CHEMISTRY !
Friday, July 31, 2009
Lower IQs in kids
Research have suggested that polluted air can cause a 5 point drop in a young child's IQ.
It all starts as early as in the mother's womb. Children heavily exposed to combustion pollutants in the womb have an IQ of 4.5 points lower than average children by kindergarten age.
A study was conducted. 400 soon-to-be moms were recruited from the cities of New York. They were then given a backpack with a PAH (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) sampler to wear for 2 days during the last trimester of pregnancy.
The children that were born after that showed a PAH-linked decline in mental development by the age of 3.
At age 5, only those who primarily spoke English were shortlisted for IQ tests. The effect of PAHs on IQ was very significant even after accounting for other factors which may affect IQ.
The moms range of exposure to PAH varied from 0.5 to 34.5 ng/m3. Anything above the mean value of 2.26ng/m3 was considered high. Kids whose moms were in this group were compared with kids in the less exposed group.
It was discovered that kids in the more exposed group had IQs of 4.3 points lower than the other group. Also, most of the kids' mean verbal IQ was 4.67 points lower. When the kids were all compared individually, there was no evidence that PAH had no effect on IQ.
Bruce Lanphear, a pediatric epidemiologist at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, Canada states, "For any individual child, unless it’s your own, you might consider a 5-point drop in IQ as no big deal. But extrapolate that across a population the size of the United States, and a downward shift in IQ by 5 points will increase by 3.5 million the number of children who meet the criteria for mental retardation. It also increases the number of children needing more, costlier help in school."
After reading this article, I feel that we should all the more stop polluting the Earth. Pollution not only dirties the environment. In this case, it even causes lower IQ in kids. We should learn to protect the Earth more. It is afterall our home.
Crystal Boey (4)
3 Unity
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/45849/title/Traffic_hydrocarbons_linked_to_lower_IQs_in_kids ¶ 9:52 PM 0 Comments
It all starts as early as in the mother's womb. Children heavily exposed to combustion pollutants in the womb have an IQ of 4.5 points lower than average children by kindergarten age.
A study was conducted. 400 soon-to-be moms were recruited from the cities of New York. They were then given a backpack with a PAH (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) sampler to wear for 2 days during the last trimester of pregnancy.
The children that were born after that showed a PAH-linked decline in mental development by the age of 3.
At age 5, only those who primarily spoke English were shortlisted for IQ tests. The effect of PAHs on IQ was very significant even after accounting for other factors which may affect IQ.
The moms range of exposure to PAH varied from 0.5 to 34.5 ng/m3. Anything above the mean value of 2.26ng/m3 was considered high. Kids whose moms were in this group were compared with kids in the less exposed group.
It was discovered that kids in the more exposed group had IQs of 4.3 points lower than the other group. Also, most of the kids' mean verbal IQ was 4.67 points lower. When the kids were all compared individually, there was no evidence that PAH had no effect on IQ.
Bruce Lanphear, a pediatric epidemiologist at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, Canada states, "For any individual child, unless it’s your own, you might consider a 5-point drop in IQ as no big deal. But extrapolate that across a population the size of the United States, and a downward shift in IQ by 5 points will increase by 3.5 million the number of children who meet the criteria for mental retardation. It also increases the number of children needing more, costlier help in school."
After reading this article, I feel that we should all the more stop polluting the Earth. Pollution not only dirties the environment. In this case, it even causes lower IQ in kids. We should learn to protect the Earth more. It is afterall our home.
Crystal Boey (4)
3 Unity
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/45849/title/Traffic_hydrocarbons_linked_to_lower_IQs_in_kids ¶ 9:52 PM 0 Comments
Human Decay
The various stages of decomposition can help determine how long a body has been dead.
The first stage is self digestion, also known as autolysis. This happens when the cells break down the body into elements the cells can eat; this creates a liquid that gets between the layers of skin and makes the skin peel off. During this stage, flies (when present) start to lay eggs in the openings of the body: eyes, nostrils, mouth, ears, open wounds, and other orifices. Hatched larvae (maggots) of blowflies subsequently get under the skin and start to eat the body.
The second stage of decomposition is bloating; bacteria in the gut begin to break down the tissues of the body, releasing gas that accumulates in the intestines, which becomes trapped due to the early collapse of the small intestine. This bloating occurs largely in the abdomen, and sometimes in the mouth and genitals. The tongue may swell. This usually happens in about the second week of decomposition. Gas accumulation and bloating will continue until the body is decomposed sufficiently for the gas to escape.
The third stage is putrefaction. It is the last and longest stage. Putrefaction is where the larger structures of the body break down, and tissues liquefy. The digestive organs, the brain, and lungs are the first to disintegrate. Under normal conditions, the organs are unidentifiable after three weeks. The muscles can be eaten by bacteria or devoured by carnivorous animals. Eventually, sometimes after several years, all that remains is the skeleton.
Corpses buried in coffins are embalmed. Embalming fluid is pumped into the body via an artery (commonly carotid, or femoral). This rehydrates the tissues and severely reduces the pace of decomposition. Embalming is used to preserve the corpse temporarily, but may last for years. The corpse is then ready to go into the coffin. The embalmers then lower the corpse into the coffin, and then lower the coffin into the grave. The body will then be preserved for a long time.
After reading this article, I learnt that there are three stages of human decay and it is a rather slow process. I thought decay was a simple process. In fact, it is not true. The body cells break into smaller parts and organs are slowly decomposed, cells multiplying constantly. And, embalming chemicals are a variety of preservatives, sanitizers, disinfectant agents and additives used in modern embalming to temporarily delay decomposition and restore a natural appearance for viewing a body after death.
Valerie Hoe (13) 3 Humility ¶ 8:33 PM 0 Comments
The first stage is self digestion, also known as autolysis. This happens when the cells break down the body into elements the cells can eat; this creates a liquid that gets between the layers of skin and makes the skin peel off. During this stage, flies (when present) start to lay eggs in the openings of the body: eyes, nostrils, mouth, ears, open wounds, and other orifices. Hatched larvae (maggots) of blowflies subsequently get under the skin and start to eat the body.
The second stage of decomposition is bloating; bacteria in the gut begin to break down the tissues of the body, releasing gas that accumulates in the intestines, which becomes trapped due to the early collapse of the small intestine. This bloating occurs largely in the abdomen, and sometimes in the mouth and genitals. The tongue may swell. This usually happens in about the second week of decomposition. Gas accumulation and bloating will continue until the body is decomposed sufficiently for the gas to escape.
The third stage is putrefaction. It is the last and longest stage. Putrefaction is where the larger structures of the body break down, and tissues liquefy. The digestive organs, the brain, and lungs are the first to disintegrate. Under normal conditions, the organs are unidentifiable after three weeks. The muscles can be eaten by bacteria or devoured by carnivorous animals. Eventually, sometimes after several years, all that remains is the skeleton.
Corpses buried in coffins are embalmed. Embalming fluid is pumped into the body via an artery (commonly carotid, or femoral). This rehydrates the tissues and severely reduces the pace of decomposition. Embalming is used to preserve the corpse temporarily, but may last for years. The corpse is then ready to go into the coffin. The embalmers then lower the corpse into the coffin, and then lower the coffin into the grave. The body will then be preserved for a long time.
