Teacher arrested for sexually assaulting 6-year-old girl in Bangalore

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Bangalore: A teacher was on Friday arrested for the alleged sexual assault of a six-year-old girl at a school in Bangalore, as protests erupted with parents demanding answers from the institution which was found to have flouted safety norms.

The teacher, detained for questioning after the complaint was lodged on Thursday by the victim’s mother, was arrested after he admitted to his guilt during “thorough” questioning, police officials said.

“He has been arrested,” Joint Commissioner of Police Hemant Nimbalkar told PTI. Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Alok Kumar, “We have thoroughly questioned him.” Police are “fairly sure” about the detained person’s involvement, Kumar said, adding “the person is a teacher in the school; he has been with the school for a long time.

We have questioned him and he has admitted to his guilt.” The girl, studying in the first standard, was allegedly sexually assaulted twice by the accused on 28 and 29 October within the school premises.

Police had booked a case under Sections 376 of IPC and 5 and 6 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012. Sec 376 of IPC relates to rape and Sections 4 and 6 of POCSO Act to punishment for penetrative sexual assault and punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault, respectively.

Meanwhile, protest broke out in front of the school, where parents and other social organisations demanded answers from its authorities and that police handover the accused to them. Kumar said the school had not implemented safety measures prescribed by the authorities.

Why scratching makes an itch worse

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Washington: Scratching an itch only makes it worse but you cannot resist that urge to scratch more? Blame it on the brain.

According to a research, scratching causes the brain to release a hormone called serotonin which intensifies the itch sensation.

"The problem is that when the brain gets those pain signals, it responds by producing the neurotransmitter serotonin to help control that pain," said senior investigator Zhou-Feng Chen, director of the centre for the study of itch at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

As serotonin spreads from the brain into the spinal cord, we found the chemical can "jump the tracks, moving from pain-sensing neurons to nerve cells that influence itch intensity", Chen added.

As part of the study, the researchers bred a strain of mice that lacked the genes to make serotonin.

When those genetically-engineered mice were injected with a substance that normally makes the skin itch, the mice did not scratch as much as normal mice.

But when the genetically-altered mice were injected with serotonin, they scratched as mice would be expected to in response to compounds designed to induce itching.

"Itch and pain signals are transmitted through different but related pathways," Chen maintained.

Scratching can relieve itch by creating minor pain. But when the body responds to pain signals, that response actually can make itching worse, the team wrote.

But it is not practical to try to treat itching by trying to block the release of serotonin as it is involved in growth, ageing, bone metabolism and in regulating mood.

"Instead, it might be possible to interfere with the communication between serotonin and nerve cells in the spinal cord that specifically transmit itch," Chen suggested.

The findings were reported in the journal Neuron.

Petrol price cut by Rs 2.41 per litre, diesel by Rs 2.25 eet

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New Delhi: Petrol price was today cut by Rs. 2.41 per litre, while that of diesel was reduced by Rs. 2.25 per litre.

The revised prices with take effect from midnight.

Why scratching makes an itch worse

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Washington: Scratching an itch only makes it worse but you cannot resist that urge to scratch more? Blame it on the brain.

According to a research, scratching causes the brain to release a hormone called serotonin which intensifies the itch sensation.

'The problem is that when the brain gets those pain signals, it responds by producing the neurotransmitter serotonin to help control that pain,' said senior investigator Zhou-Feng Chen, director of the centre for the study of itch at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

As serotonin spreads from the brain into the spinal cord, we found the chemical can 'jump the tracks, moving from pain-sensing neurons to nerve cells that influence itch intensity', Chen added.

As part of the study, the researchers bred a strain of mice that lacked the genes to make serotonin.

When those genetically-engineered mice were injected with a substance that normally makes the skin itch, the mice did not scratch as much as normal mice.

But when the genetically-altered mice were injected with serotonin, they scratched as mice would be expected to in response to compounds designed to induce itching.

'Itch and pain signals are transmitted through different but related pathways,' Chen maintained.

Scratching can relieve itch by creating minor pain. But when the body responds to pain signals, that response actually can make itching worse, the team wrote.

But it is not practical to try to treat itching by trying to block the release of serotonin as it is involved in growth, ageing, bone metabolism and in regulating mood.

'Instead, it might be possible to interfere with the communication between serotonin and nerve cells in the spinal cord that specifically transmit itch,' Chen suggested.

The findings were reported in the journal Neuron.

IANS

Govt considers ban on e-cigarettes, sale of single smokes

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New Delhi: The government is considering a ban on electronic cigarettes over the risks to public health that they may cause, a senior Health Ministry official told Reuters.

The World Health Organization (WHO) in August called for stiff regulation of e-cigarettes as well as bans on indoor use, in the latest bid to control the booming $3 billion global market.

Such devices use battery-powered cartridges to produce a nicotine-laced vapour but there is a lack of long-term scientific research that confirms they are safe. Some critics fear they could lead to nicotine addiction and tobacco smoking.

'We see it as a backdoor entry, it doesn't have tobacco but it has nicotine,' said the official, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter.

