Wednesday 26 December 2018

BYE BYE 2018! You were good!!





Christmas has come and gone. As the year 2018 comes to an end it is time to take stock of all the good things that happened, thank those who made them happen and hope for a better world in future. After all why should we wish for anything less? So though many other nice things may have happened in the world of arts, literature, drama and films, though many sporting records may have been shattered and many political battles won, I choose to dwell on only two aspects – Current affairs and Medical Science.

Current Affairs:

1.       Apple became the world’s first publicly-traded company to exceed the value of $1 trillion in 2018. Amazon made the cut a mere month later. 

2.       North and South Korean women’s ice-hockey teams played jointly at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, marking the first time ever that the two countries had a unified Olympic team. 

3.       The first pedestrian fatality caused by an autonomous vehicle is believed to have occurred back in March, when a self-driving Uber test car killed a cyclist in Tempe, Arizona. 

4.       People of Saudi Arabia are among the most repressed in the world, so it was a nice surprise to see the ultra-conservative kingdom hosting it’s first-ever fashion week in its capital, Riyadh. The audiences were all-female, and there was a social media ban. The women started driving on Saudi roads!!

5.       The world was poorer by the loss of poet and politician Atal Bihari Vajpai, prycicist Stephen Hawkins, U.S senator John McCain, African freedom fighter Winnie Mandela, actor Burt Reynolds,  Marvel Comics maestro Stan Lee and former U.S. President George H.W. Bush 

6.       French students aged between 3 and 15 years old now have to leave all of their digital devices at home or turned off while they’re at school after a law banning smart devices at school in France went into effect in September. Indian schools have addressed this menace much before.

7.       Ethiopian President, Mulatu Teshome launched Africa’s very first waste-to-energy plant in the outskirts of the capital, Addis Ababa Ethiopia this year. It is expected to take 80% of the city’s daily waste while generating some 30% of its energy needs.

8.       Canada became the first major economy in the world, and on the second country in the world, to legalize the use of recreational marijuana for people over 18 

Medical Science:

1.       Sickle cell anemia which affects more than 4 million people worldwide was cured in a 26 year old through the transplantation of healthy stem cells by a pair of scientists at the National Human Genome Research Institute https://www.cell.com/ajhg/fulltext/S0002-9297(18)30048-X#%20

2.       A team of researchers from Boston found a way to stop and even reverse the aging process in mice. The process is based on a molecule called NAD, which is found naturally in mammals, but its level has dwindled over the years, a process that causes the development of age-related diseases. By increasing the NAD level in older mice with dietary supplements, the cells in their bodies returned to their youth and their general health improved. If the results can be duplicated in humans then nutritional supplements will be able to stop aging in a scientifically proven way and to prevent diseases such as Alzheimer's and cancer.

3.       Year 2018 came with a refreshing discovery of a new organ - the interstitium; a group of scientists at the University of New York found that this organ, once considered a dense layer of tissue, is actually a narrow channel used to transport lymphatic fluid. https://www.livescience.com/62128-interstitium-organ.html

4.       Scientists were able to restore the vision of two people who had macular degeneration to a level where they could not read at all. The treatment was done by implanting stem cells over the damaged parts of the eye, after which both patients were able to recognize faces and read.  https://www.nature.com/articles/nbt.4114.epdf?referrer_access_token=v66P3nsywC4cmK6wQQOUzdRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0PJSqIFs8CVMGLKXeHOLTvVDW3Fvw0-

5.       Nanorobotics deals with assembling and manufacturing miniature robots that don’t exceed minuscule nanometers.  Nanorobotic particles that are meant to find and destroy cancerous cells in the human body. These novel nanobots, first tested on mice injected with cancer cells, were able to locate the diseased cells in the living body and cut blood flow to them - causing them to wither and die; at the same time, no harm was caused to other healthy cells. https://www.nature.com/articles/nbt.4071 We are awaiting human trials.

6.       Even McDonald’s had something useful to offer!  McDonald's uses at least one ingredient that has a certain cosmetic benefit: the company's fries are fried in oil and the chemical Polydimethylsiloxane, which was discovered to have the potential to create masses of hair follicles, encouraging increased hair growth. The scientists planted hair follicles that grew by adding the chemical to the back of a mouse, and new hair had already sprouted and grew shortly thereafter. Not yet checked in humans though! https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142961217307214?via%3Dihub

7.       Scientists have found a method to help change the structure of the protein in a particular gene in our body that encourages the brain response that causes Alzheimer's. With this change, scientists were able to completely eliminate any evidence of Alzheimer's in the damaged brain cells, and the subjects became healthier and lived longer. This is a good research towards development of a drug or prophylaxis for Alzheimer's Disease. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-018-0004-z.epdf?referrer_access_token=4U-

8.       Male birth control pill is being researched that will allow men to have sex without getting their partner pregnant. These pills include a combination of hormones that prevent the production of fertile sperm.  Taken once a day, there are still some issues of cholesterol disorder which need to be sorted out before they hit the market.

9.       Food and Drug Administration announced the approval of a new home test that could identify the risk level for 3 genetic mutations that cause these two types of cancer – Breast cancer and Ovarian cancer. This means that soon, these tests will probably be distributed outside the US and that their prices will be significantly reduced and accessible to every woman, without the need for a doctor's approval.

