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New Year 2009 Myspace Layouts | Happy New Year 2009 Myspace Layouts

If you are looking for New Years 2009 Myspace Layouts, please click on the link given. Happy New Years Myspace 2.0 layouts or themes are hot items which is why thousands (yes, thousands not just hundreds) of sites offer free Myspace layouts for Profile 2.0. The New Year 2009 is the perfect time to change Myspace layouts as it signifies the start of another year to socialize with friends.

I actually have several accounts with Myspace, Facebook and Friendster. I have given up my Hi5 account. Most of my friends are Friendster users. In fact, I had 200+ friends in Friedster. I’m not sure how many friends I have in Myspace.

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Things You Should Know About Christmas Crackers

In J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels, the wizard version of Christmas crackers produced admiral’s hats, jeweled tiaras, and gifts such as wizard chess sets. The ordinary versions of Christmas crackers aren’t as spectacular, but they are a long-standing tradition in Great Britain and Australia, and are becoming more popular in the United States.

Christmas crackers are long tubes, wrapped in bright paper that has been twisted at each end. A person pulls on each end of the cracker and when the cracker breaks, a small chemical strip goes “Pop!” and the contents fall out. Christmas crackers traditionally contain a paper party hat, a small gift, a balloon and a joke or old saying. The jokes are generally old ones, and most Britons will recognize them instantly, since the same jokes have been used for many years in Christmas crackers. It’s part of the charm.

Once the cracker has been opened, those opening it decide who gets the hat and the gift. The jokes are read aloud, everyone groans, and the next cracker is opened. Most British people would say Christmas wouldn’t be the same without a nice assortment of Christmas crackers to open after Christmas dinner is finished.

Christmas crackers are a uniquely British invention. They have their origin in French bon-bons, but pastry cook Tom Smith, inspired by the sound a log makes when thrown on the fire, experimented with the basic idea, and by 1847, had the earliest forms of Christmas crackers ready for sale.

Christmas crackers were enlarged to hold better gifts and in the early 20th century, Tom Smith’s sons used them to commemorate important events such as the 1900 Paris Exhibition. They hired writers to compose jokes and sayings appropriate for every occasion and marketed these crackers to a public that couldn’t seem to get enough of them. The tradition has continued and Christmas crackers, as well as other types of crackers, are still sold by the gross in Great Britain. Some companies sell empty crackers that buyers can fill themselves, according to their own tastes.

Christmas crackers are available in the United States, in some gift shops and online. They can cost anywhere from about $10 US Dollars (USD) to $30 USD. Tom Smith Christmas Crackers is still in business and makes Christmas crackers annually for the Royal Family of Great Britain.

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Some Christmas Traditions

Around the world, people engage in different celebrations to commemorate various holidays. Christmas is no exception. While many Christmas traditions began long ago, some have been adapted to suit different cultures or have evolved to become more modern. In some cases, changes likely had to do with safety or convenience, such as replacing candles on Christmas trees with Christmas lights.

The word Christmas itself is said to be formed from the words “Christ’s Mass” and Mass has long been one of the important Christmas traditions for many people of faith. Christmas is thus considered a religious holiday although there are also secular and pagan celebrations around the same time that most Christmas celebrations occur. Pagan celebrations such as the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, likely preceded various religious celebrations.

One of the Christmas traditions that appears to be universal, is displaying decorations during the holidays. Traditional items such as Christmas trees, ornaments, candy canes, and angels are still popular. Christmas trees appear to have become a symbol of Christianity in Germany.

St. Boniface, the man believed to have brought Christianity to Germany, is said to have cut down an oak tree that was being worshiped there. The story goes that a fir tree grew in the same spot. St. Boniface then may have used the triangular shape to represent the Trinity. Originally, fir trees were hung upside down and decorated. Later, they were placed in their natural position and even brought indoors.

As Christmas trees became popular so did decorating them. The first ornaments were simple foods such as baked goods, fruits, and nuts. Paper and fabric came later and most ornaments were handmade creations until the mid 17th Century when glass makers in Germany made and sold Christmas tree decorations. They began by making glass fruit and other treats but later added different designs like stars and eventually glass balls.

