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News flash: It's not just sugar that makes you dumb, as new research proves. We found the science to back up more foods that drain your brain.

Sugar 


In case you missed it: It's no secret excess sugar isn't exactly sweet where your health is concerned, but now new research indicates it may take a toll on your brain as well as your waistline. In a recent animal study, UCLA researchers found that rats fed a solution of fructose had a harder time navigating a maze, a sign of slowed learning and memory loss, compared to a second group of rats who were given the fructose solution as well as omega-3 fatty acids, which are thought to have a brain-boosting effect. The researchers suspect that the fructose-only diet decreased brain activity because it affected insulin's ability to help brain cells use sugar to process thoughts and emotions. Certain omega-3 fatty acids may buffer the brain from the harmful effects of fructose.

Use the news: While this research is preliminary, it's just general good health advice to minimize your intake of added sugar (see some shockingly sneaky sources here) and up your consumption of foods rich in omega-3s, including walnuts, salmon, flax seeds and soybeans to your meals. You've probably heard of smart foods that boost your IQ, but did you know that some less-healthy options can actually drain your brain?


Red Meat and Butter 


A diet high in "bad" saturated fat may hurt brain function, according to new Harvard research published in the Annals of Neurology. When researchers studied the eating habits and tested the brain function of 6,000 women for an average of four years, they found the women who ate the most saturated fat scored lower on tests of brain function and memory. On the other hand, women who ate the most monounsaturated fats (found in foods like olive oil and avocado) had higher scores.
Use the news: You don't need to shun saturated fat sources entirely, but choose low or non-fat versions of animal products, such as cheese, yogurt, and milk. Avoid processed meat, like bacon, and stick to lean cuts. Get more protein from vegetable sources, like soy and legumes.

Chips, pizza, and other junk food 


Will junk food rot kids' brains? A 2011 British study of nearly 4,000 children found that those who ate primarily junk food (lots of processed and fast food) at age three had a small drop in IQ five years later compared with children who ate healthier diets. (And the link remained after researchers accounted for confounding variables, such as socioeconomic status and parents' education.) Early diet choices especially seemed to affect kids' verbal abilities, according to Time.com. The study suggests that smart diet choices may be particularly crucial during early years of rapid brain development.
Use the news: It can be tricky to get young picky eaters to eat healthy foods, but remember that kids need repeated exposure (sometimes a dozen or more times) to "like" a new food. So don't give up so easily! And many classic kid favorites, like string cheese and yogurt, make for healthy snacks instead of processed cookies and chips.

Low-Carb Diets 


Ditching carbs can sap brainpower (along with energy and mood). A small Tufts University study of 19 women between the ages of 22 and 55 found that when dieters eliminated carbohydrates, they showed a gradual dip in cognitive skills (particularly on memory-related tests) compared to a group who stayed on a low-calorie diet that included carbs.
Use the news: Carbs aren't evil-your body needs them for many important functions, including fueling your brain. So avoid diets that eliminate or severely restrict them, and choose healthy options, like whole grain pastas and breads, brown rice, and quinoa.

Gum 


Does blowing that bubble boost or bust your brainpower? Here, the research is mixed. A recent British study published in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology found that chewing gum during a memorization exercise impaired participants' short-term memories. The researchers believe the act of chewing may get in the way of concentrating on memory tasks (In this case, participants were asked to learn the order of items in a list) The finding contradicts previous research, which found a positive association between chewing gum and mental tasks.
Use the news: Because of mixed study results, you might not want to spit just yet. But be sure to include other brain-boosting habits in your daily routine, such as drinking water (dehydration can affect focus and acuity), getting plenty of sleep, and playing brain games.

Kochi, May 31  Kreata Global, an IT company headquartered at Kerala's Kochi Infopark campus, has been selected as a Facebook preferred marketing developer (PMD), said an infopark official.

 The PMD programme aims to better represent the various technologies in the Facebook ecosystem and to recognise companies that develop holistic solutions.

Kreata is just the second Indian company to be picked for the programme. It has qualified for the PMD badge in the apps category for building socially enabled integrations.

Infopark chief executive officer Gigo Joseph said: "It is an honour for an IT company to be chosen as a Facebook PMD."

The Facebook PMD programme also endeavours to help developers build products that make social marketing easier and more effective.

