Breakthrough: Protein that helps people hear found

London: A protein in the inner ear helps people differentiate between sounds and understand speech, French researchers reported in a finding that could help treat the hard of hearing.
   The study also helps explain why some people have difficulty hearing in crowded restaurants or other noisy places, said Paul Avan, a researcher at the University of Auvergne, France. "This won't help cure deafness but will help diagnose why some people have hearing problems, especially in noisy places," Avan, who worked on the study, said.
   The study, which used genetically engineered mice, looked at the part of the inner ear called the cochlea, which contains two types of sensory cells to detect sounds.
   Scientists often study mice because of the biological similarities between the animals and humans. Until now people had thought that structures called ion channels found in the cells — which work like a microphone to transform sound into electrical messages — were mainly responsible for distorting sound in the ear.
   Distortion is important because it allows people to pick out the correct sounds from a mixture of noises, such as it be competing conversations at a cocktail party.
   But the researchers showed how a protein called stereocilin was keeping sensory cells intact and allowing the inner ear to properly distort sounds. The findings could help doctors fit certain people with special hearing aids that eliminate noise from certain directions.
   "Until now it was thought that if the ion channels worked everything would be okay," Avan said. "We show that this is not the case. Sensitivity will be good but that does nothing if you don't understand anything if it is noisy around you." REUTERS

Medicinal Powers of Yoga

Medical research accumulating over the past 10 to 15 years is showing that yoga can provide a range of health benefits. It's not a cure-all, but there's relatively little that it can't help.

Improves Balance

Balance becomes particularly important as we age; falls are a leading cause of hip fractures, an injury that can be hard to recover from for older, frail adults. Practicing positions such as the tree pose, in which you place the sole of your foot against your other leg's thigh, can improve your balance. Research out of Temple University this year also shows that Iyengar yoga can help women over 65 increase their confidence in walking and balance.



Relieves Pain

Studies have found that yoga poses and meditation can reduce the amount of pain associated with arthritis, back pain, fibromyalgia and carpal tunnel syndrome, among other conditions. Recent research out of Group Health Cooperative's Center for Health Studies also has shown that yoga appears to be more effective for relieving low back pain than conventional exercise.

Improves Bowel Function

Along with its ability to relieve stress and improve posture, many yoga poses can help move food and waste products through the bowels, improving their ability to function. Bringing more yogic awareness to the way you eat can help you slow down and swallow less air, which can worsen gas and bloating.



Better Lung Capacity

Regular yoga practice will improve your posture, preventing your lower ribs from pushing into your abdomen and limiting the amount of air you inhale. It will also help you learn to use your abdominal muscles to exhale more fully, allowing you to take in more air on the following breath. Beyond helping people with asthma, research from Khon Kaen University in Thailand has shown that even short-term yoga exercise can improve the breathing capacity of those who are young and healthy.



Promotes Weight Loss

Studies have shown that those who begin to regularly practice yoga, particularly the overweight, tend to lose weight. Research also shows that it may help people between the ages of 45 to 55 from gaining as much weight--a common problem due to the group's declining energy needs and failure to adjust its caloric intake.



Improves Psychological Health

Several studies have shown that yoga can improve measures of psychological health, such as mood and self-esteem. Research found that practicing yoga may elevate levels of the brain's primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. Since low levels are associated with depression and anxiety, the findings indicate yoga may be a possible treatment option for mental illnesses.



Helps Cholesterol Levels

A number of studies are showing that yoga can lower the levels of blood fats, such as low-density lipoprotein, known as bad cholesterol. The mechanism may be connected to yoga's effect on stress, which can boost cholesterol levels and worsen the ratio of total to high-density lipoprotein or good cholesterol.



Strengthens Bones

Many yoga poses involve weight-bearing actions, which strengthen bones and can help prevent osteoporosis. Some examples include standing poses that put weight on the legs or arm balances that place weight on the wrists. Unpublished research out of California State University, Los Angeles, found that standing poses increased the bone density in the vertebrae of women ages 18 to 65, compared with controls who performed their normal physical activity.