After reading this article, I learnt that there are three stages of human decay and it is a rather slow process. I thought decay was a simple process. In fact, it is not true. The body cells break into smaller parts and organs are slowly decomposed, cells multiplying constantly. And, embalming chemicals are a variety of preservatives, sanitizers, disinfectant agents and additives used in modern embalming to temporarily delay decomposition and restore a natural appearance for viewing a body after death.
Valerie Hoe (13) 3 Humility ¶ 8:33 PM 0 Comments
does crying solve anything?
Women cry more than man. That is a fact which nobody can change. According to a research done by bio-chemist William Frey in the US, girls and boys cry about the same amount of times until the age of 12. By age 18, women cry on average 4 times more than men.
Blame it on social conditioning. When women cry to express their emotions, nobody will blink an eyelid. But when a man cries, that’s when eyes pop out. They are culturally pressured to control their feelings.
Hormones play another part, in particular, the hormone prolactin which is connected to the production of tears as well as breast milk. Boys and girls have the same level of this until they are 12. The amount in girls then rises so that when they are 18, they have 60% more prolactin than boys.
Tears in men and women are also anatomically different. According to Dr Frey’s research, when men cry, 73% of the time tears don’t fall down their cheeks. But when women cry, it’s like a tap that has been turned on and tears form rivulets down their face.
Crying also relieves stress. When we shed “emotional” tears, they excrete toxins that have been built up inside us due to stress. The act of crying also reduces the body’s level of manganese, a mineral which affects mood.
However, some researchers says that it is not so much crying that makes us feel better but the effect it has on people around us. They will typically respond with sympathy and support and it is this that comforts us.
Whatever the case, it is clear that crying lessens the depth of guilt, whether as a result of lowering stress levels or the sympathy it gets us.
But the bad news is, we cannot cry a problem away. Whatever it was that caused us to be sad, the problem doesn’t disappear when we weep buckets.
I really feel that this article really relates to me very well. As all my friends know, I cry very easily and regularly. Whether it’s because I failed a test, feel stressed out, or just because I feel touched about a scene in a book or movie. After I cry, I would feel like everything inside me has been washed out and that I would be able to start everything again. Sometimes, I would feel so tried that I would fall asleep. When I wake up, I would feel refreshed and recharged. So I guess it really just applies to the individual whether or not crying solves everything. But 1 part of the article which I heartily agree on is that the support and comfort friends shower on me when I cry, is really what made me feel better about everything and garner the courage to tackle the problem. So in an indirect way, crying helps me to solve problems, or should I say most problems. So although I end up looking like hell, all puffy eyed and red nosed, I feel that it’s worth every thing. :D
This information if taken from: The Sunday Times, Lifestyle. 26/07/2009
Done by: Lim Li Jun (8)
3 Sincerity. ¶ 7:58 PM 0 Comments
Blame it on social conditioning. When women cry to express their emotions, nobody will blink an eyelid. But when a man cries, that’s when eyes pop out. They are culturally pressured to control their feelings.
Hormones play another part, in particular, the hormone prolactin which is connected to the production of tears as well as breast milk. Boys and girls have the same level of this until they are 12. The amount in girls then rises so that when they are 18, they have 60% more prolactin than boys.
Tears in men and women are also anatomically different. According to Dr Frey’s research, when men cry, 73% of the time tears don’t fall down their cheeks. But when women cry, it’s like a tap that has been turned on and tears form rivulets down their face.
Crying also relieves stress. When we shed “emotional” tears, they excrete toxins that have been built up inside us due to stress. The act of crying also reduces the body’s level of manganese, a mineral which affects mood.
However, some researchers says that it is not so much crying that makes us feel better but the effect it has on people around us. They will typically respond with sympathy and support and it is this that comforts us.
Whatever the case, it is clear that crying lessens the depth of guilt, whether as a result of lowering stress levels or the sympathy it gets us.
But the bad news is, we cannot cry a problem away. Whatever it was that caused us to be sad, the problem doesn’t disappear when we weep buckets.
I really feel that this article really relates to me very well. As all my friends know, I cry very easily and regularly. Whether it’s because I failed a test, feel stressed out, or just because I feel touched about a scene in a book or movie. After I cry, I would feel like everything inside me has been washed out and that I would be able to start everything again. Sometimes, I would feel so tried that I would fall asleep. When I wake up, I would feel refreshed and recharged. So I guess it really just applies to the individual whether or not crying solves everything. But 1 part of the article which I heartily agree on is that the support and comfort friends shower on me when I cry, is really what made me feel better about everything and garner the courage to tackle the problem. So in an indirect way, crying helps me to solve problems, or should I say most problems. So although I end up looking like hell, all puffy eyed and red nosed, I feel that it’s worth every thing. :D
This information if taken from: The Sunday Times, Lifestyle. 26/07/2009
Done by: Lim Li Jun (8)
3 Sincerity. ¶ 7:58 PM 0 Comments
How weed killers might protect our eyes
Farmers — and the rest of us — often employ modern chemistry to protect our botanical babies from bullying weeds. And while our crops and ornamentals may benefit, weeds have always been the real target of the herbicides that we apply. But that may change.
A new study finds that at least one herbicide, when applied directly onto young sweet corn plants, can boost the pigment content of the kernels that mature a month or more later. Dietary sources of those pigments appear to play a critical role in helping the human eye stay healthy.
The newly observed corn effect is highly selective, says Dean Kopsell of the University of Tennessee, in Knoxville. It’s also far from what this vegetable crop physiologist had expected when his team began its experiments.
The herbicide they’ve been studying — mesotrione — works by mucking up the leafy machinery by which plants produce a family of important chemicals known as carotenoids. They’re best known as the plant pigments responsible for making carrots orange and watermelons red. But they’re produced in almost all plants, even those that are simply green.
Carotenoids can serve as solar collectors, Kopsell notes, harvesting light just as chlorophyll does (but from a range of wavelengths chlorophyll doesn’t handle effectively or at all). Carotenoids also help dissipate heat so that sunlight doesn’t fry tender plants. Bottom line: In broad-leaf weeds, mesotrione will bleach the greenery and eventually kill the plant.
Through this article,i learnt that large and growing body of evidence indicates that these carotenoids play an important role in the human eye by absorbing blue light. Without sufficient concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin in the retina’s macula, this region of the eye may become damaged. Indeed, a review of the literature by scientists at Tufts University and the Agriculture Department’s Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (both in Boston) found “ample evidence” that the lower the concentration of these carotenoids in the macula, the higher an individual’s risk “of age-related macular degeneration, an irreversible process that is the major cause of blindness in the elderly.”
Hitomi 3 Unity ¶ 7:40 PM 0 Comments
A new study finds that at least one herbicide, when applied directly onto young sweet corn plants, can boost the pigment content of the kernels that mature a month or more later. Dietary sources of those pigments appear to play a critical role in helping the human eye stay healthy.
The newly observed corn effect is highly selective, says Dean Kopsell of the University of Tennessee, in Knoxville. It’s also far from what this vegetable crop physiologist had expected when his team began its experiments.
The herbicide they’ve been studying — mesotrione — works by mucking up the leafy machinery by which plants produce a family of important chemicals known as carotenoids. They’re best known as the plant pigments responsible for making carrots orange and watermelons red. But they’re produced in almost all plants, even those that are simply green.
