26th February 2015

Thursday, 26 February 2015
2
PUBLISHED BY
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Issue No.
160
ABOUT ADENOVIRUS
INFECTIONS
SCIENTISTS DEVELOP MOLECULE
TO TREAT INFLAMMATORY
DISEASES
A Permanent Vacation
E
ver take a holiday that you wished would
never end? Imagine if you went on vacation and loved it so much you never came
back, or decided to move there a few years
down the road.
If it sounds like a hopeless pipe dream, it doesn’t
have to be. For some, packing up their lives and
moving to a dream destination has become a reality, either through starting a business or pursuing a
working holiday that morphs into permanent residency.
Two years ago, Jonathan Keim did just that.
While working in California for an online school
that trains people how to become life coaches, he
realised that he spent all his time encouraging others to follow their dreams but wasn’t out there following his own.
So he quit his job, flew to Asia, became enchanted by the Indonesian island of Bali and never left.
“My family told me to check out Ubud because
it had a great community of artists, and when I got
here something magical happened,” Keim said. “I
was amazed by the culture. I had never met a group
of people like the ones who live here, and I knew I
wanted to stay.”
The 26-year-old’s recipe for coconut-infused vegan ice cream impressed the local expat community
in Ubud so much that many invested in the product
right away, spurring Keim to get a business visa and
start the ice-cream company Kokolato, which sells
20 flavours island-wide. He has since partnered
with a local food company and will soon open his
first storefront in Ubud.
Testing the waters
Not every country will allow tourists to simply
decamp forever. Certain countries have
reciprocity programmes. Starting a
business is one way to dive into a new
culture overseas, but for those who
prefer to test the waters, a working holiday visa can
be a great first step.
Australia offers a popular Working Holiday Maker scheme with two types of visas available to residents of 29 partner countries.
Chilean Patricio Sepulveda, used one of these
working holiday visas to transition a one-year trip
to Sydney into a new career. A former analyst for a
small company in Santiago, Sepulveda came to Australia four years ago.
“The idea at the beginning was to stay in Sydney
for six months, make enough money to travel to
Southeast Asia, and then return to Chile like many
other Chileans do after university,” he said. “But the
landscape was awesome, the beach was just around
the corner, and I got seduced by the money.”
Today, he is the Asia-Pacific financial coordinator
for a multinational medical supplies company that
sponsored him through a temporary work visa. In
the coming months, he’ll become a permanent resident of Australia.
A more cautionary tale
Not everyone is as daring as Keim. Some, like
Barbara Kocak, need to plan more precisely.
Kocak first vacationed in Costa Rica 20 years
ago, then, six years later, bought a property boasting a 270-degree view of the Pacific Ocean and a
tropical garden frequented by toucans, sloths and
monkeys. For the past decade, she has run a private villa rental business on the Pacific Coast near
Dominical.
It’s a far cry from the 68-year-old’s former work
in education and marketing back in the US, but she
said the decision to move was careful and calculated.
“It certainly wasn’t an exciting, cut the ties,
move and become an expat story. It evolved
slowly over time,” she explained. “I
established a friendship with a Costa Rican family
that remains very strong to this day. So the idea
emerged over the years that I could have a second
home here in Costa Rica and rent it out part of the
time.” More than a decade later, she received her legal residency from the government of Costa Rica.
The downside of living abroad
Such moves, however, aren’t always a walk in the
park. Kocak knows expats in Costa Rica who moved
to the country only to find their dream soon turned
into a nightmare.
“People come here, fall in love and immediately
invest money only to find that things are really different than back home,” she explained. “I find that
it is especially difficult for couples who are just retiring. They not only have to become accustomed
to being with each other much more than in the
past, there is always one who loves it more than the
other.”
Keim said he never could have anticipated how
many challenges he’d face living in Bali. “I don’t
merely experience communication differences that
make undergoing business hard, I also experience
a series of cultural differences and mentalities that
don’t relate to the Western style of working,” he
said. “This gigantic shift in perspective has required
me to shift my own mentality.”
And moving abroad means being far from loved
ones. Sepulveda may have a great job, good income
and home right by the beach in Sydney, but his
friends and family are still back in Chile.
“Right now I’m in another culture, they speak
a different language and we don’t have a common
history, so it’s difficult to build extremely close relationships like the ones I had in Santiago,” he said.
“You gain a lot from living abroad, but in return,
you have to be willing to give up so much.”
(Source: bbc.com)
Cool and Healthy
A
side from sugar, soda can be quite
harmful to our health as it contains a lot of un-healthy stuff
that could aggravate the development
of diseases. Quitting diet soda can be
a hard decision and eliminating it from
your diet can be quite a challenge. In
our Health page, we offer you some useful tips on how to ditch soda once and
for all.
A new study finds that women with
multiple sclerosis may have lower intake of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients, including food folate,
vitamin E and magnesium. In Cuba, a
variant of HIV that is much more aggressive than other known forms of the
virus has been documented. Patients
infected with this new variant progress to AIDS so rapidly that they may
not even know they are infected. Learn
more about it on our Science page.
Our Technology page today gives you
a list of some very cool gadgets that can
introduce great time-saving advantages
into your day, making your life easier.
Check out some of these great finds.
Recipes this week are all about satisfaction: delicious and under 400 calories, these dinners really have it all.
Brass is back according to Martha
Stewart and for this issue, she’s given
us some useful tips on how to clean,
maintain and keep our brass utensils
spic and span. And while you’re at it,
you may want to try some do-it-yourself projects to keep your home smelling good, naturally.
Comments? Drop us a word at
bloom@qimqatar.com. Your feedback is
always welcome, be it science, technology, lifestyle or fashion, take your pick.
And Facebook users, keep liking our
page!
