Cameron Diaz Covers Harper's Bazaar UK June 2012
Cameron Diaz Covers Harper's Bazaar UK June 2012. Read more / Photos
Jennifer Love Hewitt: In Pinkin at Los Angeles, CA
Stepping out in bright colors and wearing a continuous smile, Jennifer Love Hewitt was spotted out running some fashionable errands in Los Angeles, CA. Read more / Photos
'The Bachelor' couple Ben Flajnik and Courtney Robertson
'The Bachelor' couple Ben Flajnik and Courtney Robertson are spotted at Wet Republic Ultra Pool at MGM Grand. Read more / Photos
News of woman expecting 9 babies a hoax
MEXICO CITY: According to health authorities reports that a woman in northern Mexico is pregnant with nine babies are a hoax.Mexico's main broadcaster Televisa and top daily newspapers ran stories about a woman expecting nonuplets late on Thursday after she provided welfare officials with supposed evidence of the multiple pregnancy, including an ultrasound video, said a spokesman for the health ministry of Coahuila state.
Following the news, local health authorities offered assistance to the woman, who was identified as 32-year-old Karla Perez from Villa Arteaga, east of the state capital Saltillo.
Reports said Perez had conceived the babies after receiving fertility treatment, but tests carried out by doctors on Friday revealed she was not even pregnant. It was not clear why the mother of three had made the claims, the spokesman added. (Reuters)
'Think Like a Man' tops US box office
LOS ANGELES: Romantic comedy “Think Like a Man” easily beat four new films to win the U.S. and Canadian box office race for a second time while superhero movie “The Avengers” stormed into overseas theaters with record-breaking sales.“Think Like a Man” led domestic charts with an $18.0 million total from Friday through Sunday, according to studio estimates compiled by Reuters on Sunday. New movies including adult comedy “The Five-Year Engagement” didn’t come close, each grabbing about $11 million or less.
Big-budget, effects-filled “Avengers” hauled in a massive $178.4 million since Wednesday from theaters in 39 international markets, Walt Disney Co said. The 3D film from Disney’s Marvel studio set opening-weekend records in 12 territories including Mexico and Brazil and opening-day records in four countries.
“Avengers” reaches North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters on Friday to kick off the summer movie season. Box office forecasters predict super-sized sales that will rival this year’s record set by teen death match drama “The Hunger Games,” a blockbuster that debuted in March with $152.5 million domestically.
Anticipation for “Avengers” likely kept many filmgoers home from multiplexes this weekend, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of the box office division of Hollywood.com. Overall ticket sales slumped 30 percent from the same weekend last year.
“It just seemed like audiences are saving their time and money for next weekend” and the “Avengers” debut, he said.
“Think Like a Man” brought its 10-day sales to $60.9 million. The movie features an ensemble cast and is based on a best-selling relationship guide by comedian Steve Harvey.
Among the newcomers, animated family film “The Pirates! Band of Misfits” performed best with $11.4 million and second place. The film cost about $55 million to make. Total sales overseas, where the movie has been playing since late March, rang up at $75.1 million through Sunday.
Close behind in third place, love story “The Lucky One” took in $11.32 million domestically during its second weekend in theaters.
Action movie “The Hunger Games” slipped to fourth with $11.25 million. Worldwide sales to date reached $601 million, distributor Lions Gate Entertainment Corp said.
“Five-Year Engagement” opened at a disappointing No. 5 with $11.2 million, slightly below projections by Universal Pictures for the low-teens. The movie stars Jason Segel and Emily Blunt as a couple whose walk down the aisle runs into repeated interruptions. Audiences had a lukewarm reception, grading the movie a “B-minus” in polling by survey firm CinemaScore.
Universal and privately held Relativity Media produced “Five-Year Engagement” for about $30 million. “A reasonably priced film that slightly underperforms is not the worst thing in world,” said Nikki Rocco, Universal’s president of distribution.
New thriller “Safe” secured $7.7 million and the No. 6 slot. The movie stars Jason Statham as a former elite agent who takes on a mission to rescue a kidnapped girl. Another new thriller, “The Raven” starring John Cusack as Edgar Allen Poe, landed in seventh place with $7.3 million.
Sony Corp’s film studio distributed “Think Like a Man” and “Pirates! Band of Misfits.” Time Warner Inc’s Warner Bros. studio released “The Lucky One.” “The Five-Year Engagement” was distributed by Universal Pictures, a unit of Comcast Corp.
Lions Gate Entertainment Corp released “Hunger Games” and “Safe.” Privately held Relativity Media released “The Raven” in the United States, and Alliance Films distributed the movie in Canada.(Reuters)
Hollywood pins hopes on Blu-ray, digital
LOS ANGELES: Hollywood may be seeing a turnaround in a seven-year decline of home video sales, thanks to double-digit sales growth of Blu-ray discs and online movies and TV shows, an industry trade group is expected to announce on Sunday night.The Digital Entertainment Group, a trade group whose members include studios, consumer electronic companies and others, will report that U.S. consumers spent $4.5 billion on home entertainment in the first quarter this year, an increase of 2.5 percent from a year ago.
That's the second quarter of growth in the last three quarters for home entertainment spending, which includes purchases and rentals of DVDs, Blu-ray discs and online, as well as subscriptions to services like Netflix.
Overall spending declined on those items by 2.1 percent in 2011, to $18 billion, the seventh consecutive year of decline, according to data on the group's website.
"The business feels as if it has begun to stabilize," said Ron Sanders, president of Warner Home Video and DEG president. "Hopefully, we've hit bottom."
Sales of Blu-ray discs surged by 23 percent, the group said. That growth was spurred by strong Christmas sales of Blu-ray players, continued video sales of holiday releases like the hit "Kung Fu Panda 2" and the February release of the blockbuster "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1."
Blu-ray growth partially offset the continued decline in DVD sales. Packaged good sales, which include both formats, fell by 0.6 percent from a year earlier, to $2.1 billion.
Home sales of film and tv shows reversed that decline, and increased by 0.5 percent if sales through electronic outlets such as Apple's iTunes service are included. Consumers purchased $165 million of those so-called electronic sell-through products.
The industry's largest growth engine continues to be online subscriptions, such as those offered by Netflix, which grew five-fold in the quarter, to $548.6 million.
Most of that online subscription growth appears to come from Netflix customers who chose subscriptions for streaming over its traditional DVD by mail service when the company split the two options last year. Nationwide, DVD subscription sales fell by $322.8 million in the quarter.
Industry officials expressed optimism that growth will continue, based on continued sales of Blu-ray players and introduction of the studio-backed UltraViolet service by which consumers can buy movies that are shared among several cloud-connected devices. Nearly 2 million users have signed up since the serviced was introduced late last year, DEG said.
"We believe we're at an inflection point," said David Bishop, president of Worldwide Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. "We've created an installed base that will grow, and which we think will continue to give us momentum." (Reuters)
Samsung puts smartphone crown in dispute
NEW YORK: Smartphones are the hottest gadgets in the world. But who's the biggest smartphone maker? We don't really know.
