July 29, 2008

remedy for headache

Causes:
The common causes of headaches are allergy, emotional stress, eye strain, high blood pressure, a hangover, infection, low blood sugar, nutritional deficiency, tension, and the presence of poisons and toxins in the body. Allergies are often the unsuspected cause of headaches. The foods to which some people are allergic and which can trigger headaches are milk and milk products, chocolate, chicken, liver, alcohol and strong cheese. Sneezing and diarrhoea are further indications of an allergy.

Cures and remedies:

Natural Headache Cure using Lemon:

The juice of three or four slices of lemon should be squeezed in a cup of tea and taken by the patient for treating this condition. It gives immediate relief. The crust of lemon, which is generally thrown away, has been found useful in headaches caused by heat. Lemon crusts should be pounded into a fine paste in a mortar and applied as plaster on the forehead. Applying the yellow, freshly pared-off rind of a lemon to each temple will also give relief.
Cure Headaches naturally using Apple

Apples are valuable in curing all types of headaches. After removing the upper rind and the inner hard portion of a ripe apple, it should be taken with a little salt every morning on an empty stomach in such cases. This should be continued for about a week.
Natural Headache remedy using Henna:

The flowers of henna have been found valuable in curing headaches caused by hot sun. The flowers should be rubbed in vinegar and applied over the forehead. This remedy will soon provide relief.

Headache remedy using Cinnamon:

Cinnamon is useful in headaches caused by exposure to cold air. A fine paste of this spice should be prepared by mixing it with water and it should be applied over the temples and forehead to obtain relief.

Headache treatment using Marjoram:

The herb marjoram is beneficial in the treatment of a nervous headache. An infusion of the leaves is taken as a tea in the treatment of this disorder.

Headache treatment using Rosemary:

The herb rosemary has been found valuable in headaches resulting from cold. A handful of this herb should be boiled in a litre of water and put in a mug. The head should be covered with a towel and the steam inhaled for as long as the patient can bear. This should be repeated till the headache is relieved.

Diet for headache:

The best way to prevent headaches is to build up physical resistance through proper nutrition, physical exercise and positive thinking. As a first step, the patient should undertake a short fast, and take citrus fruit juices diluted with water every two hours from 8.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. daily. Thereafter, he should plan his diet in such a way as to put the least possible strain on the digestion. Breakfast may consist of fruits, both fresh and dried. Lunch may consist of protein foods. Starchy foods such as wholewheat bread, cereals, rice, or potatoes should be taken at dinner along with raw salads. Spices, condiments, sour buttermilk, and oily foodstuffs should be avoided. Drinking a glass of water (warm water in winter and cool water in summer), mixed with a teaspoon of honey first thing in the morning, is also a good remedy. Copious drinking of water throughout the day is also advised.

Other cures:

Water treatment

Other helpful measures in the treatment of headaches are a cleansing enema with water temperature at 37 degree C, a cold throat pack, frequent applications of towels wrung out from very hot water to the back of the neck , a cold compress at 4.4 degree C to 15.6 degree C applied to the head and face, or an alternate spinal compress. Hot fomentations over the abdominal region just before retiring relieve headaches caused by stomach and liver upsets.
Hot foot bath

Hot foot baths are also beneficial in the treatment of chronic headaches. The patient should keep his legs in a tub or bucket filled with hot water at a temperature of 40 degree C to 45 degree C for fifteen minutes every night before retiring. This treatment should be continued for two or three weeks.
Yogasanas

Yogic kriyas like jalneti and kunjal; pranayamas like anulomaviloma, shitali and sitkari; and asanas such as uttanpadasana, sarvangasana, paschimottanasana, halasana, and shavasana are also beneficial in the treatment of headaches.

July 27, 2008

migraine remedy

How it occurs:
A migraine may be triggered by a number of factors, including stress, food additives (such as the artificial sweetener aspartame), loud noises and flashing lights, chocolate, red wine, pickled food, cheese, the birth control pill and even sudden changes in temperature or the weather.

The frequency and length of an attack can differ greatly from one sufferer to the next, lasting anywhere between a few hours, days and, in severe cases, even weeks. Contrary to popular belief a blinding headache is only one symptom of a migraine attack, as it can also cause nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, limb numbness and speech impairment.