Deepan Parameswar, executive director, Kreata Global, said they were really excited about becoming a Facebook PMD.

"This is definitely going to be an inspiration for developing more engaging and innovative apps," said Parameswar.

The company that was formed in 2010 has developed engaging Facebook applications for popular brands such as Ford, Panasonic, Samsung, Levi's, Clarins and Parachute.

Washington, May 31 : The U.S. head of Strategic Command has said China's nuclear weapons do not pose a "direct threat" to the country, and called for greater dialogue with the Chinese.

"I do not see the Chinese strategic deterrent as a direct threat to the United States. We are not enemies. Could it be (a threat)? I suppose if we were enemies it could be and therefore we at least have to be aware of that," The News quoted General Robert Kehler, as saying.

"We think there would be tremendous benefit to that in both China and the United States, in particular to help us avoid some misunderstanding or some tension in the future," he added.

General Kehler said although the U.S. and Russia account for roughly 90 percent of the world's nuclear weapons, dealing with China on the matter would become increasingly important.

"We would like to have routine contact and conversations with China's military," he said.

New Delhi, May 31 : Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who called on Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad here on Thursday, appreciated India's achievements in containing AIDS infections, polio management, reproductive health initiatives as also recent steps taken for TB management.

Gates along with his team met Azad and discussed issues relating to immunization programme, pentavalent vaccine, HIV/AIDS, infectious as well as non-communicable diseases during the meeting that lasted close to an hour and half.

He said that strides made by India go beyond his expectations.

Azad on his part thanked the Bill Gates Foundation for extending catalytic support to innovations in health, particularly in HIV/AIDS and Polio. He said that the support from Gates Foundation is valuable.

Azad mentioned that year 2012 has been declared the year of intensification of routine immunization programme and recently the Mission Steering Group of NRHM has endorsed the introduction of pentavalent vaccine in six more states viz. Gujarat, Goa, Pondicherry, Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana.

The help rendered by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in establishing Immunization Technical Support Unit (ITSU) to provide technical and managerial support to accelerate coverage and to ensure system preparedness for new vaccines for when they are adopted, was specifically appreciated.

The Health Minister also said that ministry's initiative of name based Mother and Child Tracking System has helped more effective delivery of services at the grassroots level and with the help of Ministry of Information Technology more such initiatives to enhance efficiency, effectiveness and reach of government's schemes are under consideration.

Gates termed name based Mother and Child Tracking System as a very remarkable innovation.

Gates agreed that support from their Foundation would be aligned with national priorities and therefore in sync with the national programmes being implemented by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

Leveraging of IT techniques for health, capacity building and lending technical support were identified as important areas of cooperation.

The Solar Impulse HB-SIA prototype aircraft, which has 12,000 solar cells built into its 64.3 metres (193 feet) wings, attempted its first intercontinental flight from Payerne to Rabat in Morocco.After a flight lasting approximately 17 hours, the HB-SIA prototype has finally landed in Madrid-Barajas airport. The pilot, André Borschberg, made his way out of the cockpit, smiley and certainly happy to stretch his legs.This, and future international landings, are a good way for the Solar Impulse team to practice coordination and cooperation with international airports for fine-tuning of logistics, maintenance and facing challenges of air traffic patterns.

Solar Impulse project president and pilot Bertrand Piccard lands with the solar-powered HB-SIA prototype airplane during a test flight at Payerne airport April 17, 2012. The Solar Impulse HB-SIA, which has 12,000 solar cells built into its 64.3-meter (193-foot) wings, is a prototype for an aircraft that its creators hope will carry out its first circumnavigation of the globe from 2014.

Diabetes has become one of the most aggressively-spreading lifestyle diseases.

It seems to affect people without any discrimination for gender, age or race. It has been established that the onset of diabetes can be prevented if our food habits are corrected. Thus, food habits responsible for causing diabetes should be properly understood. This includes:


Common Diabetes Causing Food Habits:


Eating High Glycemic Index Foods Glycemic Index (GI) is the calculation of how fast a type of food consumed by us is turned into energy, i.e. into glucose. Foods that are turned quickly into glucose are High GI foods. Such foods tend to create extreme spikes in the blood sugar levels.

