Bullying 'can damage one's immune system'

Bullying 'can damage one's immune system' - Bullying doesn't just hurt one's feelings -- it can damage one's immune system also, according to researchers who have based their findings on a study on monkeys.

Lead author Jenny Tung at Duke University studied rhesus macaques and found that when one was introduced to a new group, which results in it having the lowest status, it became stressed and its immune system dropped in efficiency.

The researchers believe that the social stress that moulds a monkey's immune system could help understand how stress affects humans, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

In fact, they studied 10 groups of female macaques in which researchers could manipulate individuals' social rank. Before being placed into new groups, all of the macaques started out as middle rank.

"In the wild, macaques inherit their social rank from their mothers. But in our research, the order of introduction determines rank. The newcomer is generally lower status. When some macaques' status changed after a newcomer arrived, so did their patterns of immune system gene activity," Tung said.

The researchers used microarrays, a technology that allows them to scan thousands of genes and read the expression levels, to look at the macaques' immune cells. The gene activity that changed the most depending on social rank was what controlled inflammation.

Previous studies have found lower status macaques have higher levels of inflammation and have changes in their levels of hormones that indicate they're under more stress.

Based on the pattern of gene activity, the researchers could, without looking at a monkey's identity, predict whether that animal was high (rank one or two), middle or low (rank four or five) with 80 per cent accuracy.

Seven monkeys' social ranks changed because other individuals were moved. When this happened, the researchers were able to take blood samples before and after the shift.

The gene scans revealed the pattern of immune system activity changed along with these monkeys' social ranks. Here, social rank post-shift could be predicted to 86 per cent accuracy (six out of seven).

"There's a concerning side to this kind of research, in that an individual's social environment probably partially determines health status," Tung said.

Another researcher Dr Mark Wilson added: "But there's also a hopeful side. For the seven females that changed ranks, their gene status changed with them. That they are not stuck in place says something more broadly about the capacity for change within human society." ( indianexpress.com )

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Niceness lies in your genes

Niceness lies in your genes: scientists - Ever wondered why some people are nice and generous while others behave badly? It's because their genes may have nudged them towards developing different personalities, scientists say.

Researchers at the University of Buffalo and University of California, Irvine, found a connection between people being nice and versions of receptor genes for two hormones, oxytocin and vasopressin, that have been associated with niceness in past studies.

The new research, published in the journal Psychological Science, suggests that if you have the genes that give you certain versions of those hormone receptors, you are more likely to be a nice person than if you have the genes for one of the other versions.

However, the researchers found that the genes work in concert with a person's upbringing and life experiences to determine how sociable -- or anti-social -- he or she becomes.

In the study, the researchers asked hundreds of people whether they have an obligation to report crimes, sit on juries or pay taxes, whether they engage in charitable activities, and whether the world is a good place or a threatening one.

Of those surveyed, 711 people provided a sample of their saliva for DNA analysis, which showed which version of the oxytocin and vasopressin receptors they had.

Study participants who saw the world as a threatening place, and the people in it as inherently bad, were nonetheless nice, dutiful and charitable as long as they had the versions of the receptor genes associated with niceness.

These "nicer versions of the genes allow you to overcome feelings of the world being threatening and help other people in spite of those fears," said study author Michel Poulin of the University of Buffalo.

But with the other types of receptor genes, a negative worldview resulted in anti-social behaviour, Poulin said.

"The fact that the genes predicted behaviour only in combination with people's experiences and feelings about the world isn't surprising because most connections between DNA and social behaviour are complex," he said. ( indianexpress.com )

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Chinese paint Jakarta red

Chinese paint Jakarta red - The Chinese New Year is here and Jakartans of all ethnic backgrounds, not just Chinese, celebrate the event openly, in marked contrast to when the holiday was largely a closed-door private affair 15 years ago. This and the articles on page 22 look at what has changed,

Members of the Tan family lined up on Chinese New Year’s Day (Imlek) before their patriarch, 93-year-old Tan Kho Tjiang. First, they wrapped their hands before their noses and said “Gong Xi Fa Cai” (Congratulations and Prosperity), and then they hugged him.

As is with tradition, each of his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren — more than 100 in all — received an angpao, a small red envelope filled with money, and some words of wisdom.

Tribute to the gods: A worker makes lotus-shaped origami at Boen Tek Bio Temple in Tangerang. Origami ornaments are used for offerings during prayers on Chinese New Year. JP/Yuliasri Perdani

“How’s your medical study? Where do you practice?” Tan asked Farell, one of his grandchildren. The widowed Tan remembers the names of all his 10 sons and daughters and their spouses, all his grandchildren and some of the great grandchildren.

The Tan family, most wearing bright red outfits — even the babies and toddlers — celebrated the arrival of Chinese New Year at Riung Tenda, a family-owned Sundanese restaurant in Bendungan Hilir, Central Jakarta. The special room they used at the back of the restaurant was decorated with red lanterns and trees from which red envelopes hung. Chinese music played softly in the background.

Chinese Indonesians, a small ethnic minority, have been celebrating Imlek in the open, without fears of retribution these past few years. During the three decades of Soeharto’s rule until 1998, they were forced to conceal their cultural identity under the regime’s forced assimilation policy. Chinese New Year was a very private affair for most.

