Adding to a lot of previous research, Matthias Tschup from the University of Cincinnati led a team that concluded that the brain contains an area that regulated appetite, satiety, and fat store and metabolism. The melanocortin system is located in the a central nervous system (CNS) is known as a control loop that receives hormones from the stomach like leptin.
The research group were able to alter the signaling pathway so that calories were burned, not stored in fat cells, regardless of the amount of food intake. “We were able, in essence, to change traffic signals in so-called nutrient highways in the body so that calories were metabolized, and not dumped into fat cells,” says Tschцp. “And we did this without changing the rate of food intake. “These findings are relevant for human obesity, since mutations in the system we studied here are the most common known reason for genetically caused obesity in humans,” Tschцp added.
They anticipate that the rodent studies can be replicated in humans. The obesity epidemic in industrialized countries is a serious health risk. Individuals would benefit enormously if a safe and effective treatment allows the average person to maintain a lean body despite a high calorie diet. There currently is no safe cure for obesity, yet a huge industry of fat buster pills exists without government oversight and with potential negative side-effects. The efficacy of these pills are in question.
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9/17/07
Hurricane humberto slams South Texas, ominous sign or fluke disaster?
Last week Hurricane Humberto hit landfall in south Texas and devastated small towns such as High Island. Sadly, High Island the sleepy beach town of only a couple hundred is where my cousin Ketan Gandhi has a gas station and food mart. His home and store were seriously damaged in the flash hurricane. It was fun to see him on the online news clips though. High Island was without power for a week, and volunteers and National Guard and Red Cross people have arrived to help. It is wonderful to hear about that.
Hurricane Humberto was a flash hurricane, meaning it his land without warning and with winds speeds of great strength in less than 16 hours. Experts are concerned that there is a trend in recent years of hurricanes with greater frequency and magnitude. Many scientists and observers are putting climate change and hurricanes together now. Perhaps the coming years will continue to see the problem get worse, as warmer waters in the Gulf of Mexico fuel stronger and more common hurricanes and storms.
"Everyone is scratching their heads and thinking, 'Wow, that's weird,' ''says Jeff Masters, a hurricane expert with the Weather Underground Web site. "There have been 27 Category 5 hurricanes since 1944, with eight of those coming in the last five years," says Masters. "That's a lot of Cat 5's in a short time."
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Hurricane Humberto was a flash hurricane, meaning it his land without warning and with winds speeds of great strength in less than 16 hours. Experts are concerned that there is a trend in recent years of hurricanes with greater frequency and magnitude. Many scientists and observers are putting climate change and hurricanes together now. Perhaps the coming years will continue to see the problem get worse, as warmer waters in the Gulf of Mexico fuel stronger and more common hurricanes and storms.
"Everyone is scratching their heads and thinking, 'Wow, that's weird,' ''says Jeff Masters, a hurricane expert with the Weather Underground Web site. "There have been 27 Category 5 hurricanes since 1944, with eight of those coming in the last five years," says Masters. "That's a lot of Cat 5's in a short time."
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9/12/07
Excercise Benefits Mind and Body, research confirms
It's not a new idea, but good news for health nuts, and bad news for couch potatoes. Columbia Univesity professors have found that exercise promotes neurogeneis, the creation of new brain cells. Lack of exercise, and a diet consiting of fat and sugar, actually promotes brain cell loss.
So if you want to be physically and mentally healthy, keep your body moving and eat healthy and don't smoke!
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So if you want to be physically and mentally healthy, keep your body moving and eat healthy and don't smoke!
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9/10/07
Iraq War Dissaproval High, US Intelligence Pessimistic
An AP-Ipsos survey found that only 36 percent of those questioned believe the troop increase which President Bush initiated in early 2007 has helped stabilize Iraq. 60 percent of Americans feel troop withdrawal is a good option.
The National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) has found that Iraq is still strained by deep sectarian differences and rampant violence. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has concluded that Iraq has met only four of 18 agreed political and military objectives.
Gen. David Petraeus testified to Congress that some progress has been made in defeating the Al-qaida and militia groups, but that he was dissapointed with the overal results.
The National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) has found that Iraq is still strained by deep sectarian differences and rampant violence. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has concluded that Iraq has met only four of 18 agreed political and military objectives.