High GI Foods include common food items like:

 • White bread
 • Pasta
 • Rice
 • Candy
 • Backed items or snack foods made from refined flour
 • Pastries
 • Carbonated drinks
 • White potatoes
 • Pasta
 • Noodles
 • Sugary cereal foods
 • Instant, ready-to-eat food items

Such food items are also called Easy Carbohydrate Foods. These foods have minimal or absolutely zero fiber which makes it further easier for the body to digest them. Such, quickly-digested foods create a glycemic overload by inducing excessive sugar in the blood stream. This is also referred to as a Glycemic Load. The intake of such foods should be restricted.

Instead of choosing such fast-release carb foods, the emphasis should be on fibrous, slow-release carb resources. A fine example of this is fruits like apples or peaches. Since fruits contain a lot of fiber, the release of sugar into the bloodstream is slower. This helps to negate severe fluctuations in the levels of insulin (the hormone deciding ability of bodily to absorb glucose).

Easily Preventable Food Habits that Cause Diabetes:


Consuming Unhealthy Fats


There is common misconception even among health conscious folks that all fats are bad. As a result, they tend to shun both the good and diabetes causing fats. However, the ideal approach is to sustain the consumption of healthy fats like those derived from walnuts, almonds and other types of nuts.

 Again, olive oil is a healthy source of unsaturated fats. However, saturated fats found in dairy and animal products are pro-diabetic. These are also referred to as trans-fats and are found in heavy quantities in packaged, fast food items. Red meat, dairy products and foods containing semi-hydrogenated oils are unhealthy.

Sinful Eating Habits that Lead to Diabetes:


Irregular Eating Regimen

It should be understood that diabetes is essentially the inability to maintain uniform sugar levels in the body. One common food habit that induces unwanted changes in blood sugar levels is eating at irregular hours. Major meals need to be eaten at around the same time to prevent fluctuations in blood sugar levels.This is vital to ensure that the secretion of insulin is kept in check. Eating heavy desserts post dinner, particularly just before going to bed is essentially a health disaster that could be your stepping stone towards diabetes.

Ignoring Healthier Food Choices

 • Tendency to overlook ingredients mentioned on the packaging of food times. Many ingredients lead to an overload of sugar and should be prevented.
 • Tendency to snack upon artificially sweetened, packaged foods rather than nutritious, diabetes-controlling options like fruits.
 • Over-frying cooked foods that lead to excessive consumption of harmful, trans- fats.
 • Dependency on packaged, sweetened fruit juices rather than fresh juices. This leads to unnecessary intake refined sugar.

 • Not eating salads regularly. Salads prepare from green veggies and sprouts are a nutritious, anti-diabetic choice. They take a very long time to be fully digested due to the high fiber content. This easy way of regulating sugar levels on a daily basis is often ignored.
 • Not drinking sufficient water is perhaps the most common of food choice errors. Sufficient water intake ensures that kidneys are able to function properly and get rid of toxins that make our metabolism sluggish, i.e. more prone to retaining and storing glucose.

Common Diabetes Causing Food Habits:


Skipping Breakfast 

Skipping breakfast is akin to pushing yourself towards lifestyle problems like obesity and diabetes. Eating breakfast increases your chances of maintaining uniform sugar levels throughout the day as you are less affected by sugar cravings and hunger pangs.

Diabetes & Protein Overload

Most people seem obsessed about their daily protein intake, many of them overeating high-protein foods. However, merely eating more protein doesn’t make you muscular or healthier. It only leads to weight gain and makes you more vulnerable to health problems like diabetes. Excessive protein is handled by the body in a manner akin to fats or any other energy resource found in excessive amounts.

Our emphasis is to highlight the fact that diabetes is a preventable disease albeit we are ready to get rid of unhealthy food habits. If there is something we have missed in our endeavor to provide a comprehensive resource of how to eat in a healthier, anti-diabetic manner, Please Comment Below.

There are lot of people who and a lot of articles/books that will tell you what you must do in office. But there will be very few who tell you what not to do.

This is where we come in. Every office has its set of dos and don’ts, but then there is also a set of general don’ts that you need to keep in mind. We are here to list these general don’ts for you and we are sure they will help you stay clear of getting embarrassed in office.