'Expert panels have recommended regulation or a ban. India cannot regulate easily,' the official added, saying that the government would consider the ban in the next month or two.

The European Union has agreed to requirements around advertising and packaging to ensure the safety and quality of e-cigarettes. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has proposed banning sales to anyone under 18.

Up to 900,000 Indians die every year of tobacco-related diseases, and that number could reach 1.5 million by 2020 if users do not kick the habit, the International Tobacco Control Project estimates.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is taking several steps to curb India's tobacco consumption. It has increased taxes on tobacco products and ordered companies to print more health warnings on packages.

SINGLE BAN?

While most e-cigarettes are imported and sold by small firms, India's largest cigarette maker ITC started selling the devices in August.

ITC did not comment directly on the likely ban, but said India should not be left behind in technology development of such products.

India has also proposed a ban on the sale of single conventional cigarettes. The official said the ministry had proposed amendments to tobacco control laws and a cabinet note had been circulated for comments.

Indians smoked more than 100 billion cigarettes in 2012, according to Euromonitor International, and it is common for vendors to sell them individually.

The WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control states that countries 'shall endeavour' to prohibit such sales as it makes them more affordable for minors. India is a party to the convention.

A single cigarette costs about 10 rupees (16 cents) in the capital, New Delhi, compared with a pack of 20 that costs 190 rupees ($3).

ITC declined to comment on the proposed ban. The Tobacco Institute of India (TII), an industry body, said the proposed law would not be easily enforceable and would lead to retailers being harassed.

REUTERS

Are you sleeping with your smartphone?

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New York: A considerable number of people take their smartphones with them to bed - some even holding them in their hands as they dream, said a survey.

According to a latest survey by California-based QR Code Press magazine, 53 percent of respondents said they regularly took their smartphones with them when they went to bed.

QR Code Press released the results of a new mobile technology survey it had conducted to examine certain behaviours with regards to smartphone use, such as taking their devices to bed with them.

While five percent of them noted that they have fallen asleep with their device in their hand, two percent claimed to have texted someone while they were asleep.

According to a Nielsen study, the average American was already spending 34 hours and 21 minutes per month on mobile technology devices.

Some have even interrupted their sleep to make use of their mobile device, most often for social media purposes.

IANS

HC partially upholds liquor policy, allows four-star bars to operate

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Kochi: The Kerala High Court, on Thursday, partially upheld the liquor policy announced by the UDF government.

While ruling in favour of the government decision to wind up the operations of the two and three star bars, the court wanted the government to allow functioning of four-star bars along with five-star hotels.

With this verdict delivered by Justice K Surendra Mohan, as many as 261 bars currently functioning in the state have to down their shutters. However, the order fails to mention the date of closure.The court issued the order after considering a total of 83 petitions filed by various parties.

The HC noted the government failed to consider the recommendations of the Justice M Ramachandran committee while framing the new liquor policy.

The government had earlier decided to permit operations of five-star bars and heritage bars. Citing the Supreme Court order isiued in 2012, the court wanted the four-star and heritage hotels be treated on par with five-star hotels.

Now, a total of 62 bars, comprising 33 four-star, 21 five-star and eight heritage bars, can function in the state.

Aiming to implement a total prohibition, the government had cancelled the licences given to 418 bars and decided to shut down the operations of the remaining bars on September 12.

The Kerala Bar Hotel Owners Association moved the Kerala High Court, which Sep 3 upheld the government's decision. The association sought relief from the Supreme Court, which sent it back to the high court.

The government wanted to close down 712 bars in the state, except those having five-star status. Among them, 33 four-star bars can now continue to function.

Thursday's verdict has come as a partial relief to the government.

Talking to media, Chief minister Oommen Chandy said the verdict is an approval of the liquor policy brought forth by the state government.

The association has announced that it would go in appeal against the verdict while state Excise Minister K. Babu said this verdict is no setback to the State government's liquor policy.

'Now we will study the verdict and decide the next course of action,' said Babu.

State Congress president V.M. Sudheeran welcomed the verdict and said it has upheld the liquor policy of the state government.

'Now we will see what we can do to bring the four-star hotel bars also out of the present list and for that we will seek legal recourse,' said Sudheeran.

Employees working in a three-star hotel in the state capital said this is a sad day for them.

'If the media reports on the verdict are to be believed, we are so sad and we are left with no job. I have been in this industry for the past quarter of a century as a waiter in a bar restaurant,' said a waiter.

Meanwhile, the state government has already begun talks with trade union leaders for devising a rehabilitation package for the registered employees working in the bars that will now be closed.

'One round of talks is over and very soon we will have a second round. We have asked the stake holders to come out with their suggestions,' said Babu.

(with inputs from agencies)

Any physical activity is good for brain health

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Toronto: Exercise boosts brain health and researchers have now found that the elderly and sedentary who cannot think of hitting the gym for physical activity may improve their brain health by doing any activity they like.

'I would like seniors to remember that they have the power to improve their physical and cognitive health at any age and that they have many avenues to reach this goal,' said Nicolas Berryman from Institut universitaire de geriatrie de Montreal (IUGM) in Canada.

The study compared the effects of different training methods on the cognitive functions of people aged 62 to 84 years.

