Teck Reports Serious Incident at Greenhills

July 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Jun 29 (MARKET WIRE) —
Teck Resources Limited (TSX: TCK.A and TCK.B, NYSE: TCK)
(“Teck”) reported that an explosion occurred in the coal dryer
at Teck’s Greenhills coal mine near Elkford British Columbia today at
approximately 3.15 p.m. All employees, visitors and contractors have been
accounted for. Four employees have been treated for minor smoke
inhalation. Teck has mobilized teams to control a brush fire triggered by
the explosion. The cause of the accident is not known at this time.
Damage to the dryer building is extensive. It is expected to be several
days before the damage can be fully assessed and the extent of the
interruption of production at Greenhills can be estimated.

Regulatory agencies and authorities have been notified.

Teck has an 80% interest in Greenhills. Greenhills’s planned 2010
production was approximately 4.3 million tonnes of metallurgical coal, of
which Teck’s share is approximately 3.4 million tonnes.

About Teck

Teck is a diversified resource company committed to responsible mining
and mineral development with major business units focused on copper,
steelmaking coal, zinc and energy. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada,
its shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols
TCK.A and TCK.B and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TCK.
Further information about Teck can be found at: www.teck.com.

Contacts:
Teck Resources Limited
Greg Waller
Vice President, Investor Relations & Strategic Analysis
(604) 699-4014
greg.waller@teck.com
www.teck.com

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

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Western Uranium Announces Addition of John Fognani to Board

June 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Jun 03 (MARKET WIRE) —
Western Uranium Corporation (TSX VENTURE: WUC) (“the Company”)
announces that John Fognani has joined the Company’s board of directors.
Mr. Fognani currently serves as Executive Vice President – Legal and
General Counsel for Ivanhoe Capital Corporation and Ivanhoe Mines Ltd.
Mr. Fognani brings considerable expertise to the Company’s board in the
areas of natural resources, environmental and property law, having
practiced as a natural resources and environmental attorney for over 30
years. During this time he developed extensive transactional,
international, litigation and appellate experience together with a
substantive knowledge of facilities and operations in a wide range of
different industries. He has regularly advised clients on complex,
technical international and corporate matters in a variety of industries
including mining, oil and gas and manufacturing. He also has extensive
experience pertaining to international law and financing, particularly
relating to mineral and energy development.

Effective immediately, Ms. Debra Struhsacker has resigned from the board
of directors. The Company extends a warm thank you to Ms. Struhsacker for
her service and input on various regulatory, permitting, and
environmental matters since March 2005.

About the Company

Western Uranium Corporation is a mineral exploration company. The Company
has exploration properties in Argentina, Nevada, New Mexico and Nunavut
for uranium and has entered into an earn-in agreement with AuEx Ventures
for the Baza gold-copper project in Spain. The Company has its head
office in Vancouver, Canada; its executive management team is based in
Reno, Nevada.

On behalf of the Board of Western Uranium Corporation

Pamela J. Klessig, President & CEO

The TSX Venture Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved of the
contents of this press release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its
Regulation Services Provider (as such term is defined in the policies of
the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.

Contacts:
Western Uranium Corporation
Pamela Klessig
Chief Executive Officer
775-827-3311
info@westernuranium.com
www.westernuraniumcorp.com

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

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Lupus Foundation of America Says Results of Latest Study of CellCept Provide Encouragement and Hope for People with Lupus Nephritis

June 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

WASHINGTON–(Business Wire)–
The Lupus Foundation of America today praised the results of a new long-term
study for the treatment of lupus nephritis (lupus-related kidney disease) which
demonstrated superiority of CellCept (mycophenolate mofetil or MMF) to
azathioprine (standard care) as a long-term treatment for lupus nephritis. The
Phase III study results released by Vifor Pharma and Roche convincingly reached
the primary endpoint of delaying treatment failure in patients with lupus
nephritis who had successfully responded to induction therapy and were in
remission.

Responding to the release of data of the Aspreva Lupus Maintenance Study (ALMS),
Sandra C. Raymond, President and CEO of the Lupus Foundation of America issued
the following statement:

The results of this study provide more good news for the estimated 1.5 million Americans and the more than five million people worldwide who are living with lupus. Previous studies have provided convincing evidence that CellCept is better tolerated, and, more importantly to patients and their doctors, is associated with few serious or life-threatening infections and hospitalizations. It has been more than 51 years since the last drug was approved for lupus. We are greatly encouraged that people with lupus
nephritis and their physicians will have additional options available to treat this potentially life-threatening and disabling complication of lupus.

