Health Tips

Physicists in Arizona State University have designed a laser technique Treatment which can destroy viruses and bacteria such as AIDS without damaging human cells and may also help reduce the spread of hospital infections such as MRSA.

Current UV treatment can cause ageing of the skin, damage to the DNA or skin cancer and are not very effective.

Femtosecond laser pulses, through a process called Impulsive Stimulated Raman Scattering (ISRS), produces lethal vibrations in the protein coat of microorganisms - destroying them. You can compare this effect to the high-pitched noise that shatters glass.

The physicists in Arizona have undertaken experiments to show that the vibrations excited by infrared lasers with carefully selected wavelengths and pulse widths do no damage to human cells, most likely because of the different structural compositions in the protein coats of human cells vis a vis bacteria and viruses.

So it looks like we will have a cure for AIDS and many other diseases and illnesses very soon.

From Theengineer

Asbestos is a group of minerals with long, thin fibrous crystals. The word "asbestos" is derived from a Greek adjective meaning inextinguishable. The Greeks termed asbestos the "miracle mineral" because of its soft and pliant properties, as well as its ability to withstand heat. Asbestos became increasingly popular among manufacturers and builders in the late 19th century due to its resistance to heat, electricity and chemical damage, its sound absorption and tensile strength. When asbestos is used for its resistance to fire or heat, the fibers are often mixed with cement or woven into fabric or mats. Asbestos is used in brake shoes and gaskets for its heat resistance, and in the past was used on electric oven and hotplate wiring for its electrical insulation at elevated temperature, and in buildings for its flame-retardant and insulating properties, tensile strength, flexibility, and resistance to chemicals.

This "miracle material" is now known to be highly toxic. The inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause serious illnesses, including mesothelioma and asbestosis. Since the mid 1980s, many uses of asbestos have been banned in many countries.

Types and associated fibres

Six minerals are defined as "asbestos" including: chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, anthophyllite and actinolite.

White

Chrysotile, CAS No. 12001-29-5, is obtained from serpentine rocks which are common throughout the world. Chrysotile fibers are curly as opposed to fibers from amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, actinolite, and anthophyllite which are needlelike.^[1] Chrysotile, along with other types of asbestos, has been banned in dozens of countries and is only allowed in the United States and Europe in very limited circumstances. Chrysotile has been used more than any other type and accounts for about 95% of the asbestos found in buildings in America.^[2] Applications where chrysotile might be used include the use of joint compound. It is more flexible than amphibole types of asbestos; it can be spun and woven into fabric. The most common use is within corrugated asbestos cement roof sheets typically used for outbuildings, warehouses and garages. It is also found as flat sheets used for ceilings and sometimes for walls. Numerous other items have been made containing chrysotile including brake linings, cloth behind fuses (for fire protection), pipe insulation, in floor tiles and in rope seals to boilers.^{[citation needed]}

Mg3[Si2O5](OH)4

Brown

Amosite, CAS No. 12172-73-5, is a trade name for the amphiboles belonging to the Cummingtonite - Grunerite solid solution series, commonly from Africa, named as an acronym from Asbestos Mines of South Africa. One formula given for amosite is Fe₇Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂. It is found most frequently as a fire retardant in thermal insulation products and ceiling tiles.^[2]

Blue

Crocidolite, CAS No. 12001-28-4 is an amphibole found primarily in southern Africa, but also in Australia. It is the fibrous form of the amphibole riebeckite. One formula given for crocidolite is Na₂Fe²⁺₃Fe³⁺₂Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂. Notes: chrysotile commonly occurs as soft friable fibers. Asbestiform amphibole may also occur as soft friable fibers but some varieties such as amosite are commonly straighter. All forms of asbestos are fibrillar in that they are composed of fibers with widths less than 1 micrometer that occur in bundles and have very long lengths. Asbestos with particularly fine fibers is also referred to as "amianthus". Amphiboles such as tremolite have a crystal structure containing strongly bonded ribbonlike silicate anion polymers that extend the length of the crystal. Serpentine (chrysotile) has a sheetlike silicate anion which is curved and which rolls up like a carpet to form the fiber.^[3]

