Month: October 2013

Security, privacy key inhibitors to cloud growth: Study

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Cloud computing is enabling unprecedented innovations in technology, like bring your own device (BOYD), but security and privacy issues are key inhibitors to cloud growth, a study by technology giants Cisco and Intel revealed.

According to study on impact of Cloud on IT consumption models, commissioned by Cisco and Intel, the explosive growth of Internet has led to about 10 billion devices connected to the Net, which will rise to around 50 billion by 2020.

UK offers AP to impart latest technologies in energy efficiency

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The United Kingdom Government has agreed for collaboration with Andhra Pradesh Government for sharing the latest technologies/best practices in Energy Efficiency to enable the State to achieve the desired goals of energy savings of around 15000 MU per annum worth about Rs 7,500 Crore.

It’s official! Lesbians hold hands better

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A new study has confirmed that lesbians do hold hands better.

In the study, researchers examined factors that affect hand holding in lesbian couples.

You may not know this but hand holding is one of the most primitive forms of powerplay between humans.

There’s the person who initiates the hand hold, or the hand shake, and there’s the person who slides in to make their hand fit.

Mars spacecraft shipped out of Bangalore for Oct 28 mission

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India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) spacecraft was shipped out of the city today for the October 28 launch from the Sriharikota spaceport, setting the stage for final preparations for the odyssey to the red planet.

“It was put in a special container where we have the monitoring of the environment inside”, an official of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) told PTI here.

Facebook to allow promotion of brands through `mobile app ads`

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Facebook is reportedly expanding its advertising service to the mobile apps platform by allowing app developers to promote a certain brand, in a bid to further its mobile business.

The social media giant’s mobile app ads that allow companies to promote their mobile apps to Facebook”s 1.15 billion users will include new capabilities designed to boost the amount of time that consumers use the third-party apps.

Google’s proposal of modifying search results may help end EU antitrust case

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Google has reportedly proposed a change to how it displays its internet search results, which could possibly help it settle a long-running antitrust case with the European Union.

The search giant has been under EU’s radar for three years over complaints that it was blocking competitors in the search results.

According to stuff.co.nz, Google had proposed concessions in September to end the case which could otherwise lead to a fine of up to 5 billion dollars, making up for 10 percent of its global revenue.

Sweden best country to grow old in: UN report

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The United Nations’ has reportedly ranked Sweden as the best country in the world where the elderly have adequate social and economic support.

According to the UN-backed global study, The Global Age Watch Index that examined the quality life of the elderly in 91 nations, Sweden, Norway and Germany made to the top of the list while Afghanistan was rated as the worst place for the elderly.

The study found that as people are graying faster than before; the population is not ready to take of their needs, the BBC reports.

Pakistan `worst place` for elderly: UN report

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Pakistan has been ranked the lowest in the UN’s Global Age Watch Index that studied which nations around the world are well prepared to support the elderly.

The UN-backed global study, The Global Age Watch Index that examined the quality life of the elderly in 91 nations, Sweden, Norway and Germany made to the top of the list while Afghanistan and Pakistan were rated as the worst places for the elderly.

According to the Daily Times, the study found that the population of the elderly is expected to outnumber the population of 15-year-olds by 2050 for the first time ever.

`Viral` Facebook apology fails to win back cheating husband his wife

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A cheating husband had vowed to win back his wife by virtually apologizing for his one-night stand. Although, the Facebook post went viral with more than 15,000 likes, the wife has reportedly backtracked from her promise of reuniting even after the criteria of a minimum 10,000 likes was met.

Ivan Lewis was forced to pose with an ‘I cheated on my wife (and she was ugly!)’ sign on Facebook and his former partner Sonya Gore had promised to take him back if his picture received more than 10,000 likes.

Proposed law may force Apple to supply standard chargers like rivals

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Tech giant Apple could be forced to supply same chargers that are manufactured by its rivals as the MEPs voted in favour of microUSBs being made industry standard.

Apple has been manufacturing its exclusive chargers for its devices, which were not compatible with devices made by rival companies.

However, with the MEPs’ decision on a consumer protection committee in favour of the universal one-size-fits-all charger could force the company to follow the norm in Europe, metro.co.uk reports.

Newlands cricket bosses `nervous` at `impasse` over India-South Africa series

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Cricket bosses at the Newlands stadium in Cape Town, South Africa are reportedly nervous over the fate of the controversial, headline Indian cricket tour of South Africa set to begin from November this year.

Newlands is traditionally the biggest ”gold mine” in terms of spectator numbers, particularly for Test matches, and had initially been anticipating one of the busiest seasons of international activity at the venue in many years with the India tour.

South Asians at lesser risk of death from heart diseases than East Asians

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A new research has found that the association between body fat and mortality due to cardiovascular disease differs between south and east Asians.

The NYU Langone Medical Center and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center researchers found that a high body-mass index (BMI), a measure of body fat based on height and weight, is a weak risk factor for death among South Asians due to cardiovascular disease.

Popping `the Pill` may not lead to depression in women

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Young women using hormone-based contraceptives in a new research, including the Pill, were no more likely to be depressed than other women.

In fact, the women in their 20s and 30s on hormonal contraceptives had fewer symptoms of depression than their peers using other types of contraception or no contraception at all, Fox News reported.