Samsung, Apple's chief competitor, gives only vague indications of how many it makes, which means industry watchers come up with widely diverging estimates. Apple Inc. reports its iPhone sales down to the thousands. In the January to March period, it shipped 35,064,000. South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. may have sold 32 million, 37.5 million or 44.5 million, depending which analyst you believe. The company itself refuses to say.
What's at stake, of course, are bragging rights. More accurate sales figures from Samsung would also be useful to competitors and to partners like wireless carriers and retailers.
When it reported first-quarter results Friday morning, Samsung said only that overall phone shipments (including "dumb" phones) were down more than 10 percent from the fourth quarter, and that smartphone sales were about the same percentage of the company's overall sales as they have been before.
Mobile phones: ’Still no evidence of harm to health’
Scientists looked at hundreds of studies of mobile exposure and found no conclusive links to cancer risk, brain function or infertility.
However, they said monitoring should continue because little was known about long-term effects. The HPA said children should still avoid excessive use of mobiles.
It is the biggest ever review of the evidence surrounding the safety of mobile phones. There are now an estimated 80 million mobiles in the UK, and because of TV and radio broadcasting, Wi-Fi, and other technological developments, the study said exposure to low-level radio frequency fields was almost universal and continuous.
A group of experts working for the HPA looked at all significant research into the effects of low-level radio frequency.
’Relatively reassuring’: They concluded that people who were not exposed above UK guideline levels did not experience any detectable symptoms. That included people who reported being sensitive to radio frequency.
They also said there was no evidence that exposure caused brain tumours, other types of cancer, or harm to fertility or cardiovascular health.
But they said very little was known about risks beyond 15 years, because most people did not use mobile phones until the late 1990s.
Prof Anthony Swerdlow, who chaired the review group, said it was important to continue monitoring research. "Even though it’s relatively reassuring, I also think it’s important that we keep an eye on the rates of brain tumours and other cancers," he said.
"One can’t know what the long-term consequences are of something that has been around for only a short period." There has been speculation about the health effects of using mobile phones for years.
The HPA conducted a previous review in 2003, which also concluded that there was no evidence of harm. But there is now far more research into the subject.
Advice on children: The experts said more work was needed on the effect of radio frequency fields on brain activity, and on the possible association with behavioural problems in children.
They also called for more investigation into the effects of new technology which emits radio frequency, such as smart meters in homes and airport security scanners. The HPA said it was not changing its advice about mobile phone use by children.
"As this is a relatively new technology, the HPA will continue to advise a precautionary approach," said Dr John Cooper, director of the HPA’s centre for radiation, chemical and environmental hazards.
"The HPA recommends that excessive use of mobile phones by children should be discouraged."(Online news pk)
Early milk feeds ’benefits premature babies’
The University of Oxford study found babies were not at a higher risk of severe bowel problems if moved off IV-feeds early, as was feared.
Four hundred babies, born at least five weeks early and small for their age, were studied for the Pediatrics paper. The premature baby charity Bliss said it hoped the findings would lead to a change in feeding practices.
Over 60,000 babies are born prematurely every year in the UK and one in 10 babies born in the UK needs some form of special care because of problems during their birth, because of a life-threatening condition or because they were born too early.
High-risk premature babies are vulnerable to severe bowel problems, including a condition called necrotising enterocolitis (NEC). Concerns over this risk has led to special care units previously tending to delay the start of milk feeds.
But IV feeding can also cause complications, including liver problems.
The researchers behind this study, which was funded by the charity Action Medical Research, wanted to examine if underweight premature babies could take milk earlier, which would then help them gain a healthy weight sooner.
Feeding ’challenge’: The study was co-ordinated by the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit at the University of Oxford, and carried out at 54 hospitals across UK and Ireland.
Almost half of the babies in the trial needed some help with their breathing, although really sick babies were not included.
Half of the babies were introduced to milk feeds on day two of life, while the remainder was given milk on day six. Three quarters were given their mother’s breast milk, rather than donor milk or formula.
“Earlier discharge home not only frees up cot space but also means that the whole family can benefit as the emotional and financial stresses will be reduced,” said Jane Abbott, Bliss.
Full feeding - defined as babies successfully taking milk feeds for 72 hours - was achieved earlier in the babies who started milk feeds on day two.
On average, babies who started milk feeds on day two of life were being fully milk fed by 18 days of age - compared with an average of 21 days of age in those who started on day six.
And the early milk feed group spent an average of 11 days in high-dependency cots, compared with 15 for the later group.
Crucially, there was no statistically significant difference in the number of babies experiencing severe bowel problems, including NEC.
In the group given early feeds, 36 (18%) developed NEC, compared with 30 (15%) of those who started later. The authors of the paper, led by Dr Alison Leaf and Professor Peter Brocklehurst conclude that babies "would generally benefit from starting milk feeds within the first 24-48 hours after birth".
Dr Leaf, now based at the Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton, said: "These babies are a challenge to feed. Good nutrition and growth is very important, however their body organs, including the bowel, are immature.
Professor Brocklehurst, director of the Institute for Women’s Health at University College London, added: "Early feeding appears to be better for these high risk babies. This research will enable more high risk premature babies to be fed early, and to achieve full feeding earlier. "This will reduce the need for intravenous drips and infusions."
The team say their findings can be put into effect on special care baby units immediately.
Jane Abbott, from the premature baby charity Bliss said: "We welcome this research as it increases understanding about feeding practice for vulnerable babies, an area where there are known to be gaps in knowledge.
"We hope the findings will lead to changes in practice to ensure better outcomes for these babies and their families.
"Earlier discharge home not only frees up cot space but also means that the whole family can benefit as the emotional and financial stresses will be reduced."(Online news pk)
Back pain: steroid shots no more effective than Placebo
Because the long-term benefits of surgery remain unproven and pain medicines often have serious side effects, doctors have increasingly turned to steroid injections to treat lumbosacral radiculopathy, a common cause of back pain.
The condition stems from damage to the discs between the vertebrae that often leads to sciatica, numbness or pain in the legs.
Researchers tested 84 adults with back pain of less than six months’ duration, dividing them into three groups. They received either steroids, etanercept (an arthritis medicine) or an inactive saline solution in two injections given two weeks apart.
At the end of one month, they were assessed for pain. Leg and back pain decreased in all three groups, but there were no statistically significant differences among them. The researchers conclude that steroids may provide some short-term analgesic effect, but that the improvement in all of the patients was mainly due to normal healing.
The lead author, Dr. Steven P. Cohen, an associate professor of anesthesiology at Johns Hopkins, was disappointed with the results but said that he still hopes drugs like etanercept might someday be proven effective. But for now, he said, “the strongest evidence for back pain relief is with exercise.”
The study appears in the April 17 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.(Online news)
Smoking teddy bear a hit at CinemaCon
With a reported budget of $65 million, Seth MacFarlane's "Ted" was made for a fraction of what it cost to blow up half the Navy in "Battleship," but the resounding laughter that greeted the extended footage indicates the studio might have a huge R-rated hit on its hands.