Other materials

Other regulated asbestos minerals, such as tremolite asbestos, CAS No. 77536-68-6, Ca₂Mg₅Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂; actinolite asbestos (or smaragdite), CAS No. 77536-66-4, Ca₂(Mg, Fe)₅(Si₈O₂₂)(OH)₂; and anthophyllite asbestos, CAS No. 77536-67-5, (Mg, Fe)₇Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂; are less commonly used industrially but can still be found in a variety of construction materials and insulation materials and have been reported in the past to occur in a few consumer products.

Other natural and not currently regulated asbestiform minerals, such as richterite, Na(CaNa)(Mg, Fe⁺⁺)₅(Si₈O₂₂)(OH)₂, and winchite, (CaNa)Mg₄(Al, Fe³⁺)(Si₈O₂₂)(OH)₂, may be found as a contaminant in products such as the vermiculite containing zonolite insulation manufactured by W.R. Grace and Company. These minerals are thought to be no less harmful than tremolite, amosite, or crocidolite, but since they are not regulated, they are referred to as "asbestiform" rather than asbestos although may still be related to diseases and hazardous.

Production trends

In 2005, 2.2 million tons of asbestos were mined worldwide. Russia was the largest producer with about 40% world share followed by China and Kazakhstan

Health issues

Chrysotile asbestos, like all other forms of industrial asbestos, has produced tumors in animals. Mesotheliomas have been observed in people who were occupationally exposed to chrysotile, family members of the occupationally exposed, and residents who lived close to asbestos factories and mines. Brown asbestos, like all asbestos, is hazardous. Blue asbestos is commonly thought of as the most dangerous type of asbestos. Tremolite often contaminates chrysotile asbestos, thus creating an additional hazard.

Asbestos exposure becomes a health concern when high concentrations of asbestos fibers are inhaled over a long time period. People who become ill from asbestos are almost always those who are exposed on a day-to-day basis in a job where they work directly with the material. As a person's exposure to fibers increases, either by breathing more fibers or by breathing fibers for a longer time, that person's risk of disease also increases. Disease is very unlikely to result from a single, high-level exposure, or from a short period of exposure to lower levels.

Other asbestos-related diseases

• Asbestos warts – caused when the sharp fibers lodge in the skin and are overgrown causing benign callus-like growths.

• Pleural plaques – discrete fibrous or partially calcified thickened area which can be seen on X-rays of individuals exposed to asbestos. They do not become malignant or cause other lung impairment.

• Diffuse pleural thickening – similar to above and can sometimes be associated with asbestosis. Usually no symptoms shown but if extensive can cause lung impairment.

Do you like coffee? I do, it's taste and aroma make my mornings so much better! But I heard that regular coffee drinking can have some negative effects on my health, so I decided to do my own little research and here is what I have found:

Coffee Pros

• 1. Antioxidants. Coffee is rich in antioxidants like chlorogenic acid and melanoidins. Antioxidants help prevent oxidation, a process that causes damage to cells and contributes to aging.
• 2. Parkinson's disease. Regular coffee drinking reduces the risk of Parkinson's disease. A number of studies [1],[2] have demonstrated that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are significantly less likely to develop Parkinson's disease.
• 3. Diabetes. Coffee drinking has the potential to protect against the development of type 2 diabetes. A prospective study[3] as part of the US Nurses Health Study found that moderate consumption of both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes in younger and middle aged women.
• 4. Liver cirrhosis. Coffee drinking may protect against liver cirrhosis, especially alcoholic cirrhosis.
• 5. Gallstones. There is some evidence [4] that coffee drinking may be protective against gallstone formation in both men and women.
• 6. Kidney stones. Coffee consumption lowers the risk of kidney stones formation. Coffee increases the urine volume, preventing the crystallization of calcium oxalate, the most common component of kidney stones.
• 7. Improved mental performance. Caffeine in coffee is a well-known stimulant. Coffee promotes alertness, attention and wakefulness. The cup of coffee can also increase information processing.
• 8. Alzheimer's disease. Regular coffee drinking may help to protect against Alzheimer's disease. Recent study [5] in mice showed that caffeine equivalent to 5 cups of coffee per day reduced the build up of destructive plaques in the brain.
• 9. Asthma. Caffeine in coffee is related to theophylline, an old asthma medication. Caffeine can open airways and improve asthma symptoms.
• 10. Caffeine safety. In 1958, caffeine was placed on the Food and Drug Administration's list as generally recognized as safe.