Due to Christmas traditions that included passing out candy sticks to children at religious ceremonies, many believe that candy canes were first seen as somewhat of a religious symbol. Many believe candy sticks were shaped to look like the letter “J,” representing the name of Jesus. Others believe these Christmas candies were designed to look like a shepherd’s staff. The origin of candy canes may have been religious in nature but is one of the Christmas traditions shared by religious and secular people alike.

Angel decorations are said to represent the angels that announced the birth of Christ. Angels are also seen as guardians. They are used in many religions besides Christianity.

Don’t forget Santa Claus. St. Nicholas was known for his kindly acts. He is said to have given away nearly everything he owned to help others. People looked up to him so much that remembering his death in early December became a holiday. Legend said that the date was good luck. It was seen as a good day to make big decisions or important purchases. The giving spirit of St. Nicholas eventually evolved into the belief in Santa Claus, and many Christmas traditions include gifts from Santa on Christmas Eve.

Christmas traditions also include celebrating a specific date or time of year, which may vary by location or culture. Most Christmas celebrations generally occur throughout December and January. Some cultures combine Christmas traditions with bringing in the New Year.

Christmas traditions also include the closing of many business, banks, schools, and government agencies in some locations. The majority of people have the day off from work in places like the United States. Many people worldwide share at least some Christmas traditions from decorating and singing to traveling, getting together with family and friends, sharing meals, and exchanging gifts. Many Christians believe that the tradition of gift giving may have originated from the wise men bringing gifts to Jesus.

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Oymyakon is the Coldest Town on Earth

Oymyakon is the coldest town on earth, reports claim with a temperature of negative 64-68 degress celsius this season. Oymyakon is truly the coldest town on earth beating cold places like Alaska. Omyakon is located in Siberia.

In addition to this, Wisegeeks also reported that of all inhabited areas, one of the coldest places in the world is Siberia. Although global warming has taken a toll on Siberian winters over the past decade, it’s normal for temperatures to reach -60F (-51.1°C) in January. Oymyakon, in Eastern Siberia, has an average winter temperature of -96F (?71.2°C). The little village is home to 900 permanent residents, who endure winter for nine months out of the year, and considered -30°F (?71.2 °C) “balmy.” The area is so cold that empty plastic bags taken outside will freeze within minutes and then crack like glass.

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Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA): Symptoms and Diagnosis

As a follow up to my previous article “Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA): Introduction“, I am posting here the symptoms of the disease as well as its diagnosis.

Infantile SMA is the most severe form. Some of the symptoms include:

1. muscle weakness
2. poor muscle tone
3. weak cry
4. limpness or a tendency to flop
5. difficulty sucking or swallowing
6. accumulation of secretions in the lungs or throat
7. legs that tend to be weaker than the arms
8. hypotonia, areflexia, and multiple congenital contractures (arthrogryposis) associated with loss of anterior horn cells
9. feeding difficulties
10. increased susceptibility to respiratory tract infections
11. developmental milestones, such as lifting the head or sitting up, can’t be reached.

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Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA): Introduction

The Spinal Muscular Atrophy or SMA is becoming a real threat to many people. If you are interested in studying this disease, please read on.

What is Spinal Muscular Atrophy?

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Types I, II, and III belong to a group of hereditary diseases that cause weakness and wasting of the voluntary muscles in the arms and legs of infants and children. The disorders are caused by an abnormal or missing gene known as the survival motor neuron gene (SMN1), which is responsible for the production of a protein essential to motor neurons. Without this protein, lower motor neurons in the spinal cord degenerate and die. The type of SMA (I, II, or III) is determined by the age of onset and the severity of symptoms. Type I (also known as Werdnig-Hoffman disease, or infantile-onset SMA) is evident at birth or within the first few months. Symptoms include floppy limbs and trunk, feeble movements of the arms and legs, swallowing difficulties, a weak sucking reflex, and impaired breathing. Type II (also known as juvenile SMA, intermediate SMA, or chronic SMA, has an onset between 6 and 18 months. Legs tend to be more impaired than arms. Children with Type II are usually able to sit without support if placed in position. Some may be able to stand or walk with help. Type III (also called Wolhlfart-Kugelberg-Welander disease, or mild SMA) can begin as early as the toddler years or as late as adolescence. Children can stand alone and walk, but may have difficulty getting up from a sitting position.