Two groups were assigned a high-intensity aerobic and strength-training programme, whereas the third group performed tasks that targeted gross motor activities (coordination, balance, ball games, locomotive tasks and flexibility). They performed activities that can easily be done at home.

While the aerobics and strength-training were the only exercises that led to physical fitness improvements after 10 weeks, all three groups showed equivalent improvement in cognitive performance.

'Our new findings suggest that structured activities that aim to improve gross motor skills can also improve executive functions, which decline as we age,' Berryman said.

People use executive functions to plan, organise, develop strategies, pay attention to and remember details, and manage time and space.

The study was published in the journal AGE (American Aging Association).

IANS

LDC probability list published

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 Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Public Service Commission has published the LD clerk probability list for appointments to various departments in 14 districts. The candidates can access the list by logging on to www.keralapsc.gov.in 

Nearly 26,000 candidates are included in the main list while the supplementary list accommodates double the number of candidates. The one-time registration for the candidates will start on November 17.

The cut-off marks for various districts are as follows:

Thiruvananthapuram: 66.33
Kollam: 64.33
Pathanamthitta: 48.00
Alappuzha: 61.33
Idukki: 58.00
Kottayam: 61.00
Ernakulam: 60.00
Thrissur: 63.00
Palakkad: 58.67
Malappuram: 62.00
Kozhikode: 47.00
Wayanad: 49.67
Kannur: 52.67
Kasargod: 48.00

Sleep disturbances linked to higher Alzheimer's risk in men

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 London: Elderly men with self-reported sleep disturbances run a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than men without self-reported sleep disturbances, says a study.

'We demonstrate that men with self-reported sleep disturbances run a 1.5-fold higher risk to develop Alzheimer's disease than those without reports of sleep disturbances during a 40-year follow-up period,' said lead researcher Christian Benedict from Uppsala University in Sweden.

'The later the self-reported sleep disturbance was found the higher the risk was for developing Alzheimer's disease,' Benedict added.

The researchers followed more than 1,000 men, who were initially 50 year old, between the years 1970 and 2010.

The data suggest that a regular good night's sleep could support brain health in men.

'These findings suggest that strategies aimed at improving sleep quality in late life may help reduce the risk to develop Alzheimer's disease,' Benedict pointed out.

The researchers also pointed out that several lifestyle factors, such as exercise, can influence the brain's health.

'Thus, it must be borne in mind that a multifaceted lifestyle approach comprising good sleep habits is essential for maintaining brain health as you age', Benedict stressed.

The results appeared in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia.

IANS

Infants know what your eyes tell

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New York: The ability to respond to eye cues develops during infancy - at seven or so months, finds research.

'Our study provides developmental evidence for the notion that humans possess specific brain processes that allow them to automatically respond to eye cues,' said study co-author Tobias Grossmann from University of Virginia.

The eye white, or how much of it is shown and at what angle, plays a role in the social and cooperative interactions among humans.

For example, while wide-open eyes exposing a lot of white indicate fear or surprise, a thinner slit of exposed eye such as when smiling expresses happiness or joy.

For the study, the researchers used electroencephalography (EEG) to measure the brain activity of seven-month-old infants while showing images of eyes wide open, narrowly opened, and with direct or averted gazes.

They found that the infants' brains responded differently depending on the expression suggested by the eyes they viewed.

They viewed the eye images for only 50 milliseconds - which is much less time than needed for an infant of this age to consciously perceive this kind of visual information.

'Like adults, infants are sensitive to eye expressions of fear and direction of focus, and that these responses operate without conscious awareness,' Grossmann pointed out.

'The existence of such brain mechanisms in infants likely provides a vital foundation for the development of social interactive skills in humans,' Grossmann added.

The study appeared online in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

IANS

Radiation exposure ups aggressive thyroid cancer risk

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   New York: Nuclear power plant accidents could be devastating and researchers have now found that exposure to radioactive iodine is associated with more aggressive forms of thyroid cancer.

'Our group has previously shown that exposures to radioactive iodine significantly increase the risk of thyroid cancer in a dose-dependent manner,' said lead author of the study Lydia Zablotska from University of California San Francisco.

'The new study shows that radiation exposures are also associated with distinct clinical features that are more aggressive,' Zablotska added.

For the study, the researchers carefully examined nearly 12,000 people in Belarus who were exposed when they were children or adolescents to fallout from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident.

Researchers examined thyroid cancers diagnosed up to two decades after the Chernobyl accident and found that higher thyroid radiation doses estimated from measurements taken shortly after the accident were associated with more aggressive tumor features.

Zablotska said the findings have implications for those exposed to radioactive iodine fallout from the 2011 nuclear reactor incidents in Fukushima, Japan, after the reactors were damaged by an earthquake-induced tsunami.

'Those exposed as children or adolescents to the fallout are at highest risk and should probably be screened for thyroid cancer regularly, because these cancers are aggressive, and they can spread really fast,' Zablotska said.

The study is appearing in the journal Cancer.

IANS

Errors sharpen memory while learning

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Toronto: Committing mistakes while learning can benefit the memory and lead one to come up with the correct answer, but only if the guess is a near miss, a research revealed.

