Heavy youngsters at risk for asthma symptoms

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Children who are overweight at age 6 to 7 years are at increased risk for having symptoms of asthma like shortness of breath and "twitchy" airways when they are 8 years old, results of a study conducted in the Netherlands show.

However, children who are overweight at a younger age but reach a normal weight by age 6 to 7 do not appear to have an increased risk for asthma symptoms, according to the study.

"These findings suggest that being overweight may affect a child's development of asthma symptoms," Dr. Salome Scholtens from the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in Bilthoven told Reuters Health.

"However, if a previously overweight child develops a normal weight, then the asthma symptoms are less likely to persist. We propose that development of a normal weight might positively affect asthma symptoms in overweight children," Scholtens added.

Each year until the age of 8, Scholtens and colleagues had the parents of 3756 children report their children's weight and any episodes of wheezing or other breathing difficulties as well as the use of inhaled steroids. The researchers tested the children to see how sensitive their airways were to various inhaled allergens.

When the children were 8 years old, 275 (7.3 percent) wheezed, 361 (9.6 percent) had difficulty breathing and 268 (7.1 percent) had a prescription for an inhaled steroid in the preceding year.

According to the investigators, children who were persistently heavy from a very young age and between age 6 to 7 years were 68 percent more likely to have breathing difficulties and 66 percent more likely to have twitchy airways at age 8 than children who were leaner in childhood.

As mentioned, children who were heavier at a very young age, but who developed a normal weight at age 6 to 7 did not have an increased risk of breathing difficulties.

These findings suggest that being overweight in early childhood does not have a lasting effect on breathing difficulties if the child develops a normal weight by 8 years old.

The writers of a commentary published with the study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology call the findings "encouraging."

SOURCE: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, June 2009.


Source: Yahoo News

Wanita terkecil dunia di TV

JYOTI bergambar bersama rakan-rakan sekolahnya di Nagpur, tengah India.

MUMBAI - Seorang pelajar India yang merupakan wanita paling kerdil di dunia, Jyoti Amge menerima undangan untuk muncul dalam sebuah program televisyen Britain terbitan Channel 4 esok, lapor sebuah akhbar semalam.

Jyoti yang berketinggian 0.59 meter (23.5 inci) dan berusia 15 tahun selain memiliki saiz badan lebih kecil berbanding seorang anak saudaranya yang berusia dua tahun.

"Apabila saya memberitahu umur saya, ramai orang yang tidak mempercayainya," kata wanita kerdil itu.

Pelajar itu memiliki berat badan 5.4 kilogram iaitu meningkat empat kilogram berbanding beratnya semasa lahir.

Menurutnya, dia bercita-cita menjadi seorang aktres apabila dewasa dan dianggap sebagai selebriti di tempat kelahirannya, Nagpur, tengah India.

"Ketika berusia tiga tahun, saya sedar saya berbeza dengan kanak-kanak lain.

"Saya tidak takut atau kesal dilahirkan sebagai orang kerdil malah saya berasa bangga dengan perhatian yang diberikan," katanya - Agensi

Sumber : Kosmo

11 New H1N1 Cases Detected

PUTRAJAYA, June 25 (Bernama) -- Eleven Influenza A(H1N1) cases were detected from yesterday until 8am today comprising eight imported cases and three local transmissions, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said.

He said that of the eight imported cases, five were Malaysians while the rest were Irish, Australian and Philippine citizens.

Of the three local transmission, two were Malaysians and the other, a Yemeni.

"The latest figure brings the number of confirmed H1N1 cases to 91, comprising 77 imported and 14 local transmissions. Of these, 35 patients have recovered while the rest were still receiving treatment," he told reporters after attending the ministry's awards ceremony here Thursday.

He said that the number of schools closed due to the disease remained at four.

Liow said the 81st cases was a 27-year-old Malaysian woman who developed a fever while in Phuket, Thailand on June 19.

She returned to Malaysia on Sunday on AirAsia flight number AK823 which landed at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang. She then took AirAsia AK5368 flight to Penang.