1. Peep into someone’s laptop/desktop

The most annoying person in office is the one who peeps into his colleagues laptop screen. Make sure you are not this annoying person. No matter the urge to see what other people are up to, you must save yourself the embarrassment of being labelled the office’s peeping tom.

2. Walk around like you own the place

It is great to be confident, but it is a sin to be cocky. So under no circumstances should you walk around like you own the place. It is advisable to keep your smartness in check and not throw your weight around. Keep it easy going and genuine, and everyone in office will like you instead of bitching about you.

3. Be loud

Oh my GOD!Please don’t be that loud person in office. Keep your voice level in check, do not play loud music and stay clear of all things loud. Loud people annoy colleagues like few other people/things do. Train yourself to talk softly yet be audible.

4. Gossip

We are sure you have heard this one before. It is imperative to stay clear of gossip, but we all know that this is not possible. Every nook and corner of office is full of gossip mongers. What you can do however, is keep your tongue in check. Don’t bitch everyone out to everyone, and don’t allow others to christen you the gossip king.

5. Stealing

Every office goer at some point in time is inclined to steal some office stationery: a pen, a paper, a folder, or a print out. Doing so once in a blue moon is okay, but don’t make a habit of it. Stealing is bad and you will be answerable and payable if you are caught.

6. Lie/Blame others

When you find yourself in a soup or in tough situations you will be inclined to lie or shift the blame of your wrong doing on someone else. If you do this, you are putting not only your reputation at stake but your job too. Always stick to the honesty policy and play fair.

7. Share your personal problems

No one lives an easy life. Everyone has their share of personal problems just as you have yours. It would be naïve to share your personal problems with your work colleagues. We suggest you leave these issues at home and come to office with a clear mind. Remember, your colleagues aren’t your personal agony aunts.

8. Make out

Irrespective of how hot that colleague of yours is, making out in the office is just unpardonable. Making out is an extremely private affair and an office is the least private of places you know. Besides, if somebody catches you in the act, you can bid your job farewell.

This is our list of general don’ts in work environments. Avoid committing these errors and you are sure to stay in the office good books.

PARIS  - As the years go by, Roger Federer has little trouble coping with the pressure of playing the early rounds of a grand slam event but it is an altogether different story when it comes to dealing with post-match scrutiny.

 The Swiss third seed won a record 234th grand-slam match, surpassing Jimmy Connors's professional-era record, by dismissing Romanian Adrian Ungur 6-3 6-2 6-7 6-3 in the second round on Tuesday.

 The 16-times major champion should have won the match in straight sets but did not seem too concerned about his minor wobble in the third set.

 "I think (playing the early rounds) is a bit easier now, just because I have been around for so long that, even though I expect myself to win, I can still manage to do that," the third seed told reporters.

 "Whereas in the beginning when you think you're good but you're maybe not that good yet, you suffer many more surprise losses."

 But with fame comes scrutiny.

 "The difference to playing a match where you're the overwhelming favourite potentially in the early rounds of a grand slam is you have to (deal with the) press (inquisition) afterwards," said Federer.

 "So you're talking about a match that potentially wasn't that close sometimes or they make a bigger deal out of maybe you losing a set or getting broken a couple of times, whereas maybe at another tournament you wouldn't talk about that.

 "So it's just a bit of a different momentum in the press conference. I think that's the toughest part sometimes."

 Federer seemed in complete control of his match on a sunsoaked Court Philippe Chatrier against Ungur before he wasted two match points in the third-set tiebreak, allowing world the number 91 to stretch the match into a fourth set.

 Federer said he let his guard down in the tiebreak he lost 8-6.

 "Instead of being aggressive, I let him show me what he could do. He played two beautiful shots," he said.

 Ungur then ran out of steam as Federer cruised through the set and into round three.

 Although Federer had won his opening match in straight sets, Federer was far happier with his performance on Tuesday.

 "(I felt) far better than during the first round. It was obviously a totally different match, because my opponent today was used to playing on clay, whereas my first opponent was used to harder surfaces," he explained.

 "Of course rallies were different because of that. Even though I won the first set 6-3 with a solid break, I knew that if he was to get in the match, it would be more difficult, and he had many opportunities during the second set.

 "In the third set I made wrong decisions. He got in the match, and he played a very good third set."

