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Pune, India - The Executive Centre is set to open its first serviced office centre in the hub of Pune, India - Business Bay. Nidhi Marwah, Regional Director for India at The Executive Centre, said, "India's long-term growth potential remains high due to favourable demographics, relatively high savings, policies, efforts to improve skills and education, facilitate domestic market integration and incentivise business activities. With the boom in the Indian economy, the major Indian cities have witnessed a tremendous surge in growth across all industries."

Mumbai - Worli, located at the entry to South Mumbai, is emerging as the preferred luxury district of Mumbai with the rich and famous. The Park, located at this central hub, has recently received unprecedented interest within one weekend (two days) - clocking over Rs. 250 crores - re-establishing the area as one of the most coveted places to live in Mumbai. Mrs. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, future president and brand ambassador for The Park, has expressed her appreciation of the development, stating The Park as an outstanding development, at par with the best internationally. Lodha Group

New Delhi: Personal Care India Expo 2015: UBM India announced their maiden show Personal Care India Expo 2015, India's first international trade event catering to the personal care, cosmetic and home care ingredients, machinery and packaging industries. The event will be held from August 19-21, 2015 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. Mr. Joji George, Managing Director, UBM India said, "UBM India has leveraged its expertise in hosting trade expos for multiple niche segments of the industry like ingredients, packaging, nutraceutical, wellness and fitness. The Personal Care India Expo 2015, will be an extension to this knowledge, providing an ideal platform for the personal care industry to develop and grow business in India's vibrant and rapidly growing market."

Mumbai is to host the World Tea & Coffee Expo. from 1st October to 3rd October 2015. With over 100 exhibitors from 10 countries and dedicated country pavilions, this international tea and coffee show in India promises an even bigger presence to provide the perfect environment for the hot beverage industry to meet face-to-face and develop real business opportunities. Priti M. Kapadia, Director, Sentinel Exhibitions Asia Pvt. Ltd., the organiser of the show, says, "Mumbai is a city where the best and the most serious converge for doing business. Mumbai attracts the serious players from the length and breadth of India and also from abroad, which results in high value deals and alliances."

India - India became a full partner in the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project. An international collaboration of institutions in the USA, Canada, Japan, India and China, the TMT project is working towards building a powerful, next-generation astronomical observatory at Mauna Kea in Hawaii.

Herbs and spices enhance heart health as well as flavour - Spices and herbs are rich in antioxidants, which may help improve triglyceride concentrations and other blood lipids. Triglyceride levels rise after eating a high-fat meal -- which can lead to an increased risk of heart disease. If a high-antioxidant spice blend is incorporated into the meal, triglyceride levels may be reduced by as much as 30 percent when compared to eating an identical meal without the spice blend. The spiced meal included garlic powder, rosemary, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, paprika, turmeric, ginger and black pepper.

"The metabolic effects of spices and herbs and their efficacy and safety relative to traditional drug therapy represent an exciting area for future research given the public health significance of cardiovascular disease," the researchers wrote. Sheila G. West, professor of biobehavioral health and nutritional sciences, and Ann C. Skulas-Ray, research associate in nutritional sciences. The Pennsylvania State University. Nutrition Today.

Trans fat consumption is linked to ... - "Trans fats were most strongly linked to worse memory, in young and middle-aged men, during their working and career-building years," said Beatrice A. Golomb, M.D., Ph.D., lead author and professor of medicine at the University of California-San Diego. "From a health standpoint, trans fat consumption has been linked to higher body weight, more aggression and heart disease. As I tell patients, while trans fats increase the shelf life of foods, they reduce the shelf life of people."

"Foods have different effects on oxidative stress and cell energy," Golomb said. Oxidative stress is associated with the development of diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Industrial trans fats are artificially produced to turn liquid oils into solids at room temperature and extend food shelf life. They can be found in margarines, fast foods, baked goods, snack foods, frozen pizza, coffee creamers and some refrigerated doughs. American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.

