Jab Duniya Tumhe Shirdi Sai Baba Latest Song 2011

Ganga Comes Down to Earth :

A legend from the Ramayana speaks of King Bhagirath who once meditated before Lord Brahma for a thousand years for the salvation of the souls of his ancestors. Pleased with his devotion Brahma granted him a wish. He requested the Lord to send the river Ganges down to earth from heaven so that she could flow over his ancestors' ashes and wash their curse away and allow them to go to heaven.
Brahma granted his wish but asked him to pray to Shiva, for he alone could support the weight of her descent. Accordingly he prayed to Shiva and he allowed the Ganges to descend on his head, and after meandering through his thick matted locks, the holy river reached the earth. This story is re-enacted by bathing the 'linga'.

காலம் செய்யும் உதவியைக் கடவுள் செய்ய மட்டான். கவியரசர்

செந்தாமரையில் நான் எழுதிய பாடல் ஒன்று
சரியாக அமையவில்லை என்று உடுமலை நாராயணக்கவியை 
அழைத்துத் திருத்தச் சொன்னார்கள். 
அவர் இரண்டு நாள் முயற்சி செய்து விட்டு 
இதற்கு மேல் இதில் எதுவும் செய்ய முடியாது என்று கூறிவிட்டார். 

அந்தப்பாடல் நன்றாகவே இருந்தது. ஆனால்
புகழ் பெறாத ஒருவன் எழுதியதால்,
மற்றவர்கள் கண்ணுக்கு குறைவாகவே பட்டது.
ஆனால் புகழ் பெற்று விட்ட ஒருவன் ஒருகாகிதத்தில்
ஏதாவது கிறுக்கி வைத்தால் அதுவும் ஒருகவிதைப் போல தோன்றும்.
புகழ் இல்லாத ஒருவன் எவ்வளவுதான் உயர்ந்த கவிதை எழுதினாலும்
அதன் தரம் குறைவாகவே தெரியும். பொதுவாகவே மனிதர்களின்
கண்ணோட்டம் இதுதான். இதற்கு யாரும் விதிவிலக்கல்ல.
இன்று நான் தவறாகவே ஒன்றை எழுதிவிட்டாலும் அதை தவறு என்று
ஒப்புக்கொள்ளாமல் புது அர்த்தம் கண்டுபிடிக்கிறார்கள் ரசிகர்கள்.
ஆனால் அன்று நான் சரியாக எழுதியது கூடத் தவறாகத் தெரிந்தது.
அதை சிந்தித்துப் பார்க்கக் கூடி சக்தியும் எனக்கிருந்தது.
காலம் செய்யும் உதவியைக் கடவுள் செய்ய மட்டான்.
என எண்ணி நான் காத்திருந்தேன்."
-கவியரசர் (வனவாசம்)

Fibre's cancer-fighting role found

THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND

Share on print By safely transporting up to 80% of the antioxidant nutrients from fruit and vegetables to the colon, fibre helps to provide protection against cancers such as colon cancer. Image: Kathy Grube/University of Queensland Fibre not only works as a 'bowel scourer', but may also help to protect the colon from cancer by transporting antioxidants to the large bowel, new Queensland research has found. The world-first study discovered that fibre binds up to 80% of cancer-inhibiting antioxidant polyphenols in fruit and vegetables, thereby protecting the antioxidants from early digestion in the stomach and small intestine. Dr Anneline Padayachee, who undertook the study through The University of Queensland (UQ) and CSIRO, found that fibre acts as an antioxidant trafficker by safely transporting antioxidant nutrients to the colon where they can provide protection against cancers such as colon cancer. "Cells in fruits and vegetables are 'opened' allowing nutrients to be released when they are juiced, pureed or chewed," Dr Padayachee said. "In an unexpected twist, I found that after being released from the cell 80% of available antioxidant polyphenols bind to plant fibre with minimal release during the stomach and small intestinal phases of digestion. "Fibre is able to safely and effectively transport polyphenols to the colon where these compounds may have a protective effect on colon health as they are released during plant fibre fermentation by gut bacteria." This finding also has implications for fresh juice lovers who are throwing out antioxidants along with the fibre-rich pulp they discard. "In juicing, the fibrous pulp is usually discarded, which means you miss out on the health benefits of these antioxidants as well as the fibre," Dr Padayachee said. "As long as you consume everything - the raw or cooked whole vegetable or fruit, drink mainly cloudy juices and eat the fibrous pulp - you will not only have a clean gut, but also a healthy gut full of protective polyphenols." Dr Padayachee used black carrots, which are rich in two antioxidant polyphenols - anthocyanins and phenolic acids - as a model system in her research to assess why plant-based diets generally result in better gut health. Black carrots are the original carrot from which the now more common orange carrot was bred. Still cultivated in southern Europe and Asia, black carrots are having a bit of a resurgence as a source of natural food colouring and also as a fresh vegetable in grocery stores, where they are often mislabelled as purple carrots. Black carrots are one of the highest sources of anthocyanins - the antioxidant polyphenol that creates the purple-red pigment in blueberries and raspberries - and have been found to display potent antioxidant behaviour. Dr Padayachee completed her PhD through UQ's School of Agriculture and Foods Sciences and undertook her research at the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls and the Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences at UQ's Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Science and CSIRO Food and Nutritional Sciences. Further research to assess the mechanisms involved with fibre binding polyphenol antioxidants is currently being conducted at the Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences. Dr Padayachee is one of 12 early-career scientists from across Australia chosen to present their research to the public for the first time as part of Fresh Science, a national program sponsored by the Australian Government. See here for more details on this program.  Editor's Note: Original news release can be found here.

