Eel's electricity may pave way for future medical implants
London, October 3 ANI: A team of American scientists from Yale University and the National Institute of Standards and Technology NIST says that it is possible to build artificial cells that can replicate the electrical behaviour of electric eels, a fish species that can generate powerful shocks for both hunting and self-defence.The researchers say that artificial versions of the eel's electricity generating cells may serve as a power source for medical implants and other tiny devices.NIST engineer David LaVan points out that just like the eel's cells, artificial cells' source of energy would be adenosine triphosphate ATP, synthesized from the body's sugars and fats using tailored bacteria or mitochondria.He and his partner Jian Xu have developed a complex numerical model that suggests that an artificial cell can generate over 40 per cent more energy in a single pulse than a natural electrocyte.Another model suggest that artificial cells can produce peak power outputs over 28 percent higher, LaVan adds. Based on their observations, the researchers surmise that stacked layers of artificial cells in a cube slightly over 4 mm on a side are capable of producing continuous power output of about 300 microwatts to drive small implant devices. A research article on the study has been published in the online edition of the journal Nature Nanotechnology. ANI
2008-10-03 23:00:00Brain pathway behind obesity discovered
Washington, Oct 3 ANI: While conducting a study on mice, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison discovered a messaging system in the brain that directly affects food intake and body weight. A protein called NF-kappaB and its associated gene IKKbeta are known to be involved in metabolism in liver, fat and skeletal muscle tissues. When Dongsheng Cai, an assistant professor of physiology at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, and colleagues looked for this same pathway in the hypothalamus - the part of the brain that regulates appetite and energy balance - they found it also influenced how much mice eat. More specifically, they found overfeeding the mice spurred the pathway into action. When they suppressed the pathway's activity, the animals were significantly protected from overeating and obesity.The researchers also examined a cell component called the endoplasmic reticulum ER, shown recently to be involved in metabolic diseases involving over-nutrition, to see if it might play a role in linking over-nutrition to activate IKKbeta/NF-kappaB in the hypothalamus."At the intracellular level, when the ER is challenged with over-nutrition, this leads to ER stress, which can push the IKKbeta/NF-kappaB pathway to an active state, although the involved reactions could be quite complicated," Cai said.In several experiments, the researchers found that ER stress caused by over-nutrition activated IKKbeta/NF-kappaB in the hypothalamus. Suppressing ER stress in the central nervous system significantly preserved normal regulation of food intake and prevented obesity. Cai said that he hopes the discovery will eventually to a better understanding of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases - which are both fuelled by overeating. He also hopes it will lead to new treatments and prevention strategies for those diseases.The study is published in the Oct. 3, 2008 issue of Cell. ANI
2008-10-03 23:00:00Burger King switches to trans fat free oil AP
AP - Burger King Corp. said Thursday it is now cooking with trans fat free cooking oils at all of its restaurants nationwide....
2008-10-02 06:24:10Fat Dolphins Put On Diet At Japanese Park
Dolphins at a Japanese marine park are going on a low-fat diet after developing pot bellies and failing to look sharp in their aquatic performances. ...