Speaking 2 languages benefits the aging brain - Bilingualism has a positive effect on cognition later in life. The strongest effects were seen in general intelligence and reading.  "Our study is the first to examine whether learning a second language impacts cognitive performance later in life while controlling for childhood intelligence," says lead author Dr. Thomas Bak from the Centre for Cognitive Aging and Cognitive Epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh. Dr. Alvaro Pascual-Leone, an Associate Editor for Annals of Neurology and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass. said, "The epidemiological study by Dr. Bak and colleagues provides an important first step in understanding the impact of learning a second language and the aging brain. This research paves the way for future causal studies of bilingualism and cognitive decline prevention." American Neurological Association and Child Neurology Society. Annals of Neurology.

Surgeon General report 2014 says 5.6 million children in the USA alone will die prematurely unless current smoking rates drop - The historic 1964 Surgeon General’s report concluded that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer. Since that time, smoking has been identified as a cause of serious diseases of nearly all the body’s organs. Today, scientists add diabetes, colorectal and liver cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, erectile dysfunction, age-related macular degeneration, and other conditions to the list of diseases that cigarette smoking causes. In addition, the report concludes that secondhand smoke exposure is now known to cause strokes in nonsmokers. The report concludes that the tobacco industry started and sustained this epidemic using aggressive marketing strategies to deliberately mislead the public about the harms of smoking. The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General.

The International Ramayana Mela

Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi said the time has come for us to realise the potential of soft power as an important strategy for external affairs and foreign relations. The Prime Minister said that world affairs are no longer on one track. Soft power is becoming increasingly critical in world affairs across the world, he said. He said that India should leverage its great traditions and culture in forging ties with countries around the world in a way that is deeper, more personal, and therefore, far more powerful.

The Prime Minister said that all countries that have Gautam Buddha, Ram, and Ramayana as part of their own culture have a bond with India that transcends diplomatic ties. In the domain of soft power, he said, India has a lot to offer to the world. The PM said the Ramayana has a message at its core that remains relevant today. The International Ramayana Mela is a positive beginning for connecting with the small towns and cities of India, thus truly connecting with the real India.

The Prime Minister urges the Nation to shun tobacco consumption - On World No Tobacco Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the Nation to pledge spreading awareness on the risks of tobacco and to reduce consumption, thus building a healthier India.

Mumbai, Maharashtra - The Ritz-Carlton Hotel will open the first Ritz-Carlton in Mumbai, the entertainment, commercial and financial capital of India, and the second in the country following the recent opening of The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore in Karnataka. The newly built structure will be a beacon on the coastline of the Arabian Sea with magnificent views of the Mumbai skyline, and the social heart of Mumbai, home to Bollywood, historic attractions, and upscale shopping and dining. Among the hotel's vibrant experiences will be an ocean-view bar, two specialty and fine dining restaurants, a Ritz-Carlton Spa and extensive banquet and meeting spaces for the high profile events and society weddings for which Mumbai is renowned.

Goa, India - Sereno Spa at Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa was awarded the 'Hall of Fame' award for 'Best Resort Spa' at the recently concluded asiaSpa India Awards. Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa and Sereno Spa have been the recipient of a host of prestigious awards and accolades, including 'Favourite Destination Spa' at the Conde Nast Traveller India Readers' Travel Awards, 'Favourite Leisure Hotel in India' at the Conde Nast Traveller India Readers' Travel Awards and Best Resort Spa at the asiaSpa India Awards.

Mumbai, Maharashtra - Bollywood  - Indian horror comedy film 'Bhoothnath Returns' starring Amitabh Bachchan debuts in 750 UFO digital theatres.

Mumbai, Maharashtra - Multi Million Dollar Campaign

Renowned as an industry innovator with a history of firsts in the wellness space, Westin Hotels & Resorts launched the Westin Well-being Movement, an ambitious $15 million brand-wide campaign designed to enhance the well-being of guests and associates around the world.