Improves Cancer Patients' Quality of Life

Researchers have shown that breast cancer patients who perform yoga during treatment can improve the quality of their lives, compared with patients who skip the practice. After just one week of yoga and radiation, patients in the study reported changes in their ability to function socially, lower levels of daytime sleep and lower levels of overall fatigue.



Lowers Need For Medication

Studies have shown that yoga can help some people with asthma, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and other conditions to lower the amount of medications they're taking or eliminate their need for them.

Improves Menopausal Symptoms

A survey by the Yoga Biomedical Trust about the health benefits of yoga showed that of 317 people reporting menopausal disorders, 83% said yoga appeared to help. Many yogis, as well as a growing number of people in the medical community, believe that stress can influence the severity of menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes and mood swings. Yoga poses and meditation has been shown to be useful in minimizing the effects of stress.

 

 

Honey, used in tea or hot water

OTTAWA (AFP) - Honey, used in tea or hot water in Canada for
generations to soothe sore throats, could soon be substituted for
antibiotics in fighting stubborn ear, nose and throat infections,
according to a new study.
Ottawa University doctors found in tests that ordinary honey kills
bacteria that cause sinus infections, and does it better in most cases
than antibiotics.
"It's astonishing," researcher Joseph Marson said of bees' unexplained
ability to combine the nectar of flowers into a seemingly potent
medicine.
The preliminary tests were conducted in laboratory dishes, not in live
patients, but included the "superbug" methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA, which is highly resistant to
antibiotics.
In upcoming human trials, a "honey rinse" would be used to "flush out
the goo from sinus cavities," said Marson in an interview with AFP.
The researchers have so far tested manuka honey from New Zealand, and
sidr honey from Yemen.
The two killed all floating bacteria in liquid, and 63-91 percent of
biofilms -- microorganisms that sometimes form a protective layer in
sinus cavities, urinary tracts, catheters, and heart valves,
protecting bacteria from normal drug treatments and often leading to
chronic infections.
The most effective antibiotic, rifampin, killed just 18 percent of the
biofilm samples in the tests.
"As of today, nobody is sure what in the honey kills the bacteria,"
Marson said, noting that "not all honeys have the same potency" and
calling for more research to determine the mechanism behind the
healing.
Canada's clover and buckwheat honey did not work at all.
Previous studies have shown honey's healing properties on infected wounds.
The results of the study were presented this week at the annual
meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck
Surgery, in Chica

[Ways2Insurance] Now, register for a free terrorism cover

For full article Click Here 

MUMBAI: IN the wake of rising terrorist threats across the country, click2insure.in — a portal launched by Optima Insurance Brokers in alliance with New India Assurance Company, a leading public sector non-life insurance provider — is offering a terrorism cover free of cost. 

   

Eddie Izzard  - "Never put a sock in a toaster."

--
Posted By Ways2live to Ways2Insurance at 9/09/2008 07:43:00 PM

--
Akbar Jiwani
9867700066
9323500008
Clifford Stoll  - "The Internet is a telephone system that's gotten uppity."