2008-10-01 15:30:37Eid celebrated with feasts, prayers in Kashmir, Kerala Roundup
NAT44National/Kashmir/Religion/Indo-pakEid celebrated with feasts, prayers in Kashmir, Kerala RoundupSrinagar/Jammu/Kozhikode, Oct 1 IANS Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr Wednesday amid festivity and prayers for peace in the backdrop of recent communal tension in the state. Muslims in Kerala, too, came out in large numbers to celebrate Eid. The festival, marking the end of Ramadan - the month of fasting, will be observed Thursday in the rest of India.In Jammu and Kashmir, where religious tensions were high due the bitter Amarnath land row till a month back, thousands of Muslims offered prayers, wishing for peace as both the regions of the state were immersed in joyous celebrations.Srinagar was witness to loud explosions - this time of a peaceful kind - as children burst firecrackers. Paramilitary troopers were seen smiling at them and even occasionally helping them to light the crackers.Children wearing new clothes and showing off Eidi money elders give to the young as a token of love on Eid flooded the Srinagar streets, adding colour and fervour to the solemnity of the occasion.The largest prayer congregation was held in Eidgah, Srinagar where over 100,000 devotees had assembled to offer Namaz-e-Eid.Police and civil administration had made special security arrangements at various places.“Eid prayers passed off peacefully throughout the valley and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere,” said a police officer.Muslims cooked special food to celebrate the festival, which marks the end of month long fasting during which Muslims refrain from dawn to dusk eating or drinking.“I bought a fat goose and some mutton for the family. I joined my parents for lunch after a month's break,” said Aijaz Hussain, a journalist in Srinagar.In Jammu, Eid was celebrated with religious fervour and prayers for "peace and communal brotherhood", in the backdrop of the land row that threatened to polarise Hindus and Muslims in the state.A large gathering, led by Mufti Sadal Hassan Kazmi, offered prayers at the Jammu Eidgah. After the prayers, the Mufti said: "The region has undergone a lot of communal, regional and social turmoil during recent protests and counter protests in the state. We must all get together and work to undo the effects of that and pray for peace and amity." Many Hindus waited outside the Eidgah to greet their Muslim friends after the prayers.Devinder Singh Rana, a businessman, said: "We joined our brothers in prayers for peace and tranquillity."The day also witnessed a token of amity between India Pakistan troopers on the Line of Control LoC, the de facto border, where guns were roaring recently. Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchanged sweets and greetings at the LoC in the Poonch district."Lt. Assad from Pakistan and Lt. Manish Yadav from India shook hands and exchanged sweets and greetings at 10.30 a.m. today Wednesday morning," an official said.Assad extended "Eid greetings to all the Muslims of Kashmir" and said: "We all hope and pray for peace and prosperity in the region." The festival was also celebrated with enthusiasm and gusto in Kerala. In Kozhikode and Kochi, Eidgahs were set up on beaches apart from other locations. People were even seen offering prayers on the roadside in Kozhikode as everyone could not be accommodated in the venue."I think this year more people turned out for prayers at the Kozhikode beach compared to last year," said Mohammed Sadique, who attended prayers at the venue.In the state capital Thiruvananthapuram, Eidgahs were set up at Chandrasekharan Nair stadium and Putharikkandam ground. Muslim families were also busy preparing elaborate meals to celebrate the festival. In the Muslim dominated north Kerala region, the preparations for Eid had continued till early Wednesday. --Indo-Asian News Servicefa-bj-sj/sk/jg678 Words*01101725
2008-10-01 08:05:14Gene Could Link Obesity, Colon Cancer - U.S. News & World Report
E Canada NowGene Could Link Obesity, Colon CancerU.S. News & World Report - 13 hours agoBy Steven Reinberg TUESDAY, Sept. 30 HealthDay News -- Researchers have uncovered a genetic link...
2008-10-01 05:00:00Fat dolphins going on a diet at Japan aquarium AP
AP - Dolphins at a Japanese marine park are going on a low fat diet after developing pot bellies and failing to look sharp in their aquatic performances....
