It was not that long ago the concept of bone marrow adult stem cells (ASC) actually being the natural renewal system of the body, was simply a fanciful idea. Researchers were reluctant ant to get involved with something akin to science fiction, however the last few years has seen a dramatic turnaround.

One of the earliest studies was by a team led by Dr Diane Krauss. The aim of the study was simply to prove on thing — can one single stem cell reconstitute the entire blood system?

In theory it was easy, but in reality it was much more difficult. The team persevered and came up with something ingenious. They knew that the only cells that will home to the bone marrow are stem cells, so by injecting bone marrow cells into the blood, a few hours later they will end up in the bone marrow.

Dr Krauss irradiated female mice and injected male bone marrow cells. After a few days, the team collected SC from the bone marrow of the recipient mice and a single one of these SC was injected into another irradiated female. This gave them the condition of a female mouse with blood cells damaged by radiation containing one single stem cell in their bodies.

In a few weeks, Dr Krauss and her team got their answer. The entire blood system of the female mouse was back and they had definitively proven that a single bone marrow derived SC can reconstitute the entire blood system.

There was also some more to this experiment. Since the SC had come from a male and XY DNA, they were able to identify the Y chromosome in the female mouse. It appeared in various tissues such as the intestine, liver, lung and skin. This revealed that stem cells from the bone marrow can in fact travel to the various tissues and organs of the body and become new cells.

In this case, the SC used to regenerate the entire blood system was from a donor male, so the question asked, would the same migration and renewal happen if the stem cells were the animal’s own?

Whilst Dr Krauss was doing her study, in 2001, Dr Orlic and his team and the National Institute of Health set out to answer that question. They stimulated the release of SC in animals who had suffered heart attacks. Dr Orlic found that when significantly increasing the number of stem cells for a few days, scarring of the heart tissue was eliminated and almost normal heart function was restored in as few as 27 days.

This release of SC from the bone marrow was enough for them to travel to the heart, migrate into the heart tissue and become healthy new cells of that tissue. When you look at these amazing results, it really makes you wonder why the scientific community took so long to wake to the fact that bone marrow stem cell release is a natural process and this natural process is actually the renewal system of the body.

The rate at which new computer hardware products are arriving in the market is simply mind-boggling. As the technology advances, the size and the price of the devices come down, while the efficiency and capacity increase. The scenario is same in all cases, whether it is about internal components like processor, motherboard, RAM, graphics card, and hard disk or for peripheral accessories like mouse, keyboard, and monitors. Personal computers became popular only before about three decades back. But already there are huge piles of outdated and antique hardware components and devices. This is a tribute to the tremendous rate of development of latest technologies in computer hardware field. Perhaps, the newest entrant into the archeological catalogue of computer peripherals is CRT monitors. The sleek looking LCD monitors are spreading like computer virus.

Data storage devices have attracted considerable attention of the technology developers. New kinds of storage devices such as newer versions of flash memory cards, hard disks using latest technology and disks of ever-increasing capacity are the results of advancement in latest technology in compute hardware. The memory size of the random access memory (RAM) cards is soaring to enable the smooth functioning of graphics animation software packages and streaming video websites. Also, computer motherboards have undergone substantial changes over the years. More and more functions are being added to the motherboard. Also, despite the incredible improvement in performance and functionalities, the price of these components has actually fallen steadily.

The most vital component of a computer is the microprocessor. It is in this field that a battle of developing latest technologies in computer hardware takes place. The pace of development of microprocessor increases as the competition between the major processor chip manufacturing companies, Intel and AMD, intensifies. Both the companies are engaging in a neck and neck competition and continuously outdo each other in introducing new technologies.

In the field of computer peripherals, the latest technology in computer hardware is in developing yet another version of wireless mouse and keyboard. The concept of wireless mouse and keyboard is about a decade old. But the development of these items is still a work in progress. The latest products of wireless mouse and keyboard are said to be highly durable and error free.

Some of the developments in the latest technology in computer hardware are gearing up for changing the present concept of desktop and laptop computers. With new developments making possible the convergence of mobile phone technology and computers, a new breed of fully functional palm-top computers are going to be introduced in near future. With touch screen monitors and without the need for a mouse, these gadgets are likely to become the next big leap in the constantly leaping technological development field.

