Dec 30, 2010

Innovative Charity: Google “Chrome for a Cause”

Innovative Charity: Google “Chrome for a Cause” Raises $1 Million in 5 Days

Google’s making it easy for users to support their favorite charitable causes with a new extension for the company’s Chrome browser, and it won’t cost users a cent. Chrome for a Cause is now available on the Chrome Web Store — available for free installation with a single click.

         Install this extension on the Chrome Browser, and each tab opens results in Google  contributing to a worthy cause. At the end of each day, users choose to which charity they’d like to contribute. Included choices are  :


As users work within the Google Chrome browser throughout the day, a running total of tabs they’ve opened displays on the browser’s toolbar. We’re trying it here, and there’s definitely a warm and fuzzy feeling every time we open another tab. Support this worthy cause by installing the Chrome for a Cause extension.
Even better than giving away free Wi-Fi on airplanes for the holidays, this is the perfect way to further that “don’t be evil” mantra, help people in need, and make users feel good. Everyone wins.

Web users who installed Google’s Chrome for a Cause extension opened more than 60 million tabs from December 15 to 19, effectively raising $1 million on behalf of Google’s partner charities.
The extension enabled Chrome users to donate their opened tabs to one of five causes at the end of each day. Google promised to tally up the total tabs and donate funds to these causes — up to $1 million total — as divvied up by user selection. It’s not clear whether a dollar amount was ascribed to each tab opened, but Google seemed pleased enough to donate the $1 million.
Extension users responded to the call by raising 60,599,541 tabs for charity; $245,278 will go toward planting trees, $232,791 will be used to provide clean water to people in developing nations, $112,078 will be allocated for shelters in Latin America, $267,336 will help administer vaccinations against meningitis, and $142,518 will be used to publish books by local writers and illustrators in Asia and Africa.
Google’s feel-good holiday tab drive is the company’s first Chrome for a Cause initiative, but future extension-driven projects are said to be in the works.

 

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Band Aid Design -Skinny Player

         The Skinny Player kinda reminds us of the O+ Music Campaign where the promotional kit offers one song in various mediums.
  • The concept here with the Skinny Player is to offer one album space on a portable – Band Aid-esque device
  • The self-sticking player houses a play/stop button and flexible speakers. Although I am not so sure about the sound quality for the output, but the idea is worth exploring. The user-scenario is for exercise or such places where you want to keep your hands free, but still carry your music with you.


Dec 25, 2010

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD in Children

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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that robs children of their ability to focus and pay attention. Kids with ADHD are fidgety and easily distracted. This makes it difficult to stay “on task,” whether it’s listening to a teacher or finishing a chore. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates 3% to 5% of kids have ADHD, but some experts believe that figure could be as high as 10%.

ADHD Symptoms:  

The child with ADHD who is inattentive will have 6 or more of the following symptoms:

  • Has difficulty following instructions
  • Has difficulty keeping attention on work or play activities at school and at home
  • Loses things needed for activities at school and at home
  • Appears not to listen
  • Doesn't pay close attention to details
  • Seems disorganized
  • Has trouble with tasks that require planning ahead
  • Forgets things
  • Is easily distracted
The child with ADHD who is hyperactive/impulsive will have at least 6 of the following symptoms:
  • Fidgety
  • Runs or climbs inappropriately
  • Can't play quietly

Dec 24, 2010

Get Your Blood Energy Potion :)

Blood Energy Potion Girl Classy

       

  •  Blood-lust affects almost 100% of people with vampirism. 96% of beings who crave blood on a regular basis have been turned and the remaining four percent are human social deviants. It is important to know that there is no cure for Bloodlust, but with proper treatment, it can be managed.
  • Depending on how long ago you were turned, the symptoms of Bloodlust can range from manageable to seemingly uncontrollable. Mild symptoms can result in embarrassing situations such as being caught feeding off of your family’s pet, or worse your neighbor’s. Unchecked cravings may result in large-scale hunts with eventual staking, decapitation, forced sunlight exposure, or combinations of these.

Dec 21, 2010

"Drug Mule" busted on CT scans

         
  •  CT (Computer Tomography)  plays a growing role in the global war on drug abuse, helping snag smugglers who conceal drugs inside their bodies. Some "drug mules" swallow drug packets with the idea of evacuating them later. Others stuff packets into body cavities. 
  • In any case, the contraband shows up more clearly on CT scans than in ordinary X -rays,
    says Dr. Priscilla Flach, a radiologist at University Hospital in Bern, Switzerland, and the author of a new study comparing the two imaging techniques.