She was admitted to Penang Hospital on Monday.

Four people who came in contact with her were hospitalised at the Alor Setar Hospital while seven were put on house quarantine.

The 82nd case involved a 26-year-old Australian tourist who arrived at the Kuching International Airport from Singapore on board Jetstar flight 3K529 on Monday.

Eighteen passengers of the flight had been identified and put on house quarantine while the rest were still being traced, he said.

The 83rd case was a Yemeni man, 25, who is a friend of the 63rd victim.

A nine-year-old child, a Malaysian who lives with parents in Cyprus, is the 84th victim.

The patient arrived home on June 20 and was admitted to the University of Malaya Medical Centre while the child's eight family members had been put under house quarantine.

A six-year-old Irish girl who arrived on June 21 is the 85th victim. Eleven people who came in contact with her had been traced and quarantined.

The 86th and 87th cases involve a Malaysian woman and man, aged 29 and 21 years respectively.

Those who came in contact with the woman had been identified while the man's contacts were still being traced.

The 88th case is a Filipina who arrived at the LCCT yesterday.

A 19-month-old baby is the 89th victim and is reportedly stable.

The 90th victim is a 24-year-old Malaysian who has no recent travel history. He is a contact of the 74th victim.

The 91st victim is a Malaysian who returned from Melbourne, Australia on June 20. He was on transit at the KL International Airport before taking a flight to Kota Kinabalu and then to Sandakan on June 20.


Source : Bernama

Genius berumur 2 tahun

POTENSI IQ Karina dikatakan setanding saintis Stephen Hawking.

KARINA Oakley, bakal berumur tiga tahun tidak lama lagi. Namun dia agak istimewa berbanding rakan seusia kerana memiliki kebijaksanaan luar biasa dengan tahap IQ 160.

Malah, tahap IQ kanak-kanak ini setanding dengan saintis cacat saraf terkenal, Stephen Hawking dan jutawan firma gergasi komputer dunia Microsoft, Bill Gates.

Dia kini ahli forum Mensa - sebuah organisasi intelektual dari seluruh dunia. Tahap kepandaian Karina seperti budak berusia lima tahun dengan daya imaginasi dan kepetahan bercakap.

Menyedari kebolehan itu, ibu Karina, Charlotte Fraser mengambil keputusan membawanya berjumpa pakar psikologi pendidikan, Prof. Joan Freeman untuk diuji tahap IQ selepas menonton rancangan televisyen mengenai budak genius.

"Karina nyata seorang yang bijak dan mampu bercakap dengan baik selain cepat memahami apa yang diajarkan," jelas Freeman. Katrina juga mengambil ujian IQ selama 45 minit.

Dia diarah menghabiskan cabaran dalam bentuk ingatan dan kebolehan lisan mengendalikan pensil, nombor serta bentuk. Karina nyata ada kebolehan dengan perkataan imaginasi yang tinggi selain penyayang, bertanggungjawab serta peramah

Ibu Karina bekerja dalam bahagian pemasaran sebuah syarikat swasta manakala bapanya, Nick merupakan seorang pakar komputer. Mereka tinggal di Guildford, Surrey. Britain

Sumber - Kosmo

Green tea could delay prostate cancer: U.S. study

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Active compounds in green tea may slow down the progression of prostate cancer, researchers reported on Friday.

Capsules made using green tea extracts called polyphenols lowered levels of proteins that tumors use to grow, the researchers found.

Made by Polyphenon Pharma, the capsules called Polyphenon E contain epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG, a green tea extract that has antioxidant properties.

Jim Cardelli of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport and colleagues tested 26 prostate cancer patients, aged from 41 to 68.

Each took four Polyphenon E capsules a day -- equivalent to drinking 12 cups of green tea -- for about a month before they had their prostates removed.

Blood tests showed levels of three proteins associated with the growth and spread of prostate cancer fell. Hepatocyte growth factor or HGF fell 18.9 percent on average, vascular endothelial growth factor or VEGF fell by 9.9 percent and prostate specific antigen PSA fell by 10.4 percent, they reported in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.