Let us be realistic about it. There is nothing that can be as bad as having coffee that is lukewarm. As per the National Center for the purposes of biotechnological information, all the hot beverages such as tea or coffee need to be served around temperatures that fall between 160 and 180 degree Fahrenheit. In order to ensure that the cozy cup containing your coffee, teas or hot cocoa gets served around the perfect degree of temperature, we would recommend that you invest in a good electric warmer for mugs. Here we are giving you a list of the top rated warmers for mugs so that your beverages are always served at the right temperature in this season.

Cosori mug set and warmer for coffee mug

This high technology coffee warmer made out of stainless steel from Cosori sports controls that are based on touch technology, a vivid LED display that makes it very easy for reading and warming plate that is resistant to water. The heating element in the cup warmer provides for the plate that can go all the way to 230 degrees in Fahrenheit, which points to the fact that the users will be able to customize what temperature they want their beverage to be anywhere between 77 degrees and 158 degrees in Fahrenheit. If you are a real tech whiz when it comes to gifting or if you are a coffee lover for this season of holidays, this awesome mug warmer would make the perfect item to be picked.

Mickey mouse mug warmer by Disney

Have been a huge fan of Disney throughout your entire life? Then you better give them a present that they will actually be putting to use every morning with the wonderfully cute mug warmer that is themed around Mickey Mouse and a matching mug set made of ceramic. You will fall in love with the illuminated light themed after Mickey Mouse that is present in the front side of this warmer for mug which indicates when your hot beverage of your choosing is ready for sipping.

Mr. Mug Warmer for Coffee

This really adorable mug warmer than runs with the aid of electricity brought to you by Mr. Coffee happens to be just over five inches in width, which provides a fairly roomy space for a soup bowl that may be small or a mug filled with joe of a massive size. The cord has also been kept very long, so that you may be able to plug it anywhere when you keep it at your desk even when the nearest electric outlet happens to be way out of reach.

Ember mug with temperature control and mug warmer functions

This self warming cup made out of ceramic helps you in maintaining an ideal temperature with no stones left unturned (it actually is wireless). It is accompanied by an Ember app that also allows you to save your temperature preferences with regards to all of your favorite beverages, so that every sip happens to good just like your first sip.

Trading pins at Walt Disney World, which began as part of the Millennium Celebration in 1999, has created a subculture all its own. The process is simple, fun, and interactive: you simply buy a Disney pin in the park (they range anywhere for $6 to $50) and then trade with other guests, or even with cast members who carry lanyards full of pins. The twist, of course, is that some pins are more valuable than others, depending on the year of issue and the quantity produced. Some are so rare that they’re instant collector’s items. For a list of the five most sought-after Disney pins, have a look below.

Dream Jeweled Mickey Mouse

This is probably the rarest and most valuable of all of the Disney World pins – ever! It was released exclusively at the Disney pins event, Expedition: PINS! in 2008. The pin features a waving Mickey Mouse decked out in over 130 jewels. The retail value of the pin is estimated at $1,295.00, but you won’t find this one for sale in any Disney shops, which makes its actual price much higher. There were only a grand total of 3 pins produced, so if you simply must have one, check eBay often.

The Mad Hatter’s Hat

It’s just a small rendition of the Mad Hatter’s famous green top hat with the mysterious 10/6 tag, but this is actually one of the rarest Walt Disney World pins in circulation. There isn’t an accurate edition number available because this little gem was sold exclusively to cast members in 2003. Now it’s a collector’s item… that is, if you can get your hands on it. We hear there may be one or two still floating around Disney World somewhere. Good luck in your search.

Figment Collection Framed Set

Disney World only produced 75 of these pins, which are part of a 4-pin set commemorating the 2009 Museum of Pin-tiquities event at Epcot. Figment himself appears on this pin against a black background in a circular frame. This was a completer pin awarded to those who completed the Figment Collection framed set, making this little number an exclusive and extremely rare item. It’s not for sale in the park or in Disney World’s online pin ship, so your best bet for snagging this one is an online auction.

Donald Duck Wet Paint

Only 1000 of these limited edition pins were produced and sold in the Magic Kingdom in 2001. The pin features Donald against a yellow backdrop shouting as one of his nephews, who happens to be tracking wet paint everywhere. The small number of manufactured pins combined with the humorous design have made this one of the most sought-after Disney World pins. Though it originally debuted at $6.95 in the Magic Kingdom, it now fetches over $150 at online auctions.

