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Emma Watson used gap year to design teen summer wear for People Tree

September 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Sep 18 (ANI): Harry Potter star Emma Watson has revealed that she spent her gap year designing a ‘complete teenage summer wardrobe’ for the fair trade fashion brand People Tree.

Watson, 19, who has just enrolled at Brown University in the US, acted as a creative advisor for the ethical fashion collection, which will reach shops in February.

“I wanted to help People Tree produce a younger range because I was excited by the idea of using fashion as a tool to help alleviate poverty and knew it was something I could help make a difference with,” Sky News quoted her as saying.

“I think young people like me are becoming increasingly aware of the humanitarian and environmental issues surrounding fast fashion and want to make good choices but there aren’t many options out there.

“It has been the most incredible gap year project,” she added.

Among items that the teen actress has had a hand in designing were knitwear, cotton t-shirts, jersey dresses, and poplin shorts.

Her range also includes some more bizarre items, including “bohemian hand embroidered bed throws, recycled sweetie wrapper jewellery, banana fibre slouchy beanies and head scarves.”

They will be sold by People Tree, a company which aims at supporting developing countries and promoting environmental projects. (ANI)

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US folk singer Mary Travers passes away at 72

September 17, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Sept 17 (ANI): Mary Travers, a member of the hugely popular 1960s US folk group Peter, Paul and Mary, has died in the US. She was 72.

Heather Lylis, the band’s publicist, said Travers passed away yesterday at the Danbury Hospital in Connecticut. She had battled leukemia for several years, reports The Times.

Travers joined forces with Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey in the early 1960s. The trio formed the folk band Peter, Paul and Mary, mingling their music with liberal politics, both onstage and off.

Peter, Paul and Mary had hits including If I Had a Hammer, Lemon Tree and Puff, The Magic Dragon.

They won five Grammies and released a five-disc box set of their greatest hits, Carry It On.

They were strong supporters of the civil rights movement and opponents of the Vietnam War. (ANI)

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Bees protecting tree sting Chinese man

September 17, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Sep 16 (ANI): A Chinese man was hospitalised after he was stung by more than a hundred bees while chopping a tree last week.

The incident took place in Changjiang, Hainan province, reports the China Daily.

Chen, a farmer, had to be rushed to the hospital by his colleague, and others who feared for his life.

“The bees didn’t leave him for a good 10 minutes. We thought he was dead,” one of his colleagues said. (ANI)

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Untimely mangoes in Gujarat

September 10, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Valsad (Gujarat), Sep 9 (ANI): For mango growers in Valsad in Gujarat, things take an unusual turn, trees in their orchards have flowered and some are laden with fruits much before usual time.

Mango lovers can be happy that they can get farm picked mangoes in winter, but farmers are confused as to rejoice or not, as this could be a dangerous development.

Mango production was low last season, as very little flowering had taken place. Many farmers suffered losses but whatever had not flowered then is in full bloom now.

“This year the mango production was really low. But now there are mangoes growing on some trees. Though it is not so much that we can sell it in the market but it can be used for our own consumption,” said Amratbhai Patel, A mango farmer.

Some farmers are even sending their produce to the market.

Experts are however worried about the flowering of the tree at an unusual time. Some are calling it one of the adverse effects of global warming and the change of seasons.

“During the season the production was less, only 20 percent, whatever had not flowered is flowering now. I believe such things will keep happening because of the change of seasons and global warming,” said Takhatsingh Gohil, professor, Science College, Valsad.

Valsad, has the highest production of mangos in the state, and is known for its ‘Alphonso’ and ‘Valsadi hafoos’ mangoes.

The Alphonso mango has made the district popular amongst mango lovers all over the world. (ANI)

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Green Run heralds awareness on afforestation in Assam

August 30, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Guwahati (Assam), Aug 30(ANI): A half-marathon christened ‘Green Run’ was held at Guwahati on Sunday to spread mass awareness on the benefits of tree plantation.

Organised by a premiere engineering institute, the event saw participation of around 400 people of all ages.

The participants and the organisers expressed the view that events like this would result in more and more people planting trees.

“It is a big message (‘Green Run’). Grown-ups as well as kids are warming up for the run. I hope everyone participating will plant at least a tree to make Assam green,” said Taibun Nisa, a former international athlete from Assam.

The half-marathon was classified into two categories, one for athletes and other for non-athletes.