 Federer, who is contesting his 14th consecutive Roland Garros, will next face either France's Nicolas Mahut or Martin Klizan of Slovakia.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan  - A Pakistani doctor who helped the United States find Osama bin Laden was imprisoned for aiding militants and not for his links to the CIA, as Pakistani officials had said, according to a court document.

 A court in the Khyber tribal region near the Afghan border jailed Shakil Afridi for 33 years last week. Pakistani officials said the decision was based on treason charges for aiding the CIA in its hunt for the al Qaeda chief.

 But the judgment document made available to the media on Wednesday states that Afridi was jailed because of his close ties to the banned militant group Lashkar-e-Islam, which amounts to waging war against the state.

 It is unclear why Pakistani officials first said Afridi was jailed over his links to the CIA. The government may have wanted to show a largely anti-American public that Pakistan will not tolerate any cooperation with the U.S. spy agency, especially at a time of troubled relations with Washington.

 "There was a lot of friction because of this case with the United States. This appears to be an effort to patch things up with the United States, while also satisfying the people of Pakistan that Afridi has been punished," said Mansur Mehsud, director for research at Islamabad's FATA Research Center.

 "The mindset is being managed, confusion created, about what exactly he has done."

 While the document said there was evidence that Afridi "has been shown acting with other foreign intelligence agencies", it noted the court in Khyber had no jurisdiction to act on that.

 But the court recommended that the evidence may be produced before an appropriate court for further proceedings.

 The Afridi case has further strained ties between the United States and Pakistan, already damaged by a series of events, including a NATO cross-border air attack last November that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.

 In Washington, government sources said the United States is exerting strenuous efforts to win Afridi's release from jail.

 U.S. officials hail Afridi as a hero who helped the CIA track down bin Laden, who was killed by U.S. Navy SEALs in a raid in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad in May last year.

 "UNRELIABLE PARTNER"

 Defense Secretary Leon Panetta suggested on Sunday that the jailing of Afridi would hurt efforts to repair relations between the United States and Pakistan.

 Many Pakistanis were infuriated by the U.S. raid to get bin Laden in a town just a two-hour drive from the capital, Islamabad and they see Afridi as a villain who conspired against the state and brought unwanted scrutiny of Pakistan's attitude to militants.

 Pakistani officials describe bin Laden's long presence in the garrison town of Abbottabad as a security lapse and reject suggestions that members of the military or intelligence services were complicit in hiding him there.

 Pakistan joined the U.S. war on militancy after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. But U.S. officials often describe Islamabad as an unreliable partner and demand tougher action against militant groups based along its border with Afghanistan.

 Critics also say the judicial system has failed to take decisive action against militants. Convictions for terrorism are rare in the South Asian nation, recipient of millions of dollars in U.S. aid. Appeals drag on for years.

 Pakistan says it has made big sacrifices fighting militants.

 The charges of aiding militants could give Afridi a greater chance to successfully challenge the verdict. Pakistan, for its part, can both claim it is cracking down on militancy and ease the outcry in the United States over Afridi's imprisonment.

 One of the doctor's lawyers, Samiullah Afridi, was baffled after reading the verdict, which he also received on Wednesday.

 "These charges against him are very different from the ones we were told earlier," he told Reuters.

 "The earlier allegations against him were very serious. We deal with issues like this every day in the courts, of people accused of helping militant groups. So it's not that big an issue for us to defend."

 Afridi had been working with the CIA for years before the bin Laden raid, providing intelligence on militant groups in Pakistan's unruly ethnic Pashtun tribal region, said a former Pakistani security official.

 Afridi's brother, Jamil, described the treason charges as baseless and said the doctor was being made a scapegoat.

New Delhi, May 30 : Veteran social activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday intensified his attack on the Prime Minister, saying if Dr. Manmohan Singh is honest, then he should be ready to face any kind of probe.

"The inquiry into charges against the Prime Minister should be headed by a former judge," he told a leading English news channel.

Hazare, however, said he needed time to study the allegations against the Prime Minister.

"I always saw the Prime Minister as a non-corrupt personality. I need time to study the allegations against the Prime Minister," he said.

Hazare's key aide Arvind Kejriwal earlier today said they would be extremely delighted if the allegations levelled against the Prime Minister are found to be false.

