HEALTH-Eating tomatoes helps fight depression

London: Eating tomatoes few times a week can reduce your chances of suffering from depression by half, a new study has claimed. Researchers analysed the mental health records and diet habits of around 1,000 men and women aged 70 or over. They found that those eating tomatoes two to six times a week were 46 per cent less likely to suffer the blues than those eating them less than once a week, the 'Daily Mail' reported. The study was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. Eating tomatoes every day slashed the risk by 52 per cent. Other fruits and vegetables do not have the same benefits, the study found. Eating healthy foods like cabbage, carrots, onions and pumpkins appeared to have little or no effect on psychological...

Read more »

Posted in: HEALTH-t depression

HEALTH, Fruits, vegetables reduce risk of breast cancer

London: A diet full of fruits and vegetables could help women reduce risk of developing breast cancer, a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute said. Long hailed for their anti-oxidant properties, researchers now believe carotenoids can also help prevent cancerous tissue in the breast due to their effect on mechanisms such as the immune system, Daily Express reported. Scientists at Harvard Medical School in the US, who pooled studies from across the world, concluded: "A diet high in carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables offers many health benefits, including a possible reduced risk of breast cancer." Melons, oranges, peppers, carrots, broccoli, spinach and sweet potatoes are among foods rich in nutrients...

Read more »

Posted in: breast cancer,HEALTH

HEALTH,--Scientists solve mystery behind human itching

New York: Scientists have discovered nerve cells that deal solely with itching sensations in humans, a breakthrough which can lead to effective treatments for pain relief. The new findings are also important because they provide a target for new gen-next anti-itch medications. According to a new study, certain nerve cells are specialised to detect itchy sensations, and those receptors don't detect painful sensations. The study helps resolve a long-standing debate over whether itchiness is just a weird form of pain, 'LiveScience' reported. Researchers have pinpointed the responsible nerve fibers, which could be silenced to develop better anti-itch treatments, said Ethan Lerner, a neuroscientist at Harvard University. "This is a very...

Read more »

Posted in: HEALTH

GADGETS - TABLETS - Tablets in 2013: what to expect

2012 was a big year for tablets. Google entered the tablet market with not one, but two tablets, both of which offered the compelling combination of great specs and low prices. Apple launched two full-sized iPads and the iPad mini, and even Microsoft got in on the game, with the first batch ofWindows 8 and Windows RT tablets, such as theMicrosoft Surface. Not much is yet known about what will come next year, but a lot can be deduced - or at least guessed, based on what we've already seen. 1. The next Nexus It doesn't seem too much of a stretch to imagine that Google will unleash a new wave of Nexus tablets at some point in the year. Their Nexus phones have all been spaced roughly a year apart and much...

Read more »

Posted in: GADGETS - TABLETS

GADGETS - TABLETS - 10-inch tablet Videocon VT10 with Android 4.1 available online for Rs. 11,200

Tablets seem to be the flavour of the season for Indian handset makers. The latest to join the foray is Videocon, with its 10-inch offering VT10. This tablet is already available through online deal sitesnapdeal.com and homeshop18.com for Rs. 11,200. Videocon VT10 sports a 10-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x800 pixels. It runs on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor along with 1GB of RAM. The tablet houses 2-megapixel front as well as rear cameras. Interesting, when NDTV Gadgets contacted Videocon, the company denied officially launching the tablet. They further elaborated that the tablet will be available with select online retailers to gauge the market response...

Read more »

Posted in: GADGETS - TABLETS

NEWS - Ratan Tata, the UK's largest private sector employer, steps down

Ratan Tata’s retirement yesterday, on his 75th birthday, from the chairmanship of Tata Sons, India’s biggest conglomerate, marks the end of an era for Indian business as well as the group. No-one has bestraddled Indian business in the way that he has done, presiding over Tata’s $100bn-plus revenues, more than half from 80 countries overseas, with over 450,000 employees in 100 operating companies and interests ranging from tea to telecoms, software to hotels, wrist watches to defence rockets, and coffee (Starbucks) to power and steel. There is no other Indian business figure of similar stature, and no one near to being able to take his place as a symbol of managerial ethics and success. He took over in 1991, the year of India’s economic...