Flubber 2000

The original Flubber pin was a surprise hit among collectors. Trading for this pin was wild in the park, and it still remains one of the most coveted pins around.No one is really sure why the Flubber pin is so popular, especially when the ticket sales for the film were unremarkable. That, of course, matters little to a collector. You can still find the Flubber pin floating around Walt Disney World (there were 500 produced, after all) but you have to look carefully. It may end up being quite the search. If you’re unable to find one after scouring Disney World, you can find replicas for sale in the online Disney pin shop. Just keep in mind that the replicas’ design is different than the original: the newer version’s design commemorates 10 years of pin trading.

If Disney pin trading has taught us anything, it’s that the value of a once sub-$10 can skyrocket. The surest way find a valuable pin is to purchase those of a lower edition number (check the back of the pins for the precise number created). Then, trade carefully and wisely while at the park. Finally, always be courteous and friendly to cast members with whom you want to trade: they may have the goods you want, but they’re busy people with a lot to do. A friendly demeanor goes a long way, and it could even land you a high value pin.

Mice and rats can be trained to do lots of tricks and rats can also be toilet trained. Rats are quicker learners than mice having an equal intelligence to dogs. They are very food orientated and will soon learn to do something if food is offered as a reward. Mice and rats can be trained to run through mini agility courses which you can make yourself from bits of wood.

I found a mouse circus business for sale on the internet once. It came with travelling van, all the equipment including mini Ferris wheels, tunnels, climbing equipment, lights, bells and of course, 40 breeding mice! Can you imagine travelling from town to town just like a real circus only all your performers where the size of a walnut? My inner child was thrilled and I considered buying it for a spilt second but the grown up in me reminded me that my partner would have killed me!

If you want to train your mouse or rat to run through a maze or an obstacle course teach it one piece of equipment at a time. Give it a treat when it completes it and then add another piece of equipment and give it a treat when it completes the second one. Eventually you can put all the pieces together and not treat after each one as the animal learns to complete the course. If you want to introduce bells or sounds, introduce them to your rat or mouse from one or two rooms away so you don’t scare them.

When I trained my pet shop rat I used yoghurt drops broken into small pieces and a training clicker. I trained him to ride on a remote control car. It was quite successful for a while until my border collie found the whole thing a little too ‘interesting’! Clickers cost between $6 and $10. They are predominantly used to train dogs and horses, but they work just as well on rats.

If you have an inquisitive pet, you can reward its unusual behaviour by giving it a treat each time it does it. The animal will soon learn to repeat the behaviour for a treat. Shy mice and rats can be difficult to train so it is best that you handle the animal for a while before purchasing it.

Female rats are easier to toilet train than males because males have a tendency to mark new places with their urine (this includes anyone who picks them up). It is impossible to toilet train mice so be prepared for accidents. I have old t shirts and jumpers that I wear when handling any of my animals just in case.

To toilet train your rat put a small tray in their cage with some bedding material. Place some of their droppings in it. If you are familiar with clicker training you could also use this or you could praise your rat each time it goes near the tray.

Persevere with this type of training as it may take your rat some time to work out what you want. Always reward and encourage, never punish or hit your pet as it will learn to mistrust you and make training difficult. When toilet training any animal the animal has to be conscious that it has to actually ‘go’. This awareness may take a long time to develop especially in young animals so you have to be patient.

If you are a baseball lover, there is a positively addicting online flash game available called Pinch Hitter 2. Once you start in with this and other free online games and flash games you will not want to quit.

The rules for Pinch Hitter 2 are quite straightforward. The game is played entirely with the mouse for controls. You begin the game with three batters. Ten balls are pitched to your batters. If you strike out or are caught, you lose one of your batters. On the other hand, if you hit a home run, you will be pitched one extra ball. Points are awarded, and when you lose a batter your score is dropped by half. There is a pitcher and outfielders, and the outfielders can be a little sneaky, so be on the watch for odd catches they make.

You can adjust your batter’s position in relation to home plate by using the mouse to move the batter closer to the base or farther away. You can also use the mouse to move the bat higher or lower. There are three levels of play: the Sandlot, moving up to Little League and finishing with Major League. Along with the levels, there are 9 tasks that must be completed in order to advance and eventually win.

There are several strategy tips that might help you win at Pinch Hitter 2. One idea is to hit the ball using the end of the bat; it tends to make the ball go farther and can even result in a home run. Another suggestion is to hit the ball as late as possible, so you have the maximum time to adjust to any of the pitcher’s quirks that he might use to throw your swing off. It has also been suggested that at the highest levels of play, you might want to consider getting your batter up close to the plate and get in a short shot. This should put a player on first base, after which your batter can step back and hit the next ball hard with the end of the bat to send your player home.

