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MIAMI – The Cleveland State Vikings remain unbeaten in first-round NCAA tournament games.

They’ve played two of them, 23 years apart, and notched two upsets. The latest victim: one-time top-ranked Wake Forest.

Cleveland State raced to an early 17-point lead and withstood a second-half rally by the Demon Deacons to win 84-69. It was reminiscent of the Vikings’ only other tournament appearance in 1986, when they upset Indiana and Bob Knight in the opening round.

The Vikings (26-10) were seeded 14th then; they’re 13th in the Midwest Regional this year.

“We understand what the ‘86 team did was important for our school,” said Norris Cole, who led Cleveland State with 22 points. “But now it’s time for a new chapter.”

On Sunday, the Vikings will play No. 12 Arizona (20-13), which beat Utah 84-71.

Fourth-seeded Wake Forest (24-7) lost playing in its first tournament game since 2005.

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Los Angeles – Matthew Fox won’t make another TV show when Lost ends.

The actor – who plays Dr Jack Shephard in the cult US series – believes his small-screen career will be over when the programme finishes at the end of season six next year.

He said: “I’m pretty sure that will be the last television thing that I will do.”

Matthew believes his character has become a firm favourite with fans of the show because he isn’t perfect.

He explained: “We didn’t want Jack to be a classic archetype of a hero, riding in to save the day. People aren’t that way. People have flaws and heroism comes from rising above those flaws.”

Matthew admits his dream role would be to play Steve McQueen in a biopic.

He said: “Steve McQueen was pretty f**king cool. He was an action guy and a man of few words and he liked his roles like that.”

Horses at the Race

Dog Property Rules

Dogs and Light Bulbs

The Feline Diet

Feline Physics Laws

Giving Cats Pills

Sounds of the Wild

I’m at the Worst Zoo

Two Angry Neighbors

Cow on Train Tracks

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LONDON (Reuters) – Plenty of vigorous exercise can cut a healthy, older woman’s breast cancer risk by 30 percent, researchers said on Friday.A study of more than 30,000 post-menopausal women showed that strenuous activity — ranging from housework such as scrubbing floors to running — protected against breast cancer even among those who do not have a higher risk, the researchers said.

The effect was clearest among lean women.

“We know that being overweight puts women at increased risk of breast cancer,” said Michael Leitzmann, who led the study while at the National Cancer Institute of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

“What our study shows is that even among women without this increased risk, if they exercise they can get some benefit.”

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide, according to the American Cancer Society. The group estimates about 465,000 women died of breast cancer globally in 2007, and 1.3 million new cases were diagnosed.

A number of studies have shown that regular strenuous exercise can help people avoid heart disease, cancer and a range of other conditions.

Leitzmann and colleagues used questionnaires to determine how often the women exercised vigorously. All were healthy when the study began.

After 11 years the researchers found that overall the volunteers who exercised most were 13 percent less likely to have developed breast cancer.

The reduced risk was even higher — 30 percent — when the researchers compared only women of normal weight, Leitzmann, now working at Germany’s University Hospital in Regensburg, said in a telephone interview.

“The relationship was much stronger among leaner women,” he added.

Interestingly, non-vigorous activity such as light housework, walking, hiking and easy jogging, did not seem to offer any protection against breast cancer, the team reported in BioMed Central’s Breast Cancer Research journal.

The researchers did not look at why exercise may help but Leitzmann noted other studies have shown that working out reduces estrogen levels — a known risk factor for the disease — and protects the body’s general immune system.

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GENEVA – Heart ailments, infectious diseases and cancer remain the world’s top three killers, the U.N. health agency said Monday.

Heart attacks and related problems are the top killer, claiming 29 percent of people who die each year, the World Health Organization said in a report on the global burden of disease. In second place, infectious diseases lead to 16.2 percent of worldwide deaths.

Cancer, in third, claims 12.6 percent of global deaths, said the 146-page report, which is based on death registration data from 112 countries and estimates where reporting is incomplete.

