'Saffron may ease PMS symptoms'
21 Apr 2008, 0007 hrs IST,REUTERS
NEW YORK: Saffron, a spice known for flavouring cuisine, might also offer an antidote to premenstrual syndrome, a small study suggests.
It’s thought that the spice might influence depression symptoms via effects on the brain chemical serotonin. Because alterations in serotonin activity are suspected in PMS, a team of Iranian researchers decided to study whether saffron supplements might help relieve these symptoms.
M Agha-Hosseini and colleagues at Tehran University of Medical Sciences randomly assigned 50 women to take either saffron capsules or a placebo twice a day over two menstrual cycles. The women, had all had PMS symptoms for at least six months.
At the end of the treatment period, three-quarters of the women on saffron capsules reported at least a 50% reduction in PMS symptoms.
That compared with only 8% of women in the placebo group, the researchers report in the medical journal
BJOG. In addition, the researchers found, 60% of the saffron group showed a 50% improvement in depression symptoms.
Tuesday, 22 April 2008
World's smallest transistor created
World's smallest transistor created
21Apr 2008, 0001 hrs IST,PTI
LONDON: Scientists have created the world's smallest transistor, measuring a little bigger than a molecule, a feat which they claim could spark the development of super-fast computer chips in the future.
Using the world's thinnest material called graphene, a team at University of Manchester has produced the transistor which is one atom thick and ten atoms wide, marking the first true electronic nanocomponent, the ‘Science' journal reported.
Four years ago, they discovered graphene, the first known one-atom-thick material which can be viewed as a plane of atoms pulled out from graphite. Now, the researchers led by Prof Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov have shown that it's possible to carve out nanometre scale transistors from a single graphene crystal. Unlike other known materials, graphene remains highly stable and conductive even when it is cut into devices one nanometre wide.
The smaller the size of the transistors, the better they perform, according to them.
Transistors made of graphene start showing advantages at sizes below ten nanometres, the miniaturisation limit at which traditional silicon-based technology is predicted to actually fail.
However, Geim does not expect graphene-based circuits to come of age before 2025 but argues this technology will probably be the only way to shrink microelectronics after the silicon era comes to an end.
"It is too early to promise graphene supercomputers. (In fact) in our work, we relied on chance when making such small transistors. Unfortunately, no existing technology allows the cutting of materials with true nanometre precision. "But this is exactly the same challenge that all post-silicon electronics has to face. At least, we now have a material that can meet such a challenge," Prof Geim said.
"Now one can think of designer molecules acting as transistors connected into designer computer architecture on the basis of the same material (graphene)," added Novoselov.
21Apr 2008, 0001 hrs IST,PTI
LONDON: Scientists have created the world's smallest transistor, measuring a little bigger than a molecule, a feat which they claim could spark the development of super-fast computer chips in the future.
Using the world's thinnest material called graphene, a team at University of Manchester has produced the transistor which is one atom thick and ten atoms wide, marking the first true electronic nanocomponent, the ‘Science' journal reported.
Four years ago, they discovered graphene, the first known one-atom-thick material which can be viewed as a plane of atoms pulled out from graphite. Now, the researchers led by Prof Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov have shown that it's possible to carve out nanometre scale transistors from a single graphene crystal. Unlike other known materials, graphene remains highly stable and conductive even when it is cut into devices one nanometre wide.
The smaller the size of the transistors, the better they perform, according to them.
Transistors made of graphene start showing advantages at sizes below ten nanometres, the miniaturisation limit at which traditional silicon-based technology is predicted to actually fail.
However, Geim does not expect graphene-based circuits to come of age before 2025 but argues this technology will probably be the only way to shrink microelectronics after the silicon era comes to an end.
"It is too early to promise graphene supercomputers. (In fact) in our work, we relied on chance when making such small transistors. Unfortunately, no existing technology allows the cutting of materials with true nanometre precision. "But this is exactly the same challenge that all post-silicon electronics has to face. At least, we now have a material that can meet such a challenge," Prof Geim said.
"Now one can think of designer molecules acting as transistors connected into designer computer architecture on the basis of the same material (graphene)," added Novoselov.
Monday, 21 April 2008
Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam Temple Festival - Mohiniyattam
Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam Temple Festival - Mohiniyattam
Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam Temple Festivals - Nrithanrithyangal
Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam Temple Festivals - Nrithanrithyangal
Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam Temple Festivals - Elephants, elephants and more
Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam Temple Festivals - Elephants, elephants and more
Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam Temple Festival - Thiruvathirakkali
Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam Temple Festival - Thiruvathirakkali
Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam Temple Festival - Ottamthullal
Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam Temple Festival - Ottamthullal
Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam Temple festival - Kurathiyattam
Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam Temple festival - Kurathiyattam
Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam Temple festival - Madhala keli
Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam Temple festival - Madhala keli
Sree Koodalmanikyam Temple Festival - Kombuppattu
Sree Koodalmanikyam Temple Festival - Kombuppattu
Sree Oorakam Sreedharan & Party
Sree Oorakam Sreedharan & Party
Wow, it was Jayasuriya!
naak phat gayi: Andrea Fernandes is currently in Harkishandas Hospital, with a fractured nose. pic/shadab khan
Wow, it was Jayasuriya!
