The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment. It dates its origins to 1970, when Benny Binion invited six of the best-known poker players to the Horseshoe Casino for a single tournament, with a set start and stop time, and a winner determined by secret ballot.
The winner of each event receives a World Series of Poker bracelet and a monetary prize based on the number of entrants and buy-in amounts. Over the years the tournament has grown, both in the number of events and the number of participants. Each year the WSOP culminates with the $10,000 no-limit hold'em "Main Event", which since 2004 has attracted entrants numbering in the thousands. The victor receives a multi-million dollar prize and a bracelet, which has become the most coveted award a poker player can win. The winner of the World Series of Poker Main Event is considered to be the World Champion of Poker.
Starting in 2011, the WSOP consists of 58 events, with most major poker variants featured, though in recent years over half of the events have been variants of Texas hold 'em. Events traditionally take place during one day or over several consecutive days during the series in June and July. However, starting in 2008, the Main Event final table has been delayed until November.
The 2010 World Series of Poker was held at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. It started on May 27 and ran through July 17, with the final table of the Main Event returning in November. Jonathan Duhamel became the first Canadian to win the main event, taking home US$8.94 million.[6] The 2011 WSOP will again take place at the Rio. It will start on May 31 and run through July 19, with the final table of the Main Event returning again in November. From Wikipedia
The 2010-11 World Series of Poker Circuit concluded May 30, with Sam Barnhart being crowned the National Champion. Barnhart defeated the invite-only field of 97 players to win $300,000 and a WSOP bracelet in the first-ever WSOP Circuit National Championship tournament. The field was determined throughout the WSOP Circuit season and included Circuit main event champions, casino champions, players who reached the final table at the four Regional Championships and 37 at-large bids. Barnhart earned his seat by taking down the WSOPC main event in Tunica in February.
"This is a wonderful feeling," he said after his victory. "It's one of the best feelings I have ever had in my life. To come here and win this is every poker player's dream come true."
The two victories have provided Barnhart with nearly $500,000 in prize money, enough to persuade the researcher to take some time away from his job and take a deeper look at the poker tournament circuit.
"I decided I wanted to see what it would be like to spend an entire year playing poker," said the 50-year-old Barnhart. "Winning in Tunica and finishing [fifth in another major tournament a few months ago] gave me enough revenue and bankroll to try and make it playing poker. I have a good résumé, so I can always falls back on the research I have done. I know some poker players come into this completely empty-handed, but I want to be backed up both with money and a career if this does not work out."
The event featured many of the game's brightest stars, but not one player in this event had previously won a WSOP bracelet. Many people might debate the idea that Barnhart is the first true WSOP bracelet winner of the year, as this was a closed event and that his victory didn't come during the 58-tournament series that begins May 31. For those who criticize the validity of the bracelet, just remember that 49,453 players competed for this one bracelet, which would mean that Barnhart beat out more players to win this bracelet than anyone else in WSOP history.
By including a $1 million freeroll for the top players on the WSOPC, the National Championship offered players an additional incentive to participate this season. Along those lines, the WSOP Circuit was incredibly successful and perhaps had the best season the WSOPC has seen.
The final 10 players made the money, with Doug Carli the unfortunate freeroll bubble boy. Choctaw champion Huy Nguyen was eliminated in 10th and missed the nine-handed televised final table that will be broadcast on Versus later this year.
Below are the complete results of the 2011 WSOP Circuit National Championship:
National Championship
Buy-in: Freeroll
Entries: 97 (three players who had earned bids did not attend)
Prize pool: $1,000,000
Players in the money: 10
1 . Samuel Barnhart ($300,000)
2. James Anderson ($200,000)
3. Joshua Evans ($135,000)
4. La Sengphet ($100,000)
5. Jonathon Poche ($75,000)
6. Charles Moore ($55,000)
7. Drazen Ilich ($42,500)
8. Adam Hui ($35,000)
9. Matt Lawrence ($30,000)
10. Huy Nguyen ($27,500)
From Andrew Feldman
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Laboratory Study Suggests Potential Anti-Cancer Benefit of Ginseng
Ginseng (English pronunciation: /ˈdʒɪn.seŋ/) is any one of eleven distinct species of slow-growing perennial plants with fleshy roots, belonging to the Panax genus in the family Araliaceae.
