Doctors save baby by 'freezing' in a fridge

Newly born baby didn't breathe for 17 minutes.
A baby who didn't breathe for 17 minutes was saved after being put in a 'fridge' for three days, reported The Daily Mail.

When she was born, Sophie Fleet swallowed fluids which caused a blockage in her airways and starved her brain of oxygen.

Doctors treated her using medically-induced hypothermia, lowering her body temperature from the normal 37°C to 33.5°C for three days by putting Sophie into a special 'fridge' suit pumped with water to keep her body cool, reported The Daily Mail.

This reduced pressure on Sophie's brain, thereby preventing further brain damage. She could go home with her parents nine days later, and only sustained mild brain damage.

Sophie's parents know that the outcome could have been much worse – their daughter could have suffered either severe or brain damage – without the hypothermia, reported The Daily Mail.

Spanish gym offers n-a-k-ed workouts

A STRUGGLING gym is hoping potential clients will fancy getting buff in the buff — after launching n-a-k-e-d workouts.

Liberal-minded customers have been invited to burn calories in the n-u-d-e at Easy Gym which provides towels to "prevent slippage" on equipment.

N-a-k-e-d workouts

Owner Merche Laseca said: "We knew we had to innovate because we were losing clients.

"Times are hard. There is a crisis. I need the money. I am not a n-u-d-i-s-t myself, but I don't mind it at all."

The business in the northern Spanish town of Arrigorriaga is the country's first gym to allow fitness fanatics to bare all.

Merche got the idea after a survey of n-u-d-i-s-t-s showed 90 per cent of them would happily exercise n-a-k-e-d.

Critics claimed the n-u-d-e gym sessions might be unhygienic and uncomfortable.

Julian Lopez, an Easy Gym member, said: "I think the managers are stupid to do this just to get money.

"They want me to be hygienic, with clean shoes, towels etc ... but when I go there now and sit on the exercise bike what am I going to find?"

Doctors use iPod for knee surgery

In many ways, MP3 players have gone above their call of duty as music storing devices, and are often used to help bring criminals to justice, record flight data, etc. Now, they are being used to assist orthopaedic surgeons in knee-replacement procedures. For the first time in Asia, a city doctor on Wednesday performed a knee-replacement computer-assisted surgery on an elderly patient-with an iPod. 

The patient, 75-year-old Gulab Singhvi, had been suffering from severe joint pain in her left knee for the past four years. When she decided to undergo a knee-replacement procedure, little did her family realize that Singhvi would be the first person in Asia to undergo the surgery with the help of an iPod navigation system. 

Dr Arun Mullaji, who performed the surgery at Breach Candy Hospital, said: "Though the computer navigation itself was a breakthrough, the iPod navigation allows for better accuracy." 

So how does it work? The hardware is made up of a special casing for the iPod as well as a computer system that communicates wirelessly with the device. The computing system also comprises a camera equipped with an infrared sensor. The casing has slots for miniature instruments and three antennae with reflecting spheres. These spheres provide a frame of reference to the camera's infrared sensor, which tracks each of them to plot the x, y and z axis of each point. (See Cutting Edge box). 

This system, which has been developed by Smith & Nephew Inc, works on a similar technology used in computer navigation systems. "The iPod is connected to a camera attached to a stand which is kept at a distance. Instead of a screen, which used to be at the same stand earlier, the surgeon can see the image along with other information on the iPod screen," said Tim Frandsen, director of global surgical navigation in the company. 

Mullaji added: "The iPod screen shows accurate measurements, angles, positions and the movement that will be possible for each point touched by the sensor pointer connected to it. And since the iPod is carried by us in hand, the screen is at the same area where the surgery is being done as against the screen at a distance in a computer navigation system."- 

In a replacement surgery, there's a 3 mm margin of error. If there is an error beyond this, the person may suffer multiple fractures and dislocations even after the surgery. "Studies prove that within the next 30 years, there is likely to be a 600% increase in the number of revision surgeries world over. The iPod navigation system helps in giving the alignment of the bone joint with 0.1 mm precision," said Mullaji. 

Fighting malaria with smartphone software?

A team of graduate students has created a new smartphone application they say will allow healthcare workers in remote locations to diagnose malaria cases on the spot.

But first, the students hope their application wins this weekend's Imagine Cup 2011 national finals in Seattle.

The 9th-annual Imagine Cup, sponsored by Microsoft, asks student entrants to "imagine a world where technology helps solve the toughest problems."

