cloned camel

Scientists said the breakthrough might provide a means of preserving the genetics of elite racing and milk-producing camels.

Scientists in Dubai say they have created the world's first cloned camel.

Injaz, a female one-humped camel, was born on 8 April, after more than five years of work, United Arab Emirates newspapers reported.

Scientists say DNA taken from a cell in the ovary of an adult camel was put into an egg from a surrogate mother.

Injaz, which means "achievement" in Arabic, was born after an "uncomplicated" 378-day gestation period, reports said.

"This significant breakthrough gives a means of preserving the valuable genetics of our elite racing and milk producing camels in the future," Dr Lulu Skidmore of the Camel Reproduction Centre told Gulf News newspaper.

The baby camel, weighing 30kg, has been confirmed as being genetically identical to the camel the cells were taken from, the paper reported.

That camel was killed for its meat in 2005, another newspaper, the National, said.

Thirteen years ago, the world's first mammal to be cloned using DNA from an adult cell, Dolly the Sheep, was born in Edinburgh.

But in 2003, she was diagnosed with lung disease and put down.

Since then, scientists around the world have created cloned mice, cows, pigs and dogs.

Finger length may predict financial success

By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID,AP Science Writer AP - Tuesday, January 13

WASHINGTON - The length of a man's ring finger may predict his success as a financial trader. Researchers at the University of Cambridge in England report that men with longer ring fingers, compared to their index fingers, tended to be more successful in
the frantic high-frequency trading in the London financial district.

Indeed, the impact of biology on success was about equal to years of experience at the job, the team led by physiologist John M. Coates reports in Monday's edition of
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The same ring-to-index finger ratio has previously been associated with success in competitive sports such as soccer and basketball, the researchers noted.The length ratio between those two fingers is determined during the development of the fetus and the relatively longer ring finger indicates greater exposure to the male hormone androgen, the researchers noted.

Previous studies have found that such exposure can lead to increased confidence, risk
preferences, search persistence, heightened vigilance and quickened reaction times. In a separate study last year, Coates and colleagues reported that the hormone that drives male aggression and sexual interest also seemed able to boost short term success at finance.

They studied male financial traders in London, taking saliva samples in the morning and evening. They found that those with higher levels of testosterone in the morning were more likely to make an unusually big profit that day. Testosterone, best known as the male sex hormone, affects aggression, confidence and risk-taking.

In the new study, the researchers measured the right hands of 44 male stock traders who were engaged in a type of trade that involved rapid decision-making and quick physical reactions. Over 20 months those with longer ring fingers compared to their index fingers made 11 times more money than those with the shortest ring fingers. Over the same time the most experienced traders made about 9 times more than the least experienced ones.

Looking only at experienced traders, the long-ring-finger folks earned 5 times more than those with short ring fingers. While the finger ratio, showing fetal exposure to male hormones, appears to signal likely success in high-actively trading that calls for risk-taking and quick reactions, it may not indicate people who would do well at other sorts of financial activities, the researchers said.

Some traders require additional skills on dealing with clients and sales workers. And the advantage may even reverse for some, Coates team said, such as traders taking a more analytical and long-term approach to the markets.

One study, which looked at average finger ratios in university departments found that faculty from math, science and engineering exhibited longer index finger ratio, rather than ring finger, they noted.

Nap without guilt: It boosts sophisticated memory

By LAURAN NEERGAARD,AP Medical Writer AP - Tuesday, November 25

WASHINGTON - Just in time for the holidays, some medical advice most people will like: Take a nap.

Interrupting sleep seriously disrupts memory-making, compelling new research suggests. But on the flip side, taking a nap may boost a sophisticated kind of memory that helps us see the big picture and get creative.

"Not only do we need to remember to sleep, but most certainly we sleep to remember," is how Dr. William Fishbein, a cognitive neuroscientist at the City University of New York, put it at a meeting of the Society for Neuroscience last week.

Good sleep is a casualty of our 24/7 world. Surveys suggest few adults attain the recommended seven to eight hours a night.