For athletes, the participants were to run 21 kilometres, while in the non-athletic category, the distance was seven kilometres.

Deforestation accounts for up to 60 percent green house gases emission in developing countries like India. (ANI)

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Taliban claim successful sabotage of Afghan presidential vote

August 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kabul, Aug. 29 (ANI): Taliban fighters say they have successfully sabotaged the Afghanistan presidential voting process without sending in a single suicide bomber.

A Globe and Mail report says that their claim that the mere threat of violence suppressed turnout enough to cast doubt on the credibility of the vote, which is being increasingly undermined by allegations of fraud.

“It’s like the election didn’t happen at all,” said one senior Taliban commander, who was instrumental in planning the insurgents’ strategy after the their leader, Mullah Omar, ordered the elections disrupted.

He spoke to The Globe And Mail by satellite phone after meeting with a dozen other senior militant commanders in a region bordering Pakistan to discuss the election.

“We have succeeded in our plan. Even in Kandahar city, most of the people were sitting in their houses. We showed the government could not do a good election,” said the commander, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

His claims were echoed by other, less senior Taliban fighters interviewed by The Globe in Afghanistan’s southern provinces, where turnout was particularly low – 10 per cent in some districts – and allegations of fraud are most pronounced.

While the United Nations, American, Canadian and Afghan officials have praised the vote as a success, the Taliban’s new declarations of victory are finding growing resonance in official circles.

Tooryalai Wesa, the governor of Kandahar province, did not dismiss the Taliban’s claim of triumph. “The election was complicated,” he said.

“They did manage to give a sense that anything was possible. They did make it seem like they were quite a lot bigger than they were. I’d score it as a win for them,” the analyst said.

At least 30 people died on election day, including two people who were hanged from a tree near the Arghandab River. At least two others had their right index fingers cut off after they voted. Dozens of rockets fell on Kandahar and Helmand province.

However, the election was largely free of the massive scale of violence threatened by the Taliban, who promised to disrupt it at all costs. (ANI)

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Lovelorn lady gorillas at London Zoo go wild over new guy

August 28, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, August 28 (ANI): Just like posters showing football ace David Beckham stripped to his briefs leave his women fans drooling, lovelorn lady gorillas at London Zoo were also found to have a similar reaction to pictures of a continental hunk.

The keepers of Mjukuu, 10, Effie, 16, and Zaire, 34-who have lacked male attention since the death of their silverback mate Bobby in December-recently gave the girls their first glimpse of 20-stone Yeboah, 12, who is due to arrive from France within weeks.

Judging by their reaction to the pictures, they hope that sparks should fly when the new boy arrives at London Zoo.

According to them, Zaire was the most appreciative, as she carefully wedged her pictures into the bark of tree to show them off to best effect.

Teenager Effie was found to tenderly clutch one of the photos to her bosom, but she later ate it.

Youngster Mjukuu also appeared to be delighted at the prospect of a new boyfriend, for she threw her head back and roared with joy.

“It would be nice to think they’ll recognise him. I wouldn’t be surprised if the penny drops when he arrives,” the Daily Express quoted keeper Tracey Lee as saying.

The newspaper further revealed that German-born Yeboah was being shown pictures of the girls by staff at La Boissiere Du Dore zoo in the Loire, so that he would feel at home when they meet.

Lee said: “We think Yeboah will go for Mjukuu first because she’s very pretty and she’s a big flirt.” (ANI)

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Some Aussie frogs raise pitch of love songs to counter traffic noise

August 26, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, Aug 26 (ANI): Some Aussie frogs often raise their pitch as they serenade their partners, in order to counter traffic sounds, according to a study.

Kirsten Parris, an ecologist at the University of Melbourne, says that one species of frog in Melbourne is changing the pitch of its love song to be heard above the roar of the road.

For the study, Parris visited many urban ponds and pools inhabited by frogs, measuring traffic noise, which is, unfortunately, at the same low frequencies as many frog mating calls.

But, for the onomatopoeic ‘pobblebonk’ (Limnodynastes dumerilii), she found that a call that could originally be heard by a female 800 metres away might only carry 98 metres above 60 decibels of traffic noise, an average value for Melbourne.

She has also discovered that the southern brown tree frog (Litoria ewingii) seems to be compensating for the traffic noise by increasing the pitch of its calls1 (listen to before and after calls).

Parris suggested that installing noise barriers at strategic points around a road could help urban frogs to hear each other.

