Forget crosswords. If you really want to boost your brain power, eat dark chocolate, consume cold meat and have plenty of sex, if possible every day.
A team of international researchers has carried out a study and found that while dark chocolate and plenty of cold meat for breakfast boost grey matter, sex keeps the brain fit in later life, the Daily Mail reported.
According to the study, those wishing to improve their mental ability should also avoid smoking cannabis, watching soap operas and hanging out with those who moan.
Instead, cuddling a baby, cheating at homework, reading out loud and doing a business degree can boost their mind power. The theories of the researchers are contained in the book Teach Yourself: Training Your Brain.
"What we eat and drink, how we learn at school and what type of moods we have are all crucial. People can make lifestyle choices that will constantly increase our cognitive capacity throughout our adult lives. Mix with people who make you laugh, have a good sense of humour or who share the same interests as you, and avoid people who whinge, whine and complain, as people who are negative will make you depressed," the book's author and one of the researchers, Terry Horne, was quoted as saying.
The book also contains mental exercises and radical thinking on how diet, the environment, stress and other aspects of modern life affect our mental capacity.
The researchers have claimed that sex has a very positive impact, listing seven chemical reactions the brain undergoes during intercourse which actually helps in improving its functioning ability.
The books says that sex raises levels of oxytocin or the 'trust' hormone which increases a person's readiness to think of novel or risky solutions to a problem.
Elements in dark chocolate also prove to be beneficial. Magnesium and antioxidant chemicals increase the supply of oxygen to the brain and reduce the chances of brain damage through a stroke.
Ditching a low-fat diet is also recommended to boost performance.
The book suggests a breakfast of eggs, fish or cold meat, a lunch of protein-based foods such as oily fish and dark green vegetables, and carbohydrates for dinner -- but not caffeine, alcohol or red meat. Children should not do homework on their own -- minds function better when working with parents or classmates, according to the researchers.
The book also says that speaking in front of a class helps pupils because of the repetition involved. And adults can boost memory by counting aloud to 99 in threes as fast as they can.
The researchers have recommended that readers should seek a concept known as BLISS -- Body-based pleasure, Laughter, Involvement, Satisfaction and Sex -- which all enable the mind to perform well.
Chocolate and sex can boost brain
Scientists finds way to reverse loss of memory
Scientists performing experimental brain surgery on a man aged 50 have stumbled across a mechanism that could unlock how memory works.
The accidental breakthrough came during an experiment originally intended to suppress the obese man's appetite, using the increasingly successful technique of deep-brain stimulation. Electrodes were pushed into the man's brain and stimulated with an electric current. Instead of losing appetite, the patient instead had an intense experience of déjà vu. He recalled, in intricate detail, a scene from 30 years earlier. More tests showed his ability to learn was dramatically improved when the current was switched on and his brain stimulated.
Scientists are now applying the technique in the first trial of the treatment in patients with Alzheimer's disease. If successful, it could offer hope to sufferers from the degenerative condition, which affects 450,000 people in Britain alone, by providing a "pacemaker" for the brain.
Three patients have been treated and initial results are promising, according to Andres Lozano, a professor of neurosurgery at the Toronto Western Hospital, Ontario, who is leading the research.
Professor Lozano said: "This is the first time that anyone has had electrodes implanted in the brain which have been shown to improve memory. We are driving the activity of the brain by increasing its sensitivity – turning up the volume of the memory circuits. Any event that involves the memory circuits is more likely to be stored and retained."
The discovery had caught him and his team "completely by surprise", Professor Lozano said. They had been operating on the man, who weighed 190kg (30st), to treat his obesity by locating the point in his brain that controls appetite. All other attempts to curb his eating had failed and brain surgery was the last resort.
The treatment for obesity was unsuccessful. But, while the researchers were identifying potential appetite suppressant points in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain associated with hunger, the man suddenly began to say that memory was flooding back.
"He reported the experience of being in a park with friends from when he was around 20 years old and, as the intensity of stimulation increased, the details became more vivid. He recognised his girlfriend [from the time] ... The scene was in colour. People were wearing identifiable clothes and were talking, but he could not decipher what they were saying," the researchers write in Annals of Neurology, published today.
The man, who has not been identified, was also tested on his ability to learn lists of paired objects. After three weeks of continuous hypothalamic stimulation, his performance on two learning tests was significantly improved. He was also much more likely to remember a list of unrelated paired objects with the electrodes turned on than when turned off.
Speaking to The Independent yesterday, Professor Lozano said: "His performance improved dramatically. As we turned the current up, we first drove his memory circuits and improved his learning. As we increased the intensity of the current, we got spontaneous memories of discrete events. At a certain intensity, he would slash to the scene [in the park]. When the intensity was increased further, he got more detail but, when the current was turned off, it rapidly decayed."
The discovery surprised the scientists as the hypothalamus has not usually been identified as a seat of memory. The contacts that most readily produced the memories were located close to a structure called the fornix, an arched bundle of fibres that carries signals within the limbic system, which is involved in memory and emotions and is situated next to the hypothalamus.
Professor Lozano is a world authority on deep-brain stimulation who has undertaken 400 operations on Parkinson's disease sufferers and is developing the technique as a treatment for depression, for which he has performed 28 operations. He said the discovery of its role in stimulating memory had wide implications.
"It gives us insight into which brain structures are involved in memory. It gives us a means of intervening in the way we have already done in Parkinson's and for mood disorders such as depression, and it may have therapeutic benefit in people with memory problems," he said.