It grows in the Northern Hemisphere in eastern Asia (mostly Korea, northern China (Manchuria), and eastern Siberia), typically in cooler climates; Panax vietnamensis, discovered in Vietnam, is the southernmost ginseng found. This article focuses on the Series Panax ginsengs, which are the adaptogenic herbs, principally Panax ginseng and P. quinquefolius. Ginseng is characterized by the presence of ginsenosides.
Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is in the same family, but not genus, as true Ginseng. Like Ginseng, it is considered to be an adaptogenic herb. The active compounds in Siberian Ginseng are eleutherosides, not ginsenosides. Instead of a fleshy root, Siberian Ginseng has a woody root, From Wikipedia
American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) extract caused laboratory cultures of colorectal cancer cells to die, indicating that the herb may have an anti-cancer effect, according to a study published in the journal Cancer Letters. Although results from the study suggest that combining ginseng with antioxidants such as vitamin C may potentially enhance this effect, there is no evidence yet that this laboratory research can be extended to treatments in people.
Researchers at the University of Chicago treated two types of colorectal cancer cells with steamed American ginseng root extract. This caused damage to the cells' mitochondria, the internal structures that are involved with energy production, and led to apoptosis (cell death). It also increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS)—a byproduct of the processes in which cells use and break down oxygen (increased levels of ROS can either bring on cell death or activate the survival pathways that protect against it). The researchers found that fewer ginseng-treated cancer cells with high ROS levels died compared with ginseng-treated cancer cells that had low ROS levels. To test whether ROS protected the ginseng-treated colorectal cancer cells from dying, the researchers added two antioxidants (N-acetyl-L-cysteine and vitamin C), which decreased ROS levels and increased rates of cell death.
Whether ROS acts to induce cell death or survival in response to ginseng depends on the specific biochemical pathways that are activated, and how this happens remains unknown. Further studies are needed. The researchers also noted the need for additional investigations to test whether combining ginseng and antioxidants might help prevent the development of colorectal cancers. From Cancer Letters. 2010;289(1):62–70.
It grows in the Northern Hemisphere in eastern Asia (mostly Korea, northern China (Manchuria), and eastern Siberia), typically in cooler climates; Panax vietnamensis, discovered in Vietnam, is the southernmost ginseng found. This article focuses on the Series Panax ginsengs, which are the adaptogenic herbs, principally Panax ginseng and P. quinquefolius. Ginseng is characterized by the presence of ginsenosides.
Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is in the same family, but not genus, as true Ginseng. Like Ginseng, it is considered to be an adaptogenic herb. The active compounds in Siberian Ginseng are eleutherosides, not ginsenosides. Instead of a fleshy root, Siberian Ginseng has a woody root, From Wikipedia
American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) extract caused laboratory cultures of colorectal cancer cells to die, indicating that the herb may have an anti-cancer effect, according to a study published in the journal Cancer Letters. Although results from the study suggest that combining ginseng with antioxidants such as vitamin C may potentially enhance this effect, there is no evidence yet that this laboratory research can be extended to treatments in people.
Researchers at the University of Chicago treated two types of colorectal cancer cells with steamed American ginseng root extract. This caused damage to the cells' mitochondria, the internal structures that are involved with energy production, and led to apoptosis (cell death). It also increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS)—a byproduct of the processes in which cells use and break down oxygen (increased levels of ROS can either bring on cell death or activate the survival pathways that protect against it). The researchers found that fewer ginseng-treated cancer cells with high ROS levels died compared with ginseng-treated cancer cells that had low ROS levels. To test whether ROS protected the ginseng-treated colorectal cancer cells from dying, the researchers added two antioxidants (N-acetyl-L-cysteine and vitamin C), which decreased ROS levels and increased rates of cell death.
Whether ROS acts to induce cell death or survival in response to ginseng depends on the specific biochemical pathways that are activated, and how this happens remains unknown. Further studies are needed. The researchers also noted the need for additional investigations to test whether combining ginseng and antioxidants might help prevent the development of colorectal cancers. From Cancer Letters. 2010;289(1):62–70.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Focaccia Bread with Rosemary
Focaccia (Italian pronunciation: [foˈkattʃa]) is a flat oven-baked Italian bread,[1] which may be topped with herbs or other ingredients. It is related to pizza, but not considered to be the same.
