Natural Compound Helps Reverse Diabetes in Mice

Posted on October 9, 2011 by Rashid Faridi

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have restored normal blood sugar metabolism in diabetic mice using a compound the body makes naturally. The finding suggests that it may one day be possible for people to take the compound much like a daily vitamin as a way to treat or even prevent type 2 diabetes.This naturally occurring compound is called nicotinamide mononucleotide, or NMN, and it plays a vital role in how cells use energy.

Read Here

Posted in opinions | 2 Comments

Pacific island nation Tuvalu down to last few days of water

Posted on October 8, 2011 by Rashid Faridi

The drought-stricken Pacific island nation of Tuvalu is down to its last few days of water, prompting a mercy dash by New Zealand and Australia with water-making equipment.Tuvalu, the world’s fourth-smallest nation sitting just below the Equator, has declared a state of emergency and is rationing water.Tuvalu has a collective land mass of just 25 sq km (10 square miles) with its highest point five meters above sea level and is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change and rising oceans.Air force planes from New Zealand and Australia were combining  to move a large desalination plant to Tuvalu, a group of small islands around 3,180 km (2,000 miles) northeast of New Zealand.

read here

Posted in Countries, Ecosystem, water | Leave a comment

Recent Poverty Debate in India

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Rashid Faridi

Are we underestimating the poor?

In an affidavit filed with the Supreme Court, the Planning Commission has said anyone with daily per capita expenditure of Rs 26 in rural areas and Rs 32 in urban areas should be considered to be below poverty line.The limits have been slammed as unrealistically low.

What is poverty line?

Poverty line is used to count the poor nationally & in each state. It is based on expenditure (Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure) and not income.

The earliest poverty estimates were largely based on food needs — 2400 kcal in rural areas & 2100 kcal in urban areas.

How is the number of poor estimated?

Any one below the expenditure identified by the Tendulkar Committee will be considered poor. Planning Commission is the nodal agency for estimating the number of poor in the country.It estimates BPL population separately for national and state level based on the predefined poverty line. The data is source is the large sample survey by the National Sample Survey Office every five year.

Percentage of poor in 2004-05

Urban: Original estimate 27.5; Tendulkar estimate 25.7

Rural: Original estimate 28.3; Tendulkar estimate 41.8

Total: Original estimate 27.5; Tendulkar estimate 37.2

Poverty line and identification of poor not related

The poor population is identified through a below poverty line (BPL) Census that digs into various socio-economic state of people.

It is conducted every five year, just before a 5-year plan is to begin.

Rural count

The current census will be done on the basis of recommendations of an expert group headed by NC Saxena.

It will identify those automatically excluded from BPL and count those automatically included.

The remaining will be judged on the basis of 7-parameter index to identify the poor among them.

Urban count

Urban poor being counted for the first time.

Headcount will be based on suggestions of Hasim panel.

There will be an automatically excluded category.

Urban poor being counted for the first time.

Headcount will be based on suggestions of Hasim panel.

There will be an automatically excluded category.

Very few benefits linked to poverty line

9% of about Rs 1 lakh crore spend of rural ministry linked to poverty line.

Rs 40,000 cr NREGA is a universal scheme available to all.

The mid-day meal scheme and rural health schemes are universal.

Only subsidized food was linked to poverty line, but even that will change under the new food bill.

What is the current poverty line?

The latest poverty estimates are based on December 2009 recommendations of a committee headed by Prof Suresh Tendulkar.

The Tendulkar methodology goes beyond food to captures a wider set of deprivations.

Poverty line at ’04-’05 prices

Urban: Rs 579 monthly per capita expenditure

Rural: Rs 447 monthly per capita expenditure

Poverty line updated to current prices (Jun ’11)

Urban: Rs 965 monthly per capita expenditure or Rs 32 a day

Rural: Rs 781 monthly per capita expenditure or Rs 26 a day

What is the significance of the poverty line?

Poverty line is a broad measure of level of development.

It’s about bare needs of a person Social benefits to focus on well identified beneficiaries.

Poverty numbers will show development & intra-state changes.

It is a macro construct that has increasingly lower policy impact.

Links and Sources:

Indiatimes

Posted in India, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

World’s largest shark sanctuary created

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Rashid Faridi

The Marshall Islands in the Pacific Ocean is to ban shark fishing and trade in shark products throughout its waters, creating a sanctuary roughly eight times the size of the UK.The Marshall Islands archipelago is home to just 68,000 people, with tourism, such as diving, being an important part of the economy.The sanctuary, covering nearly two million square kilometres, is larger than the first pioneering shark sanctuary in the waters of the Pacific nation of Palau, which measures 600,000 square kilometres. The new sanctuary brings the total area of ocean in which sharks are protected to around 4.6 million square kilometres.

A third of sharks threatened

Currently, around a third of ocean-going shark and ray species are classified as being threatened with extinction by the IUCN, including the oceanic whitetip and scalloped hammerhead. The main threat facing many shark species is thought to be overfishing, with sharks being taken as bycatch as well as being targeted for their valuable fins.

In the newly established shark sanctuary, commercial shark fishing will be banned, with anyone caught violating the ban facing fines of up to £200,000 (around $310,500). As with other protected areas, the major concern with the new sanctuary will be the policing of such a vast area of ocean.The new sanctuary is also part of a global call for shark protection, with many countries now recognising the importance of healthy shark populations to the marine ecosystem. The Bahamas has recently banned shark fishing, while Mexico, Honduras, the Maldives and Northern Mariana have all signed a declaration to push for shark conservation.

Links and Sources:

Source

Image Link

Posted in BIODIVERSITY | Leave a comment