She further said that creating habitats where they thrive – such as ponds with sloping rather than steep sides – would also make sense.

“Cities provide some of the last habitat for a range of frog species around the world. So if we only worry about conserving frogs and their habitats outside cities, some of these frogs may well go extinct,” she said.

She added: “Some frog species are very sensitive to environmental changes”, but “others are quite adaptable and can persist in urban habitats if we gave them a bit of help”.

However, Kris Kaiser, an ecology graduate student at the University of California, Los Angeles, has put forward a note of caution on the subject of these amphibians’ adaptability.

“Frogs, unlike birds, are thought to have the frequency of their calls somewhat constrained by their anatomy. There is often a relationship between body size and frequency of call,” he said.

Thus, he claimed that the creatures’ ability to compensate for traffic noise may be limited.

The study was presented at the International Congress of Ecology in Brisbane. (ANI)

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Unique acacia tree could nourish soils in Africa

August 25, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, August 25 (ANI): In a new research, scientists have said that a type of acacia tree with an unusual growth habit, which is unlike virtually all other trees, holds particular promise for farmers in Africa as a free source of nitrogen for their soils that could last generations.

With its nitrogen-fixing qualities, the tall, long-lived acacia tree, Faidherbia albida could limit the use of fertilizers; provide fodder for livestock, wood for construction and fuel wood, and medicine through its bark, as well as windbreaks and erosion control to farmers across sub-Saharan Africa.

According to scientists, the tree illustrates the benefits of growing trees on farms and is adapted to an incredibly wide array of climates and soils from the deserts to the humid tropics.

“Growing the right tree in the right place on farms in sub-Saharan Africa-and worldwide- has the potential to slow climate change, feed more people, and protect the environment,” said Dennis Garrity, Director General of the World Agroforestry Centre.

“This tree, as a source of free, organic nitrogen, is an example of that. There are many other examples of solutions to African farming that exist here already,” he added.

The Faidherbia acacia tree has the quality of “reverse leaf phenology,” which drives the tree to go dormant and shed its nitrogen-rich leaves during the early rainy season – when seeds are being planted and need the nitrogen – and then to re-grow its leaves when the dry season begins and crops are dormant.

This makes it highly compatible with food crops because it does not compete with them for light-only the bare branches of the tree’s canopy spread overhead while crops grow to maturity.

Their leaves and pods provide a crucial source of fodder in the dry season for livestock when other plants have dried up.

The unique acacia tree is a frequent component of farming systems of Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Sudan, and Ethiopia, and in parts of northern Ghana, northern Nigeria, and northern Cameroon.

The tree is growing on over 4.8 million hectares of land in Niger. Half a million farmers in Malawi and in the southern highlands of Tanzania grow the tree on their maize fields.

In Malawi, maize yields were increased up to 280 percent in the zone under the tree canopy compared with the zone outside the tree canopy.

In Zambia, recent unpublished observations showed that unfertilized maize yields in the vicinity of the Faidherbia trees averaged 4.1 tonnes per hectare, compared to 1.3 tonnes nearby but beyond the tree canopy. (ANI)

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UK film industry facing most hostile environment in years, say insiders

August 25, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Aug 25 (ANI): The stupendous success of Danny Boyle’s ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ is unlikely to be repeated, say insiders.

The ongoing credit crisis has hit independent film companies quite hard, as 59 such companies have wrapped up in past 18 months, while others are struggling for funds.

According to the report released by PricewaterhouseCoopers, indie companies such as Lucky 7, which made film Modigliani about the life of the Italian artist and Palm Tree UK, behind feature films Lost in Landscape and Winter Warrior, have gone bust.

The company Stormrider Films, which had scheduled to bring out “a British sci-fi feature film like no other ever produced in the UK” with CGI effects, called Kaleidoscope Man, has also gone bankrupt.

Christian Colson, producer of Slumdog Millionaire, fears that the trend might ultimately leave Britain drained of creativity

“It will be easier to get a 100m dollars film made than a really good 15m-dollar film,” The Independent quoted him as saying.

John Woodward, chief executive of the UK Film Council, admitted that independent film companies “are facing something of a perfect storm”.

“The debt which essentially financed their films is harder to secure… and the transition to digital has prompted a rise in piracy – so there’s a real strain on traditional fund raising.”

He, however, added that despite these challenges, the best projects were “still getting financed”.

The economic downturn has discouraged banks and high-risk investors to put in their money.