Carotenoids can serve as solar collectors, Kopsell notes, harvesting light just as chlorophyll does (but from a range of wavelengths chlorophyll doesn’t handle effectively or at all). Carotenoids also help dissipate heat so that sunlight doesn’t fry tender plants. Bottom line: In broad-leaf weeds, mesotrione will bleach the greenery and eventually kill the plant.
Through this article,i learnt that large and growing body of evidence indicates that these carotenoids play an important role in the human eye by absorbing blue light. Without sufficient concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin in the retina’s macula, this region of the eye may become damaged. Indeed, a review of the literature by scientists at Tufts University and the Agriculture Department’s Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (both in Boston) found “ample evidence” that the lower the concentration of these carotenoids in the macula, the higher an individual’s risk “of age-related macular degeneration, an irreversible process that is the major cause of blindness in the elderly.”
Hitomi 3 Unity ¶ 7:40 PM 0 Comments
Why Do People Cry ?
You’re watching the final scene in Thelma and Louise, and you’re on your third handkerchief. You turn your tear stained face to the side and look through blurred, saline-flooded vision at your cat, who is staring back at you witnessing the curious spectacle. Why is it that humans can be reduced to blubbering messes, while other members of the animal kingdom don’t seem to let out even a sniffle?
We have tear ducts to lubricate and protect our eyes from dust and other particles. The ducts are under the upper eyelids and produce a salty liquid—a tear-–-that gets spread throughout the eye after each blink. Animals too have the ability to produce tears, but not necessarily for the same reasons that we humans produce them.
Three types of tears are generated by the human eye. Basal tears protect the eye and keep it moist. Reflex tears flush out the eye when it becomes irritated. And emotional tears flow in response to sadness, distress, or physical pain.
Studies have shown that emotional tears contain more manganese, an element that affects temperament, and more prolactin, a hormone that regulates milk production. Sobbing out manganese and prolactin is thought to relieve tension by balancing the body’s stress levels and eliminating build ups of the chemicals, making the crier feel better.
But this minor physiological benefit aside, the most likely reason we produce emotional tears is because it’s a means of communication. Before babies can speak, they can cry. The only way for infants to express frustration, pain, fear, or need is to cry. Adults may use crying to bond with other humans. Expressing sadness can prompt comfort and support from peers. Different languages can provide barriers to spoken communication, but emotions are universal. There are also culturally acceptable reasons for crying that bring people together, such as at funerals or weddings.
Though there is a significant debate over whether animals have emotions and can express them, some animals do appear to cry for emotional reasons. Elephants seem to grieve when a family member dies and will guard the body and travel long distances to view it. Elephant experts at the London Zoo once told Charles Darwin that the animals do indeed mourn. Chimpanzees also appear to cry, but some scientists still insist that the tears released by these animals are strictly for cleaning the eye.
Whether or not animals shed tears for emotional reasons has yet to be scientifically proven. Humans, however, can and do dissolve into tears for any number of reasons. Cleansing the eye, relieving stress, conveying pain, communication, and societal assimilation can all lead to an empty tissue box. So weeping after that sappy movie might not mean that you are a total wuss after all. In fact, it may mean that you are behaving like a perfectly normal human being.
**
After reading this article,i'm pretty astonished to find that there are such theories behind crying.Shocking. When we cried, we are generating 3 different types of tears, like who would have known ? Crying is to let out our emotions and relieve tension by balancing the body’s stress levels and eliminating build ups of the chemicals, making the crier feel better.
Crying is even considered as a communication for humans. Before babies can speak, they can cry. The only way for infants to express frustration, pain, fear, or need is to cry. Adults may use crying to bond with other humans.
Totally superb.
Liau Madeline (7). 3 Sin.
http://scienceline.org/2006/10/23/ask-driscoll-tears/ ¶ 6:00 PM 0 Comments
You’re watching the final scene in Thelma and Louise, and you’re on your third handkerchief. You turn your tear stained face to the side and look through blurred, saline-flooded vision at your cat, who is staring back at you witnessing the curious spectacle. Why is it that humans can be reduced to blubbering messes, while other members of the animal kingdom don’t seem to let out even a sniffle?
We have tear ducts to lubricate and protect our eyes from dust and other particles. The ducts are under the upper eyelids and produce a salty liquid—a tear-–-that gets spread throughout the eye after each blink. Animals too have the ability to produce tears, but not necessarily for the same reasons that we humans produce them.
Three types of tears are generated by the human eye. Basal tears protect the eye and keep it moist. Reflex tears flush out the eye when it becomes irritated. And emotional tears flow in response to sadness, distress, or physical pain.
Studies have shown that emotional tears contain more manganese, an element that affects temperament, and more prolactin, a hormone that regulates milk production. Sobbing out manganese and prolactin is thought to relieve tension by balancing the body’s stress levels and eliminating build ups of the chemicals, making the crier feel better.
But this minor physiological benefit aside, the most likely reason we produce emotional tears is because it’s a means of communication. Before babies can speak, they can cry. The only way for infants to express frustration, pain, fear, or need is to cry. Adults may use crying to bond with other humans. Expressing sadness can prompt comfort and support from peers. Different languages can provide barriers to spoken communication, but emotions are universal. There are also culturally acceptable reasons for crying that bring people together, such as at funerals or weddings.
Though there is a significant debate over whether animals have emotions and can express them, some animals do appear to cry for emotional reasons. Elephants seem to grieve when a family member dies and will guard the body and travel long distances to view it. Elephant experts at the London Zoo once told Charles Darwin that the animals do indeed mourn. Chimpanzees also appear to cry, but some scientists still insist that the tears released by these animals are strictly for cleaning the eye.
Whether or not animals shed tears for emotional reasons has yet to be scientifically proven. Humans, however, can and do dissolve into tears for any number of reasons. Cleansing the eye, relieving stress, conveying pain, communication, and societal assimilation can all lead to an empty tissue box. So weeping after that sappy movie might not mean that you are a total wuss after all. In fact, it may mean that you are behaving like a perfectly normal human being.
**
After reading this article,i'm pretty astonished to find that there are such theories behind crying.Shocking. When we cried, we are generating 3 different types of tears, like who would have known ? Crying is to let out our emotions and relieve tension by balancing the body’s stress levels and eliminating build ups of the chemicals, making the crier feel better.
Crying is even considered as a communication for humans. Before babies can speak, they can cry. The only way for infants to express frustration, pain, fear, or need is to cry. Adults may use crying to bond with other humans.
Totally superb.
Liau Madeline (7). 3 Sin.
http://scienceline.org/2006/10/23/ask-driscoll-tears/ ¶ 6:00 PM 0 Comments
Four things about sleep you must know
point 1:We sleep better than we think we do
point 1:We sleep better than we think we do
For most of us, sleep deprivation is a myth. We're not zombies. The non-profit National Sleep Foundation (which takes money from the sleep-aid industry, including drug companies that make sleeping pills) says the average U.S. resident gets 7 hours a night and that's not enough, but a University of Maryland study earlier this year shows we typically get 8 hours and are doing fine. In fact, Americans get just as much sleep nowadays as they did 40 years ago, the study found.
point2:We need less sleep as we age
point2:We need less sleep as we age
We'll die without sleep. The details are sketchy, but research suggests it's a time when we restore vital biological processes and also sort and cement memories. Last year, the World Health Organization determined that nightshift work, which can lead to sleep troubles, is a probable human carcinogen. On the upside, the latest research suggests we need less of it as we get older.