The film centers on a boy whose Christmas wish comes true after his teddy bear comes to life. But that dream turns more nightmarish when the pair grows up.
Universal highlighted the stuffed bear, played by McFarlane in a motion-capture suit, hanging out with prostitutes, taking hits from a bong and humping a cash register - all activities that would be pretty foreign to, say, Winnie the Pooh.
Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis star along with MacFarlane. The reaction was so enthusiastic that Adam Fogelson, Universal Pictures chairman who was emceeing the event, probably did not mind when he found himself the target of MacFarlane's raunchy zingers.
"You have the boyish charm of Rick Santorum," MacFarlane told Fogelson.
Later, MacFarlane dared the studio chief to expose himself. Fogelson opted to keep his appendage in trou.
Universal also screened footage of "Snow White and the Huntsman," bringing out stars Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron to preview an extended trailer that has the title character leading a band of knights and dwarves to battle against the wicked queen.
The film is a spectacular epic, directed by a first-time talent, Rupert Sanders, who spun a world of mythical creatures, an imperiously evil Theron and a dark look that is miles removed from the rococo Snow White picture from Relativity, "Mirror, Mirror."
The studio also gave exhibitors a look at "Battleship," which hits these shores on May 18, but has already debuted in many foreign territories. It has grossed north of $150 million, so something must work, but it just seemed to pummel convention-goers into submission with its pyrotechnics and jingoism.
More interesting were "The Savages," a dark thriller that Fogelson said would return director Oliver Stone to the ultra-violent territory he covered in his script for "Scarface" and "Natural Born Killers." The movie, which centers on two pot dealers whose mutual girlfriend (Blake Lively) is kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel, looks to ride the knife's edge. Salma Hayek plays a drug lord, while John Travolta plays a crooked D.E.A. agent.
Travolta came on stage and said he had never worked with "...such decent people doing such awful things." As for the Bourne franchise, Fogelson said that after Matt Damon passed on a fourth installment, the studio wanted to open up the paranoid world of the thrillers without recasting the lead.
He said that Universal had decided to let Bourne swim off into the Hudson, his memory restored, "for now," holding out the possibility that Damon could be in for a big payday down the road.
"The Bourne Legacy" sees Jeremy Renner taking over as another super-assassin on the run from the government. Based on the early footage, he is equally adept at turning from prey to predator and single-handedly tearing through an intelligence agency.
Looking farther ahead, Universal also previewed glimpses of its winter and spring slate, including footage from the "This is 40," which centers on the "Knocked Up" characters played by Leslie Mann and Paul Rudd; "Les Misérables" with Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman flexing their singing voices; and the 3D martial arts adventure "47 Ronin." (Reuters)
Woman fired for donating kidney to boss
Deborah Stevens said her former employer, Atlantic Automotive Group, discriminated against her over disabilities brought about by complications from the surgery, and she plans to sue the company for lost earnings and damages.
The company, which runs car dealerships on Long Island, said Stevens's complaint is groundless.
"My gal is just a good-natured woman who's trying to save a life and as soon as she did it, everything changed," said Stevens' attorney Lenard Leeds.
"When she wanted to take time off, she was scolded, she was yelled at," he said. "Instead of being sympathetic, they were very hostile towards her."
Stevens, of Hicksville, New York, said she learned that Jacqueline Brucia, who worked at Atlantic Automotive, was in need of a kidney in November 2010. Stevens had worked there as well but at the time had temporarily moved to Florida.
Stevens said she told Brucia she would donate a kidney.
"Brucia declined, but told her, ‘You never know, I may have to take you up on that offer one day,'" the complaint said.
Stevens learned the company would rehire her following her return to New York and not long afterward, Brucia told her a potential donor had not been approved by the hospital and asked if she was still willing to donate.
Stevens now believes Brucia was "grooming (Stevens) to be her ‘back-up plan,'" the complaint said.
Stevens's kidney was not a good match for Brucia, but she agreed to donate it to a stranger in St. Louis, Missouri, setting up a transplant chain that enabled Brucia to receive a better-matched kidney from a donor in San Francisco.
Surgeons removed Stevens's left kidney in August, and she returned to work about a month later. The surgery left her with damaged nerves in her leg, digestive problems and mental health issues, her lawyer said.
At work, Brucia became "curt and dismissive," the complaint said. Stevens said she was berated for taking sick days and forced to relocate to a less desirable office after she complained to human resources about Brucia's behavior.
On April 11, the company fired her, citing performance reasons.
Stevens's lawyer said the complaint filed with the Division of Human Rights last week was a necessary step before a federal lawsuit is filed against Brucia and the company.
Telephone calls to Brucia's home were not answered on Tuesday.
Atlantic Automotive released a statement saying: "It is unfortunate that one employee has used her own generous act to make up a groundless claim.
"Atlantic Auto treated her appropriately and acted honorably and fairly, at every turn," it said. (Reuters)
Binge eating may cause addictive behaviour
"Drug addiction persists as a major problem in the United States," said Patricia Sue Grigson, professor of neural and behavioural Sciences, from Penn State College of Medicine, who led the study.
"Likewise, excessive food intake, like binge eating, has become problematic. Substance abuse and binge eating are both characterized by a loss of control over consumption," said Grigson in his report in the journal Behavioural Neuroscience.
"Given the common characteristics of these two types of disorders, it is not surprising that the co-occurrence of eating disorders and substance use disorders is high. It is unknown, however, whether loss of control in one disorder predisposes an individual to loss of control in another," said Grigson, according to a Penn statement.
Grigson and her colleagues found a link between bingeing on fat and the development of cocaine-seeking and -taking behaviours in rats, suggesting that conditions promoting excessive behaviour toward one substance can increase the probability of excessive behaviour toward another.(Online news pk)
Dietary supplements `do no good and may give you cancer`
Scientists have claimed taking pills and capsules, like folic acid, vitamin D and calcium, do not reduce the risk of cancer.
They also warned that antioxidant pills – natural chemicals that boost health – such as beta-carotene, and vitamins C and E may even promote the disease, the Daily Express reported.
The study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute cautioned that individuals may be toying with a “two-edged sword” that might do them harm.
They said people are being misled by “messages from supplement manufactures” stressing the health benefits of their products, including cancer prevention.
“Undoubtedly, use is driven by a common belief that supplements can improve health and protect against disease, and that at worst, they are harmless,” wrote the panel of five experts, led by Dr Maria Elena Martinez, from the University of California at San Diego.
“However, the assumption that any dietary supplement is safe under all circumstances and in all quantities is no longer empirically reasonable. A nutrient may be associated with protection in one tissue and harm in another,” they stated.
A third of UK adults take some form of dietary supplement most days and the industry is worth 675million pounds a year.
Yinka Ebo, Cancer Research UK`s senior health information officer, said: “This scientific evidence should give people good reason to think twice about relying on supplements.
“The best way to get a full range of vitamins and minerals is to eat a healthy, balanced diet with a wide variety of fruit and vegetables. For most healthy people there should be no need to take supplements,” Ebo stated.