Way too little clearly is dangerous: Sleep deprivation causes not just car crashes but all sorts of other accidents. Over time, a chronic lack of sleep can erode the body in ways that leave us more vulnerable to heart disease, diabetes and other illnesses.

But perhaps more common than insomnia is fragmented sleep _ the easy awakening that comes with aging, or, worse, the sleep apnea that afflicts millions, who quit breathing for 30 seconds or so over and over throughout the night.

Indeed, scientists increasingly are focusing less on sleep duration and more on the quality of sleep, what's called sleep intensity, in studying how sleep helps the brain process memories so they stick. Particularly important is "slow-wave sleep," a period of very deep sleep that comes earlier than better-known REM sleep, or dreaming time.

Fishbein suspected a more active role for the slow-wave sleep that can emerge even in a power nap. Maybe our brains keep working during that time to solve problems and come up with new ideas. So he and graduate student Hiuyan Lau devised a simple test: documenting relational memory, where the brain puts together separately learned facts in new ways.

First, they taught 20 English-speaking college students lists of Chinese words spelled with two characters _ such as sister, mother, maid. Then half the students took a nap, being monitored to be sure they didn't move from slow-wave sleep into the REM stage.

Upon awakening, they took a multiple-choice test of Chinese words they'd never seen before. The nappers did much better at automatically learning that the first of the two-pair characters in the words they'd memorized earlier always meant the same thing _ female, for example. So they also were more likely than non-nappers to choose that a new word containing that character meant "princess" and not "ape."

"The nap group has essentially teased out what's going on," Fishbein concludes.

These students took a 90-minute nap, quite a luxury for most adults. But even a 12-minute nap can boost some forms of memory, adds Dr. Robert Stickgold of Harvard Medical School.

Conversely, Wisconsin researchers briefly interrupted nighttime slow-wave sleep by playing a beep _ just loudly enough to disturb sleep but not awaken _ and found those people couldn't remember a task they'd learned the day before as well as people whose slow-wave sleep wasn't disrupted.

That brings us back to fragmented sleep, whether from aging or apnea. It can suppress the birth of new brain cells in the hippocampus, where memory-making begins _ enough to hinder learning weeks after sleep returns to normal, warns Dr. Dennis McGinty of the University of California, Los Angeles.

To prove a lasting effect, McGinty mimicked human sleep apnea in rats. He hooked them to brain monitors and made them sleep on a treadmill. Whenever the monitors detected 30 seconds of sleep, the treadmill briefly switched on. After 12 days of this sleep disturbance, McGinty let the rats sleep peacefully for as long as they wanted for the next two weeks.

The catch-up sleep didn't help: Rested rats used room cues to quickly learn the escape hole in a maze. Those with fragmented sleep two weeks earlier couldn't, only randomly stumbling upon the escape.

None of the new work is enough, yet, to pinpoint the minimum sleep needed for optimal memory. What's needed may vary considerably from person to person.

"A short sleeper may have a very efficient deep sleep even if they sleep only four hours," notes Dr. Chiara Cirellia of the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

But altogether, the findings do suggest some practical advice: Get apnea treated. Avoid what Harvard's Stickgold calls "sleep bulimia," super-late nights followed by sleep-in weekends. And don't feel guilty for napping.

___

EDITOR'S NOTE _ Lauran Neergaard covers health and medical issues for The Associated Press in Washington.

How to Age Gracefully

How to Age Gracefully
by Dawn Papandrea

Getting older is a fact of life, but looking older—well, that's your choice.

While there's nothing wrong with growing old gracefully, there are also

simple things you can do to defy aging that do not involve surgical

enhancements. Take a look through 10 expert ways to keep your fashion, beauty

and style sense young at heart.


Zap Wrinkles
The secret to youthful skin is keeping it moisturized, says Christine

Rodgers, Denver-based plastic surgeon. "By adding more moisture to the skin,

wrinkles are naturally reduced and the face appears fuller and younger."

Also, slough off dead skin cells with a light microderm scrub to give skin a

healthy glow, which will increase blood flow to the face.