Nano-data storage a step closer

AGENCY FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH

Share on print The research found that an ultra-smooth surface is the key factor for 'self assembly' - a cheap, high-volume, high-density patterning technique. Image: Henrik5000/iStockphoto Imagine being able to store thousands of songs and high-resolution images on data devices no bigger than a fingernail. Researchers from A*STAR's Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) have discovered that an ultra-smooth surface is the key factor for 'self-assembly' - a cheap, high-volume, high-density patterning technique. This allows manufacturers to use the method on a variety of different surfaces. This discovery paves the way for the development of next generation data storage devices, with capacities of up to 10 Terabits per square inch, which could lead to significantly greater storage on much smaller data devices. The 'self-assembly' technique is one of the simplest and cheapest high-volume methods for creating uniform, densely-packed nanostructures that could potentially help store data. Self-assembly is one of the leading candidates for large scale nanofabrication at very high pattern densities. One of its most obvious applications will be in the field of bit patterned media, or the hard disk industry.  It is widely used in research and is gaining acceptance in industry as a practical lithographic tool for sub-100 nm, low-cost, large area patterning. However, attempts to employ self-assembly on different surface types, such as magnetic media used for data storage, have shown varying and erratic results to date. This phenomenon has continued to puzzle industry researchers and scientists globally. Researchers from A*STAR's IMRE and NUS have now solved this mystery and identified that the smoother the surface, the more efficient the self-assembly of nanostructures will be. This breakthrough allows the method to be used on more surfaces and reduce the number of defects in an industrial setting. The more densely packed the structures are in a given area, the higher the amount of data that can be stored.           "A height close to 10 atoms, or 10 angstroms in technical terms, is all it takes to make or break self-assembly," explained Dr MSM Saifullah, one of the key researchers from A*STARís IMRE who made the discovery. This is based on a root mean squared surface roughness of 5 angstrom.  The team discovered that this was the limit of surface roughness allowed for the successful self-assembly of dots, which could eventually be used in making high-density data storage. ìIf we want large scale, large area nanopatterning using very affordable self-assembly, the surface needs to be extremely smooth so that we can achieve efficient, successful self-assembly and with lower incidences of defects." The discovery was recently published in Scientific Reports, an open access journal fromNature.  Editor's Note: Original news release can be found here.

Sai nath rakh dena baba mere sir pe haath,paras jain,saimuskan,mere ghar...

Shriman Narayan Sai by Shri C. B. Satpathy

MUST READ" " MUST READ" " MUST READ" Can ELECTRICITY pass through Flash light of the Digital camera to your body??? Yes it is 100% true..!

MUST READ" " MUST READ" " MUST READ" Can ELECTRICITY pass through Flash light of the Digital camera to your body??? Yes it is 100% true..!This is a true incidence reported of a boy aged 19, who was studying in 1st year of engineering, who died in Keshvani Hospital, Mumbai. He was admitted in the Hospital as a burned patient. Reason ??????This boy had gone to Amravati (a place located in State of Maharashtra ) on a study tour, on their return they were waiting at the railway station to catch the train. Many of them started taking pictures of their friends using "Mobile Phones" and / or "Digital Camera". One of them complained that, he was unable to capture the full group of friends in one frame in the Digicam. This boy moved away to a distance to get the whole group.He failed to notice that at an angle above his head, 40,000 volts electrical line was passing through. As soon as he clicked the digital camera? 40,000 volt current passed through the camera flash light to his camera and then from his camera to his fingers & to his body. All this happened within a fraction of a second. His body was half burned. They arranged for an ambulance & his burned body was brought to Keshavani Hospital, Mumbai.For one & half days or so he was conscious & talking. Doctors did not have much hopes as there was a lot of complex issues in his body. He passed away later. Now how many of us are aware about these technical threats & dangers? Even if we are, how many of us are adhering?? * Please avoid mobile phones on petrol outlets. * Please avoid talking on mobile phones while driving.* Change that "Chalta Hai Yaar Attitude". * Please avoid talking on mobile phones while kept in charging mode without disconnecting from wall socket.* Please do not keep mobile phones on your bed while charging and / on wooden furniture.* Avoid using mobile phones / Digital cameras near high voltage electrical lines like in railway stations and avoid using flash. SHARE THIS INFO TO WHOM YOU CARE.

Protein linked to male infertility

MONASH UNIVERSITY

Share on print Mutations in RABL2 are linked to male infertility, which affects 1 in 20 men. Understanding how RABL2 works will help develop not only better infertility treatments but a male birth-control pill. Image: selvanegra/iStockphoto In a study published in the journal PLoS Genetics, researchers from Monash University, the University of Newcastle, John Curtin School of Medical Research and Garvan Institute of Medical Research, in Australia; and the University of Cambridge, in the UK, have shown how a protein called RABL2 affects the length of sperm tails, crippling their motility (or swimming ability), and decreases sperm production. Professor Moira O'Bryan from Monash University's School of Biomedical Sciences (SOBS) led the research. In laboratory tests, the team found that a mutation in RABL2 resulted in sperm tails that were 17 per cent shorter than normal. Dysfunctioning RABL2 also negatively affected sperm production, resulting in a 50 per cent decrease. Professor O'Bryan said the research fitted another piece in the jigsaw puzzle of sperm development. "The mutations in the RABL2 gene are very likely to cause infertility," Professor O'Bryan said. "Further, as motility is absolutely essential for fertility, insights into tail function may reveal options for urgently needed male-based contraception."  Lead author and PhD student Jennifer Lo, also from the School of Biomedical Sciences, said RABL2 worked with other molecules known as intraflagellar transport proteins that carry genetic cargo along the sperm tail. "Intraflagellar transport proteins are like a train. Our data suggests that the reloading of the train is defective if RABL2 dysfunctions,” Ms Lo said. “The train is still running in sperm tails with dysfunctional RABL2, but it contains fewer passengers. The end result is that sperm formation and motility are abnormal.” Ms Lo said that as mutations in RABL2 decrease sperm count and sperm swimming ability, it may be possible to inhibit this protein in a future male pill. However, as RABL2 is also found, albeit in lower concentrations, in other tissues, such as the brain, kidney and liver, an inhibitor specific to the testes would need to be developed. Professor O'Bryan said that male infertility was often the canary in the coal mine of general health. "Many of the basic processes of sperm development occur at lower levels in other organs of the body. As such, the presentation of a man for infertility treatment offers the opportunity not only to give him the children he desires but also to mitigate future disease,” Professor O'Bryan said. Editor's Note: Original news release can be found here.