The researchers are testing the approach in six Alzheimer's patients in a Phase 1 safety study. Three have so far had electrodes surgically implanted. The electrodes are attached via a cable that runs below the skull and down the neck to a battery pack stitched under the skin of the chest. The "pacemaker" delivers a constant low-level current that stimulates the brain but cannot be perceived by the patient.
Professor Lozano said: "It is the same device as is used for Parkinson's disease. We have placed the electrodes in exactly the same area of the hypothalamus because we want to see if we can reproduce the findings in the earlier experiment. We believe the memory circuits we are stimulating are close by, physically touching the hypothalamus.
"It is a very effective treatment for the motor problems associated with Parkinson's disease and it has been used on 40,000 people. We are in the early stages of using it with Alzheimer's patients and we don't know if it will work. We want to assess if we can reach the memory circuits and drive improvement. It is a novel approach to dealing with this problem."
British researchers welcomed the discovery. Andrea Malizia, a senior lecturer in psychopharmacology at the University of Bristol who is studying deep-brain stimulation as a treatment for depression, said: "If they had said let's stick an electrode in the hypothalamus to modify Alzheimer's disease, I would have said 'Why start there?' But, if they have had a serendipitous finding, then that is as good. Serendipitous findings are how a lot of discoveries in science have been made."
Ayesha Khan, a scientific liaison officer at the Alzheimer's Disease Society, said: "This is very cutting-edge research. It is exciting, but the initial result is in one person. It will need much further investigation."
Internet services badly affected in Asia, Middle East
Extensive damage to two undersea cables has thrown Internet activity across large parts of India, Asia and the Middle East, out of gear.
According to reports, a ship anchoring off Egypt's Alexandria coast cut through the Indian-owned FLAG and also the SEA-ME-WE cable on Wednesday, leading to an unprecedented disruption in international connectivity.
"The repair will take another 15-20 days," Internet Service Providers Association of India president Rajesh Chharia said. Although repair teams have rushed to the Egyptian coast to fix the problem and a 'low grade' service is likely to be activated soon.
Some service providers affected by the breakdown include FLAGTEL of ADAG Reliance and Delhi's Internet ISP Spectranet and Bangalore's ISP Karturi Network, he said.
"Majority of the firms are trying to restore their connections through the Pacific Region, which is increasing the latency period (time taken to connect two servers)," he added. Chharia said the Bombay Stock Exchange was unlikely to be impacted as it is connected through the VPN.
Indian Internet services were badly hit because the damaged cables are a channel for traffic to the United States and Europe.
Many critical operations have already been badly affected by the disruption to the Internet service, although business process outsourcing units in India say that they have not been badly affected.
However, quick move by repair teams to find alternative routes have saved the services from totally collapsing and operations at major stock exchanges in the region were not affected, although they remained painfully slow.
Meanwhile, reports said that almost 60 per cent of India's Internet users were affected, including corporations and individuals.
No estimate of the magnitude of losses have been incurred due to the breakdown in Internet links has yet been made.
How to Get the Best Rates When Buying A Home
For those with good credit and sufficient assets it's a fantastic time to buy a home. There are so many homes on the market the advantage has definitely shifted to the buyer. As a buyer you have a great opportunity to find the perfect house, and you might even be able to negotiate the seller into a better price.
If you have been working in the same line of work for two years or more, as either a W2 employee or a self-employed entity, and have not missed a mortgage payment or a car payment or a credit card payment in that time, chances are that your credit is in good standing and you will enjoy the low interest rates currently available. For good credit standing it's also essential that you do not have any credit cards that are "maxed out".
Furthermore, it's also important that your down payment come from seasoned funds that have been in a liquid asset account for a minimum of 2 months. In addition to your down payment, have some extra money in a savings account, 401K, etc.; enough to cover 2-6 months of your future mortgage payment including principal, interest, property taxes and homeowner's insurance.
To get the best rates, put down a minimum of 20% of the purchase price. You can put down less, but the remaining loan will be in the form of a second mortgage and that mortgage will have a higher interest rate. Maximum you should borrow to keep your interest rates low is 90%.
The above situation does not apply to those who have just sold a home and are exchanging (1031 exchange) it for another within the allotted time frame, so as not to pay taxes on the capital gain.
If you can qualify for the best rates, a 30 year fixed mortgage is presently at a very low 5.625%.
If you wish to find out more about YOUR specific situation; how much house you can qualify for and at approximately what interest rate, you can go to my website and put in your information. I will receive your request by email and contact you soon afterwards. Refinances are also welcome.
Good Luck and Happy Hunting.
Student Loan Consolidation, Key to Saving Money
Getting into college not only requires drive and intelligence. It needs a good financial plan, both for parents and students. Sometimes, because of the many unexpected educational expenses, no what how good the financial plan is, some students have to apply several student loans. Because of this, one loan after another can lead to repayments difficulty, especially by the time a student graduates.
Multiple loans require multiple payments at different times of the month. All of which can lead problems like missed or late payments. This is why it is very important to manage and track the number of lenders you have and how much you owe each. For financial management to be easier, a student loan consolidation is a viable option.
A student loan consolidation entails the combination of all the student loans at hand. This makes it easier for the debtor to make plans for the repayment of the loans made. However, you should take note that there are several types including federal and private. Because of the different terms and conditions that apply for each kind, it is not advisable to consolidate both types into one account. It is more advantageous to consolidate loans according to what type it is.
Loan consolidation makes it easier for a debtor to make arrangements for the payments in a way that only one repayment addressed to one lender has to be arranged regularly. This means that all the loans made will follow only one set of terms and conditions. The interest rate that will be used is the average of all the interest rates of the loans made. The consolidation interest rate is lower compared to the interest rate of the loans made when looked at separately.