Lighting up: Huge red candles, part of offerings to mark the Chinese New Year, line the courtyard of Boen Tek Bio Temple in Tangerang. The biggest candle — weighing 340 kilograms — costs Rp 18 million (US$2,000). JP/Tassia Sipahutar

Although they represent a small minority — most estimates put them at about 3 percent of the total population of 240 million — Chinese Indonesians are highly visible, especially in big cities. Until the recent rise of indigenous businesses, the Chinese were also seen as overwhelmingly dominant in the economy, making them prey to recurrent attacks whenever the economy headed south.

The political reforms that began in 1998 have made Indonesia more open and amenable to cultural differences. It was president Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid who made Confucianism the sixth religion recognized by the state in 1999. His successor Megawati Soekarnoputri followed it up by making Chinese New Year a national holiday.

Over in Bogor, in a two-story mansion overlooking the Rancamaya Golf and Country Club, the Xie family marked the coming of the Year of the Water Dragon in style. A stage with a Chinese gate set up in the spacious living room was used as a backdrop for family photos.

The Xies keep a neat record of their family tree that takes them back all the way to their ancestors in San Tao (north China). The current crops of Xies have 137 family members belonging to the 25th to the 28th generations.

“Years ago, we would go to Singapore or Hong Kong,” said Au Bintoro, the house’s owner from the 26th generation. “Now, thanks to Gus Dur, we are celebrating the New Year here in Indonesia,” added the man, who at home goes by his Chinese name, Xie Jia Yu.

His daughter Imelda Fransisca, Miss Indonesia 2005, who acted master of ceremonies at the event, added: “I remember I had to skip school just to be able to celebrate the New Year.”

Although Chinese Indonesians today mark the Lunar New Year more openly than in the past, some families still have reservations about the openness of society toward the Chinese expressing their cultural identity.

Udaya Halim, whose Chinese name is Lim Tjin Peng, celebrated the New Year with his wife and four children in his home in Benteng, Tangerang. He feels that the Chinese as an ethnic group remain marginalized, even after nearly 14 years of political reforms. He took his family to Australia in 1997 just months before one of the biggest and bloodiest anti-Chinese riots rocked Jakarta, which eventually led to the collapse of the Soeharto regime.

In the Senen district of Central Jakarta, the family of Jong Herwin Octora marked the coming of the New Year in their modest two-story house on a narrow street lined with printing shops.

The 47-year-old, his wife and three children enjoyed a mix of Indonesian and Chinese cuisines. Their favorite is homemade kue keranjang or basket cake, a gelatin made with coconut and palm sugar.

There has been a greater degree of acceptance of Chinese among Indonesians today, said Benny Setiono, chair of the Association of Indonesian Chinese (INTI).

“The Chinese language, the barongsai [lion dance] and Chinese cuisine are now part of the evolving cultural landscape in Indonesia,” he added.

There is also a lot of acculturation going on between the Chinese and various indigenous ethnic groups in Indonesia. One example is lontong cap go meh, a dish of rice cake served with either chicken or vegetable curry, a fusion of Chinese and local cuisine found in many parts of Indonesia.

“We are seeing a positive and interesting acculturation process,” Melani Budianta, an English literature professor from the University of Indonesia, said. “The results will become part of the Indonesian cultural heritage,” Melani, who celebrated the New Year in Malang, East Java, told The Jakarta Post by phone.

Imlek is also openly celebrated today in various Chinese Confucian temples, which under Soeharto had to mask themselves as Buddhist temples.

Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo visited the Kim Tek Ie (Golden Virtue) Temple in Jakarta’s Chinatown of Glodok on New Year’s Day, donning a traditional Chinese dress and cap that the organizers described as “emperor-like”.

He gave a brief but reassuring speech to the Chinese, saying: “Every citizen has the right to live without being discriminated against. We are the government of the people, and it is our job to guarantee the security of everyone.”

The visitors on that day were not only the Chinese who came to pray, but also hundreds of beggars and tourists, including expatriates.

At Boen Tek Bio (Virtue Fort) Temple in nearby Tangerang, the administrators expect more than 15,000 visitors to offer prayers to the Goddess of Compassion, Kwan Im, comprising food, flowers and golden paper to candles, including the largest that cost Rp 18 million (US$2,000) apiece.

“Now we see far more people than before,” said Oey Tjin Eng, the 68-year-old public relations chief of the 17th-century temple. “It’s certainly more open. And it involves non-Chinese, including traders,” he added.

The public has also caught on to the festivities, many thronging malls to take advantage of the holiday and to partake in the New Year’s celebrations.

At Taman Anggrek Mall in West Jakarta, the main hall at the center was converted into a little Chinatown, and the area was practically painted red. Illustrations of the 12 shio (Chinese zodiac) told visitors about the personal characters of those born in different years. There was also a photo booth for visitors to pose wearing Chinese garb.

At Kelapa Gading Mall in North Jakarta, one department store offers Imlek sales with discounts of up to 50 percent. Those who spend more than Rp 1 million in the mall can give their receipts to be hung on the angpao tree. There will be drawing with prizes that include smartphones.

For most people, particularly non-Chinese, the chief attractions in the malls are the barongsai (lion) and liong (dragon) dances.

In the three-story Summarecon Serpong Mall just outside Jakarta, the main hall is decorated with an 80-meter-long dragon that goes all the way to the top floor. A troupe of dancers performs acrobatic lion and dragon dances. The troupe tours the mall and goes into the stores to entice shoppers.

The changing atmosphere facing the Chinese did not escape the attention of a longtime expatriate during a Jelajah Kota Toea (Tour of the Old City) in Jakarta’s old Chinatown on New Year’s Eve.

