Indian Satellite Explodes Soon After Take-Off

Indian-SateliteIn what was India’s second satellite launch failure this year, a rocket carrying an Indian communication satellite exploded soon after to take-off on Saturday. Just moments after the launch of the satellite television images show an exploding rocket in fire and smoke high above Sriharikota space center in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The failed rocket was carrying a GSAT-5P communication satellite into Earth’s orbit.

According to the chairman of the Indian Space Research organization K. Radhakrishnan the rocket developed a problem exactly 47 seconds after lift-off, when it also lost command. Due to the resulting higher angle there was higher stress on the vehicle, causing it to explode.

Back in April of this year a similar failure occurred when a rocket on a developmental flight crashed into the Bay of Bengal. Excessive pressure and thermal problems most likely caused the rotor to seize and the turbine casing to break apart, leading to the crash.

Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Anemia is a relatively common condition, one which causes weakness and fatigue due to lack of iron in the blood. There are other, less common types of anemia as well, such as pernicious anemia and vitamin B12 deficiency.
vitamin-B12This deficiency can be caused by lack of the vitamin in the diet, or the inability of the body to absorb it once it is consumed. Vegans and vegetarians are the most likely to lack this vitamin, as it is found primarily in animal products such as meat and eggs. The vitamin is water soluble, and must be ingested daily in order to avoid deficiency. When the body is unable to absorb the vitamin, it is often a result of a condition in the small intestine, such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease or surgery. Intrinsic factor, a protein produced by the stomach, is necessary for the absorption of the vitamin. A lack of this protein may be a result of a surgical procedure, an autoimmune response or a hereditary inability to produce it.

Vitamin B12 is involved in many processes in the body, mainly the production of red blood cells. A lack of red blood cells as a result of B12 deficiency can lead to a serious complication called pernicious anemia. The most common symptoms of vitamin b12 deficiency include very pale skin, shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness, headaches, a sore or tingly tongue, cold extremities and heart palpitations. The deficiency can also affect the gastrointestinal tract and result in an enlarged liver, nausea, heartburn, abdominal bloating, loss of appetite and weight loss. If the condition is left untreated, it can result in nerve damage as well, which can be identified by numbness and tingling in the extremities, unsteadiness, confusion, depression, memory loss and dementia.

Shea Butter Found to Be Hypoallergenic

Shea butter can be found in a huge number of materials, ranging from diaper cream to types of paper. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers shea nuts (from which the butter is made) to be tree nuts- potential allergens.

The proteins in peanuts and other tree nuts are what cause the allergic reaction. In people who are allergic, the immune system considers the proteins to be dangerous and launches an attack, resulting in an allergic reaction. These can be both mild and severe, the latter often resulting in the failure of airways. Around two million Americans are allergic to some type of tree nut, but the number of allergy-linked deaths is small; around twelve each year.

The issue of shea butter arose when a pediatrician named Dr. Kanwaljit K. Chawla questioned the safety of most baby products. “I was looking up baby products and realized that many of the ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ products contained shea butter, including wipes, diaper creams, baby lotion and nipple cream for breastfeeding mothers. I saw that the FDA listed shea nut as something to avoid if you are allergic to tree nuts, but shea is in everything. How is it possible to avoid it?” She explained.

The nuts are mostly fat, but the doctor and her colleagues decided to run a few tests. They extracted the miniscule amount of protein found in shea nuts, and added it to blood samples taken from a number of people with known tree-nut allergies. The immune system did not respond, implying that although shea nuts should in theory trigger an allergic reaction, the immune system does not recognize it as a nut protein.

Linux Geek Shopping List Continued

Well, it’s less than a week to go and your Linux geek is still gift-less. Here are some more ideas to wrap up the year for your very special geek, with love.

1. A great place to look for some unusual but sure-to-please Linux related gifts is CafePress. How about a customized Christmas stocking. This clever item reads: “There are 10 kinds of people: Those who understand binary, and those who don’t.” Don’t think about that one too long. $12.

2. Is your FOSS friend a fan of Android? Then a real cute Android robot doll might be just the ticket. Get it from Etsy for $20.

3. I hope I am not giving away too much by saying that this gift is my personal favorite: “Computer Engineer Barbie.” Yes, she knows the code, punches it out despite her non-ergonomic arms and impossibly long legs that reach into the office next door. She even has a fashionable binary-coded t-shirt, a Bluetooth, smart phone, and a hot pink laptop. Only $13. Grab one before Barbie goes to law school.

New Study of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Recent studies have shown that people who lead a healthier lifestyle as they develop are less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD), one of the main causes of sight impairment in older adults.

Exercise, a healthy diet and lack of smoking are all key factors. Combined, these habits, and the risk of AMD is lowered by over 70%. Julie Mares of the University of Wisconsin in Madison explained that “we don’t need to be passive victims of these ravages of old age. Relatively small things could make a difference.”

Mares recommends 10 hours of light exercise per week. This can include housework, gardening and walking. 8 hours of moderate exercise are just as effective.