Calories Burned Chart By Activity


Weight   Calories Burned   Time   Activity
 
At  132 pounds  you'll burn  200  Calories  in  20-50   minutes  of  Aerobics
 
At  132 pounds  you'll burn  200  Calories  in  58   minutes  of  Archery
 
At  132 pounds  you'll burn  200  Calories  in  67   minutes  of  Automobile repair
 
At  132 pounds  you'll burn  200  Calories  in  29   minutes  of  Backpacking
 
At  132 pounds  you'll burn  200  Calories  in  28-44   minutes  of  Badminton
 
At  132 pounds  you'll burn  200  Calories  in  40   minutes  of  Ballet
 
At  132 pounds  you'll burn  200  Calories  in  100   minutes  of  Bartending
 
At  132 pounds  you'll burn  200  Calories  in  40-80   minutes  of  Baseball
 
At  132 pounds  you'll burn  200  Calories  in  18-44   minutes  of  Basketball
 
At  132 pounds  you'll burn  200  Calories  in  25   minutes  of  Beach Volleyball
 
At  132 pounds  you'll burn  200  Calories  in  12-50   minutes  of  Bicycling
 
At  132 pounds  you'll burn  200  Calories  in  80   minutes  of  Billiards
 
At  132 pounds  you'll burn  200  Calories  in  28   minutes  of  Bobsledding
 
At  132 pounds  you'll burn  200  Calories  in  0   minute  of  Bocci Ball
 
At  132 pounds  you'll burn  200  Calories  in  33-67   minutes  of  Body building
 
At  132 pounds  you'll burn  200  Calories  in  67   minutes  of  Bowling
 
At  132 pounds  you'll burn  200  Calories  in  17-34   minutes  of  Boxing

http://www.caloriegallery.com/calories-burned.htm
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Dec 20, 2010

Important aspects about Down Syndrome

  • What is Down Syndrome?
        Down syndrome (also called Trisomy 21  ) is a genetic disorder that occurs in approximately 1 of 800 live births. It is the leading cause of cognitive impairment.
  • Down syndrome is associated with mild to moderate learning disabilities, developmental delays, characteristic facial features, and low muscle tone in early infancy. 
  • Many individuals with Down syndrome also have heart defects, leukemia, early-onset Alzheimer's disease, gastro-intestinal problems, and other health issues. The symptoms of Down syndrome range from mild to severe.
  • Life expectancy for individuals with Down syndrome has dramatically increased over the past few decades as medical care and social inclusion have improved.

Dec 12, 2010

"The Practice of Breast Ironing" -Female Genital Mutilation

         Key facts
  • Female genital mutilation (FGM) includes procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
  • The procedure has no health benefits for girls and women.
  • Procedures can cause severe bleeding and problems urinating, and later cysts, infections, infertility as well as complications in childbirth increased risk of newborn deaths.
  • About 140 million girls and women worldwide are currently living with the consequences of FGM.
  • FGM is mostly carried out on young girls sometime between infancy and age 15.
  • In Africa an estimated 101 million girls 10 years old and above have undergone FGM.
  • FGM is a violation of the human rights of girls and women.
Breast ironing is the practice of using various objects to massage or press on developing girls’ breasts to discourage growth. It is traditional in several areas of Africa, but notably in Cameroon, affecting 1 in 4 girls, according to a study by the development group Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ).



       Usually mothers or elders carry on this tradition meant to delay the appearance of sexual maturity and thus, delay sexual predation. The GTZ reports that the devastating psychological and physical health effects include “damaged tissue, open wounds, abscesses, infections, an elevated cancer risk,…difficulties with breastfeeding and trauma.
Tools used in "Breast Ironing"

How Much You know about Cyber-Bullying?

  Cyberbullying has been in the headlines these months because of the suicide of Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi, who jumped off the George Washington Bridge two month ago after his college roommate posted online a video of Mr. Clementi being intimate with another male. The roommate and another student are facing criminal charges.
  • In recent years, school officials have learned the Internet world is the new frontier for bullying, and the activity has become more prevalent with the abundance and sophistication of hand-held electronics. It comes in the form of text messages, e-mails and postings on online discussion boards or such social networking sites as Facebook and YouTube.



  • The Cyberbullying Research Center, an online clearinghouse maintained by two professors, Sameer Hinduja of Florida Atlantic University and Justin Patchin of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, estimates that 20 percent of students experience cyberbullying.




