Exclusive-Info-On-Earth

Tiny, long-lost primate rediscovered in Indonesia

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:12:00 +0000

On a misty mountaintop on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, scientists for the first time in more than eight decades have observed a living pygmy tarsier, one of the planet's smallest and rarest primates.

Over a two-month period, the scientists used nets to trap three furry, mouse-sized pygmy tarsiers -- two males and one female -- on Mt. Rore Katimbo in Lore Lindu National Park in central Sulawesi, the researchers said on Tuesday.

They spotted a fourth one that got away.

The tarsiers, which some scientists believed were extinct, may not have been overly thrilled to be found. One of them chomped Sharon Gursky-Doyen, a Texas A&M University professor of anthropology who took part in the expedition.

"I'm the only person in the world to ever be bitten by a pygmy tarsier," Gursky-Doyen said in a telephone interview.

"My assistant was trying to hold him still while I was attaching a radio collar around its neck. It's very hard to hold them because they can turn their heads around 180 degrees. As I'm trying to close the radio collar, he turned his head and nipped my finger. And I yanked it and I was bleeding.
The collars were being attached so the tarsiers' movements could be tracked.

Tarsiers are unusual primates -- the mammalian group that includes lemurs, monkeys, apes and people. The handful of tarsier species live on various Asian islands.

As their name indicates, pygmy tarsiers are small -- weighing about 2 ounces (50 grammes). They have large eyes and large ears, and they have been described as looking a bit like one of the creatures in the 1984 Hollywood movie "Gremlins."

They are nocturnal insectivores and are unusual among primates in that they have claws rather than finger nails.

They had not been seen alive by scientists since 1921. In 2000, Indonesian scientists who were trapping rats in the Sulawesi highlands accidentally trapped and killed a pygmy tarsier.

"Until that time, everyone really didn't believe that they existed because people had been going out looking for them for decades and nobody had seen them or heard them," Gursky-Doyen said.

Her group observed the first live pygmy tarsier in August at an elevation of about 6,900 feet.

"Everything was covered in moss and the clouds are right at the top of that mountain. It's always very, very foggy, very, very dense. It's cold up there. When you're one degree from the equator, you expect to be hot. You don't expect to be shivering most of the time. That's what we were doing," she said.

Source: Yahoo news

Pregnancy pounds predict kids' weight as teens

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:35:00 +0000

Women who gain too much weight during pregnancy may not only have bigger babies, but bigger teenagers as well, a study suggests.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School found that among nearly 12,000 children and teenagers they studied, those whose mothers gained more than the recommended amount of weight during pregnancy were 42 percent more likely to be obese.

The risk was independent of other factors the researchers examined, including mothers' pre-pregnancy weight, family income and parents' education.

Some past studies have linked excessive weight gain during pregnancy to a higher risk of obesity in childhood. These latest findings add to evidence that the fetal environment may have a "sustained effect" on children's weight regulation, Dr. Emily Oken and colleagues report in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.

For women, they say, the study underscores the importance of going into pregnancy at a healthy weight, and then gaining only the recommended amount.

In the U.S., the Institute of Medicine (IOM) suggests that normal-weight women gain 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy. Women who were overweight before becoming pregnant are encouraged to gain a little less -- 15 to 25 pounds -- while underweight women should put on 28 to 40 pounds.

The current study included 11,994 children between 9 and 14-years olds whose mothers were part of the Nurses Health Study II, a long-range health study of female nurses from across the U.S. The researchers found that 6.5 percent of the children were obese.

Oken's team found that when mothers exceeded the IOM guidelines for pregnancy weight gain, their children's weight also tended to climb.

Compared with their peers whose mothers followed the IOM guidelines, those whose mothers gained too much weight were 42 percent more likely to be obese by the time they were 9-to-14 years old.

Researchers suspect that excess pregnancy pounds may affect fetal development in a way that makes children more susceptible to excessive weight gain.

Animal research has found that overeating during pregnancy alters the expression of genes involved in fat regulation in offspring, and seems to affect the appetite-control centers of their brains as well.

SOURCE: Obstetrics & Gynecology, November 2008.

China opens longest sea bridge

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 20:56:00 +0000

The world's longest sea bridge was formally opened yesterday linking Shanghai to the industrial city of Ningbo across Hangzhou Bay in China.

The 22-mile bridge will reduce the driving distance between the eastern side of Shanghai and the port town of Ningbo by 75 miles.

The official opening was shown live on state television and traffic was due to start on the six-lane bridge late last night.

The bridge is a cable-stayed structure built at a cost of 11.8bn yuan (£500m), of which 30% came from private investors. The project was an early example of private contribution to a major public infrastructure project. Construction started in November 2003.

The bridge is designed to last 100 years. It will also help boost economic integration and development in the Yangtze river delta, which covers 39,000 square miles of land comprising Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu, an area with 72.4 million people.

Sun Ningwei, vice-president of the Xinhai Electric Company, based in Cixi, Ningbo, said of the new bridge: "I think it will be easier for our company to recruit high-calibre employees, who always prefer working in small cities like Cixi but living in big cities like Shanghai. They can leave Shanghai for Cixi in the morning and go back in the afternoon. It's only 1.5 hours' drive," she said.

The 20.2-mile Donghai Bridge had been the previous longest sea-crossing structure, linking Shanghai to the Yangshan deep water port.
Ref: Guardian

Top 10 Brain Foods for Children

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 01:44:00 +0000

Want your child to do better in school? Take a close look at diet. Certain "brain foods" may help boost a child's brain growth -- plus improve brain function, memory, and concentration.

In fact, the brain is a very hungry organ -- the first of the body's organs to absorb nutrients from the food we eat, explains Bethany Thayer, MS, RD, a Detroit nutritionist and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association (ADA).

Growing bodies need many types of nutrients -- but these 10 superfoods will help kids get the most from school.

1. Brain Food: Salmon
Fatty fish like salmon are an excellent source of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA -- both essential for brain growth and function, says Andrea Giancoli, MPH, RD, a Los Angeles nutritionist and ADA spokeswoman.

In fact, recent research has also shown that people who get more of these fatty acids in their diet have sharper minds and do better at mental skills tests.

While tuna is also a source of omega-3s, it's not a rich source like salmon, Giancoli tells WebMD.
"Tuna is definitely a good source of lean protein, but because it's so lean it's not very high in omega-3s like canned salmon is," Giancoli tells WebMD. Also, albacore "white" tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna, so the EPA advises eating no more than 6 ounces of albacore tuna weekly.

Eat more salmon: Instead of tuna sandwiches, make salmon salad for sandwiches -- canned salmon mixed with reduced-fat mayo or non-fat plain yogurt, raisins, chopped celery, and carrots (plus a little Dijon mustard if your child likes the taste). Serve on whole-grain bread -- which is also a brain food.

Soup idea: Add canned salmon to creamy broccoli soup -- plus frozen chopped broccoli for extra nutrition and soft texture. Boxed soups make this an easy meal, and are generally low in fat and calories, Giancoli says. Look for organic boxed soups in the health food section.

Make salmon patties -- using 14 oz. canned salmon, 1 lb. frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained), 1/2 onion (finely chopped), 2 garlic cloves (pressed), 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste. Combine ingredients. Mix well. Form into small balls. Heat olive oil in pan, flatten spinach balls with spatula. Cook over medium heat. Serve over brown rice (instant or frozen).

2. Brain Food: Eggs
Eggs are well-known as a great protein source -- but the egg yolks are also packed with choline, which helps memory development.

Eat more eggs: Send your child off to school with a grab-and-go breakfast egg burrito. Try breakfast for dinner one night a week -- scrambled eggs and toast. Make your own egg McMuffin at home: just put a fried egg on top of a toasted English muffin, topped with a slice of low-fat cheese
3. Brain Food: Peanut Butter
"Peanuts and peanut butter are a good source of vitamin E, a potent antioxidant that protects nervous membranes -- plus thiamin to help the brain and nervous system use glucose for energy," says Giancoli.

Eat more peanut butter: For a twist on an old favorite, make a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Dip apple slices in peanut butter. Or, top off your favorite salad with a handful of peanuts.