You can sleep like a baby Multiple, shorter sleep sessions nightly, rather than one long one, are an option. So-called polyphasic sleep is seen in babies, the elderly and other animals (and Thomas Edison reportedly slept this way). For the rest of us, it is more realistic and healthy to sleep at night as best we can and then take naps as needed. EEGs show that we are biphasic sleepers with two alertness dips — one at night time and one mid-day. So talk to HR about setting up a nap room, like they have for NASA's Phoenix mission team members.
point3:Animals exhibit a range of sleep habits
You can sleep like a baby Multiple, shorter sleep sessions nightly, rather than one long one, are an option. So-called polyphasic sleep is seen in babies, the elderly and other animals (and Thomas Edison reportedly slept this way). For the rest of us, it is more realistic and healthy to sleep at night as best we can and then take naps as needed. EEGs show that we are biphasic sleepers with two alertness dips — one at night time and one mid-day. So talk to HR about setting up a nap room, like they have for NASA's Phoenix mission team members.
point3:Animals exhibit a range of sleep habits
The three-toed sloth sleeps 9.6 hours nightly. But newborn dolphins and killer whales can forgo sleeping for their entire first month. However, the latter extreme is not recommended for humans. We grow irritable and lose our ability to focus and make decisions after even one night of missed sleep, and that can lead to serious accidents driving and using other machinery.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The bottom line is that a good night's sleep is within the reach of most of us if we follow common-sense guidelines for sleep hygiene:
· Go to bed at the same time nightly.
· Set aside enough time to hit that golden 7 hours of sleep.
· Refrain from caffeine, heavy or spicy foods, and alcohol and other optional medications that might keep you awake, four to six hours before bed-time.
· Have a pre-sleep routine so you wind down before you hop in.
· Block out distracting lights and noises.
· Exercise regularly but not right before bed.
But you already know all this and you don't do it. So your realistic plan might be to surrender to the mid-day desk nap
Reflection
· Go to bed at the same time nightly.
· Set aside enough time to hit that golden 7 hours of sleep.
· Refrain from caffeine, heavy or spicy foods, and alcohol and other optional medications that might keep you awake, four to six hours before bed-time.
· Have a pre-sleep routine so you wind down before you hop in.
· Block out distracting lights and noises.
· Exercise regularly but not right before bed.
But you already know all this and you don't do it. So your realistic plan might be to surrender to the mid-day desk nap
Reflection
This article make me realise that I have to catch up a lot on sleep and make full use of my day.
done by nicholas ng(31) 3-sin
¶ 1:10 PM 0 Comments
AWWWWWWWWWW, *YAWNS*
Why exactly do we, people yawn? There are many theories about why people yawn. One shows that when we are bored or tired, we just don’t breathe as deeply as we usually do. As this theory goes, our bodies take in less oxygen because our breathing has slowed. Thus, through yawning, it helps bring more oxygen into the blood and move carbon dioxide out of the bloodstream.
Yawning is something that we cannot take control of as it has to help us control our oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. However, other studies have shown that breathing more oxygen does not decrease yawning. Likewise, breathing more carbon dioxide does not increase yawning.
Another theory is that yawning stretches the lungs and lung tissue. Stretching and yawning may be a way to flex muscles and joints, increase heart rate, and feel more awake. Other people believe that yawning is a protective reflex to redistribute the oil-like substance called surfactant that helps keep lungs lubricated inside and keeps them from collapsing.
From this article, I learnt many theories about why people yawn and most importantly, it changed my point of view towards these irritating yawns. If I don’t yawn, I would not be able to survive till today as yawning helps me to get back the loss of oxygen. From this article, I can finally understand why yawning is contagious. When one recovers their loss of oxygen, the amount of oxygen found in the surrounding decreases. Therefore, another has to yawn to recover the oxygen level in their body. And this cycle goes on and on.
http://kidshealth.org/kid/talk/qa/yawn.html
Quek Jian Ler [32] ¶ 1:05 PM 0 Comments
Yawning is something that we cannot take control of as it has to help us control our oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. However, other studies have shown that breathing more oxygen does not decrease yawning. Likewise, breathing more carbon dioxide does not increase yawning.
Another theory is that yawning stretches the lungs and lung tissue. Stretching and yawning may be a way to flex muscles and joints, increase heart rate, and feel more awake. Other people believe that yawning is a protective reflex to redistribute the oil-like substance called surfactant that helps keep lungs lubricated inside and keeps them from collapsing.
From this article, I learnt many theories about why people yawn and most importantly, it changed my point of view towards these irritating yawns. If I don’t yawn, I would not be able to survive till today as yawning helps me to get back the loss of oxygen. From this article, I can finally understand why yawning is contagious. When one recovers their loss of oxygen, the amount of oxygen found in the surrounding decreases. Therefore, another has to yawn to recover the oxygen level in their body. And this cycle goes on and on.
http://kidshealth.org/kid/talk/qa/yawn.html
Quek Jian Ler [32] ¶ 1:05 PM 0 Comments
INSOMNIA
Many people have insomnia. People who have insomnia may not be able to fall asleep. They may wake up during the night and not be able to fall back asleep, or they may wake up too early in the morning.
Things that may cause insomnia include stress, too much caffeine, depression, changes in work shifts, and pain from medical problems, such as arthritis.
It's not really a serious problem for your health, but it can make you feel tired, depressed and irritable. It can also make it hard to concentrate during the day.
Most adults need about 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. You know you're getting enough sleep if you don't feel sleepy during the day. The amount of sleep you need stays about the same throughout adulthood. However, sleep patterns may change with age. For example, older people may sleep less at night and take naps during the day.
If the cause of your insomnia is not clear, your doctor may suggest that you fill out a sleep diary. The diary will help you keep track of when you go to bed, how long you lie in bed before falling asleep, how often you wake during the night, when you get up in the morning and how well you sleep. A sleep diary may help you and your doctor identify patterns and conditions that may be affecting your sleep.
The treatment of insomnia can be simple. Often, once the problem that's causing the insomnia is taken care of, the insomnia goes away. The key is to find out what's causing the insomnia so that it can be dealt with directly. Simply making a few changes in their sleep habits helps many people.
Reflections
From this article, I’ve learnt more about insomnia, its causes and ways to solve this sleeping disorder. Also, I once thought that sleeping pills would help solve this problem. They are not a cure for insomnia but only a temporary form of relief. Sleeping pills can be unsafe to use if you have certain health problems. Ask your doctor if sleeping pills would be helpful for you. To sum up, I’ve learnt tips to solve this disorder and could use this knowledge in my daily life be it to help my friends or maybe myself in the future.
Samuel Goh ( 33)
3 Sincerity ¶ 1:04 PM 0 Comments
Things that may cause insomnia include stress, too much caffeine, depression, changes in work shifts, and pain from medical problems, such as arthritis.
It's not really a serious problem for your health, but it can make you feel tired, depressed and irritable. It can also make it hard to concentrate during the day.
Most adults need about 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. You know you're getting enough sleep if you don't feel sleepy during the day. The amount of sleep you need stays about the same throughout adulthood. However, sleep patterns may change with age. For example, older people may sleep less at night and take naps during the day.
If the cause of your insomnia is not clear, your doctor may suggest that you fill out a sleep diary. The diary will help you keep track of when you go to bed, how long you lie in bed before falling asleep, how often you wake during the night, when you get up in the morning and how well you sleep. A sleep diary may help you and your doctor identify patterns and conditions that may be affecting your sleep.