10.   For the first time, a scientist in China claimed to have used a powerful new gene-editing technique to create genetically modified human babies who are immune to HIV virus. The scientist, He Jiankui of the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, China used human embryos modified with the gene-editing technique CRISPR to create twin girls. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/11/26/670752865/chinese-scientist-says-hes-first-to-genetically-edit-babies CRISPR enables scientists to make very precise changes in DNA much more easily than ever before. As a result, it's revolutionizing scientific research and raising high hopes for major breakthroughs, including preventing and treating many diseases.

And few teasers:

1.       A source of liquid water was discovered on Mars. The advanced radar that is operating there has discovered a liquid water lake under the glacier at a depth of 1 km under the ground and 20 km wide, which is certainly encouraging among space explorers and those who hope that humans will one day be able to settle on Mars.

2.       Archaeologists from the University of Exeter in England found the remains of whole villages, canals, and man-made pits, and pottery in areas of the Amazonas which experts believed were never inhabited. Though more research is awaited but it is clear that there were thriving communities that managed to grow many crops thanks to the fertile soil. 

3.       Alpha farms, an Israeli start up company produced the first laboratory generated steak, which cuts, smells and tastes like steak. Meat without animal slaughter aims to give people the taste and nutritional benefits of meat without the negative health and environmental impacts associated with livestock products. It will markedly lower greenhouse gases, switch grazing ground to farmlands, save a lot of water and prevent livestock from pushing the diverse flora and fauna towards extinction. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aleph-farms-beefs-up-clean-meat-300640982.html


Thursday 20 December 2018

THE CREATION OF ADAM – a Renaissance masterpiece by Michelangelo!



For all the tourists who visit Rome, irrespective of their religious belief, a visit to the Vatican City is a must. This smallest independent nation has one major attraction, the Sistine Chapel, the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope. Originally known as the Cappella Magna, the chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who restored it between 1477 and 1480. Since that time, the chapel has served as a place of both religious and functionary papal activity. Today it is the site of the Papal conclave, the process by which a new pope is selected.

The fame of the Sistine Chapel lies mainly in the frescoes that decorate interior walls and ceilings painted by many Florentine Renaissance masters. The Creation of Adam, or Crezione di Adamo, is the most famous fresco by Michelangelo as part of the Sistine Chapel's Ceiling, which he painted between the years of 1508 and 1512, being only 25 years old when he began. To this day, it is one of the most renowned and celebrated creations in the world, reproduced in thousands of ways. But there is only one original, and I would like to tell you a bit more about it.

Most of what I am about to share is told to the visitors by the audio tape guide and guide books that are freely available and a guided tour costs 38 Euros.

History
The Creation of Adam illustrates the Biblical narrative from the Book of Genesis in which God gives life to Adam, the first man. The fresco is part of a complex iconographic scheme and is chronologically the fourth in the series of panels depicting episodes from Genesis.

In 1505 Michelangelo was invited to Rome by the newly elected Pope Julius II. He was commissioned to build the Pope's tomb, which was to include forty statues and be finished in five years. Michelangelo was originally commissioned to paint the Twelve Apostles on the triangular pillars (pendentives) that supported the ceiling, and cover the central part of the ceiling with ornament. Bramante, who was working on the building of St Peter's Basilica, resented Michelangelo's commission for the Pope's tomb and convinced the Pope to commission him in a medium with which he was unfamiliar, in order that he might fail at the task. Michelangelo himself reluctantly accepted the commission to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. He was accomplished in many forms of art, but he considered himself to be a sculptor and not a painter by trade. Lucky for us he eventually accepted! And the rest is history!!

Michelangelo persuaded Pope Julius to give him a free hand and proposed a different and more complex scheme, representing the Creation, the Fall of Man, the Promise of Salvation through the prophets, and the genealogy of Christ. The work is part of a larger scheme of decoration within the chapel which represents much of the doctrine of the Catholic Church.

What does the fresco mean?
God is depicted as an elderly white-bearded man wrapped in a swirling cloak while Adam, on the lower left, is completely nude. God's right arm is outstretched to impart the spark of life from his own finger into that of Adam, whose left arm is extended in a pose mirroring God's, a reminder that man is created in the image and likeness of God. Adam's finger and God's finger are not touching. It gives the impression that God, the giver of life, is reaching out to Adam who has yet to receive it; they are not on "the same level" as would be two humans shaking hands, for instance.

Many hypotheses have been formulated regarding the identity and meaning of the twelve figures around God. According to an interpretation that was first proposed by the English art critic Walter Pater (1839 – 1894) and is now widely accepted, the person protected by God's left arm represents Eve, due to the figure's feminine appearance and gaze towards Adam, and the eleven other figures symbolically represent the souls of Adam and Eve's unborn progeny, the entire human race. This interpretation has been challenged; the figure behind God has also been suggested to be the Virgin Mary by some!