Worse still, not only are sufferers forced to cope with debilitating symptoms like these but they are also placed at higher risk of a migrainous stroke, which as the name suggests is a stroke that follows a severe migraine attack. Migrainous strokes account for almost one in three cases of stroke in people under the age of 45, and 25 per cent of all strokes are in fact linked to migraines.

Causes:
Migraines differ from ordinary headaches - usually caused by muscle tension at the back of your head and neck - because they result from changes in the blood vessels supplying your brain instead. Whilst the exact cause of migraines remains unclear, most researchers believe that an attack involves the constriction of the arteries in your brain followed by their over-dilation (widening). This may be the result of inflammation of blood vessels in the tissues that surround your brain.

This inflammation in the brain triggers nerve endings to release a flurry of neurotransmitters, sending chemical messages of pain throughout your body. One well-known neurotransmitter involved in migraines is serotonin, an overproduction of which can which cause the blood vessels in the brain to widen which, in turn, stimulates pain receptors in the brain.

Conventional treatments :
Doctors generally recommend one of two treatment approaches for migraines. The first involves the use of painkillers, such as paracetamol, codeine, aspirin, ibuprofen and diclofenac. The problem with these drugs is that they are unable to treat the underlying problem or prevent the incidence of migraine attacks. All they are able to do is temporarily alleviate symptoms, although they are not always strong enough to reduce migraine pain effectively. Even if they do succeed in relieving pain for a while, some patients become immune to their actions following long-term use.

Another drawback to painkillers is that they can cause side effects, such as nausea (which can make migraine-related nausea worse), drowsiness, indigestion and constipation.

The second treatment approach involves medication that is taken at the onset of an attack, which helps bring it to an end by regulating the widening of the arteries and the activity of serotonin in the brain. Examples of these types of drugs include Sumatriptan (Imigran) and Zolmitriptan (Zomig). However, they are not recommended for long-term use and can cause unpleasant side effects, including drowsiness, slow heartbeat and dry mouth.

Prevention:

many foods are strongly implicated in precipitating an attack. For this reason you may find it beneficial to consult a nutritionist to help identify and correct any food sensitivities that could be triggering your attacks. In addition, the following natural measures can help prevent as well as reduce the severity of migraines:

1. A low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet. Many migraine sufferers report experiencing an attack shortly after eating too much sugary food (Headache Quart. In addition to sweets and sugar, refined carbohydrates also cause your blood sugar levels to quickly rise. This interferes with the normal actions of various neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, which are implicated in causing migraines and can prolong the length of an attack.

The good news is that by consuming more 'healthy' fats in your diet - such as olive oil, flaxseed oil, and oily fish like mackerel, sardines and halibut - your levels of omega 3 fatty acids that are present in these foods are given a much-needed boost. Omega 3s possess excellent anti-inflammatory properties and have been shown to be particularly effective in reducing the inflammation of the nerves and arteries in the brain, thereby greatly lessening the severity of a migraine attack (American Druggist.

2. Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) is an extremely popular herbal remedy in Germany, where it is widely used as a preventative for migraines. Fortunately the rest of Europe now finally seems to be catching on to its remarkable range of actions in this area - research has shown that it not only helps prevent attacks but can also ease migraine pain.

It works by inhibiting toxic chemicals called leukotrienes, which are released during the inflammatory process. It has also been found to help regulate the degree of widening that takes place in the arteries of the brain (Forsch Kompl Klass 2003, 10(1):41-44). The recommended dosage is one 50mg standardised butterbur extract capsule taken twice a day with meals.

3. B Vitamins are also beneficial for warding off migraines. In particular, vitamins B2, B3 and B6 help prevent vasoconstriction (narrowing of the arteries) and also inhibit blood platelet clumping which can occur during an attack (Cephalalgia 1994,14(5):328-329). To benefit take a vitamin B complex supplement once a day.

4. Magnesium. Migraines have been linked to a deficiency in this mineral. Magnesium is important because it takes part in the transmission of chemical messages from the brain to the arteries and helps control the degree of arterial dilatation (widening). Several hospitals in Canada and Germany now use magnesium supplements as a standard treatment for migraines, although it is also effective as a preventative. The dose is 200mg of magnesium citrate capsules taken twice a day.