Focaccia is popular in Italy and is usually seasoned with olive oil and salt, and sometimes herbs, and may be topped with onion, cheese and meat, or flavored with a number of vegetables. It is eaten as a snack in Italy and school children will often purchase a slice from a baker's on the way to school, to enjoy at break time.[citation needed]
In the late 19th century an Italian immigrant to the United Kingdom created a version of focaccia with a unique English twist. The local baker to Kings Clipstone, Nottinghamshire developed his version, known locally as Italian Lard Bread, using that staple ingredient of every Englishman's diet at that time in history, lard.[citation needed]
Focaccia doughs are similar in style and texture to pizza doughs, consisting of high-gluten flour, oil, water, salt and yeast. It is typically rolled out or pressed by hand into a thick layer of dough and then baked in a stone-bottom or hearth oven. Bakers often puncture the bread with a knife to relieve bubbling on the surface of the bread.
Also common is the practice of dotting the bread. This creates multiple wells in the bread by using a finger or the handle of a utensil to poke the unbaked dough. As a way to preserve moisture in the bread, olive oil is then spread over the dough, by hand or with a pastry brush prior to rising and baking. In the northern part of Italy, lard will sometimes be added to the dough, giving the focaccia a softer, slightly flakier texture. Focaccia recipes are widely available, and with the popularity of bread machines, many cookbooks now provide versions of dough recipes that do not require hand kneading.
Focaccia can be used as a side to many meals, as a base for pizza, or as sandwich bread. From Wikipedia
Have you ever made your own focaccia bread? I'm not much of a yeast-bread baker, but I've been curious about this Italian bread for years. We use it often for sandwiches; it's filled with the flavor of olive oil, soft and sturdy at the same time, and dimpled all over. Well, if you too have been curious about making focaccia, I'm here to strongly suggest that you try it! Hank taught me how to make it and believe me, this bread is seriously good. Yes, it takes the good part of the day to make (but most of that time goes to just waiting for the dough to rise, thrice). And if you're lazy like me, or with embarrassingly out-of-shape biceps (also like me), you can easily mix and knead the whole thing in an electric mixer. So it's easy. No excuses kimosabe. This bread is so good that even though the recipe makes enough for a platoon, I'm pretty sure I could eat the whole thing. I literally had to force myself to give much of the last batch away, to parents, neighbors, anyone within reach with an appetite. Purely selfish motives that was, to save myself from an embarrassing chat with the scale.
This recipe makes enough for 2 good-sized loaves. Or you can do what we've done, which is take 2/3 of the dough and bake it in a 9x15-inch baking pan, and the remaining third of the dough free-form on a baking sheet. You can make it all in free-form loaves that look like puffy pizzas, or shape them into casseroles or cake pans – there are no absolutes on the shape of this bread. The bread takes on the flavor of the olive oil so use a good quality one. Like most breads, this focaccia freezes well. You can also slice several day old focaccia bread and toast it, serving it with butter and/or honey.
Ingredients
1 package dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water, about 100 degrees
2 1/4 cups tepid water
2 Tbsp good quality olive oil, plus more for the pan and to paint on top of the bread
3 cups bread flour
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp salt, plus coarse salt (fleur de sel if you have it, otherwise Kosher salt) for sprinkling over the top
2-3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary (can use sage or other herbs such as thyme or oregano, but whatever herb you use, do use fresh herbs, do not use dried)
Method
1 Stir the yeast into the 1/3 cup of slightly warm-to-the-touch water and let it rest for 10 minutes.
2 In a large bowl, pour in 2 1/4 cups of tepid water and 2 tablespoons olive oil. After the yeast has rested for 10 minutes and has begun to froth, pour it into the water-oil mixture.
3 Whisk in 2 cups of flour (either the bread flour or the all purpose, at this stage it doesn't matter which) and the tablespoon of salt. Add the rosemary. Then, cup by cup, whisk in the rest of the flour (both the bread flour and all purpose). As the mixture goes from a batter to a thick dough, you'll want to switch from a whisk to a wooden spoon. By the time you get to the last cup of flour, you will be able to work the dough with your hands. Begin to knead it in the bowl – try to incorporate all the flour stuck to the sides and bottom of the bowl as you begin kneading.