The results of study are significant because as many as forty percent of people with lupus will experience lupus kidney disease. The results of this study offer hope for an improved quality of life for these individuals. We look forward to reviewing data from the study when the company presents more details at the upcoming Ninth International Congress on Lupus, June 24-27 in Vancouver, Canada.

The Lupus Foundation of America is the nation`s foremost national voluntary
health organization dedicated to finding the causes of and cure for lupus and
providing support, services and hope to all people affected by lupus. The LFA
conducts programs of research, education and advocacy through a national network
of chapters, branches, and support groups. For more information about lupus,
visit the LFA website at www.lupus.org or call 800-558-0121 to receive a free
information packet about lupus.

Lupus Foundation of America
Duane Peters, 202-349-1145
peters@lupus.org

Copyright Business Wire 2010

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Indian-born Canadian Liberal MP says six months jail for LTTE fundraiser too lax

May 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Vancouver (Canada), May 15 (ANI): Indian-born Canadian Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh has criticized the country’s judicial system for failing to send a strong message of deterrence to fundraisers for terrorist groups when it sentenced an Ontario man to only six months in jail for raising funds for the Tamil Tigers.

Dosanjh was reacting to a verdict delivered by Mr. Justice Robert Powers, of the British Columbia Supreme Court, on Prapaharan Thambithurai, 46, sending him to six months in jail after he pleaded guilty this week to fundraising for a banned terrorist group.

The law provides for a maximum sentence of 10 years and does not include a minimum sentence.

“Because this was the first case, because it was about terrorism, because it is so scary. . . I think the sentence could have been tougher,” the Globae and Mail quoted Dosanjh, as saying.

“The court case shows that Canada is serious in stamping out terrorism. But I think we need to do more,” he added.

Dosanjh has been threatened and beaten after speaking out against terrorism.

Security and intelligence expert Wesley Wark said Friday’s sentence was obviously very light and weak.

“It does not do much in terms of sending a message to Canadian society about the seriousness of the crime,” he said. “I don’t think in anybody’s eyes it could be regarded as a stiff sentence or a sentence that is likely to deter.”

Federal prosecutor Martha Devlin described Thambithurai as a low-level street canvasser, and had recommended a two-year sentence.

His lawyer, Richard Peck, proposed a three-year suspended sentence.

Both sides now have 30 days to decide whether to appeal the sentence. (ANI)

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Twilight rep dismisses Pattinson-Stewart feud claims

May 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 14 (ANI): Film bosses have dismissed rumours that Robert Pattison and Kristen Stewart were involved in a bitter fight on the set of the next Twilight film.

They insisted that there has been “no row or ill feeling” between the pair, reports The Daily Express.

The rumored real-life couple has been reshooting scenes for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse in Vancouver, Canada.

A source told New York Post gossip column Page Six, “Robert turned up later on the set. When Robert arrived, he and Kristen started fighting. She accused him of taking a later flight from London because he had been hanging out too late at a burlesque bar. He didn”t take it well. They were both so angry, the crew had to take a break for an hour for things to simmer down.”

But a Summit Entertainment spokesperson has dismissed the claims.

The rep tells Page Six, “Rob was not late on set, he arrived later because (he) had a different call time than other cast members. There was no row or ill feeling at all. Everything went very well.” (ANI)

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Judge fixes trial date on Air India bombing anniversary, dismays victims families

May 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Vancouver (Canada), May 13 (ANI): A decision by a Supreme Court judge in the Canadian province of British Columbia to schedule the start of the perjury trial of 1985 Air India bomb accused Inderjit Singh Reyat for June 22, the 25th anniversary of the attack, has dismayed the families of the victims involved.

“The families won’t be very happy. “They should have kept it away from the anniversary,” the Globe and Mail quoted Bal Gupta, a spokesperson for the victims’ families for several years, as saying.

Gupta was speaking after Mr. Justice Mark McEwan rescheduled the seven-day trial of Reyat when his lawyer told the court that he was involved in another trial that was continuing longer than he had anticipated and he could not be in court for the perjury trial on Monday.

Lata Pada, who had a husband and two daughters on Flight 182, said the anniversary was important to honour the memory of those onboard. Her mind will be on matters other than Mr. Reyat, she said.