Pucker Up for Anti-Aging
Dr. Macrene Alexiades, NYC-based cosmetic dermatologist advises to stick with

sheer lipsticks and glosses. "Glosses are especially youthful and give lips a

healthy, moisturized appearance." On the flipside, she says, matte and brown

lipsticks can make teeth look discolored and add years to your look.


Revitalize and Brighten
It's a fact that older women have a harder time sleeping, but that doesn't

have to show on your face. For an instant brightener, apply a chilled wet

washcloth to your face before applying your makeup, says Farah Reid, stylist

from Blow, the New York Blow Dry Bar. "The cold will brighten your complexion

and shrink your pores."


Get a New, Sophisticated 'Do
Women think longer hair keeps them looking young, but that isn't necessarily

the case, assures Valery Joseph, owner of New York City's Valery Joseph

Salon. Young hair is all about healthy shine and bounce. "Cut off dead hair

for a super chic bob. Bangs also create instant youth to hair and face."

Not sure what style works best for you? Try on hairstyles using

Makeover-o-Matic before you hit the salon.


Lash Out Against Old Eyes
As we age, lashes become thin and sparse, explains Eugenia Weston, celebrity

makeup artist and founder of Senna Cosmetics. "Curling your lashes both makes

them appear fuller and helps to open the eye." To take this concept a step

further, line the inner eyelid to give definition to the eyes without looking

like you’re wearing a lot of makeup.


Flash a Youthful Smile
A fairly quick and inexpensive way to look younger is to show off your pearly

whites... after a whitening treatment, that is. "It’s amazing how a brighter,

whiter smile can really take years off of your face," says Laura Kelly,

dental ceramist and member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

"While dentists offer some of the best whitening treatments in-office, there

are tons of over the counter products that work well, too." She recommends

getting a full cleaning and consulting your dentist prior to using any

products.


Loosen Up Your Locks
Nothing says I'm over the hill more than stiff hair, says hair artist Kenneth

Darrell. "Make sure your hair moves! When hair is combed, sprayed, teased,

and set firmly into place, subliminally it says to the observer you're stiff,

inflexible, and unyielding."


Dress Your Age
Even though you're still years from retirement, you should think about

retiring your tights pants and short skirts. "If you don't, it looks as if

you are trying to be younger than your real age, so it ages you," warns

Stefanie Gutierrez, senior wardrobe stylist for Urban Darling. "Wear clothes

that are age appropriate, fit well, and most important, make you feel good."


Avoid Product Overload
Anti-aging products can work wonders, as long as you don't go overboard, says

Kimberly Sayer, a London-based Esthetician and Organic Skincare Expert. "If

you pile an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) over a retinoid over a Vitamin C, for

example, you could be left with irritated, inflamed skin. Figure out which

anti-aging product works best for you and stick to it."


Less is Young
When you see signs of aging in the mirror or hit a big birthday, don't panic

by trying to change everything about yourself, says Wendy Lewis, beauty and

health author and aesthetic consultant. "Try a new anti-aging skincare

product, new hair style, or new makeup palette." Just don't do everything all

at once, or your makeover plan can backfire and reek of mid-life crisis.

Drinking too much water dnagerous

Do You Have Momnesia?

Do You Have Momnesia?

Ancient 4,300-year-old pyramid discovered in Egypt

CAIRO, Nov 11, 2008 (AFP) - - A 4,300-year-old pyramid has been discovered at the Saqqara necropolis outside Cairo, Egypt's culture minister said on Tuesday.

Faruq Hosni made the announcement at a press conference in Saqqara, an ancient burial ground which dates back to 2,700 BC and is dominated by the massive bulk of King Zoser's step pyramid, the first ever built.

Husni said the pyramid, five metres (16 foot) tall, is believed to have been 15 metres tall when it was first built for Queen Sesheshet, the mother of King Teti who founded the 6th Dynasty of Egypt's Old Kingdom.

The pyramid's base was discovered "20 metres below the sands and a doorway for the burial place was also discovered," Hosni said, adding that it seems thieves had looted the pyramid.
.