“I’ve been here more than 20 years. The Chinese culture was banned under Soeharto. It’s nice to see it making a comeback,” said Briton Geoff Tucker, 49, who is married to an Indonesian Chinese and lives in Cipete, South Jakarta ( thejakartapost.com )

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What’s in a Chinese name?

What’s in a Chinese name? - The Chinese New Year is here and Jakartans of all ethnic backgrounds, not just Chinese, celebrate the event openly, in marked contrast to when the holiday was largely a closed-door private affair 15 years ago. This and the articles on page 22 look at what has changed

Oey Tjin Eng has always used his Chinese name and never really cared much about how society treats him. The 68-year-old caretaker of the Boen Tek Bio (Virtue Fort) Temple in Benteng, Tangerang, says he has never felt the need to change his name to something less Chinese to feel accepted by society.

The fact that he has never held any formal job helps.

“I am unemployed,” says Oey, who has tried to run a foodstuff business unsuccessfully. “I’m no merchant, that’s for sure. So, what could they possibly expect to extort from me?”

My name is Oey: Oey Tjin Eng, caretaker of the Boen Tek Bio Temple, never felt the need to change his Chinese name to an “Indonesian-sounding name” throughout the Soeharto years. JP/Tassia Sipahutar

For more than three decades under the Soeharto regime, a Chinese name was an open invitation to all kinds of discrimination, especially when dealing with the government.

But since Oey lives in a predominantly Chinese neighborhood, he rarely has to deal with the government, except for obtaining and periodically renewing his ID card.

“Most Ciben children use Chinese names,” he says, slipping into the slang describing Cina Benteng (Benteng Chinese). “At least they use them at home.”

Anita Novianti, a Ciben born during the Soeharto era, is one example. The 25-year-old, who works for a private firm, is referred to by her Chinese name, Tjiu Hau Lien, when she is at home. Lien means lotus and Hau means nice, she says.

Her name and appearance are probably about the only Chinese attributes in her daily identity. Her family speaks Indonesian at home, so she never learned to speak Chinese. However, she says she knows quite a lot about Chinese culture and traditions through her work as a volunteer at a temple.

Under Soeharto, Chinese Indonesians were barred from expressing their cultural identity, including the use of Chinese names, speaking the language and celebrating the Lunar New Year. This policy was intended to promote assimilation of the Chinese minority with the rest of the Indonesian population as part of the nation-building process. Chinese Indonesians, however, resented being singled out to forsake their cultural roots.

They were discouraged, though not completely banned, from using their Chinese names. This motivated most Chinese to embrace “Indonesian-sounding names” and Christian/biblical names, although some did not.

The sport of badminton offers a look at how this policy played out among the Chinese community. Rudy Hartono, one of the many world champions Indonesia has produced, most of them Chinese Indonesians, dropped his original name. He won the All-England championship eight times, all under his adopted Indonesian name. Other Chinese-Indonesian badminton champions, like Susi Susanti, Alan Budikusuma, Haryanto Arbi and Christian Hadinata, did the same. However, Liem Swie King, who earned a number of world titles in the 1980s, used his Chinese name comfortably.

Green Beauty: Miss Indonesia 2005 Imelda Fransisca hosts the Xieclan gathering for Imlek at her father’s home in Bogor. Imelda uses herChinese name, Xie Qing Mei, which means green beauty, at home thoughrarely in public. JP/Special

Another case in point is Xie Qing Mei, who was crowned Miss Indonesia in 2005 under her Indonesian name, Imelda Fransisca. She says that she rarely uses her Chinese name, which means “green beauty”. Everyone in the Xie clan has a Chinese name, and one of the syllables designates a color.

“I didn’t choose my Chinese cultural heritage. However, because I was born and raised in Indonesia, everything I do is for this country. I am 100 percent Indonesian,” she says, recalling that some people had questioned her “Indonesian-ness” when she was crowned Miss Indonesia.

Harry Tjan Silalahi, chair of the board of trustees for the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), says he took on his Batak name after the clan accepted him as one of them through long friendship. It was not a name that was forced on him.

“The use of an Indonesian name facilitates your interaction with the people,” Harry says. “There was never any ban against the use of Chinese names, in the same way that Javanese were never barred from using Arabic names.”

The practice of changing names among Chinese immigrants dates back to Dutch colonial times, he says. Upper-class Chinese adopted Dutch names, but many in the lower to middle classes adopted names common in their locality.

Many people have tried to retain the essence of their Chinese names by concealing it in their new Indonesian names. Tycoon Soedono Salim comes from the Liem clan, and his heir successor Anthony Salim continues this tradition. Mari Pangestu, the minister for tourism and creative economy, comes from the Pang clan.

Herdiana, 29, an editor for a woman’s magazine, says she feels comfortable with her name and the fact that she never had a Chinese name. “Even my mom didn’t have a Chinese name,” she says.

Melani Budianta, an English literature professor at the University of Indonesia, says she never resented the name change policy even though she felt compelled to drop her Chinese name, Tan Tjiok Sien, in 1966.

“Our family converted to Christianity, and we have embraced the Indonesian culture,” Melani says. “The real problem is not so much about the use of a Chinese name as it is about society’s stereotyping and the prejudice against Chinese.” (thejakartapost.com )

READ MORE - What’s in a Chinese name?

Japan's population to shrink two thirds by 2110

Japan's population to shrink two thirds by 2110 - Japan's population is expected to shrink to a third of its current size over the next century, with the average woman living to over 90 within 50 years, a government report said Monday.