4. Brain Food: Whole Grains
The brain needs a constant supply of glucose -- and whole grains provide that in spades. The fiber helps regulate the release of glucose into the body, Giancoli explains. "Whole grains also have B-vitamins, which nourish a healthy nervous system."

Eat more whole grains: It's easy to find more whole grain cereals these days (make sure a whole grain is the first ingredient listed). But also think outside the box -- and try whole wheat couscous for dinner with cranberries, or low-fat popcorn for a fun snack, she suggests.

Whole-grain bread is a must for sandwiches. Switch to whole-grain tortillas and chips for quesadillas, wraps, and snacks.

5. Brain Food: Oats/Oatmeal
Oats are one of the most familiar hot cereals for kids and a very nutritious “grain for the brain,” says Sarah Krieger, MPH, RD, LD/N, a St. Petersburg, Fla. consultant and ADA spokeswoman. "Oats provide excellent energy or fuel for the brain that kids need first thing in the morning."

Loaded with fiber, oats keep a child’s brain fed all morning at school. Oats also are good sources of vitamin E, B-vitamins, potassium and zinc -- which make our bodies and brains function at full capacity.

Eat more oats: Top hot oatmeal with pretty much anything -- applesauce and cinnamon, dried fruit and soy milk, sliced almonds and a drizzle of honey, fresh banana and a dash of nutmeg with skim milk, Krieger suggests.

Cooking? Throw a handful of dry oats into a smoothie to make it thick -- or into pancake, muffin, waffle or a granola bar recipe.

Here’s a simple snack kids can make: 1 cup peanut butter, ½ cup honey, 1 cup dry oats, ½ cup dry milk powder. Mix it up with your hands -- then put a tablespoon between 2 apple or pear slices for a fun and different sandwich!

6. Brain Food: Berries
Strawberries, cherries, blueberries, blackberries. "In general, the more intense the color, the more nutrition in the berries," Krieger says. Berries boast high levels of antioxidants, especially vitamin C, which may help prevent cancer.

Studies have shown improved memory with the extracts of blueberries and strawberries. "But eat the real thing to get a more nutritious package," Krieger says. "The seeds from berries are also a good source of omega-3 fats.."

Eat more berries: Add berries to veggies that may need a flavor boost -- like sliced sweet cherries with broccoli or strawberries with green beans. Toss berries into a green salad. Add chopped berries to a jar of salsa for an excellent flavor surprise.

More berry ideas: Add berries to yogurt, hot or cold cereal, or dips. For a light dessert, top a mound of berries with nonfat whipped topping, Krieger suggests
7. Brain Food: Beans
Beans are special because they have energy from protein and complex carbs -- and fiber -- plus lots of vitamins and minerals, Krieger says. "These are an excellent brain food since they keep a child's energy and thinking level at peak all afternoon if they enjoy them with lunch."

Kidney and pinto beans contain more omega 3 fatty acids than other beans -- specifically ALA, another of the omega-3’s important for brain growth and function, says Krieger.

Eat more beans: Sprinkle beans over salad and top with salsa. Mash vegetarian beans and spread on a tortilla. Mash or fill a pita pocket with beans -- and add shredded lettuce and low-fat cheese. Add beans to spaghetti sauce and salsa. Infants love mashed beans with applesauce!

8. Brain Food: Colorful Veggies
Tomatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, spinach -- vegetables with rich, deep color are the best sources of antioxidants that keep brain cells strong and healthy, Thayer says.

Eat more veggies: Try sweet potato fries: Cut up in wedges or sticks. Spray them with vegetable oil cooking spray and then bake them in the oven (400 degrees, 20 minutes or until they start to brown).

Make pumpkin muffins: Mix 1 15-ounce can of pumpkin with a box of your favorite cake or muffin mix. Stir the two ingredients together and follow the directions.

Baby carrots and tiny tomatoes fit nicely into lunch bags. Kids love spinach salads with lots of stuff in them -- like strawberries, mandarin oranges, sliced almonds. Another trick: Sneak all sorts of chopped veggies into spaghetti sauce, soups, and stews.

9. Brain Food: Milk & Yogurt
Dairy foods are packed with protein and B-vitamins -- essential for growth of brain tissue, neurotransmitters, and enzymes. "Milk and yogurt also provide a bigger punch with both protein and carbohydrates – the preferred source of energy for the brain," Thayer says.

Recent research suggests that children and teens need 10 times more the recommended dose of vitamin D -- a vitamin that benefits the neuromuscular system and the overall life cycle of human cells.

Eat more dairy: Low-fat milk over cereal -- and calcium- and vitamin D-fortified juices -- are easy ways to get these essential nutrients. Cheese sticks are great snacks.

Low-fat yogurt parfaits are also fun. In a tall glass, layer yogurt with berries (fresh, frozen, or dried) and chopped nuts (almonds or walnuts), Thayer suggests.

10. Brain Food: Lean Beef (or Meat Alternative)
Iron is an essential mineral that helps kids stay energized and concentrate at school. Lean beef is one of the best absorbed sources of iron. In fact, just 1 ounce per day has been shown to help the body absorb iron from other sources. Beef also contains zinc, which helps with memory.

For vegetarians, black bean and soy burgers are great iron-rich meatless options. Beans are an important source of nonheme iron -- a type of iron that needs vitamin C to be absorbed. Eat tomatoes, red bell pepper, orange juice, strawberries, and other "Cs" with beans to get the most iron.

For a burger-less source of iron -- try spinach. It's packed with nonheme iron, too.

Eat more iron: For dinner, grill kebobs with beef chunks and veggies. Or stir-fry a bit of beef with kids' favorite veggies. Grill black bean or soy burgers, then top with salsa or a tomato slice. Or, chow down on a spinach salad (with mandarin oranges and strawberries for vitamin C).

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:00:00 +0000

What is the origin of the Olympics?
The Olympic Games, originally created to honor Zeus, was the most important national festival of the ancient Greeks, and a focus of political rivalries between the nation-states. However, all competitions involved individual competitors rather than teams. Winning an Olympic contest was regarded more highly than winning a battle and was proof of an individual arete or personal excellence. The winners were presented with garlands, crowned with olive wreaths, and viewed as national heroes.

Although records of the Olympics date back to 776 BC when the Olympics were reorganized and the official "First Olympiad" was held, Homer's Iliad suggests that they existed as early as the 12th century BC. The games were held every four years in honor of Zeus, in accordance with the four year time periods which the Greeks called olympiads. Emperor Theodosius I of Rome discontinued them in the 4th century AD, and they did not occur again until they were reinstated in Athens in 1896.

Originally, the Olympics was confined to running, but by the 15th Olympiad, additional sports were added the pentathlon (five different events), boxing, wrestling, chariot racing, as well as a variety of foot races of varying lengths, including a long-distance race of about 2.5 miles.

Athletes usually competed nude, proudly displaying their perfect bodies. Women, foreigners, slaves, and dishonored persons were forbidden to compete; women, once they were married, were not even allowed to watch any Olympic events, except for chariot races. However, every four years, women held their own games, called the Heraea after Hera, held at Argos, and beginning as early as the 6th century B.C. and lasting at least six centuries until Roman rule.

How was the Olympics a sacred festival?
Unlike our modern Olympic games, the ancient Greek Olympic games was a religious rather than secular festival, celebrating the gods in general and Zeus in particular. The contests themselves alternated with altar rituals and sacrifices, as well as processions and banquets. Individual competitors trained rigorously not only for personal glory, but also to impress and please a god through demonstrating strength and agility.

Although one legend suggests that Heracles won a race at Olympia and decreed that races should be instituted every four years, the most common legends suggest that Zeus originated the games after he defeated Cronus in battle. Many events occurred at the Olympic stadium near the temple of Zeus in Olympia southwest of Athens. Inside the temple was the 42 foot high gold and ivory statue of Zeus sculpted by Pheidias, considered to be one of seven wonders of the ancient world.