In some cases the repayment programs extends the duration of the loan amortization. This is not advantageous for the debtor even if the interest rate is lower because longer time frame of payment will cause the debtor to pay much more in interest. This is the trade off in having more time to pay for the loans consolidated. Another important factor to recognize is that once you consolidate the loans, you can no longer take out the loans from the consolidation program. This means that you can no longer separate the loans once the consolidation has been made.
When one is looking for a loan consolidation,, the student must consider the interest rates, repayment program and penalty payments if there are any. Do a good job of researching your options and do not first loan that is offered. Protect yourself and be smart. It is really advisable that before you apply for a consolidation loan that you fully know the terms and conditions of the commitment.
Online Debt Consolidation - Reduce Burden Easily
Online debt consolidation is not different from the consolidation that is widely utilized by people to get rid of pending dues. This type of consolidation also entails applying for a consolidated loan and using that amount to pay off outstanding balances of multiple loans. These services that are availed online too help people to not only sort out their debit problems but save some money as well. The basic difference is that entire processing is done online.
How Does It Work?
A person looking to consolidate debit online simply accesses the website of a finance company and fills up an application providing details of their overdue amount. That is the number of loans or credit cards and the total balance outstanding. Based on these details, the company provides the quote i.e. the loan amount and interest rate offered and repayment time applicable etc. Having gone through the company's offer, the applicant can approach the firm in person to sign the contract and collect the check for the loan amount. Alternatively, they can have the loan money transferred to their account electronically. Thereafter, repayment of loan can also be done either through checks or through electronic deductions. So how is online consolidation of debts different from the usual mode of consolidation?
The Advantages
The first advantage is that it is possible to obtain free quotes. Majority of companies do not charge money for preliminary evaluation of people's cases and provide free quotes. All a person needs to do is to access their website and provide the information specific to their case. Within a matter of minutes, the company provides the quote mentioning the interest rates, processing fees, and repayment period.
Since you apply for online quotes using the PC installed at your home or office, you can apply for as many quotes as you deem proper without worrying about incurring costs. Consolidation companies may not charge you for providing a quote when approached physically. However, physically visiting too many companies is, obviously, quite expensive and taxing as well. Besides, Consolidation companies are not clustered around their place or office. Thus free quotes definitely improve a person's chances of getting a better offer.
The Downside
There certainly are certain adverse effects of opting for online debt consolidation. First, there a number of fraudulent companies operating online. These companies lure people by offering impracticable interest rates or installment amounts. However, they ask for hefty processing fees in advance and then vanish with the money without rendering any service in return. Not only this, some unscrupulous companies deliberately keep their terms and conditions ambiguous. Once a person opts for their programs, they come out with hefty processing charges and late payment fees etc.
Second, there is no such thing as free help available online. Apart from free quotes, everything comes with a charge. If any website claims to provide help at no cost, look for loopholes.
Debt Consolidation Benefits
Debt Consolidation has got to be the best way of managing debt that has spiraled out of your control. It is a way of gathering outstanding debts and putting them all together into one monthly loan.
With Debt Consolidation, you will only ever have one set monthly payment to make. This amount will never change, so you will be able to manage all your other expenditure, knowing exactly what you have left in the kitty when your loan has been taken out of your bank account.
This may sound obvious, but when you are in debt initially to many different lenders, the amounts that go out each month can vary so much. You may have noticed in the past that you have been charged an extortionate amount in bank charges simply because you went overdrawn without realising it.
This is where your debt tends to become unmanageable and the reason why debt consolidation is so beneficial. There are many programs available and finding the right one for you is just a matter of research. You will want to find one that matches your needs and is also going to benefit you in the long term.
Look for the best interest rate possible as this kind of loan is likely to be over a longer period than a personal loan. This could end up saving you hundreds if not thousands of dollars in the long run (depending on the amount of debt you have).
Check out the debt company thoroughly if you have not heard of them before. There are many undesirable companies out there so you need to read the small print of any agreement. If in doubt, pull out!
If you are shy or embarrassed to go into a main stream bank, then shop online for debt consolidation. Most transactions can take place without ever having to see or speak to another person. This is also a convenient way if you lead a very busy life. Most online companies operate 24 hours.
The ultimate way to find a reputable company is by word of mouth. If you don't know anyone who has a loan of this kind then go onto a forum for debt consolidation online and I can almost guarantee there will be many like minded people just waiting to answer your questions.
Debt Hangover - Recovering From Being a Debt Drunk
Credit cars bills finances it can all be so overwhelming. If you are on your way into deep debt, or already there, you should learn about debt consolidation from the experts in order to help with your problems.
You can get sound advice from banks and financial firms. Debt consolidation companies will provide you with a financial expert or counselor to help you with any questions that you have. Another option is to search for information online.
The counselor can begin helping you as soon as you fill out a form, give them your credit card rating information, information on your secured and unsecured debts, and a list of your creditors. They will take this information and give you advice on what you should do to get out of debt. This means both a plan to pay back your debts, and ways that you can change your lifestyle so you do not get even farther into debt.
Luckily, the advice part of this is mostly free. Some places are completely free, and others have small fees. Advice from experts is well worth a small fee if necessary though. If you neglect your debts, you may find yourself in even more trouble. By facing the problem, you can be released from the burden of debt.
When starting down the road of eliminating debt from your life or reduce your dependence on credit many financial experts recommend paying off the account with the highest interest rate. Once that has been paid off concentrate on the next highest interest rate.
