Petroleum Technologies Timeline - Greatest Engineering Achievements of the Twentieth Century

Petroleum Technologies Timeline - Greatest Engineering Achievements of the Twentieth Century: "1920s-1940s Nylon, acrylics, and polyester are developed

An assortment of new compounds derived from byproducts of the oil-refining process enter the market. Three of the most promising new materials—synthesized from the hydrocarbon ethylene—are polystyrene, a brittle plastic known also as styrofoam; polyvinyl chloride, used in plumbing fixtures and weather-resistant home siding; and polyethylene, which is flexible inexpensive, and widely used in packaging. New synthetic fibers and resins are also introduced, including nylon, acrylics, and polyester, and are used to make everything from clothing and sports gear to industrial equipment, parachutes, and plexiglass.

1920s-1940s New compounds derived oil-refining byproducts enter market

An assortment of new compounds derived from byproducts of the oil-refining process enter the market. Three of the most promising new materials—synthesized from the hydrocarbon ethylene—are polystyrene, a brittle plastic known also as styrofoam; polyvinyl chloride, used in plumbing fixtures and weather-resistant home siding; and polyethylene, which is flexible, inexpensive, and widely used in packaging. New synthetic fibers and resins are also introduced, including nylon, acrylics, and polyester, and are used to make everything from clothing and sports gear to industrial equipment, parachutes, and plexiglass.

Can You Heal Yourself with Homeopathy? - Inbox - Yahoo! Mail

Can You Heal Yourself with Homeopathy?: "You may be surprised to learn that high-potency homeopathic remedies are diluted to the point where they do not contain any of the original substance -- yet they continue to have powerful healing properties. This is an aspect of the emerging field of energetic medicine. Energetic medicine heals by affecting the electrical and electromagnetic activity of the body -- the means by which cells communicate with one another. Magnet therapy and light therapy also are examples of energetic medicine.

In homeopathy, researchers now believe that the original electromagnetic frequency of the source materials imprints itself on the fluid used to produce the remedy. Because the human body is 70% to 80% water, a fluid medium is an effective way to transmit information throughout the body.

Does this sound far-fetched? Remember that practitioners of Western medicine used to claim that acupuncture and chiropractic were nonsense -- yet now these alternative therapies generally are accepted as legitimate. Researchers at a number of major universities are now studying homeopathy's applications in energetic medicine. I believe we will be hearing much more about this therapy in the years to come."

ScienceDirect - Intelligence : The influence of the 4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene on childhood IQ, nonverbal reasoning in old age, and lifetime cognitive change

ScienceDirect - Intelligence : The influence of the 4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene on childhood IQ, nonverbal reasoning in old age, and lifetime cognitive change: "We examined the influence of APOE var epsilon4 allele status on three cognitive outcomes in the same sample of 173 people: (i) IQ (Moray House Test) at age 11 years, (ii) IQ (Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices) at age 77 years, and (iii) change in IQ between age 11 and 77. All participants took part in the Scottish Mental Survey of 1932 and were followed-up in 1997–1998. There was no significant main effect of gene status on IQ in youth or old age, nor in cognitive change across the lifespan. Sex had no effect on the three cognitive outcome variables and did not interact with APOE var epsilon4 allele status."

Confirmation of the {epsilon}4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene as a risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease -- Brousseau et al. 44 (2): 342 -- Neurology

Confirmation of the {epsilon}4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene as a risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease -- Brousseau et al. 44 (2): 342 -- Neurology: "Family studies indicate a possible linkage between the q13.2 region of chromosome 19 and Alzheimer's disease (AD). An isoform of apolipoprotein E, whose gene maps in this region, is more frequent in AD. In this study, we investigated the possible association of a genetic polymorphism of the apolipoprotein E gene with late-onset AD. We compared apolipoprotein E polymorphism distribution between patients with sporadic late-onset AD (n = 36) and controls of the same age (n = 38). Individuals carrying at least one e4 allele were present in 41.7% of the patients, compared with only 10.5% of the controls (p < 0.001). This result indicates an association between late-onset AD and the 19q13.2 region containing the apolipoprotein E gene locus"

The ε4 allele of the Apolipoprotein E gene as a potential protective factor for exudative age-related macular degeneration

The ε4 allele of the Apolipoprotein E gene as a potential protective factor for exudative age-related macular degeneration: ": Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is a polymorphic protein that plays a central part in plasma metabolism of lipids and in central nervous system lipid homeostasis. Our purpose was to evaluate the potential role of ApoE polymorphism in the occurrence of exudative age-related macular degeneration associated with drusen, which contain lipids"


one can have an epsilon 4 allele for the Apolipoprotein E gene, which increases the risk for Alzheimer’s disease, or one can lack an allele.