Eventually the games were also held at other sacred spots in the Greek city-states, such as Delphi and Corinth. These games honored the ruling god of the particular locality, most notably Apollo and Poseidon in addition to Zeus. Apollo from the start had an indirect role in the festivities, since the winners were always lauded with garlands of laurel, the tree most sacred to Apollo ever since his beloved Daphne was transformed into a laurel tree.

The noteworthy classics web site, Perseus, from Tufts University, has a mini-site on the ancient Olympics at http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Olympics/. According to Perseus scholars:

"The Games were held in honor of Zeus, the king of the Greek gods, and a sacrifice of 100 oxen was made to the god on the middle day of the festival. Athletes prayed to the gods for victory, and made gifts of animals, produce, or small cakes, in thanks for their successes.

According to legend, the altar of Zeus stood on a spot struck by a thunderbolt, which had been hurled by the god from his throne high atop Mount Olympus, where the gods assembled. Some coins from Elis had a thunderbolt design on the reverse, in honor of this legend.

Over time, the Games flourished, and Olympia became a central site for the worship of Zeus. Individuals and communities donated buildings, statues, altars and other dedications to the god."

Avena Sativa- Oats

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Avena Sativa (oats) is rich in body-building nutrients including silicon, manganese, zinc, calcium, phosphorus and Vitamins A, B1, B2 and E. In cases of sexual problems related to stress and anxiety, Avena Sativa and its compounds work as nervine relaxants to ease tension, strengthen and support the nervous system and as a tonic to promote energy to handle the stress. This helps reduce over-excitability and facilitates better sexual performance.

Possible Benefits

Boosts fertility
Improves sexual performance
Relieves performance anxiety
Helps lower triglyceride level
Promotes energy
Strengthens the heart
Reduces craving for nicotine
Facilitates the detoxification process
Good for urinary organs and ailments like fibroids and candidiasis
Aids with anxiety disorders and A.D.D.
Emphysema, lung, and immune support
Helps relieve migraine headaches
Aids digestion
Reduces water retention

Usage Guidelines
No adverse effects unless you have a gluten-sensitivity.

Building Confidence

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 22:04:00 +0000

Confident, Optimistic people take a positive approach to life and do not interpret events negatively. If an acquintance suddenly crosses the road as they approach, for example, they attribute it to being unseen rather than deliberate avoidance. Sometimes behaving in a confident manner generates real confidence. If you hide your anxieties and act with self-assurance, people often respond by listening and assuming you know what you are talking about, which in turn reinforces your confident behavior.

Tips for confident behavior:

Visualize yourself behaving in a confident manner and practice deep breathing when you feel stressed.

When you meet someone, look at the person long enough to acknowledge him or her and then look away again.

Watch your body language. Confident people take up space and look relaxed. They don’t twitch or fiddle,hunch their shoulders, or cross their arms and legs defensively.

When you speak, take time to pause and breathe evenly throughout.

Lower your voice if you hear it rising.

Be prepared. Make notes and know your facts before going into a meeting or a difficult interview,for eg.

If you make a mistake, ask yourself “ Will this matter in ten years time?” Most things wont.

Remind yourself that the other people have better things to do than analyze your shortcomings.

Achieving High Self- Esteem

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:12:00 +0000

Overcoming poor self esteem gives you the emotional “ hardiness” to deal with stressful events. Even quite tiny shifts in how you percieve yourself can bring about profound changes. The mind/ body Institute at Harvard University suggests you to become aware of the origins of low self esteem. Think of your life as a bus with every significant person from your past on board. When they make criticisms such as “ Why are you so clumsy?” Taking over the driver’s seat yourself might entail putting some of the passengers off the bus- and out of your mind- permanently.

Solar Eclipse Friday to Fascinate Millions

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:05:00 +0000

A total eclipse of the sun Friday should fascinate millions of lucky skywatchers in Greenland, Siberia, Mongolia and China.

If the weather cooperates, people along a narrow path who venture out and look up will see stars during the day as the sun is gradually devoured and ultimately blotted out by the moon.

Unlike ancient times, when eclipses were viewed as bad omens in many cultures, fewer people should be expecting doom this time around. Still, myths persist, especially in remote regions, so it's likely there will be some banging on pots and other creative tactics employed to drive the "evil spirits" away.

Billions of people along the path, including most of Europe and Asia, have a chance to see an interesting but much less foreboding partial eclipse. The northern half of Maine and the Canadian Maritime Provinces will be graced with a partial eclipse at sunrise.

Myth and mystery

Solar eclipses occur when the moon moves in front of the sun. This can happen only at the time of a new moon, when the moon is between Earth and the sun. When the three objects align perfectly an eclipse occurs.

Before there was a scientific explanation for eclipses, myth and mystery was pervasive.

Many cultures thought a demon or dragon was devouring the sun.

In ancient China, "any unusual phenomenon involving celestial bodies was noted for potential omens, either good or bad, that might befall the current Emperor," according to Sten Odenwald of the department of physics at Catholic University. An eclipse occurred in 2134 B.C., but was not predicted by Hsi and Ho, who were believed to have been two astrologers who served the Emperor Chung K'ang.

"By some accounts, the two astrologers were negligent in their duties and did not foretell the event for the Emperor," Odenwald writes in a historical article published by NASA. "They were summarily beheaded for their negligence of duty."

The ancient Chinese banged pots and drums to shoo the frightful sun-eating character away, according to the Exploratorium Science Center in San Francisco. In India, people would immerse themselves in water to help the sun fight the dragon.

Even nowadays many myths persist. In Egypt, as one example, children are often kept indoors with windows covered or shades drawn during an eclipse.

Prior to a total solar eclipse in 2006, one Indian paper advised pregnant women not to go outside during the eclipse to avoid having a blind baby or one with a cleft lip. Food cooked before the eclipse was to be thrown out afterward because it would be impure and those who are holding a knife or ax during the eclipse would cut themselves, the Hindustan Times added.

In Togo, authorities prior to the 2006 solar eclipse called on villagers to stay home. "Please, do not go out and keep your children indoors on solar eclipse day,'' Togo's minister for health said in a message broadcast on state television.

Risk of eye injury

Eclipses can indeed be dangerous.

Despite myths and rumors, a total solar eclipse is safe to watch during the darkness of totality, when no rays of the sun are passing to your eyes. The corona, or atmosphere of the sun, is often partly visible when the moon blocks out the main disk of the sun. Viewing the corona during totality also is safe.

However, looking directly at the sun, even during a partial eclipse, will damage your eyes unless you wear proper eye protection. It is extremely dangerous to eyesight to look directly at an eclipse at any stage expect during totality.

Glasses designed specifically for eclipse viewing are recommended, or a handful of indirect viewing methods can be used:

With masking tape, cover all but a 1/2-inch square of a small mirror. Project the sun onto a shaded wall. Or with a pencil, poke a small hole in a piece of paper. Let sunlight fall trough the hole onto a second sheet of white paper about a foot below.

Webcast planned

For those not fortunate enough to be in the eclipse's narrow path, a live webcast is planned.

NASA, in partnership with the Exploratorium and the University of California, Berkeley, will transmit live images on NASA TV. The coverage, originating in China and reliant on good weather, runs from 6 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. ET.

The period of total eclipse, or totality, will occur from 7:08 a.m. to 7:10 a.m. ET.

The Doctrine of Signatures

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 00:23:00 +0000

Every whole food has a pattern that resembles a body organ or physiological function and that this pattern acts as a signal or sign as to the benefit the food provides the eater. Here is just a short list of examples of Whole Food Signatures.

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye...and science shows that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.
A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart is red and has four chambers. All of the research shows tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food.
Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows that grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.
A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds are on the nut just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.
Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.
Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet the body pulls it from the bones, making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.
Eggplant, Avocadoes and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats 1 avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? .... It takes exactly 9 months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).
Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the motility of male sperm and increase the numbers of sperm as well to overcome male sterility.
Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.
Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries.
Grapefruits, Oranges, and other citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.
Onions look like body cells. Today's research shows that onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells They even produce tears which was h the epithelial layers of the eyes.

"The news isn't that fruits and vegetables are good for you, it's that they are so good for you, they can save your life."