The focus on interest rate and not the balance. Debtors should continue to follow the process until all the debt has been retired. If you hire companies to act on your behave they can offer advice and also negotiate with your current creditors working to reduce your monthly payments and get out of debt faster paying out less money.
Beware - If a commercial debt reduction specialist makes promises that sound too goo to be true - they probably are! Turn and run!
No matter where you are on your financial journey out of the chains of debt taking the time to find the right plan to manage successfully and over time get out of your debt problems is a wise choice. Commit today by searching and educating yourself about money. We all heard - "knowledge is power" and that holds true for money. Your knowledge investment can change your financial life. You can take back your life and join thousands of others just like you who took back control of their lives by eliminating debt from their life.
Make sure the interest on any consolidation loans are low and make sure your monthly payment manageable. Know the terms of any loan before you sign. This holds true for a house, car, second mortgage or business deal and know exactly what you are signing for or you may wake up one day deeper in debt. Focused intensity with a credit card debt elimination plan makes sense for debtors to on the road to financial recovery.
Credit Card Debt Consolidation - Way To Get Control Of Spending
It is time to wake up. And one of the most important things to look at is the reason for your decision. If you have over extended credit cards and are looking to lower monthly payments, credit card debt consolidation is a good way out of such situation. It is a long-term financial remedy, not a way to work out immediately.
Keep in mind that you have probably started the process by creating a reasonable budget. You priority should be to make a list of all of your monthly income and expenses. You should make every effort to stick to the guidelines that you set up for yourself.
After creating a budget, take a look at the bottom line. You may be surprised at how much difference there is between your income and expenses. Putting it in writing can help you better understand your finances, making your debt consolidation worth more in the long run.
Consider the purposing carefully is one way to take control of your credit card expenditures. Your debt consolidation could very well have increased your monthly cash flow, but do not start amassing credit card debt. If you are making monthly payments on a loan, you may very well use up your only opportunity to get such a loan. If you decide to incur credit card debt again, you will have no option but to pay the high interest rates.
Credit card debt consolidation can be a good answer to many situations, but a successful consolidation is one that offers a long-term benefit. There are literally thousands of companies offering the service, but you need to take time to do a little research before you start handing out your personal information.
Are Your Debts Keeping You Up at Night?
If you are like many people, chances are you have had your share of sleepless nights due to debt or other financial problems. We have all heard the stories about spiraling household debt, the dismal savings rate and gloomy odds for a happy, healthy and financially secure retirement, and it can often seem that we work all day just to keep one step ahead of the bills that keep piling up.
With all these worries, it is no wonder so many of us lie awake at night running our finances through our heads. Fortunately for those insomniacs there is help available, and it is possible to finally get a handle on all these problems and simplify their lives.
In order to tackle such a large problem, however, it is important to understand the triggers that can cause these problems. It may not be possible to avoid all these problems, but it is important for every person to do what he or she can to get their finances under control.
Perhaps the biggest cause of financial problems and sleepless nights is simply trying to live beyond one's means. Keeping up with the Jones's has probably done more to harm our financial lives than anything else. Instead of trying to have the newest and shiniest toys in the neighbourhood, focus instead on building the largest investment portfolio. You will be better off in the long run.
Impulse shopping is another big cause of financial woes, and in some cases these impulses are related to that desire to keep up with the neighbours and present an affluent front. No matter what the reason, however, impulse shopping is dangerous, and it is important for consumers to get this impulse under control. One way to do this is to examine the triggers that cause us to make these impulse purchases. Some of us shop and incur debt when we are stressed, when we are bored or even when we are angry. By learning to recognize these problems and deal with them, much impulse shopping can be nipped in the bud.
While there is no one right answer for financial problems, recognizing the things that make us overspend and accumulating debt and dealing with them can go a long way toward solving these all too common issues. And once you have finally put your financial woes behind you perhaps you will finally be able to get a good night's sleep
Jenna Bush Wedding - Getting married on May 10
Jenna Bush and her fiancé Henry Hager will marry in a ceremony on May 10, two sources confirm to PEOPLE.
One of the sources says the wedding will be held at the president's ranch in Crawford, Texas.
"It's going to be a small wedding," the source tells PEOPLE, adding that Jenna has already selected her bridesmaids. "She's very excited. They make a great couple."
The couple's engagement was announced in August. First Lady Laura Bush told PEOPLE in November that she "of course" fancied the idea of a White House wedding herself. It "would be a lot of fun," said Mrs. Bush. "But I also know it wouldn't be very private. And of course we want to do what Jenna wants to do."
At the Bushes' gated, 1,600-acre Prairie Chapel ranch, the ceremony and reception could be held far from the prying eyes of the White House press corps and paparazzi.
Hager, 29, a former Commerce Department staff member who's in his final year of the MBA program at Virginia's Darden School, first consulted Jenna's twin sister, Barbara, about his intentions to propose to the 26-year-old.
"That was really sweet, because they have such a close relationship, Barbara and Jenna do," Mrs. Bush told PEOPLE. Then, on the overlook outside the president's cabin at Camp David, Hager asked the president and first lady for their daughter's hand. They kept the plan secret from their daughter for more than a month until Hager proposed to Jenna on Aug. 15.
"I am thrilled for Henry and Jenna, knowing how great marriage can be," said the president.
Now you have Stripper Plane
Every Friday evening, some time before most people have clocked out of work and begin heading home for the weekend, a plane takes off from LAX.
Like so many other flights at this time, this one is also heading to Las Vegas. It's not full of gamblers, however, but rather a disproportionate amount of silicon that bounces and jiggles through the warm, desert-air turbulence all the way to Vegas where, for the remainder of Friday and Saturday night, it will continue quivering away at $20 a pop.