சித்தர்கள் சொன்ன மருத்துவக் குறிப்புக்கள்..!

மூலிகை மருந்துகள்

1. சோற்றுக் கற்றாழையைச் சித்த மருத்துவத்தில் ‘குமரி’ என அழைப்பர். காய கல்பத்தில் அதுவும் ஒரு மூலிகையாகச் சேர்க்கப்படுகின்றது. அதன் நடுப்பகுதியைப் பிளந்து அதன் கசப்பான சாற்றை எ

டுத
்துச் சற்றே அலசிப் பின் மோரில் கலந்து தினம்தோறும் உண்டு வந்தால், அல்சர் போன்ற நோய்கள் குணமாகும். மேலும் உடலில் இளமைத் தன்மை அதிகரிக்கும்.

2. தினம் தோறும் ஒரு நெல்லிக்காய் சாப்பிட்டு வந்தால் நாள் பட்ட தோல் நோய்கள் குணமாகும். நோய் எதிர்ப்பு சக்தி உடலில் அதிகரிப்பதுடன், முகப்பொலிவும் உண்டாகும்.

3. சர்க்கரை நோய் கட்டுப்பட வெந்த்தயத்தைப் பொடி செய்து தினம்தோறும் ஒரு டீஸ்பூன் வெந்நீரில் கலந்து சாப்பிட்டு வர வேண்டும். மேலும் சிறியாநங்கை, பெரியாநங்கையின் சாற்றையும் பயன் படுத்தலாம்.

4. செம்பருத்திபூவைக் காயவைத்து பொடி செய்து தலையில் சீயக்காய்போலத் தேய்த்துக் குளித்து வந்தால், பொடுகுத் தொல்லை போகும். நன்கு தலை முடி வளரும். முடி கொட்டுவதும் நின்றுவிடும். மேலும் கண்களுக்கும் உடலுக்கும் குளிர்ச்சி தரும்.

5. தேனை தினமும் வெந்நீரிலோ, பாலிலோ சிறிதளவு கலந்து குடித்து வர உடலில் நோய் எதிர்ப்பு சக்தி உண்டாகும். நாள் பட்ட இருமல், சளி குணமாகும்.

6. மூச்சுக்கூட விடமுடியாமல் அதிகப்படியான இருமலாலும் சளியாலும் சிரமப்படும் குழந்தைகளுக்கு, குப்பை மேனியின் சாற்றைப் பிழிந்து சிறிதளவு கொடுத்தால் உடன் அனைத்துச் சளியும் வாந்தியாக வெளியில் வந்து விடும். ஆனால் சரியான அளவில் கொடுக்க வேண்டும். இல்லாவிட்டால் வயிற்றுப் போக்கு ஏற்படும்.

7. ஆண்மைக்குறைவைப் போக்க விரும்புபவர்கள் முருங்கை விதையைப் பொடி செய்து, பாலில் கலந்து, இரவில் படுக்கப் போகும் முன் சாப்பிட்டுவர விரைவில் பலன் கிடைக்கும். துரித ஸ்கலிதம் ஆகுபவர்களுக்கு இம்மருந்து கை கண்டதாகும்.

8. இரவில் தினந்தோறும் தூக்கம் வராமல் அவதிப்படுபவர்கள் சிறிதளவு வெந்நீரை அருந்திப் பின் படுக்கைக்குச் செல்ல வேண்டும். சர்க்கரை நோய் இல்லாதவர்கள் சிறிதளவு கருப்பட்டி அல்லது வெல்லம், அல்லது சர்க்கரையைச் சாப்பிட்ட பின் உறங்கச் செல்லலாம்
9. அருகம்புல்லைச் சாறாகவோ அல்லது பொடியாகவோ வாரம் ஒருமுறை சேர்த்துக் கொண்டால் இரத்தம் சுத்தமாவதுடன், உடல் உஷ்ணமும் தணியும்.

10. எந்த மருந்துகளை உட் கொள்பவராக இருந்தாலும் மது அருந்தும் பழக்கம் உடையவராகவோ அல்லது புகைப்பிடிப்பவராகவோ இருந்தால் அது உடலில் மருந்தின் செயல்பாட்டு வீரியத்தைக் குறை
க்கும்.

11. உடல் வெளுப்பு மற்றும் தேமல் குணமாக வெள்ளை பூண்டை வெற்றிலை சேர்த்து மசிய அரைத்து தினமும் தோலில் தேய்த்துக் குளித்து வரக் குணமாகும்.

12. குருதிக் கொதிப்பு எனப்படும் இரத்த கொதிப்பு நோய் குணமாக இரண்டு அல்லது மூன்று நாளைக்கு ஒருமுறை அகத்திக் கீரையை உணவில் சேர்க்க குணம் ஏற்படும்.

