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Surviving on Mumbai's Streets

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9-year-old Barsati steps onto a tightrope nearly six feet above a Mumbai street with a bronze pot balanced on her head and a painted bamboo pole in her hands. Her mid-air performance varies -- sometimes barefooted, sometimes in flip flops, sometimes walking inside a wheel or with a plate beneath one foot. But each time, her aunt thumps rapidly on a drum and draws in curious passers-by. Indians on their way to work or tourists filming the spectacle with ...

Book Claims Steve Jobs Had No Interest in Developing Apple TV

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A new book detailing life at Apple after Steve Jobs claims that the co-founder had no interest in developing a TV set. A new book that focuses largely on Apple under current CEO Tim Cook, titled Haunted Empire: Apple after Steve Jobs, has a passage that seeks to dispel the myth that it was Jobs who had first pioneered the idea of an Apple-made television set. According to The Verge, ex-Wall Street Journal reporter Yukari Kane has written in his book ...

Researchers Develop Way to Reduce Fats in Desserts Without Compromising on Their Flavors

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In what could prove to be a major boon for thousands of dieters worldwide, researchers may have found a way to reduce fats in desserts without compromising on their flavor, texture or appearance. The key to developing new, better-tasting, more eye-appealing and creamier reduced-fat sauces, desserts and salad dressings could lie in adjusting their calcium and acidity levels, according to a new study. The study was conducted as part of the 247th National ...

Over (Dollar) 1.33 Billion Spent Annually on Hospital Charges for Depressed Kids

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A new study conducted by researchers at UCSF Benioff Children''s Hospital reveals that more than (Dollar) 1.33 billion is spent annually on hospital charges for children who are hospitalized with depression, with the researchers adding that 10 percent of children who are hospitalized have a primary diagnosis of a mental health condition. The study is the first to examine frequency and costs associated with specific inpatient mental health diagnoses for children, and is ...

Majority of Parents Display Infant Feeding Practices Linked With Increased Child Obesity Risk

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A new study has found that majority of the parents displayed some infant feeding and activity behaviors that have been linked with an increased risk of the obesity in the child later in life. The study found that many of these "obesogenic" behaviors were highly prevalent among all of the parents, regardless of their race or ethnicity. Black parents were more likely to put children to bed with a bottle and report TV watching, while Hispanic parents were more likely ...

Paris Introduces Alternative Driving Days for Cars in Order to Curb Rising Pollution Levels

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With rising levels of pollution in Paris, the city has come up with a drastic method of curbing the pollution levels by introducing alternate driving days depending on the vehicle number, a move that could see thousands of cars go off the streets on Monday. The radical move will see around 700 police officers deployed to man 60 checkpoints around the French capital to ensure that only cars with number plates ending in odd numbers are out on the streets. Parking ...

Greener and Safer Alternative to BPA Developed from Waste Product of Making Paper

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Researchers have developed a greener alternative to the potentially harmful chemical BPA by making use of the waste product derived from making paper. Scientists made the BPA alternative from lignin, the compound that gives wood its strength, and they say it could be ready for the market within five years. They described the research here today in one of the more than 10,000 presentations at the 247th National Meeting (and) Exposition of the American Chemical ...

Just One in Four People Infected With Seasonal and Pandemic Flu Displayed Symptoms

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A new study published in the journal The Lancet Respiratory Medicine reveals that though 20 percent of the population was infected with both flu and the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, less than a quarter of them displayed symptoms while just over 17 percent were ill enough to consult a doctor. "Reported cases of influenza represent the tip of a large clinical and subclinical iceberg that is mainly invisible to national surveillance systems that only record cases ...

Researchers Develop Hi-Tech Components That can Clean Water With Sunlight

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Researchers have developed hi-tech materials that can rid the water of pharmaceuticals, pesticides and other potentially harmful pollutants with the help of sunlight, which could prove to be a major boon for rural areas and in developing countries. The talk was one of more than 10,000 presentations at the 247th National Meeting (and) Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society, taking place here through Thursday. Anne ...