“Investors are more risk-averse than usual, so are either looking for more genre-driven material, more established directors, or bigger name cast before they’ll invest…,” said Andrea Calderwood, an independent film producer with Slate Films who won a BAFTA for the film The Last King of Scotland.

“Films are also taking longer to come together – either because the top talent is not available, or because financiers are taking longer to make decisions,” Calderwood added.

The PwC report stated that while big studio blockbusters were drawing huge audiences to cinema multiplexes, indie films were deteriorating.

It said: “The recession has sent hoards of consumers to the cinema and therefore large scale, expensive films such as Harry Potter remain in production and eagerly awaited. However, due to the credit crunch, sources of financing for smaller indie films have dried up – meaning many plots remain on the story board.” (ANI)

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Sand sculpture of Ganesha spreads awareness on global warming in Puri

August 25, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Puri, Aug.23 (ANI): On the occasion of Ganesha Chaturthi and the 10-day festivities ahead, noted sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik has made an image at the Puri beach to evolve devotion and spread public awareness on global warming.

Patnaik has sculpted a 40 feet-long Ganesha and a tree on His palm alongside a message ‘Reduce Global Warming’ written next to the image.

To spread general awareness and make this sand image of Lord Ganesha, Patnaik and his team have used around 70 tonnes of sand.

“We are conveying a message of climate change through the sand idol as Ganesha is highly revered here in Orissa. That’s why we have shown a tree in Ganesha’s palms to encourage people to plant more trees. Climate change has affected the entire globe and people are talking about it and its effects,” said Sudarshan Pattnaik in Puri.

Patnaik hopes that the message conveyed through highly revered Lord Ganesha will motivate people towards environment conservation.

A large number of tourists visit the famous Puri beach. They are appreciating the artist’s effort to utilise a religious occasion for spreading social awareness on issue like global warming.

“He (Sudarsan Patnaik) is a good and renowned sand artist of our country. I felt great after seeing his work of art and it’s helping to create the festive atmosphere and we have also become a part of it,” said Jaideep Barman, a tourist.atnaik is today known not just in India but also across the world for his unique themes and captivating sand images. By Sarda Lahangir (ANI)

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Key feature of immune system survived in humans for 60 million years

August 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, August 19 (ANI): A new study has concluded that one key part of the immune system survived in the humans and other primates for almost 60 million years.

Researchers at the Oregon State University (OSU) and the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in the US carried out the study.

They found out that one key part of the immune system, the ability of vitamin D to regulate anti-bactericidal proteins, is so important that is has been conserved through almost 60 million years of evolution and is shared only by primates, including humans – but no other known animal species.

The fact that this vitamin-D mediated immune response has been retained through millions of years of evolutionary selection, and is still found in species ranging from squirrel monkeys to baboons and humans, suggests that it must be critical to their survival, according to researchers.

Even though the “cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide” has several different biological activities in addition to killing pathogens, it’s not clear which one, or combination of them, makes vitamin D so essential to its regulation.

The research also provides further evidence of the biological importance of adequate levels of vitamin D in humans and other primates, even as some studies and experts suggest that more than 50 percent of the children and adults in the US are deficient in “the sunshine vitamin.”

“The existence and importance of this part of our immune response makes it clear that humans and other primates need to maintain sufficient levels of vitamin D,” said Adrian Gombart, an associate professor of biochemistry and a principal investigator with the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.

In the new study, researchers from OSU and the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center describe the presence of a genetic element that’s specific to primates and involved in the innate immune response.

They found it not only in humans and their more recent primate ancestors, such as chimpanzees, but also primates that split off on the evolutionary tree tens of millions of years ago, such as old world and new world primates.

The genetic material – called an Alu short interspersed element – is part of what used to be thought of as “junk DNA” and makes up more than 90 percent of the human genome.

In this case, the genetic element is believed to play a major role in the proper function of the “innate” immune system in primates – an ancient, first line of defense against bacteria, viruses and other pathogens. (ANI)

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It happens only in the US: Armed riflemen attend Obama’s speech

August 18, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, Aug.18 (ANI): A dozen people carrying guns, including at least two with assault rifles, were spotted mingling among protesters outside a convention centre in Arizona where President Barack Obama was speaking. he Telegraph quoted Phoenix police as saying that the men who were carrying guns at Monday’s event did not need permits, as the state of Arizona has an “open carry” law.