This, folks, is the Southwest Stripper Plane.
The passengers are LA's greatest temporary export, heading off for a weekend of singles and 20s to help baby pay the rent. They are blessed with the sun-kissed glory of Southern California and enhanced by the world's greatest plastic surgeons, and of course every single one is a struggling teacher, college student, or some other admirable profession that will keep suckers reaching into their wallet time after time to help out their worthy cause, whatever it might be.
No one really knows what time this legendary, perhaps even mythical flight leaves Los Angeles. Seats are reserved months in advance and few mere mortals are able to secure a reservation. A friend of mine claims he once found himself on this flight but can't seem to remember the details, as though some powerful force scrubbed his brain clean, leaving only a trace of glitter on his sweaty forehead.
Others less fortunate can only dream that the planets align one day and that they find themselves sitting on a plane in Los Angeles watching their fellow passengers squeeze their gigantic moneymakers into Southwest's cramped economy seats. If there was ever a time for long delays or a casualty-free crash on a desert island, this would certainly be it.
PETA Killed 97 Percent of 'Companion Animals' in 2006, According to VDACS
An official report from People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), submitted nine months after a Virginia government agency's deadline, shows that the animal rights group put to death more than 97 percent of the dogs, cats, and other pets it took in for adoption in 2006. During that year, the well-known animal rights group managed to find adoptive homes for just 12 pets. The nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) is calling on PETA to either end its hypocritical angel-of-death program, or stop its senseless condemnation of Americans who believe it's perfectly ethical to use animals for food, clothing, and critical medical research.
Not counting animals PETA held only temporarily in its spay-neuter program, the organization took in 3,061 "companion animals" in 2006, of which it killed 2,981. According to Virginia's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), the average euthanasia rate for humane societies in the state was just 34.7 percent in 2006. PETA killed 97.4 percent of the animals it took in. The organization filed its 2006 report this month, nine months after the VDACS deadline of March 31, 2007.
"Pet lovers should be outraged," said CCF Director of Research David Martosko. "There are thousands of worthwhile animal shelters that deserve Americans' support. PETA is not one of them."
In courtroom testimony last year, a PETA manager acknowledged that her organization maintains a large walk-in freezer for storing dead animals, and that PETA contracts with a Virginia cremation service to dispose of the bodies. In that trial, two PETA employees were convicted of dumping dead animals in a rural North Carolina trash dumpster.
Today in Southampton County, Virginia, another PETA employee will face felony charges in a dog-napping case. Andrea Florence Benoit Harris was arrested in late 2006 for allegedly abducting a hunting dog and attempting to transport it to PETA's Norfolk headquarters.
"PETA raised over $30 million last year," Martosko added, "and it's using that money to kill the only flesh-and-blood animals its employees actually see. The scale of PETA's hypocrisy is simply staggering."
Do Monkeys Pay for Sex?
It turns out that one of humanity's oldest professions may be even older than we thought: In a recent study of macaque monkeys in Indonesia, researchers found that male primates "paid" for sexual access to females — and that the going rate for such access dwindled as the number of available females went up.
According to the paper, "Payment for Sex in a Macaque Mating Market," published in the December issue of Animal Behavior, males in a group of about 50 long-tailed macaques in Kalimantan Tengah, Indonesia, traded grooming services for sex with females; researchers, who studied the monkeys for some 20 months, found that males offered their payment up-front, as a kind of pre-sex ritual. It worked. After the females were groomed by male partners, female sexual activity more than doubled, from an average of 1.5 times an hour to 3.5 times. The study also showed that the number of minutes that males spent grooming hinged on the number of females available at the time: The better a male's odds of getting lucky, the less nit-picking time the females received. Though primates have been observed trading grooming for food sharing or infant care, this is the first time this kind of exchange has been observed between male and female primates in a sexual context, says lead researcher Michael Gumert of Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, demonstrating that the amount of time a male macaque "will invest in [its] partner" depends largely on how many options it has around.
We, more evolved primates, may be tempted to take a cynical view of these findings, but the study's author suggests a more favorable interpretation: The macaques' exchange of services simply illustrates a nifty system of cooperation that allows for successful mating. The basic premise, says Gumert, is called biological market theory, which follows the elementary principles of supply versus demand. When applied to the voluntary sex life of long-tailed macaques, it means that the price that one group is willing to pay for a commodity that the other group has depends on the scarcity or abundance of that commodity on the market. Scientists think female macaques may use grooming, too, to try to maintain social relationships within the group to benefit their offspring, or as a way to distract or appease males from getting aggressive after a sexual encounter. In fact, when female macaques groomed males, their services decreased sexual activity in males.
It's easy to draw parallels between the monkeys' mating dance and our own, but Gumert warns against reading too much into primate studies like this one. The paper draws no conclusions about what these observations in monkeys mean for the human world. In fact, whether and how scientists should extrapolate from primate behavior is a fairly "big debate," says Gumert. Certainly, our biology underpins much of what we do, but so does our culture and environment. Gumert asks, "Where do we draw the line?"
That inquiry is at the heart of primate studies like Gumert's. While science would do well to understand more about the long-tailed macaques' social world — especially as the animals are increasingly losing their natural habitat in Asia — Gumert says figuring out how this market concept can be applied to the social settings of other animals, including humans, will be its long-term value. In the meantime, it can at least make for some thought-provoking pillow talk.
Scientists create a beating Heart!
SCIENTISTS have created a beating heart in the laboratory in a breakthrough that could allow doctors one day to make a range of organs for transplant almost from scratch.