Dr Carrie Ruxton, of the Health Supplements Information Service, added: “They are not intended to treat, prevent or cure any disease.”(Online news pk)
Fish oil may help reduce symptoms of Periodontitis
Periodontitis affects more than half of adults and is linked to an increased risk of stroke and other heart problems.
To evaluate whether fish oil supplementation could be an adjunct therapy for periodontitis, Dr. Alison Coates from the University of South Australia and colleagues from the School of Dentistry at University of Adelaide in Australia reviewed evidence from eight unique studies that involved humans.
Their review of these studies showed that improvements in clinical measures were common in all studies, but were scientifically significant in two that used a combination of fish oil and aspirin.
Although this is not conclusive evidence, intake of fish oil is recommended for health benefits beyond the teeth.
“I would recommend that people ensure they have a sufficient intake of long chain omega-3 fatty acids in their diet for general health,” said Coates.
“In Australia, these types of fatty acids are considered to be essential with ~500 mg recommended as the suggested dietary target. This equates to approximately 2 fatty fish meals per week,” he added.
There are no serious dangers to consuming fish oil. At high levels of fish oil above the GRAS limit, people may experience a delayed clotting time and at very high doses potential gastric upset.
If people are taking blood thinning medication, then they should consult with a doctor.
The group reports that the evidence for fish oil being effective in reducing periodontal symptoms is building but there is a need for more well designed studies that evaluate the supplement both alone and in combination with aspirin to be able to tease out whether fish oil by itself is effective.
It is important that compliance to treatment is considered and that the dose and length of supplementation is appropriate. A clinical trial is underway in Australia that is investigating the effects of fish oil as adjunct therapy for periodontitis.
Results from this study was presented at the Experimental Biology 2012 meeting in San Diego, CA(Onlin news pk
Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon renew wedding vows
A publicist for the pair says they renewed their vows Friday at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.
Spokeswoman Cindi Berger said the couple celebrated with an "intimate ceremony after a romantic dinner at the beautiful Jules Verne restaurant" just after midnight local time.. Read more
Kristen Stewart & Garrett Hedlund Cover Jalouse May 2012
Kristen Stewart & Garrett Hedlund Cover Jalouse May 2012. Read more / Photos
Model Adriana Lima attends the IWC Flagship Boutique
Model Adriana Lima attends the IWC Flagship Boutique New York City Grand Opening at IWC Boutique. Read more / Photos
Another finalist dismissed from 'American Idol'
The rockin' 28-year-old teacher from Charleston, S.C., was revealed to have received the fewest viewer votes Thursday on the Fox singing competition. Testone delivered energetic renditions of Queen's "I Want It All" and Jimi Hendrix's "Bold as Love" on Wednesday but wasn't able evade eviction after appearing at the bottom of the pack six times this season.. Read Full Story
US regulators aim at Google: reports
SAN FRANCISCO: The odds of an antitrust showdown with Google rose on Thursday with reports that the US Federal Trade Commission hired a veteran outside attorney known for winning cases to handle the investigation.Former Justice Department prosecutor Beth Wilkinson was brought in to head the team looking into whether Google abused its dominance in online search, according to media accounts during a visit here by the FTC chief.
Wilkinson's formidable legal track record includes being a lead prosecutor on the team that convicted Timothy McVeigh in connection with the bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995.
US regulators last year launched a probe into Google's lucrative search and advertising business in a move that could pose the most serious legal challenge yet to the Internet giant.
The Mountain View, California-based company confirmed the FTC inquiry in a blog post at the time and expressed confidence it could withstand the scrutiny.
Google said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing last year that it received a subpoena from the FTC "relating to a review by the FTC of Google's business practices, including search and advertising."
As it has grown from a scrappy startup into an Internet titan, Google has branched out into various businesses including online mapping, shopping and travel and providing operating systems for mobile phones and tablet computers.
But Google makes most of its money from search-related advertising and that is why an FTC investigation targeting its core business is seen by analysts as a potentially serious risk to the company.
Google has drawn increasing scrutiny from US and European regulators as it has grown over the years into an Internet powerhouse. (AFP)
6-yr-old copped for kicking principal
INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - Police in a small Indiana town hauled a six-year-old from his elementary school and charged him with battery and intimidation after he kicked and threatened a principal, police said on Wednesday.The incident followed one earlier in April where police handcuffed a 6-year-old girl who was screaming and crying and had injured a principal and damaged property at an elementary school in Milledgeville, Georgia. She was not charged.
The Indiana student, who had been suspended from school recently for biting and hitting a staff member, was arrested April 18 at Hendricks Elementary School in Shelbyville, which is about 30 miles southeast of Indianapolis.
"This was not an isolated incident," Shelbyville Police Lieutenant Michael Turner said.
School officials called police, reporting that the student, who was not identified, had kicked Principal Patrick Lumbley and told him and Assistant Principal Jessica Poe that he was going to kill them, a Shelbyville police report said.
The student was yelling and screaming and lying on the floor of Poe's office when police arrived, the report said.
Poe led the student to a police car where an officer placed him in the back seat, buckled him in and drove him to the police department, the report said. He was not handcuffed.
Turner said he hoped the filing of juvenile charges would help get the child needed help.
"Putting him into the system can open up avenues perhaps the parents don't have," Turner said.INDIANAPOLIS | Wed Apr 25, 2012 3:22pm EDT
INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - Police in a small Indiana town hauled a six-year-old from his elementary school and charged him with battery and intimidation after he kicked and threatened a principal, police said on Wednesday.
The incident followed one earlier in April where police handcuffed a 6-year-old girl who was screaming and crying and had injured a principal and damaged property at an elementary school in Milledgeville, Georgia. She was not charged.
The Indiana student, who had been suspended from school recently for biting and hitting a staff member, was arrested April 18 at Hendricks Elementary School in Shelbyville, which is about 30 miles southeast of Indianapolis.
"This was not an isolated incident," Shelbyville Police Lieutenant Michael Turner said.
School officials called police, reporting that the student, who was not identified, had kicked Principal Patrick Lumbley and told him and Assistant Principal Jessica Poe that he was going to kill them, a Shelbyville police report said.
The student was yelling and screaming and lying on the floor of Poe's office when police arrived, the report said.
Poe led the student to a police car where an officer placed him in the back seat, buckled him in and drove him to the police department, the report said. He was not handcuffed.
Turner said he hoped the filing of juvenile charges would help get the child needed help.
"Putting him into the system can open up avenues perhaps the parents don't have," Turner said.
Strong women take center stage in films
New York's Tribeca Film Festival, which draws to a close this weekend, has shown its spotlight on several foreign-made movies that feature strong women roles, from the Israeli military drama "Room 514" to Mexican border thriller "The Girl."
"In Israeli films, I found that women's parts are always prostitutes or some secondhand old woman nobody wants. I said, ‘What's going on?,' Sharon Bar-Ziv, director of "Room 514" told Reuters. "This is not reality. We have F-16 pilots who are young women. In the Supreme Court and everywhere, women are strong."
He said that simple fact of life made him want to create a female protagonist that was more in line with reality.