5. Feverfew (Tanacetym parthenium). Researchers working at the Department of Neurology, University of Essen, in Germany, studied the effects of feverfew on a group of 147 migraine sufferers. At the end of the four-week study, the researchers found that the patients taking feverfew experienced a significant reduction in the frequency and severity of their migraines compared to those in the placebo group. Not only that but pain, nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light were also significantly reduced following treatment with feverfew .

Another study found that feverfew can reduce migraine frequency in up to two thirds of cases . The recommended dosage is one 125mg feverfew capsule taken once a day.

drug food interaction

Drugs Effects and Precautions
Antibiotics:
Cephalosporins, penicillin Take on an empty stomach to speed absorption of the drugs.
Erythromycin Don't take with fruit juice or wine, which decrease the drug's effectiveness.
Sulfa drugs Increase the risk of Vitamin B-12 deficiency
Tetracycline Dairy products reduce the drug's effectiveness. Lowers Vitamin C absorption
Anticonvulsants:

Dilantin, phenobarbital Increase the risk of anemia and nerve problems due to deficiency of folalte and other B vitamins.
Antidepressants:

Fluoxetine Reduce appetite and can lead to excessive weight loss
Lithium A low-salt diet increases the risk of lithium toxicity; excessive salt reduces the drug's efficacy
MAO Inhibitors Foods high in tyramine (aged cheeses, processed meats, legumes, wine, beer, among others) can bring on a hypertensive crisis.
Tricyclics Many foods, especially legumes, meat, fish, and foods high in Vitamin C, reduce absorption of the drugs.
Antihypertensives, Heart Medications:

ACE inhibitors Take on an empty stomach to improve the absorption of the drugs.
Alpha blockers Take with liquid or food to avoid excessive drop in blood pressure.
Antiarrhythmic drugs Avoid caffeine, which increases the risk of irregular heartbeat.
Beta blockers Take on an empty stomach; food, especially meat, increases the drug's effects and can cause dizziness and low blood pressure.
Digitalis Avoid taking with milk and high fiber foods, which reduce absorption, increases potassium loss.
Diuretics Increase the risk of potassium deficiency.
Potassium sparing diuretics Unless a doctor advises otherwise, don't take diuretics with potassium supplements or salt substitutes, which can cause potassium overload.
Thiazide diuretics Increase the reaction to MSG.
Asthma Drugs:

Pseudoephedrine Avoid caffeine, which increase feelings of anxiety and nervousness.
Theophylline Charbroiled foods and high protein diet reduce absorption. Caffeine increases the risk of drug toxicity.
Cholesterol Lowering Drugs:

Cholestyramine Increases the excretion of folate and vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Gemfibrozil Avoid fatty foods, which decrease the drug's efficacy in lowering cholesterol.
Heartburn and Ulcer Medications:

Antacids Interfere with the absorption of many minerals; for maximum benefit, take medication 1 hour after eating.
Cimetidine, Fanotidine, Sucralfate Avoid high protein foods, caffeine, and other items that increase stomach acidity.
Hormone Preparations:

Oral contraceptives Salty foods increase fluid retention. Drugs reduce the absorption of folate, vitamin B-6, and other nutrients; increase intake of foods high in these nutrients to avoid deficiencies.
Steroids Salty foods increase fluid retention. Increase intake of foods high in calcium, vitamin K, potassium, and protein to avoid deficiencies.
Thyroid drugs Iodine-rich foods lower the drug's efficacy.
Laxatives:

Mineral Oils Overuse can cause a deficiency of vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Painkillers:

Aspirin and stronger non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Always take with food to lower the risk of gastrointestinal irritation; avoid taking with alcohol, which increases the risk of bleeding. Frequent use of these drugs lowers the absorption of folate and vitamin C.
Codeine Increase fiber and water intake to avoid constipation.
Sleeping Pills, Tranquilizers:

Benzodiazepines Never take with alcohol. Caffeine increases anxiety and reduce drug's effectiveness.

food and drugs

People taking digoxin should avoid Black licorice (which contains the ingredient glycyrhizin). Together, they can produce irregular heart rhythms and cardiac arrest; licorice and diuretics will produce dangerously low potassium levels, putting a patient at risk for numbing weakness, muscle pain and even paralysis. Licorice can also interact with blood pressure medication or any calcium channel blockers.

