained women didn't fully activated their sweat glands until they reached a more intense level of exercise than the others, whose sweat glands activated sooner.

Prior research has shown a link between the male sex-hormone testosterone, physical training and an increase in sweat rate. Although they did not measure the hormone among their subjects, the researchers suggest the hormone may play a role in their results.

The study was published Oct. 1 in the journal Experimental Physiology.

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2010 nobel prize winners in science

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:39:00 +0000

2010 nobel prize winners in science

The Nobel Prize in Physics 2010
Andre Geim, Konstantin Novoselov

Photo: Sergeom, Wikimedia Commons

Photo: University of Manchester, UK

Andre Geim

Konstantin Novoselov

The Nobel Prize in Physics 2010 was awarded jointly to Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov "for groundbreaking experiments regarding the two-dimensional material graphene"

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2010
Richard F. Heck, Ei-ichi Negishi, Akira Suzuki
Photo: University of Delaware, USA
Photo: Purdue University, USA
Photo: Hokkaido University, Japan
Richard F. Heck
Ei-ichi Negishi
Akira Suzuki
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2010 was awarded jointly to Richard F. Heck, Ei-ichi Negishi and Akira Suzuki "for palladium-catalyzed cross couplings in organic synthesis".
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Nobel Laureate Elizabeth Blackburn
“The said interest shall be divided into five equal parts, which shall be apportioned as follows: /- - -/ one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery within the domain of physiology or medicine ...”
(Excerpt from the will of Alfred Nobel)
Alfred Nobel had an active interest in medical research. Through Karolinska Institutet he came into contact with Swedish physiologist Jöns Johansson around 1890. Johansson worked in Nobel’s laboratory in Sèvran, France for a time that year. Physiology or medicine was the third prize area Nobel mentioned in his will.
In 1901, Emil von Behring was awarded the first Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work on serum therapy, particularly for its use in the treatment of diphtheria. The Medicine Prize has subsequently highlighted a number of important discoveries including penicillin, genetic engineering and blood-typing.
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is awarded by the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet.

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Protein cocktail is 'elixir of life'

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:28:00 +0000

Protein cocktail is 'elixir of life'

A cocktail of amino acids - the building blocks of proteins - is the latest contender in the age-old search for the elixir of life.

Scientists gave mice drinking water laced with three amino acids. They said the rodents lived significantly longer than other mice fed a normal diet.

The research, reported in a scientific journal, has yet to be tried in people.

The study leader said a large patient trial was needed to provide evidence to convince doctors.

In experiments, middle-aged healthy male mice were given drinking water containing the amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine.

Dr Enzo Nisoli, of the University of Milan, and colleagues, said it increased the average lifespan of the mice by 12% and boosted their fitness and co-ordination

They wrote in their paper, published in Cell Metabolism: "Our study offers a rationale for deeply exploring the role of amino acids in prevention and control of age-related disorders in humans."

The amino acids - three of the 20 that make up proteins - have been shown to extend life span in yeast. However, the precise role of these amino acids in humans is unknown.

They are used by bodybuilders to maintain muscle tissue and can be bought in health food stores and online.

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Are mobile phones a health hazard?

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:24:00 +0000

Are mobile phones a health hazard?

Could mobile phones be giving us brain cancer? Academic and toxicologist Devra Davis, who was in the group that won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, says yes.

According to Davis, an eminent American scientist and one of the country's leading epidemiologists, the mobile phone industry spent years trying to bury scientific evidence -- that it harms -- to protect its $3 trillion, 4.6 billion-customer global business.

With mobile phone use soaring, especially among the young, Davis says a "global public health catastrophe" will be seen in as little as three years if the problem is ignored, the Daily Mail reported.

The most troubling research, she says, threatens male fertility. Research in seven countries, including the US, China and Australia, suggests that keeping a switched-on mobile phone in a trouser pocket can have a drastic effect on sperm count.

"All the research shows the same thing - if you take young men who are trying to become fathers, those who use mobile phones at least four hours a day have about half the sperm count of others," Davis says.

"Sperm exposed to mobile phone radiation in the lab is sicker, thinner and less capable of swimming," she adds.

Mobile phones are low-powered radio frequency transmitters which produce microwave radiation.

In a new book provocatively titled "Disconnect: The Truth About Cell Phone Radiation, What The Industry Has Done To Hide It And How To Protect Your Family," Davis says the threat from mobile phone radiation has been underplayed for too long.