Unmistakably the brain!
Take a closer look at God, what do you see behind Him? Yes, unmistakably the shapes that make up God and his retinue also make up a pretty accurate anatomical figure of the human brain, including the major sulci of the cerebrum in the inner and outer surface of the brain, the brain stem, the frontal lobe, the basilar artery, the pituitary gland and the optic chiasm. Thus the Creation of Adam draws some fascinating parallels to the human brain. Given Michelangelo’s expertise in anatomy, these theories have some basis to them.

Cloth and scarf
The brain isn't the only human body analogy found in this fascinating painting. Many believe the red cloth around God has the shape of a human uterus, and the scarf hanging out could be a newly cut umbilical cord. This is an interesting hypothesis that presents the Creation scene as an idealized representation of the physical birth of man and it also explains the navel that appears on Adam, which is at first perplexing because he was created, not born of a woman!

But God came last!
In the four years that it took to Michelangelo to paint the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel, he left the painting of the figure of God to the very end, so his technique would be refined to such a degree that the figure would come out as close to perfect as he could make it.

It was not easy or fun
Michelangelo literally struggled with this hard work, and in 1509 even wrote a poem about how miserable he was feeling, complaining to his friend Giovanni da Pistoia: "I've already grown a goiter from this torture." The perfectionist that he was , Michelangelo actually fired all the apprentices that were there to help him, preferring to do it all himself. It took him four years to finish the Sistine Chapel, and a significant part of that was The Creation of Adam.

Blamed for too much nudity
Intending to depict Adam and others in their natural state, Michelangelo chose to make many of them nude. However, the nudes in this painting were not ignored by the more delicate sensibilities of the times. In 1564, the Council of Trent decided the painting was indecent and ordered the nude parts covered with fig leaves, clothing and other items.During large restorations performed between the 80s and 90s, many of these nudity-covering additions were removed, revealing numerous, previously unseen details!

Michelangelo Did NOT Lie on His Back
It is a popular belief that Michelangelo painted the ceiling while lying on his back. But he actually invented his own type of scaffolding (the man was a genius after all) that allowed him to paint standing up with more control and precision.


So that is the story of one of the most famous work of art adored by the world. Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper and Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam are the most replicated religious paintings of all time. It is considered, generally, that The Creation of Adam depicts the excerpt from Genesis that stated: “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him."

Sunday 16 December 2018

GRATITUDE FOR ALL THE PAIN, DISCOMFORT AND SETBACKS



Christmas is a time to be thankful to God for all the good that happened to you throughout the year. It is easy to be thankful for the good things but have you ever wondered why we should be thankful for all that did not turn out to be good? It is easy; gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for their setbacks. If we can find a way to be thankful for our troubles, they can surely become our blessings!!

  • Be thankful for not having everything you desire because if you did, what would there be to look forward to?
  • Be thankful when you don’t know something, because it gives an opportunity to learn something new!
  • Be thankful for each new challenge, because it will build your strength and your character.
  • Be thankful for your limitations for they give you opportunities for improvements!
  • Be thankful for difficult times, because it is during these times that you grow.
  • Be thankful for all your mistakes. They taught you valuable lessons. In order to finally learn ‘how to do’, the mistakes you did eliminated all the ‘how not to do’ possibilities and no one knows them better than you!
  • Be thankful when you are tired and weary, because it only means that you have made a difference.
  • Be thankful for your lonely days. They are the reminders of who all are important in your life.
  • Be thankful for the endings. They are also the new beginnings!!


True achievers never either comfortable or satisfied! Sure they are ordinary person raising kids, working hard and trying to make each day better than yesterday. They sure don't know all of the answers and are constantly trying to smoothen the rough edges of their life. But just when they think that they have it all figured out - and life is smooth sailing - another "opportunity for growth and learning" shows up in the disguise of a "problem" to make them uncomfortable, to keep them humble, to help them  elevate themselves, to keep them in balance and to remind them  that they are neither comfortable nor satisfied. So be thankful that you remain uncomfortable and dissatisfied despite your best efforts because that only means you are not stagnating…..you are still improving, you are still growing!

When we feel happy and satisfied, it is easy for us to find positive things in our lives that we are grateful for. On the other hand, it is precisely during difficult times that we may feel that certain areas of our lives are gray and bleak. When you’re at your happiest, write up a list of all the things you’re grateful for, and when you're having a bad day, pull it out and read it over. Now is the time to write a new list, a list of things you need to be thankful for because they are pulling you back .....like an arrow on a bow, only to propel you to a whole new world, which was yet unknown to you!! 

Comfort is stagnation and stagnation is the prelude to a slow and spiral downslide. Life of a professional is a hill with a peak and not table top. One is either climbing knowingly with a desire to reach the elusive peak or sliding down unknowingly, having lost the sight of the peak.


So, if there are problems in your world that keep you awake and struggling, be grateful and be rest assured you are still going uphill!

Tuesday 11 December 2018

BODY LANGUAGE – THE NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION



Do you remember how every time you tried to lie when you were a child your mother would somehow know the truth……that was her motherly instinct mostly but partly your own body language which would scream ‘lie’ even though you vouched to the contrary. Recently I read a wonderful book called The Body Language Advantage, written by a world-renowned communication and body language expert Lillian Glass, Ph.D.  After reading this book I realized how quickly and accurately one can analyze a person’s behavior and character and know more about that complete stranger across the room than his friends and family probably do—and, what is intriguing is  he’ll be none the wiser! And we can use our skills anywhere—from the interview room, to business meetings, to social events, to our own home.