நன்றி: சித்தாந்தம்

Ball lightning mystery solved

CSIRO

Share on print The globe of light that seems to pass through glass lasts up to 20 seconds and occurs when a stream of ions accumulates on one side of a window. Image: [dmodly]/iStockphoto Sightings of ball lightning have been made for centuries worldwide – usually, the size of a grapefruit and lasting up to twenty seconds – but no explanation of how it occurs has been universally accepted by science. In a paper published in the Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres entitled "The Birth of Ball Lightning" CSIRO and Australia National University scientists present a new mathematical theory which explains how and why it occurs. The new theory focuses on how ball lightning occurs in houses and aeroplanes – and how it can pass through glass. Previous competing theories have cited microwave radiation from thunderclouds, oxidising aerosols, nuclear energy, dark matter, antimatter, and even black holes as possible causes. CSIRO scientist John Lowke's new theory focuses on how ball lightning occurs in houses and aeroplanes – and how it can pass through glass. His theory also proposes that ball lightning is caused when leftover ions (electric energy), which are very dense, are swept to the ground following a lightning strike. "A crucial proof of any theory of ball lightning would be if the theory could be used to make ball lightning. This is the first paper which gives a mathematical solution explaining the birth or initiation of ball lighting," says Lowke. Lowke proposes that ball lightning occurs in houses and aeroplanes when a stream of ions accumulates outside a glass window, and the resulting electric field on the other side excites air molecules to form a ball discharge. The discharge requires a driving electric field of about a million volts. "Other theories have suggested ball lightning is created by slowly burning particles of silicon formed in a lightning strike, but this is flawed. One of the ball lightning observations cited in this paper occurred when there was no thunderstorm and was driven by ions from the aircraft radar operated at maximum power during a dense fog." Lowke used eye-witness accounts of ball lightning by two former US Air Force pilots to verify the theory. Former US Air Force lieutenant Don Smith recalls: "After flying for about 15 minutes, there developed on the randome (radar cover) two horns of Saint Elmo's fire. It looked as if the aeroplane now had bull's horns...they were glowing with the blue of electricity." Lowke's paper gives the first mathematical solution explaining the birth or initiation of ball lightning using standard equations for the motion of electrons and ions. He argues it is unique because it not only explains the birth of the ball but also how it can form on glass and appear to pass through glass resulting in globes of light in people's homes or in aeroplane cockpits. Editor's Note: Original news release can be found here.

Shirdi ke sai baba

Einstein's theory overtakes light speed

THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE

Share on print While there is still no strong evidence that anything can move faster than the speed of light, neutrinos at CERN may have done so, and the scientists felt it was time to expand Einstein's theory. Image: Wikipedia University of Adelaide applied mathematicians have extended Einstein's theory of special relativity to work beyond the speed of light. Einstein's theory holds that nothing could move faster than the speed of light, but Professor Jim Hill and Dr Barry Cox in the University's School of Mathematical Sciences have developed new formulas that allow for travel beyond this limit. Einstein's theory of special relativity was published in 1905 and explains how motion and speed is always relative to the observer's frame of reference. The theory connects measurements of the same physical incident viewed from these different points in a way that depends on the relative velocity of the two observers. "Since the introduction of special relativity there has been much speculation as to whether or not it might be possible to travel faster than the speed of light, noting that there is no substantial evidence to suggest that this is presently feasible with any existing transportation mechanisms," said Professor Hill. "About this time last year, experiments at CERN, the European centre for particle physics in Switzerland, suggested that perhaps neutrinos could be accelerated just a very small amount faster than the speed of light; at this point we started to think about how to deal with the issues from both a mathematical and physical perspective. "Questions have since been raised over the experimental results but we were already well on our way to successfully formulating a theory of special relativity, applicable to relative velocities in excess of the speed of light. "Our approach is a natural and logical extension of the Einstein Theory of Special Relativity, and produces anticipated formulae without the need for imaginary numbers or complicated physics." The research has been published in the prestigious Proceedings of the Royal Society A in a paper, 'Einstein's special relativity beyond the speed of light'. Their formulas extend special relativity to a situation where the relative velocity can be infinite, and can be used to describe motion at speeds faster than light. "We are mathematicians, not physicists, so we've approached this problem from a theoretical mathematical perspective," said Dr Cox. "Should it, however, be proven that motion faster than light is possible, then that would be game changing. "Our paper doesn't try and explain how this could be achieved, just how equations of motion might operate in such regimes." Editor's Note: Original news release can be found here.

Brainless slime moulds can remember

UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY

Share on print The discovery of this chemical memory system that helps slime mould remember where they've been could help explain how the memory of multi-cellular organisms may have evolved. Image: Tanya Latty Can you have a memory if you don't have a brain? The question has been answered with the discovery that brainless slime moulds use excreted chemicals as a memory system. The finding by University of Sydney researchers is strong support for the theory that the first step toward the evolution of memory was the use of feedback from chemicals. "We have shown for the first time that a single-celled organism with no brain uses an external spatial memory to navigate through a complex environment," said Christopher Reid from the University's School of Biological Sciences. The research, led by Reid, with colleagues from the school and a colleague from Toulouse University, is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal today. "Our discovery is evidence of how the memory of multi-cellular organisms may have evolved - by using external chemical trails in the environment before the development of internal memory systems," said Reid. "Results from insect studies, for example ants leaving pheromone trails, have already challenged the assumption that navigation requires learning or a sophisticated spatial awareness. We've now gone one better and shown that even an organism without a nervous system can navigate a complex environment, with the help of externalised memory." The research method was inspired by robots designed to respond only to feedback from their immediate environment to navigate obstacles and avoid becoming trapped. This 'reactive navigation' method allows robots to navigate without a programmed map or the ability to build one and slime moulds use the same process. The researchers used a classic test of independent navigational ability, commonly used in robotics, requiring the slime mould to navigate its way out of a U-shaped barrier. As the slime mould (Physarum polycephalum) moves it leaves behind a thick mat of non-living, translucent, extracellular slime. When it is foraging the slime mould avoids areas that it has already 'slimed' suggesting it can sense extracellular slime upon contact and will recognise and avoid areas it has already explored. "This shows it is using a form of external spatial memory to more efficiently explore its environment," said Reid. "We then upped the ante for the slime moulds by challenging them with the U-shaped trap problem to test their navigational ability in a more complex situation than foraging. We found that, as we had predicted, its success was greatly dependent on being able to apply its external spatial memory to navigate its way out of the trap." In simple environments the use of externalised spatial memory is not necessary for effective navigation but in more complex situations it significantly enhances the organism's chance of success, just as it does for robots using reactive navigation. Christopher Reid's work also appears in the Macleay Museum's current exhibition The Meaning of Life which features prominent research from the School of Biological Sciences in its 50-year history. Editor's Note: Original news release can be found here.