"Room 514" has drawn comparisons to 1992 Hollywood drama "A Few Good Men," which starred Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise and Demi Moore and told of U.S. marines accused of murder and the attorney who defended them.
Yet the focus of "Room 514" is on a lone woman, Anna. She is a military investigator who takes the case of a celebrated soldier accused of brutality against a Palestinian civilian, and she relentlessly digs for the truth despite attempts by her male colleagues to thwart her efforts.
"She's brave, she's strong, determined, independent ... In a mainly male area - an army male area - she's moving forward with her loyalty to her morals," Bar-Ziv said.
U.S.-Mexican border drama "The Girl" follows Ashley (Abbie Cornish), a single mother who loses her son and becomes involved in trafficking illegal immigrants to raise money and get him back. In the process, she finds herself responsible for a young Mexican girl, leading Ashley to fend off alcoholism and re-learn the importance of motherhood.
The approach toward his protagonist taken by director David Riker, whose previous work includes "La Ciudad," is more subtle than Bar-Ziv but nonetheless effective in depicting a woman who takes control of her life during a time of crisis.
"The metaphor I use is that she's in quicksand," he told Reuters TV. "Everything she does to try and get out just sends her deeper into the kind of train wreck of her life. And Abbie, over the course of the film, has to come out of that, and she does it in the most subtle, nuanced ways."
The depiction of strong women is not confined only to tough or gritty films. It also shows up in British manners comedy "Cheerful Weather for the Wedding," which features an ensemble of female characters ranging from a bride who disregards her guests to look inward, to her mother who confidently doesn't mince words with guests she perceives as interfering.
A frank younger sister crosses class lines for a stealthy fling, an elderly aunt trades playful barbs with her husband and a best friend advises the bride's ex-lover. They round out a cast of characters who refuse to fade into the background.
"There was a big range of female characters," director Donald Rice told Reuters. "There's six or seven really good female roles and that's unusual."
Based on a 1932 novel of the same name by Bloomsbury writer Julia Strachey, "Cheerful Weather for the Wedding" takes place in an English country house and sees bride-to-be Dolly (Felicity Jones) swigging rum as she reminisces about her summer romance with ex-lover Joseph.
Elizabeth McGovern, currently starring in TV hit "Downton Abbey," plays Dolly's mother in the movie, and she said she took the role because it reflected her own experience.
"(She) is allowed to speak for herself and what she feels, in a way that isn't always perfectly motherly," said McGovern. "So much of the time, the mother character in movies and TV is painted into the background, and there's an immediate assumption she's not a character with desires or much interest."
"Since I'm a mother, I have a different feeling about it," she said. "Just because I'm a mother doesn't mean that the rest of me has died and gone to sleep." (Reuters)
Doughnuts after junk food protect heart
Junk food lovers will be happy to know that fried foods like chips, bacon and doughnuts actually provide the best protection to the heart.
Research suggests that the odd greasy treat somehow boosts the heart muscle, reducing the amount of damage during a heart attack.
Unfortunately, doctors say that it is far too early to swap muesli topped with blueberries for a traditional English breakfast, according to the Daily Mail.
Study leader Lauren Haar, from the University of Cincinnati, said: "This shows that acute, or short-term, high-fat feeding in animal models does preserve cardiac function."
The US researchers fed mice lard (pig fat) based and normal diet for periods of 24 hours to six weeks and then looked at how they fared when they had a heart attack.
Given the link between fatty food and heart disease, you might expect the lard-fed mice to have done the worst. Instead, those fed the fatty food for up to two weeks actually had the mildest heart attacks.
Most strikingly, those who were on the lard diet for just a day suffered heart attacks that were 70 percent smaller than those in the animals given normal food.
Co-researcher Jack Rubinstein, a heart disease expert, said: "Right now, after you have had a heart attack, they say to have a low-fat diet but we think that may be a little too draconian."
However, he warned that fatty foods’ reputation for clogging arteries and causing heart attacks in the first place mean it is too early for people to start indulging.(Onlin news pk)
Skin and body care with leading brands
There are several skin care products like Cosmedix, Phyto 5, Ultraceuticals, Terrensentials, Nia 24 etc. which are said to be an answer to getting a healthy complexion without any side effects. The best part about these products is that they are made of only the most purified, and correct ingredients that work wonders for the skin without causing any side effects. In fact brands such as Cosmedix are also recommended by the dermatologist and physicians worldwide as they give enhanced results. They are made of plant based and are free of any artificial coloring and preservative.
Products such as PCA Skin are known to be made with scientifically researched ingredients which are helpful in nourishing and enhancing the skin. These products do not contain any synthetic fragrance or alcoholic substance which causes harm to the skin. They are said to be helpful in treating acne, hyperpigmentation, and reducing fine lines and wrinkles. The best part is that PCA products are available only through a physician and not over the counter. Obagi is another brand that is recommended by the dermatologist and physicians and is known to make the skin look younger and radiant and also tones the skin complexion evenly. They also have specialized product range for treating acne and under eye treatment.Mesoestetics is another US based skin care brand which is known to specialize in making products for medical treatment of skin care. Years of research in the field resulted in these products. The products of this brand are based on the various skin types and color as well. They are said to be extremely effective in treating the skin in increasing its complexion and making it more radiant.
Apart from the skin care products for anti-ageing, hyperpigmentation etc., there are also specialized products for pregnant women and little babies. Erbaorganics is one such company that produces these products. These are eco-friendly and organic products. They are said to be extremely safe for both a new born and a pregnant women to use. These are luxury products made from the finest and organic products. These products generally include massage oil, stretch marks cream, foot and leg refresher and body wash.
Another brand by Jane Iredale was the first to provide the make-up industry with mineral based make-up products. The goodness of the minerals and the kind of benefits it gives the skin was first promoted by Jane Iredale. This skin care product comes heavily recommended by dermatologists as well as many plastic surgeons. Everybody wants to look beautiful and young forever. It is advisable to use products of good repute and does not cause any side effects rather than those that are cheap. Avoid the use of a product at the first sign of it not suiting the user. Finally, any product would require a minimum of six weeks to show its effects so, be patient, and try it out before changing it for another product.
Check out http://www.indulgeproductstore.com for exclusive product range!!
Source: Base Articles
Author: Jennifer Roy
Vegetable diet gives you daughters
They found that women could increase their chances of giving birth to a girl by consuming food with high levels of calcium and magnesium, such as green vegetables, in the weeks before conception.
Of a group of women who followed a diet drawn up by the researchers, 80 per cent went on to have daughters.
By contrast, foods rich in potassium and sodium – such as bananas and potatoes – would be likely to help women who want to have sons, although this has yet to be tested.
The researchers are convinced that following the right diet can help couples increase their chances of choosing the sex of their child, although they don’t know the exact role played by other factors such as the timing of conception.
They spent five years working with 172 couples, all of whom wanted to add girls to their families – between them they already had 358 sons and just two daughters.
Each began a diet rich in fruit, vegetables and rice in the nine weeks before they planned to attempt to conceive to increase the levels of calcium and magnesium in their bloodstream.
