厄尔尼诺

　厄尔尼诺指的是在赤道中、东太平洋，相隔几年才发生一次、持续时间长达半年以上的大范围海表温度异常现象

　厄尔尼诺正在生成

　　赤道中、东太平洋，其大部于今年春季起开始转为正海温距平指数并逐渐加强；到今年8月，赤道中、东太平洋基本为高于0.5摄氏度的正海温距平指数控制，其中日界线附近的正海温距平指数超过1.0摄氏度；同样在8月，各厄尔尼诺区海温指数均达到或超过0.5摄氏度，其中厄尔尼诺3区和厄尔尼诺 3.4区海温指数均为0.5摄氏度，厄尔尼诺综合区海温指数为0.6摄氏度。赤道中、东太平洋次表层几乎全为异常暖水所控制，其中心距平指数值超过4摄氏度。
它的出现往往会引起广泛关注。自1951年以来，于下半年发生的厄尔尼诺事件共有5次，分别为1951年、1968年、1979年、1986年和1994年
西北太平洋副热带高压偏强、东亚冬季风偏弱
大部地区降水较常年同期偏少

Too much testosterone can kill brain cells

Tests on brain cells in laboratory dishes showed that while a little of the male hormone is good, too much of it causes cells to self-destruct in a process similar to that seen in brain illnesses such as Alzheimer's.

"Too little testosterone is bad, too much is bad but the right amount is perfect,"

Climate change sews weed

a joint Australian and New Zealand forestry research group, said climate modelling had progressed sufficiently for weed scientists worldwide to forecast how weeds might expand their range.
Prickly acacia was predicted to expand its range south into NSW, and Siam weed would also expand south into coastal NSW as well as further inland in southern Queensland.

Impact of climate change 'terrifying'

further accelerating temperatures and lower rainfall

No nation in the world will be more affected by global warming than Australia

太空女游客博客大吐生活“苦水”

在太空中刷牙是一种奇妙的体验。你刷完牙后不能漱口也不能吐唾沫，只能把牙膏沫咽进肚子，宇航员将此戏称为“清新薄荷效应

Is Hysteria Real? Brain Images Say Yes

Functional neuroimaging technologies like single photon emission computerized tomography, or SPECT, and positron emission tomography, or PET, now enable scientists to monitor changes in brain activity. And although the brain mechanisms behind hysterical illness are still not fully understood, new studies have started to bring the mind back into the body, by identifying the physical evidence of one of the most elusive, controversial and enduring illnesses.

科学家发现老化基因

科学家已找到关键基因，能解释为什么随着经年累月，人体组织会衰败。由这项研究，可以研发治病延寿的药物。 　　这个基因叫p16INK4a，里面有一种蛋白质，这种蛋白质的作用是抑制癌细胞发展，使生命延长。不过，随着人年纪渐大，INKa越来越活跃，反而干涉到人体产生新细胞，使身体组织维持再生的机制

好消息是，我们会活长命一点，癌症赶不上我们

Slow brain waves vital in complex activity

slow brain oscillations, or theta waves, tune in the fast brain oscillations called high-gamma waves that signal the transmission of information between different areas of the brain.

If you are reading something, language areas oscillate in theta frequency allowing high-gamma-related neural activity in individual neurons to transmit information, said Knight. When you stop reading and begin to type, theta rhythms oscillate in motor structures, allowing you to plan and execute your motor response by way of high gamma. Simple, but effective.

肠道内益菌

人体肠道存有至少500种细菌，借由益菌抑制害菌的繁殖，以维持肠道的正常生态，消化食物，吸收营养。益菌和恶菌交战，谁得胜将决定你健康与否。

肠道内的细菌会繁殖，但因落入肠道的益菌会黏附在肠壁上生长，令恶菌无地盘繁殖，所以，在正常肠道内，很少存有恶菌。换句话说，可引起肠胃炎的金黄色葡萄 球菌、副溶血性弧菌等等，就算依附在不洁净的食物上进入体内，在肠道释放毒素，在引发腹泻症状后，也可完全排光，不会残留在肠道里。

益菌可助食物消化，间接使通便顺畅，可说是减少了食物渣滓中的致癌物质残留在体内的时间。

candidacy for WHO director-general

China throws full support behind Margaret Chan's candidacy for WHO director-general

The election for Director-General will take place in November.
Tang said the Chinese government believes Chan's outstanding talent and rich experience fully qualify her for the position.
Chan said her election campaign is going well and vows to do her utmost to make a greater contribution to world health development if she becomes Director-General.
In 1994, Dr. Chan became the first woman to be appointed Director of Health in Hong Kong where she gained experience combating infectious diseases such as the bird flu and SARS.
In 2003, she joined WHO and worked as WHO's Director of the Department of Protection of the Human Environment. In June 2005, she was appointed Director of Communicable Diseases Surveillance and Response and Representative of the Director-General for Pandemic Influenza.

