Monthly Archives: September 2012

Male DNA found for first time in female brains

Posted: September 27, 2012 at 4:14 am

Male DNA has for the first time been found inside the female brain, according to new research led by a Canadian scientist.

No, the finding doesn't explain why women sometimes know what their husbands are thinking.

But it could lead to refining what "the self," biologically speaking at least, really means.

Plus, in an unexpected finding, the researchers found that women with Alzheimer's disease had less male DNA in their brains -- and in lower concentrations in the brain region's most affected by the memory-robbing disease -- than women without Alzheimer's.

Observers said the finding also raises the hypothesis that, if male DNA can infiltrate a woman's brain, it might have some "masculinizing" affect on the female brain.

And, if that's so, "what consequences does this have on how the brain functions -- in other words, thinking and behaviour?" said neuroscientist Dr. Sandra Witelson, a professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton.

Appearing in the latest edition of the journal, PLOS ONE, the study is the first to describe the presence of male "microchimerism" in women's brains.

Microchimerism is the "intermingling" of small numbers of cells or portions of DNA in a person or animal from a genetically different inpidual.

In this case, the male DNA found in women's brains most likely came from cells from a pregnancy with a baby boy.

But women can acquire male DNA without ever having a son. In women without boys, male DNA can come from sharing her mother's womb with a male twin, from a non-irradiated blood transfusion and possibly even from an older sibling.

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The Sensitive Skin Diaries: Acne, Rosacea & Eczema Explained

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The Sensitive Skin Diaries: Acne, Rosacea & Eczema Explained

When it comes to sensitive skin disorders, there is three main culprits acne, rosacea and eczema (also known as dermatitis). As any sensitive skin sufferer would know, using new products or products not specifically designed for sensitive skin can result in a costly trip to the dermatologist or worse, a very severe reaction, so it's important to understand the basics about our skin, as well as what causes each skin disorder. Knowledge is power when it comes to finding some relief, so keep reading.

Acne

According to the Australasian College of Dermatologists, acne affects 85 percent of Australians at some time during their life now that's a lot of zits! Put simply, acne is caused by a blockage to the opening of the oil glands in the skin. The oil glands are called sebaceous glands, and they produce an oily sheen called sebum (stay with us), which is responsible for keeping skin healthy. Yes, oil is good! Blockages in the sebaceous glands are common in teens, but also in adults if their hormones are seeking some balance. In short: there is no known cure for acne but it is treatable both orally with antibiotics and topically with creams, lotions and gel including benzoyl peroxide and salicyclic acid.

Rosacea

Rosacea is a very common skin disorder that causes red patches, pimple-like bumps and burst capillaries on the face (think of it as a permanent flushed face). Charming, no? The condition is especially common in fair-skinned people aged in their 30s and 40s. While there is no known cause of rosacea, things like hot drinks, alcohol and spicy foods are known to aggravate it. The condition can be controlled with antibiotics, but the Australasian College of Dermatologists recommends sufferers stay away from the aggressors above, but also saunas, sitting next to open fires, harsh winds and hot baths.

Eczema

Eczema is also known as dermatitis, and is a term used to describe inflammation of the skin. Sufferers fall into two categories acute or chronic. Acute eczema consists of itchy, red, oozing patches of skin, and sometimes blisters; while chronic eczema has longer-lasting affected areas that can be thick, dry and prominently marked. This is the result of constant itching and rubbing in an effort to get some relief. There is at least six types of eczema including Varicose (on the legs) and Seborrhoeic (common on the face and scalp), and the key to treatment and management is getting a thorough diagnosis from a dermatologist.