Plastic Water Bottles Leach Carcinogens

Plastic Water Bottles Leach Carcinogens

One big health story in the news in recent months has focused on the dangers of BPA -- bisphenol A, an estrogen-like chemical used in manufacturing plastics, including those in reusable plastic bottles. This spring a report from the US National Toxicology Program revealed that even low exposures to BPA produced alterations in the brains and behavior of rats, along with precancerous changes in the prostate and breast, and early puberty. Retailers Toys-R-Us and Wal-Mart reacted quickly, announcing a voluntary phase-out on the sale of baby bottles and cups containing BPA, and the FDA committed to review the safety of baby-feeding products using the chemical. These are great first steps, since developing brains are the most vulnerable -- but BPA isn't exactly healthy for adolescents and adults either. And in fact, the report affirmed the possibility that BPA might be associated with similar effects in older humans, saying it "cannot be dismissed." With athletes, hikers and people all over our office carrying water bottles around all day, this is an issue that clearly needs to be addressed.

A NEARLY UBIQUITOUS CHEMICAL

The most common use of BPA is in "polycarbonate plastics" which are what make plastic products flexible, shatter-resistant and reusable. More than six billion pounds of this toxic chemical are produced annually in the US, for use in a wide range of products, including those ubiquitous water bottles, plus liners of food cans, eyeglasses, dental sealants, CDs and DVDs.

I was dismayed to hear from Scott M. Belcher, PhD, who has conducted research into the health effects of BPA at the University of Cincinnati, that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has detected trace amounts of BPA in more than 90% of Americans tested. In his research, Dr. Belcher found that developing brain cells in rats are extremely sensitive to the effects of estrogen stimulation from such chemicals. Over the long term, this is likely to lead to changes in behavior. There is reason to believe that there are also effects on reproduction that can lead to the development of reproductive cancers. Other potential dangers, including effects upon the nervous and immune systems, have also been identified.

SAFER ALTERNATIVES ARE AVAILABLE

Fortunately, there are safer alternatives to BPA -- and Dr. Belcher says it's good news that market forces are driving retailers to offer more of them, since he believes that capitalism creates change at a faster pace than government regulatory action. Don't wait for that to happen, though. There are proactive steps you can take to limit exposure to BPA in the meantime. As mentioned above, precautions are especially important for those at highest risk -- infants, young children and pregnant or nursing women. It's admittedly difficult to avoid BPA altogether, since it is used in so many products, but taking the following steps can minimize exposure going forward:

• Choose glass or stainless steel bottles instead of plastic -- or, if you need an unbreakable product, choose other plastics like polypropylene and the new BPA-free plastics now being used.

• Do not purchase plastics labeled with a number 7 recycling code because polycarbonate falls into this category.

• Buy products labeled as BPA-free. Examples of "safe" plastic water bottles, for instance, include CamelBak Better Bottle line (made from Eastman Tritan copolyester) and Nalgene HDPE and Everyday lines (made from high-density polyethylene or Tritan copolyester).

• Don't microwave or otherwise heat food in plastic containers. Instead, choose glass, ceramic or other microwave-safe dishes. Also avoid putting hot liquids into any plastic bottles and containers, as heat increases the rate at which BPA leaches or escapes into liquid.

Be aware that even at room temperature BPA can be a danger. Dr. Belcher says the best way to limit exposure is to avoid using these plastics altogether.

Source(s):

Scott M. Belcher, PhD, associate professor, pharmacology and cell biophysics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Fw: Predict How Long You Will Live

You're Only As Old As You Think You Are
Yale School of Public Health

ome people lose strength and vitality when they get older, while others remain robust. The same disparity exists when it comes to eyesight, hearing and mental faculties.

Genetics and lifestyle can play a part, but to a surprising extent, what you think about aging does as well. To learn more, Bottom Line/Health recently spoke to Yale psychologist Becca Levy, PhD, a renowned expert in stereotypes related to aging...

How do stereotypes affect how we age? There are numerous ways, but let's look at hearing loss as an example. Most people consider it an inevitable fact of growing older, but there's more to it than biology.

In a study conducted at Yale, we measured the hearing of more than 500 adults age 70 and older and asked them what five words or phrases first came to mind when they thought of an old person.