HGF and VEGF are produced when tumors spread and some patients showed "significant" reduction levels of more than 30 percent, Cardelli said.

Few side effects were reported and liver function of the patients remained normal.

"It's still in an early stage. Green tea can keep cancer from growing very fast, but it may not be able to shrink tumors," Cardelli said in a telephone interview.

"But it can be a good addition to traditional therapies, like chemo (chemotherapy) or radiation."

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among American men. The American Cancer Society projects prostate cancer will be diagnosed in 192,280 men and will kill 27,360 in 2009.

The test in 26 prostate cancer patients was a small trial and bigger studies would be needed to confirm the results.

(Reporting by I-Ching Ng; Editing by Maggie Fox and Eric Walsh)


Source : Yahoo News

NASA mahu bom bulan

Buat ujian di angkasa lepas bagi hasilkan air, wap

FLORIDA: Saintis di Pentadbiran Angkasa Lepas dan Aeronautik Kebangsaan (NASA) bersedia melancarkan satu misi ke bulan dari Cape Canaveral membawa peluru berpandu untuk dibedil bagi menghasilkan lubang yang dalam, lapor akhbar, semalam.

Letupan itu satu ujian untuk melihat sama ada ia dapat menghasilkan air di atmosfera planet itu. NASA akan meneliti awan di bulan selepas ujian dilakukan bagi melihat sama ada air atau wap terhasil, kata The Telegraph.

Saintis menjangka impak letupan besar itu boleh menghasilkan satu awam besar mengandungi debu, gas dan wap ais bercampur air yang mampu dilihat dari bumi.

Jika ujian itu berjaya, kewujudan air akan membantu rancangan masa depan membina sebuah pangkalan di bulan.

Keadaan di bulan sebahagian besarnya padang pasir tetapi ais dipercayai terperangkap dalam kawah yang tidak pernah terdedah kepada sinaran matahari.

Misi Satelit Pengesan dan Pemerhatian Kawah Bulan (LCROSS) yang tidak membabitkan manusia, akan melancarkan satu roket 'Centaur' ke bulan pada dua kali kelajuan peluru.

Satu lagi pesawat angkasa lepas akan mengorbit bulan selama setahun bagi mencari lokasi sesuai untuk pendaratan angkasawan.

Pesawat Orbit Peninjau Bulan dilaporkan akan menghabiskan masa sekurang-kurangnya setahun bagi menghasilkan peta paling lengkap keadaan permukaan bulan.

Sementara itu, dalam perkembangan lain, satu lurah yang dalam dan kawasan dipercayai bekas pantai dianggap bukti paling jelas air wujud di planet Marikh, kata saintis. - Agensi


Sumber - Berita Harian

Recharges without wires?

Prototype Nokia phone recharges without wires

Pardon the cliche, but it's one of the holiest of Holy Grails of technology: Wireless power. And while early lab experiments have been able to "beam" electricity a few feet to power a light bulb, the day when our laptops and cell phones can charge without having to plug them in to a wall socket still seems decades in the future.

Nokia, however, has taken another baby step in that direction with the invention of a cell phone that recharges itself using a unique system: It harvests ambient radio waves from the air, and turns that energy into usable power. Enough, at least, to keep a cell phone from running out of juice.

While "traditional" (if there is such a thing) wireless power systems are specifically designed with a transmitter and receiver in mind, Nokia's system isn't finicky about where it gets its wireless waves. TV, radio, other mobile phone systems -- all of this stuff just bounces around the air and most of it is wasted, absorbed into the environment or scattered into the ether. Nokia picks up all the bits and pieces of these waves and uses the collected electromagnetic energy to create electrical current, then uses that to recharge the phone's battery. A huge range of frequencies can be utilized by the system (there's no other way, really, as the energy in any given wave is infinitesimal). It's the same idea that Tesla was exploring 100 years ago, just on a tiny scale.