David Bjerklie, TIME Magazine, Oct. 2003

Music and Your Body

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 13:59:00 +0000

Research has shown that music has a profound effect on your body and psyche. In fact, there’s a growing field of health care known as Music Therapy, which uses music to heal. Those who practice music therapy are finding a benefit in using music to help cancer patients, children with ADD, and others, and even hospitals are beginning to use music and music therapy to help with pain management, to help ward off depression, to promote movement, to calm patients, to ease muscle tension, and for many other benefits that music and music therapy can bring. This is not surprising, as music affects the body and mind in many powerful ways. The following are some of effects of music, which help to explain the effectiveness of music therapy:

Brain Waves: Research has shown that music with a strong beat can stimulate brainwaves to resonate in sync with the beat, with faster beats bringing sharper concentration and more alert thinking, and a slower tempo promoting a calm, meditative state. Also, research has found that the change in brainwave activity levels that music can bring can also enable the brain to shift speeds more easily on its own as needed, which means that music can bring lasting benefits to your state of mind, even after you’ve stopped listening.

Breathing and Heart Rate: With alterations in brainwaves comes changes in other bodily functions. Those governed by the autonomic nervous system, such as breathing and heart rate can also be altered by the changes music can bring. This can mean slower breathing, slower heart rate, and an activation of the relaxation response, among other things. This is why music and music therapy can help counteract or prevent the damaging effects of chronic stress, greatly promoting not only relaxation, but health.

State of Mind: Music can also be used to bring a more positive state of mind, helping to keep depression and anxiety at bay. This can help prevent the stress response from wreaking havoc on the body, and can help keep creativity and optimism levels higher, bringing many other benefits.

Other Benefits: Music has also been found to bring many other benefits, such as lowering blood pressure (which can also reduce the risk of stroke and other health problems over time), boost immunity, ease muscle tension, and more. With so many benefits and such profound physical effects, it’s no surprise that so many are seeing music as an important tool to help the body in staying (or becoming) healthy.

When someone sneezes-- we say " Bless You!" Why???

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 20:37:00 +0000

Bless you is a common English expression addressed to a person after they sneeze. The origin of the custom and its original purpose are unknown. In current practice, it is a socially obligated response.

Several possible origins are commonly given. The practice of blessing a sneeze, dating as far back as at least 77 AD, however, is far older than most specific explanations can account for.

One explanation holds that the custom originally began as an actual blessing. Gregory I became Pope in 590 as an outbreak of the bubonic plague was reaching Rome. In hopes of fighting off the disease, he ordered unending prayer and parades of chanters through the streets. At the time, sneezing was thought to be an early symptom of the plague. The blessing ("God bless you!") became a common effort to halt the disease.

A variant of the Pope Gregory I story places it with Pope Gregory VII, then tells the common (though untrue) story of "Ring Around the Rosey" being connected to the same plague.

A legend holds that it was believed that the heart stops when you sneeze, and the phrase "bless you" is meant to ensure the return of life or to encourage your heart to continue beating.

Another version says that people used to believe that your soul can be thrown from your body when you sneeze, that sneezing otherwise opened your body to invasion by the Devil or evil spirits,or that sneezing was your body's effort to force out an invading evil spirit. Thus, "bless you" or "God bless you" is used as a sort of shield against evil.

Alternatively, it may be possible that the phrase began simply as a response for an event that wasn't well understood at the time.[citation needed].

Another belief is that people used to see sneezing as a sign that God would answer your prayers or an omen of good fortune or good luck.In this case, "Bless you" would be in recognition of that luck.

Don't Cosign Your Child's Loan -Do this instead

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 11:33:00 +0000

Parents often cosign credit cards or other loans for their children. But you should be aware that in many states, creditors are not required to notify the cosigners when a borrower exceeds a credit limit or falls behind on loan payments. As a result, you can become liable for overdue payments and penalties without ever knowing there was a problem. And your credit rating may be harmed as well.

Here's a better way: Consider having the child cosign your credit card. That way, the child will have access to the credit line and build a credit history, while monthly statements will come directly to you.

The 10 Worst Places to Raise a Family (from best to worst)

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:42:00 +0000

Springfield, Missouri

Dayton, Ohio

Corpus Christi, Texas

Flint, Michigan: Country's highest violent-crime rate

Columbia, South Carolina

Waco, Texas

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Fayetteville, North Carolina

Beaumont, Texas: Long-standing air-quality challenges

Clarksville, Tennessee: Low educational spending: $6,729 per student

The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:39:00 +0000

Television executives seized the idea long ago: American families value where they plant their roots. The Cosbys had Brooklyn. The Cunninghams, Milwaukee. The Simpsons, Springfield. But fathers face reality when they're not in prime time. They want to raise their children somewhere safe, where they can attend good schools with favorable student-teacher ratios, above-average test scores, and respectable budgets. Plenty of museums, parks, and pediatricians also contribute to a good quality of life, whereas multihour commutes, expensive houses, and divorcing friends and neighbors do not. Best Life editors used these categories and data from the U.S. Census Bureau, National Center for Education Statistics, FBI, American Association of Museums, National Center for Health Statistics, and American Bar Association to evaluate 257 cities. Here are the best--and worst--places to raise a family.

1. Honolulu, Hawaii: Schools spend almost $9,000 per pupil, unemployment ranks less than half the national average, and you can play on the island of O'ahu's 125 beaches.

2 Virginia Beach, Virginia

3 Billings, Montana

4 Columbus, Georgia

5 San Diego, California

6 Des Moines, Iowa

7 Minneapolis, Minnesota

8 Madison, Wisconsin: Madison has a high number of pediatricians per capita.

9 Colorado Springs, Colorado

10 Santa Rosa, California

11 Wichita, Kansas

12 Los Angeles, California

13 Corona, California

14 Austin, Texas

15 Stamford, Connecticut

16 Omaha, Nebraska

17 Naperville, Illinois

18 Fort Wayne, Indiana

19 Springfield, Illinois

20 Boise, Idaho

21 Manchester, New Hampshire

22 South Bay Area, California

23 New York, New York

24 Fontana, California

25 Louisville, Kentucky

26 Plano, Texas

27 Oceanside, California

28 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

29 Sacramento, California

30 Ann Arbor, Michigan

31 Reno, Nevada

32 Las Vegas, Nevada

33 Lincoln, Nebraska

34 San Bernardino, California

35 Grand Rapids, Michigan

36 Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina: Median value of a home: $202,7333

37 Kansas City, Kansas

38 Fremont, California

39 Buffalo, New York

40 Berkeley, California

41 Cambridge, Massachusetts

42 Kansas City, Missouri

43 Waterbury, Connecticut

44 Syracuse, New York

45 Phoenix, Arizona

46 Albuquerque, New Mexico

47 Akron, Ohio

48 Boston, Massachusetts

49 Escondido, California

50 Fairfield, California

51 Antioch, California

52 Elgin, Illinois

53 Rochester, New York

54 Seattle, Washington: Residents spend $266 per person annually to maintain the city's parks.

55 Tucson, Arizona

56 Santa Clarita, California

57 Denver, Colorado

58 Indianapolis, Indiana

59 Glendale, Arizona

60 Chicago, Illinois

61 Atlanta, Georgia

62 San Antonio, Texas

63 Mobile, Alabama

64 Concord, California

65 Denton, Texas

66 Coral Springs, Florida

67 San Francisco, California

68 Cedar Rapids, Iowa

69 El Paso, Texas: Classrooms average fewer than 16 students for every teacher.

70 San Buenaventura, California

71 Worcester, Massachusetts

72 Baltimore, Maryland

73 Richmond, California

74 Lowell, Massachusetts

75 Portland, Oregon

76 Jacksonville, Florida

77 Fort Collins, Colorado

78 Orlando, Florida

79 Modesto, California

80 Montgomery, Alabama

81 Tampa, Florida

82 Salinas, California

83 Newport News, Virginia

84 Oakland, California

85 Augusta, Georgia

86 Fort Worth, Texas

87 Washington, D.C.

88 Tulsa, Oklahoma: Residents spend just 17 minutes commuting to work.

89 Bellevue, Washington

90 Cincinnati, Ohio

91 McKinney, Texas

92 St. Louis, Missouri

93 Hayward, California

94 Midland, Texas

95 Sterling Heights, Michigan

96 Greensboro, North Carolina

97 Arlington, Texas

98 Alexandria, Virginia

99 Winston-Salem, North Carolina

100 Lexington, Kentucky

Stay Younger at any age

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:16:00 +0000

Growing old gracefully isn’t a lost art — it’s just a forgotten one. For all those women who think the scalpel or the syringe is the only way to stay “young,” here’s a news flash: “About 80 percent of aging is caused by environmental factors, things you have control over,” says Leslie Baumann, a dermatologist and the director of the University of Miami Cosmetic Center, in Florida. Real Simple went to eight female dermatologists to find out their own at-home anti-aging routines. They all offer a sensible approach: Protect your skin, use the right skin-care ingredients, and get on with your life.