The figures are from 2004, the most recent records available on a wide scale, officials from WHO said. But the rankings are unchanged since 1990 when WHO first did a global check.

Colin Mathers, WHO expert and lead author of the report, said he believed infectious diseases used to be the leading killer 20 to 40 years ago, but that he did not have statistics to back it up.

Some 58.8 million people died worldwide in 2004, most of them over 60, the report said. Nearly one in five deaths was a child under 5.

The heart disease death rate was virtually unchanged from WHO’s previous study on death causes, based on 2002 figures.

The rate for infectious diseases dropped from 2002, when they accounted for 19.1 of the world’s deaths, partly because estimates for AIDS deaths were revised downward last year, said Mathers.

“Malaria deaths are also somewhat lower, and some of the other child causes have also come down a bit,” Mathers said, adding that the number of deaths from measles has dropped thanks to wider use of vaccination.

Women die more often from heart disease than men. The rate for females is 31.5 percent, and for males 26.8 percent, the report said.

Mathers said the percentage for women was higher because there were more women living at older ages than men.

But in general, men are more affected by heart diseases, he said.

“Men in many parts of the world have a higher risk,” he said, adding that they are more often overweight or obese, get insufficient physical activity and eat more fat and salt.

Filling out the top 12 causes of death are respiratory infections including pneumonia in fourth place, 7.2 percent; respiratory diseases, including asthma and allergies, 6.9 percent; accidental injuries and drownings, 6.6 percent; newborn health problems, 5.4 percent; digestive diseases, 3.5 percent; suicide, murder and conflict, 2.8 percent; neuropsychiatric disorders, 2.1 percent; diabetes, 1.9 percent; and maternal health problems related to pregnancy or birth 0.9 percent.

Dr. Ties Boerma, who heads the agency’s statistics department, said there is always a time delay in assembling such data from a number of countries.

“Countries have a backlog of two, three years in publicizing their own information,” he said.

In countries where no death registration data are available, the figures are taken from research studies, which take a few years to get published, Boerma said.                          Source

WASHINGTON - Barack Obama will reach a significant milestone Tuesday as he marches toward the Democratic nomination for president – a majority of pledged delegates at stake in all the primaries and caucuses.

Obama will still be short of the overall number of delegates needed to clinch the nomination, unless he were to suddenly receive an avalanche of endorsements from the party and elected officials known as superdelegates. But the Illinois senator’s campaign is touting the delegate milestone as a big step in defeating his rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York.

“A clear majority of elected delegates will send an unmistakable message – the people have spoken, and they are ready for change,” Obama campaign manager David Plouffe wrote in a memo to supporters Monday.

“As we near victory in one contest, the next challenge is already heating up,” Plouffe wrote. “President Bush and Senator McCain have begun coordinating their attacks on Barack Obama in an effort to extend their failed policies for a third term.”

Obama picked up the endorsement of Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia Monday, less than a week after Clinton overwhelmingly won the state’s primary. Byrd is the longest serving member of the U.S. Senate.

Obama has led in pledged delegates since he won the first caucuses in Iowa on Jan. 3. The two candidates stayed close through Super Tuesday, when Democrats voted in 22 states and American Samoa. Obama won 13 more delegates than Clinton that day – out of nearly 1,700 at stake.

Obama built an imposing lead the following two weeks, winning 11 straight contests in states such as Louisiana, Maryland, Washington and Virginia. He led by 161 pledged delegates on Feb. 19, after victories in Wisconsin and Hawaii. The lead has been relatively unchanged ever since as the candidates spent the past three months trading victories.

Obama goes into Tuesday’s contests with 1,610.5 pledged delegates won in primaries and caucuses. He needs 17 more to reach a majority of the 3,253 pledged delegates available. Clinton has 1,443.5 pledged delegates, according to the latest tally by The Associated Press.

Clinton’s campaign played down the significance of the milestone, accusing Obama of declaring victory without reaching the required number of overall delegates.

“Premature victory laps and false declarations of victory are unwarranted. Declaring ‘mission accomplished’ does not make it so,” Howard Wolfson, Clinton’s communications director, said in a memo to supporters.