    • School administrators often hear about the issue from a parent who calls to inform them when they find out their child is a victim. Experts say children are sometimes reluctant to report they are being cyberbullied because they fear their parents will take away their computer or cell phone.
    • But if a parent notices his child doesn’t want to go to school, it can be a signal that bullying is going on.
    • School officials say educating parents about cyberbullying is as important as educating the students, and a number of programs are set for this month. Included are presentations by educators from the state attorney general’s office. 
              Nils Frederiksen, spokesman for the attorney general, said the program is by far the most requested of  those offered by his office. Since the cyberbullying program was created in September 2009, it has been presented at 422 schools, with another 115 scheduled for the rest of 2010.



             Young people are using the Internet more than ever and most have Internet access from home. For many children, the Internet isn't simply a convenient way to research or a fun afterschool activity - it's a big part of their social life. Emailing and chatting with friends are children's most common online activities, after studying and playing games. But like many other social situations, some kids bully other kids online.
    Cyberbullying is similar to other types of bullying, except it takes place online and through text messages sent to cell phones. Cyberbullies can be classmates, online acquaintances, and even anonymous users, but most often they do know their victims.
    Some examples of ways kids bully online are
    • Sending someone mean or threatening emails, instant messages, or text messages
    • Excluding someone from an instant messenger buddy list or blocking their email for no reason
    • Tricking someone into revealing personal or embarrassing information and sending it to others

    Dec 11, 2010

    Herbal Teas Benefits

    Which one is your favorite? I love Tea so i've written some of the most popular ones and their benefits.

    Healing Herbal Teas

    Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. Since ancient times many cultures have adopted this drink for its pleasant flavors, its energizing effects, and for its many medicinal properties. But not all teas are the same and each has its own unique qualities.


    1. Black Tea
    • Contains exceptionally high levels of antioxidant the arubigins
    • Regular intake can reduce risk of cancer
    • Can reduce risk of stroke

    Dec 10, 2010

    Childhood Contagious Diseases

                  Children are at increased risk of some infectious diseases because they have not yet developed immunity to them, they tend to gather in groups, and they may have difficulty with some aspects of hygiene.

     Chicken Pox

    Time from exposure to illness
    2 to 3 weeks.
    Symptoms:
    Slight fever, runny nose, and a rash that begins as raised pink spots that blister and scab. Can be more severe in pregnant women and newborns.
    Do I need to keep my child home?
    Yes, for 5 days from the onset of the rash and the blisters have dried.
    How can I help prevent spread?
    Immunise your child at 18 months of age. Immunisation is recommended for children at 12 years if they are not immune.

    Dec 9, 2010

    Jewelry with Therapeutic Properties

    diabetes jewelry

    Leah Heiss, in collaboration with Nanotechnology Victoria, has developed a range of jewelry with therapeutic properties.

    Diabetes Jewelry
             Diabetes jewelry is a neckpiece and rings for administering insulin through the skin via a nano-engineered patch.
    The Diabetes Neckpiece is a wearable applicator device to apply Nanotechnology Victoria’s NanoMAPs to the skin. NanoMAPs are small (10 x 2mm) circular discs which have an array of micro needles on their surface.





    Dec 7, 2010

    5 YouTube Projects That Are Making a Difference

                    “The power of YouTube  lies in its capacity to create connections,” explains Shawn Ahmed, the activist behind The Uncultured Project. It forms “connections between people and connections between communities [that are stronger] than pen pals, and [stronger] than just exchanging e-mails or Facebook pokes. It’s a way of kind of seeing and connecting visually, auditorily, everything.”
    Ahmed’s project is included in our list of YouTube channels that have successfully harnessed the eye-opening power of YouTube and web video for social good.(Source: @Mashable)
    1. Invisible People 
    2. Streetside Stories
    3. I Talk Because…
    4. It Gets Better
    5. The Uncultured Project

    OMEGA-3 [Why this Fatty Acid is a Must for Good Health]

    Omega-3 fatty acids



    Overview:

               Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids: They are necessary for human health but the body can' t make them -- you have to get them through food. 

    • Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fish, such as salmon, tuna, and halibut, other seafood including algae and krill, some plants, and nut oils.
    • Also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), omega-3 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function as well as normal growth and development. They have also become popular because they may reduce the risk of heart disease. 
    • The American Heart Association recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon) at least 2 times a week.
    • Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and may help lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer and arthritis.

    Dec 3, 2010

    Barcode Food Scanner iPhone App

               If you count calories, food journal, or are simply concerned with keeping track of what exactly you’re consuming each day, then you must try the Daily Burn Food Scanner app for the iPhone. This hot new app might be the best new thing to happen in dieting and weight loss. Using the camera in your iPhone (any model), you can scan the UPC code on packaged foods, and within seconds have the complete food label in front of you. The best part, it will also log all of those nutrition facts for you.
    http://www.dietsinreview.com/diet_column/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/daily-burn-iphone-app.jpgTracking and counting calories has never been easier, as Daily Burn’s Food Scanner app currently has 200,000 foods in its database. This is ideal because you’re not just limited to scanning packaged, processed foods, you can also log fresh, whole foods – like fruits, vegetables, or meat. While you can’t scan these items without a UPC, you can access their nutrition information.