Read more »

Posted in: NEWS

SCIENCE - Asteroid No Threat to Earth in 2040

Digsby IM, Email, and Social Networks in one easy to use application! http://digsby.com Asteroid 2011 AG5, measuring 460 feet (140 meters) wide, will not hit Earth in the year 2040, scientists have confirmed.CREDIT: Gemini Observatory A huge asteroid that will creep near Earth in 28 years will pass harmlessly by, a new study confirms. New observations of the asteroid 2011 AG5 now give astronomers complete confidence that the 460–foot-wide (140 meters) space rock won't hit Earth in the year 2040. When it was discovered last year, scientists said that 2011 AG5 had a 1-in-500 chance of impact with our planet. Astronomers solidified the asteroid's harmless status during an observation campaign in October using...

Read more »

Posted in: SCIENCE

SCIENCE - Roboy, the robotic 'boy' set to help humans with everyday tasks (and scientists hope to build him in just nine months)

The team has already signed up 15 project partners and over 40 engineers, and hope to fund the project using a combination of commercial partners and crowdfunding. 'Financing the project  through sponsorship and crowd funding enables us to implement an extremely ambitious project in an academic environment", said Professor Rolf Pfeifer, wh is leading the project. The team hope Roboy will become a blueprint for 'service robots' that work alongside humans...

Read more »

Posted in: SCIENCE

SCIENCE - Amazing solar 'wink' tells doomsday prediction was fallacy?

NASA engineers were amazed after clicking a latest picture of the Sun which appeared to be "winking at them". The image, which actually reveals sunspots caused by intense magnetic activity, was taken on December 22, just a few minutes after the Mayan doomsday prophecy proved to be wrong. Eruptions of magnetic activity on the solar surface appear to make the Sun 'wink' at the time many believed the world would end passed, the 'Daily Mail' reported. The picture, which was taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), has echoes of the famous image from the 1902 French film 'A Trip To The Moon', which is regarded as the first science fiction movie. "Despite reports of an ancient Maya prophecy, a mysterious planet on a collision course...

Read more »

Posted in: SCIENCE

BOLLYWOOD - Disgusted over my link-up with Sana: Aashka

Aashka Goradia Talking about her eviction, says Aashka, "I am extremely elated and relieved. I think the people who have survived this elimination are the ones who deserve to win the show. I am very happy for Sana and if a choice had to be ever made between me and Sana I would always want Sana to win." It's her closeness and affection for Sana that has raised many eyebrows. Both the actresses were seen many a times embracing and looking chummy which made people speculate that there is something cooking between the two. However, Aashka seemed to be quite annoyed by people's reaction. "Sana is like my younger sister how can people even think that we are lesbians. We both everyday pray together and this is enough to show what...

Read more »

Posted in: BOLLYWOOD

BOLLYWOOD - Bigg Boss 6: Salman Khan praises Shah Rukh Khan

The controversial reality show is all set to spice up again! This time the highlight will be the two rivals of Bollywood Salman and Shahrukh Khan.It so happens that Salman Khan asked Imam Siddique to nominate two people for evictions when Imam took Niketan's name. Knowing that Niketan is the captain of the house and cannot be nominated, Salman asked him to take some other name.According to a source, “Imam stood by his words and said that he knows Niketan should be out, to which Salman mocked him saying the barometer of what Indian audiences want to watch is set in Imam's eyes. Imam agreed and said, he casted Preity Zinta and Sharukh Khan for ad films that worked very well with the audiences. At this, Salman asked him to play a fair game...

Read more »

Posted in: BOLLYWOOD - Salman Khan

APPLE-iTIME on the way: Apple to launch a smart watch

Forget about Apple TV and the next iPad. If the rumour mill is to be believed an Apple smart watch could be on the way soon. According to this post on the Chinese blog  Tech163.com, Apple is working with Intel to launch a Bluetooth-enabled smart watch with iOS on it. The post quotes supply chain sources. The post states, Intel has designed for Apple, a bluetooth smart watch, this product is RiTdisplay with a 1.5-inch OLED screen. While geeks might be getting excited, Apple rumours need to be taken cautiously. As this post on Business Insider cautions: “Wearable computing” is a popular concept for futurists but according to analyst Gene Munster Apple might eventually get into concept. The Apple logo is seen...

