May 19,2013 08:31:17

Why women live longer___Women live longer than men partly because their immune systems age more slowly, a study suggests. As the body's defences weaken over time, men's increased susceptibility to disease shortens their lifespans, say Japanese scientists. Tests of immune function could give an indication of true biological age, they report in Immunity & Ageing journal. The immune system protects the body from infection and cancer, but causes disease when not properly regulated. The Japanese study set out to investigate the controversial question of whether age-related changes in the immune system could be responsible for the difference in average life expectancy between men and women. Prof Katsuiku Hirokawa of the Tokyo Medical and Dental University and colleagues analysed blood samples from 356 healthy men and women aged between 20 and 90. They measured levels of white blood cells and molecules called cytokines which interact with cells of the immune system to regulate the body's response to disease. In both sexes, the number of white blood cells per person declined with age as expected from previous studies. However, closer examination revealed differences between men and women in two key components of the immune system - T-cells, which protect the body from infection, and B-cells, which secrete antibodies.

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Why women live longer___Women live longer than men partly because their immune systems age more slowly, a study suggests. As the body's defences weaken over time, men's increased susceptibility to disease shortens their lifespans, say Japanese scientists. Tests of immune function could give an indication of true biological age, they report in Immunity & Ageing journal. The immune system protects the body from infection and cancer, but causes disease when not properly regulated. The Japanese study set out to investigate the controversial question of whether age-related changes in the immune system could be responsible for the difference in average life expectancy between men and women. Prof Katsuiku Hirokawa of the Tokyo Medical and Dental University and colleagues analysed blood samples from 356 healthy men and women aged between 20 and 90. They measured levels of white blood cells and molecules called cytokines which interact with cells of the immune system to regulate the body's response to disease. In both sexes, the number of white blood cells per person declined with age as expected from previous studies. However, closer examination revealed differences between men and women in two key components of the immune system - T-cells, which protect the body from infection, and B-cells, which secrete antibodies.	(Posted on: 15 May, 2013)
CBI at a glance__Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has been termed as caged parrot, having many masters, by the Supreme Court of India, is a governmental agency that jointly serves as a criminal investigation body. The CBI is a premier investigating police agency in India. It is an elite force which plays a major role in preservation of values in public life and in ensuring the health of the national economy. It is also the nodal police agency in India which coordinates investigation on behalf of Interpol Member countries. The services of its investigating officers are sought for all major criminal probes in the country. The agency was established in 1941 as the Special Police Establishment. The Central Bureau of Investigation was later established on 1 April 1963. Its motto is Industry, Impartiality, Integrity. The agency headquarters is a state-of-the-art building located in New Delhi. The CBI is controlled by the Department of Personnel and Training in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension of the Union Government usually headed by a Union Minister who reports directly to the Prime Minister. While analogous in structure to the FBI, the CBI\'s powers and functions are severely limited to specific crimes based on Acts (mainly the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946). The CBI is the official Interpol unit for India. The current CBI Director is Ranjit Sinha IPS	(Posted on: 08 May, 2013)
Kerala girl emerges topper in civil services exam__Haritha V Kumar, who topped the All-India Civil Services Examination, initially did not believe it was true as she thought her friends had played a prank. Haritha, who is already an officer in the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) and posted at Faridabad, clinched the top rank in the civil services examination in her fourth attempt. Haritha, who hails from Kerala's capital of Thiruvananthapuram, said, "Initially, I could not believe it was true. I thought I was being fooled by my friends who called me to congratulate me," . An engineering graduate, Haritha chose economics and Malayalam as her main subjects for the civil service. It is after two decades that a candidate from Kerala has emerged topper in the All-India Civil Services Examination. V Sriram from Kochi secured the second rank and Albi John Verghese from Muvvattupuzha got the fourth rank in the examination held in 2012. (ns)	(Posted on: 03 May, 2013)
Greeks stage 24-hour anti-austerity general strike _____A general strike against tough austerity measures is under way in Greece, with trade unions calling for "mass mobilisation" of protesters. The 24-hour action is expected to severely disrupt public services, including transport and hospitals. The organisers are demanding an end to spending cuts and tax rises. The government says the measures are badly needed to lead Greece out of a deep financial crisis and six straight years of recession. The cabinet of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras says the policies are part of continuing moves to ensure more bailout money from international creditors. The 24-hour strike officially began at midnight. Trains and ferries are at a standstill, other public transport is disrupted and hospitals are working with reduced staff. The two largest unions - GSEE and ADEDY - have said that the action will focus on demands to end austerity. They say that government measures have led to the country's record unemployment rate of 27%, including almost 60% among young people. (NS)	(Posted on: 01 May, 2013)
French Lawmakers Pass Gay-Marriage Bill With Protests Continuing____The French parliament passed a law allowing same-sex marriage and adoption that has split public opinion in the country. After daily protests across France -- many of which turned into a lightning rod for anger over President Francois Hollande�s economic policies -- the bill passed in a vote today by 331-225. It was put forward by Hollande�s Socialist Party, which has a majority in the National Assembly. The French Senate approved the bill on April 12. Enlarge image Plastic figurines of men are pictured in front of the Palais Bourbon, the seat of the French National Assembly, in Paris. While public opinion favors gay marriage, the French by a small majority oppose same-sex adoption, polls show. While public opinion favors gay marriage, the French by a small majority oppose same-sex adoption, polls show. Daniel Fasquelle, a member of parliament from the opposition Union for a Popular Movement, said critics would seek to have same-sex adoption repealed by the constitutional court. While France already has civil unions for gay couples, such unions don�t give the right to adoption. (NS)	(Posted on: 25 Apr, 2013)