One of the men carrying a rifle declined to be identified but told The Arizona Republic that he was carrying the assault weapon because he could. “In Arizona, I still have some freedoms,” he said.

The presence of armed men among protesters has raised fears that the heated debate over Obama’s reform agenda could lead to deadly violence.

Obama was speaking to the Veterans of Foreign Wars about improving benefits for veterans, and thanking the armed services for their sacrifice.

It was the latest incident where gun-carriers have been spotted outside events where the president has appeared, usually to tout his health care reform plans on an increasingly dubious public.

Last week, during a town hall meeting on health care in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a man carrying a sign reading “It is time to water the tree of liberty” stood outside with a pistol strapped to his leg. (ANI)

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Archaeologists discover world’s oldest tree sign in Prague

August 13, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Prague (Czech Republic), August 13 (ANI): Archaeologists have uncovered a unique 1000-year-old mark engraved into an oak tree near Celakovice in Prague, Czech Republic, which is probably the oldest preserved sign of this kind in the world.

According to a report in the Prague Monitor, the real meaning of the 10-cm star-shaped mark on the oak trunk is not certain. Experts say it may have marked the territory or serve some iconic purposes.

This find is rare as so old engraved signs were not previously mapped and they are not systematically searched for either, said archaeologist Jana Marikova from the Academy of Sciences (AV)’s Archaeological Institute.

Geologist Radek Mikulas, from the AV’s Geological Institute, found the engraved sign by accident when he was searching for the actual age and state of the old oak trunks that were lifted near Celakovice during sand and gravel strip mining.

The mark was engraved into the trunk after the bark was removed from the spot, and this is why its traces were preserved.

Experts estimate that the oaks were standing near the Labe (Elbe) River between 600-800 A.D. and the engraved symbol must originate from the early Middle Ages.

Archaeologist Dagmar Dreslerova points out that the tradition of engraving signs and ornaments date back to the Palaeolithic Era (Old Stone Age).

However, only engravings made on stone, rocks and exceptionally on bones have been preserved, as wood and other organic material decompose with time.

The first written sources mentioning signs engraved into trees to mark land borders and paths come from antiquity. (ANI)

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Orangutans can counter dangerous tree vibrations by moving in an irregular rhythm

July 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, July 28 (ANI): A team of scientists has found that the orangutan can counter dangerous tree vibrations by its ability to move with an irregular rhythm.

According to Professor Robin Crompton, from the University of Liverpool’s School of Biomedical Sciences, there is a problem in the movement of animals through the canopy of tropical forests, where there are highly flexible branches.

“Most animals, such as the chimpanzee, respond to these challenges by flexing their limbs to bring their body closer to the branch. Orangutans, however, are the largest arboreal mammal and so they are likely to face more severe difficulties due to weight,” he said.

“If they move in a regular fashion, like their smaller relatives, we get a ‘wobbly bridge’ situation, whereby the movement of the branches increases,” he added.

“Orangutans have developed a unique way of coping with these problems; they move in an irregular way which includes upright walking, four-limbed suspension from branches and tree-swaying, whereby they move branches backwards and forwards, with increasing magnitude, until they are able to cross large gaps between trees,” according to Dr Susannah Thorpe, from the University of Birmingham’s School of Biosciences.

The team studied orangutans in Sumatra, where the animal is predicted to be the first great ape to become extinct.

This new research could further shed light into the way orangutans use their habitat, which could support new conservation programmes.

“If the destruction of forest land does not slow down, the Sumatran orangutan could be extinct within the next decade,” Dr Thorpe said.

“Now that we know more about how they move through the trees and the unique way that they adapt to challenges in their environment we can better understand their needs.

This could help with reintroducing rescued animals to the forests and efforts to conserve their environment,” she added. (ANI)

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UK primary school creates extra classroom in decommissioned aircraft

July 16, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, July 16 (ANI): An England-based primary school, which asked its pupils to come up with ideas for a new outdoor classroom, now has one in the form of a decommissioned commercial aeroplane.

The winged classroom, a refurbished Short S-360, is believed to be the first of its kind in the world, and students at Kingsland Primary School in Bucknall, Stoke-on-Trent, checked in for class in the aircraft for the first time on July 15.

Since its arrival at the school in March, the airliner has been transformed into a flexible teaching space, fitted with interactive whiteboards and laptops and complete with pull-down numbered seats and desks.

