Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Britain's Prince William and his fiancee arrive at The Thursford Collection

Britain's Prince William and his fiancee arrive at The Thursford Collection

Britain's Prince William (R) and his fiancee Kate Middleton arrive at The Thursford Collection in Norfolk, England, December 18, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]



Britain's Prince William and his fiancee arrive at The Thursford Collection

Britain's Prince William (R) and his fiancee Kate Middleton arrive at The Thursford Collection in Norfolk, England, December 18, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




Britain's Prince William and his fiancee arrive at The Thursford Collection

Britain's Prince William (R) and his fiancee Kate Middleton arrive at The Thursford Collection in Norfolk, England, December 18, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




Britain's Prince William and his fiancee arrive at The Thursford Collection

Britain's Prince William (R) and his fiancee Kate Middleton arrive at The Thursford Collection in Norfolk, England, December 18, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




taken from : China Daily

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Beauty has an ugly side

Beauty has an ugly side
More Chinese are seeking out the surgeon's knife or a
beautician's tools, to improve their looks. You You /
For China Daily

The tragic death of celebrity Wang Bei has made people aware of the risks of cosmetic surgery, which is becoming increasingly popular. Tiffany Tan and Mei Jia report

For years Wang Ziwen contemplated having plastic surgery to make her jaw line fashionably narrow and her face smaller. The Beijinger finally decided against it a few days ago after hearing of the death of former Super Girl contestant Wang Bei during "facial bone-grinding surgery" in mid-November. Wang Bei, 24, is said to have gone under the knife in Wuhan, Hubei province, to jump-start her faltering showbiz career. "Wang Bei's death rang the warning bell for me," Wang Ziwen said in a tweet on her Sina Weibo micro blog. "It was frightening and I gave up the plan."

Denny Chen, a 27-year-old Beijing hairdresser, also dropped his plans for vision-correcting laser surgery because of the news.

"I'm afraid the same thing might happen to me, so I've decided to forget the surgery," he says.

It seems the aspiring singer Wang Bei has finally achieved the fame and influence that eluded her during her lifetime.

A survey on the reaction to Wang's death, conducted by Tencent, which runs China's most popular instant-messaging service, received more than 600,000 responses, as of press time Monday.

Forty-one percent of respondents expressed sorrow over her death, saying, "It's a pity she died at such a young age." Some 31 percent said she should have been more cautious and less vain, while 10 percent were enraged at the hospital that conducted the surgery. The remaining 18 percent were indifferent.

A common thread of online discussion is why someone considered beautiful was so dissatisfied with her looks. Some netizens said Wang was a victim of society's unrealistic ideal of beauty: double eyelids, an aquiline nose and the pointed chin typical of Western celebrities. Others said her death underscores the limits to which people will go to achieve fame and fortune.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) stepped in on Nov 27, calling on health authorities nationwide to step up supervision of the country's medical cosmetology industry. It also instructed the Hubei health department to investigate Wang's death and "to make the results of the investigation public as soon as possible".

Wang's death highlights the fact that cosmetic surgery has become one of China's biggest beauty secrets. Last year an estimated 15 billion yuan ($2.2 billion) was spent on cosmetic surgery and the figure is expected to rise 20 percent annually, a China Central Television report concluded.

Some 3 million surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures are done in the country annually, according to partial data from the Chinese Association of Plastics and Aesthetics, under the MOH.

The US-based International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery ranks China first in Asia in terms of the number of procedures performed in 2009. Worldwide, China is third, after Brazil, while the United States is first.

As the wealthy and middle-class segments of the Chinese population expand - and as celebrity culture takes an even firmer hold - people are becoming more conscious of their looks and are willing to go to great lengths to enhance them.

The example of senior citizens is illustrative.

"Nowadays, people are living longer and better. But the effects of aging on their appearance affects their mood and confidence," says Ye Xinhai, a doctor with the plastic surgery department of Shanghai No 10 People's Hospital, which reported a 20 percent increase in older patients in the past two years.

"Many older women want to look as young and beautiful as those high-profile older actresses in TV dramas or South Korean soaps operas and are happy to spend money on their appearance."

Young people, on the other hand, see cosmetic surgery as the key to wealth and love.

"They want to improve their appearance to find better opportunities at work and in marriage," says Ding Xiaobang, a plastic surgeon with the Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

"We're living in a highly competitive society. People regard appearance as a weapon and a means of empowerment ... Most of them tell me, 'I don't care how much I spend, just make me look beautiful'."

In the past decade, Ding says he has seen a growing number of patients, like Wang Bei, who are young and naturally good-looking. The surgeon attributes this trend to people becoming richer, the standards of beauty changing, competition and frustration.

"Some are frustrated with life and use surgery as a way to try and recover," he says.

According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the top five surgical procedures performed in China in 2009 were breast augmentation, liposuction, upper or lower eyelid lift, nose reshaping and "tummy tuck".

The surge in demand for plastic surgery has resulted in a rise in the number of unauthorized business establishments and surgeons conducting such procedures.

Meanwhile, experts say, young and beautiful people who still seek plastic surgery need to address their self-awareness issues and be more accepting.

"They've built their identity around the admiration of others and fail to establish a system to assess themselves," says Zhu Wenbo, a psychologist with Blue Bay Psychological Consulting Center in Chengdu. "People's opinions always change, so this is not a reliable way to evaluate oneself."

Part of the blame for the plastic surgery craze Zhu pins on false advertising, which "exaggerates the benefits and overlooks or doesn't acknowledge the risks".

In 12 years as a therapist, Zhu has become familiar with the consequences of those risks. "I've met several people whose faces were ruined by plastic surgery, and helping them recover is difficult."

Besides, he says, there is still no research that solidly equates plastic surgery with an increase in self-confidence.

"The standard for judging oneself should be competence and ability," Zhu says.

Facts

Beauty has an ugly side
Former Super Girl contestant Wang Bei, who lost her life to botched "facial bone-grinding surgery" in mid-November at a Wuhan clinic. Provided to China Daily
In 2009, China's plastic surgery industry earned 15 billion yuan ($2.2 billion). The figure is expected to rise 20 percent annually (China Central Television).

In 2009, more than 200,000 people were engaged in the plastic surgery industry, working for some 50,000 hospitals, clinics and beauty salons (Ministry of Health).

Some 3 million surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures are performed in China each year (Chinese Association of Plastics and Aesthetics).

China has the world's second largest number of plastic surgeons: 4,250 or 13.8 percent of the world total. The United States ranks first with 5,700 or 18.5 percent. (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery).

The five most popular surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures in China: Botox or Dysport injectables, breast augmentation, liposuction, laser hair removal and hyaluronic acid injectables, which are also used to reduce wrinkles (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery).

The summer school break is a popular season for students to get plastic surgery. Up to 80 percent of cosmetic surgery patients in Beijing in the summer of 2010 were senior high school and college students, with the rate expected to rise to 90 percent in the coming years (China Medical Treatment Orthopedics and Beauty Association).

From 2006 to 2009, approximately 1,000 Chinese people traveled to South Korea each year to undergo cosmetic surgery (Korea Tourism Organization).

Advice

Tips from a surgeon and psychologist if you're considering cosmetic surgery:

1. Choose regular, qualified hospitals, especially those with a good reputation for these procedures. Avoid beauty salons.

2. Try to find an expert surgeon who agrees with your views on beauty and will not suggest several operations over time.

3. Do not expect too much from changing your appearance. There are limitations and safety should be the priority.

4. Have a realistic understanding of the risks of the surgery (death, injury, failure), and think about what the results will be in the immediate and long term, as the operation may be irreversible. Make a balanced decision and do not rush into surgery.





taken from : China Daily
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Monday, December 20, 2010

Diabetes drug shows promise in controlling Alzheimer's

A common medication used in type 2 diabetes might have the potential to also act against Alzheimer's disease.

This is the result of a study by scientists of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn, the University of Dundee and the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin.

The researchers found that the diabetes drug metformin counteracts alterations of the cell structure of tau protein in mice nerve cells. These alterations are a main cause of Alzheimer's disease. They also uncovered the molecular mechanism of metformin in this process.

"If we can confirm that metformin also shows an effect in humans, it is certainly a good candidate for an effective therapy on Alzheimer's disease," says Sybille Krauss from DZNE.

Alzheimer's disease is a form of dementia that affects almost exclusively elderly people. Neurons in their brains die, leading to cognitive impairment.

At the molecular level, the disease is characterized amongst other things by the formation of tau protein deposits in nerve cells. Tau is a molecule that usually binds to the supportive cytoskeleton and performs a function in the transport system of the cell.

In Alzheimer's disease, tau is tipped too strongly with phosphate groups. This phosphorylation causes removal of tau from the cytoskeleton and aggregation.

To counteract this problem, researchers targeted the regulation of the protein PP2A. This protein is normally responsible for removing phosphate groups from tau protein. In Alzheimer's disease, PP2A is not active enough - leading to an increased phosphorylation and deposition of tau.