Obama has a total of 1,915 delegates overall, including endorsements from superdelegates. Clinton has 1,721, according to the latest AP count.

Obama is a little more than 100 delegates short of the 2,026 needed to clinch the nomination. He cannot make up that ground in the Kentucky and Oregon primaries because of the proportional way in which Democrats award delegates. The two states have a total of 103 delegates at stake Tuesday.

But winning a majority of pledged delegates could help his case with undecided superdelegates, who are free to support whomever they choose at the party’s national convention in August. Obama argues that superdelegates should support the candidate who wins the most delegates in the primaries and caucuses. Otherwise, he says, they would be overturning the will of the voters.

Obama, who overtook Clinton in superdelegate endorsements a little more than a week ago, picked up six more Monday. Clinton added none.

Clinton argues that superdelegates should exercise independent judgment.

Her campaign is also trying to change the math by getting the delegates seated from the Michigan and Florida primaries. Clinton won both primaries, but the states had been stripped of their delegates for violating party rules by holding their primaries before Feb. 5.

The Democratic National Committee’s rules panel is scheduled to address the issue May 31. If any of the delegates are reinstated, it would increase the number needed to clinch the nomination
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Oolong Tea is a Chinese Tea, which is also referred to as the semi-green tea. It lies somewhere between the green and black tea in oxidation and has a taste much similar to green tea. Oolong tea is fermented, unlike green tea, but the process is halted just before the leaves start changing color (just as in case of black tea. The production process of Oolong tea imparts it the health benefits of both green tea and black tea.

Nutritional Value of Oolong Tea
Oolong Tea has been found to comprise of the following nutrients.
Caffeine
Vitamins
Minerals
Tanic Acid
Antioxidants (polyphenols, catechin and thearubigin)
Health & Nutrition Benefits of Drinking Oolong Tea
Oolong Tea contains polyphenols, antioxidants that keep free radicals in check and help the body fight against cancer.
Oolong Tea has been known to help fight against signs of aging and even cardiovascular disease.
Oolong Tea is believed to reduce the presence of markers linked with inflammatory diseases, including coronary artery disease.
Oolong Tea is associated with strong and healthy teeth.
Oolong Tea helps improve the cognitive functioning and mental well-being of an individual.
Oolong Tea is said to prevent the occurrence of eczema and other allergies.
People who drink Oolong Tea have said that it cleanses the skin, giving it a healthy and radiant glow.
Oolong Tea strengthens the immune system.
Oolong Tea has been found to enhance the function of fat metabolism and thus, accelerate the process of weight loss and prevent obesity.
The polyphenols in Oolong Tea enhance the function of enzymes.
Studies have pointed out that Oolong Tea is effective in improving symptoms associated with weak kidney and spleen energy.
Oolong Tea might also improve glucose utilization and insulin regulation.
The caffeine present in Oolong Tea has been linked with enhancement of focus and concentration in an individual.

 People are always on the lookout for new and interesting ways to prepare old standards like chicken and turkey. Several methods have become popular in recent years, which involve the use of a liquid to change or improve the flavor, taste, tenderness, or texture of poultry. Various liquids can be added to poultry by many different methods such as injection, marinating, brining, or basting. Consumers can purchase raw poultry products that have already been marinated, basted, or brined.

Marinating
The verb “marinate” means to steep food in a marinade. A marinade is a savory acidic sauce in which a food is soaked to enrich its flavor or to tenderize it.

According to Woman’s Day Encyclopedia of Cookery, “Marinades began as simple brines for preserving fish. The word marinade stems from the same root as the word maritime. In modern usage, a marinade consists of a cooking oil, an acid (vinegar, lemon juice, wine), and spices. As the food stands in the mixture, the acid and the oil impart the savory flavors of the spices to the food. The acid also has a tenderizing action.”

The acid in marinades causes poultry tissue to break down. This has a tenderizing effect. The breaking down of the tissue also causes the poultry to hold more liquid, making it juicier. Too much vinegar or hot sauce in a marinade can have the opposite effect, causing the meat to be stringy and tough.