Twelve Ways to Delay Aging

Wear sunscreen every day. You’ve heard it before: Sun exposure is the number one cause of premature aging. Ultraviolet light from the sun — or a tanning bed — breaks down collagen and elastin, the substances that keep skin smooth and firm. To help minimize damage and wrinkles, stay out of the sun and follow these tips.

Apply sunscreen liberally. A too-thin layer of SPF (sun protection factor) 15 is equal to only about SPF 7. Use a shot glass–size amount to cover your body and a teaspoon to cover your face.

Don’t forget your legs. “We find more cases of malignant melanomas on women’s legs than on their faces,” says Heidi Waldorf, director of laser and cosmetic dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center, in New York City.

Don’t rely on SPF-enhanced makeup. Chances are you don’t wear enough of it to defend your skin.

Choose sunglasses with UV protection. Good sunglasses help prevent cataracts, and they also keep you from squinting, which can, over time, break down the collagen around your eyes and cause crow’s-feet.

Avoid smoky situations. If you smoke, quit. And nonsmokers should be aware that chronic exposure to secondhand smoke can damage skin. According to Karyn Grossman, a Santa Monica–based dermatologist, smoke, like the sun, bombards you with free radicals that make skin sallow, break down its collagen, and slow its ability to heal. To fend off damage, Grossman suggests products containing antioxidants, which neutralize free radicals. Her favorite antioxidants are vitamin C, vitamin E, and green tea. “The studies back up their efficacy the most,” she says.
Be conscious of repetitive movements. Between smiling, frowning, and talking, your face makes thousands of movements a day. Over time, these repetitive motions lead to deeper lines. It would be unrealistic (not to mention Stepford-like) to stop showing your emotions, but some habits can be curbed. “We’re not saying, ‘Don’t live; don’t move,’” says Debra Jaliman, a New York City dermatologist. “But if you’re constantly drinking through a straw, chewing gum, or smoking, you’re breaking down the collagen around your mouth. And the wrinkles will come earlier.”

Stop picking! It’s hard to resist the urge to do a little at-home surgery on a pimple, but the mark it might leave is the most persuasive reason not to. “As you age, acne scars often end up looking more like wrinkles,” says Grossman. “If you have a pimple on your cheek near where a wrinkle forms, it will make the wrinkle deeper.”

Cleanse with alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs). They help remove the top layer of dead skin cells to reveal a fresh layer underneath. “Alpha hydroxy acids (such as glycolic acid) unclog pores and help your skin look smoother,” says Alyson C. Penstein, a dermatologist in New York City. Note: If you have oily or acne-prone skin, try a cleanser with a beta hydroxy acid (BHA).

Use an anti-aging cream at night. New anti-aging creams arrive on cosmetics counters all the time — with bigger claims and heftier price tags. But good old retinoids, which contain a vitamin A derivative, are still the gold standard. “Many studies support retinoids, and they have withstood the test of time,” says Marianne O’Donoghue, an associate professor of dermatology at the Rush University Medical Center, in Chicago. Retinoids encourage the skin to renew itself, smoothing fine lines and helping to repair sun damage. They are found in prescription creams, such as Renova and Retin-A, and in lower concentrations in over-the-counter retinol creams. Note: Retinoids can be irritating at first, so apply sparingly. They also leave skin vulnerable to sunburn. If your skin is extra-sensitive, try a milder cream containing kinetin, an ingredient found in plants that has been shown to smooth lines.

Try a weekly exfoliation treatment. Most professional anti-aging treatments — including chemical peels and microdermabrasion — shed skin to clear up uneven pigmentation and encourage collagen growth. Now there are effective treatments that are gentle enough to use at home. Robin Ashinoff, director of cosmetic dermatology at the Hackensack University Medical Center, in New Jersey, suggests using a chemical exfoliator. There are also polishing creams that aim to achieve results similar to those of professional microdermabrasion, which manually sloughs off skin with superfine particles. Over time, your skin should respond by thickening slightly. “Thickening is good,” explains Mary Ellen Brademas, a New York City dermatologist. “Thicker skin shows fewer wrinkles.”

Remember the rest of your body. “Everything you do for your face, you should also do for your neck, chest, and hands,” says Baumann. “Those are the primary spots that show aging.” At the very least, moisturize: Hydrated skin looks plumper and smoother.

Earth's Cries Recorded in Space

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:19:00 +0000

Earth emits an ear-piercing series of chirps and whistles that could be heard by any aliens who might be listening, astronomers have discovered.

The sound is awful, a new recording from space reveals.

Scientists have known about the radiation since the 1970s. It is created high above the planet, where charged particles from the solar wind collide with Earth's magnetic field. It is related to the phenomenon that generates the colorful aurora, or Northern Lights.

The radio waves are blocked by the ionosphere, a charged layer atop our atmosphere, so they do not reach Earth. That's good, because the out-of-this-world radio waves are 10,000 times stronger than even the strongest military signal, the researchers said, and they would overwhelm all radio stations on the planet.

Theorists had long figured the radio waves, which were not well studied, oozed into space in an ever-widening cone, like light from a torch.

But new data from the European Space Agency's Cluster mission, a group of four high-flying satellites, reveals the bursts of radio waves head off to the cosmos in beam-like fashion, instead.

This means they're more detectable to anyone who might be listening.

The Auroral Kilometric Radiation (AKR), as it is called, is beamed out in a narrow plane, as if someone had put a mask over a torch and left a slit for the radiation to escape.

This flat beam could be detected by aliens who've figured this process out, the researchers say. The knowledge could also be used by Earth's astronomers to detect planets around other stars, if they can build a new radio telescope big enough for the search. They could also learn more about Jupiter and Saturn by studying AKR, which should emit from the auroral activity on those worlds, too.

"Whenever you have aurora, you get AKR," said Robert Mutel, a University of Iowa researcher involved in the work.

The AKR bursts -- Mutel and colleagues studied 12,000 of them -- originate in spots the size of a large city a few thousand miles above Earth and above the region where the Northern Lights form.

"We can now determine exactly where the emission is coming from," Mutel said.

Our planet is also known to hum, a mysterious low-frequency sound thought to be caused by the churning ocean or the roiling atmosphere.

Audio: Hear Earth Scream
Video: Earthrise Seen from the Moon
101 Amazing Earth Facts
Original Story: Earth's Cries Recorded in Space

Courtesy:space.com

Yep! Its True!