Headteacher David Lawrence said that staff at the school had invited pupils to offer ideas for a new outdoor classroom, and an aircraft was one of many quirky suggestions, with a tree house and a castle amongst other structures mooted.

Pupils were also involved in the interior design of the aircraft, in a project dubbed “The King’s Wings” by the school.

“When we realised we needed an extra classroom we asked the children what they wanted and one little boy said an aeroplane so we went and found one and have effectively recycled it to create the world’s first flying classroom,” the Telegraph quoted Lawrence a saying.

The 72ft (22m) long aircraft was lowered into position in the school grounds by a crane.

“What you’re seeing today is the end of 15 months worth of work,” Lawrence said.

“It would have been scrapped so we’ve rescued the aeroplane, which is also what the children thought was important because of the agenda for conservation and things like that.

“The children were talking about powering some of the inside of it with solar panels, and that could be something we develop later,” he revealed.

The headteacher said he was not worried that pupils might be distracted by the novelty of sitting down to lessons in an aeroplane.

“The day it came were really really excited and today they’re really excited because they’ve seen it for the first time and they really want to do lessons in there,” he said.

He said it was “such a buzz” for the children, and much more interesting than lessons in a portable cabin.

“In a couple of weeks it will just be part and parcel of what we do in school. So it’ll be, instead of having a lesson in the hall or the ICT room, it will be lessons in the aeroplane,” he said.

“The children’s imagination has been fired up by the idea and they are enthused and motivated, we are sure that this will lead to improved attendance, give us better and more opportunities for our creative curriculum and raise attainment,” he added. (ANI)

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Pine bark extract ‘helps reduce inflammation’

July 16, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, July 16 (ANI): An antioxidant plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree has been found effective in reducing inflammation, and soothing pain associated with various health problems, claim researchers.

According to lead researcher Dr. Raffaella Canali of the National Research Institute on Food and Nutrition in Rome, Italy, pycnogenol can actually decrease pain and reduce inflammatory conditions by shutting down the production of enzymes COX-2 and 5-LOX involved with inflammation.

During the study, the researchers investigated healthy volunteers ranging from ages 35-50, who consumed Pycnogenol tablets (150 mg) for five consecutive days in the morning before breakfast.

Blood was drawn before and after supplementation to investigate how immune cells respond towards pro-inflammatory stimuli.

The behaviour of specific white blood cells (leukocytes) for generating a repertoire of enzymes in inflammatory condition was tested by real-time PCR.

The gene expression of enzymes COX-2, 5-LOX, FLAP and COX-1 were monitored and the products these enzymes generate, prostaglandins and leukotrienes, were quantified.

The researchers found that the volunteers’ immune cells rapidly initiated production of COX-2, 5-LOX and FLAP enzymes upon pro-inflammatory stimulation.

Taking Pycnogenol almost entirely subdued COX-2, 5-LOX and FLAP induction in the immune cells of volunteers.

“Standard NSAID medications reduce the production of prostaglandins by COX enzymes for lowering the pain,” said Dr. Canali.

“In contrast, Pycnogenol turns to the root of the problem, completely stopping the production of COX-2 in inflammation. Thus far, Pycnogenol seems to be a unique tool for modulating inflammatory processes,” Canali added.

The study is published in International Immunopharmacology. (ANI)

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Modern woodstoves 95 percent more efficient than their predecessors

July 15, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, July 15 (ANI): In a case study, a scientist has found that modern woodstoves, with the advanced secondary combustion systems, are now 95 percent more efficient than their predecessors.

The case study on the benefits of woodstoves, was done by Dr. Paul Grogan, a plant and ecosystem ecologist and Canadian Research Chair (II) at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, with the help of final-year undergraduate and first year graduate students.

He determined that adding a woodstove to the home can help both consumers heating costs as well as the environment.

The environmental sustainability of woodstove use is dependent upon the consumption of wood from sustainably managed woodlots, as the carbon released is reused as the next generation of trees grows.

Annual gross CO2 emissions did in fact increase from 12,610 kg (i.e., 2.5 metric tons CO2/person per year) to 17,330 kg after the installation of the wood stove.

But, while this gross amount did increase, the net carbon released by the combustion is negligible, the only surplus coming from the harvest and transport.

Based on an average growing time of 130 years before harvest for local Ontario tree species, a woodlot or forest 3.5 hectares in size would provide an indefinite supply of wood heat for a household without a net increase in carbon emissions.

