2010
By Syed Akbar
Communication cables laid on the sea bed will help in enhanced prediction of tsunamis, scientists at the city-based National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) and the University of Colorado, USA, have discovered.
Tsunamis, which are triggered by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or even meteors hitting the seas, send electric signals through the ocean. The communication cables, both serving and discarded, on the sea bed are capable of picking up those electric signals.
Moreover, the salty sea water boosts these electric signals.
Monitoring the undersea communication cables for any electric surge will aid in detection of tsunamis. The work was carried out by a team led by Dr Manoj Nair of University of Colorado and Dr T. Harinarayana of NGRI. Scientists from the National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, and the
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, also participated in the research work. “Tsunamis send electric signals through the ocean which appear to be sensed by the vast network of communication cables on the sea bed,” Dr Manoj said.
The researchers used computer models to estimate the size of an electric field created by the force of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami as it travelled over major submarine cables. It is estimated that the 2004 tsunami induced voltages of about 500 milli volts (mV) in the cables. This is very small compared to a 9-volt battery, but still large enough to be distinguished from background noise on a magnetically quiet day.
“By monitoring voltages across this network of ocean cables, we may be able to enhance the current tsunami warning system,” the researchers said.
The movement of electrically conducting ocean water in the ambient geomagnetic field induces secondary electric and magnetic fields in the oceans.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Statins, anti-cholesterol drugs, may lead to depression
2010
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, June 23: Statins, the anti-cholesterol drugs, may be good for the heart, but they are bad for the brain.
A team of researchers from the city-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology has found that the commonly used drugs to lower cholesterol levels will cause depression in patients. This is the first time that a link has been established between statins and depression. Statins are good for the heart as they prevent heart attack.
These drugs, according a research study just published in the international journal, Biochemistry, may affect the activity of certain chemical produced by the brain to maintain the mood and behaviour of an individual. Since this chemical’s natural activity is disturbed by statins, the person using them may be subjected to bouts of anxiety and depression.
Doctors worldwide blame heart attacks on a special type of fat present in the body called cholesterol. Cholesterol is good for the body but when it is present in excess amount in the body it forms a layer inside the blood vessels, particularly those supplying blood to the heart. The narrowing down of the coronary arteries lead to less or no supply of blood to the heart, leading to the death of heart muscles or heart attack.
Doctors prescribe statins to heart patients in a bid to control the cholesterol level, and thus cardiac arrest. With heart problems being reported in young patients these days, patients are subjected to use of statins for longer periods. Continuous use of statins will hit the brain activity, causing depression, the CCMB scientists pointed out.
The CCMB study, led by senior scientist Dr Amitabha Chattopadhyay, throws light on the link between statins and depression. “Statins impair the function of the receptors for serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that controls mood and behavior,” the team said.
The study further revealed that long-term treatment with statins caused significant changes in the structure and function of serotonin receptors. “Chronic, low cholesterol levels in the brain may trigger anxiety and depression”, the study observed.
By Syed Akbar
A team of researchers from the city-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology has found that the commonly used drugs to lower cholesterol levels will cause depression in patients. This is the first time that a link has been established between statins and depression. Statins are good for the heart as they prevent heart attack.
These drugs, according a research study just published in the international journal, Biochemistry, may affect the activity of certain chemical produced by the brain to maintain the mood and behaviour of an individual. Since this chemical’s natural activity is disturbed by statins, the person using them may be subjected to bouts of anxiety and depression.
Doctors worldwide blame heart attacks on a special type of fat present in the body called cholesterol. Cholesterol is good for the body but when it is present in excess amount in the body it forms a layer inside the blood vessels, particularly those supplying blood to the heart. The narrowing down of the coronary arteries lead to less or no supply of blood to the heart, leading to the death of heart muscles or heart attack.
Doctors prescribe statins to heart patients in a bid to control the cholesterol level, and thus cardiac arrest. With heart problems being reported in young patients these days, patients are subjected to use of statins for longer periods. Continuous use of statins will hit the brain activity, causing depression, the CCMB scientists pointed out.