"We will be most happy if the allegations levelled against the Prime Minister are found false. But how will it be proved? For that, we need to have an independent investigating agency to probe it," said Kejriwal.

"The Prime Minister has said that the allegations levelled against him were baseless, unfortunate and irresponsible. We want to tell him that it was not we who levelled these allegations but the CAG, which is a Consitutional body," he added.

Union Law and Justice Minister Salman Khurshid had, however, hit out at Team Anna for demanding an independent probe into charges against the Prime Minister, saying it seems that the underlining urge of the civil society activists is that either bring the Lokpal Bill of our choice or be ready to face the accusations.

Commenting on the allegations made by Team Anna against senior Cabinet ministers, including the Prime Minister, Khurshid said India is a country where the rule of law prevails, and emphasized that there is a system that has to be followed.

"Of course, they are making the allegations. We all read those allegations and we see those allegations. I don't think we can have trials for anybody, forget about ministers and certainly the Prime Minister, we can't have media trials, and we can't have street trials. We are a country where the rule of law prevails. There is a system. They are the same people, who have gone to the Supreme Court and the High Courts etc. and they have got matters investigated," said Khurshid.

"So, nobody stops them from going to institutions that are available. It seems to me that the underlining urge is that please give us Lokpal and give us the Lokpal of the kind that we want, otherwise we will keep accusing you of all kinds of things," he added.

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, had earlier on Tuesday termed as unfortunate the allegations made against him by Team Anna.

"There have been reports about the allocation of coal blocks based on leaked portions of a draft report on the issue. We have also recieved a letter on the same subject. The Coal Minister has given factual details in response to these allegations and the Coal Ministry has put up all the information on its website (on May 17th). We have not yet received the CAG report," Dr. Singh told media on-board press interaction enroute from Yangon to New Delhi

"When we do, the Government will submit its detailed factual response before the Public Accounts Committee as per Constitutional procedure. Uninformed allegations and discussions based on leaked drafts are unfortunate. It is unfortunate that irresponsible allegations are being made without confirming the facts," he added.

Dr. Singh also said that if it was found that he had done something wrong, he would not hesitate to quit public life.

Supreme Court lawyer and Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan had earlier criticized the Prime Minister, saying that the ruling Congress Party had been using his honest credentials as a 'shield' while perpetrating corruption with brazen impunity.

Bhushan questioned the Prime Minister's perceived hesitancy in dealing with corrupt minister and coalition allies.

"The Congress party repeatedly hails the honesty of the Prime Minister. He is projected as an honest leader of the government. So, I had said the Congress party was trying to use the Prime Minister and his clean image as a shield, just like the character of Shikhandi was used in the Hindu epic Mahabharata," he said.

Bhushan further called for the establishment of an independent panel to probe the allegations of graft levelled against senior cabinet ministers.

Hold that polish! Or at least give your nails a good look before you paint them. Your fingernails and toenails are like 20 mini-mirrors to the state of your overall health. Changes throughout the body that are otherwise invisible can sometimes be first seen in the nails, says dermatologist Amy Newburger, a senior attending physician at St. Luke's - Roosevelt Medical Consortium in New York City.

Fingernails tend to give more reliable clues than toenails, given the wear and tear of walking, tight shoes, and slower foot circulation over time, which can obscure toenail changes. But check both hands and feet -- the first of the following nine nail clues explains why.


Clue 1: A black line

Look for: A black discoloration that's a straight vertical line or streak and grows from the nail bed, usually on a single nail. About 75 percent of cases involve the big toe or the thumb, according to a review in the British Journal of Dermatology. Especially worrisome: a discoloration that's increasing or that's wider at the lower part of the nail than the tip. "That tells you that whatever is producing the pigment is producing more of it," says Newburger.

Also beware when the skin below the nail is deeply pigmented as well, says podiatrist Jane Andersen of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a spokeswoman for the American Podiatric Medical Association.

What it might mean: Melanoma, the deadliest form of cancer. People with darker skin are more vulnerable than Caucasians to subungual melanoma (melanoma of the nail bed), but darker-skinned races also have more dark lines in nails that are benign, according to a 2004 report in American Family Physician.

Next steps: Always have a doctor check out a suspicious black line on the nail quickly because of the high skin cancer risk. A black line on the nail may also be caused by a harmless mole or an injury. A biopsy can confirm melanoma.


