Vegans Have Lower Bone Density, But Not More Fractures

Vegans have lower bone densities than non-vegans, researchers have concluded.

But the news isn’t all bad, with the study finding an animal-free diet doesn’t translate into more fractures.

The findings, published today in the American Journal of Nutrition, came out of a review of previous studies that included more than 2,500 individuals.

Research has shown that low bone density, a predictor for osteoporosis, increases the risk of bone fracture.

Epidemiologist and lead author Tuan Nguyen, of Sydney’s Garvan Institute of Medical Research Garvan Institute of Medical Research , said there are four main factors that influence bone density: genetics, hormones, exercise and nutrition.

He expected vegans, those who avoid eating animal products, would have lower bone density and therefore a higher risk of bone fracture. The study found that on average vegans had a bone mass density 5 percent lower than non-vegans. But Nguyen said the study found vegans were no more likely to be treated for bone fractures than non-vegans.

This is probably because vegans tend to be more health conscious, he said.

“If you look at vegetarians as a whole they are certainly healthier, they tend to live longer and have lower risk of hypertension and heart disease.” And there are other factors that may override the influence bone density has on fracture risk such as hormone deficiencies, smoking and lifestyle, said Nguyen.

The study also found women have lower bone densities and a higher risk of fracture.

“About 70 percent of fractures in the elderly occur in women,” said Nguyen. …

“The push to have everyone eat massive amounts of dairy products is invalid,” she said.

Stanton said what’s missing from the study is a differentiation between a good and bad vegan diet.

“Just as you can have a good omnivorous diet and bad one, so too with vegan diets,” she said.

Stanton also said the study failed to consider the effects of vitamin D.

“Vitamin D is probably the most important factor in the way calcium is used and studies are showing now that a lot of people don’t get enough Vitamin D.”

Nguyen agress and suggests vegans monitor their calcium and vitamin D intake.

via Vegans Have Lower Bone Density: Discovery News.

Single molecule switches light

Since the first lasers appeared nearly 50 years ago, scientists and engineers have dreamt about creating all-optical circuits in which electrons are replaced by photons. While information is easily transmitted via light using optical fibres, switching and processing the information still rely on converting photons to electrons and then back again — which is a slow and power hungry process.

Unfortunately we are still far from seeing all-optical — or “photonic” — circuits in desktop computers and other everyday applications because these circuits require light to be manipulated in nanometre-sized spaces, something that is very difficult to do. Moreover, the efficient all-optical switching of light beams, which allows energy from one beam to amplify another, usually requires large photonic crystals.

Now, Vahid Sandoghdar and colleagues at ETH Zurich have made what they say is the world’s smallest optical transistor ever — from a single dye molecule. The device, which works by weakening or amplifying a “source” laser beam depending on the power of a second “gating” beam, could bring all-optical circuits and optical computing a step closer. By controlling the degree of attenuation and amplification via the power in a second gating laser beam, we have demonstrated the smallest optical transistor to date,” Sandoghdar said. “

… And although our experiment was performed with conventional laser beams, the set-up also works for non-classical light beams at the single photon level,” explained Sandoghdar. “This means that quantum information processing will be possible.”

via Single molecule switches light – physicsworld.com.

Celebrity death rumors spread online

Despite what you may have read, Jeff Goldblum, Natalie Portman, George Clooney, Britney Spears, Harrison Ford and Rick Astley are alive.

Fake news of their deaths flew across the Internet — particularly on online social networks like Twitter and Facebook — after Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett and Ed McMahon were reported dead.

The situation is calling attention to the changing state of the news media: As information online moves faster and comes from more sources, it’s more difficult to verify what’s true and what may be shockingly false.

Some have downplayed the situation, saying the rumors are not harmful. Others find the situation offensive in light of the actual deaths last week.

Internet-savvy readers can tell the difference between fake news and real information that has been verified by a trusted blogger or mainstream news reporter, said Gabriel Snyder, managing editor at Gawker, a celebrity news and gossip blog not associated with the rumors.

“It’s easier than ever to publish stuff, and the human condition is a complicated thing. Some people just like to be responsible for starting something,” he said, noting that the trend is not especially new.