'Making random guesses does not appear to benefit later memory for the right answer but near-miss guesses act as stepping stones for retrieval of the correct information - and this benefit is seen in younger and older adults,' said lead investigator Andree-Ann Cyr from the Baycrest Health Sciences' Rotman Research Institute and the University of Toronto.

In the latest study, 65 healthy younger adults (average age 22) and 64 healthy older adults (average age 72) learned target words like rose, based either on the semantic category it belongs to (a flower) or its word stem (a word that begins with the letters 'ro').

For half of the words, participants were given the answer right away ('the answer is rose') and for the other half, they were asked to guess before seeing the answer (a flower: 'is it tulip? or ro___ : is it rope?').

The researchers wanted to know if participants would be better at remembering rose if they had made wrong guesses prior to studying it rather than seeing it right away.

They found that remembering improved if participants' learnt on the basis of categories (a flower).

Guessing made memory worse when words were learned based on word stems (ro___).

This was the case for both younger and older adults.

'This is because our memory organises information based on how it is conceptually rather than lexically related to other information,' Cyr added.

For example, when you think of the word pear, your mind is more likely to jump to another fruit, such as apple, than to a word that looks similar, such as peer.

The latest research provides evidence that trial-and-error learning can benefit memory in both young and old, when errors are meaningfully related to the right answer. And can harm memory when they are not.

The paper appeared in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition.

IANS

Scientists grow functioning vessel with two tablespoons of blood

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London: In a path-breaking research, a team of Swedish researchers has successfully grown brand new blood vessels with just two tablespoons of blood in a flat seven days.

Just three years ago, a patient at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, University of Gothenburg, received a blood vessel transplant grown from her own stem cells.

In the new procedure, the blood vessel transplant was carried out in two young children who did not have the vein that goes from the gastrointestinal tract to the liver.

'Once again we used the stem cells of the patients to grow a new blood vessel that would permit the two organs to collaborate properly,' claimed Michael Olausson, surgeon and medical director of the transplant center and professor at Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg.

Along with Suchitra Sumitran-Holgersson, professor of transplantation biology at Sahlgrenska Academy, Olausson planned and carried out the procedure.

This time, they found a novel way to extract stem cells that did not necessitate taking them from the bone marrow.

The new method involved taking 25 millilitre (approximately two tablespoons) of blood, the minimum quantity needed to obtain enough stem cells.

'The blood itself accelerated growth of the new vein. The entire process took only a week as opposed to a month in the first case. The blood contains substances that naturally promote growth,' Sumitran-Holgersson said.

Professors Olausson and Sumitran-Holgersson have treated three patients so far.

Two of the three patients are still doing well and have veins that are functioning as they should.

In the third case, the child is under medical surveillance.

The study appeared in the journal EbioMedicine.

IANS

Selfie' to cure skin problems

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 New York: If you have a skin problem, taking a selfie of the affected area and sending it to your dermatologist for analysis is a good idea.

According to a research, selfies can help identify and cure skin problems, like eczema, without fuss, for patients who live in rural areas or those who have transportation problems.

The study, led by April Armstrong from the University of Colorado, Denver, in the US, included 156 adults and children with eczema: 78 received typical in-person, follow-up care, while 78 received online, follow-up care.

The patients in the online care group sent photos of skin outbreaks to dermatologists who evaluated the photos, made treatment recommendations and prescribed medications.

After one year, clearance or near-clearance of eczema was achieved by almost 44 percent of patients who received in-person care and more than 38 percent of those who received online care only.

'It shows that online dermatology services could help improve access to care at a time when there are not enough dermatologists to meet demand,' said Armstrong.

'This study shows something interesting - patients' eczema improved regardless whether they saw the doctor for follow-up in the office or communicated online,' added Gary Goldenberg, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City.

The study appeared in the journal JAMA Dermatology.

IANS

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Science News

A Colorful Past

by Molly Michelson

When did life on Earth become bright and colorful? And how did color changes affect the evolution of different organisms?

The answers to these questions seem to lie in melanosomes, cells within our bodies that hold melanin, the most common light-absorbing pigment found in animals. For the past several years, scientists have used melanosomes from fossils to determine the coloring of several extinct species of feathered dinosaurs.

A team of international researchers wondered how these melanosomes changed as animals evolved on Earth, so they dug more deeply into these structures. Looking at 181 living species and 13 fossil species, the team reviewed the diversity of shapes and sizes of melanosomes. Overall, the researchers found that living turtles, lizards, and crocodiles, which are ectothermic (cold-blooded), show much less diversity in the shape of melanosomes than birds and mammals, which are endothermic (warm-blooded, with higher metabolic rates).

The team also discovered that the lower diversity holds true for fossil dinosaurs with fuzzy coverings that scientists have described as "protofeathers" or "pycnofibers." In these specimens, melanosome shape is restricted to spherical forms like those in modern reptiles.

By contrast, in the dinosaur lineage leading to birds, known as maniraptoran, the researchers found an explosion in the diversity of melanosome shape and size that appears to correlate to an explosion of color within these groups. The shift in diversity took place abruptly, near the origin of longer, “pinnate” feathers.