5 AILMENTS THAT ARE KILLING MUMBAI

What Can You Do To Ward Off Cardiac Diseases, TB, HIV/AIDS, Renal Failure And Cancer? TOI Speaks To Doctors KILLER NO 1: HEART ATTACK TOLL between 2004 and 2006 in Mumbai's hospitals: 37,193      It is an established medical fact that Indians are genetically more prone to heart diseases. What is worrying doctors is that Indians — especially those in urban hubs like Mumbai — are getting it at a younger age. It is also presumed that a worringly high 9 per cent to 11 per cent of persons above the age of 45 in urban India have heart disease.  DOCTORSPEAK      Avast majority of patients who get admitted to the intensive care units of hospitals with acute heart attacks are totally asymptomatic. Most of them say they were healthy till the day before their heart attack. Some even mention that they have competed in a marathon or two or climbed 10 flights of stairs without gasping for breath. Yet, suddenly, they collapse.      It is now known that if a person has over 70 per cent obstruction of blood flow, then s/he will experience pain or symptoms.      But, in these patients, there is a sudden rupture of this plaque (the obstruction) that leads to a clot formation and the obstruction becomes 100 per cent, leading to a sudden heart attack. There is no way to detect such obstruction on a mass-screening basis as the tests are invasive and expensive. But what Mumbaikars can do is undergo a health check-up once every year after they are 35.      People who have at least two risk factors for heart diseases (among smoking, hypertension, diabetes) should be more vigilant.  Ashwin Mehta | HEAD OF CARDIOLOGY  DEPARTMENT OF JASLOK HOSPITAL  KILLER NO 2: TUBERCULOSIS TOLL between 2004 and 2006 in Mumbai's hospitals: 26,951      It is estimated that 2 million cases of tuberculosis are reported in India every year. India also accounts for around 30 per cent of the world's cases. What has been worrying Mumbai's doctors is the changing form of the disease: tuberculosis of various organs (like bone and spine) has increased phenonomenally in the last few years. There also is evidence that Mumbai is home to many patients with MDR (multi drug-resistant) and XDR (extremely drug-resistant) forms of tuberculosis.  DOCTORSPEAK      India has the maximum number of patients suffering from tuberculosis and so it does not exactly come as a surprise that it is a leading killer in the city as well.      Besides, with so much filth in the city and because of the fact that twothirds of Mumbaikars stay in slums and a huge number travels by crowded trains, it is even less surprising that tuberculosis is so rampant in Mumbai.      When a tuberculosis patient coughs, s/he releases over 300 million bacilli in one go. People around inhale the germs, becoming susceptible to the disease. Air pollution is going up. The concentration of dust is going up, construction work is on; all these are good mediums for the tuberculosis germs to spread. It is not surprising that the, too, rich are no longer immune to it. It is time people stopped depending on the administration and took it upon themselves to clean up their surroundings.  Rohini Chowghule | CHEST PHYSICIAN AT  BOMBAY HOSPITAL KILLER NO 3: CANCER  TOLL between 2004 and 2006 in Mumbai's hospitals: 18,107      Cancer cases in India are likely to go up by 50 per cent by 2020, say studies. Mumbai, with its stress-ridden lifestyle, dietary changes and substance abuse (tobacco), is not going to fare any differently.  DOCTORSPEAK      Cancer is the second leading cause of death across the world. If it is among the top five killers in Mumbai then it is a reflection of our rapidly urbanising society. Cancers are also related to lifestyle reasons.  It is now a well-known medical fact that factors like smoking, poor dietary habits and obesity increase the probability of the disease.  There are two important lessons for Mumbaikars; first, Mumbaikars should look at preventive steps like lifestyle changes (cutting down smoking) that can reduce the chances of getting cancer by 25 per cent; second, massscreening programmes are not the answer to beat cancer.  We need to focus on cancer awareness. If people can recognise the symptoms, then they have a better chance at treatment and life.  When a Hollywood actor spoke about undergoing a colonoscopy on TV, it resulted in massive awareness about colon cancer. As a result, over the years, the US has registered a drop in number of colon cancer cases.  P Jagannath | CANCER SURGEON FROM LILAVATI  HOSPITAL  KILLER NO 4: KIDNEY FAILURE TOLL between 2004 and 2006 in Mumbai's hospitals: 6,533      Kidneys have become synonymous with rackets but the disease is among the fastest-growing ones in the country. India is the diabetes capital of the world and the incidence of kidney diseases is also likely to rise. It is estimated that 150-200 in every 10 lakh suffer from end-stage renal disease.  DOCTORSPEAK      There is an increasing trend of lifestyle diseases like blood pressure and diabetes. Kidney failure is an effect of these diseases. As there are more cases of diabetes and hypertension, there is a higher incidence of kidney failure.      Moreover, there is not a single item that is not adulterated. Be it water, milk, fruits or masalas, everything has a percentage of adulteration. Some of these materials are metallic and poisonous.      As all of these elements pass through the kidney (which is an organ that removes toxicity in blood), there is bound to be an effect on the organ. What can people do to stay healthy? They should not become obese and should eat good food and drink enough water.  Vatsala Trivedi | HEAD OF THE ZONAL TRANSPLANT COORDINATION CENTRE FOR KIDNEY  TRANSPLANTS      KILLER NO 5:      HIV/AIDS TOLL between 2004 and 2006 in Mumbai's hospitals: 3,826 It is often said that Mumbai exports HIV/AIDS to the rest of the country. The migrant labourer is supposed to be the most vulnerable to this sexually transmitted disease, which cripples the immune system. In Mumbai, the incidence of the disease is low (less than 1 per cent) in the general population but it is a whopping 42 per cent among commercial sex workers.  DOCTORSPEAK      Since Mumbai has 74 HIV/AIDS-testing centres, people who have indulged in high-risk behaviour can walk in any time for a test. Even if a person tests positive for the virus, he or she can avail of free medicines and free treatment for opportunistic ailments for up to Rs 3 lakh.      There are two things that people can do to prevent the spead of this disease: first, adopt means to prevent the disease (use a condom, for instance); second, don't take medicines from quacks who promise a cure. It must be remembered that HIV/AIDS was the number one killer a decade back.      But, due to awareness, it became the number 10 killer (nationally) last year.  Harish Pathak | JOINT DIRECTOR, MUMBAI  DISTRICT AIDS CONTROL SOCIETY THE WORST 10  These 10 diseases have been responsible for the maximum number of deaths in BMC- and state-run hospitals in Mumbai between 2006 and 2008