But she still felt the sting of events. “It is hard to believe it has been 25 years, and we are still at a point where a criminal case against Mr. Reyat is still playing out,” she said.

Rattan Mall, the editor of a well-established Indo-Canadian newspaper, said bringing Reyat to trial before a jury around the time of the anniversary was patently unfair to him.

“There is going to be a whole lot of emotions whipped up around that time. You cannot expect [Mr.] Reyat to be viewed fairly. The perception of justice should be there, it is not just justice. … you got to be fair to everyone,” he said.

Reyat faces charges of perjury for allegedly testifying falsely in 2003 at a trial that acquitted B.C. residents Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri of charges of murder related to the Air India disaster.

The Crown alleges that Reyat told the court under oath, with the intent to mislead, that he did not know or recall details of the alleged conspiracy, beyond a few matters. The prosecution alleges he lied 27 times during his testimony.

Jury selection for the perjury trial was to begin next Monday.

Two bombs were placed on planes at Vancouver International Airport on June 22, 1985, by a group of Vancouver-based Sikh militants fighting for an independent homeland carved out of India.

The bombs exploded hours later, on June 23, on opposite sides of the world.

One of them went off at Tokyo’s Narita airport, killing two baggage handlers. The second bomb exploded about an hour later aboard Air India Flight 182 over the Atlantic Ocean, killing 329 people. (ANI)

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Toyota’s faulty gas pedals may be a result of cosmic rays from space

March 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, March 27 (ANI): A new research has come up with a surprising finding that Toyota’s faulty gas pedals could be a result of cosmic rays from space.

Toyota’s sticky gas pedals caused sudden and unintended acceleration in several of the automaker”s top-selling Toyota and Lexus-brand cars, which led to a massive recall of more than 9 million vehicles worldwide, beginning in November last year.

While ongoing inquiries attempt to locate the source of the problem and figure out a fix, investigators might find it useful to examine a far-out culprit, in the form of cosmic ray radiation from deep in the cosmos, which has been known to plague vulnerable data and memory chips in electronics.

Scientists now say that cosmic rays could be at least partially to blame for Toyota’s mechanical defects.

The problem could get worse in the future, as the increasing use of tiny computer chips — replacing mechanical parts — makes cars more and more vulnerable to space radiation.

Federal regulators were prompted to look into the possible role that cosmic rays played in Toyota’s product recall fiasco after an anonymous tipster suggested the design of Toyota’s microprocessors, software and memory chips could make them more vulnerable to interference from radiation compared with other automakers.

This is because Toyota has led the auto industry in its widespread inclusion of electronic controls in the manufacture of their various car models.

As electronic devices are made to perform more and more functions on smaller circuit chips, the systems become more sensitive and vulnerable to corruption, and thus more prone to interference from radiation, according to Ewart Blackmore, a senior researcher at TRIUMF, a cyclotron facility in Vancouver, Canada, that works with companies to test and analyze the effects of radiation on products.

“Radiation is certainly a potential cause of Toyota’s problems,” Blackmore told Live Science.

“What’s not known is what direction Toyota and other automakers are taking in terms of finding and correcting these issues,” he said.

As a start, automakers and regulators need to understand the complex and sometimes mysterious ways cosmic rays affect electronics on Earth. (ANI)

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Versatile Announces Desjardins Group as New Financial Services Partner

March 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment

VANCOUVER, CANADA, Mar 01 (MARKET WIRE) —
Versatile Systems Inc. (TSX VENTURE: VV)(AIM: VVS), announces that
Desjardins Group, the largest cooperative financial group in Canada is a
new financial services partner. Desjardins customers, including La-Z-Boy
Canada, will now be able to process credit applications using the
Versatile Mobiquity Kiosk(TM) system to make the transaction more
efficient and secure.

Combining Versatile’s proprietary kiosk hardware and software, the
Mobiquity Kiosk(TM) enables retailers to automatically process electronic
credit card applications. It is designed for retail establishments that
sell big-ticket items in a retail showroom environment. The solution also
delivers improved sales performance at the showroom level while providing
the retailer with valuable purchasing information and business metrics.

Versatile has partnered with Desjardins to provide consumer finance
solutions for their customers using Versatile’s Mobiquity Kiosk(TM). “We
have been looking for an innovative way to help our retail partners
enhance the customer experience, improve sales and increase customer
loyalty, with the highest level of security available,” said Philip Ward,
Sales Director at the Desjardins Card Services Division. “We are pleased
to have Versatile’s Mobiquity Kiosk(TM) as part of our suite of products
and services offerings for our client partners.”