Tripura Continues to Lead in Voluntary Blood Donation

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Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar revealed that his state continues to be in the lead in voluntary blood donation in the country for a sixth consecutive year. "Of the total requirement of blood during the current financial year (2013-14), 99 percent was collected through voluntary donation till last month. With the end of the year (financial year) in March, it would be 100 percent," Sarkar said at a blood donation camp organised by the Agartala Press Club. He ...

Being in a Relationship Helps Women Reach Orgasm Easily

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Women who are in a committed relationship were more easily able to reach orgasm compared those who hooked up simply for sex, a new study reveals. A new survey, conducted on over 13,000 women, also found that a woman's chances of having an orgasm increases during a hook-up if she has slept with the same guy many times, the Huffington Post reported. The findings also showed that the odds of having an orgasm when the female wanted a relationship with the ...

Study Hopes to Discover Reason Behind Babies' Laugh

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A team of British scientists is conducting a large scale study that hopes to discover why a baby laughs. The study, conducted at Birkbeck University's Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, have received answers about children and their behavior from nearly 1,500 parents, the Daily Star reported. Dr Caspar Addyman said that understanding babies would help them understand adults and as babies are "little scientists" who are discovering the world, ...

9-Year-Old British Girl Who Saved Her Father's Life Wins Bravery Award

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A 9-year old British girl who saved her father's life by kick starting his heart when it stopped beating has been presented with an 'outstanding bravery' award. Izzy McCarron told the Matlock Mercury that she tried performing a CPR on her father, Colm, when he collapsed after suffering a mystery allergic reaction, but her hands were not strong enough, Metro.co.uk reported. McCarron said that she kicked her dad really hard because that's all she could ...

Craft Beer Revolution Hops Along in Hong Kong

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When Rohit Dugar moved to Hong Kong from New York three years ago, he realized that he did not like any of the beer there; hence, he decided to make his own. He quit his job at Goldman Sachs and late last year opened his own microbrewery, Young Master Ales. In doing so, the 34-year-old from New Delhi and his brewmaster partner Ulrich Altbauer joined a growing number of "craft" beer makers ?- small volume, independent breweries ?- aiming to save Hong ...

Massage With Warm Coconut Oil can Protect Your Hair from Harmful Colors This Holi

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Tying up your hair or having a pre-Holi massage with warm coconut oil are some of the simple tips that can protect your hair from the harmful colors this Holi. Celebrity hairstylist Asgar Saboo has a few simple precautionary steps to suggest so that you can enjoy the festivity to the hilt - and keep your locks damage-free. Here are some tips: - Pre-Holi haircare: * Before you spray on any colours, ensure that you have oiled your ...

Healthcare Deadline is Now Imminent

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The deadline to sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act is March 31st, after this a person can only sign up in November 2014. Kathleen Sebelius is secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, she states that many people are surprised at how affordable health care has actually become - as an American can now be covered for health insurance for less than (Dollar) 100 a month in some cases. A person can sign up on the Healthcare.gov ...

Longing for Life Before Stroke can Contribute to Fatigue in Stroke Patients

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One of the major reasons for stroke patients experiencing fatigue could be their longing to return to the life that they led before the stroke, a new study reveals. "Having a stroke can be a devastating experience, and those affected by one often feel that their lives are turned upside down. For many patients, life after a stroke is therefore about reestablishing life as it was before the stroke. But this is very rarely possible and thus a source of frustration ...

High Rate of Strokes in Kerala Underline Need for Setting Up of Rehab Centers

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A leading stroke expert has underlined the need for establishing rehabilitation centers for stroke patients in Kerala where the rising rates of the disease is almost on par with developed countries. Developed countries have a system where stroke patients are sent straight from hospital to rehabilitation centres. "Such an intervention, especially in the first month after the stroke, is very important for the recovery of the patient," said Canada-based ...

Exercise Cuts Flu Risk

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Vigorous exercise reduces flu or flu-like illness by around 10 percent, reveals expert. Taking part in vigorous exercise such as running, rapid cycling or rugby cuts the risk of catching flu. More gentle pursuits such as walking or light jogging were found to have little effect. Experts at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine examined data from its online flu study, Flusurvey. They found overall flu levels ...