Pancreatic Cancer Risk

Vitamin D May Cut Pancreatic Cancer Risk By Nearly Half

The study examined data from two large, long-term health surveys and found that taking the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance of Vitamin D (400 IU/day) reduced the risk of pancreatic cancer by 43 percent

prevents heart disease

Tohoku University School of Public Policy in Sendai, Japan, said drinking five or more 3.4-ounce cups of green tea daily reduces the risk of heart disease by 31 percent in women and by 22 percent in men

Pico tech ?

Milimetre = 10 to the power -3
micrometre= 10 -6
Nanometre = 10 -9
pico = 10 -12
Femto = 10 -15
Atto = -18
Zepto = -21
Yocto -24
( think of the micromicro small small world)

吃水果?

芒果：

　　芒果包含的维生素A和贝塔胡萝卜素(beta-carotene)有助于细胞生长。

柿子：

　　柿子包含维生素A，对眼睛和呼吸管道的健康有一定帮助。

　　虽然柿子也包含铁质，但其分量不多。一个柿子仅有0.2mg铁质，而一杯干枣却有高达2.6mg铁质。陈慧芬说，和水果中的铁质比较，红肉中的铁质更容易被人体吸收

奇异果：

　　奇异果包含的维生素Ｃ是橙的一倍。维生素C可有效增强免疫能力，对老人和小孩特别有帮助。

World 1st cervical cancer vaccine

The course of three injections costs 450 U.S. dollars and has not yet been approved for inclusion in the government-funded schedule of childhood vaccinations.

Research shows the vaccine protects women from the cancer-causing effects of some types of the human papilloma

virus (HPV).

A Health Ministry committee is assessing whether to add Gardasil to the schedule, along with other vaccinations designed to protect against chicken pox, rotavirus, pneumococcal disease and types of meningococcal disease other than the B strain.

HPV is believed to cause about 50 percent of cancers in the genital track skin -- from the anus to the cervix in women and penis in men -- and significantly contribute to cancers of the throat, tonsils and mouth, said Ian Frazer, one of the experts who worked on the HPV vaccine.

Gardasil, the first vaccine against cervical cancer, is considered to be highly effective against four types of the human papilloma virus, including two that cause about 70 percent of cervical cancers.

In June, the U.S. government approved a series of three shots of Gardasil, to be given over a six-month period, for females

( note: it is useful to give vaccination to male to prevent spread of virus and also pretect male population)

Too much exercise can kill

"From club level to elite athletes, there are a lot of incidents to suggest that sport is very dangerous.

"You only have to go down to your local A&E to see the place packed out with 'weekend warriors' who are suffering breaks, joint injuries and trauma injuries to their head and face.

"If exercise is taken to extremes by people then exercise can do more harm than good."

椎间盘突出症

超过80%的成年人有下背疼痛的经验，大多数是因姿势不良或过度劳累造成肌肉紧绷或肌腱发炎.

有5%的患者却有持续性的下背疼痛，且疼痛可延伸至大及小腿，甚至造成腿酸麻无力，此即所谓的“坐骨神经痛”。 　　引起坐骨神经痛的原因颇多，最常见的病因之一是腰椎间盘向后突出，造成神经根的直接压迫，此症状即称“椎间盘突出症”

椎间盘突出者X光可见椎体与椎体之间的间距减小，磁振造影检查(MRI)，或电脑断层扫描检查(CT)，可将脊椎、脊髓、神经根、软骨结构或腰椎间盘突出的部位显露.

olive oil deemed especially heart healthy

Reuters

olive oil has more going for it than its supply of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, according to the study authors. Polyphenols, they say, may account for some of the health benefits that have been attributed to the oil

Gene Therapy Cures Cancer Patients

Gene Therapy Cures Cancer Patients
Two dying men have been cured of cancer using

genetically modified versions of their own immune cells.
Gene therapy wiped out the patients' skin tumours,

sparking hopes it could be customised to attack other

cancers.
The treatment kept the two men disease-free for at

least 18 months, US scientists said.

But 15 patients did not respond to the treatment and the

researchers said more work was needed to make it more

effective.
A tumour in a 52-year-old man's armpit disappeared and

another on his liver shrunk enough to be surgically

removed.
The researchers said they hope the same approach can

fight breast, lung and other cancers. ( file James c8)