A Shopper’s guide to Asian treasures
T
he best things in life may be free, but few
people can resist the siren song of shopping.
When travelling in Asia, it’s wise to be discerning - if only to avoid baggage fees. What
exactly is that souvenir you’d like to take back home?
These veteran travel and hospitality experts from Tokyo to Bangkok just might help you decide as they
shared their one must-have souvenir from some of
these famous Asian destinations.
Vietnamese Non La
The Non La, the palm-leaf conical hat, is perhaps
the most common tourist must-have, said Sandy Ferguson, the owner of Asia Desk, a travel consultancy
and tour company. And should you have your heart
set on one, he said, the Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi
Minh City is the best place to buy. But Ferguson, who
grew up in Asia, said his favourite souvenir is handmade Vietnamese silk embroidery. “It is very easy to
carry folded up to get framed back home,” he said.
Japanese Tenugui
When in Japan, Nancy Craft, a travel planner with
Esprit Travel & Tours who lived in Kyoto for six years,
suggests picking up tenugui, which she describes as
“smooth and soft woven cotton hand towels that
are printed with beautiful and interesting designs.”
Long, narrow and unhemmed, “they are an essential
in Japanese life,” she said, “and were used traditionally under the helmet for kendo (sword martial arts),
in religious ceremonies, to wrap gifts, headbands for
sushi chefs, a damp towel around the neck during the
steamy summer and for hand drying.” Conventional
patterns included dots and waves. But these days,
there are tenugui with trendy, elaborate designs.
Indian Gems
The Indian city of Jaipur is widely regarded as the
gem stone capital of the world, as Victoria Dyer, a
founder of India Beat, a travel company specialising
in customised itineraries, put in an email from Jaipur.
More than 50,000 stonecutters work in the city, who
is particularly enamoured of the emeralds. Whether
you’re drawn to emeralds or Polki diamonds, she
recommends visiting the Gem Palace, established in
1852 by a family whose clients have included royalty
and Bollywood stars.
Tid bits from Hong Kong
Executives at the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong
had several shopping recommendations, among
them: cakes of tea, lightly scented, from local purveyors; a three-piece suit, which can be made to fit in less
than two days; or a personalised marble chop, or seal,
with your name, insignia or other design hand-carved
on it.
Thai Mo Hom
You’ll find nice leather as well as silk textiles in
Bangkok, but Ferguson of Asia Desk, said his favourite things to buy are mo hom - vibrant, indigo handdyed cotton shirts traditionally worn by farmers.
“They’re extremely comfortable,” Ferguson said.
(Source: nytsyn.com)
ALICE & OLIVIA
FALL 2015 COLLECTION
2
Thursday, 26 February 2015
About
Adenovirus
Infections
pneumonia, which is less common but can cause
serious illness in infants. Adenovirus can also produce a dry, harsh cough that can resemble whooping cough (pertussis).
Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the
stomach and the small and large intestines. Symptoms include watery diarrhoea, vomiting, headache, fever, and abdominal cramps.
Genitourinary infections: Urinary tract infections can cause frequent urination, burning,
pain, and blood in the urine. Adenoviruses are also
known to cause a condition called haemorrhagic
cystitis, which is characterised by blood in the
urine. Haemorrhagic cystitis usually resolves on its
own.
Eye infections
Treatment
A
denoviruses are a group of viruses that
can infect the membranes (tissue linings)
of the respiratory tract, eyes, intestines,
and urinary tract. They account for about
ten percent of acute respiratory infections in kids
and are a frequent cause of diarrhoea.
Adenoviral infections affect babies and young
children much more often than adults. Childcare
centres and schools sometimes have multiple cases
of respiratory infections and diarrhoea caused by
adenovirus.
Adenoviral infections can occur at any time of
the year, but:
• Respiratory tract problems caused by adenovirus are more common in late winter, spring,
and early summer
• Conjunctivitis (pinkeye) and pharyngoconjunctival fever caused by adenovirus tend to affect
older kids, mostly during summer
Adenoviral infections can affect children of any
age, but most occur in the first years of life — and
most kids have had at least one before age 10.
There are many different types of adenoviruses, so
some kids can have repeated adenoviral infections.
Signs and Symptoms
Depending on which part of the body is affected,
the signs and symptoms of adenoviral infections
vary.
Febrile respiratory disease, an infection with
fever of the respiratory tract, is the most common
result of adenoviral infection in kids. The illness
often appears flu-like and can include symptoms
of pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharynx, or
sore throat), rhinitis (inflammation of nasal membranes, or a congested, runny nose), cough, and
swollen lymph nodes (glands). Sometimes the respiratory infection leads to acute otitis media, an
infection of the middle ear.
Adenovirus often affects the lower respiratory
tract as well, causing bronchiolitis, croup, or viral
and intestinal infections spread from person to
person through respiratory secretions (coughs or
sneezes) or faecal contamination. Faecal material
can spread via contaminated water, eating food
contaminated by houseflies, and poor hand washing (such as after using the bathroom, before eating
or preparing food, or after handling dirty diapers).
A child might also pick up the virus by holding
hands or sharing a toy with an infected person. Adenovirus can survive on surfaces for long periods,
so indirect transmission can occur through exposure to the contaminated surfaces of furniture and
other objects.
The types of adenovirus causing pinkeye may
be transmitted by water (in lakes and swimming
pools), by sharing contaminated objects (such as
towels or toys), or by touch.
Once a child is exposed to adenovirus, symptoms usually develop from 2 days to 2 weeks later.
help loosen congestion and make your child more
comfortable. Be sure to clean and dry the humidifier thoroughly each day to prevent bacterial or mold
contamination. If your child is under 6 months old,
you may need to clear his or her nose with nasal
saline drops and a bulb syringe.