Tristan Gibeau, 25, a graduate computer engineering student at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, said his team's application fits the bill.

"It's going to make a difference in trying to contain the outbreak of malaria," said Gibeau, the project's software designer.

"In the big picture, it'll hopefully help in the fight against most diseases out there and make everybody's life a little easier."

His team's prototype is a Windows 7-equipped Samsung Focus smart phone modified with a microscopic camera lens.

Gibeau said the software application can take a picture of a blood sample, process the data to detect malaria parasites, quantify how much malaria is in the sample and point the parasites out to the phone user.

"It actually draws a red box around the clusters of malaria, and it actually notifies you how many it found," Gibeau said.

Although microscopic lenses are already available for smart phones, Gibeau said the software takes the concept's usefulness to another level.

It would enable a doctor or nurse working, for example, in an African village lacking Internet access to make a diagnosis without having to upload data for processing elsewhere.

However, once the data stored in the phone is uploaded, it can be used to spot disease trends, Gibeau said.

He said he is working on smart phone applications to detect sickle cell and other diseases and also plans to make the software easily adaptable to lab-based microscopes.

The smart phone application was the idea of team member Wilson To, a 25-year-old graduate student in comparative pathology at the University of California at Davis.

It builds upon a mobile microscope concept that To and a different team created to win last year's Imagine Cup national finals.

Baby 'doll' to teach girls on breast feeding

A new doll from a toy company based in Spain purports to teach young girls how to breast feed. The Breast Milk Baby, from Berjuan Toys is available online. The company's video demonstration on its website and on YouTube shows how it works: The little girl holds the doll up to her chest and the doll even makes a suckling noise.

"The Breast Milk Baby lets young girls express their love and affection in the most natural way possible, just like mommy," according to the company's press release. "The Breast Milk Baby represents a revolution in design by teaching children the nurturing skills they'll need to raise their own healthy babies. Just put on the fashionable top included with each Breast Milk Baby, bring the baby's mouth up to the pretty flower, and enjoy the closeness, the loving bond between mother and child."

The baby comes with a cloth halter with two big flowers on it to illustrate where the nipples would be and where little girls should hold the doll.

"I'm worried we're trying to socialize our children too early," said Dr. Nava Silton, a child psychologist. She added that preschool children don't need an explicit doll to model nursing. Plus, she said, parents try to teach little girls and boys of that age how act when they grow up, and little boys don't become men who breast feed.

Dr. Silton also said that promoting nursing and the bond between a mother and child, is positive but that you don't need a doll to do it.

Easy tips to brush up your kissing skills

You're looking into his/her eyes and they're gazing back. You both move in for the kiss... pause. Worried if you will do it right? If you follow these 10 steps, every kiss will be perfect. 

Eye grazing 

Start by looking into your partner's eyes, when the two of you are sitting close. Trust us, it'll send the message right across, that you want to get closer. 

Smile that mischievous smile 

Just curve your lips into a small, suggestive smile, and watch how you get one in return. 

Erase the space 

With that smile, you've got the signal to move in, albeit, slowly. Moving too fast will make it look like a desperado's attempt. keep in mind that slow is always sensuous. 

Light touch on the face! 

This will promote the feeling of intimacy between the two of you. Girls can head to stroke the hair, while the boy can lightly touch the girl's cheeks. 

Relax 

Just be sure that your lips are relaxed and not tightly pressed together. 

Moisturise your lips 

Make this a rule when you are in a relationship, both men and women. Keep your lips soft by regular application of lip balm, so when the moment comes, it's soft and supple lips that greet your partner's. Men should avoid licking their lips or else you could just land a sloppy kiss. 

Close your eyes 

Close your eyes, as you're about to make contact. Some people feel awkward if their partner's eyes are open. Besides, you'll end up with a much more passionate kissing experience if you close your eyes and let the sensations drive you. 

Settle in the right angle 

Tilt your head slightly, as this will help line the lips, so there's no chance of missing the kiss and turning a sensual moment into a funny one. 

Part your lips 

Now that your lips are relaxed, part them slightly as you begin contact. Don't open them too much or your partner may feel that you're 'swallowing' them. Don't keep them too closed either though because your partner may get the impression that you're not as 'in' to this kiss as they are. 

The kiss 

It is finally time! Gently touch your lips to theirs and you have the perfect kiss. Be sure not to pull away too quickly. You want to take your time and enjoy it! When you do finally pull away, look your partner in the eyes again, and follow it up with a smile, an embrace, or a whisper. Remember, a kiss is perfect when it has a perfect end.