In the case study, adding a woodstove to the ground floor of a 3200-ft2 home reduced the mean annual gas cost by 60 percent; from 2260 dollars to 880 dollars.

The annual cost of the wood fuel for the woodstove amounted to 1330 dollars for 5 full cords (a cord is 8 feet long by 4 feet high by 4 feet wide – 128 ft3).

This was a yearly savings of 50 dollars at market fossil fuel prices of 2005-2007 without taking into account rising fossil fuel prices or the impending carbon tax.

Should these variables come into play, Dr. Grogan estimated that the domestic heating costs would be reduced by 25 percent.

This translates into a potential savings of 920 dollars in the first 3 years. (ANI)

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Indian footwear market has large potential

July 14, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Chandigarh, July 13 (ANI): The Indian footwear market has recently seen a demand shift from low-priced footwear to medium and high-priced products. But the huge potential that this development creates is as yet largely untapped.

The growing aspiration to look trendy but comfortable has increased the demand for footwear having international high-fashion brands in Punjab.

And for the brands, it is an opportunity to provide the Punjabi consumer with products that have a classic elegance – tasteful luxury, enduring quality and fine imprint of craftsmanship.

Jimmy Choo, Pavers England, GUCCI, Moschino – just to name a few, the global luxury brands in footwear have already entered the Indian market.

Till a few years ago, buying a foreign footwear brand would require a trip abroad, a gift from overseas friends/family or at the most an online purchase.

But it changed with the permission for 51 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in single-brand outlet in early 2006 that allowed foreign footwear brands to enter India.

It also strengthened the organized retailing in footwear. The affluent customers in India today have a wider choice in buying stylish and comfortable shoes.

“There is a huge potential I would rather see. People are willing to shell out money for a good product. They need styling. They need comfort and if that comes for a price. Why not! At Show Tree we are selling at somewhat around INR 12,500 a show of Lacoste and it’s selling. There is a very huge potential provided the shoe should be very comfortable and stylish in that matter,” said Hitesh Aneja, Brand Head, Shoe tree.

The 500 million dollars Indian footwear market is growing at 15-20 per cent annually. A majority of global brands are foraying into the Indian market through the franchisee route.

Bullish about the Indian market, Reebok, an International footwear brand, is expanding its reach by joining hands with Franchise India Holdings Limited, an integrated franchise and retail solution provider.

People in the Indian middle class today have more money to spend on quality and designer footwear, and the working class too wants comfortable, durable and trendy shoes that they can wear at workplace.

They are now more brand-conscious then before.

“There would be 2-3 main reasons. First would be definitely the comfort level. You can find out shoes for 1000-1500 rupees but they are not much comfortable and I feel that the leather shoes of these big brands have longer life and longer shine. I am looking for some Italian brand shoes and definitely they give good comfort like sport shoes. In leather shoes, you find comfort in these brands only,” said Bhupender Jeet, an employee with the Multi National Company from Ludhiana.

“We get quality shoes by paying more. So that’s not a concern. The branded sandals are more comfortable. And comfort can’t be compared with the cost. Cheap quality shoes are not durable where as branded footwear is long-lasting,” said Manjula, a local resident of Chandigarh.

Shoes, say lifestyle Pundits, are second only to clothes in terms of importance and the styles are mostly Western.

Presently, the shoes are available at a price range of 50 to 500 dollars USD or more.

No surprise then that be it Moreschi of Italy, Bali and Rosetti of Switzerland or Merrell of the U.S. – all are willing to come to India. By Sunil Sharma (ANI)

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Prince Charles likens himself to ‘tree hugging’ ancestor Henry VIII

July 10, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, July 9 (ANI): Prince Charles has likened himself to Henry VIII, saying his ancestor was a tree hugger, just like him.

The Royal made the reference while urging action to stop climate change during the 2009 Richard Dimbleby Lecture in London.

“Henry instigated the very first piece of green legislation in this country. In ordering the building of a great many ships, he effectively founded the Royal Navy,” The Sun quoted him as saying.

“But there came a moment when Henry realised that creating his fleet was putting too much strain on the natural supply of wood, particularly oak,” he added.

Charles further hailed the then king’s introduction of the Preservation of Woods law in 1543, to ensure that the country did not run out of timber.

He said: “It was a simple and rather elegant piece of long-term thinking.”

He added: “What was instinctively understood by many in King Henry’s time was the importance of working with the grain of Nature to maintain a balance.” (ANI)

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