The CCMB study, led by senior scientist Dr Amitabha Chattopadhyay, throws light on the link between statins and depression. “Statins impair the function of the receptors for serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that controls mood and behavior,” the team said.
The study further revealed that long-term treatment with statins caused significant changes in the structure and function of serotonin receptors. “Chronic, low cholesterol levels in the brain may trigger anxiety and depression”, the study observed.
Indian Rupee gets unique symbol
2010
By Syed Akbar
The Indian government has finally selected symbol for the Rupee. The Union Cabinet on July 16 approved the new unique currency symbol for the Rupee.
Imagine your computer keyboard having a new key with a new symbol. And the Rupee note you hold sporting altogether a new look with a currency symbol you have not seen before.
This is just what’s going to happen in the next few months, with our Indian Rupee all set to get its own unique symbol, in line with the world’s most powerful currencies – the US dollar, the British Pound, the Euro and the Japanese Yen.
“The unique symbol will give Indian Rupee a place of its own in the world financial market, making it easily tradable in the West. It will also establish the supremacy of the Indian economy and the prowess of the Indian Rupee,” saysK Narasimha Murthy, IDBI director.
The symbol will also give a distinct identity to the Indian currency as poor countries like Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka also use the abbreviated letters Rs for their money. “This is leading to confusion in the world financial market. A unique symbol for the Indian currency is the need of the hour,” Murty points out.
The Indian Rupee is now represented with abbreviated letters Rs or INR. Though India is the second largest democracy in the world, its currency does not have a unique symbol or distinct identification in the world financial market.
This is in contrast with currency symbols of powerful nations – $ sign for the US dollar, £ for British pound and € for Euro of the European Commission. The new symbol for the Rupee will be in Devanagri script representing the letter “R” (ra).
The Centre government was scheduled to take a final decision on the unique currency sign or symbol for the Rupee at its Cabinet meeting on June 24, but it had deferred the decision to a latter date. The Cabinet has before it five shortlisted symbols for the Rupee.
The Union Finance Ministry received as many as 36,000 responses to the “unique symbol for the Indian Rupee” competition it held last year. Of these entries, officials have zeroed in on five, for approval by the Cabinet. The winner (whose design is selected) will get a reward of Rs 2.5 lakh, but he has to surrender the rights over the unique design.
Business magnate Y Harischandra Prasad, who headed CII State chapter till recently, observes the symbol will give a “definite edge” to the Indian currency as India is “poised to become a major financial superpower”. It will also boost exports.
While the Rupee getting a unique symbol is heartening news, the changeover is not going to be an easy task. First, computer manufacturers will have to create a new key in the keyboard to accommodate the new Rupee symbol, or replace one of the existing characters on a key with the Rupee character.
Secondly, the Reserve Bank of India and the foreign agencies involved in the printing of the Indian currency will have to make changes in their printing set-up. Thirdly, there has to be a massive campaign to inform people that both the new currency and the old currency continue to be the legal tender.
Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced during the presentation of recent Budget in Parliament on February 26 that the Rupee would get the unique symbol during 2010-2011.
According to BS Rawat, deputy secretary to the Government of India, the symbol will represent the historical and cultural ethos of India as widely accepted across the country. The symbol will also be applicable to standard keyboard.
By Syed Akbar
The Indian government has finally selected symbol for the Rupee. The Union Cabinet on July 16 approved the new unique currency symbol for the Rupee.
Imagine your computer keyboard having a new key with a new symbol. And the Rupee note you hold sporting altogether a new look with a currency symbol you have not seen before.
This is just what’s going to happen in the next few months, with our Indian Rupee all set to get its own unique symbol, in line with the world’s most powerful currencies – the US dollar, the British Pound, the Euro and the Japanese Yen.
The symbol will also give a distinct identity to the Indian currency as poor countries like Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka also use the abbreviated letters Rs for their money. “This is leading to confusion in the world financial market. A unique symbol for the Indian currency is the need of the hour,” Murty points out.