Gen. David Petraeus testified to Congress that some progress has been made in defeating the Al-qaida and militia groups, but that he was dissapointed with the overal results.
Popular networking sites fail to win close friends, study
Researchers at Sheffield Hallam University published a study that questioned whether those who use popular networking sites like Facbook and MySpace actually develop close friendships as a result. The study showed that face-to-face interaction is the effective way of developing trusting and healthy relationships. While the average user will have hundreds of friends in the online network, only a few would be considered close.
“Our data suggests weak ties are (more common) but there is no difference in the number of close friends people have,” said Will Reader, an evolutionary psychologist at Sheffield Hallam University.
“Our data suggests weak ties are (more common) but there is no difference in the number of close friends people have,” said Will Reader, an evolutionary psychologist at Sheffield Hallam University.
Scientists: "Fat" Gene Identified, potential obesity cure
One of the greatest problems facing modern industrialized society is human obesity. Heck even dog and cat obesity is a problem. Basically the modern developed-society lifestyle features a sedentary lifestyle, and unlimited and easy access to food, especially food that is high-fat and sugar content. The health blow is obesity, and the incidental high-blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and many other various physical and mental ailments that accompany it. Obesity rates have skyrocketed in the last 50 years for developed countries. Rising powers like China and India, now that they are adapting to a similar Western lifestyle with imported fast food giants as well, are also experiencing rising obesity among all sectors of the population.
Many experts have warned strongly against the idea of any quick fixes to the problem, pointing to the lifestyle choices that one has to make, like eating healthy and exercising regularly. But despite years of government programs designed to teach proper nutritional guidelines (Food Pyramid), the obesity rates continue to escalate. Some scientist even speculate that obesity is like a virus, and it is spreading uncontrollably. There does exist data that obesity may indeed act like a virus.
Popular diet pills and so-called fat burner supplements are a big industry, but nearly all physicians warn that they are not only ineffective but are dangerous.
However, the last few years research scientists have peered into the processes by which the human body stores and processes fat from the food we eat. Now many scientists are studying way to safely alter the mechanism by which the human body stores fat. Since people living in modern society no longer have the need at all to store fat beyond what is necessary to keep the body going, it would be a major health benefit to decrease the amount of fat that the body stores. In recent years scientists have targeted various avenues for fat reduction:
1) increase the amount of brown fat
2) develop a neuropeptide-Y receptor blocker (Y2R) to prevent fat cells from forming
3) target the Gene that controls fat storage
4) develop a laser or X-ray with a frequency that kills fat cells
Since credible scientists involved in cutting-edge research into fat cells have identified so many numerous ways to get rid of the excess body fat countless people struggle with, I am confident a safe and effective method will be derived soon. While nothing will be more important than a healthy lifestyle, time and energy is better spent on other things than constantly worrying about that pesky 10 pounds of fat. And eating salad is a miserable alternative. One day we can have our cake and eat it too!
Fat Cures:
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Many experts have warned strongly against the idea of any quick fixes to the problem, pointing to the lifestyle choices that one has to make, like eating healthy and exercising regularly. But despite years of government programs designed to teach proper nutritional guidelines (Food Pyramid), the obesity rates continue to escalate. Some scientist even speculate that obesity is like a virus, and it is spreading uncontrollably. There does exist data that obesity may indeed act like a virus.
Popular diet pills and so-called fat burner supplements are a big industry, but nearly all physicians warn that they are not only ineffective but are dangerous.
However, the last few years research scientists have peered into the processes by which the human body stores and processes fat from the food we eat. Now many scientists are studying way to safely alter the mechanism by which the human body stores fat. Since people living in modern society no longer have the need at all to store fat beyond what is necessary to keep the body going, it would be a major health benefit to decrease the amount of fat that the body stores. In recent years scientists have targeted various avenues for fat reduction:
1) increase the amount of brown fat
2) develop a neuropeptide-Y receptor blocker (Y2R) to prevent fat cells from forming
3) target the Gene that controls fat storage
4) develop a laser or X-ray with a frequency that kills fat cells
Since credible scientists involved in cutting-edge research into fat cells have identified so many numerous ways to get rid of the excess body fat countless people struggle with, I am confident a safe and effective method will be derived soon. While nothing will be more important than a healthy lifestyle, time and energy is better spent on other things than constantly worrying about that pesky 10 pounds of fat. And eating salad is a miserable alternative. One day we can have our cake and eat it too!