Skin cancer cream a step closer

RMIT

Share on print Melanoma is responsible for 75% of skin cancer deaths in Australia and currently the only treatment is to remove the tumour. The new peptide is toxic to melanoma cells but leaves normal skin cells unharmed. Image: jamesbenet/iStockphoto RMIT University researchers have designed a peptide that imitates a melanoma-killing virus, in a biomedical engineering advance that could lead to the development of a cream to target and treat Australia's "national cancer". The RMIT team has successfully synthesised a peptide that mimics the activity of a virus protein, with laboratory tests showing the peptide kills melanoma cells while leaving normal human skin cells unharmed. Lead investigator Dr Taghrid Istivan said peptide therapy had the potential to lead to new, non-invasive treatments for melanoma, which is responsible for 75 per cent of skin cancer deaths in Australia. "Australia has the highest incidence of melanoma in the world, with more than 11,000 new diagnoses each year," Dr Istivan said. "Currently the only effective treatment for early stage melanoma is surgery to cut out the tumour and healthy skin surrounding the affected mole. "The peptide we have developed is toxic to melanoma cells but leaves normal skin cells unaffected. "With further work, including clinical trials, we hope our research could lead to the development of a cream to painlessly and efficiently treat early stage melanoma." Dr Istivan and her colleagues in RMIT's Health Innovations Research Institute and the School of Applied Sciences tested the efficacy of a peptide - a short chain of amino acids - that was designed to work like the proteins of the myxoma virus, a cancer-killing virus shown to be toxic to melanoma in previous studies. "A virus protein is big, expensive to synthesise and has inherent risks when used in medical treatments, because all viruses can mutate," she said. "By synthesising a small peptide that mimics the action of a protein, we can offer a stable, safe, targeted and cost-effective alternative." The researchers used a novel bioengineering method developed at RMIT by Professor Irena Cosic and Dr Elena Pirogova, from the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, to design the peptide. The peptide was synthesised as a powder, liquefied and tested in vitro on normal human cells and melanoma cells. Dr Istivan is presenting the research findings at the 40th Congress of the International Society of Oncology and Biomarkers (13 - 17 October, Jerusalem). Editor's Note: Original news release can be found here.

The best new superfood

CHARLES STURT UNIVERSITY

Share on print Anti-cancer properties have been found in extracts from Australian-grown faba beans, along with effects that may have implications for treating hypertension and maintaining healthy weight. As part of a study into the health benefits of faba beans, PhD student from Charles Sturt University (CSU), Ms Siem Siah applied phenolic compounds from Nura and Rossa faba beans to five different cancer cell lines in laboratory experiments at Wagga Wagga. In all cases the rate of cancer cell death was accelerated. Ms Siah said, “We know that antioxidant properties are potentially linked to anti-cancer properties, so we were trying to look for the connections.” Ms Siah’s PhD principal supervisor Dr Chris Blanchard from CSU’s School of Biomedical Sciences said the research team, from CSU, NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and CSIRO, was astonished by the findings from experiments on anti-cancer and enzyme-inhibiting properties. “We were absolutely blown away by the results,” Dr Blanchard said.  The findings have been published in the British Journal of Nutrition. NSW DPI chemist Dr Jennifer Wood co-supervised Ms Siah’s PhD with Dr Blanchard. Dr Izabela Konczak from CSIRO Food and Sciences oversaw the experiments. The preliminary experiments on antioxidant properties were carried out at CSU and the cell culture assays were carried out at CSIRO. In plants, phenolic compounds are chemicals largely responsible for colour, metabolism and defensive mechanisms. Because they play a strong protective role against insects, they are often found in seed coats and hulls. Ms Siah grew cultures of four cancer cell lines – bladder, stomach, liver and colon cancers – in flasks, then applied the phenolic compounds to them directly and waited 24 hours to measure the proliferation of cells. The rate of cancer cell multiplication was greatly reduced once the faba bean extracts were applied. For a fifth type of cancer cell, acute promyelocytic leukemia, Ms Siah applied a method called flow cytometry. Dr Wood said the experiment yielded an insight into the mechanism that inhibited the cancer cell multiplication. “Normal healthy cells are programmed to multiply, grow and die (cell death is called apoptosis),” Dr Wood said. “Cancer cells evade the process of apoptosis, continue to proliferate and become tumours. “This work showed faba bean phenolics induced normal cell death in the cancer cells. Conversely, the extracts had no effect on the proliferation of normal human colon cells tested, a very favourable outcome.” Additional experiments on the interaction with important human enzymes showed that phenolic extracts from faba beans inhibited angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), a common target of pharmaceutical medication for hypertension. These compounds also inhibited the action of the digestive enzymes alpha-glucosidase and lipase, which could mean slower digestion (and therefore a longer feeling of satiety), and lower sugar and fat absorption by the digestive system.                                  Dr Blanchard said several avenues could be pursued to build on these findings and look for therapeutic human health applications, if funding becomes available. “One is to generate large amounts of these extracts and undertake feeding trials to see if we can directly use extracts as a natural product to improve health outcomes. “Or you could drill down further and find out what compounds are involved in these activities, synthesise them and have them approved for pharmaceutical use. “Or we could do further testing in human trials, incorporating faba beans in diets to demonstrate exactly what happens when we consume them over a long period,” Dr Blanchard said.  Dr Blanchard and Ms Siah are members of the EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation - a collaborative research alliance of CSU and NSW DPI. Editor's Note: Original news release can be found here.