The Indian Rupee is now represented with abbreviated letters Rs or INR. Though India is the second largest democracy in the world, its currency does not have a unique symbol or distinct identification in the world financial market.
This is in contrast with currency symbols of powerful nations – $ sign for the US dollar, £ for British pound and € for Euro of the European Commission. The new symbol for the Rupee will be in Devanagri script representing the letter “R” (ra).
The Centre government was scheduled to take a final decision on the unique currency sign or symbol for the Rupee at its Cabinet meeting on June 24, but it had deferred the decision to a latter date. The Cabinet has before it five shortlisted symbols for the Rupee.
Business magnate Y Harischandra Prasad, who headed CII State chapter till recently, observes the symbol will give a “definite edge” to the Indian currency as India is “poised to become a major financial superpower”. It will also boost exports.
While the Rupee getting a unique symbol is heartening news, the changeover is not going to be an easy task. First, computer manufacturers will have to create a new key in the keyboard to accommodate the new Rupee symbol, or replace one of the existing characters on a key with the Rupee character.
Secondly, the Reserve Bank of India and the foreign agencies involved in the printing of the Indian currency will have to make changes in their printing set-up. Thirdly, there has to be a massive campaign to inform people that both the new currency and the old currency continue to be the legal tender.
Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced during the presentation of recent Budget in Parliament on February 26 that the Rupee would get the unique symbol during 2010-2011.
According to BS Rawat, deputy secretary to the Government of India, the symbol will represent the historical and cultural ethos of India as widely accepted across the country. The symbol will also be applicable to standard keyboard.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Singareni Collieries - Iron rod pierces through the stomach: It was a miraculous escape for Rajendra Prasad
2010
By Syed Akbar
It was nothing short of a rebirth for assistant foreman P Rajendra Prasad when doctors at Singareni area hospital in Godavarikhani surgically removed a six-foot thick iron rod that had pierced through his abdomen.
Like on any other day, Rajendra Prasad on June 28 got into a trolley with 60 other Singareni workers to go to 10A underground coal mine for duty. But fate had willed otherwise and the trolley fell with a thud 350 metres down after the ropes supporting it snapped. Two workers died on the spot and an iron rod pierced through the abdomen of Rajendra Prasad.
Doctors credit Rajendra Prasad for the success of the surgery. The victim was fully awake and aware and even told the doctors that his blood group was A positive. Rarely do doctors come across such people with a strong will power. “It was his will power that saved him,” admits Dr B Srinivas, one of the surgeons attending him.
“For a moment I thought I would die. But I mustered enough courage and did not give in till I reached the hospital, 20 km away. My co-workers kept on reassuring me to ensure that I do not slip into shock. I felt fainted for a few seconds as soon I entered the ambulance but the support I got from my friends and doctors save me from what would have been an imminent death,” says Rajendra Prasad, who is now recuperating after a four-hour surgical procedure.
Doctors at Singareni hospital had never come across such an accident victim. It was really a challenging task for Dr Srinivas and his colleague Dr V Srikanth. The operation was a tough one, but luckily the victim did not have common health problems like diabetes and hypertension.
According to Dr Srikanth, 30 cms of the rod was inside the body. There was no damage to important body organs as the rod had slipped through the abdomen, a few cm away from the liver, spleen and intestines.
“The surgery was no miracle, but the way the rod had pierced through his body leaving vital visceral organs untouched is indeed a miracle. Had these organs been injured, there would have been lot of bleeding and the surgical procedure would have been quite complicated,” observed Dr Srikanth.
About a decade ago, an iron rod pierced through the head of a Singareni worker and doctors at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, successfully removed it. Luckily, the victim had survived.
Doctors do have a difficult task when accident victims, with iron roads or sharp wooden logs pierced through their bodies, are brought to them for surgery. The foreign body cannot be removed with a force. The area around the rod or log is cut to remove it. Then the body is cleaned of rust and other particles to prevent infection.
In the case of Rajendra Prasad, four inches of the body around the rod was surgically cut. “Since it was an iron rod, there’s danger of rust and consequent infection. We cleaned the body and then sutured it,” says Sri Srinivas.