The treatment of insomnia can be simple. Often, once the problem that's causing the insomnia is taken care of, the insomnia goes away. The key is to find out what's causing the insomnia so that it can be dealt with directly. Simply making a few changes in their sleep habits helps many people.
Reflections
From this article, I’ve learnt more about insomnia, its causes and ways to solve this sleeping disorder. Also, I once thought that sleeping pills would help solve this problem. They are not a cure for insomnia but only a temporary form of relief. Sleeping pills can be unsafe to use if you have certain health problems. Ask your doctor if sleeping pills would be helpful for you. To sum up, I’ve learnt tips to solve this disorder and could use this knowledge in my daily life be it to help my friends or maybe myself in the future.
Samuel Goh ( 33)
3 Sincerity ¶ 1:04 PM 0 Comments
The creation/destruction of energy
Energy can not be created or destroyed, even the existence of a perpetual motion machine like that of Bessler would not change this. You cite as evidence of the creation and destruction of energy the idea that the earth is warmer today than it was 100 years ago. A physicist would tell you that this was not the consequence of the creation of energy but as a consequence of a local entropy increase, the energetic conditions here on earth fluctuate as a consequence of entropic decrease and increase, this occurs because of two reasons, there exists large amounts of radioactive and fissile materials (Uranium-Thorium) in the earth's outer core, radioactive decay and fission release potential energy. Also the sun radiates energy onto us as a consequence of the release of potential energy from the fusion hydrogen atoms and as it happens, within the last 100 years the amount of greenhouse gas (CO2) has increased in our atmosphere (It is thought to be partly natural and partly a consequence of man). As a result some of the energy that the earth produces and some of the energy that it receives from the sun is trapped and reradiated to the surface of the earth causing it to increase in temperature. The sun and the earth are both like giant thermal batteries, they were both formed with some potential energy (It can all be traced back to the Big bang, the only event in history where energy was created-there were no laws of thermodynamics to prevent it) and that potential energy is draining, eventually the earth and the sun will both run out of potential energy, it will have all become thermal energy and been radiated out into space hastening the entropic heat death of the universe.When a person is born there is no creation of energy, the energy for their growth and development is supplied to the fetus in the form of chemical energy from what the mother allocates to the fetus in the way of nutrition. Again when a person dies there is no destruction of energy-just an increase in entropy!The laws of thermodynamics are not questioned because every situation where they might not hold true has been tested to exhaustion-the result being that they do hold true, they are more than laws, they are axioms, absolute statements of truth. To disprove them and make the case for the creation/destruction of energy you would have to site a rigorous math proof and several experiments demonstrating that any 'created' or 'destroyed' energy can not be accounted for another way.I do not believe that the existence of a perpetual motion machine violates these laws, take Besslers wheel for instance, if genuine, it would have run on gravity, even today we know little about gravity, there is evidence from quantum gravity however that it might be caused by a 'radiant pressure' from the highly energetic electro magnetic zero point field. So Bessler's wheel is tapping (albeit rather inefficiently) into the zero point field. It is thought by many scientists that there will be ways to tap more directly and efficiently into the Zero point field. See what I am getting at... If your machine is a genuine over unity then it is more than likely tapping into an alternative energy source. No violations of thermodynamics are needed for perpetual motion, in theory....
Above this is the full article.
After reading this article, i have learnt that energy cannot be created or destroyed and up till now no one can prove that energy can be created or destroyed, so all things that happen on the earth or any elsewhere, energy is not energy created or destroyed, only being transferred from one form to another, even when a person is born or someone dies, it is only an increase in entropy or a decrease. I have also learnt that the sun and the earth are two big balls filled with thermal energy and one day both the sun and the earth will run out of potential energy. Thank you.
By Chenhan 3sin ¶ 12:57 PM 0 Comments
Energy can not be created or destroyed, even the existence of a perpetual motion machine like that of Bessler would not change this. You cite as evidence of the creation and destruction of energy the idea that the earth is warmer today than it was 100 years ago. A physicist would tell you that this was not the consequence of the creation of energy but as a consequence of a local entropy increase, the energetic conditions here on earth fluctuate as a consequence of entropic decrease and increase, this occurs because of two reasons, there exists large amounts of radioactive and fissile materials (Uranium-Thorium) in the earth's outer core, radioactive decay and fission release potential energy. Also the sun radiates energy onto us as a consequence of the release of potential energy from the fusion hydrogen atoms and as it happens, within the last 100 years the amount of greenhouse gas (CO2) has increased in our atmosphere (It is thought to be partly natural and partly a consequence of man). As a result some of the energy that the earth produces and some of the energy that it receives from the sun is trapped and reradiated to the surface of the earth causing it to increase in temperature. The sun and the earth are both like giant thermal batteries, they were both formed with some potential energy (It can all be traced back to the Big bang, the only event in history where energy was created-there were no laws of thermodynamics to prevent it) and that potential energy is draining, eventually the earth and the sun will both run out of potential energy, it will have all become thermal energy and been radiated out into space hastening the entropic heat death of the universe.When a person is born there is no creation of energy, the energy for their growth and development is supplied to the fetus in the form of chemical energy from what the mother allocates to the fetus in the way of nutrition. Again when a person dies there is no destruction of energy-just an increase in entropy!The laws of thermodynamics are not questioned because every situation where they might not hold true has been tested to exhaustion-the result being that they do hold true, they are more than laws, they are axioms, absolute statements of truth. To disprove them and make the case for the creation/destruction of energy you would have to site a rigorous math proof and several experiments demonstrating that any 'created' or 'destroyed' energy can not be accounted for another way.I do not believe that the existence of a perpetual motion machine violates these laws, take Besslers wheel for instance, if genuine, it would have run on gravity, even today we know little about gravity, there is evidence from quantum gravity however that it might be caused by a 'radiant pressure' from the highly energetic electro magnetic zero point field. So Bessler's wheel is tapping (albeit rather inefficiently) into the zero point field. It is thought by many scientists that there will be ways to tap more directly and efficiently into the Zero point field. See what I am getting at... If your machine is a genuine over unity then it is more than likely tapping into an alternative energy source. No violations of thermodynamics are needed for perpetual motion, in theory....
Above this is the full article.
After reading this article, i have learnt that energy cannot be created or destroyed and up till now no one can prove that energy can be created or destroyed, so all things that happen on the earth or any elsewhere, energy is not energy created or destroyed, only being transferred from one form to another, even when a person is born or someone dies, it is only an increase in entropy or a decrease. I have also learnt that the sun and the earth are two big balls filled with thermal energy and one day both the sun and the earth will run out of potential energy. Thank you.
By Chenhan 3sin ¶ 12:57 PM 0 Comments
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Gamma-Ray Wipe-Out
This article talks about gamma-ray burst, it is one of the most powerful explosion in the universe since the big bang. Gamma rays were discovered in the 1960s where during the cold war, the US military sent up satellites to detect signs of illegal nuclear testing by the Soviet Union and unexpectedly detected great explosions of gamma-ray photons coming from space.
It is said that this gamma rays was the cause of triggering the ice age 440 millions year ago which cause the extinction of species. This gamma rays may hit the Earth anytime, no matter if it's tomorrow or even millions of years later, and worst of all, we can't stop it from happening.