No risk of brain cancer from mobile phones

For people worried about the dangers of mobile phones is good news. Its use over the way – the concerns of people suffering from anxiety can be overcome in the UK, the latest research. According to research, use of mobile phones brain (brain) not increase the risk of cancer.
Manchester University researchers of the year 1998 to 2007 between the people suffering from brain cancer the investigation of their gathering data, they do not watch any important fact came. Britain’s national Statistics Department These figures are available in the office.

According to the  research report  published in the Journal, according to which women or men in the nine years of mobile phone use did not show due to the risk of brain cancer. The radio waves from mobile phone get always been controversy over whether it is increasing the risk of brain cancer? "Our research in the growing cell phone use and brain cancer risks seems to be no connection.

Coca Cola and Pepsi color can cause cancer threat

Coca Cola and Pepsi to  contains an element in the beginning of the can cause cancer  .Coloring  element used in Coca Cola and Pepsi  causes cancer An American group linked with health have warned

Center for Science in the Public Interest, said: "Coca-Cola, Pepsi and other food used  two chemical elements for coloring in the caramel color . It should be banned. "Artificial brown color of cola to create high pressure and temperature reaction of sugar.

Health Benefits of Banana - Weight loss and Weight gain useful tips

Banana is an effective fruit for health benefits. The mixture of carbohydrates and vitamins present in banana helps an energy increase. The natural fiber in banana also gives to the many health benefits. Here are some important benefits of banana.

Vitamins and Minerals: Banana high in Vitamins, as Vitamin A is important for development of tissue in eyes and growth of the skin. Vitamin B is also present which help in calming the nervous system. 

Blood Pressure: Banana is a natural source of potassium. Potassium is important for the human body as it helps in body’s fluid level, body cells and controlling in blood pressure.

Ulcers: Bananas contain protease inhibitors that help eliminate bacteria in the stomach and reduce acidity. Thus problem of ulcer reduces.

Anemia: Banana rich in iron, which improve the body’s hemoglobin function. Thus banana is ideal fruit for people who are suffering from Anemia.

Depression: Banana contains amino acid (tryptophan) which converted by the body into serotonin that relaxes a person.

Constipation: Banana is high in fiber, it is perfect remedy for constipation.

Smoking: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking, as it contains Vitamin C, A1, B6, B12 and potassium, which help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

According to Research of “New England Journal of Medicine states” – A regular intake of banana in your diet can help reduce the possibility of stroke by up to 40 percent.

1.Banana is an energy booster.

2.Banana contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone that is known to make you feel happy and improve your mood.

3.Banana is a rich source of iron, thus it is helpful in cases of anemia.

4.Banana is good a good source of potassium. If you are taking diuretics take 2 bananas a day to prevent the depletion of potassium in the body.

5.The skin of the banana is said to help remove warts(cover the warts with the inner skin of banana).

6.Banana is good for people who have high blood pressure because it is low in salt.

Banana is also helpful in the following cases : Stomach ulcer (banana has a natural antacid), Colitis, Digestive disorder, Diarrhea, Constipation (banana is high in fiber), Hemorrhoids

Nutrients in Bananas

An unripe banana contains more starch than sugar, but as it ripens its starches turn to sugar. A ripe banana consists mainly of sugars – glucose, fructose and sucrose, and fiber, making bananas an ideal source of energy. Bananas are an excellent source of potassium and vitamin B6. They are a good source of vitamin C, riboflavin, magnesium, biotin and carbohydrates. A study has concluded that bananas are a potential food source for alleviating vitamin A deficiency.

Nutritive Values : Per 100 gm.

Vitamin A : 430 I.U.

Vitamin B : Thiamine .04 mg.;

Vitamin C : 10 mg.

Calcium : 8 mg.

Iron : 6 mg.

Phosphorus : 28 mg.

Potassium : 260 mg.

Carbohydrates : 23 gm

Protein : 1.2 mg.

Calories : 88

The health benefits of banana include weight loss, obesity, weight gain, intestinal disorders, constipation, dysentery, anemia, tuberculosis, arthritis, gout, kidney disorders, urinary disorders, menstrual problems, and burns.

Banana fruit is eaten when ripe directly or as vegetables, fruit salad, juice, shakes, etc. Unripe bananas can cause severe indigestion and hence should be eaten only in cooked form.