“Desjardins will be an excellent partner for Versatile throughout
Canada,” said Oliver Poppenberg, Jr, Executive Vice President, Sales.
“Desjardins is a forward thinking financial institution that is committed
to the highest level of customer service and recognizes that technology
can play a major part in achieving that goal.”

About Versatile

Versatile provides business solutions that enable companies to improve
sales, marketing and distribution of their products. Versatile also
provides information technology services for the implementation,
maintenance and security of mission-critical computer environments.
Versatile has the ability to architect solutions involving both
proprietary and third party components. For more information:
www.versatile.com.

About Desjardins

Desjardins Group is the largest cooperative financial group in Canada,
and the sixth largest in the world, with overall assets of $163 billion.
Drawing on the strength of its caisse network in Quebec and Ontario, as
well as its subsidiaries, several of which are active throughout Canada,
Desjardins offers a full range of financial products and services to its
5.8 million individual and business members and clients. Desjardins Group
is also home to a wealth of expertise in property and casualty insurance,
life and health insurance, wealth management, services for businesses of
all sizes, securities brokerage, venture capital, asset management and
secure leading-edge virtual access methods, all part of an integrated
offer that is the only one of its kind in Canada. One of the largest
employers in the country, Desjardins is backed by the knowledge and
skills of its 42,000 employees and the commitment of its 6,300 elected
officers. To find out more, go to www.desjardins.com.

Copyright 2010 Versatile Systems Inc. All rights reserved.

The TSX Venture Exchange and the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange
have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.

Contacts:
Versatile Systems Inc.
John Hardy
Chairman and CEO
1-800-262-1633
International: 001-206-979-6760

Versatile Systems Inc.
Fraser Atkinson
CFO
1-800-262-1633

NCB Stockbrokers Limited (Nominated Adviser)
Christopher Caldwell or Barclay Clibborn
+44 (0) 20 7071 5200

FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT DESJARDINS GROUP
(for journalists only):
Caroline Phemius
Advisor, Media Relations
(514) 281-7000 or 1 866 866-7000, ext. 7646
caroline.phemius@desjardins.com

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

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Depression ‘ups cancer patients’ dying risk’

September 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Sept 14 (ANI): Depression can decrease a cancer patient’s chances of survival, a new research suggests.

Published in the November 15, 2009 issue of Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the finding of an analysis highlights the need for systematic screening of psychological distress and subsequent treatments.

In order to determine the effects of depression on cancer patients’ disease progression and survival, graduate student Jillian Satin, MA, of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, and her colleagues analyzed all of the studies to date they could identify related to the topic.

The researchers found 26 studies with a total of 9417 patients that examined the effects of depression on patients’ cancer progression and survival.

“We found an increased risk of death in patients who report more depressive symptoms than others and also in patients who have been diagnosed with a depressive disorder compared to patients who have not,” said Satin.

In the combined studies, the death rates were up to 25 percent higher in patients experiencing depressive symptoms and 39 percent higher in patients diagnosed with major or minor depression.

The increased risks remained even after considering patients’ other clinical characteristics that might affect survival, indicating that depression may actually play a part in shortening survival.

However, the authors say additional research must be conducted before any conclusions can be reached. The authors add that their analysis combined results across different tumor types, so future studies should look at the effects of depression on different kinds of cancer.

The investigators note that the actual risk of death associated with depression in cancer patients is still small, so patients should not feel that they must maintain a positive attitude to beat their disease.

Nevertheless, the study indicates that it is important for physicians to regularly screen cancer patients for depression and to provide appropriate treatments. (ANI)

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Pattinson, Stewart ‘set to buy $3m love nest’

August 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Melbourne, Aug 27 (ANI): Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are all set to share a new love nest as the couple are looking at a 3-million-dollar pad in West Hollywood, it has emerged.

It is believed the two are currently sharing Pattinson’s hotel suite while they’re in Vancouver, Canada, filming for the third flick of the Twilight series, Eclipse.

And if every thing goes well the two will soon share a luxurious home.

The Daily Telegraph quoted a source as telling American tabloid the National Enquirer:

“Kristen wants a super-romantic place to share with Rob in Los Angeles.”

The West Hollywood pad has three bedrooms, a pool, hot tub and several fireplaces.