Others say the fake deaths, or “death pranks,” show an inherent problem with the decentralization of news on the Internet.

The man who claims indirect responsibility for several of the recent fake celebrity deaths is Rich Hoover, whose site, fakeawish.com, allows users to input celebrity names into five false news templates with outlandish stories about their deaths.

Hoover said the site’s fans used its story-generation power to start rumors that Goldblum, Ford, Portman and Clooney had died. Traffic on his site jumped from a few thousand users per day to about 500,000 in the two days after Michael Jackson’s death, he said.

via Celebrity death rumors spread online – CNN.com.

Caffeine reverses memory impairment in Alzheimer’s mice

Coffee drinkers may have another reason to pour that extra cup. When aged mice bred to develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease were given caffeine – the equivalent of five cups of coffee a day – their memory impairment was reversed, report University of South Florida researchers at the Florida Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.

Back-to-back studies published online today in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, show caffeine significantly decreased abnormal levels of the protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease, both in the brains and in the blood of mice exhibiting symptoms of the disease. Both studies build upon previous research by the Florida ADRC group showing that caffeine in early adulthood prevented the onset of memory problems in mice bred to develop Alzheimer’s symptoms in old age.

“The new findings provide evidence that caffeine could be a viable ‘treatment’ for established Alzheimer’s disease, and not simply a protective strategy,” said lead author Gary Arendash, PhD, a USF neuroscientist with the Florida ADRC. “That’s important because caffeine is a safe drug for most people, it easily enters the brain, and it appears to directly affect the disease process.”

via Caffeine reverses memory impairment in Alzheimer’s mice.

If you don’t like coffee, you could try chocolate or tea:

Usually, the highest caffeine measurement for an ounce of chocolate is 10 milligrams. One can compare this to coffee to see that this is a relatively minuscule amount. The average cup of coffee contains about ten to fifteen times the amount of caffeine in one ounce of chocolate. Usually coffee contains between 100-150 milligrams of caffeine in an eight-ounce cup. This may vary slightly according to brand and roast style.

The caffeine in tea also can be compared to caffeine in chocolate. Green tea is much lower in caffeine than coffee, containing between 15-40 milligrams per eight-ounce cup. Black tea has an average of 50 milligrams of caffeine per cup. Both green and black tea will have a higher caffeine rating depending upon amount of tea used and brewing time. – wisegeek

There are reasons, however, to avoid caffeine:

Most a.m. coffee drinkers don’t realize it, but their morning cups of coffee set their bodies up for a rollercoaster day of highs and lows, only to bottom out at the point of exhaustion. Just a few hours after consumption, when the artificial high dies down, many people may reach for more coffee or something sugary to get another lift, leading to daily fluctuations in energy and alertness, and possibly to eventual chronic adrenal exhaustion.  -naturalnews

Caffeine does more than give you a little jolt of energy, according to ABC online, caffeine is a strong diuretic. It makes the consumer urinate more because the flow is increased through the kidneys. Caffeine also has an effect on mental abilities. A study done on three groups of people, revealed that the group that was given high doses of caffeine did not perform well on verbal reasoning tasks. – ap

Game show looks to convert atheists

What happens when you put a Muslim imam, a Christian priest, a rabbi and a Buddhist monk in a room with 10 atheists?

Turkish television station Kanal T hopes the answer is a ratings success as it prepares to launch a gameshow where spiritual guides from the four faiths will seek to convert a group of non-believers.

The prize for converts will be a pilgrimage to a holy site of their chosen religion — Mecca for Muslims, the Vatican for Christians, Jerusalem for Jews and Tibet for Buddhists.

But religious authorities in Muslim but secular Turkey are not amused by the twist on the popular reality game show format and the Religious Affairs Directorate is refusing to provide an imam for the show.

“Doing something like this for the sake of ratings is disrespectful to all religions. Religion should not be a subject for entertainment programs,” High Board of Religious Affairs Chairman Hamza Aktan told state news agency Anatolian after news of the planned program emerged.

The makers of “Penitents Compete” are unrepentant and reject claims that the show, scheduled to begin broadcasting in September, will cheapen religion.