Clifford Stoll  - "The Internet is a telephone system that's gotten uppity."

wellness WATCH

Achilles' HEEL

You may need to check whether high heels are right for you

A COLLEAGUE recently narrated an interesting tale about how her doctor had traced high heels as the reason behind her back pain. Now, most of us know that stilettos and style make most women go tip-toe and maintaining equilibrium with elan is more of an art than science for them. But before you shop for that show-stealer pair, do you spare a thought for the hazards of high heels? 

    Let's understand why your style statement may come at a high price? In fact, doctors feel that the current craze for superhigh heels with very narrow toes create problems for the feet. Round-toes shoes with five or even seven-inch heels, in vogue now, are hardly better. As for the popular thongs — they expose feet and cause frequent accidents. They suggest that the best shoes for healthy feet mimic the foot's natural shape, while offering support to the arch and a flexible sole underneath the toes. 
    Says Dr Sanjay Swarup, senior consultant, orthopaedics, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital & Max Healthcare: "There are some major health problems with high heels. First, owing to the position of the feet, the big toe starts deviating outside. This condition is called Hallux Valgux and leads to the formation of bunions — a swelling and redness at the base of the toe." According to Dr Swarup, the second problem pencil-heels can lead to relates pain in the heels. Since the body weight is transferred to a small surface area, the heels get stiff, causing constant pain in the heels. And third, if you stand or walk for a long time wearing high heels, there are definite chances of getting low back or neck pain or even disc prolapse in a severe case. This happens because a woman wearing high heels tends to bend backwards to maintain the centre of gravity. This long wrong posture maintained for long hours can lead to back pain. Also, high heels can lead to calf muscle and knee joint pains, making the wearer more prone to spraining an ankle, Dr Swarup adds. 
    There are other reasons as well. An elevated heel lifts the foot out of its natural position and shortens the Achilles' tendon. Such shoes also 
pitch the weight of the body forward disproportionately onto the ball of the foot, which in turn upsets the stabilising mechanism of the foot. Besides, fashionable shoes that try to convert the foot into an ideal form, with the toes narrowed or tapered to a point, often require cramming the foot into less space than it would normally occupy. These can impede the foot's mechanical function by limiting toe and ankle flexibility. 
    Regular tight shoes put pressure on nerves and even damage them, and also contribute in the long run to arthritis, say doctors. In the worst case, they add, tight shoes can also produce foot deformities. 
    That's said, experts say all this is relative. Women who are strong and exercise regularly often don't have any complications, although they acknowledge that pencil heels, due to their awkward shape, can cause stress to the leg, heels and back muscles. 
    So what's to be done? At a time when fashion is getting to dizzy heights, it's obvious that sheer health rhetoric won't work. But paying attention to what's best for an individual may go a long way in removing the odd problems. Dr Swarup advises that women should choose the right shoes for their feet type and their activity. For instance, women with 
high arches may need more cushioning, and people with relatively flat feet may need more arch support. 
    So, the next time you jump suddenly from stilettos to flats, or from daily flip-flops to high heels, don't forget that the best way to allow your tissues to adapt is to make no rapid changes. Changes in footwear and training should always be gradual — evolutionary, not revolutionary, say experts. 
PRECARIOUSLY BALANCED 
If you stand or walk for a long time wearing high heels, there are definite chances of getting low back or neck pain. This happens because a woman wearing high heels tends to bend backwards to maintain the centre of gravity. If stretched for long hours, this wrong posture can lead to back pain 
Owing to the position of the feet when wearing high heels, the big toe starts deviating outside. This leads to the formation of a bunion, which is swelling and redness at the base of the toe Since the body weight is transferred to a small surface area, the heel gets stiff, causing constant pain in the heels