Mind you, harvesting ambient electromagnetic energy is never going to offer enough electricity to power your whole house or office, but it just might be enough to keep a cell phone alive and kicking. Currently Nokia is able to harvest all of 5 milliwatts from the air; the goal is to increase that to 20 milliwatts in the short term and 50 milliwatts down the line. That wouldn't be enough to keep the phone alive during an active call, but would be enough to slowly recharge the cell phone battery while it's in standby mode, theoretically offering infinite power -- provided you're not stuck deep underground where radio waves can't penetrate.

Nokia says it hopes to commercialize the technology in three to five years.


Source - Yahoo News

Mesir malukan Itali

PARA pemain Mesir meraikan kejayaan Mohamed Homos (12) menjaringkan gol kemenangan untuk Mesir ke atas juara dunia, Itali dengan melakukan sujud di atas padang pada persaingan kumpulan B, Piala Konfederasi di Stadium Ellis Park, Johannesburg, Afrika Selatan, kelmarin. - AP

JOHANNESBURG - Mesir berjaya memalukan juara dunia, Itali 1-0 yang terus tertekan jika tersingkir daripada Piala Konfederasi berikutan prestasi terumbang-ambing mereka.

Mohamed Homos merupakan wira pasukan Mesir selepas melakukan jaringan menerusi tandukan pada minit ke-40 yang sudah cukup untuk memberikan mereka kemenangan di hadapan 51,000 penyokong dan perlu berterima kasih di atas ketangkasan penjaga gol, Essam al-Hadary yang menyelamatkan beberapa percubaan.

Mesir dan Itali berkongsi mata dengan masing-masing mengumpul tiga mata dalam Kumpulan B dengan Mesir menjadi pasukan pilihan untuk mara ke separuh akhir.

Mereka akan menentang Amerika Syarikat esok sementara Itali akan bertemu Brazil, yang perlu mencatatkan kemenangan.

"Kami sangat berbangga kerana ini ialah kemenangan ke atas juara dunia.

"Kami beraksi dengan penuh taktikal dan tumpuan kami begitu tinggi. Kami beraksi dengan baik berbanding mereka sepanjang 90 minit dan ini akan tercatat sebagai sebahagian dari sejarah Mesir," kata penolong jurulatih, Shawky Gharib.

Jurulatih Itali, Marcello Lippi yang kecewa berkata, pasukannya bermula dengan baik tetapi tidak melakukan seperti apa yang dirancang.

"Kami bermula dengan baik di mana saya rasa kami telah melakukan yang terbaik dan mencipta beberapa peluang. Saya rasa perlawanan tersebut seimbang.

"Bagaimanapun kami tidak begitu agresif atau tidak mampu menyempurnakan peluang. Kami tidak mengambil inisiatif. Saya menjangkakan perkara ini akan berlaku dengan berbeza tetapi kami tidak menggunakan kesempatan yang ada," katanya.

Jurulatih Mesir, Hassan Shehata berkata, sebelum perlawanan mereka sudah bersedia untuk menghadapi risiko dan pasukannya berada dalam keadaan yakin selepas berjaya memberi tentangan sengit kepada Brazil walaupun tewas 4-3.

Juara Piala Afrika itu hanya melakukan satu pertukaran dari perlawanan pertama dan ia membuahkan hasil, apabila Homos menggantikan ketua pasukan, Ahmed Hassan yang berusia 35 tahun.

Lippi kembali menurunkan ketua pasukan Fabio Cannavaro, yang terlepas perlawanan pertama ketika Itali mengalahkan Amerika Syarikat, 3-1 kerana mengalami kecederaan betis, menyaksikan bintang Real Madrid itu diganti Nicolas Legrottaglie.

Terdapat dua lagi perubahan yang dilakukan dengan Fabio Quagliarella dimasukkan mengganti Mauro Camoranesi sementara Giuseppe Rossi, yang menjaringkan dua gol pada perlawanan pertama Isnin lalu menggantikan Alberto Gilardino.