Coffee Cons

• 1. Heart disease. This is somewhat controversial. Most prospective cohort studies haven't found that coffee consumption is associated with significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

  On one hand, diterpenes cafestol and kahweol present in unfiltered coffee and caffeine each appear to increase risk of coronary heart disease. High quality studies [6] have confirmed the cholesterol-raising effect of diterpenes. Also, coffee consumption is associated with an increase of plasma homocysteine, a risk factor for coronary heart disease.

  On the other hand, a lower risk of heart disease among moderate coffee drinkers might be due to antioxidants found in coffee.

• 2. Cholesterol. Heavy consumption of boiled coffee elevates blood total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels [7]. Unfiltered coffee contains two cholesterol-raising compounds cafestol and kahweol.
• 3. Blood vessels. Coffee negatively affects the blood vessel tone and function.
• 4. Heart rhythm disturbances. Coffee can cause rapid or irregular heartbeats (cardiac arrhythmias).
• 5. Blood pressure. Although coffee drinking is not a significant risk factor for hypertension, it produces unfavorable effects on blood pressure [8] and people prone to hypertension may be more susceptible. Recent Italian study found that coffee drinking can slightly increase the risk for development of sustained hypertension in people with elevated blood pressure.
• 6. Osteoporosis. Coffee intake may induce an extra urinary excretion of calcium. Heavy coffee consumption (600 ml or more) can modestly increase the risk of osteoporosis, especially in women with a low calcium intake [9].
• 7. Heartburn. A cup of coffee can trigger the heartburn.
• 8. Sleep. Most are aware of the stimulatory effects of caffeine. High amounts of caffeine taken before going to sleep can cause difficulty falling asleep, tendency to be awakened more readily by sudden noises, and a decreased quality of sleep. However, some people can drink coffee and fall right asleep.
• 9. Dehydration. The caffeine in coffee is a mild diuretic and can increase urine excretion. This effect may be easily neutralized by drinking an extra glass of water.
• 10. Dependence. Although "generally recognized as safe" by the FDA, caffeine is still a drug, a mild central nervous system stimulant, and it produces dependence. Caffeine withdrawal is a real syndrome. You may get a few days of headache and irritability if you choose to quit drinking coffee, however, it is relatively easy to break this habit, and most people are not addicted to caffeine.

And here is the list of studies to confirm some points:

1. Saaksjarvi K, Knekt P, Rissanen H, Laaksonen MA, Reunanen A, Mannisto S. Prospective study of coffee consumption and risk of Parkinson's disease. PubMed

2. Hu G, Bidel S, Jousilahti P, Antikainen R, Tuomilehto J. Coffee and tea consumption and the risk of Parkinson's disease. PubMed

3. van Dam RM, Willett WC, Manson JE, Hu FB. Coffee, caffeine, and risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study in younger and middle-aged U.S. women. Diabetes Care. PubMed

4. Leitzmann MF, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Spiegelman D, Colditz GA, Giovannucci EL. Coffee intake is associated with lower risk of symptomatic gallstone disease in women. Gastroenterology. PubMed

5. Arendash GW, Schleif W, Rezai-Zadeh K, Jackson EK, Zacharia LC, Cracchiolo JR, Shippy D, Tan J. Caffeine protects Alzheimer's mice against cognitive impairment and reduces brain beta-amyloid production. Neuroscience. PubMed