Adrenal Gland Disorders

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Adrenal gland disorders arise when the adrenal glands do not work properly. Adrenals may produce too much hormones or too little hormones.

For Safe Holi, Make Natural Colors at Home

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For a safe and an affordable Holi make colors at home using natural ingredients like flowers, fruits and vegetables. Here are some easy ways to make homemade colors for Holi: * Yellow: Mix two teaspoons of turmeric powder with double the quantity of besan (gram flour) to make gulal while flowers like marigold, amaltas and black babul can be crushed and mixed with water for a yellow-colored paste. * Green: Mix mehendi (henna) with ...

DNA Damage and Potential Cancer Due to Major 'Third-Hand Smoke' Compound

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Leftover cigarette smoke could pose a very serious threat by clinging to walls, furniture and objects, and especially to young children who put toys and other smoke-affected items into their mouths. Scientists reported today that one compound from this "third-hand smoke," which forms when second-hand smoke reacts with indoor air, damages DNA and sticks to it in a way that could potentially cause cancer. Their talk was one of more than 10,000 presentations at the ...

Is Cancer Therapy too Targeted?

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Two novel cancer genes that are associated with the development of a rare, highly aggressive cancer of blood vessels, have been identified by researchers. These genes may now act as markers for future treatments and explain why narrowly targeted therapies that are directed at just one target fail. Angiosarcoma is a rare cancer of blood vessels. It occurs either spontaneously or can appear after radiotherapy treatment. Although quite rare, with approximately 100 ...

A Sweet Way of Plants to Attract Pollinators With Nectar

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Sexual reproduction is key to creating a diverse population that secures competitiveness in nature, and evolution is based on this diversity. Plants as largely immobile organisms had to solve a problem: they needed to find ways to spread their genetic material beyond individual flowers. To make sure that flying pollinators such as insects, birds and bats come to the flowers to pick up pollen, plants evolved special organs, the nectaries, to attract and reward the animals. Scientists ...

Small-RNA Pathway That Defends Genome Against the Enemy Within Identified by scientists

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The egg and the sperm, or the reproductive cells, join to form stem cells that mature into any type of tissue. But how do reproductive cells arise? We humans are born with all of the reproductive cells that we will ever produce. But in plants things are very different. They first generate mature, adult cells and only later "reprogram" some of them to produce eggs and sperm. For a plant to create reproductive cells, it must first erase a key code, a series of tags ...

Expert Says Missing Malaysian Jet Could be 'First Cyber-hijack' Using Mobile Phone

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Ill-fated Malaysia Airline passenger jet could have been hijacked using a mobile phone or a USB stick, says expert. A former scientific adviser in Britain's Home Office, Dr Sally Leivesley, opined that it might well be the world's first 'cyber hijack'. According to news.com.au, the expert said that with new data emerging it was more likely that the control of some systems was taken over in a deceptive manner, either manually by someone sitting ...

Tequila Plant Helps Reduce Blood Sugar, Weight

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Tequila plant sweetener could lower blood glucose levels for people who have type 2 diabetes and help them and the obese lose weight, reveals research. The main reason it could be valuable, they explained, is that agavins, a natural form of sugar found in the agave plant, are non-digestible and can act as a dietary fiber, so they would not raise blood glucose. Their report was part of the 247th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the ...

A New Gene Linked to Key Heart Attack Risk Factor Unfolded in a Novel Gene-Finding Approach

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A previously unrecognized gene variation that makes humans have healthier blood lipid levels and reduced risk of heart attacks has been unraveled by scientists, opening up avenues to using this knowledge in testing or treatment of high cholesterol and other lipid disorders. But even more significant is how they found the gene, which had been hiding in plain sight in previous hunts for genes that influence cardiovascular risk. This region of DNA where ...

Coffee Prices Froth Up With Brazil Drought

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Drought in top coffee producer Brazil has sparked fears of global shortfall of coffee this year, sending the price of the morning caffeine beans soaring up. Coffee prices hit their highest point in two years in New York, with Arabica beans due for delivery in May fetching 203.75 cents per pound, more than double that of the 100.95 cents per pound in November. The worst drought to hit Brazil in decades has sparked fears that the crop in the world's top ...