In addition, they were given daily tablets of the key minerals, had regular blood monitoring and had to learn asaccurately as possible their moment of peak fertility each month.
At the end of the trial, out of 32 couples who completed the programme, 26 mothers gave birth to girls and only six had boys.
"People now know that if they do everything we have suggested, their chances of having a girl will improve dramatically," the Daily Mail quoted Annet Noorlander, a biologist with firm Gender Consult, as saying.
"This method is experimental, but we have proved it works."
Her company carried out the research with teams from Delft and Maastricht universities.
The study has been reported in the journal Reproductive BioMedicine Online.(Online news pk)
Black rice bran reduces inflammation
Mendel Friedman and colleagues at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Western Regional Research Center in Albany, California conducted the research, which became the focus of the latest episode in the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) award-winning podcast series, "Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions".
In previous research as well, the group identified several potential health benefits from eating black rice bran.
Bran is the outer husk of the grain, which is removed during the processing of brown rice to produce the familiar white rice.
Those experiments, which were done in cell cultures, hinted that black rice bran suppressed the release of histamine, which causes inflammation.
The new research involved giving black rice bran to laboratory mice.
A diet consisting of 10 per cent black rice bran reduced inflammation associated with allergic contact dermatitis, a common type of skin irritation.(Online news pk)
Cheryl Cole waves at BBC Radio 1 studios
Cheryl Cole waves at photographers as she exits the BBC Radio 1 studios. Read more / Photos
Courtney Stodden rides her bike to the beach
Courtney Stodden rides her bike to the beach for some volleyball in LA. Read more / Photos
Best Fitted Plus Size lingerie for All Size Women
Wear plus size strapless bras, if you need something special and also buy some cacique bras
Panties are fun pieces to make a style. Make it beautiful if you are at a beach party. The choices are limitless, so find the fullest to the skimpiest meeting your taste.
Donning intimate apparel helps in giving a spice feel. Opt for luxurious silk lingerie and sensuous styles.
Plus size renaissance bodice can also be in leather.
A very essential thing to remember is even the best of the lingerie such as gorgeous night gown also does not look good without the right fit. Any full-figured woman should get the right fit and feel glad for getting right fit clothes. Best fitted plus size women’s lingerie give the effective shape to every women of all size. Her body looks awesome and that lady have much confidence with wearing fitting lingerie.
Take time to explore options and choose pieces you love. Plus Size Lingerie is available in great collections that treating one with a gorgeous lingerie piece make you feel fabulous. Best fitted plus size lingerie make your season bright, the only trick is to wear the right size and style
Tips to buy:
Plus size dresses are available in plenty and the clothing industry is focusing on plus sizes. With online shopping boom, buying best fit plus size lingerie has become truly convenient.
Lingerie is tricky clothing. You need to find matching undergarments and tights. However, do not buy skin tight undergarments, but get less clingy items. These tips may assist in buying best fit plus size lingerie
Shopping is a nerve-wracking experience, especially when you are looking for sexy plus size lingerie. But with online shopping you can do it conveniently without any sideways glances or whispered conversations.
Give importance to comfort and not tight lingerie. Be cautious in buying a bra or panties. Take care it is the right fit and not tight fit.
Black is again an ideal choice, but you can go for mixed colors.
Women with big boobs can prefer bright lacy bra creating a killer figure.
Silk fabric offers sensuous feel. However, wear breathable fabrics, but silk offers the desired fit.
Source: Base Articles
Author: Berry Desouza
Pantie Sniffing – Common Fetish Now Getting Popular As Well
It’s not only the importance of sexy lingerie that is making trends worldwide in last few years, fetish that has always been there but now more popularly talked about, panties sniffing fetish is also gaining a lot of audience. Thanks to social media and internet, people are now able to discuss their secret fantasies and fetishes more openly, freely and are also able to share their experiences and ideas. Sniffing dirty panties,wet panties, used panties is a kind of a fascination which provides ultimate pleasure if you have reached that level to be able to understand that intimate scent of women is intoxicating as well as arousing. Men love to sniff wet panties, dirty panties or used panties of woman they are attracted to as it helps in getting closer to that beauty sensually. The feel that you are touching something that has been touching her private parts and be able to smell that scent which she carries inside, is virtually more arousing then sex itself, if you know what it means.
There are forums and places online where women are also selling of their used panties and dirty panties for nominal amount. Having their used panties with yourself and sniffing those panties, gives that feel of being with her and virtually you can just visualize anything and to just any extent. For men, sniffing dirty panty, used panty or wet panty is a solid tool while masturbating and imagining the woman to whom it belongs is definitely going to increase the pleasure masturbation can provide. The world of sex is getting monotonous by every passing day and pantie sniffing fetish is just one more way to spice your relationship with your partner, increase that dying attraction or simply better your sex life and sex drive if you are single by adding more sensual pleasure. Pantie sniffing is a fetish which has been there for ages but has surfaced now, more openly than ever and for good.
Source: Base Articles
Author: Dirty Panty
A Closer Look At The Additional Benefits Of Cilest Pill
You are likely to experience withdrawal bleed during the break of seven days. It is not your normal period, but your body’s natural way to remove all the artificial hormones. Hence, the withdrawal bleed should not be confused with your usual period. Cilest UK can be taken by women who are above 18 years of age. However, you should only purchase a pack after it is prescribed to you by a licensed doctor. The common side effects which have been observed in majority of women after using Cilest UK can be listed as headache, nausea, breast tenderness, fluid retention, vaginal thrush, mood swings and changes in weight. You would not be recommended this birth control pill if you have had health complications such as circulation problems, heart problems, liver diseas or high blood pressure (hypertension). It is mandatory to mention your past and present health conditions or medications you are taking in your consultation with doctor. It will help the health care professional to suggest you another contraceptive which is more suitable to your body. You can buy this contraceptive pill from a registered online pharmacy after an online consultation with an authorized doctor. It is known for causing fewer side effects, but if any of the above mentioned side effects endure for a long time, seek medical attention.
Source: Base Articles
Author: Kelly Kites
Week by week pregnancy guide and pregnancy tips
All women like following their progress, and that of their unborn baby, through a week by week pregnancy guide.
Knowing approximately how big and how long your baby is at any given stage, or what features she has developed is quite thrilling.
A good online week by week pregnancy guide will also have useful pregnancy tips at every stage and mums-to be can see what is, or should be, happening to their body from conception through to giving birth.
Some pregnancy guides are split into three trimesters. Others are literally a week by week pregnancy guide and for women who like to keep up with every single tiny change that is happening, these are great fun to follow.
There’s also a serious side to them and women can be alerted to any possible problems by following the week by week pregnancy guides. For example knowing at what stage baby’s movements should be felt and knowing why we feel a certain way (and that it’s not unusual) can all help allay any fears an expectant mum may have.
Here are some of the best pregnancy tips you’ll find on manyweek by week pregnancyguides:
Take care of yourself
Try to eat healthy food, take any supplements prescribed by your GP, drink plenty of water (at least eight to 10 glasses a day) avoid caffeine, try to do without any alcohol and stop smoking.