---------==========--------
Some Recent Incidents
---------==========--------
March, 2010: Doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, removed
an iron rod from the leg of an auto rickshaw driver in what is termed a rare surgical
procedure. The rod pierced through the ankle of 30-year-old Amrik after his auto hit with
a lorry carrying iron roads.
************
February, 2010: A 12-year-old boy from Malegaon survived luckily after a 95 cm rod went
through his body, from near the anus to the shoulder, damaging vital visceral organs
including liver.
The mishap occurred while Karim Ali was playing at a construction site near his house.
*************
March, 2009: Mehul Kumar, 6, was rushed to a hospital in Ranchi after a six feet rod
speared his body. Doctors removed the rod after four hours of surgery. Luckily the body
had no major internal injuries. He fell down from the terrace of his house.
************
December, 2008: Doctors at a hospital in Pune successfully operated on Santosh Kumar, 21,
a construction worker, after six feet rod pierced through his shoulder. He fell down from
the 10th floor of an under-construction building. Doctors described it as a miracle.
Doctors credit Rajendra Prasad for the success of the surgery. The victim was fully awake and aware and even told the doctors that his blood group was A positive. Rarely do doctors come across such people with a strong will power. “It was his will power that saved him,” admits Dr B Srinivas, one of the surgeons attending him.
“For a moment I thought I would die. But I mustered enough courage and did not give in till I reached the hospital, 20 km away. My co-workers kept on reassuring me to ensure that I do not slip into shock. I felt fainted for a few seconds as soon I entered the ambulance but the support I got from my friends and doctors save me from what would have been an imminent death,” says Rajendra Prasad, who is now recuperating after a four-hour surgical procedure.
Doctors at Singareni hospital had never come across such an accident victim. It was really a challenging task for Dr Srinivas and his colleague Dr V Srikanth. The operation was a tough one, but luckily the victim did not have common health problems like diabetes and hypertension.
According to Dr Srikanth, 30 cms of the rod was inside the body. There was no damage to important body organs as the rod had slipped through the abdomen, a few cm away from the liver, spleen and intestines.
“The surgery was no miracle, but the way the rod had pierced through his body leaving vital visceral organs untouched is indeed a miracle. Had these organs been injured, there would have been lot of bleeding and the surgical procedure would have been quite complicated,” observed Dr Srikanth.
About a decade ago, an iron rod pierced through the head of a Singareni worker and doctors at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, successfully removed it. Luckily, the victim had survived.
Doctors do have a difficult task when accident victims, with iron roads or sharp wooden logs pierced through their bodies, are brought to them for surgery. The foreign body cannot be removed with a force. The area around the rod or log is cut to remove it. Then the body is cleaned of rust and other particles to prevent infection.
In the case of Rajendra Prasad, four inches of the body around the rod was surgically cut. “Since it was an iron rod, there’s danger of rust and consequent infection. We cleaned the body and then sutured it,” says Sri Srinivas.
---------==========--------
Some Recent Incidents
---------==========--------
March, 2010: Doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, removed
an iron rod from the leg of an auto rickshaw driver in what is termed a rare surgical
procedure. The rod pierced through the ankle of 30-year-old Amrik after his auto hit with
a lorry carrying iron roads.
************
February, 2010: A 12-year-old boy from Malegaon survived luckily after a 95 cm rod went
through his body, from near the anus to the shoulder, damaging vital visceral organs
including liver.
The mishap occurred while Karim Ali was playing at a construction site near his house.
*************
March, 2009: Mehul Kumar, 6, was rushed to a hospital in Ranchi after a six feet rod
speared his body. Doctors removed the rod after four hours of surgery. Luckily the body
had no major internal injuries. He fell down from the terrace of his house.
************
December, 2008: Doctors at a hospital in Pune successfully operated on Santosh Kumar, 21,
a construction worker, after six feet rod pierced through his shoulder. He fell down from
the 10th floor of an under-construction building. Doctors described it as a miracle.