Your favorite music = happy heart: study

.
WASHINGTON (AFP) - - Listening to your favorite music may be helpful to maintaining a healthy heart, according to a study.

The research team at the University of Maryland School of Medicine announced they had shown for the first time the emotions aroused by music enjoyed by the listener to be beneficial to a healthy blood vessel function.

The team, who in a 2005 study noted the cardiovascular benefits of laughter, presented their work at the 2008 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association in New Orleans.

"I was impressed with the highly significant differences both before and after listening to joyful music as well as between joyful and anxious music," said head researcher Michael Miller, director of preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center and associate professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

The study found that participants -- 10 healthy, non-smoking volunteers -- listening to music that gave them a sense of joy caused the inner-lining tissues of blood vessels to expand, which increased blood flow.

The response matched the result of the 2005 study of laughter.

To minimize desensitization of emotions felt by listening to their favorite music, participants were instructed to avoid listening to the pieces for a minimum of two weeks before the test.

"The idea here was that when they listened to this music that they really enjoyed, they would get an extra boost of whatever emotion was being generated," said Miller.

The study found that the diameter of the average upper arm blood vessel increased 26 percent after listening to joyful music, and listening to music that caused anxiety narrowed blood vessels by six percent.

The physiological impact of music may also affect the activity of the "feel good" brain chemicals called endorphins, according to the study

The study's results, said Miller, signal yet "another preventive strategy that we may incorporate in our daily lives to promote heart health."

The 25 Most Commonly Misspelled Words

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check it out here : The 25 Most Commonly Misspelled Words

Eat less to live longer?

PARIS (AFP) - - Inspired by animal experiments showing that underfeeding enhances vitality and prolongs life by 30 percent or more, the US-based Calorie Restriction Society is slashing calorie intake in a bid to beat back the clock and halt the ageing process.

Society member Bob Cavanaugh said: "Some people are doing it strictly to enhance longevity," Cavanaugh said by phone from his home near Moorehead City in North Carolina.

"Others do it to avoid age-related disease, or because they already have diabetes, high cholesterol or clogged arteries and want to clean up their bodies by using diet."

A worldwide epidemic of obesity-related diseases has put a spotlight over the last decade on the link between food and health.

"In rich countries, 90 percent of the population probably eats, on average, about 50 percent too much," noted Christiaan Leeuwenburgh, head of the biology of aeging division at the University of Florida's College of Medicine.

"Even if they were to reduce their calorie intake by half, they would still only be at baseline," the optimal balance between energy input and output, he told AFP.

A wealth of scientific evidence has confirmed that maintaining that balance helps prevent type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

But experiments with both animals and humans have also shown that pushing one's calorie intake 10 to 20 percent below that baseline threshold -- without lowering nutrients -- may provide additional health advantages.

Luigi Fontana, a professor in the Division of Geriatrics and Nutritional Science of Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, has led or co-authored more than a dozen studies on reduced calorie intake in humans.

He is also one of a handful of researchers studying longterm impacts by monitoring a group of nearly 50 adults who have been on calorie restriction diets for at least a decade.

"Most are middle-aged, but they have the cardiovascular profile of a teenager," he said by phone.

Blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and insulin levels are all low while so-called "good" cholesterol remains high, he said. Diabetes and cancer rates are down too.

Studies published earlier this year point to other, specifically age-related, benefits as well.

One shows that cutting calorie intake 20 percent cut damage in DNA and RNA caused by oxidation in half compared to control groups.

Oxidative damage to DNA, proteins and other cellular building blocks accumulate over time and are thought to be a major driver of ageing.

A second study by Fontana, published in July in Aeging Cell, shows that a combination of calorie reduction and limiting protein intake lowers levels of insulin-like growth factor, commonly known as IFG-1.

IFG-1 is a high-risk marker for prostate, breast and colon cancer, and plays a key role in regulating cell growth linked to the ageing process.