    Dec 2, 2010

    The Difference Between Over-The-Counter Pain Relievers - From Weakest to Strongest

    • What are the best pain pills? What are the dosages?
    • Which pain killers have the worst side-effects?
    • This chart lists the pain relief ability of the most common pain medication, both prescription and non-prescription.
       Here is a comparison table summary of popular pain medication. The pain relievers below were ranked by effectiveness for chronic back pain, by a Harvard Study. Each pain medication was rated for effectiveness on a scale of 
    from 1 (aspirin) to 10 (morphine).

    Dec 1, 2010

    World AIDS Day - 1 December

                                                                        World AIDS Day
                                                                                    1 December



                        In 1988, the General Assembly expressed deep concern at the pandemic proportions of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Noting that the World Health Organization had declared 1 December 1988 World AIDS Day, the Assembly stressed the importance of observing that occasion (resolution 43/15). Today, over 41 million people are living with HIV/AIDS. To combat HIV/AIDS , malaria and other diseases is one of the Millennium Development Goals which all 191 United Nations Member States have pledged to meet by the year 2015.
    The World AIDS Campaign (WAC) has chosen as its theme from 2005 to 2010:
    “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise.”
















    Nov 27, 2010

    Not Your Type?.... Don't Sweat It

              A new technique can convert type A and type B red blood cells into type O, the "universal donor" blood type that can be transfused into all patients. The advance could help avoid blood shortages.
    The four primary human blood types--A, B, AB, and O--arise from differences in molecules called antigens that dot the surface of red blood cells and provoke responses from the body's immune system. Individuals with the type A antigens make antibodies to type B antigen, which causes their bodies to attack and reject transfused type B blood as foreign. The same grim scenario unfolds for type B individuals who get type A blood. Blood from type O individuals lacks both antigens and can be safely transfused into people with all four blood types. Type O individuals can receive only type O blood, however, which means that during blood shortages, they may want for blood that’s been donated to patients with other blood types.

    Nov 24, 2010

    The PlayStation Purpura

               A 16-year-old boy presented with a number of asymptomatic pigmented macules on the volar aspect of his index fingers. Dermoscopy of each macule revealed a parallel ridge pattern of homogenous reddish-brown pigment.
    • We propose that these lesions were induced by repetitive trauma from a Sony PlayStation 3 (Sony Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) vibration feedback controller. 
    •  The lesions completely resolved following abstinence from gaming over a number of weeks. Although the parallel ridge pattern is typically the hallmark for early acral lentiginous melanoma, it may be observed in a limited number of benign entities, including subcorneal haematoma.

    Reference:
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20695869

    Nov 20, 2010

    Licia Ronzulli brings her baby to EU Parliament

               Licia Ronzulli, an Italian member of the European Parliament, embraces motherhood while voting on proposals to improve women's employment rights. But she had a 7-week-old infant that, presumably, she didn’t want to leave for long in case she had to nurse.


    women_parliament_1
       So she did what I would do in a heartbeat: strapped the kid to her in a Moby and went to work. She claims she didn’t expect so much attention. (Do I believe that? No. Do I care? Double no. I’m on Team Licia!)
    The 35-year-old member of the People of Freedom party (a conservative party) was a nurse, then a hospital director, before running for office. She won her seat last year, and now that she’s heard from so many people regarding her baby-toting adventure, she says she’s going to get together with other members of the European parliament to see if they can create legislation to improve the lives of working mothers.

    Nov 16, 2010

    Yale Univ. Study finds Video/Computer Games Not so Bad for Teens

    Objective 
    Video game playing may negatively impact youth. However, the existing literature on gaming is inconsistent and often has focused on aggression rather than the health correlates of gaming and the prevalence and correlates of problematic gaming.


    Methods  
    We anonymously surveyed 4028 adolescents about gaming and reported problems with gaming and other health behaviors.  
    • A total of 51.2% of the sample reported gaming (76.3% of boys and 29.2% of girls).


    Results 
    There were no negative health correlates of gaming in boys and lower odds of smoking regularly; however, girls who reported gaming were less likely to report depression and more likely to report getting into serious fights and carrying a weapon to school.