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Community News: Sept. 28 paper

Posted: at 4:13 am

Walk to be held for psoriasis sufferersWASHINGTON, D.C.On Sept. 30, the National Psoriasis Foundation is hosting its annual Walk to Cure Psoriasis in Washington, D.C.at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial (1850 W. Basin Dr. SW). The event aims to raise funds for the Foundations research, education and advocacy programs. Registration is at 8 a.m.; the walk is at 9 a.m. Walkers of all ages can choose between 1K and 5K routes.To register or for more information, visit walk.psoriasis.org/wdc-walk, or call (877) 825-WALK (9255).

Taste of Stafford to be held AQUIA The Aquia Evening Lions and 17 local restaurants will host an afternoon of delicious food samplings at Taste of Stafford on Oct. 7 from 2 to 4 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $15 or $20 at door; call Bea at (540) 659-6124 or Dottie at (540) 659-2885. The event will be held at The Clubhouse Restaurant, 204 Bow Cove, Aquia Harbour in Stafford, and will raise funds for eye exams, eye glasses and hearing exams and aids for children.

National Public Lands Day to be held LORTON On Sept. 29, volunteers around the nation will visit their favorite parks, beaches, wildlife preserves, or forests and chip in to help improve these treasured places. Theyll be taking part in National Public Lands Day, the largest, single-day volunteer event for public lands in the country. Bureau of Land Management employees will participate, with volunteers to repair fences, control vegetation and provide boundary surveying. The event will be held Sept. 29 at 10 a.m. at Mustang Trail Head, 10702 Harley Road, Lorton. Call (202) 912-7715 for information.

RAA to hold plant sale FREDERICKSBURG Rappahannock Adult Activities is now hosting a fall plant sale with pansies and chrysanthemums. The sale started Sept. 24 and runs through Oct. 5 at their750 Kings Highway,Fredericksburg location (approximately 3 miles East of theChathamBridge).Sale hours are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Wax center, therapy center open this week FREDERICKSBURG The grand opening of the European Wax Center took place Wednesday. The center is located at1935 Carl D. Silver Pkwy, inFredericksburg. The same day, the Physical Therapy of Central Virginia celebrated its grand opening. The physical therapy center is located at10524 Spotsylvania Ave., Suite 102, inFredericksburg.

September is Action Hunger MonthGAITHERSBURG, Md. September is Hunger Action Month. Its no secret that for many families food has become the greatest household expense, and often, there simply isnt enough food. Local elementary school students considered at risk of hunger, however, have come to depend on the weekend Smart Sacks packed by residents with memory loss at the Wilson Health Care Center at Asbury Methodist Village, a Gaithersburg continuing care retirement community.

Working in partnership with the Manna Food Center in Gaithersburg, the Smart Sack program provides the children with backpacks full of food every Friday to ensure they have food on the weekends when there are no school meals to sustain them. According the USDAs most recent statistics, approximately 15 percent ofUnited States households experienced some food insecurity during 2011.

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Community News: Sept. 28 paper

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Johnson: Paul write-in 'meaningless'

Posted: at 4:13 am

Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, the Libertarian presidential candidate, said Wednesday that writing in Rep. Ron Pauls name on the November ballot will effectively be meaningless.

But that didnt stop Johnson from using his second Reddit Ask Me Anything, an online Q&A, to champion many of the foreign policy doctrines that have made Paul, the Texas Republican and former presidential nominee, a star among libertarian-minded voters.

As much as I support Ron Paul, I think writing in his name will effectively be meaningless, Johnson wrote.

(Also on POLITICO: Johnson has best haul ever)

He also took a hard line against U.S.-led military interventions and said it would be very problematic if Israel bombed nuclear sites in Iran without American backing.

I think that with out U.S. support, that bombing by Israel becomes very problematic, he wrote, adding elsewhere, I would use the bully pulpit of the presidency to point out that bombing Iran would result in another 100 million enemies to the country, that otherwise would not have existed. STOP MILITARY INTERVENTIONS!

Johnson, a two-term former governor, dropped his bid for the GOP presidential nomination after he was shut out of the nationally televised primary debates earlier this year. He later decided to pursue the Libertarian Partys nomination, which he won in May. He will appear on the November ballots in 47 states, including Washington, D.C., and the party is litigating in Michigan, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania to appear on ballots there.