“She’s been calling it their ‘future love nest’…Kristen showed Rob the photos and he thought it was perfect. Even though Kristen is buying it, she wants Rob to be happy with it to,” the source added. (ANI)

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Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson plan to move in together?

August 25, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Aug 24 (ANI): Twilight stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson are reportedly looking for a house to move in together.

They are apparently sharing a hotel suite right now and plan to buy a home as soon as they finish shooting, Eclipse, the third film from the vampire series in Vancouver, Canada.

“It was only a matter of time. They’re a perfect match on and off screen, so they are right to trust their instincts and give this a proper shot,” Contactmusic quoted Gordon Rael, a friend of the pair as telling New Weekly.

However, Pattinson’s family may still be unaware.

His aunt Diane Nutley, said: “I still don’t know the ins and outs, (but) we’re incredibly proud of him.”

Both stars were recently snapped kissing at a Kings of Leon concert.

However, they have always denied being in a relationship. (ANI)

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Filming for third ‘Twilight’ series flick ‘Eclipse’ begins

August 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Aug 20 (ANI): The filming for the third ‘Twilight’ series flick ‘Eclipse’ has started in Vancouver BC, Canada.

‘Eclipse’ is a follow up of ‘New Moon’, the second film in the teen vampire saga series, and it continues with the love story between Bella Swan played by Kristen Stewart and Edward Cullen played by Robert Pattinson, reports the BBC.

Taylor Lautner is also reprising his role as Jacob Black, with Rachelle Lefevre, who played vampire Victoria, being replaced by Spider-Man 3 actress Bryce Dallas Howard.

David Slade will direct the third film, which is due for release in the UK on July 9, 2010.

The movies are based on the best-selling books written by Stephenie Meyer. (ANI)

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‘Thinking cap’ to boost brainpower comes closer to reality

July 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, July 7 (ANI): Taking a step closer towards a ‘thinking cap’ that can enhance the mind’s ability to learn, scientists have found that stimulating the brain with magnets could boost a person’s learning ability.

It was found that when a magnetic pulse was applied to the premotor cortex- the area of the brain just behind the forehead- the brain’s ability to learn a task and remember it was greatly enhanced.

The researchers, led by Dr Lara Boyd at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, have claimed that the technique could be used to enhance intellectual capacity, and help those with learning difficulties.

For the study, the researchers tested the ability of 30 volunteers to track a target on a computer screen with a red dot using a joystick.

During the task, the target would move randomly, then enter a programmed pattern, and finally return to moving randomly.

The participants were not aware of the repeated section, believing that movements were random throughout.

Some of the volunteers had their brain stimulated by magnets, while others did not.

It was found that participants, who had received the stimulation, were significantly better than the other groups at tracking the target during the repeated section of the test.

They showed no significant difference in improvement during the random sections.

Boyd said that the study demonstrated that magnetic stimulation could boost learning skills and eventually lead to a “thinking cap”.

“With this tool we hope to be able to promote learning in patient populations who otherwise have great difficulty in acquiring new motor skills,” the Telegraph quoted her as saying.

She added: “In fact we are actively investigating this possibility right now in my lab.” he findings of the study have been published in the journal BMC Neuroscience. (ANI)

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Kevin Jonas set to tie the knot

July 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, July 02(ANI): Kevin Jonas from the Jonas Brothers has asked his girlfriend Danielle Deleasa to marry him.

The 21year-old reportedly flew in after a concert in Vancouver, Canada to Deleasa’s home in New Jersey giving her a surprise.

He then dropped to one knee asking her hand.

“It was tough performing last night, knowing that I was going to ask the biggest question in my life to the most amazing girl in the world,” Contactmusic quoted her as telling People.com.

And, as expected, Danielle’s response was affirmative.

He exclaimed: “She said yes, yes, yes, like, 500 times super fast in a row.”

The parents of the pop star have also welcomed the decision.

A statement from Denise and Kevin Jonas, Sr. reads, “Our hearts are filled with joy today and we are happy to share with you that our son Kevin has asked Danielle for her hand in marriage… It is such a blessing that she will be joining our family.” he couple had met in 2007 while vacationing with their families in the Bahamas. (ANI)

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Ryan Reynolds still buzzing over Samuel L. Jackson’s ‘beehive’ wedding gift

June 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, June 19 (ANI): Film and TV star Ryan Reynolds is still buzzing over a beehive full of the singing insects that he got as a wedding gift from Samuel L. Jackson last year.