The population is forecast to decline from the current 127.7 million to 86.7 million by 2060 and to tumble again to 42.9 million by 2110 "if conditions remain unchanged", the health and welfare ministry said in the report.

The projections by the ministry's National Institute of Population and Social Security Research forecast that Japanese women would on average have just 1.35 babies, well below the replacement rate, within 50 years.

This file photo shows elderly people working out with wooden dumb-bells at the grounds of a temple in Tokyo. Japan's population is expected to shrink to a third of its current size over the next century, with the average woman living to over 90 within 50 years, according to a government report. (AFP Photo/Yoshikazu Tsuno)

The report said that last year's earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan, which left more than 19,000 people dead or missing, hit average life expectancy but that the figure was expected to continue its upward trend.

Japan's life expectancy -- one of the highest in the world -- is expected to rise from 86.39 years in 2010 to 90.93 years in 2060 for women and from 79.64 years to 84.19 years for men.

In September the government announced that the number of people aged 100 or older hit a record high for the 41st consecutive year.

The health ministry said 37 out of every 100,000 people in the country are now centenarians -- a total of more than 47,700, with 87 percent of them women. The figure was more than 3,300 higher than in 2010.

More than 20 percent of Japan's population are aged 65 or over, one of the highest proportions in the world.

Japan's population has been declining as many young people have put off starting families, seeing it as a burden on their lifestyles and careers. A slow economy has also discouraged young people from having babies.

Analysts say having a smaller population is not in itself a problem, as demonstrated by the economic and diplomatic successes of many European nations with far fewer people than Japan.

But an ageing population causes all manner of difficulties, most notably for Japan's government finances, already hard pressed by two decades of economic stagnation.

More retirees inevitably means more spending on social security when Japan's public debt, at twice GDP, is already one of the industrialised world's worst. ( AFP )

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The body is their canvas as hairy-backed men turn their fur into art

The body is their canvas as hairy-backed men turn their fur into art - People will call anything art these days.

It now appears to be as simple as being cursed - or blessed? - with a mound of thick, dark and unsightly back hair and shaving a pattern into it.

Less permanent than a tattoo and now proving to be just as popular, hairy back art, or HBA, is said to have started becoming a trend in Europe and is now catching on at this side of the Atlantic.

Back and proud: This fan doesn't need to splash out on a jersey to show his support for his team

Crop top: 20 is this man's magic number - and doesn't everyone know it

Previously, men would simply cover up their back fur - or better still - hot foot it down to a waxist and get that carpet stripped right off.

But now, never fear hairy-backed men, your body is your canvas.

Can't afford your favourite team's jersey? No problem, just shave your player's number and name into your back and hey presto - ready-made fan memorabilia.

And you don't even have to resort to using a razor to get the desired effect.

All one hairy Van Gogh lover needed was a bar of soap and some water and he had his own Starry Starry Night.

Art: Van Gogh may be turning in his grave at this man's replica of his famous work

Some people are lucky enough to not only be born with a hairy back but for that hair to only grow in some places rather than others - so no need for any type of 'manscaping'. It's like mother nature is your stylist.

Half finished: This man was fortunate enough to have natural back art on only one shoulder

Want to make a statement at a festival or concert? Why not make it on your back? It saves carrying a cumbersome flag or banner around.

Revellers' attention is sure to be drawn to your Chewbacca-like appearance from behind, so why not get that political statement across, and you might even make a few supporters in the process.

Ban the bombs: No need to carry a cumbersome flag or banner to get your political statement across

Burning Man: Protection from the heat at Nevada's most popular festival

HBA artist Shaveen Derriere, 25, told Yarp News: 'The back is a great canvas. And we artists can create beautiful masterpieces. My work is very spiritual. I like to think that they are crop circles for the soul.

'HBA has become the trendiest look for today’s modern man. And it is much cheaper than shaving.' ( dailymail.co.uk )

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Can Hollywood Afford to Make Films China Doesn't Like?

Can Hollywood Afford to Make Films China Doesn't Like? - In the 1997 film Seven Years in Tibet, the character of Austrian mountaineer Peter Aufschnaiter escapes an Indian POW camp and declares that he is heading for China to find work. His compatriot-in-arms, Heinrich Harrer, played by a sun-kissed, blue-eyed Brad Pitt, says he's skipping China and going to mountains of Tibet. Harrer goes on to cross the line that separates India from Tibet, where he makes a silver-screen connection with the Dalai Lama among the Chinese territory's fabled peaks. The American who played him, however, may never get to make the same trip: Pitt has reportedly been banned from entering China because of his role in the film, which paints a sympathetic portrait of the Dalai Lama.

Were this tale about the spiritual icon pitched to studio executives today, it might never have been made. The global box office plays an ever larger role in Hollywood's yearly revenues, and China has become a crucial player in that mix. China is now the fifth largest international box office, with earnings that have surged nearly tenfold since 2003. Last year alone, China's box-office earnings grew by 65%, raking in over $1.5 billion. American studio executives are paying attention: China was the second highest earnings market for Avatar, just behind the U.S., according to Artisan Gateway, a Chinese entertainment-business consultant firm. At CinemaCon in March, Warner Bros. International president Millard Ochs said he believed the country's box office would overtake the U.S. market within a decade.