Air pollution kills phytoplankton in Bay of Bengal: Major change in phytoplankton composition off the coast of Visakhapatnam
2010
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, July 9: Increasing vehicular pollution has triggered changes in phytoplankton populations in the Bay of Bengal, upsetting the delicate composition of the surface sea waters.
Phytoplanktons are a major source of oxygen on the earth and serve as feed for aquatic animals. Any disturbance in phytoplankton community will have severe environmental consequences including death of sea animals and drastic fall in the oxygen levels on the earth.
Experiments conducted by the National Institute of Oceanography, Visakhapatnam regional centre, showed that the Bay of Bengal phytoplankton are quite sensitive to increasing carbon dioxide from vehicular and industrial emissions.
"Future change in surface sea water carbonate chemistry might significantly affect the eco-physiology of the natural phytoplankton, which can have a significant impact on the biogeochemistry of this part of the tropical ocean," the NIO has warned.
The NIO group comprising H Biswas, T Acharyya, V Venkat Ramana and D Bandyopadhyay and Alexander Cros from France, noticed that the diatom dominated population was found to be replaced by cyanobacteria under high carbon dioxide and nutrient limited condition. The results were released at the ongoing Asia Oceanic Geosciences Society meeting in the city.
Particulate organic matter, dissolved oxygen, dissolved organic carbon was found to be increased with increasing carbon dioxide. Almost 2.7 times higher total bacterial count was observed in the highest carbon dioxide treated cells.
The surface ocean absorbs carbon dioxide released by vehicles and industries. This changes the surface ocean carbonate chemistry by lowering the pH, through a process called ocean acidification.
"The surface sea water pH is going to be affected in such a level which has not been experienced in last hundred million years by the world ocean. Marine and estuarine phytoplankton are the key group responsible for ocean primary production and therefore, has a great control on the global carbon sink of atmospheric carbon dioxide," said Biswas.
The NIO team conducted what is called bottle experiment with the natural phytoplankton population of Bay of Bengal to test the effect of increasing carbon dioxide on them. This is the first-ever major study on the carbon dioxide effect on a tropical ocean.
Phytoplanktons are a major source of oxygen on the earth and serve as feed for aquatic animals. Any disturbance in phytoplankton community will have severe environmental consequences including death of sea animals and drastic fall in the oxygen levels on the earth.
"Future change in surface sea water carbonate chemistry might significantly affect the eco-physiology of the natural phytoplankton, which can have a significant impact on the biogeochemistry of this part of the tropical ocean," the NIO has warned.
The NIO group comprising H Biswas, T Acharyya, V Venkat Ramana and D Bandyopadhyay and Alexander Cros from France, noticed that the diatom dominated population was found to be replaced by cyanobacteria under high carbon dioxide and nutrient limited condition. The results were released at the ongoing Asia Oceanic Geosciences Society meeting in the city.
Particulate organic matter, dissolved oxygen, dissolved organic carbon was found to be increased with increasing carbon dioxide. Almost 2.7 times higher total bacterial count was observed in the highest carbon dioxide treated cells.
The surface ocean absorbs carbon dioxide released by vehicles and industries. This changes the surface ocean carbonate chemistry by lowering the pH, through a process called ocean acidification.
"The surface sea water pH is going to be affected in such a level which has not been experienced in last hundred million years by the world ocean. Marine and estuarine phytoplankton are the key group responsible for ocean primary production and therefore, has a great control on the global carbon sink of atmospheric carbon dioxide," said Biswas.
The NIO team conducted what is called bottle experiment with the natural phytoplankton population of Bay of Bengal to test the effect of increasing carbon dioxide on them. This is the first-ever major study on the carbon dioxide effect on a tropical ocean.
The power of Ayurveda Rasayana: Herbal formulation increases Drosophila lifespan by 100 per cent
2010
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, July 10: Rasyanas, mentioned in the ancient Ayurvedic texts, Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita, are capable of fighting ageing and increasing longevity, according to a pioneering experiment on the common fruit fly, Drosophila.