Once the bowl is pretty clean, turn the dough out onto a board and knead it well for 8 minutes. You might need some extra flour if the dough is sticky.
Note that a KitchenAid mixer (or some other brand of upright electric mixer) works well for the mixing and kneading of the bread dough. About the time you add the last cup of flour you'll want to switch from the standard mixer attachment to the dough hook attachment. Just knead the dough using the dough hook on low speed for 8 minutes. If after a few minutes the dough is still a little sticky, add a little sprinkling of flour to it.
4 In a large clean bowl, pour in about a tablespoon of oil and put the dough on top of it. Spread the oil all over the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rise (in a relatively warm spot or at room temp) for an hour and a half. It should just about double in size.
5 Spread a little olive oil in your baking pan or baking sheet (will make it easier to remove the bread). Place the dough in your baking pans or form it into free-form rounds on a baking sheet. This recipe will do two nice-sized loaves or one big one and a little one. Cover the breads and set aside for another 30 minutes.
6 Dimple the breads with your thumb. Push in to about the end of your thumbnail, roughly 1/2-inch. Cover again and leave it to rise for its final rise, about 2 hours.
7 With 30 minutes to go before the rise finishes, preheat your oven to 400°F. If you have a pizza stone put it in.
8 Once the dough has done its final rise, gently paint the top with olive oil – as much as you want. Then sprinkle the coarse salt on top from about a foot over the bread; this lets the salt spread out better on its way down and helps reduce clumps of salt.
9 Put the bread in the oven. If you are doing free-form breads, put it right on the pizza stone. Bake for a total of 20-25 minutes. If you have a water spritzer bottle, spritz a little water in the oven right before you put the bread in to create steam, and then a couple of times while the bread is baking.
When the bread comes out of the oven, turn it out onto a rack within 3-5 minutes; this way you'll keep the bottom of the bread crispy. Let cool on a rack for 10 minutes before eating.
Makes a large loaf and a small loaf of 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. How much will this serve? Easily a dozen, but it’s so good you might find yourself eating more than you expect. From Carol Field
Focaccia is popular in Italy and is usually seasoned with olive oil and salt, and sometimes herbs, and may be topped with onion, cheese and meat, or flavored with a number of vegetables. It is eaten as a snack in Italy and school children will often purchase a slice from a baker's on the way to school, to enjoy at break time.[citation needed]
In the late 19th century an Italian immigrant to the United Kingdom created a version of focaccia with a unique English twist. The local baker to Kings Clipstone, Nottinghamshire developed his version, known locally as Italian Lard Bread, using that staple ingredient of every Englishman's diet at that time in history, lard.[citation needed]
Focaccia doughs are similar in style and texture to pizza doughs, consisting of high-gluten flour, oil, water, salt and yeast. It is typically rolled out or pressed by hand into a thick layer of dough and then baked in a stone-bottom or hearth oven. Bakers often puncture the bread with a knife to relieve bubbling on the surface of the bread.
Also common is the practice of dotting the bread. This creates multiple wells in the bread by using a finger or the handle of a utensil to poke the unbaked dough. As a way to preserve moisture in the bread, olive oil is then spread over the dough, by hand or with a pastry brush prior to rising and baking. In the northern part of Italy, lard will sometimes be added to the dough, giving the focaccia a softer, slightly flakier texture. Focaccia recipes are widely available, and with the popularity of bread machines, many cookbooks now provide versions of dough recipes that do not require hand kneading.
Focaccia can be used as a side to many meals, as a base for pizza, or as sandwich bread. From Wikipedia
Have you ever made your own focaccia bread? I'm not much of a yeast-bread baker, but I've been curious about this Italian bread for years. We use it often for sandwiches; it's filled with the flavor of olive oil, soft and sturdy at the same time, and dimpled all over. Well, if you too have been curious about making focaccia, I'm here to strongly suggest that you try it! Hank taught me how to make it and believe me, this bread is seriously good. Yes, it takes the good part of the day to make (but most of that time goes to just waiting for the dough to rise, thrice). And if you're lazy like me, or with embarrassingly out-of-shape biceps (also like me), you can easily mix and knead the whole thing in an electric mixer. So it's easy. No excuses kimosabe. This bread is so good that even though the recipe makes enough for a platoon, I'm pretty sure I could eat the whole thing. I literally had to force myself to give much of the last batch away, to parents, neighbors, anyone within reach with an appetite. Purely selfish motives that was, to save myself from an embarrassing chat with the scale.