“We are giving the biggest prize in the world, the gift of belief in God,” Kanal T chief executive Seyhan Soylu told Reuters.

“We don’t approve of anyone being an atheist. God is great and it doesn’t matter which religion you believe in. The important thing is to believe,” Soylu said. …

Some 200 people have so far applied to take part in the show and the 10 contestants will be chosen next month.

A team of theologians will ensure that the atheists are truly non-believers and are not just seeking fame or a free holiday.

via Game show looks to convert atheists | Oddly Enough | Reuters.

The image is my friend Keith Lowell Jensen who bills himself as an atheist comedian. I think if he knew about this game show he may write a skit that turns the tables and gives away vacations for people who give up a belief in God. What kind of panel of experts could tell, however, if someone was a real believer, or just faking it? I ask because every believer I have ever known has had periods of non-belief or at least serious doubt.

Perhaps this is a valid test:

Would you pledge your soul as loan collateral?

Ready to give your soul for a loan in these difficult economic times? In Latvia, where the crisis has raged more than in the rest of the European Union, you can.Such a deal is being offered by the Kontora loan company, whose public face is Viktor Mirosiichenko, 34.

Clients have to sign a contract, with the words “Agreement” in bold letters at the top. The client agrees to the collateral, “that is, my immortal soul.”

Mirosiichenko said his company would not employ debt collectors to get its money back if people refused to repay, and promised no physical violence. Signatories only have to give their first name and do not show any documents.

“If they don’t give it back, what can you do? They won’t have a soul, that’s all,” he told Reuters in a basement office, with one desk, a computer and three chairs.

Wearing sunglasses, a black suit and a white shirt with the words “Kontora” (office) emblazoned on it, he reaches into his pocket and lays out a sheaf of notes on the table to show that the business is serious and not a joke.

Latvia has been the EU nation worst hit by economic crisis. …

Mirosiichenko said his company was basically trusting people to repay the small amounts they borrowed, which has so far been up to 250 lats ($500) for between 1 and 90 days at a hefty interest rate.

He said about 200 people had taken out loans over the two months the business was in operation.

via – Reuters

Scientists Find Heart Stem Cells

Scientists have identified a cardiac stem cell that gives rise to all of the major cell types in the human heart. The find opens the way to using patients’ own cells to heal their damaged hearts.

The cells in question express a protein, called Islet 1, which is present in the early stages of fetal heart formation. In recent years, scientists have identified the cells in embryonic mouse hearts. And now, a team in the laboratory of Kenneth Chien, director of the Cardiovascular Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, has found the same cell type in human fetal hearts.

Once the group pinpointed the cells, it took the next important step: generating new cardiac stem cells from human embryonic stem cells. Using fluorescent tags to identify the ones containing Islet 1, the researchers obtained a purified population. They then proved that the Islet 1 cells are what Chien calls “master stem cells” by showing that single cells could be made to grow into any of the heart’s major cell types: heart muscle (cardiomyocytes), smooth muscle, and blood vessel lining (endothelium). The team reports its work today in Nature.

Chien cautions that these primordial stem cells, which are found only in fetuses, could not be used for therapy because they could develop into undesired cell types. Instead, he says, researchers need to isolate “intermediate” cells that are already heading for a particular fate. In the meantime, the primordial cells could be used for disease modeling and drug screening. They may also help shed light on congenital heart malformations. In the fetal heart, Islet 1 cells are clustered in areas that are “hot spots” for congenital heart defects, says Chien: “Congenital heart disease may be a stem cell disease.”

Ultimately, researchers may be able to use the cells to grow human “heart parts” such as strips of heart muscle or a valve on scaffolds that could be inserted into patients, Chien says.

via Scientists Find Heart Stem Cells — Holden 2009 (702): 1 — ScienceNOW.

Producing hydrogen from urine

You do two things at motorway services: fill up one tank and empty another. US chemists have combined refuelling your car and relieving yourself by creating a new catalyst that can extract hydrogen from urine.

Chemistry World reports that the catalyst could not only fuel the hydrogen-powered cars of the future, but could also help clean up municipal wastewater.