A. P. Herbert  - "A high-brow is someone who looks at a sausage and thinks of Picasso."

INFORM ALL YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY MEMBERS

Please Read Very Carefully - INFORM ALL YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY MEMBERS . 

India has become a dumping ground for banned drugs;also the business for production of banned drugs is booming. Plz make sure that u buy drugs only if prescribed by a doctor (Also, ask which company manufactures it, this would help to ensure that u get what is prescribed at the Drug Store) and that also from a reputed drug store. Not many people know about these banned drugs and consume them causing a lot of damage to themselves. We forward Jokes and other junk all the time. This is far more important. 

Please Make sure uforward it everyone u know.


DANGEROUS DRUGS HAVE BEEN GLOBALLY DISCARDED BUT ARE AVAILABLE IN INDIA . The most common ones are D cold, action 500 & Nimulid. 


ANALGIN: 
This is a pain-killer. Reason for ban: Bone marrow depression. 
Brand name : Novalgin 
___________________________________________________________ 
CISAPRIDE:
Acidity, constipation. Reason for ban : irregular heartbeat 
Brand name : Ciza, Syspride 
____________________________________________________________ 
DROPERIDOL:
Anti-depressant. Reason for ban : Irregular heartbeat. 
Brand name : Droperol 
______________________________________________________________ 
FURAZOLIDONE:
Antidiarrhoeal.. Reason for ban : Cancer.
Brand name : Furoxone, Lomofen 


_____________________________________________________________ 
NIMESULIDE: 
Painkiller, fever. Reason for ban : Liver failure. 
Brand name : Nise, Nimulid 
________________________________________________________________________ 

NITROFURAZONE: 
Antibacterial cream. 

Reason for ban : 

Cancer.. 
Brand name : Furacin 
________________________________________________________________________ 

PHENOLPHTHALEIN: 
Laxative. Reason for ban : Cancer. 
Brand name : Agarol 
________________________________________________________________________ 
PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE: 
cold and cough. Reason for ban : stroke.
Brand name : D'cold, Vicks Action-500 
________________________________________________________________________ 
OXYPHENBUTAZONE: 
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Reason for ban : Bone marrow depression. 
Brand name : Sioril 
_______________________________________________________________________ 
PIPERAZINE: 
Anti-worms. Reason for ban : Nerve damage. 
Brand name : Piperazine 
________________________________________________________________________ 
QUINIODOCHLOR:
Anti-diarrhoeal. Reason for ban : Damage to sight.
Brand name : Enteroquinol 


-- 
Dr. Kaiser Jamil
Research Director
Indo American Cancer Institute & Research Centre
Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500034, A.P. India
--
Akbar Jiwani
9867700066
9323500008
Adrienne Gusoff  - "Opportunity knocked. My doorman threw him out."