“This points to a profound change at a pretty discrete point,” says Julia Clarke of the University of Texas at Austin. “We’re seeing an explosion of melanosome diversity right before the origin of flight associated with the origin of feathers.”

The team was quite surprised to discover that patterns of melanosome diversity found in the feathers of ancient maniraptoran dinosaurs and living birds were similar to those found in mammal hair, as well.

In addition to pigment, melanin also contributes to metabolism, reproduction, and feeding. Because of this, note the researchers, the evolution of diverse melanosome shapes might be linked to larger changes in energetics and physiology.

“We are far from understanding the exact nature of the shift that may have occurred,” says Clarke. “But if changes in genes involved in both coloration and other aspects of physiology explain the pattern we see, these precede flight and arise close to the origin of feathers.

“What is interesting is that trying to get at color in extinct animals may have just started to give us some insights into changes in the physiology of dinosaurs.”

The study was published last week in Nature.

 

China launches spacecraft to go to Moon orbit and return back

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Tags: China, Moon orbit, return back
BEIJING: China today launched an unmanned spacecraft to fly around the moon and back to Earth in order to test technologies to be used in the Chang'e-5, a future probe that will conduct the country's first Moon mission with a provision to return back. The lunar orbiter was launched atop an advanced Long March-3C rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province in the early hours. The test spacecraft separated from its carrier rocket and entered the expected orbit shortly after the liftoff, the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence said. The whole mission will take about eight days. Developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the spacecraft will fly around the moon for half a circle and return to Earth. On its return, the test spacecraft will approach the terrestrial atmosphere at a velocity of nearly 11.2 kilometers per second and rebound to slow down before re-entering the atmosphere. It will land in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The mission is to obtain experimental data and validate re-entry technologies such as guidance, navigation and control, heat shield and trajectory design for a future touch-down on the moon by Chang'e-5, which is expected to be sent to the moon, collect samples and return to Earth in 2017. It is the first time China has conducted a test involving a half-orbiter around the moon at a height of 380,000 kilometers before having the spacecraft return to Earth. The test orbiter is a precursor to the last phase of a three-step moon probe project, a lunar sample return mission. China carried out Chang'e-1 and Chang'e-2 missions in 2007 and 2010, respectively, capping the orbital phase. The ongoing second phase saw Chang'e-3 with the country's first moon rover Yutu onboard succeed in soft landing on the moon in December 2013. Chang'e-4 is the backup probe of Chang'e-3 and will help pave the way for future probes.

First protein microfibre developed in lab

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New York: In a first, scientists have created new proteins that are capable of self-assembling into fibres on a microscale, paving the way for new opportunities for using engineered protein fibres in drugs.

Jin Kim Montclare

'A microscale fibre that is capable of delivering a small molecule, whether it be a therapeutic compound or other material, is a major step forward,' said lead researcher Jin Kim Montclare, associate professor at New York University.
For as long as scientists have been able to create new proteins that are capable of self-assembling into fibres, their work has taken place on the nanoscale.

Many materials used in medicine and nanotechnology rely on proteins engineered to form fibres with specific properties.
For example, the scaffolds used in tissue engineering depend on engineered fibres, as do the nanowires used in biosensors. These fibres can also be bound with small molecules of therapeutic compounds and used in drug delivery.

The researchers began their experiments with the intention of designing nanoscale proteins bound with the cancer therapeutic curcumin.They successfully created a novel, self-assembling nanoscale protein, including a hydrophobic pore capable of binding small molecules.

To their surprise, after incubating the fibres with curcumin, the protein not only continued to assemble, but did so to a degree that the fibres crossed the diameter barrier from the nanoscale to the microscale, akin to the diameter of collagen or spider silk.'This was a surprising and thrilling achievement,' Montclare said, and explained that this kind of diameter increase in the presence of small molecules is unprecedented.

Biomaterials embedded with small molecules could be used to construct dual-purpose scaffolds for tissue engineering or to deliver certain drugs more efficiently.The study appeared in the journal Biomacromolecules.

Dead battery gets charged in two minutes!

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Singapore: Imagine a dead smartphone battery getting charged up to 70 percent in flat two minutes?

By using a common ingredient found in sunscreen, researchers from the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have developed a smart battery that uses a gel-based material to speed up the charging process.

To do so, researchers replaced graphite in the battery's anode with a gel made from titanium dioxide - a cheap ingredient found in sunscreen.

The substance speeds up the chemical reactions in the battery, the Huffington Post reported.

The battery can be recharged 10,000 times. It can last nearly 20 years before it needs to be replaced.

The new batteries could enter the market within two years, researchers added.

Woman set ablaze inside train in Kannur

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Kannur : In a gruesome murder attempt, a lady was set on fire inside a railway coach at the Kannur railway station on Monday early morning. The injured woman has been identified as Pathu alias Khadeeja from Kondotty, Mallapuram and is being treated at the Kozhikode medical college hospital.

The incident happened at about 4.30 am when Khadeeja boarded the Kannur-Alapuzha Executive Express. A youth entered the bogie and poured kerosene and set her ablaze.