Interestingly, China's audience for international films has grown despite myriad restrictions. China currently only allows 20 foreign titles to be screened domestically each year. While studios can lobby for their films to be included in that quota, there is no magic formula that guarantees distribution. China does not have a film-rating system, and all movies must secure government approval from government censors before being shown commercially. Still, there are some sure bets for a film not to make it past the censors. Controversial films or ones that contain questionable thematic elements, like horror films, are much less likely to make their way to China's screens, while films containing sensitive sociopolitical subjects like Tibet or Tiananmen Square are strictly taboo.

A movie that doesn't make the cut automatically loses out on the billions of renminbi China's audiences have to offer. In the late 1990s, Kundun, a biographical film about the 14th Dalai Lama's childhood, rankled Beijing for its negative portrayal of the Chinese government. The government went so far as to threaten all future business with Disney, which distributed the biopic. The situation was not resolved until Michael Ovitz himself, Disney's president at the time, privately visited Beijing to confer with then President Jiang Zemin. The unusual move proved to be worth it: earlier this year, Disney (and China) green-lighted a Shanghai Disneyland project that that will cost the Los Angeles–based company $3.7 billion to build.

Though China's irritation with Hollywood over films like Seven Years in Tibet and Kundun has subsided as Hollywood has steered clear of pro-Tibetan subject matter, the Communist Party's policy toward films and high-profile figures perceived as anti-Chinese remains very much the same. When Kung Fu Panda, a DreamWorks production, opened in Chinese theaters in 2008, it faced heavy criticism and nationwide boycott calls - not for its portrayal of a beloved national symbol but for the actions of DreamWorks' co-founder Steven Spielberg. Months earlier, Spielberg had dropped out as an artistic adviser to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing after unsuccessfully lobbying Hu Jintao to help bring an end Sudan's attack on Darfur. Hu did little to pressure Sudan despite the strong relationship between the two countries, and Spielberg withdrew his involvement from the Games. That same year, actress Sharon Stone insensitively remarked that the Sichuan earthquake, which killed tens of thousands of people, was China's "karma" for handling the 2008 Tibetan riots poorly. The comment sparked national outrage: advertising spots featuring the actress were promptly pulled, and all Stone movies are still banned from major theater chains.

Given China's position in the market, studios are making an effort to be more careful. Recently, MGM chose to remake a 1984 Cold War film entitled Red Dawn, for release later this year. The original story, which revolves around several American kids fighting a Soviet invasion, no longer made sense with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Originally, the studio chose China as the new threat, but potential distributors expressed concerns about taking the project on with China cast as villain. Instead of shelving the finished film, MGM digitally altered references to China, changing the perpetrator to North Korea. Tripp Vinson, one of the film's producers, told the Los Angeles Times: "We were initially very reluctant to make any changes. But after careful consideration we constructed a way to make a ... more dangerous Red Dawn that we believe improves the movie." Rance Pow, president of Artisan Gateway, says a lot of factors contribute to why Hollywood makes the movies it does, but acknowledges that studios "will be a bit selective in its slate submitted for the China market."

At the same time, Hollywood has been trying to market itself to Chinese tastes. The Green Hornet, which was released earlier this year, features Canadian funnyman Seth Rogen as the bumbling Green Hornet and Taiwan-born pop star Jay Chou as Kato, his capable sidekick. Chou, a colossal figure in the Asian music industry for well over a decade, is one of Asia's most popular performers. Unsurprisingly, given Chou's regional appeal, The Green Hornet was selected as one of the foreign films to be shown within Chinese theaters.

China's influence over Hollywood may increase drastically within the next few years. A World Trade Organization ruling recently found that China's 20-film quota violates international trade laws. China has agreed to lift the limit, and when it does, it has the potential to become an even bigger force than it already is. "How quickly China becomes the number two global market, and eventually number one, is strictly up to the government," says Ochs. But even when the quota is gone, China's policy on censorship is not likely to change - a fact that will encourage Hollywood to continue catering to its policies. As China makes its own movie market more open, the space for making films critical of the Asian powerhouse may continue to shrink. ( time.com )

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Happy mothers, happy children... but when dad is off-colour they're not bothered

Happy mothers, happy children... but when dad is off-colour they're not bothered - Next time your little ones are refusing to tidy their rooms or stick to their bedtimes, run this one past them.

Children are happiest when their mothers are happy, a study has found. Nearly three-quarters of children whose mothers are content with their relationship report feeling happy at home.

Mum's the word: The survey found that children are more likely to be happy if they know their mother is happy

But when their mothers are unhappy, only 55 per cent of youngsters are ‘completely satisfied’ with family life. In contrast, the research, revealed on Mother’s Day, found that a father’s happiness makes no difference to his offspring.

As part of the Understanding Society study, youngsters aged between ten and 15 in 40,000 UK families were asked how they felt about their home lives.

It revealed that relationships with mothers and fathers were the most important indicator of happiness, and that those living with two parents – either biological or step – were most content.

Fewer than three in ten children who argued with their parents more than once a week were completely happy at home.

Dr Maria Iacovou, of the Institute for Social and Economic Research, said: ‘These findings show that family relationships and the happiness of parents are key to the happiness of young people.’ ( dailymail.co.uk )

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Drumming up support for Tasmania's unsexy beast

Drumming up support for Tasmania's unsexy beast - Wildlife officials in Australia work on a PR makeover for the reviled Tasmanian devil, which faces extinction from a rare infectious cancer — It would appear to be one heck of a public relations challenge: Persuade the Australian public to care about a seldom-seen animal the size of a cocker spaniel, beady-eyed, standoffish and fond of displaying a mouthful of pointy teeth. Picture a skunk, with the jaws of an alligator and the charm of a weasel.