Shiridi Swara ne Darisana Meeyava

Living In Separation

“This divine lady’s mind is situated in His and His in hers. It is for this reason alone that she and that righteous-souled man are able to live for even a moment.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 15.52)

asyā devyā manaḥ tasminḥ tasya ca asyām pratiṣṭhitam |
tena iyam sa ca dharma ātmā muhūrtam api jīvati ||

It is described in the Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, that the living entities are spirit souls at the core who travel through a process of transmigration, wherein their bodies constantly change. To the perceivable memory the changes start at the time of birth and then continue all the way up until the time of death. This is visible to the knowledgeable observer, but what isn’t seen is that the transmigration continues on into the next life. Moreover, there were changes prior to the current birth. The transmigration operates for as long as desire and work dictate, and so once those are shifted to the proper area, the process stops and a return to the permanent abode is granted.

The required shift also reveals the cause of the initial condition. It is said that the spirit soul is blissful, knowledgeable and eternal. There is also a higher spirit soul, which lives within the individual body, but it is of a different nature. Think of the cable or satellite television feed that comes into your home. You may be watching a certain program in your bedroom through this feed, but the feed is not exclusive to you. It is directed into many other homes simultaneously. The channel represents a kind of energy, and it is more powerful than you because you can only diffuse your influence to the local realm. The more powerful force has a higher range of influence.

In the same way, the individual soul has only a localized consciousness. We can feel, think and will, but nobody else is privy to this. We may tell them about our experiences and they may guess what we are feeling based on human tendencies, but the experience of life within our body is still unique to us. The superior soul, however, is conscious within all beings. He is thus considered all-knowing and all-pervading. He never leaves the individual, but in the conditioned state, wherein reincarnation constantly applies, there is forgetfulness of both the superior’s presence and His influence.

That forgetfulness is the root cause of the descent from the higher realm. In the spiritual plane there is constant remembrance of the Supreme Soul, and so there is no need to change bodies. Therefore how to return to the spiritual realm is quite simple: think of the Supreme Soul always. That higher spiritual force is commonly referred to as God, and all the major religions of the world seek to connect with Him in some way or another. The common thread in all the rituals and regulations is remembrance, wherein there is an unbroken link in thought to the Supreme, a state known as God consciousness.

In the Vedic tradition, God is assigned thousands of names to highlight His features. Krishna is considered the best name because it says that God is all-attractive. The highest state of thought can therefore be referred to as Krishna consciousness. Krishna has personal incarnations and expansions, but there is still only one God. Rama is one of His famous incarnations, and He is the same Krishna. To think of Rama is no different than to think of Krishna, and that thinking keeps one situated in transcendence.

What does it mean to be on a higher plane of consciousness? The body is not your identity; it is simply a temporary covering that is ideally used to help further Krishna consciousness. In the higher state, the body’s influence is secondary; the external surroundings are also transcended. We can look to the example of Sita Devi in Lanka to see how this works. She was in the most terrifying circumstance, separated from her dearly beloved due to no fault of her own. She couldn’t just sit quietly in peace either. She was asked to give in to the evil king of Lanka, Ravana, the fiend who had taken her away from her husband’s side through a backhanded plot. She refused to even look at him, and so the king ordered some of his assistants to harass her day and night.

Why continue living? Why go on in such a pitiable state? Why not just quit the body and be done with the misery? From the above referenced verse from the Ramayana, Shri Hanuman tells us how Sita was able to survive. Just from seeing her from afar, the spy sent to Lanka to look for Sita could tell that her mind was firmly situated in her husband’s. This meant that she only thought of Him, and since He was God, the process was akin to yoga, or the linking of the individual soul with the Supreme Soul. That link is known to help one transcend the effects of the body. The terrifying circumstances couldn’t harm Sita when she remembered Rama.

“For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.30)

Hanuman also notes that Rama, who is a righteous soul, or dharma-atma, has His mind firmly fixed in Sita’s. This is a truth we are kindly reminded of in the Bhagavad-gita, the famous scripture of the Vedic tradition spoken by Shri Krishna Himself many years later. In that work the Lord says that the devotees are never lost to Him, since they see Him everywhere. It is not that He ignores the non-devotees, but if someone doesn’t want to connect with Him, the Lord will not force Himself upon them. This means that only in bhakti-yoga, divine connection in love, is there aid from the superior party. All other kinds of transcendentalism are thus more difficult because the burden for success is on the individual, who is known to be flawed based on the fact that they took birth from a womb. Any birth, whether in an animal or human species, indicates that in the previous existence there was a failure to think of God at the time of death.

Rama is God, so He does not die. He can survive in any situation, but since Sita was His beloved, He made sure to show signs of distress when she went missing. This is a most endearing quality, as Rama shows that He is the most compassionate. This trait is passed on to devoted servants like Hanuman, who only continued in his difficult journey because of his love for Sita and Rama. Up until this time Hanuman had never met Sita, but due to her relation to Rama he automatically held her in high esteem.

Reincarnation brings travels through difficult circumstances, so there is constant turmoil, distress, fear, doubt and lamentation over past failures. But know that in any situation, just by thinking of God we can be in a better place. Though we may not be in His direct company, thinking of Him is as effective as personal contact. Sita and Rama showed this during their time on earth, which is documented in the Ramayana poem of Valmiki. Therefore hearing from the Ramayana is one way to think of both Sita and Rama. It also allows us to think of Hanuman, who continues to live blissfully in separation to this day, always singing the glories of the divine couple.