Aged cheese (brie, parmesan, cheddar and Roquefort), fava beans, sauerkraut, Italian green beans, some beers, red wine, pepperoni and overly ripe avocados should be avoided by people taking MAO antidepressants. The interaction can cause a potentially fatal rise in blood pressure.

And because Saint Johns Wort contains the same properties as these MAO antidepressants, it stands to reason that people ingesting the herb should avoid these same foods.

Grapefruit juice interacts with calcium channel blockers (including Calan, Procardia, Nifedipine, and Verapamil), cholesterol control medications, some psychiatric medications, estrogen, oral contraceptives and many allergy medications (Seldane, Hismanal). The juice modifies the body's way of metabolizing the medication, affecting the liver's ability to work the drug through a person's system. More Information.

Orange juice shouldn't be consumed with antacids containing aluminum. 'The juice increases the absorption of the aluminum. Orange Juice and milk should be avoided when taking antibiotics. The juice's acidity decreases the effectiveness of antibiotics, as does milk.

Milk also doesn't mix with laxatives containing bisacodyl (Correctol and Dulcolax). You might find the laxative works a little "too well" in the morning.

Large amounts of oatmeal and other high-fiber cereals should not be eaten when taking digoxin. The fiber can interfere with the absorption of the drug, making the act of swallowing the pill a waste of time.

However, don't stop eating your cereal right away, because that could cause digoxin levels in your system to soar to toxic levels. A professional should make the dietary changes after carefully examining the digoxin levels.

Leafy green vegetables, high in vitamin K, should not be taken in great quantities while taking Coumadin. These vegetables could totally negate the affects of the drug and cause blood clotting.

Caffeinated beverages and asthma drugs taken together can cause excessive excitability. Those taking Tagament (Simetidine), quinolone antibiotics (Cipro, Penetrex, Noroxin) and even oral contraceptives should be aware these drugs may cause their cup of coffee to give them more of a Java jolt than they expected.

Grilled meat can lead to problems for those on asthma medications containing theophyllines. The chemical compounds formed when meat is grilled somehow prevent this type of medication from working effectively, increasing the possibility of an unmanageable asthma attack.

Regularly consuming a diet high in fat while taking anti-inflammatory and arthritis medications can cause kidney damage and can leave the patient feeling, drowsy and sedated.

Alcoholic beverages tend to increase the depressive effects of medications such as benzodiazepines, antihistamines, antidepressants, antipsychotics, muscle relaxants, narcotics, or any drug with sedative actions.

It's a good idea to not consume any alcoholic beverages, or at least scale way back, when taking prescription medications. Antioxidant and beta-carotene intensify alcohol's effect on the liver.

Other commonly used over-the-counter medications can cause interaction problems also.

Aspirin can modify the effectiveness of arthritis medications, strong prescription steroids and diuretics. Combining aspirin with diabetic medications can drop blood sugars to dangerous levels. Aspirin can also cause toxicity when taken with glaucoma and anticonvulsant (anti-seizure) drugs and cause bleeding episodes when combined with a blood thinner, like Coumadin.

Acetaminophen can also cause interaction complications when overused. Heavy drinkers who take acetaminophen for hangover relief risk liver damage. Taking high doses of acetaminophen with Coumadin can cause bleeding episodes.

Antacids taken with antibiotics, heart and blood pressure or thyroid medications can decrease drug absorption by up to 90 percent.

Over-the-counter antihistamines - sold under the names Actifed, Theraflu, Dimetapp, Benadryl and Comtrex should be avoided if you are taking antianxiety or antidepressant medications.

Oral contraceptives are less effective when taken with barbiturates, antibiotics, anti-fungal or tuberculosis drugs.

Turnips contain two goitrogenic substances, progoitrin and gluconasturtin, which can interfere with the thyroid gland's ability to make its hormones. Although moderate consumption of goitrogens is not a hazard for healthy people, they can promote development of a goiter (an enlarged thyroid) in persons with thyroid disease.