Through more than 95 full-color photos and accessible instructions, Dr. Glass in her book shows how to expertly examine all aspects of body language, from facial expression and movement, to body posture and behavior, to voice tone and speech content, so that we can get the whole picture quickly and efficiently, and use it to react wisely with our own reactions and decisions. She also shows how to recognize the top ten toxic types of people—so that we can effectively deal with such individuals in real life. The author has has lectured on body language and deception to law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and appeared in several TV shows and writes a body language blog too.

Body language is the unspoken element of communication that we use to reveal our true feelings and emotions. Our gestures, facial expressions and posture all add up to make the complete picture. Understanding the body language can be a secret weapon to understanding and using nonverbal communication, speech patterns, and vocal tones to spot and head off problems in relationships, succeed professionally, recognize deception, and determine what people really mean.

When we are able to "read" these signs, we can use it to our advantage. For example, it can help us to understand the complete message of what someone is trying to say to us, and to enhance our awareness of people's reactions to what we say and do.

Self Improvement:
We can also use it to adjust our own body language so that we appear more positive, engaging and approachable. When we use positive body language, it can add strength to the verbal messages or ideas that we want to convey, and help us to avoid sending mixed or confusing signals.

The key to success in many areas of our lives is confidence. Confident people stand out at work, in social situations, and in group settings. In fact, studies have shown that those who appear more confident, are able to achieve a higher status than their less confident peers. Consequently, they wield more influence and tend to be more admired and listened to. They also have access to better resources.

Good First impression:
It is vital in any relationship – personal or professional to give a good first impression. This can be done by:
1.       Having an open posture. Be relaxed, but don't slouch! Sit or stand upright and place your hands by your sides. Avoid standing with your hands on your hips, as this will make you appear larger, which can communicate aggression or a desire to dominate.
2.       Using a firm handshake. But don't get carried away! You don't want it to become awkward or, worse, painful for the other person. If it does, you'll likely come across as rude or aggressive.
3.       Maintaining good eye contact. Try to hold the other person's gaze for a few seconds at a time. This will show her that you're sincere and engaged. But, avoid turning it into a staring match!
4.       Avoid touching your face. There's a common perception that people who touch their faces while answering questions are being dishonest. While this isn't always true, it's best to avoid fiddling with your hair or touching your mouth or nose, particularly if your aim is to come across as trustworthy.

Course correction is possible:
If you are not as confident as you would like to be some slight modifications to your body language can have a huge impact. All you need to do is learn to fake it until you make it with these few tricks.

1. Keep your chin and head up
Confident people are always looking up, never down at the table, the ground, or their feet. Dr. Glass feels that "you have to always pretend that there's a string holding the crown of your head up."

2. Eye contact
One of the ways to maintain confidence is to keep eye contact in social interactions. Maintaining eye contact shows that you are interested and comfortable. You should try keeping eye contact for about 60% of the time. Appear confident by maintaining eye contact in social interactions. If however direct eye contact feels too intimidating, just look at a spot close to the person's eyes.  

3. Stand up straight
Standing up straight will help you project confidence, authority, and poise. On the other hand, slouching makes you look unprofessional and disinterested. Roll both of your shoulders back and avoid looking tense by allowing your upper body muscles back to relax, maintaining firmness in your core. 

4. Lean forward 
If you are conversing with someone, leaning forward indicates interest and attention. Although it can be tempting to maintain distance if you are socially anxious, this conveys the message that you are disinterested or aloof. 

5. Plant your feet in an open, wide stance
Yes, people are looking at your feet and the correct stance can demonstrate confidence. Standing with your feet too close together can make you appear timid. Generally, aim for a stance that's in line with your hips and shoulders. You also want to keep your feet about a foot apart, pointing outward. "A confident person literally has two feet firmly planted on the ground," Glass says. "You're more balanced physically, and it shows more confidence than if your legs are crossed or together." It is also good to keep in mind the difference between an open and closed stance when talking to someone. Keeping your feet angled outwards and in the direction of the person that you are speaking too shows interest, trust, and receptiveness. Alternatively, a closed stance conveys disinterest. 

6. Gesture with your palms up
Gesturing with your palms up gives the illusion of honesty, and this will make you appear more confident. So aim for broad, smooth motions. This will show composure and poise. 

7. Don't fidget 
Fidgeting is a sign of anxiety and nervousness. To appear more confident, keep your fidgeting to a minimum and bear in mind that nervous movements draw attention away from what you are saying, making it hard for others to focus on your message. 

8. Keep your hands out of your pockets and always visible
Putting your hands in your pockets is one of the worst things you can do if you want to appear confident. Make sure your hands are always visible, never hiding. We hide our hands when we're nervous, so putting your hands in your pockets sends a message that you're uncomfortable or uncertain.

9. Uncross your arms
Crossing your arms has a negative effect; this makes you appear closed off and unreceptive. Open arms makes you warm and receptive, open to newer ideas and suggestions.