The woman sustained over 40 percent burn injuries and was taken immediately by the police and co-passengers to the Kannur district hospital and after giving first aid was rushed to the Kozhikode Medical College hospital.

Khadeeja ran out of the compartment when the fire started spreading from her seat and on seeing this the youth too escaped and fled. Police are on the hunt for the youth and the RPF too is assisting the probe.

The rail seat occupied by Khadeeja was completely burnt and railway officials replaced the bogie and the train left Kannur station at about 5.45 am.

Police informed that more details on the incident would be known only after taking the statement of Khadeeja.

Nokia to shut down its Chennai factory from November 1

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NEW DELHI: Telecom gear maker Nokia today said that it will shut down its Chennai plant from November 1 as Microsoft has terminated mobile purchase agreement from the the factory and it is left with no business. "Microsoft has informed Nokia that it will be terminating the manufacturing services defined in the agreement with effect from 1 November 2014. In absence of further orders from Microsoft, Nokia will suspend handset production at the Sriperumbudur facility from 1st November," Nokia said in a statement. In September 2013, Nokia announced it would sell its devices and services (D&S) business, including assets in India, to Microsoft for USD 7.2 billion by March 2014. The deal was completed on April 25 but Chennai facility could not be transferred to Microsoft because of legal issues related to tax demand by Indian government. Nokia started manufacturing in Chennai in January 2006 and exported to markets including in the Middle East and Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand from there. In March, the Tamil Nadu government served a Rs 2,400 crore notice on Nokia, saying the firm had also sold products from the Chennai plant in the domestic market instead of shipping them overseas. In a separate tax case, the Supreme Court had ordered Nokia India on March 14 to give a Rs 3,500 crore guarantee before it transfers the plant to Microsoft. As a consequence, Nokia entered into a transitional services agreement with Microsoft to address their immediate production needs and keep the factory operational. "Unfortunately, the continuing asset freeze imposed by the tax department prevents Nokia from exploring potential opportunities for the transfer of the factory to a successor to support the long term viability of the established, fully functional electronics manufacturing ecosystem," the statement said. Nokia said that it will be informing all stakeholders including the Labour Commissioner of the suspension. "As a responsible employer, Nokia is currently evaluating options to minimise the impact on existing employees at the manufacturing facility. It will share further information once details have been finalised," Nokia said. The exact number of employees at present in its Chennai factory could not be ascertained but in March out of 6,600 permanent employees, about 5000 had opted for Voluntary Retirement Scheme offered by Nokia.

E-commerce may create 1.5 lakh jobs in India in 3 years -

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New Delhi: It's raining jobs in the e-commerce space as this segment could grow at 20-25% over the next 2-3 years in terms of jobs, salaries and growth, which in turn could create at least 1,50,000 jobs.

The current estimated size of the industry is about Rs 18,000 crore and is expected to reach Rs 50,000 crore by 2016 and as the industry grows, the demand for talent would grow proportionally.

"We are extremely bullish on the e-commerce sector in India. There are nearly 200 startups flush with PE/VC funds within this area and several hundred that are treading the same lines. We believe over the next 2-3 years, this sector will create at least 1,50,000 jobs," Antal International Network India managing director Joseph Devasia said.

Commenting on this trend, Mani Sankar Das Gupta, chief, placement unit, BITS Pilani, said, "The industry is very bullish, the main players — Amazon, eBay, Flipkart, Myntra etc — are regular recruiters from BITS and are now generating huge revenues, and have increased the number of hiring this year."

Since the sector is fairly new, there is a severe dearth of talent at all levels and in order to attract and retain key talent some of the leading e-commerce players today are even shelling out "crore+" salaries. On this, BITS Pilani's Gupta said "In India, most e-commerce players increased the salaries by 10-40% between 2013 to 2014 and are now paying salaries ranging from Rs 10-23 lakh and are hiring large entry level employees. At mid- and senior-level also, the salaries are swelling by 10-15% every year, besides the priceless stock options that are offered, which make employees millionaires," Gupta added.

Jayesh Pandey, managing director, talent & organization at Accenture India, believes, "Salaries in this sector are likely to see a higher degree of ESOPs and performance based rewards as compared to other industries." Rajiv Srivatsa COO & co-founder, Urban Ladder, said, "We are at par with most other e-commerce companies in terms of salary. Along with the salary component, employee stock options attract a lot of talent since the industry is on a massive growth path."

Indian Staffing Federation executive director Suchita Dutta said "E-commerce hiring is extremely bullish with the sector alone ready to hire over 15,000 in the next 5 months. The upscale is largely driven by robust positive sentiment both amongst consumers as well as the industry."

The indicative salary outlook for junior employees is Rs 1.45-3 lakh per annum, while for mid-management it is between Rs 12-30 lakh per annum, Dutta added.

Three Japanese share Nobel in physics for blue LED

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Professors Akasaki, Amano and Nakamura made the first blue LEDs in the early 1990s. (Image courtesy: BBC.com)

Stockholm:This year's Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to Isamu Akasaki and Hiroshi Amano from Japan, and Shuji Nakamura from the US for the invention of blue light emitting diodes (LEDs). The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences made the announcement Tuesday.