6. Urgert R, Essed N, van der Weg G, Kosmeijer-Schuil TG, Katan MB. Separate effects of the coffee diterpenes cafestol and kahweol on serum lipids and liver aminotransferases. PubMed

7. Urgert R, Weusten-van der Wouw MP, Hovenier R, Lund-Larsen PG, Katan MB. Chronic consumers of boiled coffee have elevated serum levels of lipoprotein(a). PubMed

8. Winkelmayer WC, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Curhan GC. Habitual caffeine intake and the risk of hypertension in women. PubMed

9. Hallstrom H, Wolk A, Glynn A, Michaelsson K. Coffee, tea and caffeine consumption in relation to osteoporotic fracture risk in a cohort of Swedish women. PubMed

Amand Beard For Anti Fur Campaign Photo Photo:EPA

Ms Beard, a double Olympic Champion, posed for a nude picture as part of a publicity campaign run by the animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

The swimmer, who is no stranger to showing a little skin - she posed naked for a centerfold in Playboy Magazine last year - said she was determined to use the Olympic platform as a stage for her views.

"What happens with animals when their skin is ripped from their bodies when they are still alive, it's heartbreaking for me," she told reporters.

The Chinese authorities did their best to limit the impact of her protest, shutting down a press conference which PETA had planned on the terrace of a hotel overlooking the 'Water Cube' Olympic swimming venue.

After police turned organisers away from the hotel citing 'safety concerns', Ms Beard was forced to present her message from the side of the main road outside the Athlete's Village.

"It was very disappointing," said Jason Baker, PETA's Asia-Pacific director, "We weren't making a political attack on the Chinese government and had sent our press release in advance to the Beijing Committee, but apparently that was not enough."

Ms Beard, 26, said she had no intention of upsetting the Chinese authorities, but wanted to convey her anti-fur message in China which is the world's leading fur exporter.

"I'm not trying to be in everybody's face and be harsh or negative. I want to be calm and yet get my voice out there. I'm doing it for all those animals who don't have a voice," she said.

Although the Olympic rules prevent athletes from making political statements, Swimming USA said that Ms Beard would not be censured for her actions.

"Each athlete has been allowed to do one pre-competition publicity appearance and Amanda was only endorsing a campaign which she had signed up to before the Games," a spokeswoman for Swimming USA said.

How to REALLY Win Friends and Influence People

A quiz you should get

Alright, what will fetch you more success – being introverted or extroverted?

I know you think YOU know what I want you to say. And maybe you’re right. After all, it’s a lot easier for extroverts to meet people than introverts, eh? There’s no doubting it. And extroverts also tend to be more personable, faster to charm, soakers of attention… while introverts often are alone in a corner.

BUT – and this is a big one – all the things that seem GOOD about an extrovert can be turned around on them. They can come off as insincere, eager to please, all that sort of negative stuff.

And the INTROVERT can come off as mysterious, confident, at home in his skin… all that sort of positive stuff.

No, really

I have a friend who is VERY shy, but he gets tons of ladies. How? He lets everyone else talk and blab and yabber away, all these guys trying to impress the women, and he just calmly listens from the edge of the group. Then, when he sees an opening, BAM, he makes one extremely insightful biting comment.

Usually the talkers sort of fade away after that, their confidence shattered by ONE well-thought out comment. My friend gradually takes a larger role in the discussion through cajoling, but for the most part he just LISTENS and saves everything up for an occasional GEM.

I’m not saying that introvert is the way to go, or that you should be gregarious all the time. In truth, a little of this and a little of that at different moments is the best approach, but it DOESN’T REALLY MATTER.

BOTH can work. Both DO work. Because the REAL discussion on this issue isn’t about how talkative you are.

That scale, taken alone, is meaningless. You could never shut up and it could be great or horrible – you could never say a word, same thing, it’s NOT about how much you talk or even how many conversations you start.

So what is it about?

What it REALLY is about is RELAXED CONFIDENCE. And you can act confident saying everything OR nothing.