The procedure involved stripping all the existing cells from a dead heart so that only the protein “skeleton” that created its shape was left.
Then the skeleton was seeded with live “progenitor” cells, which multiplied and grew back over it, eventually linking together into a new organ. Such cells are involved in the formative stages of specialised types of tissue such as those found in the heart.
The research, by scientists at the University of Minnesota, has so far been done only with rats and pigs and is highly experimental. It is unlikely to be applied to humans for years.
However, Professor Doris Taylor, director of the university’s centre for cardiovascular repair, believes it could be a significant step towards creating custom-built hearts, blood vessels and other organs for people with serious illness.
The big advantage of such an approach is that organs so built would use stem cells taken from the patient so the body’s immune system would not reject them.
“The idea would be to develop transplantable blood vessels or whole organs that are made from your own cells,” Taylor said. “It opens a door to the notion that you can make any organ - kidney, liver or pancreas. You name it and we hope we can make it.”
Taylor and her colleagues used a process called decellularisation, in which powerful chemicals strip the cells from a dead animal heart. The researchers then reseeded the remaining protein skeleton with progenitor cells taken from the hearts of newborn animals and let them grow. Taylor said that four days after seeding, the cells could be seen contracting, and after eight days the hearts started contracting.
“We took nature’s building blocks to build a new organ,” said Harald Ott, who worked with Taylor. “When we saw the first contractions we were speechless.”
The new technique was reported at the American Heart Association’s recent annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. “This is a proof of concept,” Taylor said. “Going forward, our goal is to use a patient’s stem cells to build a new heart.”
- A new system of teams of surgeons working round the clock to retrieve kidneys and hearts from dead patients will be announced by a government body this week in an attempt to increase organ transplantation by 50% within five years.
The government’s organ donation taskforce will also announce the appointment of 100 more organ transplant co-ordinators, who will persuade relatives to agree to the organs of their deceased loved ones being used for transplantation.
It is also considering whether the government should introduce laws to allow organs to be taken from patients after death unless they have specifically expressed a wish not to donate their tissues.
Gordon Brown today signals his support for the policy of "presumed consent".
Writing in a Sunday newspaper the prime minister says: "A system of this kind seems to have the potential to close the aching gap between the potential benefits of transplant surgery in the UK and the limits imposed by our current system of consent."
Sir Liam Donaldson, England's chief medical officer, who also supports the policy, said: "We have one of the lowest rates [of organ donation] in Europe."
Can you get an ivy Education Online!
John Marker will get his MBA in July from the University of Maryland University College, part of a dual master's degree he is pursuing. He has never met a professor, has never sat in a classroom and has checked out the Adelphi campus only once, long after he had enrolled. In fact, until recently, the 28-year-old graduate student had been studying from Brussels.
John is among an extraordinarily fast-growing number of students nationwide and worldwide who are turning to online degree programs to complete or advance their educations while they work, decisions that are driven by economics as well as by a society that is increasingly mobile.
Online learning makes education accessible to virtually everyone, at any stage, on the path to achievement. Students are not bound by physical disabilities, learning disabilities, poor life choices, geographic limitations, or socioeconomic status. Online learning makes the playing field about as level as it can get. A student who is determined enough can and will succeed.
More and more schools are offering courses online. Some schools offer the opportunity for students to obtain a certificate or a degree wholly online. Faculty and institutions are recognizing that not all students fit into the 18-22 year old demographic. The Socratic method, with one teacher standing in front of a blackboard facing dozens of students, is now just one way classes are taught. Not the only way. There are mature students with life experience who have different needs and objectives. Colleges and universities are tailoring the education experience they provide to these non-traditional students.
There are as many reasons to return to school as there are for leaving. Some people voluntarily interrupt their education. They decide that upon high school graduation they are not ready for college. Others defer education out of necessity in order to join the military, raise a family, or care for a family member. Then there are those who want to take time to find out their interests, work their way up from an entry-level job, or just get life experience. Later they find that what interests them requires a degree; or that they can't be promoted to more responsibility without a degree, or that their lifestyle demands a career change and more money. All at once they have to be competitive in the job market--and in many industries that means having a degree.
India's Tata Motors to produce cars which will run on compressed air
BBC News is reporting that a French company has developed a pollution-free car which runs on compressed air. India's Tata Motors has the car under production and it may be on sale in Europe and India by the end of the year.
The air car, also known as the Mini-CAT or City Cat, can be refueled in minutes from an air compressor at specially equipped gas stations and can go 200 km on a 1.5 euro fill-up -- roughly 125 miles for $3. The top speed will be almost 70 mph and the cost of the vehicle as low as $7000.
The car features a fibreglass body and a revolutionary electrical system and is completely computer-controlled. It is powered by the expansion of compressed air, using no combustion at all, and the exhaust is entirely clean and cool enough for use in the internal air conditioning system.
Tata Motors is known for its interest in innovation and has been selling compressed gas buses since 2000. It is currently working on producing the world's cheapest car, which will be almost 100% plastic and will sell in India for about $2500.
Tata is also expanding into the world market. It acquired Korea's Daweoo in 2004 and is now the top bidder to purchase the originally British Jaguar and Land Rover lines from the United States' troubled Ford Motor Company.
4 Years old girl only speaks to Animals!
At four years old, she had never been able to say Mummy or Daddy.
Nor could Rose Willcocks tell her parents if she was hungry, tired or unwell after being left all but mute by an extremely unusual genetic condition.
But to her parents' astonishment, Rose has suddenly revealed she has a great deal to say for herself - but only to animals.