Read more »

Posted in: APPLE-iTIME

SPORTS - CRICKET - MS Dhoni's Test captaincy under scanner, selectors ask him to prepare blueprint for 2015 World Cup

A wake-up call for MS Dhoni. His captaincy in Tests is under review, and he has been asked by the national selectors to draw up a blue-print to ensure that India successfully defends the One-Day International World Cup in 2015. This follows a very long dry spell for the Men in Blue, who have not notched up any win of significance since the series win against the West Indies last year. Watch VideoSources have told NDTV that the selectors have conveyed their disappointment to Dhoni after India lost the home Test series this month to Engand. His continuing to lead the Test side, even for the series against Australia in February, will depend heavily on how he leads the team in the ongoing ODI and T20 series against Pakistan, the sources said,...

Read more »

Posted in: SPORTS - CRICKET

BOLLYWOOD - Have Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra called a truce?

Most Bollywood heroines over the ages have stayed true to the adage that two actresses of the same league can never be friends. However, looks like Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra could prove it as a thing of the past. If rumours are to be believed, the two ladies could well be on their way to call for truce. But questions is, ultimately will they or won't they?Both PC and Bebo have often engaged in a war of words, whether be it in front of the media and even telly chat shows. They have been at loggerheads about not just their professional lives but also their personal lives. The two have apparently even shared boyfriends (read Shahid Kapoor). However, a source present at Imran Khan's recent housewarming party, where both Kareena and...

Read more »

Posted in: BOLLYWOOD

BOLLYWOOD - Salman Khan - Dabangg 2 mints Rs 100.78 crore in first week

After Dabangg, Bodyguard and Ek Tha Tiger, actor Salman Khan has done it once again. Within six days of its release, Dabangg 2 has entered the Rs 100 crore-club with collections amounting to Rs 100.78 crore.Dabangg 2 is the sequel to the 2010 release Dabangg, which was set in a village and had the rustic, rural flavour of Uttar Pradesh. The story of the sequel has shifted to a posh metropolitan city.Made under the banner of Arbaaz Khan Productions, Dabangg 2 has been written by Dilip Shukla. This is Arbaaz's first film as a director. The film released in over 3,500 screens across India on December 21.This year has been very lucky for Salman. Kabir Khan-directed Ek Tha Tiger was an...

Read more »

Posted in: BOLLYWOOD - Salman Khan

TECH - ZTE launches Nubia Z5 smartphone with 5-inch 1080p display

We've reported earlier about ZTE's plans to launch two phablets this year and the company is now a step closer to accomplishing those plane. The Nubia Z5 has now been officially announced by the company. The Black and White models of the device will go on sale in China beginning January 2013 for 3,456 yuan (about $555 US). There is no word on availability in other regions as of now.The Nubia Z5 comes with Android 4.1.1 and touts impressive hardware. The device sports a 5-inch (1920x1080 pixels) IPS display and features a huge 13-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front facing one.At 138 x 69.2 x 7.6mm and weighing in at 126 grams, the Nubia Z5 is being claimed as the thinnest full-HD smartphone yet. Under the belly, the Nubia...

Read more »

Posted in: TECH

TECH - How Facebook, Twitter are helping companies pitch to consumers

Legal hassles, poor 3G coverage and patchy broadband haven't stopped the rapid growth of social media across India— both for people at home and for businesses looking to build digital campaigns to reach increasingly networked consumers.If Facebook has crossed some 65 million users in India, others such as LinkedIn and Twitter, with more than 15 million and between 10 and 33 million users (depending on whom you ask), respectively, and newer sites such as Pinterestand Quora too have grown sharply in the past 12 months.Even as millions of these users log into these sites from their computers, tablets and most visibly from their mobile phones, businesses are graduating from being hesitant adopters of marketing on social media to being full-blown...

Read more »

Posted in: TECH