This recipe makes enough for 2 good-sized loaves. Or you can do what we've done, which is take 2/3 of the dough and bake it in a 9x15-inch baking pan, and the remaining third of the dough free-form on a baking sheet. You can make it all in free-form loaves that look like puffy pizzas, or shape them into casseroles or cake pans – there are no absolutes on the shape of this bread. The bread takes on the flavor of the olive oil so use a good quality one. Like most breads, this focaccia freezes well. You can also slice several day old focaccia bread and toast it, serving it with butter and/or honey.
Ingredients
1 package dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water, about 100 degrees
2 1/4 cups tepid water
2 Tbsp good quality olive oil, plus more for the pan and to paint on top of the bread
3 cups bread flour
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp salt, plus coarse salt (fleur de sel if you have it, otherwise Kosher salt) for sprinkling over the top
2-3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary (can use sage or other herbs such as thyme or oregano, but whatever herb you use, do use fresh herbs, do not use dried)
Method
1 Stir the yeast into the 1/3 cup of slightly warm-to-the-touch water and let it rest for 10 minutes.
2 In a large bowl, pour in 2 1/4 cups of tepid water and 2 tablespoons olive oil. After the yeast has rested for 10 minutes and has begun to froth, pour it into the water-oil mixture.
3 Whisk in 2 cups of flour (either the bread flour or the all purpose, at this stage it doesn't matter which) and the tablespoon of salt. Add the rosemary. Then, cup by cup, whisk in the rest of the flour (both the bread flour and all purpose). As the mixture goes from a batter to a thick dough, you'll want to switch from a whisk to a wooden spoon. By the time you get to the last cup of flour, you will be able to work the dough with your hands. Begin to knead it in the bowl – try to incorporate all the flour stuck to the sides and bottom of the bowl as you begin kneading.
Once the bowl is pretty clean, turn the dough out onto a board and knead it well for 8 minutes. You might need some extra flour if the dough is sticky.
Note that a KitchenAid mixer (or some other brand of upright electric mixer) works well for the mixing and kneading of the bread dough. About the time you add the last cup of flour you'll want to switch from the standard mixer attachment to the dough hook attachment. Just knead the dough using the dough hook on low speed for 8 minutes. If after a few minutes the dough is still a little sticky, add a little sprinkling of flour to it.
4 In a large clean bowl, pour in about a tablespoon of oil and put the dough on top of it. Spread the oil all over the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rise (in a relatively warm spot or at room temp) for an hour and a half. It should just about double in size.
5 Spread a little olive oil in your baking pan or baking sheet (will make it easier to remove the bread). Place the dough in your baking pans or form it into free-form rounds on a baking sheet. This recipe will do two nice-sized loaves or one big one and a little one. Cover the breads and set aside for another 30 minutes.
6 Dimple the breads with your thumb. Push in to about the end of your thumbnail, roughly 1/2-inch. Cover again and leave it to rise for its final rise, about 2 hours.
7 With 30 minutes to go before the rise finishes, preheat your oven to 400°F. If you have a pizza stone put it in.
8 Once the dough has done its final rise, gently paint the top with olive oil – as much as you want. Then sprinkle the coarse salt on top from about a foot over the bread; this lets the salt spread out better on its way down and helps reduce clumps of salt.
9 Put the bread in the oven. If you are doing free-form breads, put it right on the pizza stone. Bake for a total of 20-25 minutes. If you have a water spritzer bottle, spritz a little water in the oven right before you put the bread in to create steam, and then a couple of times while the bread is baking.
When the bread comes out of the oven, turn it out onto a rack within 3-5 minutes; this way you'll keep the bottom of the bread crispy. Let cool on a rack for 10 minutes before eating.