After reading this article, I get to know about how impressive science is, as it can find things happening 440 MILLIONS ago. It is also interesting to find out how we became what we are now, without those gamma ray burst that hit the Earth, maybe Earth will still be submerged in water. With such interesting facts, it makes science a much more interesting topic.
Sng Wei Long (37)
3 Sincerity
http://www.firstscience.com/home/articles/space/gamma-ray-wipe-out_31878.html
By Naomi Miles ¶ 10:00 PM 0 Comments
It is said that this gamma rays was the cause of triggering the ice age 440 millions year ago which cause the extinction of species. This gamma rays may hit the Earth anytime, no matter if it's tomorrow or even millions of years later, and worst of all, we can't stop it from happening.
After reading this article, I get to know about how impressive science is, as it can find things happening 440 MILLIONS ago. It is also interesting to find out how we became what we are now, without those gamma ray burst that hit the Earth, maybe Earth will still be submerged in water. With such interesting facts, it makes science a much more interesting topic.
Sng Wei Long (37)
3 Sincerity
http://www.firstscience.com/home/articles/space/gamma-ray-wipe-out_31878.html
By Naomi Miles ¶ 10:00 PM 0 Comments
Scientists discover way to reverse loss of memory
This article is about how scientists managed to find out how to reverse the loss of memory by accident. It was supposed to be a brain surgery for an obese man to control his eating habits. Although the surgery was a failure, it seems that scientists unlocked how memory in the brain works. Also, the man, after the surgery is experiencing déjà vu in a intense level. Even things that happened 30 years ago appear in the man's memory. Professor Andres Lozano, a professor of neurosurgery at the Toronto Western Hospital, Ontario, who is leading the research says that this discovery that stimulate memory had wide implications.
From the article i have learnt that the human brain is very interesting organ as something so small can actually store memories of 30 years ago and yet still able to function as a center for all of our emotions, reaction, thinking and other stuff in our daily everyday life.
link: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/scientists-discover-way-to-reverse-loss-of-memory-775586.html
Done by: Eric Tan
Class: 3 Sin
Index number: 23 ¶ 9:34 PM 0 Comments
This article is about how scientists managed to find out how to reverse the loss of memory by accident. It was supposed to be a brain surgery for an obese man to control his eating habits. Although the surgery was a failure, it seems that scientists unlocked how memory in the brain works. Also, the man, after the surgery is experiencing déjà vu in a intense level. Even things that happened 30 years ago appear in the man's memory. Professor Andres Lozano, a professor of neurosurgery at the Toronto Western Hospital, Ontario, who is leading the research says that this discovery that stimulate memory had wide implications.
From the article i have learnt that the human brain is very interesting organ as something so small can actually store memories of 30 years ago and yet still able to function as a center for all of our emotions, reaction, thinking and other stuff in our daily everyday life.
link: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/scientists-discover-way-to-reverse-loss-of-memory-775586.html
Done by: Eric Tan
Class: 3 Sin
Index number: 23 ¶ 9:34 PM 0 Comments
Eclipses
This article is about the solar eclipses. A solar eclipse occurs when moon passes between the sun and the earth so that the sun is covered. There are a total of four types of eclipses. A total eclipse occurs when the sun is totally obscured by the moon. An annular eclipse occurs when the moon only covers a small part of the sun. A hybrid eclipse transitions between a total and annular eclipses which rarely occur. A partial eclipse occurs when the sun is partially obscured by the sun as the moon, earth and sun is not in a line. The recent solar eclipse happened on the 22 July 2009. It was a total eclipse. Since the sun is much larger and further from the moon, this makes the moon and the sun appears roughly the same size in the sky. When the moon orbit about the earth happens to be between the sun and the earth, an eclipse will occur.
From this article, I have learnt about the cause and the different types of eclipses.
I think that the happening of eclipse was actually quite amazing as a bright morning would suddenly become dark when an eclipse happens.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Eclipse
Koo Hui Yan (7)
3 unity ¶ 9:01 PM 0 Comments
From this article, I have learnt about the cause and the different types of eclipses.
I think that the happening of eclipse was actually quite amazing as a bright morning would suddenly become dark when an eclipse happens.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Eclipse
Koo Hui Yan (7)
3 unity ¶ 9:01 PM 0 Comments
Can laughter help people heal?
As the saying goes "Laughing is the best medicine", can Laughing really be the best medicine?
According to researchers at California's Loma Linda University, laughter can:
- Boosts our immune system, such as human growth hormon.
- Decrease the levels of the hormone epinephrine, which plays a role in hypertension and heart failure.
- The pituitary gland releases its own opiates, which suppress pain.
- and etc.
Besides that, laughters also help to heal people suffering from depression and other mental illnesses. An assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at the Penn State College of Medicine, William Klinger, says: "No matter where our physical, spiritual and emotional life is, humor keeps everything balanced." Professor Klinger even used humor as a therapeutic tool in individual and group counseling sessions.
As research on the subject grows, it is becoming more evident that laughing can make us healthier physically as well as mentally.
After reading this article, it does seem that laughter benefit all of us. Everyone feels better after having a laugh too. Laughing is always said to be the best medicine. Laughing tends to make people happier, and also healthier! Moreover, it seems to be true that "laugh and the whole world laughs with you", because reasearch also shows that laughters are contagious. When one laughs, the people around them will be affected and thus burst into laughers too.
I've heard that people suffering from certain illnesses if they live their life optimistically, and try to be happier, actually helps them from recovering their illnesses faster. Humor can make them laugh, and happier.
From what I heard, laughters actually appears to burn calories too! Isnt' that a good thing? Also, laughters protect us from heart attacks. Feeling rundown? Try laughing more. It definitely helps you to feel better.
It may not be a treatment to everything, but laughing does no harms, instead it improves quality of life! As the comedian, Charlie Chaplin, says "A day without laughter is a day wasted" live your life to the fullest, and try to laugh everyday! "HAHAHA!"
Chrysillia (2)
3unity.
http://www.rps.psu.edu/probing/laugh.html ¶ 8:23 PM 0 Comments
As the saying goes "Laughing is the best medicine", can Laughing really be the best medicine?
According to researchers at California's Loma Linda University, laughter can:
- Boosts our immune system, such as human growth hormon.
- Decrease the levels of the hormone epinephrine, which plays a role in hypertension and heart failure.
- The pituitary gland releases its own opiates, which suppress pain.
- and etc.
Besides that, laughters also help to heal people suffering from depression and other mental illnesses. An assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at the Penn State College of Medicine, William Klinger, says: "No matter where our physical, spiritual and emotional life is, humor keeps everything balanced." Professor Klinger even used humor as a therapeutic tool in individual and group counseling sessions.
As research on the subject grows, it is becoming more evident that laughing can make us healthier physically as well as mentally.
After reading this article, it does seem that laughter benefit all of us. Everyone feels better after having a laugh too. Laughing is always said to be the best medicine. Laughing tends to make people happier, and also healthier! Moreover, it seems to be true that "laugh and the whole world laughs with you", because reasearch also shows that laughters are contagious. When one laughs, the people around them will be affected and thus burst into laughers too.
I've heard that people suffering from certain illnesses if they live their life optimistically, and try to be happier, actually helps them from recovering their illnesses faster. Humor can make them laugh, and happier.