Tomato contains small quantities of a toxic substance known as solanine that may trigger headaches in susceptible people. They are also a relatively common cause of allergies. An unidentified substance in tomatoes and tomato-based products can cause acid reflux, leading to indigestion and heartburn. Individuals who often have digestive upsets should try eliminating tomatoes for 2 to 3 weeks to see if there is any improvement.

Strawberries, Raspberries, Spinach, and Rhubarb: These contain oxalic acid, which can aggravate kidney and bladder stones in susceptible people, and reduce body's ability to absorb iron and calcium.

Raspberries contain a natural salicylate that can cause an allergic reaction in aspirin sensitive people.

The seeds from fruits such as Apple, apricot, and Quinces contain amygdalin, a compound that turns into Hydrogen Cyanide in the stomach. Eating large amount of seeds can result in cyanide poisoning.

Potatoes: Avoid potatoes with a green tint to the skin, and remove any sprouts; they will taste bitter and may contain solanine, a toxic substance that can cause diarrhea, cramps, and fatigue.

Plums, Peaches, Apricots, and Cherries: These fruits may produce allergic reaction in individuals with confirmed allergies to apricots, almonds, peaches, and cherries. People who are allergic to aspirin may also encounter problems after they have eaten plums or peaches as they contain salicylates. The pits of plums, peaches and apricots contain a compound called amygdalin. When consumed in large amounts, amygdalin breaks down into hydrogen cyanide, a poison.

Horseradish: Very high doses of horseradish can cause vomiting or excessive sweating. Avoid if you have hypothyroidism.

Turmeric: Should be avoided by persons with symptoms from gallstones.

food interaction with drugs-part1

Alcohol is a drug that interacts with almost every medication, especially antidepressants and other drugs that affect the brain and nervous system.
bullet Some dietary components increase the risk of side effects. Theophylline, a medication administered to treat asthma, contains xanthines, which are also found in tea, coffee, chocolate, and other sources of caffeine. Consuming large amounts of these substances while taking theophylline increases the risk of drug toxicity.
bullet Certain vitamins and minerals impact on medications too. Large amounts of broccoli, spinach, and other green leafy vegetables high in vitamin K, which promotes the formation of blood clots, can counteract the effects of heparin, warfarin, and other drugs given to prevent clotting.
bullet Dietary fiber also affects drug absorption. Pectin and other soluble fibers slow down the absorption of acetaminophen, a popular painkiller. Bran and other insoluble fibers have a similar effect on digoxin, a major heart medication.

As more and more people discover new herbs, there is more and more potential for the abuse of these herbs and the patients may end up in serious problems.


The following are the examples of known interaction between popular herbs, foods, and prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

Hawthorn:
Touted as effective in reducing angina attacks by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels, should never be taken with Lanoxin (digoxin), the medication prescribed for most for heart ailments. The mix can lower your heart rate too much, causing blood to pool, bringing on possible heart failure.

Ginseng:
According to research, can increase blood pressure, making it dangerous for those trying to keep their blood pressure under control. Ginseng, garlic or supplements containing ginger, when taken with the blood-thinning drug, Coumadin, can cause bleeding episodes. Coumadin is a very powerful drug that leaves little room for error, and patients taking it should never take any medication or otherwise before consulting a qualified health professional. In rare cases, ginseng may overstimulate resulting in insomnia. Consuming caffeine with ginseng increases the risk of overstimulation and gastrointestinal upset. Long tern use of ginseng may cause menstrual abnormalities and breast tenderness in some women. Ginseng is not recommended for pregnant or lactating women.

Garlic:
Capsules combined with diabetes medication can cause a dangerous decrease in blood sugars. Some people who are sensitive to garlic may experience heartburn and flatulence. Garlic has anti-clotting properties. You should check with your doctor if you are taking anticoagulant drugs.

Goldenseal:
It is used for coughs, stomach upsets, menstrual problems and even arthritis. However, the plant's active ingredient will raise blood pressure, complicating treatment for those taking antihypertensive medications, especially beta-blockers. For patients taking medication to control diabetes or kidney disease, this herb can cause dangerous electrolyte imbalance. High amount of consumption can lead to gastrointestinal distress and possible nervous system effects. Not recommended for pregnant or lactating women.