She began talking to cows during a stay at a farm which was part of her therapy. Her parents now say she turns into a chatterbox as soon as she is in the company of animals.
Her mother, Esme, 37, who has nicknamed her daughter Miss Dolittle after the fictional doctor who could talk to animals, said: "She began to vocalise with the cows. We had never heard Rose vocalise before and we were overjoyed."
Rose has a chromosome defect which has left her with a floppy voicebox and windpipe. She also has learning difficulties and autism.
"We went to see the cows," Mrs Willcocks said. "Suddenly, Rose perked up. I did a double-take as I struggled to take in what I was hearing. She wasn't actually saying words but there were no two ways about it - she was talking to a cow."
"There was something about animals that made Rosie connect. We could barely get her to make eye contact or moan or groan but here she was, chatting like an old friend to the cows and horses."
"Her affinity with animals amazes everyone. She changes from an introvert into a chatterbox." The family are planning to take Rose to the U.S. for therapy, involving swimming with dolphins, in the hope she will continue improving.
Her mother said: "If we can move her on just a fraction further then it will have all been worthwhile."
How to have a perfect first date
Fancy a girl and want to take her out? Are you nervous? Unsure of what to do? In the words of old Franklin D., you have “nothing to fear but fear itself!” Get it into your head that you're doing her a favor, because you are! Follow these tips and you'll both have a great time.
The Purpose of the First Date
The first date is your chance to take a relationship test drive. There is no obligation to buy into it. So don't fret! Don't expect a big make-out session at the end of it, definitely do not expect sex, and DO expect to pay for dinner, and I promise you you'll have a fun time. If this is a girl you barely know, the first date is simply an hour or two together to learn about each other. If this is a girl you've known for a while, it's an opportunity to see how it feels to be exclusive.
Asking her Out
Ask her to meet you on a specific night at a specific place, like this: “Hey ____, would you like to have dinner with me at Café Amore on Tuesday?” Girls don't want a wishy-washy guy, and by being definite you demonstrate initiative and confidence. She'll say “yes,” or “I'm busy that night, how about Wednesday,” or “I'm busy, how about never!” Now, you've either got a date, or you know that she's not the one!
Getting Ready
Be your clean, presentable self. This means: wear a good, pressed shirt, shave, and don't coat yourself in cologne. Think of going to a job interview: you want to demonstrate to the girl that this dinner is meaningful to you, so you are trying to look good. Don't look to serious though, remember that you're out to have fun.
Picking Her Up
Maybe you're picking her up at her place, or maybe you're meeting at the restaurant. Picking her up is gentlemanly, but could result in some awkward pre-date car time. Meeting her at the restaurant keeps you on neutral territory while you are still just getting to know each other. Either way, the single easiest and best thing you can do when you first see her is give her a compliment! It can be as small as “I like your shoes,” or as grand as “your smile makes me feel like a millionaire.” Probably err on the small side for this first one. The compliment puts her at ease, which will put you at ease. It will make her feel special and happy to be in your presence. It's a no-brainer.
Dinner
Try hard to get her to do 75% of the talking. This means: ask her questions, and listen to the answers. Most people like to talk about themselves, and you will make her feel important and interesting if you are curious about her life. Also, it will keep her curious about you, because after it's all over, she'll start thinking of all the things she forgot to ask you, and she'll want to see you again.
Order something to share. Get an appetizer that you both enjoy, or have something like pizza for your main course. Sharing your meal is an easy way to get close to each other quickly and comfortably.
Pay for dinner! Expect to pay for the whole thing, and don't even think about letting her pick up the tab. Understand this going in and pick your restaurant budget accordingly. You don't have to spend the rest of your relationship paying for everything, but it is essential that you pay for that first dinner.
After Dinner
This part is tough. You may have hit it off; you may have had a nice time but haven't found any true sparks; or you may realize you have nothing in common and you can't wait to be rid of each other. The safest bet is to take her home and drop her off. If you like each other, you'll plan on doing something together again soon. It's important not to blow your stack on that first date; you want to keep some tension and interest in this brand new relationship.
To kiss or Not to Kiss
Ah, the grand finale. You are probably very nervous about this good-night kiss thing. Remember: She is too! The best thing you can do is to take the lead with authority. Try this: at her door, say, “I had fun tonight.” She'll hopefully say, “me too.” Now, hold her shoulders and kiss her on the cheek. And don't be bashful, and don't expect anything more at this point. If you two are meant to be, then there will be plenty of making out to do later. For this first date though you want to keep her curious about you. A kiss on the cheek is gentlemanly, shows restraint and composure, and will probably leave her wishing for more. What a perfect way to leave things!
Did umpires made Australia win 2nd test with their wrong decisions?
If we analyze the Sydney test from close angles, we have enough reasons to believe that match umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson colluded with the Australians to help them win the match. Here are a few points that strengthen such belief:
1) On the Day 1 of the Sydney test, India were on the kill. Australia were losing quick wickets. Ponting edged the ball to Dhoni. But umpires said otherwise. They ruled him out on 55. But it was too late. Ponting built the innings along with Hussey.
2) Australia were tottering at 134/6. Symonds was struggling to get his feat. He edged to Dhoni off Ishant Sharma. Everyone saw the nick. Indians were celebrating. But Bucknor smiled and ruled Symonds not out. Symonds was batting on 29.
3) Symonds was stumped by Dhoni. Umpires referred to the third umpire. TV replays showed Symonds' feet outside the crease. Shocking! Third umpire ruled him not out.