Batting strategies are fairly important in this fun game. On the screen you will see a transparent white shadow rectangle that represents your swing, and which can be manipulated by your mouse to adjust your batter’s position. You can take your mouse and adjust your batter’s swing so that the white box is halfway between the beginning of the infield grass and the dirt. If you are struggling hitting the ball when you are getting started playing this game, this tip will likely help you tremendously.

Give this enormously fun free online game a try, and you will be hooked.

When my dog ate catnip, immediately I wondered if he was going to start running around like a nut or whether, instead, he’d die. I had no idea what to expect. I think you will feel rest-assured after we discuss a few things.

• It won’t poison your dog! Most dogs have no negative reaction at all. At the most there may be some upset stomach but nothing major. That would also only be if he ate A LOT of it. My dog managed to eat the cat’s two catnip mice. No problem. His stool was a bit runny the next day but nothing of major concern.

• He might start sneezing but that will be the worst of it. You won’t see your dog get overly sick and sneezing to the point of not being able to do anything else. It may seem more like he got dust in his nose. Basically, depending on where the catnip was when he accessed it, it very well could be from the catnip going into his nostrils. Was it loose in a bag or was it part of a mouse that stayed together for the most part. If he chewed the mouse to shreds then he probably got some catnip in his nose!

• It would be a good idea to double-check when you purchase catnip or a catnip toy for your cat that you buy natural, non-sprayed catnip. You always take a chance of something unknown being in the product if it’s been sprayed with something for whatever reason. If you start out buying the catnip in a more natural state, you’ll have less of a chance of your dog getting stomach upset if he does decide to pursue it.

• You may find catnip to have the same effect on your dog as it does on your cat. If your dog starts running around and going crazy (but happy), then you get a 2 for 1 deal when it comes to toys for your animals. You may need to buy a more sturdy one for your dog, though!

• You can make your own “dognip” toy by taking the stuffing out of a normal dog toy and re-stuffing it with anise seeds or anise extract. This makes a WONDERFUL, cheap toy. Especially if you have some extra toys lying around that have seen better stuffing days. It’s a great way to recycle.

• If you do notice that your dog is getting fatigued and sick a lot, and that catnip doesn’t seem to be the real problem, you may need to inspect your dog food choices for him. There are lots of dog foods that aren’t safe and you may be seeing the symptoms of that. It takes some time to research the foods but make sure you take the time to do it.

Total Rating: 4.3 out of 5.0

Value: 4.3

Performance: 4.3

Recommendation: The new Deathadder is a good option for right-handed gamers who love Razer. The left-handed version is a must have for lefties!

Standard Retail: $59.99

What we liked:

3500 DPI infrared sensor

Comfortable grip

2-year limited warranty

Sensitive (easy-to-press) main buttons

Well-positioned side buttons

What we disliked:

Sides are plastic! Mouse gets slippery

Only 5 buttons, limited customization

Review:

The Deathadder 3.5G is the badly needed replacement for the the dusty technology of the Deathadder. This comes as a great delight to us, as most of the complaints we had about the old Deathadder have been fixed on the new version. Even better, you can now get the Deathadder in a left-handed edition! For lefties, this is a must-have, as it’s the only reliable brand with a left-handed gaming mouse.

Let’s start off with the bad, though. The number one complaint by far is that the sides are plastic. There’s no grip, no rubber coating – it feels like the cheap M$ mouse that might come with your Dell. After a short while of play, the mouse gets slippery. It doesn’t take much for the mouse to feel gross. Really, Razer, what were you thinking??

While durability seems to be better than the old Deathadder, there are still a few problems. The mouse buttons aren’t as durable as they should be, and can break on some models. While it’s not a common problem, it can happen to even those who treat their toys nicely.

With that out of the way, though, there is plenty to love about the mouse. It’s capable of much faster movement and acceleration than the old Deathadder, and the 3500 DPI should be enough for even the most twitchy gamers. On top of that, it’s one of the best infrared mice out there, which means that you should be able to use some of the surfaces laser mice can’t. Did someone say Icemat I-2?

It should also be mentioned that the mouse has a relatively high arc to the back of it. It’s meant to fit all sizes of hands, but it caters more to those who like to rest their palm on the back of the mouse. For most, the mouse is comfortable – except for those blasted plastic sides!