Fat Cures:
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Study: Depression Worse for Health than Major Physical Ills
The World Health Organization has published a study that demonstrates depression poses a far greater health threat than previously believed, and can be more damaging in itself than asthma, diabetes, or angina.
Previous studies have demonstrate the depression link to poor health, but the true connection between mind and body is probably far more complex and little understood.
Studies have shown that treatment for depression should include talk therapy and community outreach programs, and that long-term positive outcomes usually always include some form of re-adjustment into a social setting.
Mental health treatment around the world is staggeringly inadequate, reports the World Health Organization. Individuals from Third World countries stand the least chance of receiving any kind of treatment. Depression is a major worldwide problem, with the poor receiving the least treatment. Yet, even the United States, only 18 percent received minimally adequate mental health services, lower than Japan, Germany, and France. The rich poor gap is also seen in the general population lifespan statistic. Mental health is correlated with lower lifespans.
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Previous studies have demonstrate the depression link to poor health, but the true connection between mind and body is probably far more complex and little understood.
Studies have shown that treatment for depression should include talk therapy and community outreach programs, and that long-term positive outcomes usually always include some form of re-adjustment into a social setting.
Mental health treatment around the world is staggeringly inadequate, reports the World Health Organization. Individuals from Third World countries stand the least chance of receiving any kind of treatment. Depression is a major worldwide problem, with the poor receiving the least treatment. Yet, even the United States, only 18 percent received minimally adequate mental health services, lower than Japan, Germany, and France. The rich poor gap is also seen in the general population lifespan statistic. Mental health is correlated with lower lifespans.
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9/5/07
Faster Wireless Connection Seen in Works
The online download business is an emerging field. Many top analysts predict that by 2011 it will be a billion dollar a year business. Apple and Amazon are among the few companies offering online downloads. But market hindrances to increased consumer demand are the current speed limits of the internet, and the lack of widely available PC-to-TV connections to view videos.
Researchers at Georgia Tech see in the near future the wide use of wireless networks capable of sending large amounts of data in super-fast speeds. This would enable a user to download a full-length DVD-quality video in a span of a few seconds. Currently it would take about a day for most connections.
The new technology to enable these fast speeds would utilize very high radio frequencies, currently untapped except for special military applications. In the coming years, circuit boards and computers in general will be evolved and adapted to deal with the increased speed requirements.
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Researchers at Georgia Tech see in the near future the wide use of wireless networks capable of sending large amounts of data in super-fast speeds. This would enable a user to download a full-length DVD-quality video in a span of a few seconds. Currently it would take about a day for most connections.
The new technology to enable these fast speeds would utilize very high radio frequencies, currently untapped except for special military applications. In the coming years, circuit boards and computers in general will be evolved and adapted to deal with the increased speed requirements.
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Food additives tied to "hyperactivity," study
Artifician sweeteners in drinks have caused a lot of controversy as of late, and now scientists reporting in the Lancelot medical journal state that common food additives, chemicals added for coloring and preservation, are tied to hyperactivity and other behavioral side-effects.
This is a significant report that should be studied further, and it casts real doubt on the safety of many common drinks, possibly putting the muli-billion dollar industry in a negative light. It also should bolster the appeal of "organic" products, that offer 100% natural ingredients.
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This is a significant report that should be studied further, and it casts real doubt on the safety of many common drinks, possibly putting the muli-billion dollar industry in a negative light. It also should bolster the appeal of "organic" products, that offer 100% natural ingredients.
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Mind-Controlled Robotic Arm: One Step Closer To Intelligent Robots?
Scientists at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency have devised a prosthetic arm called the Proto 2 that can play the piano and do other complex motions through pure thought control. This development increased expectations that one day a robot like seen in popular science fiction movies like "Terminator" and "Robocop" and "Star Trek" could be a reality. That day is far off, but the Proto 2 could be in the market in a matter of years. This is a great sign of hope for those who have have lost limbs to one day fully function again.
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