Brining
The verb “brine” means to treat with or steep in brine. Brine is a strong solution of water and salt. A sweetener such as sugar, molasses, honey, or corn syrup may be added to the solution for flavor and to improve browning.

The salt has two effects on poultry, reports Dr. Alan Sams, a professor of poultry science at Texas A & M University. “It dissolves protein in muscle, and the salt and protein reduce moisture loss during cooking. This makes the meat juicer, more tender, and improves the flavor. The low levels of salt enhance the other natural flavors of poultry.”

Basting
The verb “baste” means to moisten meat or other food while cooking. Melted butter or other fat, meat drippings, or liquid such as a stock is spooned or brushed on food as it cooks to moisten it. A bulb baster can also be used to drizzle the liquid over the food. Basting adds flavor and color, and prevents poultry from drying out.

Consumers can purchase raw poultry products that have already been marinated, basted, or brined. These products have been injected or marinated with a solution containing butter or other edible fat, broth, stock, or water.

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Having an ear that constantly buzzes or is painful can be very irritating and also quite upsetting for your dog. Ear infections in dogs may be minor or chronic, and can be a product of various factors. Generally, infection of the outer ear canal by parasitic organisms like bacteria and yeast is common in cases of canine ear infections. The condition is medically known as Otitis Externa. Though more common in drop-ear dogs, ear infections might pose as a health hazard in any breed of dog. If left unattended, infections in the ears can perforate the ear drums and also travel to the brain and cause serious damage. In this article we have explicated various issues related to canine ear infections.Symptoms
Read these symptoms to understand if your dog is a victim of ear infection
Bad odor in ears
Black or yellow discharge from ears
Lethargy and irritation
Scratching or rubbing of head and ears
Signs of painful or tender ears
Soreness or visible redness in ear flap or canal
Vigorously shaking the head or tilting it to one side
Causes
Learn the various causes that might lead to ear infections in dogs
A dog can easily get allergic to certain food or certain things they inhale. In this case, the allergic reactions might surface up as an ear infection.
Dark and moist environment lead to ear canals being a suitable place for microorganisms like yeast and bacteria to breed & multiply. The problem gets aggravated in breeds that have long and droopy ears.
Different types of bacteria and yeasts are also major sources of ear infection. If the ear environment loses its defense mechanism, they can easily multiply and cause critical damage to the ear.
Excessive or low secretion of hormones might hamper the constitution of your pet, by leading to various ear infections. Thyroid hormones, sex hormones and glucocorticoids play a major role in such cases.
Some ear problems are hereditary and congenitally passed to the offspring from the parent. Diseases like Dermatomyositis, Primary Seborrhea and some tumors in the ears fall under this category.
Sometimes, foreign materials like plant awns or bristles might find a way to the ear canal of your dog and cause severe itching. Vigorous scratching to soothe the irritation might affect the ear.
The ear mite (Otodectes cynotis) can be a cause of air infection in dogs. Presence of ear mites may cause excessive discomfort and the resultant scratching might create various problems in the ears.
Remedies
Do away with ear infections in your dogs with these helpful treatments.
Clip or trim excess hair present near the ears. Long hair facilitates the growth of various bacteria and ear parasites.
Don’t let debris accumulate in your dog’s ears and clean his ears with a proper ear cleaner once a while.
In case of yeast infections, a proper antifungal will help you effectively eliminate the problem.
Prescribed antibiotics can be taken to get rid of various bacterial infections in the ear. Make sure to consult your veterinarian before giving it.
Various medicines and ear-solutions can be either injected or topically administered by a veterinarian to curb the problem.
Various therapies and medical treatments (immunotherapy) are necessary if the problem is hormone-related or due to certain allergies.
Remember, having a diseased dog in the household is not very pleasant. So, it is very important that you routinely check your dog’s ears and keep them clean. Remove earwax and other accumulated waste two to three times a week if your dog has a history of ear infections or has floppy ears. Immediately consult a veterinarian if your pet displays any odd behavior associated with ear infections.   Source: