| Vitamin A and cancer link found
Scientists have found a link between vitamin A and a type of gullet cancer commonly associated with heartburn. They hope the discovery will lead to new ways of preventing the disease, rates of which have risen eight-fold in the UK in the last 30 years. Around 7,500 new cases of gullet, or oesophagus cancer, are diagnosed each year in the UK. The disease is one of the deadliest forms of cancer with an almost 100% mortality rate. The actor John Thaw, who played Inspector Morse in the popular TV series, was one of its victims. One of the main forms of gullet cancer, oesophageal adenocarcinoma, develops from pre-existing abnormalities in the lining of the oesophagus. The condition, known as Barrett's oesophagus, occurs in 10% of people with symptoms of heartburn. However, precisely what triggers the abnormalities has been unclear.
MYTHILI BHUSNURMATH
Why does the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) third quarter review of its monetary policy 2006-07 read like a modern-day avant garde thriller? Because it strings the reader along to expect a certain kind of climax only to pull up short at the last minute. Much like the hero in the thriller who lets off the villain with a rap on his knuckles after a long and action-packed chase, the RBI's 51-page review builds up an incredibly strong case against inflation. And then, just when you think it is going to deliver the coup de grace and hike rates across the board, settles for a tame 25 basis points hike in the repo rate (rate at which RBI lends to banks). Why is this an anti-climax? The reason is that unlike a hike in the reverse repo rate, which is a frontal attack on liquidity (since it withdraws funds from the system), a hike in repo rate is a much more passive tool.
It's Valentine's Day, and the Tums(R) Smoothies(TM) Speed Poll Wants to Know Which NASCAR Drivers Make Your Heart Burn
TUMS, the most popular form of fast relief for indigestion and heartburn among NASCAR fans, wanted to find out what -- or who -- is making hearts burn on the NASCAR circuit this Valentine's Day. The TUMS Smoothies Speed Poll, conducted by Harris Interactive®, surveyed male and female NASCAR fans(1) to learn what drivers top the list as making their "hearts burn" -- and which ones give them "indigestion". When it comes to drivers that give them "indigestion", the TUMS Smoothies Speed Poll found that: What fans could agree on is that they sometimes suffer from heartburn or indigestion. Some 76 percent of fans report ever having heartburn or indigestion, with 64 percent of them turning to over-the-counter medications for relief. Where do they turn most frequently for relief? TUMS.
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