Author: Varun Singh Date: 21 Apr 2008
Exclaims photographer whose nose was fractured by the Sri Lankan’s smashing boundary last night
Sanath Jayasuriya ensured that photographer Andrea Fernandes’s first sports assignment would be a memorable one.
The swashbuckling Sri Lankan sent one of his trademark slashes crashing into the fence at Wankhede stadium, during the Mumbai Indians vs Bangalore Royal Challengers IPL match last night, where it landed on the nose of the 24-year-old Andrea, who was standing just behind the advertising hoardings.
But Andrea, who is admitted at Harkishandas Hospital, Charni Road, with a fractured nose, is still counting her blessings. “Wow... it was Jayasuriya! I wasn’t aware who the batsman was but I am thankful it wasn’t a six. If a four can break my nose, imagine what a six would have done,” she said. Dr Ashok Shah said she would be operated upon today.
Fernandes has been a photographer for more than three years but yesterday’s IPL match was her first sports assignment.
“From this experience I have learnt that safety is needed no matter where you are,” she said. She added that this would not stop her from covering more matches in the future.
from Mid-Day Mumbai
Sunday, 20 April 2008
Commuters on the streets can now hail taxis by SMS
Commuters on the streets can now hail taxis by SMS
By Ashfaq Ahmed, Chief Reporter GULF NEWS Published: April 20, 2008, 00:34
Dubai: Passengers in Dubai no longer have to go through the daunting task of hailing a taxi on the road as they can now call one by just sending an SMS from their mobile phones, said a senior official.
The service has been designed for passengers who want to order taxis while waiting by the road, said Abdul Aziz Malek, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dubai Taxi Agency at the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
He said the taxi agency is installing small boards with location code numbers and a taxi sign on them by the side of the road. A passenger can send an SMS to 4774, mentioning the area code on the taxi board.
The customer will have to wait in the same location until the taxi arrives. Once the commuter sends the SMS, it will reach the booking terminal of Dubai Taxi Agency and the booking supervisor will send the nearest taxi to the customer.
The booking terminal will also send the taxi reservation number to the customer, which he needs to show to the taxi driver before boarding.
The starting fare for taxis booked via SMS will be Dh6 during the day (from 6am to 10pm) and Dh7 at night (from 10pm to 6am).
In addition to the new service, Dubai Taxi Agency will continue to offer reservations via telephone and the internet.
"The new service has been launched after complaints from commuters about hailing a cab while waiting by the roadside," said Malek.
Currently, Dubai has around 6,500, taxis including 3,200 run by Dubai Taxi Agency.
Booking taxis
Website: www.dubaitaxi.ae
Call centre: 2080808
New medical form for accident victims
New medical form for accident victims
Staff Report GULF NEWS Published: April 20, 2008, 00:34
Dubai: New medical check-up forms for accident victims were approved in a meeting for the Traffic Department heads in Dubai's police department and the Dubai Health Authority.
The new forms used for those injured in car accidents will categorise their degrees of injury.
The meeting, which was attended by Lieutenant Colonel Abdul Al Qadir Al Banay, head of the Rashiddiya police station, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Al Fishti, head of the Al Qusais police station, Younis Khadum, director of Medical Affairs at the Health Authority, and other senior officials from both departments, discussed the importance of preserving the rights of all those entailed in car accidents.
The meeting also decided that the official language used in the approved medical forms has to be Arabic.
A coordinator from the Traffic Department was chosen for the exchange of medical reports, to ease cooperation between police and the health authority, to activate institutional partnership as indicated in the strategic plan of the Police Department.
Staff Report GULF NEWS Published: April 20, 2008, 00:34
Dubai: New medical check-up forms for accident victims were approved in a meeting for the Traffic Department heads in Dubai's police department and the Dubai Health Authority.
The new forms used for those injured in car accidents will categorise their degrees of injury.
The meeting, which was attended by Lieutenant Colonel Abdul Al Qadir Al Banay, head of the Rashiddiya police station, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Al Fishti, head of the Al Qusais police station, Younis Khadum, director of Medical Affairs at the Health Authority, and other senior officials from both departments, discussed the importance of preserving the rights of all those entailed in car accidents.
The meeting also decided that the official language used in the approved medical forms has to be Arabic.
A coordinator from the Traffic Department was chosen for the exchange of medical reports, to ease cooperation between police and the health authority, to activate institutional partnership as indicated in the strategic plan of the Police Department.
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