In Closing:

Janaki to live in husband’s mind,

And He in hers in kind.

For this reason her life not to depart,

Though she and husband far apart.

Hanuman knew this from Sita’s face,

Troubles her thoughts of Rama to erase.

Devotees require not God by their side,

For in their hearts He always resides.

உ யி ல்

என் உயிலை எழுதி வைக்க வேண்டிய நாள்
வந்து விட்டது. சொத்து ஒன்றும் இல்லாவிட்டாலும்
உயில் எழுத வேண்டும் – அது புருஷ லக்ஷணம்.
என் பெட்டிகளில் நிரம்பியுள்ள கிழிசல் 
காகிதங்களை எல்லாம் உலகத்துச் சர்வகலா
சாலைகளுக்குத் தந்து விடுகிறேன் – அதைவிடச்
சிறப்பாக அவர்களால் கிழிக்க முடியாது. நான்
உபயோகிக்காத எண்ணற்ற வார்த்தைகளை
அகர முதலியில் உள்ளதையும் இல்லாததையும்
எனக்குப் பின் வருகிற கவிகளுக்கு அளித்து
விடுகிறேன். நான் சம்பாதித்த சொல்ப
ஊதியத்தை என்னை எழுத்தாளனாக்கி
பெருமைக் கொள்ள எண்ணி நம்பிக்கையுடன்
உயிர் நீத்த என் தகப்பனாருக்குத் தந்து
விடுகிறேன். எத்தனையோ ஆசைகள்
ஏக்கங்கள் ஏமாற்றங்கள் என் ஆயுளில்
என்னைப் பின் தொடர்ந்து வந்துள்ளன.
அவற்றை உலகுக்குக் தந்து விடுகிறேன்.
என் நல்ல பெயரை ஊரிலுள்ள கேடிகள்
பகிர்ந்து கொள்ளட்டும். காணாத என் கண்களை
பார்வையுள்ளவர்கள் பகிர்ந்து கொள்ளட்டும்.
என் எதிர்காலத்தை என் மனைவி ராஜிக்கு
அன்பளிக்கிறேன்.

யேட்ஸ் என்கிற
ஆங்கிலக் கவி தன் வாரிசாக ‘நிமிர்ந்து
நடப்பவர்களை’ நியமித்தான். என்
சுற்று வட்டத்தில், இந்தியாவில் நிமிர்ந்து
நடப்பவர்களையே காண முடியவில்லை. எல்லோரும்
கூனிக்குறுகி குனிந்து தரையில் பூமிக்கடியில்
எதையோ தேடிக் கொண்டிருக்கிறார்கள்.
அவர்கள் தேடுமிடம் அவர்களுக்குக் கிடைக்கட்டும்
பட்டு விட்ட கடன்களை யெல்லாம் யார்யாரிடம்
சொல்லி வாங்கினேனோ அதையே திரும்பவும்
சொல்லி அவர்களிடமே கடனாக திருப்பி
விடுகிறேன். தங்களுக்கு தாங்களே வரவு
வைத்துக் கொள்ள அவர்களுக்குச் சக்தி
பிறக்கட்டும். சேமித்து வைத்து உபயோகப்
படாத என் அறிவை யெல்லாம் அதை
உபயோகிக்கத் தெரியாதவர்களுக்குத் திரும்பவும்
தந்து விடுகிறேன். அறிவுக் கலைக்களஞ்சியங்களை
நிரப்பட்டும் – வெளியில் வந்து செயல் படாதிருப்பது
நல்லது. எனக்குக் கல்லறையே வேண்டாம்.
அப்படிக் கல்லறை தவிர்க்க முடியாததானால்
அதில் ஒரு பெயரும் பொறிக்கப்பட வேண்டாம்.
எனக்கு அறிமுகமான பல தெய்வங்களை யெல்லாம்
இருளடர்ந்த பல கோவில்களில் யார் கண்ணிலும்
படாத சிற்பங்களாக நிறுத்தி வைத்து விடுகிறேன்.

நான் இன்னும் எழுதாத நூல்களை என் பிரசுர
கர்த்தர்கள் தாராளமாகப் பிரசுரித்து லாபம்
அடைந்து கணக்கெழுத இன்னொரு
கம்ப்யூட்டர் வாங்கிக் கொள்ளட்டும்.
நான் தந்த வாக்குறுதிகளை யெல்லாம்
காற்றுக்கும், நான் செய்த நற்பணித்
தீர்மானங்களை யெல்லாம் இனி எதிர்
பார்க்க முடியாத எதிர் காலத்துக்கும்
வாரி அளித்து விடுகிறேன். எனக்கும்
அரசியல் ஆசைகள் இருப்பதுண்டு
அவற்றை நேருவின் சந்ததியாருக்கு
அளித்து விடுகிறேன். இந்திரன்,
சந்திரன், காற்று, வெளி, நீர்
உள்ளளவும் கொள்ளுப் பேத்தி
எள்ளுப் பேரன் என்று அரசாண்டு
வரட்டும் என்று வாழ்த்துகிறேன்.
எனது எழுதப்பட்ட கவிதைகள் மக்கள்
கண்ணில் படாமல் புஸ்தகங்களின்
பக்கங்களில் மறைந்து கிடக்கட்டும்.
ஆனால் எழுதப்படாத கவிதைகளை
விமர்சகர் போற்றி அலசி ஆனந்தித்துப்
பேராசிரியர்கள் ஆக ஒரு ஊன்றுகோலாக
உபயோகித்துக் கொள்ளட்டும்.
என் வீணாகிப் போன நொடிகள் நாழிகைகள்
நாட்கள், வாரங்கள், மாதங்கள்,
ஆண்டுகள் எல்லாம் தேசப் பொதுச்
சொத்தாகி எல்லோருக்கும் உதவட்டும்
உதவட்டும். நான் கட்டாத மாளிகைகளில்
உயிரோடு பிறக்காதவர்கள், நடைப்பிண
மாக நடப்பவர்கள் குடியேறட்டும்.
மற்ற என் ஜங்கம சொத்துக்களை
தட்டு முட்டு சாமான்களை, கந்தல்
துணிகளை, கந்தாடையான் பெயரை
என் பிறக்காத பிள்ளைகளுக்கு
விற்கக் கூட பாத்தியமில்லாமல்
தந்து விடுகிறேன். என் அபிமான
சிஷ்யர்களுக்கென்று நான்
சிந்திக்காத சிந்தனைகளை எல்லாம்
கிடைக்கின்றன.