This is just a roundabout way of me reinforcing one of my favorite points: it’s NOT what you say, it’s HOW you say it.

It’s in the attitude and the BODY language.

Am I a teacher? Or your inner smarty pants?

And of course you KNOW all this, deep in your bones. I’m just verbalizing it – which hopefully will make it easier to ACT using this knowledge.

For instance, if I show you two guys, one quietly leaning against a post with a sardonic smile, the other approaching EVERYONE with a nervous grin and speaking WAY too fast, barely breathing – which one do you think is more likely to go home with a girl?

Or if there’s a dude who has a relaxed funny answer to everything and plenty of interesting anecdotes and stories – and another guy is hunched over in a booth toying with his coaster and afraid to make eye contact with anyone, who’s getting the girl?

Congratulations, you’re right on both counts.

Because you already KNOW what you have to do.

In fact, MOST guys know EXACTLY what they have to do to get any woman at any time. It’s buried in our BONES, sometimes deeply, but it’s there.

Why, then, don’t we always GET the girl?

Good question, sad answer.

Man, men are screwy

Most of the time, it’s just because we’re SCARED to do it. Introverts and extroverts are BOTH convinced that THEY have a problem which prevents them from doing what they NEED to. The problem may seem different – introverts usually can’t get up the bravura needed, extroverts usually have too much nervous energy to listen to their knowledge when they need it – but in truth, it’s the SAME problem.

Because it’s just a matter of a limiting belief. You don’t think you can, and like the little engine’s evil twin, you can’t.

How’re we going to fix this huge little problem of ours?

This time, we’re getting at it from the outside in.

Practice time

We’re going to CARRY ourselves like we’ve got a great working relationship with our own knowledge, AND that we can act on it anytime it’s called for.

And pretty soon, it’ll become true.

If you’re extremely extroverted, practice THINKING before you say some things, make sure it’s the right thing to say. Don’t be afraid to take your time, everyone will still be listening two seconds from now.

If you’re too introverted, practice DOING exactly what you’re thinking. Even if it seems crazy and you’re ‘sure’ everyone else will hate it. Trust me, even if it bombs completely, it’s not that bad. And more likely, everyone will LOVE it because THEY know it’s the right thing too – they were just waiting for someone ELSE to do or say it.

As always, carry yourself standing tall. Expand yourself, don’t shrink (this especially goes for the heavier-set, who have a tendency to try and hide their belly which, ironically, makes it look larger as you slouch and double it up). Eliminate your eager language – no close talkers here. No soft talkers either – if you aren’t speaking loud enough for people near you to hear, you’re telling them ‘I’m not saying anything important’ or, worse, ‘I have ZERO confidence.’

Don’t get hung up on how MUCH or little you speak – just try to say everything with RELAXED CONFIDENCE.

That’s it. That’s ALL you need to worry about. Do everything else in the style and with the frequency that’s most comfortable to you – because you want to be as COMFORTABLE in your skin as possible. That’s the key.

Stop worrying over the things you THINK are hurdles, and start concentrating on the ones that really ARE in your way – things which you placed there yourself.

Get rid of them, and NOTHING will be able to stop you.

7 Ways To Spot A Liar By Their Body Language

Children often will attempt to cover their mouths when they lie in an attempt to stop the naughty worlds coming out. If they do not wish to listen to a parent telling them off, they may well cover their ears to block out the noise and of course, if there is something they do not want to acknowledge seeing, they may cover their eyes.

As children get older, these hand to face gestures become quicker and more subtle, however, they still occur when they are lying, covering up or even witnessing deceit.

In a book by Desmond Morris that I read called "People Watching" and in it he cites some research in which nurses were instructed to lie to their patients. The nurses who lied showed a higher usage of hand to face gestures.

Let me get something straight here; when someone uses a hand to face gesture, it does not necessarily mean that they are lying. It does indicate that the person could be holding back information or you may want to consider looking at the grander scheme of their posture and manner rather than just the simple hand to face gesture.