Feverfew:
Believed to be the natural remedy for migraine headaches, should never be taken with Imitrex or other migraine medications. It can result in the patient's heart rate and blood pressure to rise dangerous levels.

Guarana: an alternative remedy being used as a stimulant and diet aid, contains 3 percent to 5 percent more caffeine than a cup of coffee. So, if you are taking any medication that advises you against taking any drink with caffeine, you should avoid taking this stimulant. It may cause insomnia, trembling, anxiety, palpitations, urinary frequency, and hyperactivity. Avoid during pregnancy and lactation period. Long term use of Guarana may lead to decreased fertility, cardiovascular disease, and several forms of cancer.

Kava:
A herb that has antianxiety, pain relieving, muscle relaxing and anticonvulsant effects, should not be taken together with substances that also act on the central nervous system, such as alcohol, barbiturates, anti depressants, and antipsychotic drugs.

St. John's Wort:
It is a popular herb used for the treatment of mild depression.

July 26, 2008

UK Twenty20 tournament


Texas billionaire Allen Stanford has agreed to bankroll two Twenty20 competitions in England.The Times reports that Stanford, the ECB and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) are now in a position to ink a memorandum of understanding that will pave the way for the five-match, US$100 million series against a West Indies all-star team and create a four-team international tournament, to be held at Lords.
Talks between the three parties, which have lasted more than 100 hours, initially focused on a five-match series between England and a West Indies Stanford XI that would rotate for five years between Antigua and Lords, with the winning team taking 20 million dollars for each match.
Now, however, the so-called Twenty20 for 20 series will be held solely at Stanfords ground in Antigua. In return, at the instigation of the ECB, the American has committed himself to financing five annual knockout tournaments, to be staged at the home of cricket from September 2009.
The Twenty20 tournaments will mean England and a West Indies all-star XI, as well as two international teams invited by the ECB, contesting a 10 million dollar bounty.
The teams will be drawn at random into two semi-finals, with the winners entering a play-off for the prize. All television revenue will go to the ECB.
Im not going to break even at Lords, Stanford told The Times last night. I look at that as part of the overall package, that it will give more exposure to and create more excitement about the whole thing.
Stanford hopes to fly home tomorrow after a week of meetings that have at times stretched to ten hours.
The development of the two series could help to assuage the demands of Englands top cricketers to have the chance to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where they can make a seasons wages in six weeks.
An England player who features in a successful team in all Stanfords fixtures over the five-year period could earn upwards of three million pounds.
Courtesy:www.thaindian.com

Java:applet


A Java applet is an applet delivered in the form of Java bytecode. Java applets can run in a Web browser using a Java Virtual Machine.Java applets are usually written in the Java programming language but they can also be written in other languages that compile to Java bytecode.
Java applets are executed in a sandbox by most web browsers, preventing them from accessing local data. The applet can be displayed on the web page by making use of the deprecated applet HTML element,specifies the applet's source and the applet's location statistics.
Merits:
# It is simple to make it work on Linux, Windows and Mac OS i.e. to make it cross platform
# The same applet can work on "all" installed versions of Java at the same time, rather than just the latest plug-in version only. However, if an applet requires a later version of the JRE the client will be forced to wait during the large download.
# It is supported by most web browsers
# It will cache in most web browsers, so will be quick to load when returning to a web page but may get stuck in the cache and have issues when new versions come out.
# It can have full access to the machine it is running on if the user agrees

Java:servlets


The Java Servlet API is a software that allows developer to add dynamic content to a Web server using the Java platform. The generated content is mostly HTML, but may beother data such as XML. Servlets are the Java counterpart to non-Java dynamic Web content technologies such as PHP, CGI and ASP.NET. Servlets can maintain state across many server transactions by using HTTP cookies, session variables or URL rewriting.

The Servlet API, contained in the Java package hierarchy javax.servlet, defines the expected interactions of a Web container and a servlet. A Web container is essentially the component of a Web server that interacts with the servlets. The Web container is responsible for managing the lifecycle of servlets, mapping a URL to a particular servlet and ensures that the URL requester has the correct access rights.