Don’t give any over-the-counter (OTC) cold
remedies or cough medicines without checking
with your doctor. You can use acetaminophen to
treat a fever (your doctor will tell you the proper
dose); however, do not give aspirin because of the
risk of Reye syndrome, a life-threatening illness.
If your child has diarrhoea or is vomiting, increase fluid intake and check with the doctor about
giving an oral rehydration solution to prevent dehydration.
To relieve the symptoms of pinkeye, use warm
compresses and, if your doctor recommends them,
a topical eye ointment or drops.
Duration
Most adenoviral infections last from a few days
to a week. However:
• Severe respiratory infections may last longer
and cause lingering symptoms, such as a cough
• Pneumonia can last anywhere from 2-4 weeks
• Pinkeye can persist for another several days to
a week
• More severe keratoconjunctivitis can last for
several weeks
• Adenovirus can cause diarrhoea that lasts up to
2 weeks (longer than other viral diarrhoea episodes)
•
•
•
Pinkeye (conjunctivitis) is a mild inflammation
of the conjunctiva (membranes that cover the
eye and inner surfaces of the eyelids). Symptoms include red eyes, discharge, tearing, and
the feeling that there’s something in the eye.
Pharyngoconjunctival fever, often seen in small
outbreaks among school-age kids, occurs when
adenovirus affects both the lining of the eye
and the respiratory tract. Symptoms include
very red eyes and a severe sore throat, sometimes accompanied by low-grade fever, rhinitis,
and swollen lymph nodes.
Keratoconjunctivitis is a more severe infection
that involves both the conjunctiva and cornea
(the transparent front part of the eye) in both
eyes. This type of adenoviral infection is extremely contagious and occurs most often in
older kids and young adults, causing red eyes,
photophobia (discomfort of the eyes upon exposure to light), blurry vision, tearing, and
pain.
Contagiousness
Adenovirus is highly contagious, so multiple
cases are common in close-contact settings like
childcare centres, schools, hospitals, and summer
camps.
The types of adenovirus that cause respiratory
Prevention
Adenoviral illnesses often resemble certain bacterial infections, which can be treated with antibiotics. But antibiotics don’t work against viruses. To
diagnose the true cause of the symptoms so that
proper treatment can be prescribed, your doctor
may want to test respiratory or conjunctival secretions, a stool specimen, or a blood or urine sample.
The doctor will decide on a course of action
based on your child’s condition. Adenoviral infections usually don’t require hospitalisation. However, babies and young children may not be able to
drink enough fluids to replace what they lose during vomiting or diarrhoea and so might need to be
hospitalised to treat or prevent dehydration. Also,
young (especially premature) infants with pneumonia usually need to be hospitalised.
In most cases, a child’s body, with the help of
the immune system, will get rid of the virus over
time. Antibiotics cannot treat a viral infection, so
it’s best to just make your child more comfortable.
If your child has a respiratory infection or fever,
getting plenty of rest and taking in extra fluids are
essential. A cool-mist humidifier (vaporiser) may
There’s no way to completely prevent adenoviral
infections in kids. To reduce their spread, parents
and other caregivers should encourage frequent
hand washing, keep shared surfaces (such as countertops and toys) clean, and remove kids with infections from group settings until symptoms pass.
When to Call the Doctor
Most of these adenoviral conditions and their
symptoms are also associated with other causes.
Call your doctor if:
• A fever continues more than a few days
• Symptoms seem to get worse after a week
• Your child has breathing problems
• Your child is under 3 months old
• Any swelling and redness around the eye becomes more severe or painful
• Your child shows signs of dehydration, such as
appearing tired or lacking energy, producing
less urine or tears, or having a dry mouth or
sunken eyes
Remember, you know your child best. If he or
she appears to be severely ill, don’t hesitate to call
your doctor right away.
The Plan to Quit Diet Soda
Q
uitting diet soda can be a hard decision to
make, as you may be addicted for many
reasons. It could be the fizz, caffeine or
the flavour and because the withdrawal
symptoms are so intense, eliminating it from your
diet can be a challenging life decision. Ditch soda
once and for all with this plan that focuses on combatting the withdrawal symptoms while simultaneously weaning you off for good.
Develop a Quitting Schedule
Set an end date for your diet soda addiction,
whether it’s in one day or one month. Once you’ve
reached your date, start cutting back slowly, rather
than quitting cold turkey. Reduce your soda intake
by 25% during the first week, 50% the second week
and 75% the third week. By the fourth week, you
should cut it out completely.
Replace the Ritual of Drinking
Diet Soda
To start, refill an empty soda container with a
substitute like sparkling green tea or an iced coffee.
If you enjoy taking a daily soda break and like the
habit of taking a stroll past the vending machine,
switch to black cherry seltzer or club soda and lime.
Deal With Sugar Cravings
The fake sugar found in diet soda fuels your
brain’s desire for the real thing. Replace your sugar
high with a beverage or food that provides similar
satisfaction for you. Try coffee, red wine or chocolate in moderation.
Track Your Progress
If you are quitting diet soda, let your friends and
family know so they can support you and help you
stick with your new healthy lifestyle. It’s easier to
see something through when those around you are
aware of your goals and can help you celebrate the
victories and keep you motivated when you want
to quit.
(Source: doctoroz.com)
Ask
Martha
Fine Living
Thursday, 26 February 2015
3
How to Clean Brass
What was once considered, well, brassy, is now something to covet
and keep. From small moments to large statements, today’s brass
is tasteful and elegant - with gorgeous patina to spare.