The actor had asked celebrity guests to forgo showering them with wedding gifts when he married Hollywood siren Scarlett Johansson in a remote location just outside of his native Vancouver, Canada, in September last year.

He has revealed that he was shocked to find a box of bees left in his backyard.

“Someone came to my door and said, ‘I have a gift for you in my trunk from Samuel L. Jackson.’ He comes back from the trunk and it’s humming an insane degree. And he tells me, ‘Mr. Jackson would like you to have this beehive.’ So he hands me a couple of beekeeping outfits and a lifetime subscription to the Beekeepers Journal. And the next thing I know, I’m making honey,” Contactmusic quoted him as saying.

Reynolds, however, now feels that Jackson has provided him with an excellent way to scare away unwanted visitors.

“It’s actually a great security system. Some people are afraid of security systems, some people afraid of guard dogs, but I don’t know anyone who’s not afraid of swarms of bees,” he says. (ANI)

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Ryan Reynolds still buzzing over Samuel L. Jackson’s ‘beehive’ wedding gift

June 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Ryan Reynolds still buzzing over Samuel L. Jackson’s ‘beehive’ wedding giftWashington, June 19 : Film and TV star Ryan Reynolds is still buzzing over a beehive full of the singing insects that he got as a wedding gift from Samuel L. Jackson last year.

The actor had asked celebrity guests to forgo showering them with wedding gifts when he married Hollywood siren Scarlett Johansson in a remote location just outside of his native Vancouver, Canada, in September last year.

He has revealed that he was shocked to find a box of bees left in his backyard.

“Someone came to my door and said, ”I have a gift for you in my trunk from Samuel L. Jackson.” He comes back from the trunk and it”s humming an insane degree. And he tells me, ”Mr. Jackson would like you to have this beehive.” So he hands me a couple of beekeeping outfits and a lifetime subscription to the Beekeepers Journal. And the next thing I know, I”m making honey,” Contactmusic quoted him as saying.

Reynolds, however, now feels that Jackson has provided him with an excellent way to scare away unwanted visitors.

“It”s actually a great security system. Some people are afraid of security systems, some people afraid of guard dogs, but I don”t know anyone who”s not afraid of swarms of bees,” he says.

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Canada court reserves judgement in ski jumping case

May 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Vancouver – A court in Canada has reserved judgement in the case of female ski jumpers who are suing to to compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics. After five days of hearings, British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Lauri Ann Fenlon said Friday the issues behind the case were “very complex” and that she needed time to consider all the arguments.

Fifteen female ski jumpers took the Vancouver Organizing Committee to court for the right to compete at the Vancouver Games.

Lawyers for the skiers argued that under Canadian gender discrimination law laid out in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms all ski jumpers should be allowed to compete.

If the court rules in their favour the Vancouver committee would have to tell the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow the ski jumpers to compete or cancel the men’s ski jumping events.

The Vancouver committee has argued that the February 12-28 Games programme is a matter for the IOC, which has said the women will not be ready for competition until the 2014 winter Games.

The IOC is the Games’ regulatory body and as a foreign organization is not obliged to follow the charter, its lawyer argued.(dpa)

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Marijuana, ciggie smoke wreaks havoc on lungs

April 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Apr 14 (ANI): People who smoke both tobacco and marijuana increase their risk of respiratory symptoms and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a new study has found.

Smoking only marijuana, however, was not associated with increased risks, the CMAJ study claimed.

The study, which surveyed 878 people aged 40 years or more in Vancouver, Canada, was part of the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) Initiative that sought to determine the prevalence of COPD in adults over 40 years in the general population.
OPD is characterized by diseased lungs and narrowed airways and is associated with high mortality.

The researchers defined smokers as people who reported smoking at least 365 cigarettes in their lifetime, and a history of marijuana smoking as self-reporting of any previous smoking.

While tobacco smoking was associated with increased risk, smokers who reported using both tobacco and marijuana were 2.5 times more likely than nonsmokers to have respiratory symptoms and almost 3 times more likely to have COPD as defined by spirometric testing.

“We were able to detect a significant synergistic effect between marijuana smoking and tobacco smoking,” write Dr. Wan Tan of the University of British Columbia and St. Paul’s Hospital and coauthors.

“This effect suggests that smoking marijuana (at least in relatively low doses) may act as a primer, or sensitizer, in the airways to amplify the adverse effects of tobacco on respiratory health,” they added.