Makes a large loaf and a small loaf of 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. How much will this serve? Easily a dozen, but it’s so good you might find yourself eating more than you expect. From Carol Field
Vitamin D Make More Sperm shot Firmness
Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids, the two major physiologically relevant forms of which are vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Vitamin D without a subscript refers to either D2 or D3 or both. Vitamin D3 is produced in the skin of vertebrates after exposure to ultraviolet B light from the sun or artificial sources, and occurs naturally in fish and a few other foods. In some countries, staple foods such as milk, flour and margarine are artificially fortified with vitamin D, and it is also available as a supplement in pill form.[2] Light-exposed mushrooms may provide up to 100% of the recommended Daily Value of vitamin D.[3]
Vitamin D is carried in the bloodstream to the liver, where it is converted into the prohormone calcidiol. Circulating calcidiol may then be converted into calcitriol, the biologically active form of vitamin D, either in the kidneys or by monocyte-macrophages in the immune system. When synthesized by monocyte-macrophages, calcitriol acts locally as a cytokine, defending the body against microbial invaders.[4]
When synthesized in the kidneys, calcitriol circulates as a hormone, regulating, among other things, the concentration of calcium and phosphate in the bloodstream, promoting the healthy mineralization, growth and remodeling of bone, and the prevention of hypocalcemic tetany. Vitamin D insufficiency can result in thin, brittle, or misshapen bones, while sufficiency prevents rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, and, together with calcium, helps to protect older adults from osteoporosis. Vitamin D also modulates neuromuscular function, reduces inflammation, and influences the action of many genes that regulate the proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of cells.[5] From Wikipedia
A new finding says that the sperm can make the most rapid movement in men who had vitamin D levels are high. Research conducted on 300 healthy men was recently published in the journal Human Reproduction.
Of course, this finding give new hope to those who have infertility problems.
The researchers found that the sperm of men who are deficient in vitamin D (less than 25 nanomoles per liter of blood) had a sperm motility less than that has more than 75 nanomoles of vitamin D per liter of blood, said researcher Martin Blomberg Jensen from the Department of Growth and Reproduction at Home Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark.
The researchers also found that these benefits can be obtained by exposing sperm to the activated vitamin D. The sun usually plays a role in activate vitamin D in our skin.
This study shows that vitamin D is needed to overcome reproductive problems in men. But Jensen adds that more research is needed before vitamins can be prescribed to improve the quality of sperm.
Jensen said that by taking supplements of vitamin D, we can increase the number of active vitamins, but it has not been seen from the testes are tested.
Jensen added that however, the level of sperm does not guarantee the speed will increase male fertility. Because the fertility of a man is depending on the cause of the low fertility rate itself as motility, or morphology of sperm.
Sperm velocity is a very important parameter, and the proportion of fast-moving sperm (motility) was associated with and become predator to the achievement of pregnancy.
However, there is no scientific method that is suitable for improving sperm quality, although previous studies have demonstrated the relationship between sperm velocity in the presence of antioxidants, zinc and vitamins, said Jensen.
For example, research presented in 2003 at a meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine suggests that the speed of sperm in men who drank coffee were higher than those who are not coffee because there are elements of antioxidants.
But for the women, it is danger if they are vitamin D dificiency. From Marlito
Vitamin D is carried in the bloodstream to the liver, where it is converted into the prohormone calcidiol. Circulating calcidiol may then be converted into calcitriol, the biologically active form of vitamin D, either in the kidneys or by monocyte-macrophages in the immune system. When synthesized by monocyte-macrophages, calcitriol acts locally as a cytokine, defending the body against microbial invaders.[4]
When synthesized in the kidneys, calcitriol circulates as a hormone, regulating, among other things, the concentration of calcium and phosphate in the bloodstream, promoting the healthy mineralization, growth and remodeling of bone, and the prevention of hypocalcemic tetany. Vitamin D insufficiency can result in thin, brittle, or misshapen bones, while sufficiency prevents rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, and, together with calcium, helps to protect older adults from osteoporosis. Vitamin D also modulates neuromuscular function, reduces inflammation, and influences the action of many genes that regulate the proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of cells.[5] From Wikipedia
A new finding says that the sperm can make the most rapid movement in men who had vitamin D levels are high. Research conducted on 300 healthy men was recently published in the journal Human Reproduction.
Of course, this finding give new hope to those who have infertility problems.