REMOVING LAQUER
Brass is back. With the appetite for nickel and chrome at its saturation point,
brass is returning to the forefront of
the design world. People are rediscovering how beautiful it is. I have amassed a
large collection of brass treasures, particularly trays, from all over the globe. I
am always searching for new pieces.
Thanks to the renewed interest, both
mainstream design shops and specialty
boutiques now stock brass wares. And
with good reason: The metal, an alloy of
copper and zinc, is strong. It won’t rust,
and it can be forged into a variety of
shapes. Plus, it’s relatively inexpensive.
I jokingly call it the poor man’s gold.
Unlike the perpetually shiny lacquered
brass that was popular in the ‘70s and
‘80s, most pieces today are left unfinished. They may require occasional polishing, but the goal is no longer that
blinding glossiness. In fact, not only is
Worn-away lacquer may be to blame
for brass’ formerly bad rap. The clear
coating (made of lacquer, epoxy or
urethane) preserves a shiny finish and
eliminates the need for polish, but it
doesn’t wear evenly, resulting in blotches of tarnished metal against the bright
lacquered parts. The tarnish cannot be
properly cleaned off unless you get rid
of the existing lacquer. To do so, Cassano recommends a paint-stripper paste.
Brush it on evenly to remove all kinds
of clear coating. As always, test on a
small patch of your brass item before
applying the paint stripper, and consult
a professional before removing lacquer
from any large or valuable piece.
brass that shows its age acceptable, it’s
downright desirable. “It’s the patina
that makes it beautiful,” says decorating designer Kevin Sharkey. “Brass is
timeless, warm and inviting. There’s a
reason people are drawn to it. Adding
it to a room is like crowning the space
with an amazing jewel.”
CLEANING TIPS
Don’t overlook a brass find simply because it appears blackened beyond repair. “Removing the tarnish is like discovering gold,” says Kevin.
I polish my brass pieces about once a
year; every three years, I have them
professionally cleaned. For basic maintenance and to make un-lacquered
brass shine without stripping away the
patina, Anthony Cassano of Greenwich
Metal, in Stamford, Connecticut, recommends using polish-soaked cloths.
Stronger, more abrasive cleaners, are
best used on heavily oxidised pieces.
Test on a small area first, advises Cassano. Lacquered-brass items, meanwhile,
should be cleaned with a soft cloth,
mild dishwashing soap and tepid water.
Natural Room Scents
FAST-TRACKING
PATINA
Left on its own without any intervention, un-lacquered brass will begin to
darken in about a month and will continue to take on a deeper patina with
age and use, says Jamie Gregg of Colonial Bronze in Torrington, Connecticut.
To accelerate this process, he recommends placing the item in hot water,
which speeds up the oxidation. Another
trick, says Cassano, is to place an open
can of traditional latex paint next to the
un-lacquered-brass item in an enclosed
area for at least 24 hours. The fumes
from the paint will quicken the patination process.
BEST PRACTICES:
STORING BRASS
How you view aging brass depends on
your taste. One person’s patina is another’s tarnish. Whatever your preference, you should store your treasured
objects properly to prevent them from
oxidising so much that they practically
become black. Cassano suggests stowing brass trays, bowls or tumblers in
flannel bags, such as those made to protect sterling silver, or wrapping them
in acid-free tissue paper before sealing
them in plastic bags. Avoid keeping
them in high humidity, and do not use
newspaper, he advises, which has acidic
ink that will cause oxidation.
Yarn Wrapped Painted Jars
Ingredients
• Sliced citrus – lemon, orange, lime (may use peel
only, if preferred)
• Herbs – rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves
• Spices – whole cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice (optional), anise (optional); ground/powdered spices may be substituted
• Ginger (fresh or powdered)
• Extracts – vanilla, almond, mint
• Pine twigs (or other fragrant twigs)
Directions
Use a pint (2 cup) jar, container, or pot to combine
scent waters. Add ingredients to container, cover
with water, and choose from these options:
• Simmer on stove top, topping off with more water as it evaporates
• Add heated mixture to a slow cooker, fondue pot,
or something similar that will keep mixture heated. Preheat waters to a boil (in microwave or on
stove top). As water evaporates, always top it off
with HOT water to keep the temperature as high
as possible. Higher heat = more fragrance.
FRAGRANT COMBINATIONS:
1. Orange, Cinnamon and Spice. 1 orange, 2 cinnamon sticks (or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon),
1/2 tablespoon whole cloves (or 1/8 teaspoon
ground cloves), 1/2 tablespoon whole allspice
(or 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice), 1 anise star
(optional)
2. Lemon, Rosemary and Vanilla. 3 sprigs of fresh
rosemary, 2 lemons, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
3. Lime, Thyme, Mint and Vanilla. 3 limes, 3-4
sprigs fresh thyme, 1/2 teaspoon mint extract, 1
teaspoon vanilla.
4. Orange, Ginger, and Almond. 1 orange (or peel
from 2 oranges), one 4” finger of ginger, sliced
(or 1 tsp ground ginger), 1/2 teaspoon almond
extract.
5. Pine, Bay Leaves, and Nutmeg. Handful of pine
twigs or needles, 4 bay leaves, 1 whole nutmeg,
outer layer grated into mixture.
Scented waters may be refrigerated between
uses. Reuse for 2-3 days, or as long as they still
have a pleasant fragrance.
How to Prevent
Ribbon from Fraying
What You Need
• Several cleaned jars. Soak them in water to get
the tags off. Make sure to clean them with soap
to get all the glue off or the paint won’t stick.
• Yarn or some sort of string. If the yarn has a lot
of fuzzy fibres they may stick to the jar a little
but it won’t be very noticeable so don’t worry
about it too much.
• A can of white spray paint. You can use any colour.