A Servlet is an object that receives a request and generates a response based on that request. The basic servlet package defines Java objects to represent servlet requests and responses, as well as objects to reflect the servlet's configuration parameters and execution environment. The package javax.servlet.http defines HTTP-specific subclasses of the generic servlet elements, including session management objects that track multiple requests and responses between the Web server and a client. Servlets may be packaged in a WAR file as a Web application.

adyar eco-park


Adyar Poonga, an eco-park proposed in the Adyar Creek area, is being developed to cover the creek's entire expanse of 358 acres, next to Ambedkar Memorial off Greenways Road, Adyar, Chennai. The foundation stone was laid by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on August 10. He also laid the foundation stone of an ecological restoration project at the Adyar Poonga site.
Tamil Nadu, which plans to take up ecological restoration of Adyar Estuary in Chennai, formed Adyar Poonga Trust in October 2006. It was entrusted the work of preparing Ecological Restoration Plan for Pitchandikulam Forest Consultants, Auroville, in February 2007. Based on the plan, a world-class ecological park (Adyar Poonga) would be established in Adyar Creek area measuring 58 acres in phase-I.
Ecologist Joss Brooks from Pichandikulam Forest Consultants is in charge of the entire project. It will be implemented by a 50:50 joint venture special purpose vehicle to be formed by the state government and Tamil Nadu Road Development Company. The state's contribution to the funding will be about Rs 50 crore.
The Ecological Restoration Plan will cover the extent of 358 acres, for which the state has sanctioned Rs 100 crore. After extensive studies and stakeholder consultations, a draft plan is ready.
Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Ltd, the implementing agency, is working on a plan with public input. It is coordinating with Adyar Poonga Trust. "There is a plan to create more awareness among the public about the importance of such parks. The communication plan will also let the public know about the vision for Adyar Creek," says Brooks, who has been recreating environment of Coromandel coast for the past 35 year

Networking:routers



Definition: Routers are specialized computers that send your messages and those of every other Internet user speeding to their destinations along thousands of pathways.

The telephone call you make to someone on the other side of the country or region, the telephone system establishes a stable circuit between your telephone and the telephone you're calling. The circuit might involve a half dozen or more steps through copper cables, switches, fiber optics, microwaves and satellites, but those steps are established and remain constant for the duration of the call. This circuit approach means that the quality of the line between you and the person you're calling is consistent throughout the call, but a problem with any portion of the circuit maybe a tree falls across one of the lines used, or there's a power problem with a switch brings your call to an early and abrupt end. When you send an e-mail message with an attachment to the other side of the country, a very different process is used.

Internet data, whether in the form of a Web page, a downloaded file or an e-mail message, travels over a system known as a packet-switching network. In this system, the data in a message or file is broken up into packages about 1,500 bytes long. Each of these packages gets a wrapper that includes information on the sender's address, the receiver's address, the package's place in the entire message, and how the receiving computer can be sure that the package arrived intact. Each data package, called a packet, is then sent off to its destination via the best available route a route that might be taken by all the other packets in the message or by none of the other packets in the message. This might seem very complicated compared to the circuit approach used by the telephone system, but in a network designed for data there are two huge advantages to the packet-switching plan.

* The network can balance the load across various pieces of equipment on a millisecond-by-millisecond basis.
* If there is a problem with one piece of equipment in the network while a message is being transferred, packets can be routed around the problem, ensuring the delivery of the entire message.

CCNA:ethernet basics


Ethernet Basics:
Ethernet is a local area technology, with networks traditionally operating within a single building, connecting devices in close proximity. At most, Ethernet devices could have only a few hundred meters of cable between them, making it impractical to connect geographically dispersed locations. Modern advancements have increased these distances considerably, allowing Ethernet networks to span tens of kilometers.

Protocols:
In networking, the term protocol refers to a set of rules that govern communications. Protocols are to computers what language is to humans. Since this article is in English, to understand it you must be able to read English. Similarly, for two devices on a network to successfully communicate, they must both understand the same protocols.

Ajantha Mendis:a mysterious spinner



Ajantha Mendis took the cricket world by storm with his matchwinning performance in the final of the Asia Cup did not come as a surprise to those who have been watching him in Sri Lanka over the last couple of years.