Drosophila and human beings share 13,601 common genes and most of the experimental results obtained from the fruit fly can be extrapolated on man. Ayurveda doctors at the Government Ayurveda Medical College, Mysore, have proved that the life span of Drosophila can be extended by almost half through administration of Ayurvedic rasayana. Doctors from Uppsala University, Sweden, also collaborated in the work.
The life span of Drosophila melanogaster increased between 51 and 55 per cent when it was fed with a standard rasayana preparation, suitably adapted for insects.
A Drosophila fly normal lives for minimum of 40 days to maximum of 53 days. In the experiment, the life span of the fruit fly shot up to 81 days to 91 days. Every fruit fly fed with Ayurveda rasayana had an increased life span of minimum 28 days.
"Rasayana forms the seventh of eight subdivisions of Ayurveda's earliest extant text, Charaka Samhita. Sushruta also describes rasayanas as "reversing naturally occurring senility" (swabhava vyadhi nivarana) and so "preventing death" (marana nivarana), further indicating that rasayanas are considered "special herbal formulations" (vishishtaoushadhi chintaka) conceived through prolonged consideration of their components' detailed properties," Dr S Priyadarshini pointed out.
Drosophila is one of a small number of organisms favoured for human-related ageing research. Few chromosomes in a small genome, with large numbers of spontaneous and induced mutations, make it well-suited to such work. Interestingly, the human Xist gene and the analogous Drosophila Sxl gene both control sex determination, and may both be involved in regulating life span.
Ayurveda Rasayana tantra describes techniques providing multidimensional solutions to ageing, premature ageing, and their complications. Its rasayana division, also known as jarachikitsa, has been practised as long as Ayurveda has been recorded.
"We reason that if it could extend D. melanogaster's life span, the same formula with insect changes reversed out would be of similar benefit to humans. In reality, the experiment constitutes an in principle test of the whole
subject of rasayana, in particular the validity of applying it to animal models like D. melanogaster," Dr Priyadarshini said.
The pioneering study has also revealed that Ayurvedic formulations can be tested on Drosophila before they are extrapolated on human beings. It has also opened new avenues to investigate Ayurvedic complex issues like synergy between components, and overall mechanisms of complex formulations.
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, July 10: Rasyanas, mentioned in the ancient Ayurvedic texts, Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita, are capable of fighting ageing and increasing longevity, according to a pioneering experiment on the common fruit fly, Drosophila.
The life span of Drosophila melanogaster increased between 51 and 55 per cent when it was fed with a standard rasayana preparation, suitably adapted for insects.
A Drosophila fly normal lives for minimum of 40 days to maximum of 53 days. In the experiment, the life span of the fruit fly shot up to 81 days to 91 days. Every fruit fly fed with Ayurveda rasayana had an increased life span of minimum 28 days.
"Rasayana forms the seventh of eight subdivisions of Ayurveda's earliest extant text, Charaka Samhita. Sushruta also describes rasayanas as "reversing naturally occurring senility" (swabhava vyadhi nivarana) and so "preventing death" (marana nivarana), further indicating that rasayanas are considered "special herbal formulations" (vishishtaoushadhi chintaka) conceived through prolonged consideration of their components' detailed properties," Dr S Priyadarshini pointed out.
Drosophila is one of a small number of organisms favoured for human-related ageing research. Few chromosomes in a small genome, with large numbers of spontaneous and induced mutations, make it well-suited to such work. Interestingly, the human Xist gene and the analogous Drosophila Sxl gene both control sex determination, and may both be involved in regulating life span.
"We reason that if it could extend D. melanogaster's life span, the same formula with insect changes reversed out would be of similar benefit to humans. In reality, the experiment constitutes an in principle test of the whole
subject of rasayana, in particular the validity of applying it to animal models like D. melanogaster," Dr Priyadarshini said.
The pioneering study has also revealed that Ayurvedic formulations can be tested on Drosophila before they are extrapolated on human beings. It has also opened new avenues to investigate Ayurvedic complex issues like synergy between components, and overall mechanisms of complex formulations.
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