Pistorius hires US forensic experts to prove `innocence` in Steenkamp murder trial

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Murder-charged Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius has reportedly hired US forensic experts in a bid to prove that the death of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp was a ”tragic accident”.

The investigators has searched through the Pretoria mansion where Steenkamp died on Valentine”s Day this year after being reportedly shot by the Blade Runner, who claimed he thought that she was a burglar. According to the Mirror, Pistorius is hoping that the team can unearth evidence supporting his defence when he goes on trial in March,

70 Nepalese workers died in 2022 World Cup preparations in Qatar since 2012: Report

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70 Nepalese builders working in the preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar have died in construction sites since the start of 2012, according to a death toll announced by Nepal government representatives in Doha.

The death toll figures, which are the clearest official data yet on the dangers facing 1.2 million migrant workers in Qatar during the 100 billion-dollar construction drive before the 2022 World Cup, also revealed that 15 of those workers have died this year.

Salman Khan is my favorite actor: Miss Universe Olivia Culpo

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Miss Universe Olivia Culpo has revealed that she is a big fan of actor Salman Khan.

During an exclusive interview with ANI, the 21-year old American beauty pageant titleholder said, “I love Bollywood movies and Salman Khan is my favorite”.

Culpo, who is currently on a 10-day visit to India to create awareness on social issues such as girl child, female infanticide and women empowerment, also admitted that she would love to star in a Bollywood movie.

ANI

Smoking during pregnancy may raise bipolar disorder risk in kids

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A study has suggested that pregnant women who smoke could be putting their child at an increased risk of bipolar disorder (BD).

Researchers at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and the Department of Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, in collaboration with scientists at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, California, evaluated offspring from a large cohort of pregnant women who participated in the Child Health and Development Study (CHDS) from 1959-1966.

Motivation key to keeping memory sharp during retirement

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Researchers have suggested that motivation is a key factor to keep your memory sharp after you retirement.

The new study found that the more a person seeks out and enjoys cognitively demanding activities, the less likely they are to experience cognitive decline later in life.

Another finding of the study is that doing a variety of different cognitive activities helps boost brainpower post-retirement.

And lastly, people exhibiting even mild signs of depression are more likely to show a decline in brainpower once they leave the office for good.

New breakthrough in photonics to usher era of `faster` electronics

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Researchers have made a breakthrough in the field of silicon photonics which could help in the development of faster electronics.

The research team, led by University of Colorado Boulder researcher Milos Popovic, an assistant professor of electrical, computer and energy engineering, developed a new technique that allows microprocessors to use light, instead of electrical wires, to communicate with transistors on a single chip, a system that could lead to extremely energy-efficient computing and a continued skyrocketing of computing speed into the future.

DV Act: HC seeks case papers of complaint against Dimple Kapadia

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The Bombay High Court has directed the city police to produce before it case papers pertaining to a complaint lodged by Anita Advani, who claims to have been the live-in partner of late actor Rajesh Khanna, against Khanna`s wife Dimple Kapadia and her family.

Justice Sadhana Jadhav was hearing a petition filed by Dimple and others seeking quashing of the case under the Domestic Violence Act.

Genes associated with `unhealthy` liver function identified

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Researchers have identified genes associated with unhealthy liver function.

The study was conducted by Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and done in conjunction with the Geisinger Health System,

The study – Genome-wide analysis identifies loci associated with total bilirubin levels, steatosis, and mild fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease — looked at how genomic factors affect the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Honoured to work with the Kapoor clan: Pallavi Sharda

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Australia-born Indian actress Pallavi Sharda says she is fortunate to share screen space with Ranbir Kapoor as well as his parents Rishi and Neetu Kapoor in upcoming film ‘Besharam’.

The actress, who has done bit roles in films like ‘My Name Is Khan’, ‘Heroine’ among others, said she never anticipated that her hard work would pay off in a mainstream launch opposite such big names from Bollywood.

Cancer has an answer, say Manisha Koirala, Yuvraj Singh

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In a joint effort to raise awareness about cancer, Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala and Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh Tuesday evening pepped up millions of people affected with the ailment, asserting “If we can, you can”.

Rejecting the notion “cancer has no answer”, both Koirala and Yuvraj Singh valiantly fought and overcame the life-threatening cancer.

The Bollywood actress and the aggressive left-handed batsman spoke about the traumatic moment when they came to know of their affliction, followed by agonising and tough treatment process, but finally – the victory over cancer.

Stardom will never consume my soul: AR Rahman

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He is one of the few Indians to have won two Grammy awards and two Academy Awards, yet he retains the humility of a common man. Celebrated Indian singer-composer AR Rahman, also known by the sobriquet `Mozart of Madras`, says he can never let stardom consume him.

“I was a common man and I will always remain a common man. No amount of stardom will ever consume my soul. Money comes, money goes. Fame comes, fame goes. I believe every human being is a celebrity in their own right,” the 46-year-old said.

Exercise as effective as popping pills to beat disease

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Researchers have claimed that exercise should be considered as a viable alternative to, or alongside, drug therapy for treating common diseases.

Researchers based at the London School of Economics, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute at Harvard Medical School and Stanford University School of Medicine set out to compare the effectiveness of exercise versus drugs on mortality across four conditions (secondary prevention of coronary heart disease, rehabilitation of stroke, treatment of heart failure and prevention of diabetes).