Today, I want to give you 7 of the most common gestures that indicate deceit:

1. Covering the mouth: The hand covers the mouth as your brain unconsciously asks it to try to suppress that deceitful message being communicated. On occasions, this gesture may just be a few fingers over the mouth, or the fist closed, the meaning generally is the same though.

Some people attempt to misguide the covering of the mouth with a cough or even a fake yawn, it can be funny to see it happening. One of my favourite films, the Godfather, you can observe that when the actors playing gangsters are discussing criminal activities, they often use this gesture to show they are being secretive and it is very much observed in the wonderful TV series "The Sopranos", another real favourite of mine.

If this gesture is used, it shows that they might be lying. If they cover their mouth when you are speaking, it might indicate that they feel you are hiding something. At my speaking events, if I see members of my audience using this gesture, then I get worried! I may well interrupt proceedings and ask if anyone has questions so that they can voice their concern. Can’t say this has happened often though!

2. Touching the nose: Touching the nose can include several rubs of the nose or it may be a single quick one, or one that is hardly noticed.

This gesture should be read in the general scheme of things. If you are like me and you clip your nasal hair (eeewwww!) then if it is growing back you may get an itchy nose! Or they may have a cold.

There is much research to show that the nose engorges when we lie. In Chicago, scientists at the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation found that when you lie chemicals are released, causing tissue inside the nose to engorge. They also showed that blood pressure rises and the nose does actually get bigger when we lie! There is truth in the Pinocchio story!

Increased blood pressure inflates the nose and causes the nerve endings in the nose to tingle, which you have to give a brisk rub to satisfy. There you go.

3. Rubbing your eye: I mention kids covering their eyes earlier, and when an adult does not want to see something upsetting, the eye rub often happens. Rubbing the eye is often the brains way of blocking our deceit or avoiding having to look at the person that is being lied to.

Men usually rub their eyes vigorously or even look away of they tell a great big lie. Women are far less likely to rub their eyes, they instead elect to use a more subtle, smaller touch beneath the eye.

No doubt you have heard that well-used phrase "lying through their teeth." When someone is lying, often they clench their teeth, put on a fake smile and rub their eye is a collection of gestures.

4. Grabbing of the ear: Now I am not talking about something my school P.E. teacher used to do to me when he caught me getting up to mischief!!

If a sales person said to a client that "it only costs £150 for our services" if the person then grabs their own ear, looks away maybe and says "that sounds like a great deal." This may well be an attempt by the listener to "hear no evil."

Attempting to block out the words they are hearing by tugging the ear lobe or grabbing their ear. This is the grown up version of a child covering their ears as I mentioned earlier.

Grabbing the ear can often be a sign that the person has heard enough or would like to communicate themselves. It is often experienced if someone is anxious.

5. Scratching the neck: Using the index finger mainly of the dominant hand and scratches the neck. We usually scratch 5 times or so when we do so. This gesture shows doubt and is often present when someone is thinking that they do not agree with what they just heard. Watch for this gesture alongside verbal communication, it usually goes with someone attempting to get out of something or politely disagreeing.

6. Pulling at your collar: You have heard the expression "getting hot under the collar" of course.

Again, Desmond Morris pointed out that lying often causes a tingle in the delicate neck tissues which needs a rub or a scratch to satisfy it. Increased blood pressure from the deceit causes sweat to form on the neck often, especially if the person lying suspects that the other person knows!

7. Putting fingers in your mouth: This tends to happen unconsciously and is seen by many as an attempt to revert to the security of suckling the mother’s breast and this often occurs when we are pressurized. Children often suck their thumbs or carry a blanket to substitute their mothers breast, then as an adult, they tend to put their fingers to their mouth or such on cigarettes, pens, their glasses or chew gum frequently.

Fingers in the mouth tend to indicate a need for reassurance.

So there you go, see what you can detect in others when you are out there in the world. Be sure to remember that these things need to be noticed in the grander scheme of behaviour and manner, they are not black and white. If someone scratches their nose in front of you, look at the context, their other gestures and manner before you scream "liar" in their direction.