The Millionth Pledge - "Let our Children Realise Their Full Potential, and Provide Them an Environment that is Best Suited for Their Overall Development," advocates Sourav Ganguly the former skipper of the Indian Cricket Team, as he extends his support to CRY's Nation-wide Advocacy Campaign. Child Rights and You.

US $ 1 Million - The Mahindra Group launched India's biggest innovation prize - the 'Rise Prize' which offers USD1 million to drive globally relevant, disruptive innovations while helping build a culture of innovation in India. It will start with two primary challenges, the Mobility Challenge, which invites solutions for driverless cars in India, while the second Solar Challenge aims to make solar energy products more accessible to the population at large.

Forbes List of Billionaires - T.S. Kalyanaraman, Chairman and Managing Director, Kalyan Jewellers, made it to the Forbes list of billionaires. Kalyanaraman is 53 in India and 1565 globally.

The New ISKCON Temple - The new temple of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) (Hare Krishna) opened its doors to devotees and the public in Noida, Sector 33, Uttar Pradesh. Over ten thousand people attended the Grand Opening. A week-long festive extravaganza was organised.

Loyalty Award - Jet Airways was adjudged winner of the coveted 7th Loyalty Award for the "Best Loyalty Program in Service Sector" at The Lalit Hotel in Mumbai. The award was received by Mr. Kaushal Satam, Head - JetPrivilege.

Flight Inaugural Departures From Mumbai's New Terminal 2 - The all new state-of-the-art international integrated terminal T2 at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport commenced operations with the inaugural flight of Jet Airways.

India has extended its Visa on Arrival provision - Planning Minister, Mr. Rajiv Shukla said "We have decided to extend Visa-on-Arrival to tourists from 180 nations. It will take 5-6 months to put the infrastructure in place. We hope to implement this from the next tourist session beginning October."

The VOA (Visa on Arrival ) and ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) for 180 nations will be initially implemented at 9 airports, namely Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Cochin, Trivandrum and Goa.

Bharat Ka Veer Putra - Maharana Pratap cast says NO to smoking! Well done!

Vegetarian diets associated with lower blood pressure - Eating a vegetarian diet appears to be associated with lower blood pressure (BP), and the diets can also be used to reduce blood pressure.

Factors such as diet, body weight, physical activity and alcohol intake play a role in the risk of developing hypertension. Dietary modifications have been shown to be effective for preventing and managing hypertension. Yoko Yokoyama, Ph.D., M.P.H., of the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan, and colleagues. JAMA Intern Med.

Matru-Pitru Pujan Diwas - On this festive occasion (14th February), the enthusiasm and joy of parents and their children was on a high as celebrations spread across Pune, Mumbai, Chindwara, Delhi, Raipur, Gujarat as well as other towns and villages in India.

Converting polyethylene waste into liquid fuel - Researchers in India have developed a relatively low-temperature process to convert certain kinds of plastic waste into liquid fuel as a way to re-use discarded plastic bags and other products.

Chemist Achyut Kumar Panda of Centurion University of Technology and Management Odisha, India is working with chemical engineer Raghubansh Kumar Singh of the National Institute of Technology, Orissa, India, to develop a commercially viable technology for efficiently rendering LDPE into a liquid fuel. International Journal of Environment and Waste Management.

New phone alerts for extreme weather may prevent casualties in India - A new paper details how computer science undergraduates have created image based mobile phone alerts, connected to the Weather Research and Forecasting system.

India has a mobile phone subscriber base exceeding 929 million people and this is expected to touch 1.15 billion by the end of 2014. An alert system developed for mobiles could reach an estimated 97% of the population.

"Cyclone alerts can save lives and property, but must be easily accessible," said Dr. Sat Ghosh. "The global perception of India's emerging IT prowess is lopsided. It is thought of as merely a manufacturing hub; however, our article puts the country's numerical literacy to practical use. The easy-to-use Weather Research and Forecasting model remains confined to an elite group of users, such as atmospheric scientists and weather forecasters. Our research explores how the WRF forecast can be interfaced with mobile telephony which has a deep penetration even in rural pockets of India." 
Wiley. Atmospheric Science Letters.