The researchers were limited by lack of data on the potential variations in marijuana potency, on differences in inhalation and the number of smokers who combine both substances in the same cigarette. (ANI)

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Cells that feed on human blood might one day power pacemakers

April 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, April 2 (ANI): Scientists have created tiny microbial fuel cells by encapsulating yeast cells in a flexible capsule, which can generate power from a drop of human blood plasma, and might one day energize implants such as pacemakers.

According to a report in New Scientist, the cells, developed by a team at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada, can feed on the glucose in human blood.

Such fuel cells would be especially useful for devices, such as intraspinal microelectrodes for treating paralysis, which need to be implanted in places where replacing a battery is tricky, according to Mu Chiao, who co-authored the paper with Chin-Pang-Billy Siu, also at UBC.

Conventional fuel cells rely on high-temperature catalysts such as platinum to strip electrons from fuels and generate a current.

The idea with microbial fuel cells, which are being investigated as large-scale power sources is to exploit the wide range of low-temperature catalysts – enzymes – found in living cells.

The easiest way to do this is to simply steal the electrons produced when cells start to break down food.

This can be done with the help of an “electron mediator” – a chemical small enough to pass into cells, grab some electrons, and diffuse out again.

The new fuel cell consists of a colony of Saccharomyces cerevisiae – the kind of yeast commonly used in brewing and baking – encapsulated in a fuel cell made of a form of silicone called polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).

The prototype is 15 millimetres square and 1.4 mm thick.

Methyl blue – a chemical often used to stain biological samples – is used as the electron mediator.

This steals some of the electrons produced when the yeast metabolises glucose and delivers them to the anode side of the cell – creating a small current.

On the cathode side, hydrogen ions that diffuse out of the yeast cells combine with oxygen to create water.

To increase the surface area of the electrodes and thus boost the fuel cell’s power output, the team used a silicon etching technique to create “micropillars” roughly 40 micrometers square and 8 micrometers high.

“The yeast-based fuel cell produces around 40 nanowatts of power, compared to the microwatt a typical wristwatch battery might produce,” said Chaio.

That might be enough power for some devices if it were coupled with a capacitor to allow energy to be stored.

The yeast could also be genetically engineered to boost its power output. (ANI)

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Chicago health-wise best city for men

April 1, 2009 By 1 Comment

Washington, Apr 1 (ANI): Men who wish to stay healthy in every respect, and aspire for a disease free atmosphere, Chicago is the ideal city to live in, according to a new list.

Barack Obama’s home city headed the list of Top 29 cities for men around the world, reports Fox News.

Spanish city Barcelona came at the second spot, while San Francisco took the third position owing to its 3,480 acres of parks and three golf courses.

London and Sydney took the fourth and fifth positions, respectively.

Compiled by AskMen.com, the list was made on the basis of metrics like money, women and success, but it mainly focussed on how healthy the city was.

Apart form good health, the website also looked at the best places for dating and sex, sports and entertainment, and even the cheapest places to buy a beer.

When life expectancy was taken as a criterion to rank the cities, Japanese capital Tokyo ruled the roost.

The city was also found to be the place with fewest deaths due to heart disease, followed by France (Lyon and Paris), Australia (Melbourne and Sydney), Spain (Madrid and Barcelona), and Italy (Rome).

But on the whole, Tokyo came at the position 14 in the list.

In the surveys, diverse measures like the number of parks, access to medical care, rates of smoking, and so forth were taken into account to rank a city’s healthy environment.

Here’s the full list of Top 29 cities of the world by AskMen.com:

1. Chicago, Ill.

2. Barcelona, Spain

3. San Francisco, Calif.

4. London

5. Sydney, Australia

6. New York

7. Berlin, Germany

8. Hong Kong

9. Copenhagen, Denmark

10. Paris, France

11. Vancouver, Canada

12. Rome, Italy

13. Buenos Aires, Argentina

14. Tokyo, Japan

15. Toronto, Canada

16. Miami, Fla.

17. Madrid, Spain

18. Vienna, Austria

19. Los Angeles, Calif.

20. Montreal, Canada

21. Panama City, Panama

22. Portland, Oregon

23. Lyon, France

24. Melbourne, Australia

25. Tel Aviv, Israel

26. Santiago, Chili

27. Cape Town, South Africa

28. Hamburg, Germany

29. Edinburgh, Scotland (ANI)

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