• You’ll also need something to cover whatever
surface you’ll be spraying on. Spray paint doesn’t
work as well when it’s cold outside so it will take longer to dry. Make sure to give it some extra
time before you touch the jars.
Wrap the string around the jar tightly and tie a knot. Now wrap the string around the rest of the
jar tightly criss-crossing and overlapping until you like what you see. Then just tie the end to the
leftover string where you started and cut off the ends.
Place the jars onto your covered surface upside down and spray paint them evenly with 2-3 coats.
Make sure to let them dry for 5-10 minutes in between coats. Once they are fully dried just cut the
string in one place and unwrap. Now you can place a tea light inside and decorate away.
It would also look cute to wrap some twine around the bases of the jars for texture.
Inexpensive ribbon, which is often partially made of plastic, is less likely to fray than a finer ribbon made from a natural material, such as silk.
There’s no perfect way to prevent cut ends of fabric ribbon from fraying.
Crafts stores sell adhesives for this purpose, but they can alter colour and
texture; avoid glue for the same reasons. However, there are a few ways to
make those cut ends look more finished. As with any fabric, you can hem
the ends; this works best with wide ribbons. With thin ribbon or cord,
you can knot the ends. If you don’t mind having a bit of clear tape on the
ribbon, try this: Adhere tape to one side of a ribbon’s cut end, then snip
through the tape and ribbon.
4
Thursday, 26 February 2015
New, aggressive form
of HIV identified in Cuba
I
n Cuba, a variant of HIV that is much more
aggressive than other known forms of the virus has been documented. Patients infected
with this new variant progress to AIDS so
rapidly that they may not even know they are infected, with AIDS symptoms occurring within 3
years of infection.
If a person contracts multiple strains of HIV
- typically by engaging in unprotected sex with
multiple infected partners - then these strains
can recombine into a new variant of HIV within
the host. The new Cuban variant of HIV is one
such recombinant version of the virus.
HIV anchors itself to co-receptors - proteins
on the membranes of cells - before the virus is
able to penetrate the cell. The first co-receptor
that HIV anchors to is known as CCR5. Then, after a number of years of normal health, the vi-
rus switches to the anchor point CXCR4, which
results in a faster progression to AIDS.
In the recombinant form of HIV identified in
Cuba, HIV makes the transition to CXCR4 shortly
after infection, reducing the healthy phase and
initiating the progression to AIDS.
An international team of researchers compared the blood of 73 recently-infected patients
with this recombinant form of HIV - of whom 52
had been diagnosed with AIDS - with blood from
22 patients who had progressed to AIDS after the
normal “healthy” period of infection with HIV.
The patients with the recombinant HIV were
found to have abnormally high doses of the virus
and defensive molecules called RANTES.
RANTES is part of the human immune response and binds to CCR5 - the co-receptor that
HIV initially anchors onto after infection.
Because RANTES is present at higher concentrations in these patients than normal, it suggests that most of the CCR5 proteins were unavailable as anchor points for HIV. Therefore, the
recombinant HIV would have to bypass its usual
anchor point, heading straight to CXCR4 instead.
Protease in recombinant variant boosts virus
replication
One of the HIV subtypes implicated in the
recombinant variant was also found to contain
a protease - an enzyme that cleaves proteins in
new viruses - that enables the virus to replicate
in greater numbers. The researchers suggest that
this protease makes it easier for the transition to
CXCR4 to occur.
Normally, say the authors of the study - which
is published in the journal EBioMedicine - the
transition from CCR5 to CXCR4 is “very difficult.”
Recently, Medical News Today reported on a
study published in the journal Cell that explored
the theory that pools of dormant HIV lurking in
DNA may hold a potential cure for the infection.
We also looked at a new smartphone accessory purportedly capable of diagnosing HIV and
syphilis from one finger prick of blood within 15
minutes. This accessory - or “dongle” - has been
piloted among health care workers in Rwanda,
with 97% of patients recommending the device.
With a manufacturing cost of just $34 (QR 125),
the dongle is much more affordable than the
standard forms of diagnostic testing, which typically cost $18,450 (at least QR 67,500).
(Source: Medical News Today)
Women with MS
may ‘have lower
levels of antioxidant,
anti-inflammatory
nutrients’
A
Scientists develop molecule to
treat inflammatory diseases
S
cientists in Australia have developed
a marvel molecule that fights one
of the main causes of inflammatory
diseases and could be the key to improved treatments for diseases like Alzheimer’s, arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
Researchers at the University of Queensland, in collaboration with an international
team, worked to develop the molecule that
could lead to safer, cheaper treatments. The
molecule known as MCC950 could help prevent inflammation in immune cells, Matt
Cooper of the University’s Institute for
Molecular Bioscience was quoted as saying
by the ABC. “It is one of the first molecules
we’ve ever seen that can attack this complex
we call the inflammasome and that’s in every
one of our immune cells, it’s a key part of our
response to infection,” he said. “But when it
goes wrong, it activates these cells so then
people become chronically agitated and their
immune system goes into overdrive,” he said.
Stating that the molecule was tested on
animals and blood samples from patients
in the US, Cooper said that patients have
donated blood samples. These patients are
afflicted with a very severe form of inflammation called Muckle-Wells syndrome. “We
can see in those patients this immune response, this inflammasome is overactive and
when we give the compound to those blood
samples in a laboratory we can stop that process.”
Informing that the new molecule could
be taken orally and would be cheaper to produce than current protein-based treatments,
Cooper said, the molecule is very small and
passes from the gut into bloodstream very
quickly. “But it also means it can go places
where proteins can’t; particularly in the
brain, and with multiple sclerosis into the
CNS – the central nervous system,” he said.