Perlawanan bermula dengan pantas dengan pertahanan AC Milan, Gianluca Zambrotta melakukan percubaan pertama buat Itali selepas tujuh minit perlawanan berlangsung tetapi ia tidak mengancam El Hadary.

Penyerang Villarreal yang berasal dari Amerika Syarikat, Rossi melakukan percubaan dengan menyaksikan rembatan deras yang dilakukannya sekadar melintasi palang gol tatkala Itali tidak putus-putus membuat serangan.

Bagaimanapun Mesir turut mempunyai peluang, melalui Mohamed Aboutrika yang memberi masalah dalam petak penalti Itali.

Itali dilihat mampu untuk membuka jaringan apabila pemain Juventus, Vincenzo Iaquinta dan Rossi melakukan percubaan bagaimanapun Al-Hadary sekali lagi menjadi penghalang.

Bagaimanapun Mesir, membalas serangan tersebut seterusnya menghasilkan jaringan melalui Homos yang melompat tinggi menanduk bola sepakan sudut dari Aboutrika untuk menewaskan penjaga gol Itali, Gianluigi Buffon.

Itali yang sebelum ini juga pernah ketinggalan terlebih dahulu ketika bertemu Amerika Syarikat kembali menyerang untuk mencatat kemenangan dan mereka memulakan aksi separuh masa kedua dengan permainan pantas.

Mereka mampu untuk menyamakan kedudukan apabila Iaquinta yang tidak dikawal dalam petak penalti mempunyai peluang terbaik, bagaimanapun kawalannya agak lemah dan Al-Hadary sembat menyambar bola tersebut.

Lippi memasukkan Luca Toni menggantikan Rossi tetapi Itali tidak mampu untuk menembusi penjaga gol, Al-Hadary yang begitu tangkas di gawang, menyelamatkan percubaan demi percubaan untuk memastikan pasukannya sentiasa berada di depan.

Itali mempunyai satu lagi peluang terakhir untuk menyamakan kedudukan tetapi pemain AC Milan, Andrea Pirlo gagal melakukan sepakan percuma dengan baik untuk menjadikan malam yang menakutkan buat Itali dan paling diingati buat Mesir. - AFP


Sumber - Berita Harian

Happy BAPA's Day

Walk With Me, Bapa
Walk alongside me, Bapa
and hold my little hand.
I have so many things to learn
that I don't yet understand.

Teach me things
to keep me safe
from dangers every day.
Show me how to do my best
at home, at school, at play.

Every child needs a gentle hand
to guide them as they grow.
So walk alongside me, Bapa
We have a long way to go.
~ Author Unknown

The word "Bapa" is not defined by whether or not a man has a biological child. You can never produce a child and be a "Bapa", likewise you can have 20 kids and never be a "Bapa".

A "Bapa" is a man who cares for a child's both physical and emotional needs.He puts the child's wants and needs ahead of his own. A true "Bapa" is hard to come by, but a truly special thing.

A "Bapa" is a person who is loving and kind. And often he knows what you have on your mind. He's someone who listens, suggests, and defends.

A "Bapa" can be one of your very best friends! He's proud of your triumphs, but when things go wrong. A "Bapa" can be patient and helpful and strong.

In all that you do, A "Bapa's" love plays a part. There's always a place for him deep in your heart. And each year that passes, you're even more glad, More grateful and proud just to call him your "Bapa"!

Thank you, Bapa...
for listening and caring,
for giving and sharing,
but, especially, for just being you,
MY LOVELY BAPA,

HAPPY BAPA's DAY

(gambar sekadar hiasan)
&
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY, BAPA

(gambar sekadar hiasan)

to a great Bapa, in fact so great that you deserve your guiding hand on my shoulder will remain with me forever

& HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO MY LOVELY MAMA

(gambar sekadar hiasan)

and SELAMAT HARI BAPA juga buat semua bapa-bapa sekalian...


p/s: I love Bapa and Mama so much. Just cannot wait anymore to kiss your hand and give a big huggg when i reach Malaysia. Wait for me ^_^