Don’t overeat
Never think you can now eat for two. You can’t. Any overeating will mean you are gaining fat along with baby weight and it will be difficult to shift.
Style matters
These days there are great maternity fashions or you can adapt most of your wardrobe as ‘anything goes’, but you’ll feel better about yourself if you make some effort to look good.
Exercise
If you didn’t exercise before you were pregnant this is not the time to start working out. But some exercise is important for your general health and also can help reduce stress. Women who exercise – even moderately – during pregnancy have easier labours, recover more quickly from giving birth and can cope better with a demanding baby. At the very least try to walk for ten to twenty minutes every day at a moderate pace.
Sleep
Try to get at least eight hours of sleep a night and take naps during the day if you can. If you have young children take a nap when they do.
Care for your feet
Wear comfortable, non-restricting shoes and put your feet up several times a day to prevent swelling of the feet, legs, and ankles.
Let others help
Accept any help that is offered from those who are happy to help. And don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.
You know best
Learn to listen to and trust your body. The chances are you will know if something is wrong. If in any doubts see your GP.
Source: Base Articles
Author: Debra Aspinall
Knowing approximately how big and how long your baby is at any given stage, or what features she has developed is quite thrilling.
A good online week by week pregnancy guide will also have useful pregnancy tips at every stage and mums-to be can see what is, or should be, happening to their body from conception through to giving birth.
Some pregnancy guides are split into three trimesters. Others are literally a week by week pregnancy guide and for women who like to keep up with every single tiny change that is happening, these are great fun to follow.
There’s also a serious side to them and women can be alerted to any possible problems by following the week by week pregnancy guides. For example knowing at what stage baby’s movements should be felt and knowing why we feel a certain way (and that it’s not unusual) can all help allay any fears an expectant mum may have.
Here are some of the best pregnancy tips you’ll find on manyweek by week pregnancyguides:
Take care of yourself
Try to eat healthy food, take any supplements prescribed by your GP, drink plenty of water (at least eight to 10 glasses a day) avoid caffeine, try to do without any alcohol and stop smoking.
Don’t overeat
Never think you can now eat for two. You can’t. Any overeating will mean you are gaining fat along with baby weight and it will be difficult to shift.
Style matters
These days there are great maternity fashions or you can adapt most of your wardrobe as ‘anything goes’, but you’ll feel better about yourself if you make some effort to look good.
Exercise
If you didn’t exercise before you were pregnant this is not the time to start working out. But some exercise is important for your general health and also can help reduce stress. Women who exercise – even moderately – during pregnancy have easier labours, recover more quickly from giving birth and can cope better with a demanding baby. At the very least try to walk for ten to twenty minutes every day at a moderate pace.
Sleep
Try to get at least eight hours of sleep a night and take naps during the day if you can. If you have young children take a nap when they do.
Care for your feet
Wear comfortable, non-restricting shoes and put your feet up several times a day to prevent swelling of the feet, legs, and ankles.
Let others help
Accept any help that is offered from those who are happy to help. And don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.
You know best
Learn to listen to and trust your body. The chances are you will know if something is wrong. If in any doubts see your GP.
Source: Base Articles
Author: Debra Aspinall
Fertility drugs up leukaemia risk in kids
They found that children were 2.6 times more likely to become ill with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), the most common type of childhood leukaemia, if their mothers had been treated with ovary-stimulating drugs.
And the risk of suffering the rarer form of the disease, acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), increased by 2.3 times.
Children conceived naturally after their mothers waited more than a year to get pregnant had a 50 per cent greater-than-normal likelihood of developing ALL.
But no heightened risk of childhood leukaemia was associated either with in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) or artificial insemination, the Daily Mail reported.
The scientists cannot yet fully explain their findings, the first to show a specific link between use of fertility drugs and childhood leukaemia.
“It has always been hypothesised that assisted reproductive technologies may be involved in the onset of childhood cancer as they involve repeated treatment at the time of conception and or manipulation of the sperm and egg. And it is now established that a majority of acute leukaemia have a pre-natal (pre-birth) origin,” said study leader Dr Jeremie Rudant, from the Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health at the French research institute INSERM in Villejuif, Paris.
“The findings indicate that more research is now needed to investigate more closely the link between specific types of fertility drugs and what role the underlying causes of infertility may play in the potential development of childhood leukaemia,” Dr Rudant noted.
A total of 2,445 French children and their mothers took part in the study, comprising 764 children who had been diagnosed with leukaemia and 1,681 who were free of the disease.
Mothers were asked if they had taken more than a year to conceive a child, and questioned about the treatments they had received.
Use of fertility technology is increasing worldwide.
Despite a significant increase in risk, the actual number of children developing leukaemia after their mothers undergo fertility treatment remains very small.
ALL can affect children of any age but is most common between the ages of one and four. It is also more likely to affect boys than girls.
“Previous studies have suggested a link between infertility treatments and acute childhood leukaemia but there haven`t been many studies, most of them have been small and they focused either on IVF or hormonal treatment. Our study was much larger and it`s the first time that a specific increased risk linked to fertility drugs has been found,” Dr Rudant added.
The results were presented at the Childhood Cancer 2012 conference in London, hosted by the charity Children with Cancer UK.(Online news pk)
Vitamin E in diet `guards against many cancers`
ISLAMABAD: Two forms of vitamin E– gamma and delta-tocopherols – found in soybean, canola and corn oils as well as nuts do prevent colon, lung, breast and prostate cancers, according to a new study.The question of whether vitamin E prevents or promotes cancer has been widely debated in scientific journals and in the news media.
“There are studies suggesting that vitamin E actually increases the risk of cancer and decreases bone density,” said Chung S. Yang, director of the Center for Cancer Prevention Research, at Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey.
“Our message is that the vitamin E form of gamma-tocopherols, the most abundant form of vitamin E in the American diet, and delta-tocopherols, also found in vegetable oils, are beneficial in preventing cancers while the form of vitamin E, alpha- tocopherol, the most commonly used in vitamin E supplements, has no such benefit.”
Yang and colleagues, Nanjoo Suh and Ah-Ng Tony Kong discussed animal studies done at Rutgers as well as human epidemiological studies that have examined the connection between vitamin E and cancer.
Yang said Rutgers scientists conducting animal studies for colon, lung, breast and prostate cancer found that the forms of vitamin E in vegetable oils, gamma and delta-tocopherols, prevent cancer formation and growth in animal models.
“When animals are exposed to cancer-causing substances, the group that was fed these tocopherols in their diet had fewer and smaller tumors,” Yang said.
“When cancer cells were injected into mice these tocopherols also slowed down the development of tumors.”
In researching colon cancer, Yang pointed to another recently published paper that the delta-tocopherol form of vitamin E was more effective than other forms of vitamin E in suppressing the development of colon cancer in rats.
This is good news for cancer research. Recently, in one of the largest prostate cancer clinical trials in the United States and Canada, scientists found that the most commonly used form of vitamin E supplements, alpha-tocopherol, not only did not prevent prostate cancer, but its use significantly increased the risk of this disease among healthy men.