It was not clear whether the molecule
could cure inflammatory diseases or just
treat the symptoms, he added. The study is
a global venture with scientists from the US,
Trinity College in Dublin and Germany. The
next step is clinical trials. The research was
published in the journal Nature Medicine.
new
study
finds
that
women with multiple sclerosis may
have lower intake
of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients,
including
food
folate, vitamin E
and magnesium.
The researchers, including Dr. Sandra Cassard of
Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, say their
findings may have important health implications for
women, as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients may lower the risk of neurological conditions
like multiple sclerosis (MS) or reduce progression
among those who have such conditions.
MS is a disease of the central nervous system
(CNS). It occurs when the immune system triggers
inflammation in the CNS. This damages or destroys
myelin - a fatty substance that protects nerve fibres,
allowing electric impulses to be sent between the
brain and other parts of the body.
MS is estimated to affect more than 400,000 people in the US alone. Onset of MS is most common
between the ages of 20 and 50, although it can affect
people of any age. The disease affects around two to
three times as many women as men.
According to Dr. Cassard, the increase in MS prevalence has led to the theory that inflammation-related dietary or nutritional changes may play a role in
the development of the condition. The team wanted
to investigate this theory further.
(Source: Medical News Today)
(Source: Science Daily)
Technology
Gadgets to
lighten up
your day
Logitech Bluetooth Multi-Device
Keyboard
Thursday, 26 February 2015
Whether you are on the go, in your office or at
home, tech gadgets can introduce great time-saving
advantages into your day, as well as make life easier.
Check out some of these great finds, including a
keyboard that can multi-task and access all your
devices, a rugged USB key that can protect your data
from both physical and security threats, a case for
the Samsung Galaxy Tab S that’s also a Bluetooth
keyboard, and a small but powerful projector that’s
portable and great for meetings and conference rooms.
Livescribe Echo Smartpen
LaCie RuggedKey
The LaCie RuggedKey is built to withstand accidental drops from
heights far above what you’d encounter on your way to the office.
Its rubber construction is 100-metre drop-resistant. That means ultimate protection for your key – and your data – for all of life’s little
stumbles. The RuggedKey has a USB 3.0 interface and file transfer
speed of up to 150 MB/s, but it’s also backward compatible with
USB 2.0. The USB also comes with AES 256-bit encryption for data
security.
iFusion
The Logitech® Bluetooth® Multi-Device Keyboard K480 is designed
for use with up to three devices, regardless of computing platform.
Now, you can work on a report on your computer, and with the flick
of the Easy-Switch dial, respond to a message on your smartphone
or type a tweet on your tablet – all from the Logitech Bluetooth
Multi-Device Keyboard K480.
The Livescribe Echo Smartpen allows you to record audio while
you’re taking notes, and then play them back later. You can save
and share interactive notes to your computer, iPad or iPhone via a
micro-USB connector that also allows you to recharge your pen. The
memory storage holds 400 or 800 hours of recorded audio, depending on the model, and includes an OLED display that makes it easy
to navigate smartpen apps.
G-DRIVE ev SSD
SyrenPro
The iFusion is an integrated communications docking station for
the Apple iPhone. Combining the capabilities of many top-selling
iPhone accessories into a single device, the iFusion utilises built-in
Bluetooth technology, a full duplex speaker phone and a patented
ergonomic design to deliver superior voice quality that meets the
requirements of today’s home and business consumer.
The cradle design of the iFusion securely dock the phone while supplying power, battery charging and data synchronisation via an integrated USB cable. With support for A2DP Bluetooth streaming,
users are able to enjoy their favourite iPhone music over the internal speakerphone.
With a need for speed - take the power of the G-DRIVE ev SSD with
you. With extreme solid-state performance connected with USB
3.0, you’ll get transfer rates up to 400MB/s. The drive comes with
512GB of storage capacity and is compatible with Mac OS 10.6,
Windows 7, 8 and Vista. It comes with a three-year warranty. Use
it alone or with the G-DOCK ev with Thunderbolt and experience
up to 480MB/s for the ultimate flexibility and expandability that
today’s creative professionals demand.
Logitech Type-S
NEC VE281 Mobile Projector
The SyrenPro is a wireless weather-resistant outdoor Bluetooth
speaker with TrueWireless Stereo pairing, which lets you create
your own stereo system wirelessly using two speakers. The speakers
can be plugged into an electrical outlet or run by rechargeable battery for up to four hours, so you can enjoy your music anywhere. The
speakers provide 360-degree sound, are weather/UV resistant, and
work with most Bluetooth devices.
Photo iPad Scanning Dock
NEC’s VE281 mobile projector is designed to provide high brightness for small-to-medium-sized businesses, education environments, corporate conference rooms and mobility applications where
heavy ambient light is present but the space requires a small projector. This lightweight model includes 3D-ready technology, high-contrast images and a powerful 7W speaker. Its automated technologies — from Auto Power On and quick start up/shutdown to a lamp
life up to 6000 hours — make it an eco-friendly choice. The VE281
offers the Intelligent Driving Scheme (IDS2) for increased lamp life
and contrast.
WOWee One Slim
The Logitech Type-S is a thin and light protective keyboard case for
the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and protects both sides of your Galaxy Tab S from accidental bumps, scratches and spills. Its built-in
Bluetooth® keyboard and well-spaced keys provide a fast and comfortable typing experience. The dual-view stand caters to different
activities from typing to reading to chatting online, and includes
an auto-wake auto-sleep feature so that the tablet wakes when you
open the case. The Logitech Type-S is also available in bright red.
This is the scanner that saves treasured photos directly to an iPad
while it docks and charges the device. Controlled by a free app, the
sheet-fed scanner makes it simple to preserve and share heirloom
photos and documents as digital files. In as little as 12 seconds, a
photo is converted to a crisp 300- or 600-dpi colour JPEG image
that is displayed on screen in real time and saved to the iPad’s camera roll. The integrated dock holds the iPad upright and has a builtin Lightning connector that recharges its battery in five hours.