10. Cut out 'um' and 'like'
Confidence is measured in the way you speak, so it's important to be aware of your mannerisms and tone. According to Dr. Glass, "You want to speak while pressing down firmly on your abdominal muscles because you'll have a more confident, lower, more powerful voice. Cut out words such as 'um' and 'like,' and practice being more articulate." Don't run through your words, try to speak precisely and directly, and  don't be afraid to use inflection in your tone and show enthusiasm, because this shows confidence.

11. Be interested, not interesting
Focus on the people you are engaged with, as opposed to worrying about how others will perceive you. Listen to them very carefully – what is the message they are communicating? Do not focus on yourself and your self-consciousness.

12. Move slowly and take large steps.
Fast movements will make you appear more anxious. Notice your hand gestures, your walking stride - all of which can make a difference. Slowing down will make you feel more confident. As you slow down, begin to take longer strides as you walk. Confident people take larger steps and walk with authority. Doing so will make you feel less anxious. 

Public Speaking:
In public speaking what you speak is important but how you speak is even more important. So while speaking in public your body language becomes a vital cog in the communication wheel.

1.       Have a positive posture: Sit or stand upright, with your shoulders back and your arms unfolded and at your sides or in front of you. Don't be tempted to put your hands in your pockets, or to slouch, as this will make you look disinterested.
2.       Keep your head up. Your head should be upright and level. Leaning too far forward or backward can make you look aggressive or arrogant.
3.       Practice and perfect your posture. You'd practice your presentation beforehand, so why not practice your body language, too? Stand in a relaxed manner, with your weight evenly distributed. Keep one foot slightly in front of the other – this will help you to maintain your posture.
4.       Use open hand gestures. Spread your hands apart, in front of you, with your palms facing slightly toward your audience. This indicates a willingness to communicate and to share ideas. Keep your upper arms close to your body. Take care to avoid over expression, or people may pay more attention to your hands than to what you're saying.

5.       Are you losing their attention? If you notice that your audience's concentration is starting to slip, try to lean slightly forward while you speak. This suggests that you are taking them into your confidence and will help you to regain their attention.

Wednesday 5 December 2018

THE BODY CLOCK




Have you ever noticed that you tend to feel energized and drowsy around the same times every day ? This is circadian rhythm. So what is it, exactly? Your circadian rhythm is basically a 24-hour internal clock that is running in the background of your brain and cycles between sleepiness and alertness at regular intervals. It's also known as your sleep/wake cycle.

For most adults, the biggest dip in energy happens in the middle of the night (somewhere between 2:00am and 4:00am, when they're usually fast asleep) and just after lunchtime (around 1:00pm to 3:00pm, when they tend to crave a post-lunch nap). Those times can be different if you’re naturally a night owl or a morning person. You also won’t feel the dips and rises of your circadian rhythm as strongly if you’re all caught up on sleep. It’s when you’re sleep-deprived that you’ll notice bigger swings of sleepiness and alertness. 

The term circadian comes from the Latin circa, meaning "around" (or "approximately"), and diÄ“m, meaning "day". The formal study of biological temporal rhythms, such as daily, tidal, weekly, seasonal, and annual rhythms, is called chronobiology. Processes with 24-hour oscillations are more generally called diurnal rhythms; strictly speaking, they should not be called circadian rhythms unless their endogenous nature is confirmed.

A circadian rhythm is any biological process that displays oscillation of about 24 hours. They are endogenous ("built-in", self-sustained), and they are adjusted (entrained) to the local environment by external cues called zeitgebers (from German, "time giver"), which include light, temperature etc. These 24-hour rhythms are driven by a circadian clock, and they have been widely observed in plants, animals, fungi, and cyanobacteria.

In 2017, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young" for their discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling the circadian rhythm" in fruit flies. The earliest recorded account of a circadian process dates from the 4th century BC, when Androsthenes, a ship captain serving under Alexander the Great, described diurnal leaf movements of the tamarind tree.

The Science behind it

Every person has a built-in biological clock, which is responsible for regulating the timing of many biological functions, such time to sleep and time to eat. The Circadian rhythms within our biological clock manage daily cycles such as sleeping and waking, contributing to how much energy we have at given points throughout the day. The so-called “master clock” governing human and other mammalian circadian rhythms is the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), a pair of cell populations packed with genes and located in the hypothalamus that carry out this functionDestruction of the SCN results in the complete absence of a regular sleep–wake rhythm.

The SCN receives information about illumination through the eyes. Outside factors like lightness and darkness can thus impact the circadian rythm. When it’s dark at night, our eyes send a signal to the hypothalamus that it’s time to feel tired. Our brain, in turn, sends a signal to our body to release melatonin, which makes our body tired. The SCN takes the information on the lengths of the day and night from the retina, interprets it, and passes it on to the pineal gland, a tiny structure shaped like a pine cone and located on the epithalamus. In response, the pineal secretes the hormone melatonin. Secretion of melatonin peaks at night and ebbs during the day and its presence provides information about night-length. That’s why our circadian rhythm tends to coincide with the cycle of daytime and night time (and why it’s so hard for shift workers to sleep during the day and stay awake at night). Not only sleep but mental alertness, hunger, stress, mood, heart function, and even immunity are also influenced by the body's daily rhythms.