4) Symonds edged again to Dhoni. But umpires did not bother. Not out! Verdict pronounced. Indians were shocked. Who will take Symonds' wicket? No one. He remained unbeaten on 162 and helped Australia score 463.
5) The drama continued on the fourth day. Michael Clarke gave a clean catch to Dravid off Anil Kumble. But to the surprise of everyone, he stood there. He looked at the umpire. Eye contact appealed for mercy. Indians were shocked. They appealed again vociferously. Umpires did not have any option but to rule Clarke out.
6) Mike Hussey was given a reprieve by the umpires on 45. He later went on to score an unbeaten 145.
7) The drama continued again on Day 5. Ponting took a stunning catch that cam off Dhoni's pad, dropped it to the ground, the ball was dragged on the grass. But he continued to appeal. He looked at the umpires. But umpires looked helpless and could not oblige him. Narrow escape for the Indians.
8) Dravid missed the ball off Symonds. The ball kissed his pad. The bat was nowhere near the ball. The Australians appealed. Bucknor obliged. Dravid was given out. Shocker for the Indians! Dravid was going well and just scored 38.
9) Ganguly was in good form. He looked solid and aggressive, completed the half century. Umpires looked tense. Australians looked them for help. This time, the shocker came from Mark Benson.
Ganguly edged to Clarke. Clarke took the catch on bounce, then dropped again to the ground, but went up and celebrated. Australian fielders joined him. Ganguly did not leave the crease. Benson stepped in. He did not refer it to the third umpire. Instead, he sought Ponting's help. No prize for guessing what Ponting said. "Out", said Benson and Ganguly departed dejected.
Do we need any more proof to say that umpires rigged the match in Australia's favor. If India lost, then it was due to poor umpiring. They also had the sympathy of Australian people, who admitted that Indians were subjected to gross injustice. Is ICC watching? Will BCCI protect its players? Our morale is down and pride is at stake.
Add artificial sweeteners to your drink to get drunk quickly!
New research findings show that alcoholic drinks combined with artificial sweeteners make you drunk quicker. It isn't advice - it's a warning.
The difference is substantial.
The stomach had emptied half of its contents in 15.3 minutes after the diet drink and 21.1 minutes with the sugar-sweetened drink. The peak blood alcohol concentration was significantly higher with the diet drink than with the regular drink. The blood alcohol concentration was also higher with the artificial sweetener than with the sugar-sweetened drink.
This doesn't just apply to pre-made drinks. You could be combining alcohol with diet coke or tonic water - such as a sugar-free Red Bull and vodka.
research (conducted at Royal Adelaide Hospital, Australia) also raises interesting questions about sugar versus artificial sweeteners. The sugar-free versions may be much lower in calories, but they are entering the digestive system far more quickly.
Who knows what effect this might have on weight gain or loss? Of course it's an oxymoron - because alcohol keeps the liver very busy - no fat-burning can occur anyway - not to mention the diuretic effect.
Man safe after falling from 47 floor
Doctors say they have never seen anything like it: A window washer who fell 47 stories from the roof of a Manhattan skyscraper is now awake, talking to his family and expected to walk again.
Alcides Moreno, 37, plummeted almost 500 feet in a Dec. 7 scaffolding collapse that killed his brother.
Somehow, Moreno lived, and doctors at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center announced Thursday that his recovery has been astonishing.
He has movement in all his limbs. He is breathing on his own. And on Christmas Day, he opened his mouth and spoke for the first time since the accident.
His wife, Rosario Moreno, cried as she thanked the doctors and nurses who kept him alive.
"Thank God for the miracle that we had," she said. "He keeps telling me that it just wasn't his time."
Dr. Herbert Pardes, the hospital's president, described Moreno's condition when he arrived for treatment as "a complete disaster."
Both legs and his right arm and wrist were broken in several places. He had severe injuries to his chest, his abdomen and his spinal column. His brain was bleeding. Everything was bleeding, it seemed.
In those first critical hours, doctors pumped 24 units of donated blood into his body - about twice his entire blood volume.
They gave him plasma and platelets and a drug to stimulate clotting and stop the hemorrhaging. They inserted a catheter into his brain to reduce swelling and cut open his abdomen to relieve pressure on his organs.
Moreno was at the edge of consciousness when he was brought in. Doctors sedated him, performed a tracheotomy and put him on a ventilator.
His condition was so unstable, doctors worried that even a mild jostle might kill him, so they performed his first surgery without moving him to an operating room.
Nine orthopedic operations followed to piece together his broken body.
Yet, even when things were at their worst, the hospital's staff marveled at his luck.
Incredibly, Moreno's head injuries were relatively minor for a fall victim. Neurosurgeon John Boockvar said the window washer also managed to avoid a paralyzing spinal cord injury, even though he suffered a shattered vertebra.
"If you are a believer in miracles, this would be one," said the hospital's chief of surgery, Dr. Philip Barie.
New York-Presbyterian has treated people who have tumbled from great heights before, including a patient who survived a 19-story fall, but most of those tales end sadly.
The death rate from even a three-story fall is about 50 percent, Barie said. People who fall more than 10 stories almost never survive.
"Forty-seven floors is virtually beyond belief," Pardes said.
Science may never be able to explain what protected Moreno when the platform he and his brother were using atop an Upper East Side apartment tower broke free and fell to the ground.
Edgar Moreno, 30, of Linden N.J., died instantly. He was buried in Ecuador, where the brothers are from.
Alcides Moreno, whom his wife described as strong and athletic, may have clung to his scaffolding platform as it dropped. It is possible that the metal platform offered him some protection, although doctors said they were unsure how.
An investigation into the cause of the accident continues.