Three years later, the people who associated aging with stereotypes like "feeble" and "senile" had suffered significantly more hearing loss than those who had answered with positive words like "wise" and "active." In other studies, negative thoughts or beliefs about aging were linked to poorer memory as the years passed.

Can one's recovery from serious physical ailments, such as heart disease, also be affected? Apparently so. In one study, we interviewed 62 heart attack patients (ages 50 to 96) about their stereotypes of aging within two weeks after their heart attacks.

Seven months later, patients who expressed more positive stereotypes had experienced better physical recoveries -- as measured by tests involving balance and timed walking -- than those who expressed more negative stereotypes.

Could a person's views on aging even affect his/her life span? One of our studies showed just that. It involved 660 people, ages 50 to 94, who were asked questions that explored the ways they perceived their own aging.

For example, the study participants, all of whom lived in Oxford, Ohio, were asked how much they agreed with statements, such as "Things keep getting worse as I get older" and "I am as happy now as I was when I was younger."

Nearly 25 years later, researchers tracked those participants who were still alive and how long the others had lived. Those who had expressed a more positive view when surveyed lived a median of seven years longer, even after differences in their ages and health at that time were taken into account. It held true for both men and women who were over age 60 as well as those who were younger.

How do researchers explain this phenomenon? There is no definitive explanation, but we think that several mechanisms are involved. Some are physiological and might well involve the harmful effects of stress on bodily systems.

Another piece is likely to be behavioral -- people who believe that aging means unavoidable memory decline, for example, quite possibly won't try as hard or as long to remember, and won't bother to apply strategies that could help. Similarly, people who think there's nothing that can be done about hearing loss probably aren't as quick to seek medical attention if they develop hearing trouble.

In the longevity study, we found that views on aging can affect an older person's will to live -- this explained, at least in part, the difference in survival. When you don't believe that the benefits of a long life will outweigh the hardships, you're less likely to follow a healthful lifestyle and seek treatments that prolong life.

What's the source of these stereotypes? Negative depictions of aging can be found everywhere -- from greeting cards to best-selling books to the media. We think television, in particular, has a major effect. We surveyed a group of people ages 60 to 92, who watched an average of 21 hours of television per week, and found that the more TV they watched, the more negative their beliefs were about aging.

The negative stereotyping most likely starts early -- for example, wicked witches in fairy tales are gnarled and wrinkled -- and sinks in deeply. Then, as aging occurs, some individuals start applying these negative beliefs to themselves.

Is it possible to change these beliefs? We've been able to show in the lab that they change quite readily in the short term. In one recent study, we tested how fast elderly people could walk -- a key measurement of frailty (a condition that includes exhaustion and weight loss as well as loss of muscle mass and strength).

Participants were randomly assigned to either a positive or negative age-stereotype group. We subliminally flashed words with positive connotations about aging, such as "wise," "alert" and "mature," to one group, and showed negative words, such as "senile" and "decrepit," to the other group.

Participants in the positive stereotype group walked significantly faster and demonstrated better balance than those in the negative stereotype group.

To a great extent, we don't question these stereotypes because we've absorbed them so completely that we're not even conscious of them. Becoming aware of their presence in everyday life is a first step toward questioning their validity.

What, specifically, can people do to fight these stereotypes? In the TV study, we asked participants to keep a journal describing the way that older people were represented. The participants were shocked to discover how often they were made the target of jokes, and that they were frequently omitted from programming. "It's like we're nonexistent," wrote one study participant.

In your own life, make a point to pay attention to more positive images of aging -- active, effective people in politics, the arts and the community, for example. I don't mean "superstars" who are jumping out of planes at age 80. It's too easy to write them off as exceptions that have nothing to do with you. Also, spend time with older role models, such as relatives and residents of your community, and learn about their strengths and contributions.

Doesn't this promote a falsely optimistic view? Not necessarily. It's more a matter of accepting that aging will involve a range of changes -- some are positive, some are negative... some are inevitable and some are malleable. It is important to recognize the many places where a realistic attitude and positive action can make a real difference.

Editor's note: More and more organizations are now promoting the accomplishments of older adults. One such program is the Purpose Prize, which provides $10,000 and $100,000 awards to people over age 60 who make significant contributions to society.

To learn more, contact Civic Ventures, a nonprofit think tank that promotes the achievements of older adults, 415-222-7486, www.leadwithexperience.org.

Bottom Line/Health interviewed Becca Levy, PhD, associate professor of epidemiology and psychology at Yale School of Public Health in New Haven, Connecticut. She was the lead author of a recent study on stereotypes and aging, published in Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Science.