Clue 2: Small vertical red lines

Look for: Red (or sometimes brownish red) streaks in the nail. "They look like blood or dried blood," Anderson says. These are known as "splinter hemorrhages" because they look like a splinter but are caused by bleeding (hemorrhage) under the fingernail or toenail. They run in the same direction as nail growth.

What it might mean: Heart trouble. The "splinters" are caused by tiny clots that damage the small capillaries beneath the nail. They're associated with an infection of the heart valves known as endocarditis. Don't panic if you see one, though: Sometimes an ordinary injury to the nail can cause a splinter hemorrhage.

Next steps: No treatment is needed for the splinter hemorrhage itself. A doctor can evaluate and treat the underlying cause if it's heart-related.


Clue 3: Wide, "clubbed" nails

Look for: Uniformly widened fingertips or toes -- they appear to bulge out beyond the last knuckle -- where the nails have widened, too, so that they curve down and appear to wrap around the tips of the finger like an upside-down spoon. (Normal nails are narrower than their base fingers.) These extra-wide nails are called "clubbed" nails.

What it might mean: Clubbed nails are a common sign of pulmonary (lung) disease, Newburger says. Although the nails' odd shape develops over many months to years, people are often unaware of the underlying condition, which can include lung cancer.

Next steps: If you haven't had a physical exam lately, consider one, especially if you have other symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath.


Clue 4: Spoon-like depressions

Look for: Nail beds that have little dips in them, an effect called koilonychia, or "spooning." "If you put your hand flat on the table, the spooned nails look like they could each hold liquid," Newburger says. The nails will also be unusually pale or stay whitish for more than a minute after you press gently on one. (Normally it would turn white for a second or two before returning to its original pinkish color.) The moons at the base of the nails may look particularly white.

What it might mean: Iron-deficiency anemia. Spooning can also be seen in the nails of people with hemochromatosis, or "iron overload disease," a condition usually caused by a defective gene that leads to too much iron being absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Other symptoms for both conditions can include fatigue and lack of energy, or they may be symptomless.

Next steps: A complete blood count can diagnose anemia, and a physical exam might pinpoint the cause of iron problems. Iron supplements and dietary changes are often prescribed as first-line treatments for anemia.


Clue 5: Rippled, pitted nails

Look for: Tiny indentations or holes in the nail bed called "pits." The nail may also appear to be rippled rather than smooth. (You can also feel these abnormalities by rubbing your finger across the nail, which is normally as smooth as the inside of a seashell.)

What it might mean: Psoriasis. Between 10 and 50 percent of patients with this common skin disease have pitted, hole-pocked nails, according to a 2000 report in Primary Care. So do more than three-fourths of those with psoriatic arthritis, a related disorder that affects the joints as well as the skin. More rarely, Reiter's syndrome and other diseases of connective tissue show this symptom.

Next steps: A doctor can prescribe medications to treat the underlying conditions. The nail bed can often be restored in psoriasis when the treatment starts early.


Clue 6: Brittle nails

Look for: Peeling, splitting, or easily cracking nails. Sometimes vertical ridges mar the surface, too. These telltale wrecked nails are sometimes called "hypothyroidism nails."

What it might mean: Thyroid disease. Hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid, occurs when the thyroid gland doesn't make enough thyroid hormone. (Typically a patient's hair is also thin and brittle.) Metabolic functions throughout the body are disrupted, including the delivery of moisture to the nails. Pale, dry skin and hair that may fall out are related signs. Hyperthyroid (overactive thyroid) diseases, such as Grave's disease, may also cause brittle nails.

Next steps: Skip the over-the-counter nail strengtheners for persistently brittle nails and get thyroid levels checked; if thyroid disease is the cause, it's important to treat the root problem.

Clue 7: Nails that seem to be "lifting off"

Look for: The nail itself separating from the nail bed, which is the layer of skin directly under the nail. This effect, known medically as onycholysis, often begins at the fourth or fifth fingernail. Toes can also be affected. It's also called "Plummer's nails" (after the physician Stanley Plummer, who described them in 1918) or "dirty nails," because debris can accumulate and be seen.

What it might mean: Thyroid disease. Hyperthyroidism, in which too much thyroid hormone is produced, can cause excessive nail growth and lead to this deformation. Plummer's nails tend to occur in younger patients rather than older ones.