"Is it possible that the pervasive use of mobile phones is causing a host of subtle, chronic health problems, damaging our ability to have healthy children and creating long-term risks to our brains and bodies," she asks.

Her work includes supporting research from studies in the US, Sweden, Greece, France and Russia.

For example, a team at the University Of Washington found that just two hours of mobile phone-level radiation splintered the DNA of brain cells in rats, making them similar to cells found in malignant tumours.

Davis, who is a grandmother, is worried about the effect on children, arguing that their thin, pliant skulls make them more vulnerable.

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Google Voice: The next killer app?

noreply@blogger.com (envira) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:20:00 +0000

Google Voice: The next killer app?

WASHINGTON: Google releases so many products - most of them free - that it's easy to overlook one that's really special. Google Voice qualifies.

Thanks to its features and competitive potential, Google's relatively new service has been quietly sending tremors throughout the telephony industry.

And Google Voice - a service that's like a supercharged telephone number that you can use from your cell phone, smartphone, or from Gmail - is gaining traction, offering features that are either unavailable with other phone numbers or available only at a fee.

There is, though, a bit of bad news - at least for some. Currently, Google Voice is only available in the US.

However, the internet is full of workarounds for international users who sign up for the service via virtual private networks (VPN). And once a number is procured, the service can be used freely.

Moreover, Google plans to roll out Voice internationally. The only question is when.

But whether you get Google Voice now or in the near future, it's likely to make you rethink your current phone setup - or, at the least, to provide you with some attractive, free options for enhancing how you use your existing lines. So what can the telephony product do for you?

--- Aggregate phone numbers

Anyone who juggles multiple phone lines and hates missing calls will love Google Voice. Once you have a Google Voice phone number, you can set it up so that any calls you receive on the service will automatically ring all of your other telephones, acting as a real-time call-forwarding system. If there's a telephone nearby, you'll get the call.

--- Intelligent voicemail

Google Voice takes voicemail to a new level, thanks to a number of features that will be a boon to those frequently playing voicemail phone-tag.

One feature allows you to set up personalised greetings for particular callers or particular types of callers.

So, for instance, you might want to set up a fairly formal greeting for business associates, while friends and family would hear a whimsical voicemail message, complete with music and sound effects.

Even more useful, however, is Google Voice's ability to transcribe voicemail messages into text. With this enabled, you could automatically receive an email transcription of a voicemail message while you're in a meeting.

You'll also have an instant record of all voicemail messages received - thanks to Google Voice's integration with Gmail - and you can easily forward a voicemail message by email as well.

The transcription capability in Google Voice is a transformative feature that might make you say goodbye to listening to voicemail messages the usual way, and it works surprisingly well.

--- Call screening

For anyone who hates the peremptory nature of carry-everywhere cell phones and smartphones, Google's call-screening feature will be welcome. With it, you can preview who is calling and then determine whether to answer the phone or send the person directly to voicemail. The choice is one-touch simple.

Voice also makes it easier than traditional phone services to block particular callers. Can't seem to shake pesky calls from a business or acquaintance? Just select the record of the calls in Gmail, and follow the instructions for blocking unwanted calls.

--- Using Google Voice

Once you've set up a Google Voice number, there are multiple ways that you can use it. Firstly, it is available as an internet-based application, through your Gmail or iGoogle account, with a simple and clear interface.

In this sense it's very much a competitor of Skype, which up to now had pretty much locked up the internet telephony market.

Skype still has the edge over Google Voice in some ways. In particular, there's no video conferencing feature in Google, whereas in Skype, one-on-one video calls are easy and fun.

Google Voice's conferencing feature - which requires adding additional callers to your current call as the calls come - is arguably less friendly than Skype's as well.

But Google Voice's crowning achievement is that it can be used from most smartphones - removing you from the need to be at your computer to make or receive calls and potentially cutting down drastically on your cell phone bill.

BlackBerry, Android, and Nokia users can point their phone's browser to m.google.com/search to get the right version of Google Voice installed on their phone. iPhone users need to get Google Voice from iTunes.

Once installed on your smartphone, though, most of what makes Google Voice worth having is available at your fingertips, no matter where you are. That's why, once fully rolled out, Google Voice may just be the next must-have app for the masses.

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