Is there any treatment?

There is no cure for SMA. Treatment consists of managing the symptoms and preventing complications.

What is the prognosis?

The prognosis is poor for babies with SMA Type I. Most die within the first two years. For children with SMA Type II, the prognosis for life expectancy or for independent standing or walking roughly correlates with how old they are when they first begin to experience symptoms – older children tend to have less severe symptoms Children with onset after 18 months are often able to walk and are fully functional for years before they need assistance. They may have a normal life expectancy.

What research is being done?

The Spinal Muscular Atrophy Project is an NINDS funded collaborative program focused on the development of drug therapies for the treatment of SMA. Experts from industry, academia, NINDS, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration guide the program. The Project is accelerating the research process by identifying drugs already in use that increase the level of SMN protein in cultured cells, which are then used as potential leads for further drug discovery and clinical testing.

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Health Tips: On Food Consumption and Drinking

I have compiled some health tips on proper food consumption (eating right) and why you should avoid excessive drinking.

Don’t starve yourself

Sensible weight loss programs do not encourage starving yourself or skipping meals. If you skip meals not only will you get hungrier later but your body may have to break down muscle to get the nutrients it needs.

Satisfy cravings

The best-laid plans can go astray when you’re faced with insatiable cravings for sweets or other favorite foods. So satisfy your craving with a small portion of the food you desire. Eat it slowly, savor every bite, and then resist the urge to reach for more. Another option: Chew on a piece of sugarless gum. Studies have shown that this can be a calorie-free way to satisfy your urge for something sweet.

Avoid Excessive Drinking

While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease, more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer. Thought for the day: A jug of wine should last a long time.

Make conscious decisions on how much food to eat

If you really want another piece of candy or a big piece of pie, justify it. Eat smaller portions of other foods (except for the low-calorie, filling ones like vegetables) to save calories for the treats you crave, and/or spend a little more time working out. Remember this simple equation: Eating more than you burn equals weight gain.

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Pre-Eclampsia: Classification and Description

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy include pre-eclampisia superimposed upon chronic hypertension, and transient hypertension (Lenfant et al. 1990). Chronic hypertension that is present and observable before pregnancy or is diagnosed before the twentieth week of gestation. Pre-eclampsia is determined by the increase blood pressure after 20 weeks of gestation accompanied by proteinuria, edema, or both (Cunningham et al., 1993; Roberts 1994).

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Pre-Eclampsia: An Introduction

Pre-eclampsia or eclampsia is common among Filipino women. Here is a short introduction to pre-eclampsia:

Most women enter pregnancy in apparent good health and achieve a normal pregnancy and delivery without complications. In few women however, for reasons which are usually unclear, unexpected deviations, from the course of normal pregnancy develops such complications that threaten the pregnancy outcome, the women health or both (Pilliteri, 1999).

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How People Get Prion Disease

Familial forms of prion disease are inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, which means one copy of the altered gene in each cell is sufficient to cause the disorder. In most cases, an affected person inherits the altered gene from one affected parent. In some people, familial forms of prion disease are caused by a new mutation in the PRNP gene. Although such people most likely do not have an affected parent, they can pass the genetic change to their children.

The sporadic, iatrogenic, and acquired forms of prion disease, including kuru and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, are not inherited.

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Human Genes Related to Prion Disease

Mutations in the PRNP gene cause prion disease.

Only a small percentage of prion disease cases run in families. Most cases are sporadic, which means they occur in people without any known risk factors or gene mutations. Rarely, prion diseases can be transmitted by accidental exposure to prion-contaminated tissues during a medical procedure. This type of prion disease is called iatrogenic.

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