2008-09-30 06:32:05I prefer wearing ethnic to western for ramp: Karan Johar
ENT13Entertainment/Showbiz/CinemaI prefer wearing ethnic to western for ramp: Karan JoharBy Subhash K. JhaMumbai, Sep 28 IANS Director Karan Johar, who walked the ramp here for his designer friend Rohit Bal at the Chivas Fashion Tour, says he prefers wearing ethnic sherwani than westerns on such occasions."I can't say I'm crazy about the idea of being a model. And please, it's not about modelling at all. It's about just lending my name to a friend who happens to be a dress designer. And this time it was a dear designer friend Rohit Bal who invited me to wear his couture," Karan told IANS."If I have to walk the ramp I prefer wearing ethnic to western. I've walked the ramp before. In fact the last time I did so was last year for the same fashion event, and it was again for a dear friend Nandita Mahtani. So you can say it's very hard for me to say no to friends. I guess it's better to walk the ramp than face the camera," he added.Karan, who was seen as an overweight guy in "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge", is astonished at the amount of weight he has lost over the years. "I can't believe I'm today seen to be slim enough to walk the ramp. I remember a time as a very fat child when I'd fool my mother into believing it's my friends' birthday. I'd buy a one-pound cake, hide and eat the whole thing at one go. My turning point was when I saw my fat self on TV receiving the best director's award for 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'," said Karan.As for directors rubbing shoulders with top actors and models, Karan said: "I'm flattered. And like I said I prefer walking the ramp. I hate acting. I never want to act."As far as his role as producer and director is concerned -- Dharma Productions' next big release is Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham and Priyanka Chopra starrer "Dostana". It is being directed by Tarun Mansukhani. Apart from that Karan is gearing up to direct "My Name Is Khan" with Shah Rukh Khan.--Indo-Asian News Serviceskj/ak/dg384 Words28091656
2008-09-28 08:07:10Medical therapy lowers stroke risk, better than surgery
INT42International/Health/Medicine/ScienceMedical therapy lowers stroke risk, better than surgeryToronto, Sep 26 IANS Intensive medical therapy, including medications and modified lifestyle, lowers stroke risks and is better than surgery or stenting, according to a new Canadian study.Stenting is a medical procedure in which a small, expandable wire mesh or stent is implanted into the diseased artery to act as a scaffold to help it stay open and let the blood pass.David Spence, research leader and professor of neurology and clinical pharmacology at the University of Western Ontario in Waterloo near here, says intensive medical therapy lowers the risk of stroke to such an extent that at least 95 percent of patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis ACS would be better off with medical therapy than with surgery or stenting.In medical parlance, ACS refers to a narrowing in the carotid artery which supplies blood to the brain that has not yet resulted in a stroke - also called transient ischemic attack TIA.Whether the remaining less than five percent of ACS patients would benefit from surgical procedure can be identified with a process called Transcranial Doppler Embolus Detection, according to Spence.In this procedure, a helmet is placed on the head to hold ultrasound instruments to monitor arteries inside the head for microemboli or fat particles, small blood clots or chunks of plaque that break off from the narrowing in the carotid artery and go into the brain arteries. As part of their research, Spence and his team of researchers studied 471 ACS patients. Of those, 199 were subjected to intense medical therapy before 2003 and 272 after Jan 1, 2003. Spence said microemboli or fat particles were present in 12.6 percent of patients before 2003, but in only 3.7 percent since 2003. The decline in microemboli was attributed to better control of plasma lipids fatty acids, cholesterol, etc and slower progression of carotid plaque through intense medical therapy. As a result, he said, there were significantly fewer strokes and heart attacks among those treated since 2003."The 96 percent of patients without microemboli have only a one percent risk of stroke in the next year, whereas the ones with microemboli have a 14 percent risk of stroke," said Spence."Since the risk of surgery is four to five percent, patients without microemboli are better off with medical therapy including medications and lifestyle modifications. Only the ones with microemboli would benefit from carotid endarterectomy or stenting," he added.Spence presented his findings at the sixth World Stroke Congress in Vienna Thursday.--Indo-Asian News Servicegs/pb/jg451 Words26091308
2008-09-26 04:00:07Soya beans, chickpeas can boost stroke victims' recovery
London, Sept 25 ANI: A diet rich in soya beans and chickpeas can prove beneficial for people recovering from strokes, says a new study.The study has shown that isoflavone, which is found in various beans and peanuts, makes stroke patients' arteries work better.Strokes occur when parts of the brain shut down because of problems with blood supply. "A balanced diet is still the top priority in promoting health," the Daily Express quoted professor Hung-Fat Tse, from the University of Hong Kong, who worked on the study, as saying.The research was published online in the European Heart Journal. ANI
2008-09-25 16:00:00
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