Next steps: Other hyperthyroidism symptoms to be aware of include fatigue, difficulty concentrating, increased appetite, weight loss, sweating, hair loss, itching, and protruding eyes.


Clue 8: Depressions running across the nail horizontally

Look for: White ridges running across the width of the nail bed. These so-called "Beau's lines" (after the French physician who described them) can occur in all or just one nail; if in all nails, they're at about the same place on all of them. They're actual ridges in the nail plate itself.

What it might mean: Diabetes, psoriasis, Raynaud's disease -- or just a trauma to the nail. Beta-blockers and drugs used in chemotherapy can also produce Beau's lines. Some people develop them simply as a result of aging.

Next steps: Consider this effect just one piece of a puzzle. Nails grow about 1 mm every six to ten days, so doctors use this measurement to estimate when the problem might have begun.

Clue 9: White bands running across the nail horizontally

Look for: The white-colored bands, known as "Mees' lines," run transverse (parallel to the white tips of the nails). They may affect one nail or several, occurring at about the same spot on each nail. Because the problem is in the nail itself, the line moves forward as the nail ages -- allowing doctors to date the time the problem began.

What it might mean: Arsenic poisoning! Hair and tissue samples should be tested to verify. It's pretty rare these days, Anderson says, but worth knowing about.

Next steps: Make an appointment to see a doctor -- and avoid eating anything you don't prepare yourself!

Here are the most dangerous cell phone viruses for symbian based mobiles. Like Computer, cell phones are also using system that keeps the cell phone running in a proper way.

Cell phones are having a problem as well with viruses that attach their operating system. There are quite lot cell phone viruses. But here’s the most dangerous cell phone viruses for symbian based cell phone as one of the most popular operating system for cell phone. You have to keep away from it.




1. Cabir Virus:

The target of this cell phone virus is Symbian s60v2 mobile phone. Cabir is a virus that spreads via a Bluetooth connection and come into your inbox with an interesting message. It won’t cause a fatal damage, but the battery of the cell phone will quickly run out because this virus periodically activates Bluetooth of the infected cell phone.

2. Skulls Virus:

The target of this virus is symbian cell phone and spread via the internet. The damage resulted is the mobile phone cannot be used again except to call and receive calls.

3. CommWarrior Virus:

The target of this virus is symbian s60v2 mobile phones. The Virus spread via Bluetooth and MMS. It will send replication through MMS to all numbers in contacts, so will make your mobile phone bill high.

4. Locknut Virus:

The target of this virus is the symbian s60 mobile phone and spread through the internet download. Locknut E, one variant of this virus, will damage important files in a Symbian system and causes the infected application could not be opened. By using that way, step by step the cell phone will be locked totally by this virus.

5. Fontal Virus:

The target of this virus is symbian s60 mobile phone and spread through internet download. This virus will lock the cell phone in stages. It will finally lock the phone since it was first turned on.

6. Rommwar Virus:

The Targets of this virus is symbian s60 cell phone and its spread through Bluetooth, MMS, and internet. This virus cause the phone can’t do booting and often restart itself.

7. DoomBoot Virus:

The target of this virus is symbian S60 cell phone and spread via Bluetooth. Doomboot make files become corrupted, and after infecting a file, it will put other viruses such as Commwarrior into the mobile phone. Damaged file will prevent the phone to do rebooting. In addition, this virus also causes the battery run out quickly due to constant use Bluetooth connection.

8. CardTrap Virus:

The target of this virus is the symbian s60 mobile phone and Windows-based PC. It spread through the memory card and cause important applications become malfunctioned, the chaos system, and damage to the function of the keypad.

9. PBstealer Virus:

The target of this virus is Symbian S60 cell phone and spread via Bluetooth. This virus will copy the necessary data in the mobile phone, for example, contacts, to-do lists, notes to the format. txt and then will be spread to other mobile phone, using Bluetooth.

10. AppDisabler:

The target of this virus is symbian based mobile phone and spread through Bluetooth, MMS, and internet. This virus will install other dangerous viruses like Locknut, Cabir, Skulls, etc. Thus causing the entire operating system broken, you can say, this is the most dangerous viruses that never existed because they combine several types of viruses in once.