El Greco Welcomed Back to Toledo

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The master painter El Greco is now welcomed back in the Spanish city of Toledo- his vivid works returning from around the world to his adopted city. Organisers billed it as "one of the most important" shows ever curated of the Greek-born painter who made the Spanish city his home. He is known for stirring religious scenes such as "The Burial of the Count of Orgaz" -- a particular gem that cannot leave the Santo Tome church in Toledo since it is too big. ...

Belgian Monks and Their Trappist Beer

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Under pressure to change as per the demand of high quality home-brewed beer, Trappist monks, who were living a life of contemplation, now find themselves in the spotlight. But change does not come easily. This is a small, declining community of just 13 monks of the Cistercian Order, which was founded in France at the end of the 11th century on a commitment to "Pray and Work," to focus on the spiritual, not the material world. Traditionally ...

Racial Disparity in Childbirth More Environmental Than Genetic

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A new study shows that contrary to some theories Vitamin D is unlikely to play a role in differences in preterm birth and low birth weight between African-Americans and whites. The study is investigating racial disparities in birth outcomes. "For years there has been this hypothesis that African-Americans have worse birth outcomes because they have more melanin in their skin which reflects the sun and therefore lowers levels of Vitamin D," said study author Zaneta ...

Oral Pain Reliever Developed from Debilitating Snail Venom

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At least five new experimental substances based on a tiny protein found in cone snail venom have been created by scientists that could lead to the development of safe and effective oral medications for treatment of chronic nerve pain. They say the substances could potentially be stronger than morphine, with fewer side effects and lower risk of abuse. "This is an important incremental step that could serve as the blueprint for the development of a whole new class ...

A New, Sweet Approach to Fight Antibiotic Resistance With Honey

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The serious, ever-growing problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics can now be overcome with honey, the sweet, delectable condiment used with breads and fruits, say researchers today. Medical professionals sometimes use honey successfully as a topical dressing, but it could play a larger role in fighting infections, the researchers predicted. Their study was part of the 247th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific ...

Snail Venom Reduces Pain in Early Lab Trial

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An experimental drug made from snail venom raises hopes in the hunt for new, non-addictive medications for numbing pain in early clinical trials, said researchers on Sunday. The drug, which has not been tested yet on humans, was judged to be about 100 times more potent than morphine or gabapentin, which are currently considered the gold standard for chronic nerve pain. The active ingredient, conotoxin, comes from carnivorous cone snails, which are common ...

Diet Trends Must Not be Followed Blindly: Experts

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The research on persons following diet trends blindly suggested that middle age people who are on high-protein diet are at a greater risk of dying from cancer, and many people believed that they should totally exclude protein from their diets to avoid cancer. Associate professor and head of the human nutrition department at Kansas State University, Mark Haub, said that the problem is when the headlines come across in social media, they allude to cause and effect. ...

Post-holi Hair Care

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One of the after-effects of enjoying holi is that you need to protect your hair from the havoc brought on by the gulal-filled festival. Trichologist Dr Sonal Shah of Richfeel said that repeated shampooing does more harm as it dries out your scalp and hair completely. Richfeel advises that people should wash off their hair with plain water so that most of the colour comes off and then wash immediately with a mild shampoo and conditioner. Then, ...

Hemp Flour and Decaffeinated Green Tea Leaves Used to Make Gluten-free Crackers

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Hemp flour, a by-product of cold-pressed hemp oil, can be combined with decaffeinated green tea leaves and used to develop a gluten-free snack cracker with functional properties, found researchers. A team of food scientists from University of Novi Sad in Serbia and Guelph Food Research Centre in Canada found that hemp flour, a by-product of cold-pressed hemp oil, in combination with decaffeinated green tea leaves could be used to develop a gluten-free snack cracker ...

Catching a Yawn Linked to Age: Study

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Yawning is linked to a person's age, reveals new study. According to scientists, contagious yawning is linked more closely to a person's age than their ability to empathise, as previously thought. It also showed a stronger link to age than tiredness or energy levels, a BBC report said. The study, involving 328 participants and led by Elizabeth Cirulli, assistant professor of medicine at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, US has been published ...