This is why, Yang insisted, it is important to distinguish between the different forms of vitamin E and conduct more research on its cancer preventive and other biological effects.
“For people who think that they need to take vitamin E supplements,” Yang said, “taking a mixture of vitamin E that resembles what is in our diet would be the most prudent supplement to take.”
The study has been published in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.(Online news pk)
Neem tree may hold clues for HIV treatment
Sonia Arora, an assistant professor at Kean University in New Jersey, is delving into understanding the curative properties of the neem tree in fighting the virus that causes AIDS.
Her preliminary results seem to indicate that there are compounds in neem extracts that target a protein essential for HIV to replicate. If further studies support her findings, Arora`s work may give clinicians and drug developers a new HIV-AIDS therapy to pursue.
Extracts from neem leaves, bark and flowers are used throughout the Indian subcontinent to fight against pathogenic bacteria and fungi.
“The farther you go into the villages of India, the more uses of neem you see,” said Arora.
Tree branches are used instead of toothpaste and toothbrushes to keep teeth and gums healthy, and neem extracts are used to control the spread of malaria.
Practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine, a form of traditional Indian alternative medicine, even prescribe neem extracts, in combination with other herbs, to treat cardiovascular diseases and control diabetes. The neem tree, whose species name is Azadirachta indica and which belongs to the mahogany family, also grows in east Africa.
Arora`s scientific training gave her expertise in the cellular biology of cancer, pharmacology, bioinformatics and structural biology.
When she established her laboratory with a new research direction at Kean University in 2008, Arora decided to combine her knowledge with her long-time fascination with natural products. The neem tree beckoned.
Arora dived into the scientific literature to see what was known about neem extracts. During the course of her reading, Arora stumbled across two reports that showed that when HIV-AIDS patients in Nigeria and India were given neem extracts, the amount of HIV particles in their blood dropped.
Intrigued, Arora decided to see if she could figure out what was in the neem extract that seemed to fight off the virus.
She turned to bioinformatics and structural biology to see what insights could be gleaned from making computer models of HIV proteins with compounds known to be in neem extracts.
From the literature, she and her students found 20 compounds present in various types of neem extracts. When they modelled these compounds against the proteins critical for the HIV life-cycle, Arora and her team discovered that most of the neem compounds attacked the HIV protease, a protein essential for making new copies of the virus.
Arora`s group is now working on test-tube experiments to see if the computer models hold up with actual samples.
If her work bears out, Arora is hopeful that the neem tree will give a cheaper and more accessible way to fight the HIV-AIDS epidemic in developing countries, where current therapies are priced at levels out of reach of many people.
“And, of course,” she noted, “there is the potential of discovering new drugs based on the molecules present in neem.” (ANI)
The finding was published in Nature Neuroscience and PNAS.(Online news pk)
Woman wins $1mn, twice in same lottery
BERRYVILLE, Virginia: A Virginia woman found out on April 7 she won $1 million in a lottery drawing. And then she won again.
Virginia Fike of Berryville, Virginia, had the good luck to buy not one but two lottery tickets from a truck stop that both turned out to be $1 million winners, matching five of the six Powerball numbers. Lottery officials presented her with a $2 million check on Friday.
Fike said she found out that she had won - and won again - while sitting in a hospital room with her mother, according to a statement distributed by the Virginia lottery.
"I saw a scroll on TV about there being two $1 million winners," she said. "I looked at my mom and said ‘Wouldn't it be funny if it was us?'"
She said she planned on using the money to "take care of my parents" and pay bills.
For selling the tickets, the lottery awarded a $20,000 bonus to the Olde Stone Truck Stop.
To win the full Powerball jackpot, which currently stands at $131 million, a ticket must match the numbers on all five white balls in the drawing, plus the red Powerball. The $1 million cash prize is awarded for a ticket that matches the five numbers on the white balls, in any order.
The odds of winning $1 million? One in 5,153,632.65. The drawing takes place every Wednesday and Saturday night.
"I just love the jackpot games and I play when I can afford it," Fike said in the statement. (Reuters)
Fike said she found out that she had won - and won again - while sitting in a hospital room with her mother, according to a statement distributed by the Virginia lottery.
"I saw a scroll on TV about there being two $1 million winners," she said. "I looked at my mom and said ‘Wouldn't it be funny if it was us?'"
She said she planned on using the money to "take care of my parents" and pay bills.
For selling the tickets, the lottery awarded a $20,000 bonus to the Olde Stone Truck Stop.
To win the full Powerball jackpot, which currently stands at $131 million, a ticket must match the numbers on all five white balls in the drawing, plus the red Powerball. The $1 million cash prize is awarded for a ticket that matches the five numbers on the white balls, in any order.
The odds of winning $1 million? One in 5,153,632.65. The drawing takes place every Wednesday and Saturday night.
"I just love the jackpot games and I play when I can afford it," Fike said in the statement. (Reuters)
Beyonce, People's most beautiful woman
The 30-year-old entertainer was awarded People's top spot after she and her rapper husband Jay-Z welcomed their first child, a daughter named Blue Ivy Carter, who was born in New York in January.
"I feel more beautiful than I've ever felt because I've given birth. I have never felt so connected, never felt like I had such a purpose on this earth," the singer told the magazine.
Beyonce topped the magazine's annual list and joined other women who have held the title including Michelle Pfeiffer, Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry, Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie and last year's winner Jennifer Lopez.
The former Destiny's Child singer, who married Jay-Z in 2008, is preparing for her first post-baby concert in Atlantic City, New Jersey next month. (Reuters)
China shuts 'rumour' blogs in crackdown
The move followed a broad crackdown on the Internet after rising political star Bo Xilai's downfall in March, sparking a series of online rumours, including one suggesting his supporters had staged a coup.
Chinese Internet giant Sina said late Tuesday it had closed down four "weibo" accounts, China's equivalent to Twitter, including one held by the writer Li Delin, whose postings about military vehicles in Beijing sparked the coup rumours.
A posting by a friend on Wednesday claimed Li had disappeared.
"Recently, some lawbreakers have made use of weibo to without reason fabricate and spread malicious political rumours, producing a bad influence on society," Sina said in an announcement to its more than 300 million users.
It added the four cases had been handed over to the police for handling "under the law".
Other accounts, which did not use real names, included "Yangguang De Yuanshi" who has posted about the Bo scandal and "Guangzhou Wu Guancong" who has called for officials to make public their earnings.
The fourth was "Long Yi Tian-945", Sina said. None of them could be immediately reached for comment.
Bo was removed as the Communist Party chief of Chongqing after his former police chief fled to a US consulate and reportedly demanded political asylum.
Authorities later stripped Bo of his elite party position and placed his wife under investigation for the murder of a British national.
China last month closed 16 websites and made a string of arrests for spreading the coup rumours. Sina itself halted microblog users from commenting on other people's posts for three days along with another operator, Tencent.
The government has also shut two political websites sympathetic to Bo which said they had been ordered to temporarily close after they "maliciously attacked state leaders" and gave "absurd views" about politics.
In its announcement, Sina urged users to obey Chinese law. (AFP)
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