Our circadian clock sets the rhythm for our cells’ powerhouses, the Mitochondria. These are  small organelles that exist in almost all our cells and supply them with energy. The time of day determines the design of the mitochondrial network, and this, in turn, influences the cells' energy capacity.

So why is this important for us?

1.       Attentiveness and efficiency: By doing certain things at peak periods of energy and activity, there’s a chance we’ll be able to improve our productivity. Conversely when things get in the way of this rythm, like jet lag, daylight savings time, or a compelling sporting event on TV that keeps you up into the wee hours of the morning, we can disrupt our circadian rhythm, which makes us feel out of sorts and can make it harder to pay attention. 
2.       Professions: Shift-work or chronic jet-lag have profound consequences on circadian and metabolic events in the body. Due to the work nature of airline pilots, who often cross several time zones and regions of sunlight and darkness in one day, and spend many hours awake both day and night, they are often unable to maintain sleep patterns that correspond to the natural human circadian rhythm; this situation can easily lead to fatigue. The NTSB cites this as contributing to many accidents and has conducted several research studies in order to find methods of combating fatigue in pilots.
3.       Thinking and learning: This differs for many people, however as a general rule, we tend to be sharpest in the morning. Studies suggest that we tend to be at the height of our cognitive power during the late morning, so you might want to tackle any mentally-taxing activities you need to do before lunchtime.
4.       Inattentive after meals: Alertness and attention levels wane after eating a meal. That’s why we’re likely to find it harder to concentrate at work after we’ve had your lunch. Concentration levels dip the most between noon and 4 pm. In fact, many people find themselves in need of an energy-boosting pick-me-up during those hours. So eating times can also play a role in resetting our biological clock. Altering our eating schedule can also help you to reset your body clock to match a new daily routine.
5.       Metabolic diseases like Diabetes: Animals that are forced to eat during their resting period show increased body mass and altered expression of clock and metabolic genes. Obesity and diabetes are associated with lifestyle and genetic factors. Among those factors, disruption of the circadian clockwork and/or misalignment of the circadian timing system with the external environment (e.g., light-dark cycle) might play a role in the development of metabolic disorders.
6.       Sleeping habits and siesta time:  As our biological clock plays a major role in controlling our sleep-wake cycle, our schedule, bedtime routines, and even our age can also play a role in affecting the cycle. The body’s natural sleep-wake cycle changes as we age. As people approach later adulthood, their cycle tends to shift toward rising early in the morning. In fact, it’s quite common to see older adults that prefer to go to bed earlier and get up earlier. As most people’s energy levels take a dip in the early afternoon, it’s a great time to take a nap. Even if you’re not able to take one due to work commitments or otherwise, taking a quick break from what you’re doing might be beneficial.
7.       Jet-lag: travelers may experience disturbances to their sleep-wake cycles that lead to a feeling of jet lag

Tips for Adjusting
In spite of the fact that everyone’s biological clock functions differently, here are some tips for establishing a more productive daily schedule:
•   Establish a sleep schedule: Set an alarm and go to bed at the same time each night. Wake up when your alarm goes off—no hitting that snooze button over and over again.
•   Give it some time: Getting used to a new schedule may take a while, but stick with it until it starts to feel more natural.
•   Pay attention to your energy levels: Try to arrange certain activities around your peak energy levels. Not everyone is the same, so your own energy levels may follow a slightly different schedule.

Circadian rhythm in animal world
Circadian rhythms allow organisms to anticipate and prepare for precise and regular environmental changes. They thus enable organisms to better capitalize on environmental resources (e.g. light and food) compared to those that cannot predict such availability. The circadian rhythms thus puts certain organisms at a selective advantage in evolutionary terms. However, rhythmicity appears to be as important in regulating and coordinating internal metabolic processes, as in coordinating with the environment. Norwegian researchers at the University of Tromsø have shown that some Arctic animals (ptarmigan, reindeer) show circadian rhythms only in the parts of the year that have daily sunrises and sunsets. In one study of reindeer, animals at 70 degrees North showed circadian rhythms in the autumn, winter and spring, but not in the summer. Reindeer on Svalbard at78 degrees North showed such rhythms only in autumn and spring. The researchers suspect that other Arctic animals as well may not show circadian rhythms in the constant light of summer and the constant dark of winter.

Circadian rhythm in the plant world
Plant circadian rhythms tell the plant what season it is and when to flower for the best chance of attracting pollinators. Behaviors showing rhythms include leaf movement, growth, germination, stomatal/gas exchange, enzyme activity, photosynthetic activity, and fragrance emission, among others. A better understanding of plant circadian rhythms has applications in agriculture, such as helping farmers stagger crop harvests to extend crop availability and securing against massive losses due to weather.

Thursday 8 November 2018

JAMGHAT IN LUCKNOW WITH PATANGBAZI




The Exuberance of Jamghat in Lucknow is simply breathtaking. As if the festivities of Diwali were not enough, comes the festival of Kite flying ðŸ”·ðŸ”¸in my city. Lucknow has a very old tradition of patangbazi.