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:22:00 +0000

People living on the east coast prefer creamy peanut butter, while people living on the west coast prefer chunky peanut butter

Some snails live on branches in trees

Tomato ketchup is a good conditioner for the hair. It also helps get the greenish tinge that some blonde haired people get after swimming in water with chlorine in it

The youngest pope was 11 years old

Did you know you share your birthday with at least 9 other million people in the world

Soldiers disease is a term for morphine addiction. The Civil War produced over 400,000 morphine addicts

The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 119, which is 176 verses

During the First World War, cigarettes were handed out to soldiers along with their rations

The longest freshwater shoreline in the world is located in the state of Michigan

There are bananas called "Red banana" that are maroon to dark purple when ripe

Franklin Pierce was the first U.S. President to have a Christmas tree in the White House

The USA bought Alaska from Russia for 2 cents an acre

Walt Disney had originally suggested using the name Mortimer Mouse instead of Mickey Mouse

The length of brink of the Canadian "Horseshoe" Falls located in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada is 2600 feet

The smile is the most frequently used facial expression. A smile can use anywhere from a pair of 5 to 53 facial muscles

The right lung of a human is larger than the left one. This is because of the space and placement of the heart

Native Americans used to use pumpkin seeds for medicine

The pound key (#) on the keyboard is called an octothorpe

The chemical name for caffeine is 1,3,7-trimethylzantihine

Corals take a long time to grow. Some corals only grow one centimeter in one year

Walmart-mart sells more apparel a year than all the other competing department stores combined

Canada has more inland waters and lakes than any other country in the world

Ramses II, a pharaoh of Egypt died in 1225 B.C. At the time of his death, he had fathered 96 sons and 60 daughters

The word "lethologica" describes the state of not being able to remember the word you want

Since its introduction in February 1935, more than two hundred million Monopoly board games have been sold worldwide

Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression than men in the United States

The smallest man ever was Gul Mohammed (1957-1997) of India, who measured 1 feet, 10? inches

500,000 tons of dog excrement are dumped annually on the streets of Paris

Hydrogen gas is the least dense substance in the world, at 0.08988g/cc

In Belgium, there is a museum just for strawberries

The Simpsons is the longest running prime-time animated series on television history

The more a person struggles to get out of quicksand the faster they will sink. Staying still, and being calm will actually make the body float in the quicksand because the body is less dense than the quicksand is

On average, a Canadian girl owns seven Barbie dolls, whereas an American girl owns eight

A piece of French toast that was partially eaten by Justin Timberlake sold on eBay

Tea Tree Oil

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 02:24:00 +0000

Tea Tree Oil (also known as Melaleuca) is a natural antibacterial disinfectant that was commonly used as a general antiseptic by the aborigine tribes for thousands of years. More recently, the scientific community has confirmed that Tea Tree Oil has tremendous medicinal benefits. It is a light yellow oil that has a scent similar to nutmeg, and it is produced by steaming tea tree leaves and then squeezing the oil out.
Tea Tree Oil has wonderful properties that makes it a popular natural agent for curing all three types of infectious organisms: fungus, bacteria, and virus. More importantly, it is known to effectively fight a number of infections that are resistant to some antibiotics. Therefore, Tea Tree Oil is an excellent natural remedy for hundreds of bacterial and fungal skin ailments such as acne, abscess, oily skin, blisters, sun burns, athlete's foot, warts, herpes, insect bites, rashes, dandruff and other minor wounds and irritations.

Studies have shown that Tea Tree Oil also treats respiratory problems ranging from common sore throats, coughs and runny nose to severe conditions such as asthma, tuberculosis, and bronchitis. The anti-viral properties of the oil fight many common infectious diseases such as chicken pox, shingles and measles, flu, cold sores and verrucae. It also strengthens the body's immune system, which is often weakened by stress, illness, or by the use of antibiotics and other drugs. It can also be used as a mouth wash, since it is highly effective in healing oral candidiasis (a fungal infection of mouth and throat).

Uses of Tea Tree Oil
Skin Infections
General Disinfectant
Tea Tree Oil mixed into bath water works as a great disinfectant for skin. Simply mix 10 to 12 drops of the oil into bath water and soak in it for about 30 minutes twice a week. This same oil bath can also be used to relax muscles after a strenuous sport or workout.

Acne Treatment
A common use of Tea Tree Oil is as a natural Acne treatment.

Boils and Carbuncles
Tea Tree Oil has also been used for the treatment of Boils or Carbuncles.

Warts
Many people have also found that Tea Tree Oil can be used as a very effective treatment for Genital Warts.

Bad Breath, Inflamed Gums, and Plaque
Tea Tree Oil, when used as a mouth wash, acts as a natural cure for bad breath, oral candidiasis, gingivitis, plaque, and inflamed gums. It also kills mouth bacteria prior to dental surgery and also reduces mouth irritation that is often caused by dental procedures.
Add 3 drops of Tea Tree Oil to a cup of warm water.
Use the solution as a mouthwash two to three times daily.
Always spit out the Tea Tree Oil mouthwash. Do not swallow it.
You may also add 1 drop of Tea Tree Oil to toothpaste when brushing teeth.
Sore Throat and Congestion
Tea Tree Oil can be combined with a simple steam inhalation technique to naturally cure congestion, sore throat, chest infections, and clearing up mucus:
Fill a large cooking pot or bowl with water.
Bring the water to a boil.
Remove the pot from the stove and add 2 to 3 drops of Tea Tree Oil into it.
Cover your head with a towel and lean over the top of the bowl so that the long ends of the towel are hanging down at the two sides of the bowl.
Inhale the vapors for about 5-10 minutes.
Repeat the process each night before going to bed until symptoms are cured completely. If symptoms persist for more than 5 days it is best to consult your doctor.
Canker Sores and Laryngitis
Diluted in water, Tea Tree Oil is an effective treatment for canker sores and laryngitis:
Add 3-4 drops of Tea Tree Oil to one cup of warm water.
Gargle this solution twice daily.

Dandruff and Lice
Studies have shown that shampoos with 5% of Tea Tree Oil can cure dandruff and help get rid off head lice.

Yeast Infections
Tea Tree Oil can also be used as an effective Home Remedy for Yeast Infection Treatment. mmon infectious diseases such as chicken pox, shingles and measles, flu, cold sores and verrucae. It also strengthens the body's immune system, which is often weakened by stress, illness, or by the use of antibiotics and other drugs. It can also be used as a mouth wash, since it is highly effective in healing oral candidiasis (a fungal infection of mouth and throat).

The 3,000 Mile Oil Change Myth

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:22:00 +0000

According to a recent study by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, 73 percent of California drivers change their oil more frequently than required. This same scenario no doubt repeats itself across the country. Besides wasting money, this translates into unnecessary consumption of $100-a-barrel oil, much of it imported.

Using 2005 data, the Board estimates that Californians alone generate about 153.5 million gallons of waste oil annually, of which only about 60 percent is recycled. Used motor oil poses the greatest environmental risk of all automotive fluids because it is insoluble, persistent, and contains heavy metal and toxic chemicals. One gallon of used oil can foul the taste of one million gallons of water.

It’s been a misconception for years that engine oil should be changed every 3000 miles, even though most auto manufacturers now recommend oil changes at 5,000, 7,000, or even 10,000 mile intervals under normal driving conditions.

Greatly improved oils, including synthetic oils, coupled with better engines mean longer spans between oil changes without harming an engine. The 3000 mile interval is a carryover from days when engines used single-grade, non-detergent oils.

For several years, automakers like General Motors, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz have installed computerized systems that alert drivers via an instrument panel light when it’s time to change oil. As an example, the General Motor Oil Life System (GMOLS) analyzes the engine temperature, rpms, vehicle speeds, and other driving conditions to calculate the rate of engine oil degradation. Then, software calculates when the oil needs to be changed. Other systems work similarly.

Because of the many external conditions and parameters that have to be taken into account, calculating the precise maximum service interval using mathematical models alone is difficult. Now, Daimler AG has developed a more direct and precise way to monitor oil quality directly on board a vehicle.

Daimler uses a special sensor integrated into the oil circuit to monitor engine oil directly. Oil doesn’t wear out, but rather dirt and impurities cause oil to lose its ability to lubricate properly, dictating the need for a change. Daimler uses the oil’s “permittivity,” that is, the ability to polarize in response to the electric field. If the engine oil is contaminated by water or soot particles, it polarizes to a greater extent and its permittivity increases.

To evaluate the quality of the oil, permittivity is measured by applying an AC potential between the interior and exterior pipes of an oil-filled sensor to determine how well the oil transmits the applied electric field.

Because not all impurities can be measured with sufficient precision via the electric field method, Daimler also measures the oil’s viscosity to detect any fuel that may have seeped into the oil. Daimler researchers measure viscosity while the vehicle is in motion by observing the oil's side-to-side motion in the oil sump. The slower the oil moves, the higher its viscosity. This movement is registered by a sensor and the viscosity is calculated on this basis.