The scientists led by Krauss, therefore, looked for a drug that increases the activity of PP2A. "So far there is no drug on the market that targets the formation of tau aggregates," Krauss says.

In cell culture experiments with mouse nerve cells, the researchers showed that metformin directly protects PP2A against degradation by preventing the binding to special degradation proteins. This mechanism of metformin has been unknown so far.

In addition, an increase in PP2A activity leads to a reduction in tau phosphorylation.

In an additional step, the scientists added metformin to the drinking water of healthy mice. This also led to a reduction of tau-phosphorylation in brain cells.

In further experiments, the researchers now intend to investigate whether metformin also prevents the decomposition of tau proteins in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease and improves cognitive performance of the animals.

The effect in humans will then be tested in clinical studies. There is no risk of unexpected side effects, due to the fact that the drug is already used against diabetes.


taken from : China Daily

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Thursday, December 9, 2010

The premiere of 'The Tourist' in New York


The premiere of 'The Tourist' in New York

Cast member Angelina Jolie arrives with Brad Pitt for the premiere of "The Tourist" in New York December 6, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




The premiere of 'The Tourist' in New York

Cast member Johnny Depp arrives for the premiere of "The Tourist" in New York December 6, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]






The premiere of 'The Tourist' in New York

Cast member Angelina Jolie arrives with Brad Pitt for the premiere of "The Tourist" in New York December 6, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




The premiere of 'The Tourist' in New York

Cast member Angelina Jolie arrives for the premiere of "The Tourist" in New York December 6, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




The premiere of 'The Tourist' in New York

Actor and cast member Johnny Depp arrives for the premiere of "The Tourist" in New York December 6, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




The premiere of 'The Tourist' in New York

Cast member Angelina Jolie arrives with actor Brad Pitt for the premiere of "The Tourist" in New York December 6, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




The premiere of 'The Tourist' in New York

Cast member Johnny Depp arrives for the premiere of "The Tourist" in New York December 6, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




The premiere of 'The Tourist' in New York

Cast member Angelina Jolie arrives with Brad Pitt for the premiere of "The Tourist" in New York December 6, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




The premiere of 'The Tourist' in New York

Cast member Johnny Depp arrives for the premiere of "The Tourist" in New York December 6, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]



taken from : China Daily

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The premiere of 'Somewhere' in Hollywood

The premiere of 'Somewhere' in Hollywood

Actress Mena Suvari poses at the premiere of "Somewhere" at the Arclight theatre in Hollywood, California December 7, 2010. The movie opens limitedly in the U.S. on December 22.[Photo/Agencies]




The premiere of 'Somewhere' in Hollywood

Actress Michelle Monaghan poses at the premiere of "Somewhere" at the Arclight theatre in Hollywood, California December 7, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




The premiere of 'Somewhere' in Hollywood

Actress Chloe Sevigny poses at the premiere of "Somewhere" at the Arclight theatre in Hollywood, California December 7, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




The premiere of 'Somewhere' in Hollywood

Cast member Stephen Dorff poses at the premiere of "Somewhere" at the Arclight theatre in Hollywood, California December 7, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




The premiere of 'Somewhere' in Hollywood

Cast member Elle Fanning poses at the premiere of "Somewhere" at the Arclight theatre in Hollywood, California December 7, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




The premiere of 'Somewhere' in Hollywood

Actress Juliette Lewis poses at the premiere of "Somewhere" at the Arclight theatre in Hollywood, California December 7, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




The premiere of 'Somewhere' in Hollywood

Director Sofia Coppola poses at the premiere of her movie "Somewhere" at the Arclight theatre in Hollywood, California December 7, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]



taken from : China Daily

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Aspirin a day keeps cancer away?

Aspirin a day keeps cancer away?

Although aspirin may guard against cancer, experts warn that people who want to take aspirin on a regular basis should talk to their doctors first. [Photo/China Daily

Doctors are not recommending healthy people take aspirin to prevent cancer, but some studies are optimistic about the effects.

A new report from British scientists suggests that long-term, low-dose aspirin use may modestly reduce the risk of dying of certain cancers, though experts warn the study isn't strong enough to recommend healthy people start taking a pill that can cause bleeding and other problems. In a new observational analysis published online in the medical journal Lancet, Peter Rothwell of the University of Oxford and colleagues looked at eight studies that included more than 25,000 patients and cut the risk of death from certain cancers by 20 percent.

While some experts say the analysis adds to evidence of aspirin's potential to cut cancer risk, others say it falls short of changing advice to healthy people, and it fails to show the benefits apply equally to women.

