Heena Sharma Blog

The government is looking at providing content on internet to people in their mother tongue, a senior official said on Monday and urged companies to solve language-related problems in India. He also said the Centre is looking for technical solution to remove language barrier in conversation among Indians. "We need a method through which any Indian using his or her language should be able to converse with any user in any other Indian language without impediment of English as a link language. This is the kind of goal we have set," Information Technology Secretary Ajay Prakash Sawhney said at a FICCI event on language technology . He said that both global and local companies should strive to real-time speech-to-speech translation ability. "This is possibly 10-year kind of horizon in which we should aim to break these problems and come out with a solution. Within three years, to my mind, we will be able to make a significant amount of progress," Sawhney sai...

A Delhi court Wednesday admits defamation charge against journalist Priya Ramani in a case filed by ex-Union minister M J Akbar after she levelled allegations of sexual misconduct against him. Ramani, who appeared before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal, however, pleaded not guilty and claimed trial. Akbar, who resigned as Union minister on October 17 last year, filed a private criminal defamation complaint against Ramani after his name cropped up on social media as the #MeToo campaign raged on in India. Ramani accused Akbar of sexual misconduct, a charge denied by him. The court listed the matter for hearing on May 4 and also granted permanent exemption to Ramani from personal appearance. Read More Article Source -> Business Standard

Poor diet leads to hundreds of deaths in India annually, according to a Lancet study which found that globally one in five people die due to the lack of optimal amounts of food and nutrients on their plates. The report, which tracked trends in consumption of 15 dietary factors from 1990 to 2017 in 195 countries, showed that almost every region of the world could benefit from rebalancing their diets. The study estimates that one in five deaths globally -- equivalent to 11 million deaths -- are associated with poor diet, and diet contributes to a range of chronic diseases in people around the world. In 2017, more deaths were caused by diets with too low amounts of foods such as whole grains, fruit, nuts and seeds than by diets with high levels of foods like trans fats, sugary drinks, and high levels of red and processed meats. Low intake of whole grains -- below 125 grammes per day -- was the leading dietary risk factor for death and disease in India, the US, Brazil, Pakis...

Eating canned food during pregnancy can put the baby at risk of exposure to an industrial chemical bisphenol A (BPA), potentially affecting their reproductive health in later life, scientists say. While previous studies have shown the adverse health effects of prenatal exposure to BPA, there is little evidence surrounding effects specifically on ovarian function. Researchers from Boston University in the US found that there is sufficient data to raise concerns regarding exposure and ovarian performance. Detectable in surface water and soil sediments, BPA is used in many industrial processes and in the lining of food cans. While the greatest exposure is dietary from canned foods and plastic containers, skin exposure is a secondary route of smaller exposure, researchers said. Ovarian development and function represents a complex coordination of processes, starting early during prenatal development. Early aberrations have the potential to carry through the female reprodu...

While it's well-established that eating fruits and vegetables can benefit physical health. A recent study suggests that it may also benefit psychological well-being. The research showed a positive association between the quantity of fruit and vegetables consumed and people's self-reported mental well-being. Specifically, the findings indicate that eating just one extra portion of fruits and vegetables a day could have an equivalent effect on mental well-being as around 8 extra days of walking a month (for at least 10 minutes at a time). Findings of the study were published in the Journal of Social Science & Medicine. "It's well-established that eating fruit and vegetables can benefit physical health . Recently, newer studies have suggested that it may also benefit psychological well-being," said Peter Howley, lead author of the study. Explaining the study, Howley said, "Our research builds on previous work in Australia and New Zealand by ...

Chickens that have been genetically modified to produce human proteins in eggs can offer a cost-effective method of producing certain types of drugs. The study which initially focused on producing high quality proteins for use in scientific research, found the drugs work at least as well as the same proteins produced using existing methods. The study was carried out at the University of Edinburgh's Roslin Institute and Roslin Technologies, a company set up to commercialise research at The Roslin Institute and is published in BMC Biotechnology. High quantities of the proteins can be recovered from each egg using a simple purification system and there are no adverse effects on the chickens themselves, which lay eggs as normal. According to researchers, the findings provide sound evidence for using chickens as a cheap method of producing high quality drugs for use in research studies and, potentially one day, in patients. Notably, eggs are already used for growing vi...

The market is full of hair care products , but to amplify their results, it is first essential to make dietary changes to include vitamins and minerals that promote hair growth and reduce hair fall significantly, suggest experts. Arvind Poswal, Hair Expert and Hair Transplant Surgeon, Dr. A's Clinic, and Karan Gupta, Director and Men's Grooming Expert, Qraa Men, have given out some tips on foods that can boost hair health: *Eggs: The hair are build-up of protein, so it is essential that we always consume enough amounts to proteins to ensure augmented regeneration of hair. Eggs are the richest source of protein and are packed with high amounts of Biotin. The goodness instilled in eggs prevents hair loss thereby promoting the hair growth. *Carrots: This season of winter calls for us to consume ample amounts of carrots. The carrots help the scalp in producing the natural sebum oil which as this oil keeps the roots healthy. Not only this, carrots are enriched with Vi...

Avoiding greasy, fatty and oily foods is the key to a successful dieting plan . But have you ever wondered why we tend to crave the very foods that we try to avoid when dieting? Or wished you could suppress the feeling before it forced you into eating junk food? A recent study identified new brain circuits that may act as a brake on binge eating and junk food craving. Findings of the study were published in the Journal of Behavioral Brain Research. "Craving for foods high in fat - this includes many junk foods - is an important part of obesity and binge eating," said Jonathan Hommel, lead author of the study. "When trying to lose weight people often strive to avoid fatty foods, which ironically increases motivation and craving for these foods and can lead to overeating. Even worse, the longer someone abstains from fatty foods, the greater the cravings become," Hommel explained. Read More Business Standard

Adults who have negative experiences on social media tend to report loneliness, a recent study suggests. According to the research, positive interactions on social media are not making young adults feel more connected, whereas negative experiences increase the likelihood of them reporting loneliness . "Social media is, seemingly, about connecting people. So it is surprising and interesting that our investigations reveal social media being linked to loneliness," said lead author Brian Primack. According to Primack, perceived social isolation, which is a synonym for loneliness, is associated with poor health outcomes, such as high blood pressure, heart disease and depression. Because social media is so pervasive, it is critically important that we understand why this is happening and how we can help people navigate social media without as many negative consequences. As part of the study, Primack and his team surveyed 1,178 West Virginia University studen...