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New Earth Quake Research Conducted

Admin — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 09:07:12 +0000

According to the latest news, an expedition is getting under way in the South Pacific to investigate one of the most seismically-active fault lines in the world. Researchers are planning to study the Tonga Trench – a deep feature where the Pacific tectonic plate is being forced under the Indo-Australian plate. The island nation of Tonga is regularly hit by tremors – most recently a 6.4 magnitude quake offshore last month. The research expedition will last about one month.

The focus of the study will be an unusual zone on the seabed where undersea volcanoes are being dragged into the fault. Scientists want a better understanding of how the submarine mountains affect the likelihood of earthquakes. The volcanoes lie on the 4,000km-long Louisville Ridge and either act as a brake on the Pacific plate – or intensify the quakes which follow. The area where they are pulled into the seabed suffers relatively fewer tremors than other stretches of the fault line.

The study – funded by Britain’s Natural Environment Research Council (Nerc) – will carry out surveys and develop 3D models during seven transits of the region. One of the lead scientists on the expedition, Professor Tony Watts of Oxford University, told: “We want to know whether subducted seamounts are holding up earthquakes or whether they cause earthquakes. This is important to find out so that we can learn what controls earthquakes and make better assessments about where they may occur in the future.”

According to Professor Watts, more data is needed on the deep structure of the Tonga Trench to understand the forces at work. “We need to know whether the seamounts are more or less intact as they are carried into the trench or have been damaged or decapitated. If we find that there is a link between seamounts and earthquakes then imaging of the seafloor will put us in a much better position to understand future quakes and tsunamis.”

Cell Phones Affect Brain Waves, Study Says

Admin — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 02:30:19 +0000

According to the recent study by the National Institutes of Health in the US suggests that mobile phones could have an effect on the brain. They reported higher sugar use in the brain, a sign of increased activity, after 50 minutes on the phone. The research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association said the clinical significance was unknown.

Experts in the UK said there was no suggestion of a health risk. Since the boom in mobile phone use, there has been considerable interest in the effect on the body. The largest study on 420,000 mobile phone users in Denmark, has not shown a link between phone use and cancer. This small study on 47 people investigated the effect of magnetic fields (RF-EMFs) coming from a phone’s antenna. It suggests that brain activity is affected, but cannot draw any conclusions about possible health implications.

Mobile phones were attached to both ears of each participant. One phone was off, the another was on but muted so the person could not tell the difference. Their brains were then scanned to detect changes in glucose use, which increased by 7% in parts of the brain close to the antenna.

The researchers conclude that “the human brain is sensitive to the effects of RF-EMFs from acute cell phone exposures. However, these results proved no information as to their relevance regarding potential carcinogenic effects, or lack of such effects. The implications for health remain unclear. Much larger fluctuations in brain metabolic rate occur naturally, for example during thinking.

However, if further studies confirm that mobile phone signals do have direct effects on brain metabolism, then it will be important to investigate whether such effects have implications for health. More work is required to establish any possible link between RF energy deposition in the brain and a consequential health risk. It is reasonable to assume that the small increase in metabolism results from a deposition of energy, which may result in turn from local temperature changes or perhaps magnetic or electrical stimulation that does not involve heat at all.

Study finds daily aspirin cuts cancer risks

Admin — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 01:39:58 +0000

According to the latest research, a small daily dose of aspirin – 75mg – substantially reduces death rates from a range of common cancers. Oxford University research and other centers found that it cut overall cancer deaths by at least a fifth.

Experts say the findings show aspirin’s benefits often outweighed its associated risk of causing bleeding. Aspirin is already known to cut the risk of heart attack and stroke among those at increased risk. But the protective effects against cardiovascular disease are thought to be small for healthy adults, and aspirin increases the risks of stomach and gut bleeds.

However, this latest research shows that when weighing up the risks and benefits of taking aspirin, experts should also consider its protective effect against cancer. Those patients who were given aspirin had a 25% lower risk of death from cancer during the trial period and a 10% reduction in death from any cause compared to patients who were not given the drug.

Study shows: Brain Difference in Smokers

Admin — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:03:32 +0000

There is certain area of the cerebral cortex that thinner in smokers than in people who have never smoked, finds a new study. The cerebral cortex is an area of the brain that plays an important role in reward, impulse control and decision making.

German researchers obtained high-resolution 3-D images of the brain structures of 22 smokers and 21 people who never smoked. Using these images, the scientists calculated the thickness of the cerebral cortex in each participant. On average, smokers had a thinner medial orbito-frontal cortex than nonsmokers. The thickness of this region decreased in relation to heavier daily consumption of cigarettes and the number of years a person had been a smoker.

However, a direct cause-and-effect isn’t clear, said the team at the Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin and of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), the German National Metrology Institute. They said further research is needed to determine whether smoking causes this region of the brain to become thinner or whether people who have a thinner cortex region by nature are more likely to become smokers.

Happiness is Contagious?

Admin — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 05:19:55 +0000

Often times when your friends are happy, you’re happy too. But what about your next-door neighbor—can his happiness rub off on you? A new study says yes. Using data from the comprehensive Framingham Heart Study, analyzed the happiness and social networks of 4,739 people from 1983 to 2003. After figuring out how everyone was related, the researchers looked at participants’ answers to four questions on a commonly used depression index. They found patterns of happiness among groups of friends, spouses, family members, and neighbors.