The trials mostly compared men who took a daily dose of at least 75 mg of aspirin for heart problems to people who took a placebo or another drug. On average, the studies lasted at least four years.

Researchers used national cancer registries to get information on participants after the studies ended, though they weren't sure how many aspirin takers continued using it or how many people in the comparison groups might have started.

The researchers said that the projected risk after two decades of dying from cancers like lung and prostate would be 20 percent lower in groups who had taken aspirin and 35 percent lower for gastrointestinal cancers like colon cancer. These odds are figured from smaller numbers - there were 326 lung cancer deaths in all, for example.

Only one-third of people in the analysis were women - not enough to calculate any estimates for breast cancer. There appeared to be no benefit to taking more than 75 mg daily - roughly the amount in a European dose of baby aspirin and a bit less than the baby aspirin dose in the United States.

The analysis left out a high-quality experiment that tested aspirin every other day in nearly 40,000 US women. No reduction in cancer risk was seen except for lung cancer deaths in that trial.

No funding was provided for the new Lancet analysis but several of the authors have been paid for work for companies that make aspirin and similar drugs.

Scientists say it would take some time to digest the study results and figure out which people should take aspirin.

Eric Jacobs, an American Cancer Society epidemiologist, calls it a "major contribution" and says the study results, in addition to previous research, suggested aspirin's effects on the risk of dying from several cancers "appear likely".

Others say the study wasn't strong enough for doctors to start recommending aspirin.

"I definitely think we wouldn't want to make any treatment decisions based on this study," says Dr Raymond DuBois, a cancer prevention specialist who is provost of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

One concern is that the studies were designed to look at cardiovascular risks, so the groups of people being compared may differ on things that affect cancer risk, such as family history of the disease. DuBois also questions drawing conclusions about people's cancer risk beyond the several years they were tracked.

Aspirin has long been recommended for some people with heart problems. But it can have serious side effects, like bleeding in the stomach and intestines, and poses risks in groups like the elderly who are prone to falls.

"Balancing the risks and benefits of aspirin is really important and probably something that needs to be done on an individual basis," says Ed Yong, Cancer Research UK's head of health evidence and information. He was not linked to the study.

"If anyone is considering aspirin on a regular basis, they should talk to their doctor first," Yong says. He warns people should not think of aspirin as a guarantee against cancer and other prevention strategies like not smoking and keeping a healthy body weight were essential.



taken from : China Daily

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Alessandra Ambrosio presents a creation by Alexia Ulibarri


Alessandra Ambrosio presents a creation by Alexia Ulibarri

Brazilian model Alessandra Ambrosio presents a creation by Alexia Ulibarri during a fashion show in Cancun November 21, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]



Alessandra Ambrosio presents a creation by Alexia Ulibarri

Brazilian model Alessandra Ambrosio presents a creation by Alexia Ulibarri during a fashion show in Cancun November 21, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]



Alessandra Ambrosio presents a creation by Alexia Ulibarri

Brazilian model Alessandra Ambrosio presents a creation by Alexia Ulibarri during a fashion show in Cancun November 21, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




taken from : China Daily

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The British Fashion Awards 2010 in London


The British Fashion Awards 2010 in London

Model Lara Stone poses at the British Fashion Awards 2010 at the Savoy Theatre in London December 7, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




The British Fashion Awards 2010 in London

Model Kelly Brook poses at the British Fashion Awards at the Savoy Theatre, in central London December 7, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]



The British Fashion Awards 2010 in London

Emma Roberts poses at the British Fashion Awards 2010 at the Savoy Theatre in London December 7, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]





The British Fashion Awards 2010 in London

Model Alexa Chung poses with the Award for British Style at the British Fashion Awards at the Savoy Theatre, in central London December 7, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




The British Fashion Awards 2010 in London

Twiggy poses at the British Fashion Awards at the Savoy Theatre, in central London December 7, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




The British Fashion Awards 2010 in London

Model Naomi Campbell poses with her Special Recognition award at the British Fashion Awards 2010 at the Savoy Theatre in London December 7, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




The British Fashion Awards 2010 in London

Singer Kimberley Walsh poses as she arrives for the British Fashion Awards at the Savoy Theatre, in central London December 7, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




The British Fashion Awards 2010 in London

Model Lily Cole poses at the British Fashion Awards at the Savoy Theatre, in central London December 7, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




The British Fashion Awards 2010 in London

Model Naomi Campbell poses for photographers as she arrives for the British Fashion Awards at the Savoy Theatre, in central London December 7, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]




taken from : China Daily

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