The prestigious prize will be awarded to the scientists for making fundamental transformation of lighting technology by inventing a new energy-efficient and environment-friendly light source - the blue light-emitting diode (LED).

Akasaki worked together with Amano at the University of Nagoya, while Nakamura was employed at Nichia Chemicals, a small company in Tokushima, a press release from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said.

The invention of the blue LED is just 20 years old, but it has already contributed to create white light in an entirely new manner to the benefit of us all.

Promote self-attestation of documents: Govt tells states -

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New Delhi: The Centre has written to states asking them to promote self-attestation of documents in place of notarised and gazetted officer-signed affidavits required for majority of government-related works.

Terming it a good governance initiative, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Jitendra Singh Tuesday said introducing a single, self-attested affidavit would go a long way in simplifying processes and revolutionizing governance in the country.

"It is one of the good governance initiatives taken by the government. We are promoting self-attestation of documents in place of affidavits. We have written to states and sought their views too," Singh said.

The government is yet to come out with an official order in this regard. "The intent of declaration has been made very clear. We cannot give any timeline for it (implementation of self-attestation of documents)," Singh told reporters here after inaugurating two-day symposium on 'Excellence in Public Service and Public Administration' here.

He said the government need to focus on maximising and simplifying governance.

"It has been our endeavour to ensure maximum governance and minimum government. We will continue to simplifying government processes," the Minister said.

At present, an individual has to spend about Rs 200-500 to get a notarised affidavit, whereas, getting a certificate or affidavit from a gazetted officer remains a herculean task for common man, especially those living in remote areas of the country.

Cabinet Secretary Ajit Kumar Seth, who was also present at the function, said the government is determined to improve public service delivery system.

"We are working towards meeting our government's priority to bring innovation, energy and drive to transform public service delivery in the country," Seth said.

Underlining the importance of partnerships in improving public service, N Ravi Shankar, Secretary, Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, said, "In today's time, government institutions and civil society cannot stand alone.

Collaborative efforts between government, private sector and civil society are needed to sustain progress towards development goals."

The two-day event showcases outstanding global examples of best practices and reforms which have made a significant impact in improving public administration and public service delivery.

Countries presenting innovative reforms include Bangladesh, Brazil, Bahrain, Canada, Dubai, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Ghana, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Peru, Senegal, Singapore, Tanzania, Turkey, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.

Gujarat's online grievance redressal mechanism or 'Swagat' is amongst 21 global innovations in public administration which are being showcased at the symposium.

By creating a direct interface between citizens and the Chief Minister of Gujarat, 'Swagat' has enabled ordinary citizens to seek redressal for their grievances through an online platform.

The initiative received the prestigious United Nations Public Service Awards in 2010. In addition to Gujarat, most of the other participating initiatives are recipients of either the United Nations Public Service Awards or the Commonwealth

Association for Public Administration and Management Awards, said a press release issued by United Nations Development Programme.

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Jayalalithaa's bail plea rejected, to remain in jail

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Bangalore: In a big blow to AIADMK chief J. Jayalalithaa, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday rejected her bail plea in the disproportionate assets case, saying there was no ground to grant her the relief.

The order by Justice A.V. Chandrashekhara came after Special Public Prosecutor Bhavani Singh told the court he had no objection to granting conditional bail to Jayalalithaa, who is in prison here since her conviction by the Special Court on September 27.

In his order pronounced in a packed court room, the judge said there 'are no grounds' to give bail to the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and observed that corruption amounts to 'violation of human rights' and leads to economic imbalance.

As the SPP told the court that he was not opposed to bail for Jayalalithaa, AIADMK supporters, who had gathered near the Parappana Agrahara jail, where Jayalalithaa is lodged, and near the court, went delirious anticipating her release. When the verdict came, they went into a state of disbelief.

With reports emerging from the courtroom in Bangalore that the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister was granted conditional bail, AIADMK workers broke into dance.

In Tamil Nadu too, 'Amma' supporters started celebrating but only to learn later that their leader will remain in jail.

"My client will take a call," senior counsel Ram Jethmalani, who appeared for Jayalalithaa, told PTI, after the verdict when asked whether they will approach the Supreme Court.

The court also rejected the pleas for bail by Jayalalithaa's close aide Sasikala and her relatives V.N. Sudhakaran, disowned foster-son of the former Chief Minister, and Ilavarasi, who have also been sent to four years in jail in the 18-year-old case.

In his submission, Jethmalani strongly pleading for immediate bail to 66-year-old Jayalalithaa, cited the Supreme Court verdict granting relief to former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad in the fodder scam.

The court did not accept the submission, with the judge noting that Lalu Prasad had spent 10 months in jail before being granted bail by the apex court.

Arguing for the AIADMK supremo, Jethmalani also earlier pleaded for suspension of the sentence by the Special Court which had sent her to four years in jail.

Jethmalani asked for suspending the sentence pending appeal under Section 389 of the Criminal Procedure Code, under which pending any appeal by a convicted person, the appellate court may order that the execution of the sentence or order appealed against be suspended. Also, if the person is in confinement, that he or she be released on bail, or on own bond.