The reasons for his success are quite clear — he is extremely unusual in the way he bowls, he was kept back from the Indians in the league match and sprung on them in the final, and some of India’s young batsmen played regrettable shots. What is a surprise is that in this day and age someone was kept far enough away from the limelight till a big occasion like the final of an ODI tournament.

Today, when every cricketer is hailed as the next big thing even when he makes small strides in domestic cricket, the temptation to talk up Mendis must have been high, but to Sri Lanka’s credit, they resisted, and reaped the rewards.

Balapuwaduge Ajantha Winslo Mendis, only 23, first began to be noticed when he made his debut for the Sri Lankan Army in a 50-over domestic match in late 2006. But his first game was anything but eventful and he ended with seven wicketless overs. What did catch the eye was his manner of delivery.

Across the subcontinent, when cricket is played on the streets, usually with a tennis ball, spinners use their fingers in dextrous ways to vary the direction of spin. The soft ball allows bowlers to bend a finger back while holding the ball, and flick it at the point of delivery, in much the same action that is used to send a carom striker in the direction of a coin. That Mendis could do this with a cricket ball, and accurately, set him apart from others, who normally resort to conventional methods when they have to graduate to the hard ball.

Amazingly, when he made his first-class debut soon after, he again went wicketless in 24 overs, but the army kept its faith. Since then, till he made his international debut, Mendis has picked up 111 wickets from only 19 matches at a staggering average of 14.54 and a strike-rate of a wicket every 33 balls.

“The thing with Ajantha is that he has served with the army. He has seen things you and I only read about in the newspapers,” Kumar Sangakkara said of Mendis. “Those are the kind of things that will toughen you up. With the situation in Sri Lanka being what it is, that is real pressure, not playing cricket.”

All along, the one strength Mahela Jayawardene underscored in his young bowler was “the ability to take punishment”, even as he sought to downplay the hype around Mendis. Jayawardene was one of those who was not taken aback at Mendis’ success. “Mendis is something special and for a while I've been telling some of the guys to look out for him.”

Trevor Bayliss, the Australian who coaches Sri Lanka, was as befuddled as some of India’s batsmen. “I could tell you about his variations if I knew what they were,” he answered frankly soon after Mendis had left the West Indies in come discomfort earlier in the year.

But what will give batsmen around the world a moment for pause is just how uncannily similar the methods of Mendis and Anil Kumble are. It sounds odd at first, and how the two bowlers achieve their ends is different, but the result is remarkably similar. Both bowl stump to stump from what appears to be a medium-pacer’s run up. Both don’t spin the ball a great deal, but just enough, both ways, to beat the bat. Both succeed more often with the ball that does not turn, but rather skids on quickly and straight.

At the moment, Kumble and Mendis are separated by an ocean of international achievement. For Mendis, the future begins now, when he will be closely scrutinised and his action analysed by all manner of experts with all the technological aids available. Soon people will be able to pick him and his variations, and they will know what is coming at them. Whether they will then be able to keep the ball out is the big question.
Courtesy:hindustantimes.com

July 24, 2008

Remote Method Invocation (RMI)


Java Remote Method Invocation (Java RMI) enables the programmer to create distributed Java technology-based to Java technology-based applications, in which the methods of remote Java objects can be invoked from other Java virtual machines*, possibly on different hosts. RMI uses object serialization to marshal and unmarshal parameters and does not truncate types, supporting true object-oriented polymorphism.
The original RMI API was generalized somewhat to support different implementations, such as an HTTP transport. Additionally, work was done to CORBA, adding a pass by value capability, to support the RMI interface. Still, the RMI-IIOP and JRMP implementations are not fully identical in their interfaces.

There are two common implementations of the API. The original implementation depends on Java Virtual Machine (JVM) class representation mechanisms and it thus only supports making calls from one JVM to another. The protocol underlying this Java-only implementation is known as Java Remote Method Protocol (JRMP). In order to support code running in a non-JVM context, a CORBA version was later developed. Usage of the term RMI may denote solely the programming interface or may signify both the API and JRMP, whereas the term RMI-IIOP, read RMI over IIOP, denotes the RMI interface delegating most of the functionality to the supporting CORBA implementation.