Almost half in U.S. will get knee arthritis: study

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly half of U.S. adults will develop painful arthritis of the knee, a leading cause of disability, and hospitalizations for the condition are soaring, researchers reported on Wednesday.

During their lifetimes, an estimated 45 percent of Americans will develop knee osteoarthritis, a common kind of arthritis that wears away cartilage cushioning the knee joint, according to a study in the journal Arthritis Care & Research.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and University of North Carolina researchers based the findings on data from 3,068 people age 45 and older in North Carolina.

Obese people had a higher risk, with the extra weight putting additional stress on the knee joint. While 35 percent of normal-weight people got osteoarthritis of the knee, 65 percent of obese people developed it, along with 44 percent of overweight people, the researchers said.

"Simply put, people who keep their weight within the normal range are much less likely to develop symptomatic knee osteoarthritis as they get older, and thus much less likely to face the need for major surgical procedures such as knee replacement surgery," Dr. Joanne Jordan of the University of North Carolina, one of the researchers, said in a statement.

There were no significant differences in risk associated with sex, race or education level, the researchers said.

The people in the study were interviewed and were given an exam that included X-ray images of their knees.

In addition, a report by an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services showed that hospitalizations due to osteoarthritis rose to 735,000 in 2006 from 322,000 in 1993, mostly due to an increase in knee replacement operations.

From 2000 to 2006, knee replacement surgery rates rose 65 percent, while hip replacement surgery rates rose 21 percent, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease, is the most common type of arthritis. It can affect any joint but most often affects the hands, hips, knees and spine.

It worsens over time and there is no cure. The pain can be disabling and doctors may recommend joint replacement surgery.

(Reporting by Will Dunham; Editing by Maggie Fox and John O'Callaghan)

John Belushi  - "I owe it all to little chocolate donuts."

OUR MOST SPECIAL GRATITUDE AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR THE SUPPORT

Perniagaan tanpa risiko yang besar

Lihat bagaimana permulaan modal yang kecil membantu anda agar wang pelaburan tidak dibazirkan begitu sahaja.

a. Permulaan modal mampu

b. Kualiti produk yang dipercayai beribu tahun lamanya

c. Sumber pemakanan sunnah Nabi SAW

d. Tidak terikat dengan pembelian wajib bulanan serta sistem MLM yang memeritkan

e. Anda sendiri memilih untuk menjadikan madu sebagai sumber pendapatan utama atau sampingan tanpa paksaan!

Petikan berita dari Utusan Malaysia:

PNS disaran Hentikan biaya francais

KUALA LUMPUR 8 Sept. 2009 - Perbadanan Nasional Bhd. (PNS) diminta memberhentikan pembiayaan bagi beberapa sistem francais di bawah kelolaannya kerana didapati tidak mendatangkan keuntungan langsung kepada francaisi.

Ia berikutan terdapatnya keadaan seolah-olah francaisor menjadikan francaisi umpan untuk mendapatkan dana kerajaan dengan mudah.

Kebimbangan itu disuarakan oleh lebih 30 usahawan yang kini bimbang kemungkinan diistiharkan muflis berikutan kegagalan mereka meneruskan perniagaan yang disertai.

Bekas francaisi Marrybrown, Jukebox, Watershop, VV Shop, Camps Apparel, Sinma dan Kwikstop berharap pendedahan yang dibuat akan membuka mata pihak berkaitan untuk mencari jalan penyelesaian.

Setiap usahawan kini menanggung hutang sekitar RM100,000 hingga RM450,000 setelah didakwa terdapat penindasan dan ketidakadilan yang dilakukan oleh syarikat induk atau francaisor itu.

"Sepatutnya, di dalam perniagaan francais mestilah wujud keadaan menang-menang tetapi dalam keadaan ini keuntungan lebih memihak kepada francaisor," dakwa bekas francaisi Jukebox, Hapsah Jaafar kepada wartawan hari ini.