A single sensor, along with the information already monitored by on-board computers, is sufficient to determine the various parameters of the engine oil. Daimler will likely use the technology first on its commercial vehicles. Here, large oil reservoirs mean larger quantities of oil can be saved. Plus, a predicted 25 percent increase between service intervals and reduced downtime will be of interest to fleets, and thus justify the added cost of installation.

Amazing Facts

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:06:00 +0000

In 2002, the most popular boat name in the U.S. was Liberty

One out of 20 people have an extra rib

44% of kids watch television before they go to sleep

In 1865, the U.S. Secret Service was first established for the specific purpose to combat the counterfeiting of money

Istanbul, Turkey is the only city in the world located on two continents

In 1967, the IMAX film system was invented by Canadian Ivan Grame Ferguson to premier at Expo 67.

Approximately 40% of the U.S. paper currency in circulation was counterfeit by the end of the Civil War

Every three days a human stomach gets a new lining

In 1873, Colgate made a toothpaste that was available in a jar

The Kodiak, which is native to Alaska, is the largest bear and can measure up to eight feet and weigh as much as 1,700 pounds

The three best-known western names in China: Jesus Christ, Richard Nixon, and Elvis Presley

Mars is the home of Olympus Mons, the largest known volcano in our solar system

The Gastric Flu can cause projectile vomiting

The second best selling game of all time is Jenga. Jenga is a Swahili word, meaning "to build."

Cinderella is known as Rashin Coatie in Scotland, Zezolla in Italy, and Yeh-hsien in China

The name Wendy was made up for the book "Peter Pan."

The fur of the binturong, also known as the "Asian Bear Cat," smells like popcorn. The scent is believed to come from a gland located near the tail

In 1894 the first big Coke sign was found on the side of a building located in Cartersville, Georgia, and still exists today

The longest distance a deepwater lobster has been recorded to travel is 225 miles

Orcas (killer whales), when traveling in groups, breathe in unison

The Great Pyramids used to be as white as snow because they were encased in a bright limestone that has worn off over the years

NASCAR stands for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing

Percentage of American men who say they would marry the same woman if they had it to do all over again: 80%

Paul Hunn holds the record for the loudest burp, which was 118.1 decibels, which is as loud as a chainsaw

A monkey was once tried and convicted for smoking a cigarette in South Bend, Indiana

There are six million parts in the Boeing 747-400.

The first TONKA truck was made in 1947

In the U.S., over one million gallons of cosmetics, drinks, and lotions are sold that contain aloe in them per year

Sugar Bear (the mascot for Golden Crisps cereal) was born in 1963

The Tonle Sap River in Cambodia flows north for almost half the year and then south for the rest of the year

Japanese research has concluded that moderate drinking can boost IQ levels

For more than 3,000 years, Carpenter ants have been used to close wounds in India, Asia and South America

Baskin Robbins plain vanilla ice cream is the number one selling flavour and accounts for a quarter of their sales

Elizabeth Taylor has appeared on the cover of Life magazine more than anyone else

The typical lead pencil can draw a line that is thirty five miles long

The word "toy" comes from an old English word that means "tool."

Smokers are twice as likely to develop lower back pain than non-smokers

Humans are born with 300 bones in their body, however when a person reaches adulthood they only have 206 bones. This occurs because many of them join together to make a single bone

The reason why hair turns gray as we age is because the pigment cells in the hair follicle start to die, which is responsible for producing "melanin" which gives the hair colour

In 1960 there were 16,067 gambling slots in Nevada. By 1999, this number rose to 205,726 slots which would be one slot for every 10 people residing there

It takes the Hubble telescope about 97 minutes to complete an orbit of the Earth. On average, the Hubble uses the equivilent amount of energy as 30 household light bulbs to complete an orbit.

The two factories of the Jelly Belly Candy Company produces approximately 100,000 pounds of jelly beans a day. this amounts to about 1,250,000 jelly beans an hour

Pucks hit by hockey sticks have reached speeds of up to 150 miles per hour

The "naked recreation and travel" industry has grown by 233% in the past decade

The Planters Peanut Company mascot, Mr. Peanut, was created during a contest for schoolchildren in 1916

Most lipstick contains fish scales

The sentence "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" uses every letter in the english language

The expression cooked "al dente" means "to the tooth." What this means is that the pasta should be somewhat firm, and offer some resistance to the tooth, but should also be tender

Of married couples, 70% of men and 60% of women have cheated on their spouse

No piece of paper can be folded in half more than 7 times

Ways to Green-Up Your Life

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:28:00 +0000

Eco-Action Tip: Sun Power
Adjust your window blinds to reduce energy used for heating and cooling. In the summer, keep sunny-side blinds closed. In the winter, open up and let the sunshine in to help heat your home.

EcoAction Tip: Get Involved-
Join a local action group that promotes environmentally friendly practices, organize carpooling or petition your municipality to increase local energy conservation measures. One person really can make a difference-and inspire others to as well!

Eco Action Tip: Plant a Tree, Seriously
A single tree can absorb one ton (2,000 pounds) of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. One acre of tree cover in Brooklyn can compensate for automobile fuel use equivalent to driving a car between 7,200 and 8,700 miles.

Eco-Action Tip: Go "Green" When You Clean
Many household cleaning products contain various chemicals and toxins detrimental to the environment and to your health. Read the labels!

Eco-Action Tip: Grow Your Own
Plant a garden or a few pots of veggies without pesticides and chemical fertilizers that can harm both human health and the environment. How delightful to step out the back door and pick a ripe, organic tomato!

Eco-Action Tip: Avoid Products with a Lot of Packaging
You can save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide a year if you cut down your garbage by 10%.

Eco-Action Tip: Drive Smart
Try walking, riding a bike or combining trips in your car to cut back on the miles that you drive each day. If you stopped driving just 20 extra miles per week for one year, you could save about 900 pounds of CO2 per year.

Eco-Action Tip: Office Overhaul
At home or on the job, switch to "green" office supplies, such as recycled paperclips, tree-free note pads and 100% recycled paper. Producing recycled paper requires about 60 percent of the energy used to make paper from virgin wood pulp.

Eco-Action Tip: Turn Out the Lights
Before leaving your home or office, make sure all of the lights are turned off. This simple task will save energy and save you money.

Eco-Action Tip: Buy Recycled Products
Buying new products made from recycled materials allows you to "close the loop," creating a market for the recycled material items recycled curbside or in other recycling programs.
Eco-Action Tip: Switch to Organics
Organic agriculture protects the health of all the earth's inhabitants by limiting input of toxic and persistent chemicals into the air, soil and water. Organic methods support natural ecosystems by using long-term farming solutions that help preserve the earth's resources for future generations.

Eco-Action Tip: Start a Compost Pile in Your Yard
As landfill space becomes increasingly scarce and expensive, composting is an extremely valuable idea for reducing needless garbage. Composting requires little effort and, in time, will create an earthy, crumbly substance to help your plants flourish.

Eco-Action Tip: Buy in Bulk
Purchasing food in bulk allows you to choose just how much or how little of a certain product you want. This reduces both product waste and packaging waste.

Eco-Action Tip: Quench with Respect
80% of the 25 billion single-serving plastic water bottles Americans use each year end up in landfills. Recycle your bottles, or better yet, choose to reuse with a refillable water bottle made of a refill-safe material.

Eco-Action Tip: Reduce Hot Water Use
Wash your clothes in cold or warm water to save up to 500 pounds of CO2 per year. Rinse your dishes with cold water (they don't need two hot baths), and wait to run the dishwasher until it is full.

Eco-Action Tip: Recycle More
You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide per year by recycling just half of your household waste.

Eco-Action Tip: Support Eco-Smart Packaging
When shopping for packaged products, seek out companies that use minimal amounts of packaging and use recycled and/or recyclable materials.

Eco-Action Tip: Be Disposable Conscious
To decrease waste, purchase durable, long-lasting products that can be reused or refilled, such as rechargeable batteries and refillable razors. If you do use disposables, choose those made with eco-friendly materials from companies you can trust.