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Freedom of speech an ideal to be revered but restrained

Posted: September 26, 2012 at 4:16 pm

Freedom of expression in the West is hokum, I say. It's hypocrisy dressed up as high virtue. Worse still, it is now used as a missile aimed mainly at Muslims.

Freedoms are sacred and easily snatched by the powerful and it is a blessing to live in a country where prime ministers and princes are berated with impunity. Authoritarian states, like Saudi Arabia and China, remain unenlightened because they suppress the human voice. But I also believe that freedom without responsibility amounts to anarchy.

As do those European nations which have collectively agreed that Holocaust denial is an offence, that minorities should be protected from hate speech and that individuals have the right to privacy. Quite a list of limitations, eh? Libertarians proclaiming freedom of expression as an absolute, non-negotiable Western value say nothing on those restrictions.

If that manifesto was real, Kate Middleton would have to put up and shut up about those pictures, David Irving, the anti-Semitic historian, would be allowed to publish his revolting spiel and not be imprisoned, as he was in 2006 in Austria, and we would have no libel or defamation laws.

None of that is permitted, because in good societies there have to be curbs on what can be said, published or broadcast and sometimes freedom has to give way.

With Muslims, there is no restraint, or even fairness. Charlie Hebdo, the satirical magazine in France which printed demeaning cartoons of Prophet Mohamed, wanted trouble, so its editor could appear a really big man.

And because many Muslims are instantly and irrationally aroused to extreme frenzy, he expected it all to go off and his magazine to make money and martyrs.

Well, it didn't happen. French Muslims were banned from demonstrating, denied that democratic right. The anti-Islam internet film made by some dodgy Americans (we think) got the fire and fury it wanted. Throngs came out, people died, for no good reason, on either side.

Muslims need to calm down, grow up, learn to debate and become more self-aware. Western liberals who feel they have a duty to incite Muslims need self-awareness too and a bit of honesty. They don't provoke Jews, Hindus, or Christians to test their liberalism.

We have recently had a lot of Salman Rushdie. A memoir, hagiographic TV programme, a film of Midnight's Children, luvvie tributes have affirmed his eminence.

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Liberty Ross: Her Newest Diss To Rupert Sanders Revealed

Posted: at 4:16 pm

Liberty was spotted out and about in Los Angeles on Sept. 26 without her wedding ring, and HollywoodLife.com has all the EXCLUSIVE details on how she slammed her estranged husband in public!

It looks like Liberty Ross is definitely moving on her marriage to SWATH director Rupert Sanders. A couple months after his affair with Kristen Stewart broke, the model and actress has been out and about in public a lot more lately, and isnt ashamed to publicly diss her cheating husband!

Liberty was spotted at theJanelle Monae concert at Club Nokia on Sept. 26 in Los Angeles for the launch of Nokia Music with a girlfriend as her date.

Not only was the model not wearing her wedding ring, she rocked HUGE ring on her middle finger on her left hand right next to her bare ring finger! What a diss to her soon-to-be ex!

She looked stunning in tight leather pants and a leather jacket, and was smiling and having a great time. Looking amazing is the best revenge!

What do YOU think of Liberty wearing a large ring on her middle finger HollywoodLifers?

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Liberty notes: Flames welcome bye week

Posted: at 4:16 pm

When Liberty was trying to put together its football schedule last winter, the original plan was to schedule a game for Sept. 29 and leave Oct. 20 as an open date, giving the Flames a bye week in the middle of their conference schedule.

Athletics director Jeff Barber struggled to find a taker for a Sept. 29 home game, though, and eventually, the school scheduled Division II Concord on Oct. 20 and moved the open date to the end of September.