Cavanaugh, 61, an ex-marine, started the diet eight years ago after a 15-year history of high cholesterol and blood pressure.

At first he improvised. "I designed a diet I thought was very nutritious, but I had a problem with hunger and would sometimes go on candy binges," he said.

Not until he began to keep track not just of calories but vitamins, minerals and amino acids did the diet really work.

"My level of vitality soared," he said, insisting he has more energy today than 20 years ago.

Consuming less calories does not necessarily mean eating less food, he said. While he only takes in two meals a day, he tucks away large quantities of fruits and vegetables, along with smaller portions of lean meats and fish.

Refined, processed foods high in sugar, fat or salt -- junk food, in other words -- is off the menu.

The average calorie intake for men is about 1,800, and for women between 1,200 and 1,600, depending on height.

Despite the proven health benefits, the jury is still out on whether counting calories enhances longevity, which some scientists think has a genetically-imposed ceiling.

"It may be unlikely that it will extend human lifespan significantly," said Jan Vijg, a scientist at the Buck Institute for Age Research who recently co-authored an overview article on ageing in the London-based journal Nature.

The very fact humans live so long makes it difficult to conduct controlled experiments, he said.

Tests with monkeys underway for two decades give no indication that life in primates can be extended by the 30 or 40 percent seen in rats and mice.

"Will this add 10 years to your life? Nobody knows," said Leeuwenburgh, adding that reducing calories late in life could make it difficult to maintain needed muscle mass.

"But one thing is sure -- calorie restriction will help you reach your maximum lifespan potential, which is different for all of us depending on our genetic profile," he said.

The Calories Restriction Society has about 3,500 dues-paying members, and its website gets about 4,500 hits a day.

Women lead men in bacteria, hands down

By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID,AP Science Writer AP - Tuesday, November 4

WASHINGTON - Wash your hands, folks, especially you ladies. A new study found that women have a greater variety of bacteria on their hands than men do. And everybody has more types of bacteria than the researchers expected to find.

"One thing that really is astonishing is the variability between individuals, and also between hands on the same individual," said University of Colorado biochemistry assistant professor Rob Knight, a co-author of the paper.

"The sheer number of bacteria species detected on the hands of the study participants was a big surprise, and so was the greater diversity of bacteria we found on the hands of women," added lead researcher Noah Fierer, an assistant professor in Colorado's department of ecology and evolutionary biology.

The researchers aren't sure why women harbored a greater variety of bacteria than men, but Fierer suggested it may have to so with the acidity of the skin. Knight said men generally have more acidic skin than women.

Other possibilities are differences in sweat and oil gland production between men and women, the frequency of moisturizer or cosmetics applications, skin thickness or hormone production, he said.

Women also may have more bacteria living under the surface of the skin where they are not accessible to washing, Knight added.

Asked if guys should worry about holding hands with girls, Knight said: "I guess it depends on which girl."

He stressed that "the vast majority of the bacteria we have on our body are either harmless or beneficial ... the pathogens are a small minority."

The researchers took samples from the palms of 51 college students _ that's 102 hands _ and tested the samples using a new, highly detailed system for detecting bacteria DNA.

They identified 4,742 species of bacteria overall, only 5 of which were on every hand, they report on Monday's online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The average hand harbored 150 species of bacteria.

Not only did individuals have few types of bacteria in common, the left and right hands of the same individual shared only about 17 percent of the same bacteria types, the researchers found.

The differences between dominant and non-dominant hands were probably due to environmental conditions like oil production, salinity, moisture or variable environmental surfaces touched by either hand of an individual, Fierer said.

Knight said the researchers hope to repeat the experiment in other countries where different hands are assigned specific tasks.

While the researchers stressed the importance of regular hand washing, they also noted that washing did not eliminate bacteria.

"Either the bacterial colonies rapidly re-establish after hand washing, or washing (as practiced by the students included in this study) does not remove the majority of bacteria taxa found on the skin surface," the researchers said in their report.

While the tests could determine how many different types of bacteria were present, they could not count the total amount of bacteria on each hand.

The research was funded primarily by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.