The WOWee One Slim is a compact portable speaker unit which provides a full range frequency response. It is intended for use as both
a fixed and portable solution for all iPod, iPad, mp3, mp4, mobile
phone and computer applications. It uses the same hybrid technology as the WOWee ONE and produces an incredible bass sound with
a 40Hz - 20 kHz sound range.
The unit is powered by an internal rechargeable battery and can deliver up to 10 hours of playtime per charge. It can be recharged via
computer USB or a 5V USB power adapter using a plug. There is also
a built in LED low battery indicator.
(Source: itbusinessedge.com)
5
Life
fe Style
Thursday, 26 February 2015
TURKEY SAUSAGE
SANDWICHES,
CHICKEN AND RICE
SOUP, AND MORE
DELICIOUS, SATISFYING, AND UNDER 400 CALORIES: THESE
DINNERS REALLY HAVE IT ALL.
TURKEY SAUSAGE SANDWICHES
Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon, vegetable oil
• 2 medium white onions, halved, sliced 1/4
inch thick lengthwise
• 3 red or orange bell peppers (ribs and seeds
removed), sliced 1/4 inch thick
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 4 spicy or sweet Italian turkey sausages (about
1 pound total)
• 4 hoagie rolls or 1 loaf French bread (cut into
4 pieces), split and toasted
• Grainy mustard (optional)
Preparation
• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over
medium-high heat. Add onions and peppers;
cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning
to brown, about 7 minutes. Season with salt
and pepper and add 3/4 cup water; cover and
simmer 3 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring
occasionally, until vegetables are soft and
liquid has evaporated, 2 minutes. Cover and
refrigerate 1 cup onion-pepper mixture.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a small
skillet over medium. Add sausages and cook,
turning occasionally, until browned and
cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Place
sausages and vegetables on bread and top
with mustard if desired. Serves 4.
POLENTA WEDGES
WITH ASPARAGUS AND
MUSHROOMS
6
A small amount of cream is all it takes to make
these mushrooms taste luxurious.
Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and
sliced 1/4 inch thick
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• Chilled cooked polenta, cut into 8 wedges
• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed (stalks peeled if
tough)
Preparation
• Heat broiler, with rack 5 inches from heat.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over
medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and
cook, stirring occasionally, until golden
brown, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and
pepper. Add broth and cook until reduced by
half, about 4 minutes. Stir in cream and cook
2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Place a rimmed baking sheet in oven to heat,
5 minutes. Pat polenta wedges dry with a
paper towel and lightly brush both sides with
1 1/2 teaspoons oil. Toss asparagus with 1/2
teaspoon oil.
• Carefully place asparagus on one half of hot
sheet and season with salt and pepper; place
polenta on other half of sheet.
• Broil until polenta is golden brown and
asparagus is crisp-tender, about 6 minutes,
rotating sheet and tossing asparagus halfway
through. Serve polenta wedges with asparagus
and creamy mushrooms. Serves 4.
CHICKEN AND RICE SOUP WITH LEMON
Ingredients
• 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
(1 large chicken breast half)
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• Chopped fresh dill, for serving
Preparation
• In a medium saucepan, combine broth and
chicken; bring broth to a gentle simmer
over medium. Reduce heat slightly so liquid
is moving but not simmering; cook until
chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Transfer chicken to a plate and let rest until
cool enough to handle. Shred into bite-size
pieces.
• Bring broth to a rapid simmer; add rice and
cook just until tender, 16 to 18 minutes.
Return chicken to pot. In a medium bowl,
whisk eggs until frothy; whisk in lemon juice.
Whisking constantly, slowly pour 1 cup hot
broth into egg mixture. Immediately whisk
egg mixture into pot. Season soup with salt
and pepper. Serve immediately, garnished
with pepper and dill. Serves 4.
BEEF ROLLS WITH SPRING SALAD
This recipe is delicious (and even leaner) with chicken
or turkey cutlets instead of beef. You can also use
another cheese, such as Swiss or sharp cheddar.
Ingredients
• 3/4 pound braciola beef (thinly
sliced top round), cut into 4
equal pieces
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 ounces pepper jack cheese,
thinly sliced
• 1 cup onion-pepper mixture
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive
oil
• 7 ounces spring lettuce mix
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
Preparation
• Pat meat dry with paper
towels and season with salt
and pepper. Place cheese
and onion-pepper mixture
in centre of beef pieces.
Beginning with narrow end
of meat, roll filling up tightly.
Carefully flip meat seam side
up and secure with toothpicks.
• Place a medium skillet over
medium-high heat; brush with
1 teaspoon oil. Place meat
rolls, seam side down, in skillet
and cook, turning occasionally,
until beef browns and cheese
melts, about 8 minutes (reduce
heat if beef is browning too
quickly). Transfer beef rolls to
a plate.
• Toss lettuce with vinegar and
1 teaspoon oil; season with
salt and pepper. Remove
toothpicks from beef rolls;
serve with salad. Serves 4.
Beauty
Thursday, 26 February 2015
NEW BEAUTY
PRODUCTS TO TRY
Revamping your beauty routine
has never been easier with a cool
new class of fresh products on the
shelves. Try out some of the best
new products listed below:
By Terry and
Chantecaille Luxury
Spring 2015 Makeup
The new Chantecaille Spring 2015 collection
includes The Glacier Eye Shade Trio, Galactic
Lip Shine Healing Lip Gloss. As for byTerry
there are new lip products, CC cream and eye
shadow palettes:
Diorskin Nude Air Makeup
Collection
Wake Up To A Wonder’full
Wide-Eyed Look
Rimmel Introduces New Wonder’full Wake Me Up Mascara With Vitamins & Cucumber Extract
Set your alarm! It’s time to energ-eyes your lash look! Rimmel London introduces a new blockbuster mascara that helps to WAKE UP EYES – take
your morning makeup routine from boring to roaring.