Katanya, para francaisi kerap menghadapi kerugian yang tidak munasabah dan kurang jelas seolah-olah "dicipta" oleh francaisor.

"Antaranya, francaisi akan berhutang belian stok kerana ia tidak dibenarkan memilih dan mengawal stok sendiri. Sebaliknya ia dikawal dan ditentukan oleh francaisor.

"Had belian stok yang tidak dikawal dan dipantau serta penghantaran stok hampir setiap hari telah menyebabkan belian melebihi jualan. Akhirnya francaisi berhutang dengan francaisor."

Beliau amat berharap PNS tidak lagi meneruskan sistem francais yang membabitkan syarikat-syarikat induk tersebut supaya lebih ramai lagi bakal francaisi akan terselamat.

Hapsah yang terpaksa menutup perniagaan selepas setahun beroperasi berkata, bagi sistem francais Jukebox, katanya, PNS membiayai 11 peserta di mana kini lapan telah menutup perniagaan.

"Tiga lagi rakan kami sedang "nyawa-nyawa ikan" dan akan berakhir dengan nasib yang sama." Francaisor bagi Jukebox adalah Harian Shoes Sdn. Bhd., yang menjual kasut lelaki, wanita dan kanak-kanak serta aksesori.

Peserta PNS pula rata-rata merupakan bekas siswa dan siswazah.

"Bayangkan pada usia yang muda, kami kini telah dibebankan dengan hutang yang tidak sepatutnya," kata bekas francaisi Marrybrown Restaurant, Md Hizal Mustafa.

Katanya, kini terdapat lapan buah outlet Marrybrown yang terpaksa ditutup walau pun kurang dua tahun beroperasi berikutan menghadapi masalah yang hampir serupa dengan francaisornya.

"Jika kami dikatakan tidak mampu untuk menjalankan perniagaan, bagaimana PNS boleh yakin kepada kami dan meluluskan pinjaman kami." "Malah sebahagian daripada kami menggunakan wang poket sendiri bagi memulakan perniagaan sebelum pinjaman PNS diperolehi," katanya.

"Bayangkan berapa banyak wang pelaburan kerajaan untuk PNS terbuang tanpa hasil. Jika francais berjaya dan kami mampu membayar balik pinjaman, bukankan ia menguntungkan semua pihak."

Md Hizal berkata, terdapat juga francaisi bukan di bawah kelolaan PNS menghadapi masalah yang sama.

Sementara itu, Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia (PPIM) yang menganjurkan sidang akhbar pada hari ini berharap pihak kementerian yang berkaitan dapat menyelesaikan kemelut francais dan francaisor ini.

"Pihak pembiaya umpamanya perlu melihat semula sistem francais secara keseluruhannya. Mereka perlu sekurang-kurangnya gariskan tahap kejayaan francaisi itu, adakah ia berjaya setakat pinjaman berjaya diperolehi atau bagaimana?," kata Setiausaha Kerja PPIM, Datuk Nadzim Johan.

PNS sebelum ini katanya, telah memberi pemahaman kepada peserta bahawa mereka akan mendapat bimbingan dan bantuan daripada PNS serta syarikat induk yang dipilih."

Namun dengan situasi buntu ketika ini melihatkan pihak terbabit termasuk kementerian berkaitan, dan PFM seperti melepaskan tangan, katanya.

Bekas usahawan yang terlibat telah mengajukan permasalahan mereka kepada PNS, PFM malah kementerian terbabit, tetapi tiada sebarang tindakan di ambil.

"Mungkin akta francais perlu diubah," kata Nadzim. - Bernama

Sumber dari:

http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2009&dt=0909&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Ekonomi&pg=ek_01.htm

Penggunaan madu Yaman dalam perubatan silam menjangkau usia ribuan tahun lamanya

Sumber ihsan dari seorang rakan perubatan di Calgary University of Canada,

Arabic Medical Manuscripts Of The Wellcome Library: A Descriptive Catalogue Of The Haddad Collection (Wms Arabic 401-487)