    Nov 13, 2010

    "This is How Medical Patients of the Present Should Look Like " the Warrel Co Says

               [To me, the most enthralling idea presented in the following massively important project you’re about to experience is this: “I don’t think of myself as the Patient of the Future – it is the perspective of the providers that puts me in this box of the Patient of the Future – I’m a patient of the present!” This project / video presentation is called “Design We Can All Live With” and it is about how a Minneapolis-based design firm is aiming toward a better patient-based healthcare system through technology right this moment.]
             This firm goes by the name “Worrell” and this solution session aims at a situation based in a technological world, but a world that intimately connects doctors with their patients. This presentation shows an epic talk between design professionals working with Worrell and one doctor and one patient. They of course represent the greater whole, expressing the wants and needs of the entire community.
    This talk represents the past few years of Worrell talking with patients in their homes and at the medical office and hospitals about their needs, the needs of what Worrell knows are stakeholders in the medical world.           
              Worrell is an industrial design firm that works in interactive and medical technologies and has been for the past 35 years – they’ve been working on this particular project for the past four or five.
    The images you see below in the gallery and later in the movie are of a set of technologies called “Pathway.” These web powered devices will not only store and keep current your medical records, they’ll aid in providing you, the patient, with helpful information like articles on your condition sent directly from your doctor.
    Take a look at this video “Design We Can All Live With” and be completely inspired and excited for not the future of medical care, but the soon-to-be present!

    Air Jordan Prosthetics

                 3D printing has become an incredibly powerful tool to customize one-off products for differing applications. This project was based on using this technology to design a customized prosthetic leg for a specific user- a young, urban, male athlete. Nike was chosen as an appropriate brand to bring form to the leg. It also required familiarizing oneself with the emotional, medical, lifestyle, and physical changes the user would encounter.






    Source: http://yankodesign.com
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    Friendship Paradox

    • The friendship paradox is the phenomenon first observed by the sociologist Scott L. Feld in 1991 that, for almost every person, that person's friends have more friends than they do.  In spite of its apparently paradoxical nature, the phenomenon is real, and can be explained as a consequence of the general mathematical properties of social network graphs. However, it may also be the cause of a number of social misconceptions.
    • The paradox is explained by the fact that one is more likely to be friends with someone who has more friends and less likely to be friends with someone who has fewer friends.
    • This observation has been used as a way to forecast the course of epidemics.
    Source: wikipedia.com
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    Nov 11, 2010

    Who Can Benefit from PinHole Glasses?

    •  Pinhole glasses, also known as stenopeic glasses, are eyeglasses with a series of pinhole-sized perforations filling an opaque sheet of plastic in place of each lens.
    • Similar to the workings of a pinhole camera, each perforation allows only a very narrow beam of light to enter the eye which reduces the size of the circle of confusion on the retina and increases depth of field. In eyes with refractive error, the result is often a clearer image.
    • Unlike conventional prescription glasses, pinhole glasses produce a clear image without the pincushion effect around the edges (which makes straight lines appear curved). While pinhole glasses are useful for people who are both near- and far-sighted, they are not recommended for people with over 6 diopters of myopia. 

    Sleep Well - Wireless Blood Glucose Monitoring Device

             Sleep Well is a wireless blood glucose monitoring device concept, designed aiming to eliminate the sleepless nights of parents with the tension of getting their kids glucose level down to the extreme level. The system comprises a portable and lightweight monitor with an ability to take wireless signal that parents keep with them and a wearable bracelet monitor that remains fastened on the child’s hand to transmit the health condition to the monitor. This monitor allows the parents to check their kid’s health without even leaving her bed and can be set to trigger an alarm when the blood sugar level of the child crosses a particular height.         
              Moreover, parents can easily review their child’s nightly activities during the middle of the night at their bedside convenient. If an emergency situation takes place, they can rush to their child’s room with the monitor to perform the aid that has to be taken based on the information displayed on the monitor.
    sleep well


    sleep well

    Futuristic ICU Beds

    icu bed conceptThe aim of ICU Bed is to assist in improving the quality of intensive care of patients in very critical condition thanks to its innovative design solution for Intensive Care Units and Anesthesiology and Resuscitation Units. Design of ICU Bed was developed by Daniel Pavlik as project in cooperation with Linet company. Main intention was to create modern, almost futuristic, unified design which matches all strict safety standards. Combination of white and light gray color is chosen not only because of its aesthetic harmony but also because of its hygienics qualities (dirt could be better seen on white surface). Well the result is indeed a futuristic ICU bed, hopefully this doesn’t make the patients afraid to lay there or feel trapped inside those transparent frame.

    Nov 3, 2010

    International holidays and observances - November 2010

    • November retained its name (from the Latin novem meaning "nine"
    • November is a month of spring in the Southern Hemisphere and autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. Therefore November in the Southern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of May in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa.
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