New Wonder’full Wake Me Up Mascara With Vitamins & Cucumber is Rimmel’s first eye-awakening mascara that delivers clump-free lash volume,
amazing lift and length.
Eyes look revitalised and energised. It’s a real eye-opener
BareMinerals Pop Of Passion
Collection – Spring 2015
Marc Jacobs presents:
Daisy Dream
FOR THE DAISY GIRL WHO
DARES TO DREAM
There is nothing worse than cakey mask on the face. New Dior’s
Diorskin Air range looks like a great one to avoid it. There are four
products to choose from:
Diorskin Nude Air Serum
A weightless, ultra-fluid serum for an enhanced complexion with
sheer correction. Like after a day in the great outdoors, the complexion has all the fresh, radiant beauty of a natural healthy glow.
Made with oils that evaporate instantly, the talc-free Diorskin
Nude Air formula deposits an undetectable film of makeup on the
skin. Contains Cranberry oil, vitamins and minerals.
Diorskin nude air compact powder
“Maintains the illusion of a fresh and radiant face. Airy and nonocclusive, it lets the skin breathe freely and form a genuine “pollution-fighting” shield that limits the absorption of harmful particles.
Diorskin nude air loose powder,
The ultimate finishing touch, impressively lightweight Diorskin
Nude Air loose powder from Dior maintains the illusion of a fresh
and radiant face. Airy and non-occlusive, it lets the skin breathe
freely and form a genuine “pollution-fighting” shield that limits
the absorption of harmful particles. The skin preserves its natural
beauty with each new application.
Diorskin Nude Air Tan Powder
“Enhances the skin’s original colour, allowing it to breathe for a
natural, healthy glow. This sun powder blends perfectly with the
skin, leaving only a subtle, velvety veil.”
Estee Lauder Courrèges
Collection – spring 2015
This oil-rich formula delivers vibrant color and slick shine with a comfortable colour-stain. Treat your lips to this luxurious melt-in formula that’s
enriched with passion fruit seed oil for intense hydration and vitamin E
for nourishment. Lips are left smooth with an ultra-glossy finish.
Kohl Eye Pencil Intense Line
Kohl Eye Pencil is perfect for creating smouldering, smoky eyes. Applied
along the inside of the eyes or base of lashes, it intensifies eyes, making light
ones seem lighter and darker ones, more mysterious. Rich in pigments, it
glides on easily, intensely colouring from the first stroke. It does not run
and gives lasting hold with a formula gentle on even the most sensitive eyes.
Inspired by the boundless spirit of daisies and blue
sky, daisy dream is marc’s newest dream girl--ethereal, innocent and free.
Channeling daisy’s easy charm and reverie, daisy
dream embodies a new take on being youthful, spirited and romantic. Daisy dream reflects marc’s irresistible mix of intricate details, elegance and femininity
for a fresh interpretation of the iconic daisy motif.
A superlative new salon hair care
range rich with rare ingredients
Chronologiste from Kérastase is a stunning new innovation in the sphere of hair
care and technology for in-salon treatments. Inspired by the steps in skincare
treatment at luxurious spas, the Chronologiste ritual offers women an exceptional
product line in salon hair care and a sensorial experience that can be continued
at home. A combination of rich, rare and precious ingredients formulated in high
concentrations, Chronologiste delivers unparalleled results. It imparts hair with
a healthy, supple splendour that is truly remarkable, sealed with the alluring fragrance of prized, precious florals.
Cosmonauts,
monauts, satellites,
satell
lliites, missiles to the moon. Unprecedented adll
vancement and achievement underwrote the inaugural period of
intergalactic exploration that came to be known as the Space Age of
the early-1960s. When a culture of futurism subsequently consumed
the era, there were two names firmly in the vanguard: Estée Lauder
and André Courrèges. She, a beauty industry innovator whose “every
woman can be beautiful” mantra was ahead of its time; he, a fashion
force whose avant-garde aesthetic broke all the style rules by injecting an air of playfulness, movement, and egalitarianism into every
one of his haute couture collections. Visionaries both, their brands
have now joined together to pioneer a new interpretation of color.
Introducing Courrèges Estée Lauder Collection: a limited edition collection of zero-gravity shades that draws on a shared point of view
on color, beauty and the resolution to never stop moving forward.
7
8
Thursday, 26 February 2015
ALICE & OLIVIA
FALL 2015 COLLECTION
Alice & Olivia draws inspiration from the
Biba enthused days of swinging London and
the rock and roll era of the Rolling Stones,
taking us back to the fashion and decor of
the late 60’s and early 70’s.
Texture is the new print this season. Long,
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ÀRUDOMDFTXDUGVDUHVKRZQLQPRGVKLIWVKDSHV
and graphic diamond designs are seen on wideleg pants.
The colour palette for Fall is opulent and uses winter white,
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reds, blues, greens, and shades of merlot.
Rich, textured fabrics are key, as Stacey re-imagines
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EURFDGHYHVWORRNVOX[HLQJROGDQGEOXHMDFTXDUGZLWKPDWFKLQJ
pants and a mock neck top—mock necks, especially in lace, are
a key style for Fall.. Embroidery, adornment, and beading are
H[TXLVLWHDQGLQWKH¿QHVWGHWDLOLQJGRQHWROX[XULRXVH̆HFWV
but in a youthful way that is chic and wearable.
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