Make sure to look at our review of the Logitech G500 for a comparison point before buying, but we have no problem suggesting this mouse to anyone. If you’re ready to check prices or buy, you can find more reviews, the best place to buy the Deathadder 3.5G, and the left-handed version of the 3.5G at the links below.

Another Turkish idiom the ruling Turkish government won’t like…

Do you remember the ‘Ali Dibo’ idiom we spoke about a couple of weeks ago?

Well, we found another similar one yesterday — with its origin story intact — in the Editor’s Opinion column of the Turkish newspaper, Gözcü (The Sentinel). And, just like the ‘Ali Dibo’ idiom, the ruling Turkish government won’t like this one either… Dağ fare doğurdu. The mountain gave birth to a mouse.

We try to read Gözcü Editor Rahmi Turan’s column every day, not because we always agree with what he says, but because he gives expression to a particular Turkish political philosophy (which is both secular and nationalistic) that needs to be understood — in opposition to the religious-right philosophy, which has so thoroughly dominated Turkish politics since 2003.

Rahmi Bey is not one to be overawed by the ‘powers that be’… and his column yesterday (which we loosely paraphrase below) is a case in point.

~~~

Dağın fare doğurması! (Mouse born of a mountain!)

So where is (Turkish) Prime Minister Erdoğan? Where is that man who so publicly roared at the PKK terrorists, “They’ve pushed our patience beyond the limit! Tomorrow, we’ll show them… big time! And they’ll get what they deserve!”

But, he’s done nothing after that, and everyone is disappointed — and mutter about him in private, ‘Dağ fare doğurdu‘; ‘The mountain gave birth to a mouse’…

In the interest of my bewildered younger readers, let me explain what that Turkish idiom means…

Almost 3,000 years ago, the famous storyteller Aesop lived in the Aegean region. One of his fables goes:

“A very deep and frightening sound began emanating from Mount Ida (the birthplace of Zeus). The earth commenced to tremble and shake — and huge boulders flew off the mountain top into the sky. It seemed as if the mountain was about to give birth.”

“The population was terrified and ran for shelter — trembling in fear.”

“The sky blackened and the thunderous sound from the sacred mountain became even worse. Finally, an earthquake more violent than any ever-before it, set everything in motion — and in one terrifying moment, the mountain’s peak split wide open!”

“The people all got down on their knees and began to pray. Some fainted from fear. Others couldn’t take their eyes off the mountain — wondering how this terror would end.”

“Suddenly the roaring, the shaking, and the shocks just stopped. The whole Aegean region went silent.”

“Then, slowly, and with hardly a whisper of sound… out of the huge cleft in the mountain peak there slowly emerged… a tiny little mouse.”

Aesop’s Moral to the story, says Rahmi Bey, is this:

Behind many an impressive or ‘manly’ display, there is often very little substance. Just like our politicians… who promise big things and who bellow and roar — but who don’t actually get the job done. And in the end… a mountain gives birth to a mouse!

~~~

[Click following to access a fully illustrated HTML version of Turkish Idiom — ‘The mountain gave birth to a mouse.’]

A computer mouse is a useful device that allows a person to easily navigate through software without remembering keyboard shortcuts. Not many people search for information about mice since most people consider these devices as insignificant parts of the computer but if you are interested in learning about the mouse then listed below are a few interesting facts about a mouse.

The term “mouse” was first used in Bill English’s publication released in the year 1965 and the Third edition of the Compact Oxford English Dictionary states that acceptable plural terms include computer mice and computer mouses.

Douglas Engalbart created the first prototype mouse in the year 1963 and his friend Bill English helped him create this mouse. The Royal Canadian Navy created the second mouse eleven years later and a five pin bowling ball was used in this tracking mouse. All these devices used the concept of a ball but the actual ball mouse was created in the year 1972 by Bill English.

Ball mouse devices were first manufactured for the company Xerox by Jack Hawley and these computer devices were marketed in 1975. The second type of mechanical mouse introduced to consumers was the wheel mouse and this mouse has two wheels that would rotate at the axis.

Optical devices were invented by Steve Kirsch and an infrared LED along with infrared sensors were used to create this computer mouse. Richard F Lyon created the 16 pixel light visible image sensor and this mouse was marketed by the company Xerox. An x y coordinate system was embedded in the pad that Steve Kirsch created and this mouse would not work properly when the mouse pad was rotated.