Eco-Action Tip: Choose Your Food Like it Matters
Choose products from companies and businesses that do something to support the health of the planet. And, eat as many whole foods as possible. Not only are they better for you, but they're better for the Earth. The more whole the food is, the fewer the resources used to get it to your plate.

Eco-Action Tip: Reuse Your Bags
More than one billion single-use plastic bags are handed to consumers each day and it takes a 15-year-old tree to produce just 700 grocery bags. Paper or plastic is no longer the question. Reusing shopping bags significantly reduces both emissions and waste. All Whole Foods Market stores offer at least a nickel-per-bag refund to encourage you!

Eco-Action Tip: Change a Light
Twenty percent of the electricity consumed in the United States is for lighting. Replacing one regular bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb will save 150 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

Eco-Action Tip: Tread Lightly
Walk, bike, carpool or take mass-transit more often. You'll save one pound of carbon dioxide for every mile you don't drive, reducing your carbon weight, and maybe some body weight, too!

Eco-Action Tip: Turn Off Electronics
Simply turning off your TV, DVD player, stereo and computer when you're not using them will save thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Some appliances even use electricity when turned off, so unplug those used infrequently.

Eco-Action Tip: Think Before You Print
It takes 390 gallons of oil to produce a ton of paper. To reduce the amount of paper that gets thrown away or recycled, triple check documents before printing. When you print drafts, try printing on the other side of used paper.

Eco-Action Tip: Keep Your Appliances Clean
Cleaning your refrigerator coils and heating vents regularly allows them to operate much more efficiently. When appliances aren't forced to work as hard, you reduce your electric bill while reducing energy.

Eco-Action Tip: Cut Back on Water Use
In the United States, 27 percent of our water is used in bathing. Instead of taking a bath, take a quick shower and use a water-conserving showerhead, which can save 350 pounds of CO2 a year. Repair leaky faucets, too, as they could leak up to 100 gallons of water per day!

Eco-Action Tip: Stop the Junk Mail Overload
The public landfill is approximately 36% waste paper products. Unwanted junk mail contributes to that, while also wasting energy and trees. Sign up for a "mail preference service" that can decrease the amount of mail you receive by up to 75%.

Eco-Action Tip: Don't Trash Clothing
Use worn out t-shirts, towels and bed linens as rags for cleaning around the house. Pass along unwanted clothes to friends, family or charitable organizations.

Eco-Action Tip: Adjust Your Thermostat
Moving your thermostat down just 2 degrees in the winter and up 2 degrees in the summer could save 2,000 pounds of CO2.

Tooth loss tied to pregnancy

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:51:00 +0000

A new study suggests that the more babies a woman has, the more likely she is to lose teeth.

In a sample of 2,635 women ages 18 to 64 who had had at least one pregnancy, the number of teeth lost increased with the number of pregnancies. The association persisted even after controlling for age, smoking, socioeconomic status and the number of dental visits a woman reported. The study appears online in The American Journal of Public Health. Why this happens is not clear, but Stefanie L Russell, the lead author of the study and an assistant professor of epidemiology at New York University, said that one possible reason was that pregnant women simply do not go to the dentist often enough. "I'm not sure why that's the case," she said.

"Previously it was thought that women should only be treated during the second trimester," in part because of fears of the effects of dental X-rays on the foetus. "But you have to look at the individual case and see what kind of treatment a woman needs," Russell said. "Preventive care during pregnancy is really important."

The authors cite studies showing rates of gingivitis and other dental problems in pregnant women ranging from 30 percent to 100 percent. Although disease usually subsides after giving birth, existing periodontal problems may worsen during pregnancy

Ginkgo Extract May Improve Cognition and Decrease Stress for Computer Users

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 01:28:00 +0000

Reviewed: Kaschel R, Hoerr R, Kresimon J, Rychlik R. The influence of ginkgo special extract EGb 761� on the performance of healthy subjects at computer workstations�open-label clinical study in pre-post design with a control group. Translation from J Pharmako u Ther. 2007;Jan:3-9.
Clinical studies have shown that ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba, Ginkgoaceae) can improve cognitive performance and stress tolerance in healthy people and in elderly people with dementia. Studies using the special ginkgo extract EGb 761� have demonstrated improvements in brain function, emotional stability, mental capacity, attention, and coping with stress in healthy people. People who work at computer workstations for much of the day may suffer from health disorders such as fatigue, lack of concentration, irritability, and mental stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of EGb 761 on the performance of healthy people at computer workstations and to identify suitable tests to evaluate those effects.

The study was an open-label pilot study involving healthy people who were 45 years of age or older and who spent at least 50% of their workday in front of a computer. The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Osnabruck in Germany. Following a 2-week run-in period in which the subjects were trained on specific computer tests, the subjects completed baseline measurements of reaction capacity, sustained attention, eyesight sensitivity, stress perception, and quality of life. After the baseline measurements, subjects were allowed to choose if they wanted to be in the control group receiving no ginkgo or in the treatment group receiving 120 mg of ginkgo extract EGb 761 twice daily for 8 weeks (Tebonin�; Dr. Willmar Schwabe GmbH & Co., Karlsruhe, Germany). All subjects repeated the baseline tests after the 8-week treatment period ended, and the tolerability of EGb 761 was assessed.

The study enrolled 104 subjects, 84 of which completed the study according to the protocol. In the sustained attention test (a measure of long-term concentration) the number of errors made by subjects in the ginkgo group decreased significantly after 8 weeks compared to the control group (P = 0.035). Perceived stress scores improved significantly in the ginkgo group (P = 0.007), and the �vitality� portion of the quality of life evaluation improved significantly in the ginkgo group (P = 0.004) compared to the control group. No significant differences were found between the 2 groups for reaction capacity after the 8-week treatment period. No serious adverse events were reported for either group, and the tolerability of EGb 761 was judged to be good.

The authors conclude that EGb 761 treatment produced clear objective and subjective improvements in concentration, perceived stress, and quality of life in people working at computer workstations much of the day. The authors assess the results to be particularly significant for people over 45 years of age, because that population group is more likely to perceive computer work as more stressful than a younger population. The authors recommend that a more extensive double-blind trial should be conducted using the tests identified in this study.

The results of this study are consistent with previous studies showing improvements in cognitive performance and stress tolerance. However, the authors provide results for only one of the eight �domains� of the quality of life evaluation (the SF-36 Health Survey). It is not known if ginkgo supplementation had any effect on the remaining seven domains, and this would be of interest to other researchers and readers.

The authors state that the results show that improvements relevant to everyday functioning at work may be attained with EGb 761 treatment, in conjunction with an increase in stress reduction and quality of life.

Since the participants could choose which group they wanted to be in, there is a high likelihood that those entering the ginkgo group had a strong bias towards the efficacy of ginkgo. The control group is not only a control for ginkgo but also a control for a placebo effect. There is no way to know if the improvements were due to ginkgo or placebo effect. This study was financed by the ginkgo manufacturer and supported by an insurance association.

Broccoli Protects Skin From Sun Damage

noreply@blogger.com (Nirupama) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:18:00 +0000

Broccoli Extract Reduces Redness, Inflammation Caused by Sun Exposure

Add sunscreen to the list of broccoli’s health benefits. A new study suggests the potent vegetable may help protect the skin from sun damage.

Researchers found the compound sulforaphane, which is derived from broccoli sprouts, reduces the skin redness and inflammation caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Repeated sunburns are linked to a higher risk of skin cancer, and researchers say controlling the redness, known in medical terms as erythema, may be another way to fight skin cancer and sun-related skin damage.

Broccoli Skin Booster
In the study, researcher Paul Talalay of The Johns Hopkins University and colleagues examined the effects of sulforaphane on UV-induced erythema in six adults.

A solution containing sulforaphane derived from three-day old broccoli sprouts was applied to their skin before exposure to UV radiation using sun lamps.

The results showed the broccoli extract reduced redness by an average of 37% compared with untreated skin following UV exposure.

Researchers say the broccoli extract did not physically absorb the UV rays, but it appeared to work at the cellular level to prevent erythema. They say sulforaphane induces the formation of protective proteins in the skin and protects the skin from sun damage for several days.