Parkinson's disease  - Among Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, female, black, and Asian patients are substantially less likely to receive proven deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery to improve tremors and motor symptoms. 

"There are widespread disparities among Parkinson's patients that are restricting equal utilization of evidence-based care, limiting patients' quality of life, and increasing societal and health care costs," said lead study author Allison Willis, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology and of Epidemiology at Penn Medicine. Dr. Willis collaborated on the study with colleagues from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. "Efforts to overcome these disparities, through policy or reimbursement changes, can benefit elders and socioeconomically disadvantaged patients with Parkinson's disease, as well as other vulnerable groups," said Willis. Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Neurology.

Smoking Kills - Smoking prevention … - In India, high prevalence of tobacco consumption is one of the major challenges to health and wellbeing of its citizens. About 2700 Indians die every day from tobacco use. Research shows that 5500 youth in India start using tobacco daily. A survey of tobacco use among young people, the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, reveals that nearly 15% of youth currently use tobacco in India.

'The Cost-effectiveness of a school-based smoking prevention program in India' has been published in Health Promotion International Advance Access

MUMBAI - Indo-American Corporate Excellence Awards - Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan presented 24-Year-Old Mumbai Businessman Ammeet K Agarwal, President & CEO of Supreme Aviation Inc, best Indian company in USA as a 'Service provider' & 'Small & Medium enterprise'

Amidst tough competition and nominations of thousands of Indian owned corporations serving in America, Supreme Aviation was awarded the Best Indian Company in USA in two categories – Best Small and Medium Enterprise and Best Service Provider.

In last 7 years Supreme Aviation has truly embossed brand India in thousands of hearts of American and other globe trotters. "With flags of India and 'Jai Shree Ram' stickers on all airplanes operated by Supreme Aviation in America, both awards stand true recognition towards Ammeet K Agarwal's entrepreneurship in America and India," said Nimesh Kampani, managing director of JM financial ltd, another Jury member of the award.

Renault-Nissan - India - CEO and Chairman Carlos Ghosn confirmed that the Renault-Nissan Alliance is developing all-new vehicles to meet the specific demands of new car buyers in the world's fastest growing economies.

The announcement marks the first all-new program developed from the ground up by Renault SAS and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., teams working side by side from inception. The program, internally named CMF-A, covers the most affordable category of cars in the Common Module Family, Renault-Nissan's unique, modular system of vehicle architecture.

Over 200 Indian Brands Crowned Winners - Over 200 brands from India got together for a mega celebration of achievements, highlighting the success of Indian brands and the individuals behind them at PowerBrands Glam 2013. The two-day event saluted Indian brands, inspirational leaders and next-generation entrepreneurs who have shaped, and continue to shape India's destiny.

Losing weight lowers health care costs for adults with type 2 diabetes - Overweight individuals with diabetes who lose weight by dieting and increasing their physical activity can reduce their health care costs. "Lifestyle interventions promoting weight loss and physical activity are recommended for overweight and obese people with Type 2 diabetes to improve their health," said Mark A. Espeland, professor of public health sciences at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and lead author of the study. "This is the first study to show that weight loss can also save money for these individuals by reducing their health care needs and costs." Diabetes Care.

Yoga has the potential to reduce risk factors of cardiovascular disease - Yoga, an ancient mind-body practice which originated in India and incorporates physical, mental, and spiritual elements, has been shown in several studies to be effective in improving cardiovascular risk factors, with reduction in the risk of heart attacks and strokes. There is "promising evidence" that the popular mind-body practice of yoga is beneficial in managing and improving the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease and is a "potentially effective therapy" for cardiovascular health. Researchers found that yoga may provide the same benefits in risk factor reduction as such traditional physical activities as biking or brisk walking. "This finding is significant," they note, "as individuals who cannot or prefer not to perform traditional aerobic exercise might still achieve similar benefits in [cardiovascular] risk reduction." European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

Sweet potato leaves a good source of vitamins - Sweetpotato is known to be a good source of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and certain B vitamins that are considered essential to human health. Besides the commonly consumed root of the plant, certain tissues in sweetpotato are also edible and high in nutritional value. 