From a marketing standpoint, the Tasmanian devil is no koala.

But the pugnacious carnivore needs help. Scientists across Australia are working to untangle the genetic puzzle behind a fatal disease decimating the world's largest carnivorous marsupial. The affliction is straight out of a sci-fi movie: Tumors sprout around the devil's mouth, quickly morphing into bulbous red pustules that eventually take over the animal's entire face, leaving it unable to eat or drink.

Greg Irons, director of the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, is a passionate advocate for Tasmanian devils. He's raising 16 devils in quarantine that are free of the fatal Devil facial tumor disease. (Julie Cart, Los Angeles Times / January 13, 2011)

Alarmed by the threat to a species already on the brink of extinction, wildlife biologists here began tracking the disease 15 years ago. Early on, they identified how it spread: through facial bites when devils fight or mate. The disease had all the characteristics of a virus. But last year geneticists made a sobering discovery. Devil facial tumor disease, or DFTD, was no virus, but a highly infectious cancer — one of only three communicable cancers known to medicine.

That breakthrough piqued the interest of scientists. Though researchers say it is unlikely that humans could become infected with DFTD, the knowledge gleaned in research across Australia could prove invaluable should an infectious cancer appear among people.

The name Tasmanian devil conjures up images of the Looney Tunes character, a slightly daft and clumsy creature that does little more than whirl and slobber. Yet, in ways that surprise even themselves, Australians are rallying around this nasty, screeching beast that once was the most reviled animal in the country. There are foods and wines branded with the devil's likeness; bars and coffee shop signs feature caricatures of a snarling devil, as does the official logo of the Tasmania Parks & Wildlife Service. Schoolchildren study the creature and a visit to a devil sanctuary is a standard day trip for cruise ship passengers disembarking in Hobart.

Even if relatively few Australians have taken the time to see a devil at a zoo, and even fewer have spied one in the bush, they are getting the message: It may be a devil, but it's our devil. They're "a little Aussie fighter," suggested Kathy Belov, a molecular geneticist at the University of Sydney working to save the marsupial.

"There's something really adorable about little devils," she said.

There's also this. Wildlife stewards in Australia's island state of Tasmania have at least one biological crime to atone for: Conservationists worldwide haven't forgiven officials here for allowing the world's last remaining thylacine — the Tasmanian tiger — to die in a concrete cell in Hobart Zoo in 1936.

Wildlife officials have created a "Devil Ark," dispatching small groups of uninfected devils to zoos and sanctuaries around the state and mainland to establish an insurance population and stave off extinction. Researchers believe that without this massive intervention, wild devils could be gone in five years. Already, 90% of the known Tasmanian devil population is lost.

"No one, politicians to scientists, wants to lose the devil on their watch," Belov said. "Everyone is really desperate to make sure it doesn't happen."

::

Greg Irons strode briskly past the low-walled enclosures at the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, trailing a ragtag parade: Grandpa, the elderly kangaroo he picked up on the way out of the front office, Mavis the plump wombat, who insisted on being carried, and young Sam, here with his father to get a close look at a real Tasmanian devil.

"Wicked! That's awesome," the boy yelled, watching four devils amble around their pen. "Dad! Get a picture!"

Irons, director of the wildlife sanctuary carved into a hillside north of Hobart, is raising 16 devils in quarantine free from cancer. The goal is to prepare them to become part of Australia's insurance population, living in wildlife sanctuaries. Bonorong is one of the few facilities in the country where devils can be observed up close.

The affable Irons, 27, may be the devil's most ardent champion. He laughed as he watched four pudgy pups — Donny, Pee Wee, Millie and Chopper — chase one another, and described their individual personalities. As the devils clambered over him, occasionally nibbling on his fingertips, Irons assured that his charges were misunderstood.

"Their so-called hunting skills? Their eyesight goes to about 4 or 5 feet," he said. "Agility? They run like they're injured." Their top speed is about 9 mph.

It was the screaming in the dark bush land that doomed the marsupial, which has been on the most-wanted list for almost as long as it has been known. European settlers in the 19th century heard the devil's signature shrieks and saddled the animal with its unsympathetic name. Bounty hunters captured and poisoned the devils, natural scavengers, into near-extinction in the erroneous belief that they were attacking sheep and other livestock.

Devils are hardly finicky eaters — anything dead or rotting will do. Irons dangled an unrecognizable road kill animal into a pen, setting off a free-for-all. With a chorus of coughs, snorts and hissing, four hungry devils each chomped onto a body part and set off in different directions, making off with a hunk of fur, bone and meat. Their pink ears turned a vivid red, signaling, in this instance, excitement.

Tasmanian devils possess the most powerful jaws of any mammal in the world, capable of applying a ton of pressure per cubic foot. Their jaws crank open beyond 90 degrees. Their sharp front teeth are designed for ripping and their broad back teeth snap through bones with ease. Those oversized jaw muscles come with a tradeoff — inside their large heads reside tiny brains.

Irons, sporting a silver Tassie Devil belt buckle, emphasizes education to build public support and raise money for the animals. Bonorong has a 100% success rate in its captive breeding program, he said.

"I need the public's help in a big way," he said, absently stroking the flat head of a devil. "If people could see these animals the way I see them, we can save them."

::

Generally, when animal research commands significant governmental funding, it's a good bet there's something in it for humans. In this case, the devil's contribution to mankind is a rare opportunity to track the feints and machinations of a clever and deadly transmissible cancer.