The researchers found that the sperm of men who are deficient in vitamin D (less than 25 nanomoles per liter of blood) had a sperm motility less than that has more than 75 nanomoles of vitamin D per liter of blood, said researcher Martin Blomberg Jensen from the Department of Growth and Reproduction at Home Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark.
The researchers also found that these benefits can be obtained by exposing sperm to the activated vitamin D. The sun usually plays a role in activate vitamin D in our skin.
This study shows that vitamin D is needed to overcome reproductive problems in men. But Jensen adds that more research is needed before vitamins can be prescribed to improve the quality of sperm.
Jensen said that by taking supplements of vitamin D, we can increase the number of active vitamins, but it has not been seen from the testes are tested.
Jensen added that however, the level of sperm does not guarantee the speed will increase male fertility. Because the fertility of a man is depending on the cause of the low fertility rate itself as motility, or morphology of sperm.
Sperm velocity is a very important parameter, and the proportion of fast-moving sperm (motility) was associated with and become predator to the achievement of pregnancy.
However, there is no scientific method that is suitable for improving sperm quality, although previous studies have demonstrated the relationship between sperm velocity in the presence of antioxidants, zinc and vitamins, said Jensen.
For example, research presented in 2003 at a meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine suggests that the speed of sperm in men who drank coffee were higher than those who are not coffee because there are elements of antioxidants.
But for the women, it is danger if they are vitamin D dificiency. From Marlito
Today's Hottest Phones: They're All Android
How quickly the world of smartphones has changed. Two years ago, a story about the best models would have featured the iPhone and some BlackBerry handsets, with Android-based phones scarcely mentioned. One year ago, the iPhone would have been front-and-center, with a mix of BlackBerry and Android phones in the supporting cast. But in 2011, Android is king, and even in the volatile world of smartphones, it seems likely to dominate for some time to come.
More mobile consumers now say that they want an Android phone than an iPhone, according to an April 2011 Nielsen survey. The difference isn't huge--31 percent for Android to 30 percent for the iPhone. But the trend looks good for the little green guy: Android's polling number has risen significantly from 26 percent in late 2010, while the iPhone's desirability has slipped slightly from 33 percent in that same period.
Part of the reason that Android is capturing the hearts and minds of consumers is that prospective buyers have so many Android phones to choose from. Dozens of Android phones have come out in the past year on all of the Big Four cell-phone networks (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon) as well as on the smaller, prepaid carriers. Android phones range in price from $50 to $300, so whether you're on a tight budget and need a prepaid phone or you're a tech-savvy gadget freak who wants the latest and greatest features, you can find an Android phone that meets your needs.
The competition among the many companies that make Android phones is driving innovation in design, in components, and in new features and capabilities. The biggest practical advantage that Android has over its rivals involves its support of 4G networks (LTE on Verizon, HSPA+ on AT&T and T-Mobile, and WiMax on Sprint) for faster data speeds. Right now, the only phones capable of handling 4G are Android phones--and it doesn't look as though Windows Phone 7 units or BlackBerrys will be jumping aboard the 4G bandwagon anytime soon. Plenty of rumors have been swirling in the phone industry about the possibility of a 4G iPhone 5, but we haven't been able to nail down confirmed information on that front. Meanwhile, in our head-to-head tests of competing 4G Android phones, we recorded staggering performance differences be¬¬tween 4G and 3G data speeds on all four networks.
We've also seen considerable diversity in Android handset designs, ranging from dual-screen phones to gaming phones to phones with slide-out keyboards. Another recent development is an influx of phones equipped with dual-core processors; among the newcomers are the Motorola Atrix 4G and the T-Mobile G2X made by LG Electronics (both have Tegra 2 processors). Later this year, we'll see dual-core phones from Samsung (running on the company's own dual-core chip) and from HTC (carrying dual-core processors from Qualcomm).
Owning an Android phone has some drawbacks, however. For one thing, it's common for fairly recent Android phones not to run the latest version of Google's mobile operating system because of the difficulties that manufacturers and carriers have in rolling out software upgrades. As an example, most Samsung Galaxy phones--including the Vibrant and the Fascinate--are upgradable to Android 2.2, but the Epic 4G's update was delayed multiple times.
Another potential issue is that the Android experience can be inconsistent from one phone model to another. Manufacturers sometimes load custom user interfaces that completely change the look and feel of the operating system; as a result, using the Samsung Vibrant, for instance, can feel entirely different from using the HTC Sensation, even though both are An¬¬droid handsets. If Android is to continue to rule the mobile world, Google must address some of these inconsistencies.