From what I heard, laughters actually appears to burn calories too! Isnt' that a good thing? Also, laughters protect us from heart attacks. Feeling rundown? Try laughing more. It definitely helps you to feel better.
It may not be a treatment to everything, but laughing does no harms, instead it improves quality of life! As the comedian, Charlie Chaplin, says "A day without laughter is a day wasted" live your life to the fullest, and try to laugh everyday! "HAHAHA!"
Chrysillia (2)
3unity.
http://www.rps.psu.edu/probing/laugh.html ¶ 8:23 PM 0 Comments
Some people have gray hair in their early 20's or 30's, even some teenagers do get them; this is called premature graying.
So, what causes premature graying?
Basically there are 3 reason for our hair turning gray.
Firstly, it could be caused by heredity.
*heredity: The genetic transmission of characteristics from parent to offspring.
Secondly, hair is initially white. The cells in our hair follicles called “Melanocytes” generate pigments, the main one being Melanin. This gives our hair its “Color”. In general, the more melanin present, the darker the hair color; the less melanin, the lighter the hair color. When these Melanocytes stop producing the pigment, the result is a transparent hair. The transparent hair against your healthier darker hair gives the appearance of gray hair. (In reality the hair is not gray but transparent)
Scientists have proved that a failure of melanocyte stem cells (MSC) to maintain the production of melanocytes could cause the graying of hair.
Lastly, it could be caused by stress or prolonged illness!
If the hair had already turned gray, it's impossible to turn it back again, BUT there are ways to prevent them! It is said that there are products out there that help to triggers Melanocytes which helps overcome the tendency to produce less melanin as body pigments when one have gray hair by increasing the body’s ability to produce melanin pigments!
After reading the article, i've learnt that gray hair are not always related to one's age and although we can't turn grown out gray hair back, there are still ways to prevent gray hairs, so it isn't that hopeless or depressing after all. Stay healthy and don't get too stressed up people!
http://www.hair-n-skin-care.com/hair-care-tips/what-causes-white-hair-and-prevent-white-hair-tips.html
http://www.disabled-world.com/health/dermatology/hair/gray-hair-causes.php
Charmaine (19) 3 sincerity ¶ 8:18 PM 0 Comments
So, what causes premature graying?
Basically there are 3 reason for our hair turning gray.
Firstly, it could be caused by heredity.
*heredity: The genetic transmission of characteristics from parent to offspring.
Secondly, hair is initially white. The cells in our hair follicles called “Melanocytes” generate pigments, the main one being Melanin. This gives our hair its “Color”. In general, the more melanin present, the darker the hair color; the less melanin, the lighter the hair color. When these Melanocytes stop producing the pigment, the result is a transparent hair. The transparent hair against your healthier darker hair gives the appearance of gray hair. (In reality the hair is not gray but transparent)
Scientists have proved that a failure of melanocyte stem cells (MSC) to maintain the production of melanocytes could cause the graying of hair.
Lastly, it could be caused by stress or prolonged illness!
If the hair had already turned gray, it's impossible to turn it back again, BUT there are ways to prevent them! It is said that there are products out there that help to triggers Melanocytes which helps overcome the tendency to produce less melanin as body pigments when one have gray hair by increasing the body’s ability to produce melanin pigments!
After reading the article, i've learnt that gray hair are not always related to one's age and although we can't turn grown out gray hair back, there are still ways to prevent gray hairs, so it isn't that hopeless or depressing after all. Stay healthy and don't get too stressed up people!
http://www.hair-n-skin-care.com/hair-care-tips/what-causes-white-hair-and-prevent-white-hair-tips.html
http://www.disabled-world.com/health/dermatology/hair/gray-hair-causes.php
Charmaine (19) 3 sincerity ¶ 8:18 PM 0 Comments
Why can't we sneeze with our eyes open?
We often try to sneeze with our eyes open but most of the time or infact for every try, we fail.
This is because sneezing is a reflex action. In other words, sneezing is an action which we cannot control. As sneezing is a reflex action, closing of eyes when we sneeze is also a reflex action. Sneezing is like the shut down of the whole body organs like brain, kidney and lungs. They all stop for just a second and the same happens with the eyes.
Why can't our eyes open when we sneeze? Well, there is a tremendous pressure on our bodies when we sneeze and pressure of air on our eyes which disallows the eyes to remain open.
The act of our involuntary muscles can be one of the two reasons why we close our eyes. As for the second reason, closing our eyes will restrict the entry of water droplets that come out while sneezing. Chest muscle, vocal cord muscle, belly muscle and also muscles present on the back of throat are very much involved in sneezing so some people give the reason that if we will not shut our eyes these will come out from the sockets because of the pressure of head and respiratory system. In fact, our eyes get closed to protect them.
After reading the article, i havefinally found an answer to my question- why can't we sneeze with our eyes open. I used to think that it closing our eyes when sneezing is just a normal reaction that everyone has. In fact, it is actually caused by our involuntary muscles! I find this amazing as small little actions like closing our eyes when sneezing can actually help to prevent water droplets in our eyes from coming out.
celine tam (17)
Sokman's 3rd.
Déjà vu
Déjà vu is more than just an odd feeling.
Yes, déjà vu! This time round, I’m going to talk about it. A feeling which gets me fascinated and thinks that I could predict the future or even, see the past!
Déjà vu is sudden and fleeting, leaving as unexpectedly as it came. While the experience is striking in its clarity and detail, it is difficult to recapture or recount. Generally, it is left unexplained. It is a condition where people can recite details of a situation, they've never encountered before. Déjà vu, “already-seen” in French, has been defined as "familiarity without awareness." While the situational cues of a déjà vu are familiar, there is a definite lack of awareness about the specific source of the memory.
Déjà vu is considered a common phenomenon. Surveys show that about one third of the population has had the most common form of déjà vu sensations. Due to the subjective and often indescribable nature of the associated feelings, it has been difficult, to determine who is actually experiencing déjà vu.
There are several possible explanations for what is occurring during a déjà vu experience. One possibility is simply the occasional mismatch made by the brain in its continuous attempt to create whole sensual pictures out of very small pieces of information.
Another explanation for déjà vu has been given by psychoanalysts, such as the manifestation of wish fulfilments. Here, déjà vu is the subconscious repetition of a past experience, but with a more positive ending.
From this article, I have gained so much more information about Déjà vu. It has been a long time since I’m experiencing Déjà vu, but I’m actually anticipating for the “arrival” of encountering Déjà vu another time. The feeling is so special; I don’t mind having it many many times, as different situations have different kind of feeling! :D
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/1682
Sokman, 3 Sin. ¶ 7:26 PM 0 Comments
Déjà vu is more than just an odd feeling.
Yes, déjà vu! This time round, I’m going to talk about it. A feeling which gets me fascinated and thinks that I could predict the future or even, see the past!
Déjà vu is sudden and fleeting, leaving as unexpectedly as it came. While the experience is striking in its clarity and detail, it is difficult to recapture or recount. Generally, it is left unexplained. It is a condition where people can recite details of a situation, they've never encountered before. Déjà vu, “already-seen” in French, has been defined as "familiarity without awareness." While the situational cues of a déjà vu are familiar, there is a definite lack of awareness about the specific source of the memory.
Déjà vu is considered a common phenomenon. Surveys show that about one third of the population has had the most common form of déjà vu sensations. Due to the subjective and often indescribable nature of the associated feelings, it has been difficult, to determine who is actually experiencing déjà vu.