Unpredictably, an individual’s happiness was influenced by that of the people around her. But the study, published in the British Medical Journal, also revealed that the subjects were affected by the happiness of people who were as many as three degrees removed from them. These findings show that if you have a happy friend, you’re 15% more likely to be happy. But if a friend of a friend of a friend is happy, your chances of being happy are still about 6% greater than they would be otherwise. In other words, your friend’s buddy—even if he’s a stranger to you—may have a significant effect on your outlook on life.

“We’ve known for some time that social relationships are the best predictor of human happiness, and this paper shows that the effect is much more powerful than anyone realized,” says Daniel Gilbert, PhD, a professor of psychology at Harvard University.

Sperm Gene Originated 600 Million Years

Admin — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 19:30:44 +0000

According to a new study, a gene responsible for sperm production is so vital that its function has remained unaltered throughout evolution and is found in almost all animals. The results suggest the ability to produce sperm originated 600 million years ago. The gene, called Boule, appears to be the only gene known to be exclusively required for sperm production in animals ranging from an insect to a mammal.

The discovery of Boule’s key role in perpetuating animal species offers a better understanding of male infertility, a potential target for a male contraceptive drug, and a new direction for future development of pesticides or medicine to fight infectious parasites.

Prior to the new discovery, scientists didn’t know whether sperm produced by various animal species came from the same prototype. In many evolution scenarios, things develop independently. As an example, birds and insects both fly, but the wings of each originated and evolved completely independently.

Researchers discovered the presence of the Boule gene in sperm across different evolutionary lines: human, mammal, fish, insect, worm and marine invertebrate. The search required sperm from a sea urchin, a rooster, a fruit fly, a human and a fish. The findings were unexpected because many sex-specific genes, including other genes involved in sperm production, are usually under evolutionary pressure to change.

“It’s really surprising because sperm production gets pounded by natural selection,” researcher said. “It tends to change due to strong selective pressures for sperm-specific genes to evolve. There is extra pressure to be a super male to improve reproductive success. This is the one sex-specific element that didn’t change across species. This must be so important that it can’t change.”

Creating Harmonious Home with Feng Shui

Admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 03:39:45 +0000

If you’re like many of us, you’ve heard about Feng Shui in all kinds of instances but most often in terms of someone decorating their home. It’s actually kind of funny that this has become such a runaway success, especially when most people who are talking about it really know as little about it as you do.

The term Feng Shui literally means wind and water. Not really decorating terms. At least they weren’t until recently. Suddenly almost every home has some sort of water feature either inside, outside or both and wind chimes and pinwheels as well. In fact sales on those items have probably reached record proportions at some point in time over the last few years. Feng Shui is about arranging items in your environment in a specific manner in order to achieve a harmonious surrounding.

It sounds really complicated and yet when you think about, it makes perfect sense. Clutter causes chaos. A clean environment enhances peaceful thoughts. Colors affect mood, it makes sense to surround yourself in colors that will ‘boost’ (for lack of a better word) the mood or tone of the space they occupy. More importantly than anything, you want to be comfortable in your home. You want your home to represent you, to be an accurate representation of you, to be your oasis from the chaos of the world outside your home. Feng Shui can help you achieve the balance and harmony that is lacking in the world outside your home.

women socializing with female friends live longer

Admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:39:33 +0000

A new study indicate, that women who spend more time socializing with female friends are less likely to feel stress and have health issues later in life. Researchers at the University of California have established a clear connection between the time spent with friends, engaging in fun activities, and overall health past a certain age, Daily Mail informs.

The benefits of friendship and sincere bonding are more obvious in women, researchers point out. “Females who formed stronger bonds with their mothers and adult daughters experienced higher offspring survival rates.” Dr. Joan Silk of the University of California says of the findings in baboons. However, this also applies to humans, especially in the context in which previous research has established there is a very strong connection between friendship and joy, and stress management on the other hand.

“Being able to connect with women on various emotional levels can assist in lowering blood pressure, heart rate and cholesterol. And since stress wreaks havoc on blood glucose levels, healing, bone density and the aging process, friends are able to counteract its detrimental effects as indicated in a Harvard Medical School Nurse’s Health Study. The more friends a woman has, the less likely she is to develop health problems as she becomes older. Therefore, more friends equal more joy.” Dr. Silk further explains.

Study Link Stress and Heart Inflammation

Admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:06:43 +0000

A number of studies have linked stress, job strain, and general demoralization to a greater risk for heart disease, though the relationship is less causal than other lifestyle factors, like smoking.

Stress triggers an increase of cortisol, a “stress hormone,” which can raise blood-sugar levels and blood pressure. The overproduction of cortisol can lead to a constant state of chemical arousal, which can eventually cause a heart attack.

One study of Belgian workers found that those who reported feeling they had little control of their work life had increased levels of markers of inflammation such as C-reactive protein and fibrinogen, which are linked to heart disease. Protecting your heart doesn’t always require stress reduction, rather, you need a plan of action when the stressful situation presents itself.

becoming more of a hubby

Admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:39:39 +0000

Once again, I find myself looking at the different gold coins in the web. Wifey said that it is becoming more of a hubby than just plainly looking around. What can I do, I’m like many other people who are fascinated with the beauty and magic of gold, and with its power to change men’s lives. But, it’s actually more than that as I’m interested in having an investment in the future.

As an investment product, gold is available in coin or ingot form. Ingots are generally gold ingots of pure bullion cast in a convenient size and shape. Coins have a currency value or they are actually defined as ingots.

With United States Gold Bureau you can purchase silver, gold or other precious metals and coins for immediate personal delivery or arrange for convenient and safe storage at an independent bank or depository. It is home to a large and dedicated staff of hard asset professionals committed to serving your precious metals investment needs. And, it is America’s best dealer with a convenient market and competitive precious metals prices.