After the four-week gauntlet Liberty has faced out of the gates, featuring an FBS opponent, three teams ranked in the various FCS polls and a 2,300-mile road trip to Montana, the schedule change could prove to be a blessing in disguise.

I think so, Liberty coach Turner Gill said. It works out pretty well.

Both the Flames and Gardner-Webb, Libertys opponent for its Big South opener on Oct. 6, will have next week off after facing an extremely difficult four-game non-league stretch. GWU opened with games against Wofford, Richmond, Samford and Pittsburgh.

Its going to work out well for us, Gill said. Every team has bumps and bruises, and its going to be a good time for us to regroup after this ballgame and be ready to go in conference play.

Hall of Fame

Liberty inducted its fourth Athletics Hall of Fame class this weekend, and the five members of the 2012 class were honored at halftime of the Flames game with Lehigh.

This years class:

* Jesse Castro, who wrestled at Liberty from 1977-81 and resurrected the schools dormant wrestling program, coaching it from 2006-10. Under Castro, 24 individual wrestlers qualified for the NCAA championships.

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'Free speech? Let Obama talk to Bradley Manning about it' – Video

Posted: at 4:14 pm

25-09-2012 13:39 Barack Obama stated US won't block anti-Islam film for reasons of free speech. RT discussed Obama's speech in UN with journalist and anti-war activist Don DeBar. RT LIVE Subscribe to RT! Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Google+ RT (Russia Today) is a global news network broadcasting from Moscow and Washington studios. RT is the first news channel to break the 500 million YouTube views benchmark.

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Obama defends free speech at UN General Assembly – Video

Posted: at 4:14 pm

25-09-2012 19:15 Despite not having any one-on-one meetings with foreign leaders during his visit at the UN General Assembly, President Obama's address was certainly aimed at leaders from the Middle East and North Africa. Nancy Cordes reports.

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Computer glitch delays space station undocking

Posted: at 1:12 pm

An unmanned European cargo ship as large as a double-decker bus inside will have to wait a bit longer before leaving the International Space Station due to computer problems, NASA officials say.

The robotic Automated Transfer Vehicle 3 (ATV-3) spacecraft was slated to undock from the space station Tuesday evening, but a technical glitch with a laptop computer inside the station prevented to orbital departure. The two spacecraft were scheduled to part ways at 6:35 p.m. EDT (2235 GMT).

"We're not undocking today, that's been canceled," a flight controller in Mission Control told the station's three-person crew.

Space news from NBCNews.com

Science editor Alan Boyle's blog: A new comet superstar named C/2012 S1 (ISON) is heading for the spotlight starting in November 2013 but will it perform as some hope it will, or will it be a dud of cosmic proportions?

The computer glitch apparently interrupted signals from a laptop computer inside the station that serves as a command panel for the departing ATV-3 spacecraft. The computer is inside the Russian-built Zvezda module, the rear-most module that serves as the docking port for ATV spacecraft and visiting Russian spacecraft. [ Photos: Europe's Robotic ATV Spaceships ]

Station commander Sunita Williams of NASA told Mission Control that commands sent from the laptop apparently were not reaching the ATV spacecraft. Engineers are expected to meet early Wednesday to discuss the malfunction and determine when the next undocking attempt can be made, NASA officials said.

The space station's current Expedition 34 crew includes Williams, Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko.

The ATV-3 spacecraft, which is also known as Edoardo Almadi in honor of the late Italian physicist of the same name, is the third unmanned cargo ship built by the European Space Agency to send food, water, science gear and other supplies to the International Space Station. The spacecraft launched to the station in late March and delivered 7.2 tons of food to the orbiting lab.

The cylindrical ATV spacecraft are 32 feet long (10 meters) and nearly 15 feet wide (4.5 m). They are disposable spacecraft designed to fly themselves to the space station, and then be jettisoned at mission's end to burn up in Earth's atmosphere somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. The European Space Agency commands the spacecraft from a mission control center in Toulouse, France.

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