The health benefits of banana include the following:

Weight loss and obesity: Banana is useful for weight loss as one banana having a weight of 100g contains roughly 90 calories. It contains lot of fiber and is easily digested. Further it does not contain any fats. So a overweight person does not eat too many calories if the diet contains some bananas. The roughage will also not make the person feel hungry.

Weight gain: At the same time, banana is useful for weight gain. Banana when consumed with milk helps in increasing the weight rapidly. Milk provides the necessary proteins and banana provides the sugars. Further, since banana is easily digested, a weak person can gulp 5-6 bananas in a day apart from the regular meals. This leads to an additional 500-600 calories which is quite necessary for weight gain. Since bananas have the ability to provide instant energy, sportsmen eat bananas during breaks of games.

Bananas for Cholesterol Reduction

Bananas contain the soluble fiber pectin that assists in the lowering of cholesterol. The importance of increasing the intake of water-soluble dietary fibers to help lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL Cholesterol) has become increasingly recognized. Well-controlled intervention studies have now shown that four major water-soluble fiber types-beta-glucan, psyllium, pectin and guar gum effectively lower serum LDL cholesterol concentrations, without affecting HDL cholesterol or triacylglycerol concentrations. It is estimated that for each additional gram of water-soluble fiber in the diet serum total and LDL cholesterol concentrations decrease by -0.028 mmol/L and -0.029 mmol/L, respectively.

Bananas for Blood Pressure

Bananas are high in potassium which is an important requirement in regulating blood pressure. Various nutrition studies have attested to the power of adequate potassium to keep blood pressure within safe levels. Blood pressure is positively associated with higher sodium, alcohol, and protein intakes; it is inversely associated with potassium, calcium, and magnesium intakes. Studies such as PREMIER have shown that salt restriction (<6 g/d), alcohol moderation (<2U/d in men and <1U/d in women), weight loss (if BMI>25), exercise, and a DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) (supplying 20-30 mmol/d of potassium) can achieve decreases in systolic blood pressure of approximately 10 to 15 mm Hg when applied together. Decreased intakes of sodium alone, and increased intakes of potassium, calcium, and magnesium each alone decrease high blood pressure. A combination of all these factors, that is, decrease of sodium, and increase of potassium, calcium, and magnesium intakes, which are characteristic of the DASH diet, has an excellent blood pressure lowering effect.

Bananas for Reducing Risk of Stroke

A diet rich in potassium is associated with a lower risk of stroke. Data from the Harvard School of Public Health/Health Professionals Follow-Up Study of male doctors showed that a diet rich in high-potassium foods such as bananas, oranges, and plantain could reduce the risk of stroke. In the study, the men who ate the higher number of potassium-rich foods (an average of nine servings a day) had a risk of stroke 38 percent lower than that of men who consumed fewer than four servings a day.

An analysis of data from the Health Professionals Study shows 38 percent fewer strokes among men who ate nine servings of potassium rich foods a day against those who ate less than four servings. In men with high blood pressure, taking a daily 1,000 mg potas�sium supplement reduced the incidence of stroke by 60 percent, and there is approximately 420 mg potassium in a medium sized banana.

Bananas for Mood Enhancement

Bananas are rich in serotonin, dopamine, and other natural mood-elevating neurotransmitters, natural chemicals that facilitate the transmission of impulses along nerve cells.

Avoid Milk if U Have Gastric Problem

I was having a mild gastric yesterday and when I voiced it out, hubby told me to drink some milk to ease the gastric pain. But somewhere on the back of my mind, I remember hearing some advise about how milk will aggravate gastric pains even more than it provides relieve. I told him this and he said it can’t be, because an aunt of his has bad gastric problems and her doctor specifically told her to drink milk. Still not convinced, I decided to do some research about the effect of milk on gastric pains, whether milk relives gastric pains or worsen it. What do you think?

From my serches on the internet, I found many forums and websites that suggest taking milk to help relieve gastric and stomach ulcer pains. This is because milk is an alkaline component and it will neutralise the acidity of the gastric juice in the stomach that is causing the gastric pains. However, upon further reading, I read that milk is only a short term relief to gastric.

Milk contains fats and protein. When these components enter the body system, they encourage more acid juices to be secreted in the stomach so that it can digest the proteins. So before long, you may find that your gastric may return. And if you keep drinking milk as a cure for gastric, it won’t help you in the long term. You can read more about the explanation on this from some short paragraphs here and here.