There are several possible explanations for what is occurring during a déjà vu experience. One possibility is simply the occasional mismatch made by the brain in its continuous attempt to create whole sensual pictures out of very small pieces of information.
Another explanation for déjà vu has been given by psychoanalysts, such as the manifestation of wish fulfilments. Here, déjà vu is the subconscious repetition of a past experience, but with a more positive ending.
From this article, I have gained so much more information about Déjà vu. It has been a long time since I’m experiencing Déjà vu, but I’m actually anticipating for the “arrival” of encountering Déjà vu another time. The feeling is so special; I don’t mind having it many many times, as different situations have different kind of feeling! :D
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/1682
Sokman, 3 Sin. ¶ 7:26 PM 0 Comments
Is there a possible link between Influenza-infected pregnant women and schizophrenia?
According to reports of the journal Biological Psychiatry, a new study showed that when mothers contract influenza during their pregnancy, it may increase the risk for schizophrenia in their offspring. However, it suggests that the observed association depends upon a pre-existing vulnerability in the foetus. Moreover, these findings are dependent upon the type of influenza. The association was only present after foetal exposure to influenza B, as opposed to influenza A. The new study indicated that a genetic or an additional environmental factor associated with psychosis is probably necessary for the foetal brain to be vulnerable to the effects of influenza, and a lesser likelihood in cognitive performance was only observed in influenza-exposed children who developed a psychotic disorder in adulthood.
From my own knowledge, pregnant women are considered at high risks for influenza infections based on previous pandemic events and from intense influenza seasons. Influenza is a serious disease also in pregnant women and young infants. However, it is not a very good idea for pregnant women to be immunised with influenza vaccinations yet, so prevention of influenza by other means is an important goal. The findings mentioned above in the article are extremely vital to everyone including those who are not pregnant, as it gives us all a clearer in-depth understanding of Influenza and how careful we should be in the phase of the current Influenza pandemic. After reading the article, I realise that Influenza not only has the ability to adversely affect everyone’s health, it can affect babies as well.
With this article, it is able to influence many people to take precautionary measures in maintaining their health, to make greater efforts by practising better prevention, early intervention and treatment strategies, such as taking steps to maintain good hygiene and, if clinically appropriate, administration of the influenza vaccination to reduce infection among women prior to pregnancy, so that there will not be increased risks of health problems, psychosis and other malformations in their offspring.
Claudia Wong (25)
3 Humility
(http://behindthemedicalheadlines.com/articles/womb-flu-link-to-schizophrenia) ¶ 6:56 PM 0 Comments
According to reports of the journal Biological Psychiatry, a new study showed that when mothers contract influenza during their pregnancy, it may increase the risk for schizophrenia in their offspring. However, it suggests that the observed association depends upon a pre-existing vulnerability in the foetus. Moreover, these findings are dependent upon the type of influenza. The association was only present after foetal exposure to influenza B, as opposed to influenza A. The new study indicated that a genetic or an additional environmental factor associated with psychosis is probably necessary for the foetal brain to be vulnerable to the effects of influenza, and a lesser likelihood in cognitive performance was only observed in influenza-exposed children who developed a psychotic disorder in adulthood.
From my own knowledge, pregnant women are considered at high risks for influenza infections based on previous pandemic events and from intense influenza seasons. Influenza is a serious disease also in pregnant women and young infants. However, it is not a very good idea for pregnant women to be immunised with influenza vaccinations yet, so prevention of influenza by other means is an important goal. The findings mentioned above in the article are extremely vital to everyone including those who are not pregnant, as it gives us all a clearer in-depth understanding of Influenza and how careful we should be in the phase of the current Influenza pandemic. After reading the article, I realise that Influenza not only has the ability to adversely affect everyone’s health, it can affect babies as well.
With this article, it is able to influence many people to take precautionary measures in maintaining their health, to make greater efforts by practising better prevention, early intervention and treatment strategies, such as taking steps to maintain good hygiene and, if clinically appropriate, administration of the influenza vaccination to reduce infection among women prior to pregnancy, so that there will not be increased risks of health problems, psychosis and other malformations in their offspring.
Claudia Wong (25)
3 Humility
(http://behindthemedicalheadlines.com/articles/womb-flu-link-to-schizophrenia) ¶ 6:56 PM 0 Comments
How Is Lightning Made?
Cold air and warm air are needed to make lightning. When they meet, the warm air goes up and a thunderstorm cloud is formed. The cold air has ice crystals. The warm air has water droplets. During the storm, the droplets and crystals bump together and move apart in the air. This rubbing makes static electrical charges in the clouds.
Just like a battery, these clouds have a positively charged end and a negatively charged end. The positive end charges in the cloud are at the top. The negative end charges are at the bottom. When the charge at the bottom gets strong enough, the cloud lets out energy.
The energy goes through the air. It goes to a place that has the opposite charge. This lightning bolt of energy that is let out is called a leader stroke. It can go from the cloud to the ground. Or, a leader stroke can go from the cloud to another cloud. No one is sure why lightning bolts follow a zigzag path as they move. The main bolt or stroke will go back up to the cloud. It will make a flash of lightning. It will also heat the air. The air will spread quickly. It will make the sound we hear as thunder.
I think this information is very useful as we get to know what lightning is made up of without experimenting ourselves as the experiment can be dangerous. Lightning is something we see usually during a storm and so, there is a need to know how they are formed.
LIEW HONG XIANG (29)
3 SINCERITY 09 (:
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/home/F_What_Causes_Lightning_Flash.html ¶ 6:06 PM 0 Comments
Just like a battery, these clouds have a positively charged end and a negatively charged end. The positive end charges in the cloud are at the top. The negative end charges are at the bottom. When the charge at the bottom gets strong enough, the cloud lets out energy.
The energy goes through the air. It goes to a place that has the opposite charge. This lightning bolt of energy that is let out is called a leader stroke. It can go from the cloud to the ground. Or, a leader stroke can go from the cloud to another cloud. No one is sure why lightning bolts follow a zigzag path as they move. The main bolt or stroke will go back up to the cloud. It will make a flash of lightning. It will also heat the air. The air will spread quickly. It will make the sound we hear as thunder.
I think this information is very useful as we get to know what lightning is made up of without experimenting ourselves as the experiment can be dangerous. Lightning is something we see usually during a storm and so, there is a need to know how they are formed.
LIEW HONG XIANG (29)
3 SINCERITY 09 (:
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/home/F_What_Causes_Lightning_Flash.html ¶ 6:06 PM 0 Comments
Monday, July 27, 2009
immjoo - 3rd article review.
What are Meteor showers?
It is a tiny piece of cosmic debris which has entered the earth’s atmosphere at great speed and vaporized. As the earth moves around the sun in it’s orbit, the planet encounters a trail debris. This trail was left in the path of a comet which has gone across the path of the earth’s orbit on it’s own way around the sun and back out to the outer solar system. Comets are famously called ‘dirty snowballs’ as they are made up of ice and rocks. As comets approach the sun, they begin to melt, shedding pieces of themselves in their path which is visible as the comet’s tail. These pieces of the comet spread out a little, but mostly remain in the path which the comet took around the sun. When the earth crosses this path the comet particles encounter the earth’s atmosphere and burn, resulting in a meteor.
Done by : Tan Imm Joo [18]
: S3-Sincerity'09
: 27.07.09