The 'regular practice' was to give bail, Jethmalani told Justice Chandrashekhara who took up the matter which was posted for today by the vacation bench on October 1.

Jethmalani also said appeals should be heard within a reasonable period of time.

Criticising the judgment of the Special Court in the Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate case, he said assets prior to the period between 1991 and 1996 (when Jayalalithaa was Chief Minister) could not be taken into account.

There was nothing disclosed in the conduct of Jayalalithaa to show that she might abscond, he contended.

Counsel Amit Desai, appearing for Sasikala, Sudhakaran and Ilavarasi pleaded for bail, telling the court that no witness talked of assets acquired by the three and suspicion cannot take the place of evidence.

Special Court Judge John Michael D' Cunha, in his verdict, had held Jayalalithaa and three others guilty of corruption that unseated her as the Chief Minister. He had slapped a fine of Rs 100 crore on Jayalalithaa and Rs 10 crore fine each on the three other accused.

In her petitions seeking immediate bail and challenging her sentence, Jayalalithaa maintained that the charge of amassing wealth against her during 1991-96 when she was the Chief Minister for the first time was false and that she had acquired property through legal means.

She also contended that the trial court had overlooked several judgements and not considered the binding nature of various income tax orders and decisions of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, which had accepted the income and the level of expenditure pleaded by her.

Tight security was in force around the Karnataka High Court complex as also the Parappana Agrahara jail with police personnel deployed in good strength anticipating a rush of AIADMK supporters and leaders.

Prohibitory orders are in force in the vicinity of the court and the jail, close to the entry point from Hosur on Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border where the police kept a close vigil on entry of vehicles.

The vacation bench had on October 1 deferred the matter till today to be taken up by a regular bench after the end of Dasara vacation.

TISS entrance test

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The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has invited applications online for the National Entrance Test (TISS-NET 2015) to be held on January 10 from 2 pm to 3.40 pm across the country for admissions to its 49 master’s degree programmes conducted on the Mumbai, Tuljapur, Guwahati and Hyderabad campuses. One can apply for a maximum of three programmes offered by any of the two campuses, indicating the order of preference. Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode, Chennai, Madurai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam are among the test centres. Graduates in any discipline and final-year degree students are eligible to apply. Last date is November 29. Eligibility criteria and instructions for submission of applications are available onhttp://admissions.tiss.educ and www.tiss.edu. Application fee for one programme is Rs 1000, two programmes Rs 2000 and for three programmes is Rs 3000 plus bank charges. Admit card will be sent by December 19 by email to the candidates.

Ronaldo dazzles as Real rout Athletic

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Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo scored his third hat-trick in five games as Real Madrid moved into the top four for the first time this season with a 5-0 win over Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

It took Ronaldo just two minutes to extend his scoring streak to eight games as he headed home Gareth Bale's cross and Karim Benzema made the game safe when he doubled Madrid's lead just before half-time.

Bale teed up Ronaldo once more to make it 3-0 and the Portuguese then turned provider for Benzema to tap home his second of the game.

Ronaldo rounded off the scoring two minutes from time when he unintentionally deflected Pepe's effort home to take his tally for the season to 17 goals in just 11 matches in all competitions.

Victory takes Real back to within four points of leaders Barcelona behind Valencia and Sevilla, but ahead of champions Atletico Madrid who drop down to fifth.

A fourth defeat in five league games for Athletic, meanwhile, means Ernesto Valverde's men end the weekend in the relegation zone.

"We are improving in some aspects and we are growing," said Ronaldo, who equalled the record of scoring 22 hat-tricks in La Liga also held by Telmo Zarra and Real Madrid legend Alfredo di Stefano.

"The team played a great game and scored five without conceding, so we are very happy."

And Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti lauded the contribution of his front three.

"All of the front three were fantastic. Cristiano scored three, Karim two and Gareth gave two assists and worked very hard for the team.

"Having the three of them working together is fundamental for the team."

Bale provided the opener on his weaker right foot as he managed to pick out a perfect cross for the unmarked Ronaldo to head home at the back post.

Athletic 'keeper Gorka Iraizoz then made a smart save low to his right to deny Ronaldo a second and Benzema just couldn't stretch to turn home another Bale cross as the hosts piled on the pressure.

However, the Basques settled midway through the half and Iker Muniain's spectacular dipping volley from the edge of the area forced Iker Casillas into action with a fingertip save.

Crucially Real managed to get the second goal before half-time, though, as Benzema rose highest to head Luka Modric's corner in via the crossbar.

Bale wasted a great opportunity to make it 3-0 five minutes into the second-half as he blazed over with just Iraizoz to beat.

However, the Welshman made amends five minutes later when he raced onto Benzema's pass and squared for Ronaldo to tap home his second of the night.

Bale came close again when he shot just wide after being set up by a lovely backheel from James Rodriguez and was then flagged offside when he did finally have the ball in the net.

Madrid were continuing to open up the Athletic defence at will and made it 4-0 21 minutes from time when Ronaldo unselfishly squared for Benzema to roll into an empty net rather than going for a hat-trick.