With no televisions, internet, and video games for leisure, the people of Lucknow are believed to have indulged in kite flying, cock fighting, shatranj (chess) and kancha (marbles) as common pastimes during the days of the Nawabs. The charm of these activities is still alive in the hearts of proud Lakhnawis who seem to be highly influenced by the Nawabs and their lifestyle practices.

Patangbazi (kite flying) was the most common and popular leisure activity practiced in the old areas of Lucknow, especially Chowk, Aminabad, Nakhas, Saadatganj, Moulvigang and Kaisarbagh. This recreational activity was actually a full-time recreation for several people in the city, who spend the most part of their day at the banks of the Gomti or their rooftops flying various types of colorful kites.

Every year, one particular day is devoted to extensive kite flying, a special day when kite-flying enthusiasts of the city take part in various Patangbazi competitions on the banks of the river Gomti. This day falls on the next day of Diwali and is known as Jamghat. Extensive preparations are made by people from all age groups before Jamghat. It is a very special occasion where people of different religions and castes come together on one platform and take active part in various Patangbazi (Kite flying) competitions.

Jamghat festival also symbolizes the renowned Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb of Lucknow where Hindus and Muslims come together, exchange sweets and fly kites. Jamghat is a one of its kind event, which maintains harmony and a social relationship between the Hindus and Muslims of Lucknow. The active participation of Muslims and Hindus during Jamghat with equal enthusiasm displays the real essence of Tehzeeb and brotherhood unique to Lucknow city.

Jamghat and Patangein (Kites) and Lucknow are so very interlinked that it is very difficult to untangle this relationship.

Many Nawabs of Awadh had a deep fascination towards kite flying. Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah had a strong interest in kite flying. Nawab Aga Abu Turrab Khan, who was Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah’s uncle, taught the Nawab how to fly kites. With patronage from Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah, kite flying soon became popular amongst the masses in Lucknow. Nawab Amjad Ali Shah also took personal interest in this pastime and is said to have contributed towards the improvement in the fundamental design of the kite to just one shoulder from two shoulders.

The Nawabs used to fly their kites made of gold or silver. They also utilized gold-polished manjha and charkhi. Whoever brought back the kati patang of the Nawabs was handsomely awarded. There were two different styles of kite flying during the Nawabi period. People used to engage in Pench Ladana (cutting the manjha of the opponent’s kite) through “Kheench Ke” technique (fast pulling of the kite) or “Dheel de Ke” method (slow release of the manjha). These two popular styles of kite flying are still widely employed by the kite flyers today.

Kite Flying Lingo and Accessories used during the Jamghat are unique.There are different types of kites flown in Lucknow during Jamghat. Kankawwa is considered to be the biggest kite made from a full sheet of paper. This kite had its origin during the reign of Nawabs. Experienced kite flyers tend to use Kankawwa during the Jamghat festival. Pauntawa kite is produced from 3/4th portion of a sheet of paper.

Pauntai kite is produced from a left-over portion of Pauntawa. Kids and teenagers are very fond of Pauntai kites. Sava ka Teen kites are actually three kites made from 3/4th part of paper. Chichi is generally a small kite with a tail at the base and it has a thin wooden spine of 7-8 inches.

Phirki or Charkhi is used to assemble manjha. It is generally a wooden spindle utilized to collect the thread. Manjha is a sharp thread attached to the kite in order to cut other kites. Saddi is a normal thread without any sharpness used to fly kites. Kanne is an arrangement of saddi or thread attached to the thin spine of the kite that is fixed with the main chord in order to make it fly. Taar ki Patang is also used to trap or entangle a kite that has been cut by other kite flyers. Taar is essentially a very thin piece of metal intertwined with other taars at many ends to make a set-up to catch kites.

History of kite flying is centuries old. It is said to have been introduced to India by Chinese travelers Fa Hein and Huien Tsang. It is considered an art by many people in Lucknow. That legacy was carried through the reign of Nawabs and today scores of Lucknowites spend massive amount of time and money on this pastime. Kite making requires detailed precision and skills and patangbaz shaukeens have patronized this dying art. The fascination of Pench Ladana, Kheech Ke and Dheel de Ke still persists in Lucknow and would never fade going by the love for heritage ingrained in the hearts of Lucknowites.

Wednesday 31 October 2018

THE VITRUVIAN MAN



Leonardo da Vinci's image of the Vitruvian Man is an iconic symbol of human proportions.  The Vitruvian Man (Italian: Le proporzioni del corpo umano secondo Vitruvio, which is translated to "The proportions of the human body according to Vitruvius"), is a drawing made by the Italian polymath around 1490.

Nearly everyone has seen it, even if they haven't had a name for it: a naked male contained within a circle and square. It is a study of the ideal proportions of the human form. It is part of a book written by Luca Pacioli known as the 'Divine Proportion'. While da Vinci was more of an artist, he was also a dedicated scientist, illustrating the things he observed and designing feats of engineering. Vitruvian Man is a study of the human form visually perfected through the application of mathematics. A big part of this attempt at idealism and naturalism was to figure out the proper proportions of the human body, how the various parts compared to each other and to the larger whole. People, such as da Vinci, saw mathematics as a universal constant, with proper proportions repeating themselves across the universe.