Gerardine Botte of Ohio University uses an electrolytic approach to produce hydrogen from urine – the most abundant waste on Earth – at a fraction of the cost of producing hydrogen from water.

Urine’s major constituent is urea, which incorporates four hydrogen atoms per molecule – importantly, less tightly bonded than the hydrogen atoms in water molecules.

Botte uses electrolysis to break the molecule apart, developing an inexpensive new nickel-based electrode to selectively and efficiently oxidise the urea. To break the molecule down, a voltage of 0.37V needs to be applied across the cell – much less than the 1.23V needed to split water.

Her work is described in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Chemical Communications.

“During the electrochemical process the urea gets adsorbed on to the nickel electrode surface, which passes the electrons needed to break up the molecule,” Botte told Chemistry World.

Botte believes the technology could be easily scaled-up to generate hydrogen while cleaning up the effluent from sewage plants. “We do not need to reinvent the wheel as there are already electrolysers being used in different applications.”

via Producing hydrogen from urine.

Quiz: Which image is fake? Only one of these is fake!

Click for the answer.

Viral emails | Incredible images | inbox fact or fiction.

Canadian gas pipeline hit by 6th bomb

A natural gas pipeline in western Canada was bombed Saturday for the second time in four days and the sixth time in nine months, officials said.

The bombing of the EnCana pipeline near Pouce Coupe in northern British Columbia was being investigated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, The Province reported.

Someone living near the pipeline called police between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. Saturday to report hearing a loud bang, investigators said. The company said employees were already nearby repairing damage from Wednesday’s bombing, which was about half a mile away.

EnCana said the explosion Saturday caused a leak.

“These attacks aren’t just against EnCana, they are against the entire community,” Rhona DelFrari, a spokeswoman for EnCana, said. “We are becoming increasingly frustrated by this because it’s becoming a risk to the public.”

Cpl. Dan Moskaluk, an RCMP spokesman, said two additional officers have been added to the force in Dawsons Creek because of the explosions. But he said the most recent blasts mean police are getting more tips from the public.

“We are dealing with domestic terrorism,” Moskaluk said. “This is an attack on a critical infrastructure.”

via Canadian gas pipeline hit by 6th bomb – UPI.com.

Here is some background from when the 2nd bomb went off:

Not acts of terrorism: RCMP

Investigators are treating the explosions as acts of vandalism, not terrorism, Shields said.

“Under the Criminal Code, it would be characterized as mischief, which is an intentional vandalism. We don’t want to characterize this as terrorism. They were very isolated locations and there would seem there was no intent to hurt people,” he said.

But David Harris, a security consultant and former strategist with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, told CBC News the second explosion shows it’s time to start looking at a political motive and to do more to protect Canada’s critical infrastructure.

Last week, a handwritten letter arrived at a newspaper in Dawson Creek calling EnCana and other energy companies “terrorists” for expanding “deadly” gas wells. The letter gave the firms a deadline to shut down operations.

Dan Przybylski, the publisher of Dawson Creek Daily News, which received the letter, said many people in the community have expressed concerns about the oil and gas activity in the area and many people living near the pipelines are nervous about their safety.

- cbc.ca

Cheers! Men rejoice as research suggests beer bellies caused by genetics – not by the booze

Beer lovers across Britain will be raising a glass to the latest research on drinking.

For scientists have discovered that the so-called ‘beer belly’ is not caused by consuming alcohol – but more to do with genetics.

A study of thousands of beer drinkers found that although people who drink regularly are more likely to put on weight, they do not necessarily accumulate fat around the abdomen.

Researchers monitored more than 20,000 people – 7,876 men and 12,749 women – over an average of eight-and-a-half years.

Men who were classed as the heaviest drinkers – regularly consuming two pints of beer a day – put on the most weight.

But when the researchers then measured hip-to-waist ratios to establish which drinkers developed a pot belly, the results were randomly spread across all drinking groups.

The scientists concluded that genetic factors dictating how people put on weight were more significant than drinking beer.

via Cheers! Men rejoice as research suggests beer bellies caused by genetics – not by the booze | Mail Online.