Still, despite the OS's flaws, when we looked for the best phones available from each carrier, our list consisted entirely of Android phones. When measured on usability, features, and performance, Android phones swept the competition. We also picked out some hot phones that are due in the next several months, as well as some others that have standout features. Spoiler alert: They're all Android phones, too.
Not surprisingly, our Top 10 Smartphones chart is dominated by Android models as well. Only the eighth-place Apple iPhone 4 prevents a flood of handsets that pack Google's mobile operating system from registering a clean sweep of the rankings. In addition to providing the detailed features chart above, we've posted an interactive version of the Top 10 Cell Phones chart with links to reviews of all the listed models. Source From Ginny Mies
More mobile consumers now say that they want an Android phone than an iPhone, according to an April 2011 Nielsen survey. The difference isn't huge--31 percent for Android to 30 percent for the iPhone. But the trend looks good for the little green guy: Android's polling number has risen significantly from 26 percent in late 2010, while the iPhone's desirability has slipped slightly from 33 percent in that same period.
Part of the reason that Android is capturing the hearts and minds of consumers is that prospective buyers have so many Android phones to choose from. Dozens of Android phones have come out in the past year on all of the Big Four cell-phone networks (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon) as well as on the smaller, prepaid carriers. Android phones range in price from $50 to $300, so whether you're on a tight budget and need a prepaid phone or you're a tech-savvy gadget freak who wants the latest and greatest features, you can find an Android phone that meets your needs.
The competition among the many companies that make Android phones is driving innovation in design, in components, and in new features and capabilities. The biggest practical advantage that Android has over its rivals involves its support of 4G networks (LTE on Verizon, HSPA+ on AT&T and T-Mobile, and WiMax on Sprint) for faster data speeds. Right now, the only phones capable of handling 4G are Android phones--and it doesn't look as though Windows Phone 7 units or BlackBerrys will be jumping aboard the 4G bandwagon anytime soon. Plenty of rumors have been swirling in the phone industry about the possibility of a 4G iPhone 5, but we haven't been able to nail down confirmed information on that front. Meanwhile, in our head-to-head tests of competing 4G Android phones, we recorded staggering performance differences be¬¬tween 4G and 3G data speeds on all four networks.
We've also seen considerable diversity in Android handset designs, ranging from dual-screen phones to gaming phones to phones with slide-out keyboards. Another recent development is an influx of phones equipped with dual-core processors; among the newcomers are the Motorola Atrix 4G and the T-Mobile G2X made by LG Electronics (both have Tegra 2 processors). Later this year, we'll see dual-core phones from Samsung (running on the company's own dual-core chip) and from HTC (carrying dual-core processors from Qualcomm).
Owning an Android phone has some drawbacks, however. For one thing, it's common for fairly recent Android phones not to run the latest version of Google's mobile operating system because of the difficulties that manufacturers and carriers have in rolling out software upgrades. As an example, most Samsung Galaxy phones--including the Vibrant and the Fascinate--are upgradable to Android 2.2, but the Epic 4G's update was delayed multiple times.
Another potential issue is that the Android experience can be inconsistent from one phone model to another. Manufacturers sometimes load custom user interfaces that completely change the look and feel of the operating system; as a result, using the Samsung Vibrant, for instance, can feel entirely different from using the HTC Sensation, even though both are An¬¬droid handsets. If Android is to continue to rule the mobile world, Google must address some of these inconsistencies.
Still, despite the OS's flaws, when we looked for the best phones available from each carrier, our list consisted entirely of Android phones. When measured on usability, features, and performance, Android phones swept the competition. We also picked out some hot phones that are due in the next several months, as well as some others that have standout features. Spoiler alert: They're all Android phones, too.
Not surprisingly, our Top 10 Smartphones chart is dominated by Android models as well. Only the eighth-place Apple iPhone 4 prevents a flood of handsets that pack Google's mobile operating system from registering a clean sweep of the rankings. In addition to providing the detailed features chart above, we've posted an interactive version of the Top 10 Cell Phones chart with links to reviews of all the listed models. Source From Ginny Mies
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