Researchers are amazed at the facial tumor's ability to propagate. It is evolving, with more than a dozen mutations identified so far. Since the disease is parasitic and requires a live animal for transmission, geneticists speculate the mutations are a sign the cancer is evolving to coexist with its host, not kill it.

As yet, the cancer has not crossed to other species in the wild. But the possibility that humans could contract Devil facial tumor disease, while remote, is nonetheless chilling. "You can never say never, but it is a big leap," Belov said.

Those like Belov who study the disease say it is fascinating to try to outwit the cancer, a task made more difficult because of the lack of genetic diversity among devils. In part because they've been isolated on an island for hundreds of years, the gene pool for devils is increasingly shallow. Genetically, one devil resembles another, which means they all most likely have the same inability to develop a defense against the cancer. Infected animals die within three to six months of contracting the disease.

Belov and her lab full of graduate students in Sydney discovered one of the cancer's signatures. When the disease invades a host devil, it introduces a gene that lacks a protein that would identify that cell as coming from another animal. She refers to this stealth biological weapon as the "invisibility cloak," a metaphor that resonates with her Harry Potter-loving students.

"Usually, there are little flags, genetic information, on cells," Belov said. "In this case, the receptor immune system doesn't see any enemy flags. There's no response." The cancer becomes a Trojan horse, welcomed by the unsuspecting host.

Greg Woods, an immunologist at the University of Tasmania's medical school, believes that this particular cancer found a perfect host to ensure its survival. Sequestered in his lab in downtown Hobart, Woods and others have tried, with little success, to "wake up" the devils' immune system so the animals might fight the cancer on their own.

"We can produce an immune response in some devils," Woods said. "There have been some mini-breakthroughs, but mostly it's been a hard slog.

"This research alters the way you look at things. We've been trained to look at things one way, but then something comes along that breaks all the rules." ( .latimes.com )

READ MORE - Drumming up support for Tasmania's unsexy beast

Earth Hour Aims for Hope in Darkened World

Earth Hour Aims for Hope in Darkened World - Lights will go out around the world Saturday with hundreds of millions of people set to take part in the Earth Hour climate change campaign, which this year will also mark Japan’s earthquake and tsunami.

From across the Pacific, to Australia, Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas, iconic landmarks such as the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, New York’s Empire State building and the Eiffel Tower in Paris will go dark.

“Earth Hour is like a New Year’s Eve,” Earth Hour co-founder and executive director Andy Ridley told AFP from the group’s Sydney office.

“It’s meant to be a celebration — it’s a bit different this year because of the Japan stuff — but it’s meant to be about hope and the future.”

The full moon rises behind the statue of Mahathma Gandhi in Hyderabad on March 19, 2011. Full Moons vary in size because of the oval shape of the Moons orbit. It is an ellipse with one side (perigee) about 50,000 km closer to Earth than the other (apogee). Nearby perigee moons are about 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than lesser moons that occur on the apogee side of the Moons orbit. According to US Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. The full Moon of March 19 occurs less than one hour away from perigeea near-perfect coincidence that happens only 18 years or so

Ridley said in Sydney and other cities, some Earth Hour events would hold a minute’s silence to mark the devastating 9.0-magnitude quake and subsequent tsunami in Japan this month that left more than 25,000 people dead or missing.

The disaster followed a deadly earthquake in New Zealand’s Christchurch and massive floods in Australia in January, which devastated thousands of homes and ruined crops and infrastructure.

“It’s been a bad start to the year, and I guess it’s an opportunity to take a moment and think about that,” Ridley said, adding that the campaign had a different focus in every location and not all events would mention Japan’s catastrophe.

The Earth Hour movement, which aims to raise awareness about climate change by switching off lights for 60 minutes, hopes to bring people together to think about what they can do to reduce harmful carbon pollution blamed for rising temperatures.

Environmental group WWF International helped initiate Earth Hour in Sydney in 2007, and by 2010 the energy-saving event had grown to engage hundreds of millions of people in 4,616 cities and 128 countries and territories.

“We didn’t imagine right at the beginning... it would be on the scale that it is now,” said Ridley.

“And the fact that it is so cross-cultural, beyond borders and race and religion,” he added, saying the event would never have grown so successfully without social networking sites such as Facebook.

This year organisers are focussing on connecting people online so they can inspire each other to go beyond the hour and make commitments to help the environment in their daily lives.

To do this they have created an online platform connected to the 14 top social media sites around the world, including Facebook and Twitter, which people will be easily able to access from mobile phones. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard this week backed Earth Hour.

“Earth Hour has become a special symbol of the determination of so many people to make a difference,” said Gillard, who is facing stiff opposition to her plan to introduce a tax on carbon pollution in Australia.

Ridley said that despite the growth of the event, which organisers said was the largest voluntary action ever witnessed in 2010, the ideals of the global movement had not changed.

“When we first started this we were trying to effectively take the temperature, we were trying to prove or see whether, contrary to some commentators, whether or nor people cared (about climate change),” he said.

“I think there is a massive consensus for action, not just on climate change.

“The idea of this is not to engage in the ’why we can’t do anything’ debate but absolutely talk about what can be done.” The first lights going off Saturday will be in Fiji and New Zealand’s Chatham Islands, before cities and landmarks around the world follow suit.