The next time you have gastric and prefer to take natural remedies to cure gastric pains, here are some things you can do:

1. Drink lots of water

2. Eat garlic (read about the health benefits of garlic here) – Long term consumption of garlic helps to prevent stomach acidity. For a quick relieve from gastric pains, you can try crushing 2 cloves of garlic and consuming it.

3. Drink apple cider vinegar  Apple cider vinegar and garlic can be combined help relieve gastric pains. Crush a couple of cloves of garlic into a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, refrigerate and take a spoonful for instant relief.

What is Hyper-pigmentation?

Hyper-pigmentation is when the skin appears to have a dark spot or patch that is caused by too much pigmentation in the skin. There are certain things that can cause or trigger this condition, such as over active skin cells that is known as melanocytes. This is when there is a stimulation of melanin in the body, which is what gives humans their skin color.

There are other reasons that trigger this condition, such as over exposure to the sun, hormones, illness and some medications that can cause hyper-pigmentation to begin or to worsen.

People often refer to this skin disorder as sun spots, which is one way of stating that the skin has become damaged by over exposure of UV rays to the skin. In some ways this is true, sun spots, which are also known as hyper-pigmentation is caused by over exposure to the UV rays of the sun.

The sun stimulates melanocytes to produce melanin to absorb ultraviolet rays and this in effect is what causes spots of discoloration or pigmentation on the skin. The best way to protect the skin against this type of hyper-pigmentation is to use protection of a good sunscreen to protect the skin from the sun.

Diet: Childless Couples Eat Healthier, Study Finds

It may be an exaggeration to say that your children are making you sick, but a British study has found that couples with children eat a less healthy diet than those who have none. Researchers used data from a British government survey of 7,014 families who recorded their food purchases in a diary over two-week periods in 2003 and 2004.

The higher-income families ate more meat, more fresh fruit and more vegetables than others. Age influenced the consumption of fats and sugar, both of which declined among older households.

But perhaps most surprising, the new study, published in the December issue of the European Review of Agricultural Economics, found that households without children were healthier eaters.

Even after controlling for income, age and other factors, compared with a household with children, a childless household consumed about 4.4 pounds more fruit and vegetables per person over the two-week period.

Having children in the house also reduced the demand for meat, and increased the consumption of dairy products, cereal and potatoes.

“This confirms what we as parents know,” said an author of the study, Richard Tiffin, a professor of economics at the University of Reading in England. “For whatever reason, the social dynamic in a household with children makes the diet on average more unhealthy.”

FDA: Agency must review tobacco products

(AP) -- The Food and Drug Administration says it must review tobacco products that were introduced or changed over the last four years in order for companies to keep selling them.

The agency on Wednesday issued guidance to the tobacco industry outlining how to apply for review.

Tobacco makers have until March 22 to prove that the cigarettes or other tobacco products are "substantially equivalent" to ones commercially available before Feb. 15, 2007. That means the ingredients and design are similar and do not raise different public health concerns.

The FDA said it may deny an application if the product poses an increased health risk to users or causes nonusers to start using tobacco.

Companies planning to introduce new products after the March deadline must get approval from the FDA in the form of a market order before they can be sold.

Officials say the requirements are part of a 2009 law giving the FDA the ability to regulate tobacco. They are meant to ensure that new tobacco products are evaluated by the FDA before they are allowed to enter the marketplace.

"Up till now tobacco products had been the only mass-consumed products for which users do not know what they're consuming," Dr. Lawrence Deyton, director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products, said in a conference call. "No longer will changes to products consumed by millions of Americans be made without anyone knowing."

Still, Deyton warned that "no known existing tobacco product is safe," and FDA approval for a company to sell the product does not make it safe.

"These products will not be safer, but we are required by this law to not allow even more dangerous products to cause further harm to those Americans who use tobacco products," he said.

The agency estimates that, under its definition, about 230 new products are introduced every year - a number it expects will continue going forward, according to its submissions in the Federal Register. But, the FDA said, additional regulation may lead tobacco makers to slow that number in the future.

The FDA won the authority in 2009 to regulate tobacco products, including the ability to ban certain products, regulate marketing, reduce nicotine in tobacco products and block labels such "low tar" and "light." Tobacco companies also will be required to cover their cartons with large, graphic warnings.

About 46 million, or one in five Americans, smoke and about 3 percent of American adults use smokeless tobacco, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tobacco use in the U.S. also is responsible for about 443,000 deaths per year.