It is known as the Vitruvian Man because it is actually an illustration of concepts described by the Roman Vitruvius in the 1st century BC. Vitruvius, in turn, was actually describing a work known as the 'Canon' by Polykleitos, a Greek from the 5th century BC.

The drawing, Vitruvian Man, is based on the correlations of ideal human body proportions with geometry described by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius in Book III of his treatise De architectura. Vitruvius described the human figure as being the principal source of proportion among the classical orders of architecture. Vitruvius determined that the ideal body should be eight heads high. Leonardo's drawing is traditionally named in honor of the architect.

The drawing is accompanied by notes based on the work of the architect Vitruvius. The drawing, which is in ink on paper, depicts a man in two superimposed positions with his arms and legs apart and inscribed in a circle and square. It is kept in the Gabinetto dei disegni e stampe of the Gallerie dell'Accademia, in Venice, Italy, under reference 228. Like most works on paper, it is displayed to the public only occasionally, so it is not part of the normal exhibition of the museum.

This image demonstrates the blend of mathematics and art during the Renaissance and shows Leonardo's deep understanding of proportion. In addition, this picture represents a cornerstone of Leonardo's attempts to relate man to nature. Encyclopædia Britannica online states, "Leonardo envisaged the great picture chart of the human body he had produced through his anatomical drawings and Vitruvian Man as a cosmografia del minor mondo (cosmography of the microcosm). He believed the workings of the human body to be an analogy for the workings of the universe.

According to Leonardo's preview in the accompanying text, written in mirror writing, it was made as a study of the proportions of the (male) human body as described in Vitruvius. The text is in two parts, above and below the image.

The first paragraph of the upper part reports Vitruvius: "Vetruvio, architect, puts in his work on architecture that the measurements of man are in nature distributed in this manner, that is:
  • ·         palm is four fingers
  • ·         foot is four palms
  • ·         cubit is six palms
  • ·         four cubits make a man
  • ·         pace is four cubits
  • ·         a man is 24 palms


and these measurements are in his buildings". The second paragraph reads: "if you open your legs enough that your head is lowered by one-fourteenth of your height and raise your hands enough that your extended fingers touch the line of the top of your head, know that the centre of the extended limbs will be the navel, and the space between the legs will be an equilateral triangle".

The lower section of text gives these proportions:
  • ·         the length of the outspread arms is equal to the height of a man
  • ·         from the hairline to the bottom of the chin is one-tenth of the height of a man
  • ·         from below the chin to the top of the head is one-eighth of the height of a man
  • ·         from above the chest to the top of the head is one-sixth of the height of a man
  • ·         from above the chest to the hairline is one-seventh of the height of a man.
  • ·         the maximum width of the shoulders is a quarter of the height of a man.
  • ·         from the breasts to the top of the head is a quarter of the height of a man.
  • ·         the distance from the elbow to the tip of the hand is a quarter of the height of a man.
  • ·         the distance from the elbow to the armpit is one-eighth of the height of a man.
  • ·         the length of the hand is one-tenth of the height of a man.
  • ·         the root of the penis is at half the height of a man.
  • ·         the foot is one-seventh of the height of a man.
  • ·         from below the foot to below the knee is a quarter of the height of a man.
  • ·         from below the knee to the root of the penis is a quarter of the height of a man.
  • ·         the distances from below the chin to the nose and the eyebrows and the hairline are equal to the ears and to one-third of the face.



The points determining these proportions are marked with lines on the drawing. Below the drawing itself is a single line equal to a side of the square and divided into four cubits, of which the outer two are divided into six palms each, two of which have the mirror-text annotation "palmi"; the outermost two palms are divided into four fingers each, and are each annotated "diti".

In the human body the central point is naturally the navel. For if a man be placed flat on his back, with his hands and feet extended, and a pair of compasses centred at his navel, the fingers and toes of his two hands and feet will touch the circumference of a circle described therefrom. And just as the human body yields a circular outline, so too a square figure may be found from it. For if we measure the distance from the soles of the feet to the top of the head, and then apply that measure to the outstretched arms, the breadth will be found to be the same as the height, as in the case of plane surfaces which are perfectly square.

It may be noticed by examining the drawing that the combination of arm and leg positions actually creates sixteen different poses. The pose with the arms straight out and the feet together is seen to be inscribed in the superimposed square. On the other hand, the "spread-eagle" pose is seen to be inscribed in the superimposed circle.



The classic drawing has changed many hands. It was purchased from Gaudenzio de' Pagave by Giuseppe Bossi, who described, discussed and illustrated it in his monograph on Leonardo's The Last SupperDel Cenacolo di Leonardo da Vinci libri quattro (1810). The following year he excerpted the section of his monograph concerned with the Vitruvian Man and published it as Delle opinioni di Leonardo da Vinci intorno alla simmetria de'Corpi Umani (1811). After Bossi's death in 1815 the Vitruvian Man was acquired in 1822, along with a number of his drawings, by the Gallerie dell'Accademia in Venice, Italy, and has remained there since.