வேறு ஒன்றும்
எனது என்ற சொல் சாகும் சமயத்தில்
என்னிடம் இருக்கக் கூடாது. காதற்ற
ஊசியும் உடன் வராது காண் என்று
சொன்னவர் வாக்கு என் விஷயத்தில்
பலிக்கட்டும். என் பெயரையும் நான்
துறந்து விடுகிறேன் – என் பெயரை
யாருக்கு இஷ்டமோ அவர்கள்
எடுத்துக் கொள்ளட்டும்.

***

ஏன்?

நீ பார்க்கிற அதே உலகத்தைத்தான்
நானும் பார்க்கிறேன்
உன் பார்வை மட்டும்
வேறாக இருக்கிறதே
ஏன்?

***

காசியும் பம்பாயும்

காசியிலும்
கூலிக்கு இன்பம்
தரும் பெண்கள்
உண்டு உண்டு.

பம்பாயிலும்
கூலிக்கு இன்பம்
தராத பெண்கள்
உண்டு உண்டு.

***

இக்காலம்

தேவனென்று நம்பி அவனை மனிதனாக்கி
விண்ணென்று நினைத்ததை மண்ணாக்கி
உயர்வென்று தோன்றியதைத் தாழ்வாக்கியது
ஒரு காலம்.

மனிதனேயல்ல, அசுரனேயுண்டு
மண் உண்டு, விண் பொய்,
தாழ்வு உண்டு உயர்வு இல்லவே இல்லை என்பது
இக்காலம்.

***
நாலடி பாய

நாலடி பாய எட்டடி பதுங்கி
இருபதடி பின்வாங்க நூறடி முன்னேறி
முன்னும் பின்னும் இறுக்கி முரண்பட்டு
நேர்படுத்தி முடிச்சில் சிக்கித் தவிப்பவன்
மனிதன்.

***
மரம்

வனத்திலே எங்கேயோ உள்ள
சூரியனுடன் மத்து-மத்து ஆடுகிறது
என் நிழல்

வேரடியில் தேங்கிக் கிடக்கும்
சாக்கடை நீரில் என் பிம்பத்தைக் கண்டு
வெறுப்புறுகிறேன் நான்.

என்னை வெட்டிச் சாய்க்க
வருகிற வீரன் என் நிழலை மட்டும்
என் நிழலை மட்டும்
வெட்டிச் சாய்த்து விட்டானானால்
நான் ஓங்கிக் கிளைத்து வளருவேன்-
ஒன்பதாய்ப் பெருகுவேன்.

என்னோடு
என் நிழலையும் சாய்க்க
உன்னால் முடியும்-

முடியுமா
என் நிழலை மட்டும்
அப்புறப் படுத்திவிட?

*
நன்றி: புதுக்கவிதைகள்/ க.நா.சு/ ஞானச்சேரி/ 

சிதம்பர ரகசியம்

சித் (அறிவு), அம்பரம் (வெட்டவெளி) என்ற இரு சொற்களின் கூட்டே சிதம்பரம் என்பதாகும். எனவே இந்த தலம் ஞானா காசம், சிற்றம்பலம், தில்லைவனம் என்ற பெயர்களால் சிறப்பிக்கப்படுகிறது.

சிதம்பர ரகசியம் என்பது சிதம்பரத்தில் மிக முக்கியமானதாகும். சித்சபையில் சபாநாயகரின் வலது பக்கத்தில் உள்ளது ஒரு சிறு வாயில். இதில் உள்ள திரை அகற்றப்படும்போது கற்பூர ஆரத்தி காட்டப்பெறும். இதனுள்ளே திருவுருவம் ஏதும் இல்லை. தங்கத்தாலான வில்வ தள மாலை ஒன்று சுவரில் தொங்கவிடப்பட்டுக் காட்சி அளிக்கும்.

மூர்த்தி ஏதும் இல்லாமலேயே வில்வதள மாலை தொங்கும். இதன் ரகசியம், இறைவன் இங்கு ஆகாய உருவில் இருக்கின்றார் என்பதை உணர்த்துவதேயாகும்.

அகண்ட பெருவெளியில் நிறைந்திருக்கும் இறைவனை வெறும் வெளியையே காட்டி இங்கு வழிபட வகை செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதுவேதான் சிதம்பர ரகசியம் என அனைவராலும் போற்றி வழிபாடு செய்யப்படுகின்றது.

மூர்த்தி, தலம், தீர்த்தம் இவற்றுக்கு ஒரு மிகச் சிறந்த தலம் சிதம்பரம் என்ற தில்லையாகும்.

ஆருத்ரா தரிசன நாளில் அவனே அவனே என்று கூறாமல், சிவனே சிவனே என்று கூறி வாழ்த்தி வணங்கி எல்லா நலமும் பெறுவோமாக!