"Our results indicate that mature and young leaves of sweetpotato could provide significant amounts of vitamin B6 to the human diet," researchers said. They noted that the vitamin B6 content in sweetpotato leaves compares well with fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, avocados, carrots, bananas, and cauliflower. American Society for Horticultural Science. HortScience.

Cancer prevention - Low alcohol consumption and a plant-based diet, both healthy habits aligning with current cancer prevention guidelines, are associated with reducing the risk of obesity-related cancers. A third of cancers are estimated to be related to excess body fat, and are therefore considered preventable through lifestyle changes. "Based on the study's results, dietary advice on preventing cancer should emphasize the importance of eating a plant-based diet and restricting alcohol consumption," said Niyati Parekh, associate professor of nutrition and public health at NYU Steinhardt. New York University. Cancer Causes & Control.

New BMI screening cut points for diabetes in Asian Americans - The American Diabetes Association is lowering the Body Mass Index (BMI) cut point at which it recommends screening Asian Americans for type 2 diabetes, aligning its guidelines with evidence that many Asian Americans develop the disease at lower BMI levels than the population at large. For Asian Americans, it is now recommending that screening be done at 23 kg/m2 or higher. It is believed that Asian Americans - the nation's fastest growing ethnic group - develop diabetes at lower BMI levels because of differences in their body composition: weight gain tends to accumulate around the waist in Asian Americans, the area in which adiposity is considered most harmful from a disease standpoint, rather than in the thighs and other parts of the body. Diabetes Care.

Unexpected outcomes for elderly couples who stop driving - The ability to drive can be central to a person's identity and can be an important expression of independence. When the elderly become unable to drive, due to age or deteriorating health, their emotional well-being can decline as a result of being unable to maintain social relationships or work schedules that require travel by car. A researcher has found that even if just one member of a couple stops driving, negative consequences result for both the driver and non-driver. The researcher recommends that the elderly, and their adult children, carefully discuss and plan for the transition to driving cessation. University of Missouri

Thinking of God - Reminders of God can make people more likely to seek out and take risks. People are willing to take these risks because they view God as providing security against potential negative outcomes. "References to God pervade daily life -- on any given day you might see the word 'God' printed on U.S. currency, drive behind a car with a bumper sticker that references God, or use one of the many colloquial expressions that use the word 'God.' In fact, the word 'God' is one of the most common nouns in the English language," says lead researcher Daniella Kupor of Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Psychological Science

Chronic loneliness - Experiences of loneliness and social isolation can lead to increased health care use among older adults. The study found that the frequency of physician visits was particularly influenced by chronic loneliness--and suggests that the identification and targeting of interventions for lonely elders may significantly decrease physician visits and health care costs. University of Georgia College of Public Health. American Journal of Public Health

Exercise, however modest, found progressively beneficial to the elderly - Even exercise of short duration and low intensity has life expectancy benefits for the elderly. A recommended exercise program of 30 minutes at least five days a week (or 150 minutes per week) has been shown to reduce the average risk of death by 30 percent. As a simple rule for the elderly Dr David Hupin from the Department of Clinical and Exercise Physiology recommended that at least 15 minutes of physical activity for five days a week would be a suitable first target for the elderly. "This could include brisk walking, cycling, swimming or gymnastics," he suggested, "all possibly associated with leisure time physical activity or daily life activities." Dr Hupin emphasised that the widespread acceptance of this message would encourage more elderly people to include even "low doses" of physical activity in their usual daily activities, without experiencing high levels of fatigue or of pain. University Hospital of St-Etienne-Lyon, France. European Society of Cardiology

Chilli peppers - Results show that the daily consumption of capsaicin, the active compound of chilli peppers, was found to have beneficial effects on liver damage. These results support the need for further investigation into capsaicin for the treatment and prevention of liver injury and fibrosis. International Liver Congress™

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