Other iconic structures due to go dark include the Sydney Opera House, Indonesia’s National Monument, London’s Eye and Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer statue. ( AFP )

READ MORE - Earth Hour Aims for Hope in Darkened World

How humans got big brains, barbless penises

How humans got big brains, barbless penises - Missing chunks of DNA responsible for turning genes on and off help explain some key differences between chimpanzees and humans -- including why humans have big brains and why the human penis is not covered with prickly spines, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

The study, published in the journal Nature, reinforces the notion that genes that control the activity of other genes play a big role in what makes humans so different from other mammals.

To study this, David Kingsley of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Stanford University School of Medicine in California and colleagues compared the genetic code of humans to chimpanzees -- man's closest relative -- and other mammals.

They found 510 gene segments that are present in chimps and other mammals, but are missing in humans.

Nearly all of these were regulatory genes -- genetic switches that turn up or down the volume of nearby genes.

Then the team did a computer analysis to identify deleted DNA segments that were clustered around particular genes.

"We saw more changes than you would expect near genes involved in steroid hormone signalling," Kingsley said in a statement.

A number of deletions also appeared near genes involved in brain development.

The team kept narrowing the pool until they found a few dozen genes that they thought were involved in the evolution of particular human traits.

They found one of sections of DNA deleted in the human genome was responsible for producing sensory whiskers, such as those in mice, and prickly spines, like those found on the penises of many mammals.

"People are always surprised to hear that the penis of many organisms are covered with these spines," Kingsley said in a telephone interview.

He said penile spines, or barbs, are typically present in species that mate quickly, such as male chimpanzees who must compete to fertilise one or two receptive females.

These spines -- made from keratin, the protein found in fingernails -- often lie over sensory receptors, and some experiments suggest removing them makes copulation last longer.

For humans, losing these penile spines might have prolonged intercourse and helped make monogamous relationships a more attractive option, the team said.

Even more interesting to Kingsley, however, is that another of the DNA deletions was located near a gene that kept brain cell growth in check. The deletion of this DNA may have contributed to the development of larger brains in humans, he said.

Both of these traits may be related to meeting the reproductive needs of humans, which give birth to babies with large brains, requiring parents to mate in pairs -- at least long enough to care for their big-headed offspring.

"Pair bonding is good if you are trying to raise relatively helpless infants," Kingsley said.

More than just explaining physical differences in human evolution, however, the team hopes eventually to discover important physiological differences, including why humans are susceptible to diseases such as arthritis, cancer, malaria, HIV, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. ( yahoo.com )

READ MORE - How humans got big brains, barbless penises

How Japan's Tsunami Compares to History's Deadliest

How Japan's Tsunami Compares to History's Deadliest - An 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck 80 miles east of Japan's northern city of Sendai Friday, triggering a tsunami. The tsunami killed hundreds of people; many others are still missing. Japanese authorities expect the tsunami death toll to climb.

The earthquake in Japan triggered tsunami warnings not only for that country but for 50 others, including the U.S. The U.S. alert affects the west coast of the continental United States, including Alaska and Hawaii.

Friday's earthquake occurred in what is called the Japan Trench subduction zone and was the most intense to strike the area since 1973. An M7.8 earthquake in the Japan Trench killed three in 1994 while an M7.7 event killed 22 and injured more than 400 people in 1978. According to the USGS, foreshocks in the days before the quake included a 7.2 magnitude and three more measuring greater than M6, all on March 9.

As Japanese residents struggle to cope with the quake damage and brace for aftershocks, they are faced with the additional threat of flooding due to the tsunami.

Here's the rundown on tsunamis:

Toy lies in front of destroyed house - A toy lies in front of a destroyed house in the devastated city of Ofunato. Rescue teams from the US, Britain and China began assisting in the search for survivors following the devasting earthquake and ensuing tsunami on March 11

Tsunami at a Glance

A tsunami is a seismic sea wave, not a tidal wave as it is sometimes mistakenly called. Various underwater disturbances- including landslides, volcanic eruptions, and meteorite landings, in addition to earthquakes- can cause a tsunami.

Characteristics of Tsunami Waves

Tsunamis are fast moving, traveling at speeds of hundreds of miles per hour. When they slam into coastal areas, they can produce waves 100 feet or higher. Tsunami waves move outward in all directions from their origination point, increasing in height as they approach the shore.

Tsunami Risks

Drowning is the number one tsunami risk but there are others. Tsunamis can induce flooding, contaminate drinking water, and rupture gas lines and tanks, causing fires.

Tsunami Safety

"If you can see the wave you are too close to escape it," according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

A noticeable recession in the water away from the shoreline is "nature's tsunami warning," FEMA says. Anyone noticing such recession should move out of the area immediately.

When the tsunami subsides, flooding and contamination risks remain. Flooded and damaged areas should be avoided until emergency officials give the "all clear."

Deadliest Tsunamis in History

These tsunamis are among the deadliest in history:

• Indian Ocean tsunami, 2004: 150,00 killed or missing in 11 countries. This tsunami unleashed the energy equivalent of 23,000 atomic bombs, according to the USGS.
• Java, 1883: Krakatou volcano erupted, triggering tsunamis that killed 36,000 people.
• Honshu, Japan, 1896: 27,000 killed.
• Chile, 1868: 25,000 killed.
• Mindanao, Philippines, 1976: Between 5,000 and 8,000 killed.
• Chile, 1960: 2,300 killed.
• In the U.S., the deadliest tsunami occurred in Hawaii in 1946. 165 people, including school children, were killed when a tsunami wiped out Hilo's waterfront. The government established a Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii in the aftermath of that tsunami. ( news.yahoo.com )

READ MORE - How Japan's Tsunami Compares to History's Deadliest