Why do mosquitoes bite some people more than other?

Today, I read p'neng's blog..one of my best friend's sis. I'm so interest of her blog and I want to share with u about " Why do mosquitoes bite certain people"... hahaha so funny right, scientist searched also about this... I just copy and paste from an article.. Hopefully it can help u when mosquitoes like to bite u... hehe

Every summer, they come. They sneak through the windows and ravage your ankles; they find the one spot on your left shoulder that didn’t get drenched in a layer of DEET (God bless you, Deep Woods Off!) and gnaw, chomp, and suck away.

From May to September, many of us – covered in scars and bloody scabs, the remnants of these bites now gone bad – live side-by-side with people who, despite living in the same house and even sleeping in the same bed, are seemingly less vulnerable to the vicious six-legged predators. It turns out, a mosquito’s snacking preference for one person over another is not just a curious annoyance, it’s also a medical concern: Since malaria and other diseases are transmitted by bites, people who get bitten a lot are more likely to become ill. Because of this, researchers are working to find the mechanisms in mosquitoes that cause them to sniff out you, and not your neighbor.

Scientists have identified several proteins found in mosquitoes’ antennae and heads that latch on to chemical markers, or odorants, emitted from our skin. These markers are produced by the natural processes of our bodies and, like neon signs, they let the mosquitoes’ smell center know you’re around (though the process that then guides them to you is not well understood). Flies and mosquitoes share a number of the same genes that dictate production of these odorant-binding proteins, which have specific sites that will catch or bind with certain chemicals in the air. Some scientists suggest that certain characteristics attract mosquitoes, thereby leading us to have more bites than others. Some of the top candidates: the amount of carbon dioxide in the breath, pregnancy, body temperature, alcohol and odorant markers based on blood type.

Blood-type markers are chemicals released by people of a specific blood type – so if someone with AB blood emitted a marker, it would be different than that released by B. One study found persons with Type O blood suffered more mosquito landings because of the odorant markers they emit than any other blood type, making their juices a hot commodity for blood banks, as well as Asian Tiger Mosquitoes, which carry West Nile Virus. Not only were Type O’s more likely to be landed on, but the study found that for any blood type, people who secreted a chemical marker about their blood type through their skin (both blood type and secretor status are determined by genes) were bitten much more than non-secretors; 24 percent in the case of the Type O’s. Other researchers estimate about 15 percent of the population, based on their genes, don’t emit chemical markers of their blood type through their skin and saliva, so something else has to be calling the mosquitoes to them.

Pregnancy seems to be a big winner for mosquito attraction, probably because mothers-to-be exhale 21 percent more carbon dioxide (quite a turn-on to the six-legged species) and are on average 1.26 degrees Fahrenheit warmer around the belly than their non-pregnant counterparts, due to the temperature of amniotic fluid. Also, having just 12 ounces of beer increases your mosquito appeal, possibly because of the increase in body temperature it causes or because skin markers change when metabolizing cocktails – unfortunate since outdoor drinking is a highlight of summer anywhere.

One researcher suggested smell is unimportant, and what really matters to the mosquito currently chomping on your toe is not the smells you’re giving off, rather it’s finishing her meal without being swatted away. Because of this, she’s better off attacking “less defensive” animals, rather than more defensive, and so is evolutionarily predisposed to biting lazy or incapacitated prey (reference drinking above).

Infectious disease experts are anxious to solve the mosquito preference puzzle so they can design repellants tailored to vulnerable people, which would either block an individual’s smell signatures or disarm a mosquito’s scent receptors. Unfortunately, a specific answer to your skin-piercing question continues to itch away at scientists, and I suggest stocking up on bug repellant in the meantime.

Benefits of sleep

I like sleep so much hehe... Everything have its on advantages and disadvantages. Sleeping has also its on benefits.. I want to share u about the benefits of enough sleeping.. :)

Sleep makes you feel better, but its importance goes way beyond just boosting your mood or banishing under-eye circles. Adequate sleep is a key part of a healthy lifestyle, and can benefit your heart, weight, mind, and more. 



"Sleep used to be kind of ignored, like parking our car in a garage and picking it up in the morning," says David Rapoport, M.D., director of the NYU Sleep Disorders Program.



Not anymore. Here are some health benefits researchers have discovered about a good night's sleep.

Improve memory

---> Your mind is surprisingly busy while you snooze. During sleep you can strengthen memories or "practice" skills learned while you were awake (it's a process called consolidation) "If you are trying to learn something, whether it's physical or mental, you learn it to a certain point with practice," says Dr. Rapoport, who is an associate professor at NYU Langone Medical Center. "But something happens while you sleep that makes you learn it better."

Live longer

--->Too much or too little sleep is associated with a shorter lifespan -- although it's not clear if it's a cause or effect. (Illnesses may affect sleep patterns too.)

In a 2010 study of women ages 50 to 79, more deaths occurred in women who got less than five hours or more than six and a half hours of sleep per night.

Sleep also affects quality of life. 

"Many things that we take for granted are affected by sleep," says Raymonde Jean, M.D., director of sleep medicine and associate director of critical care at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City. "If you sleep better, you can certainly live better. It's pretty clear."

Curb Inflammation

---> Inflammation is linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, and premature aging. Research indicates that people who get less sleep -- six or fewer hours a night -- have higher blood levels of inflammatory proteins than those who get more.

A 2010 study found that C-reactive protein, which is associated with heart attack risk, was higher in people who got six or fewer hours of sleep a night. 

People who have sleep apnea or insomnia can have an improvement in blood pressure and inflammation with treatment of the sleep disorders, Dr. Rapoport says.

Spur Creativity

--->Get a good night's sleep before getting out the easel and paintbrushes or the pen and paper.

In addition to consolidating memories, or making them stronger, your brain appears to reorganize and restructure them, which may result in more creativity as well.

Researchers at Harvard University and Boston College found that people seem to strengthen the emotional components of a memory during sleep, which may help spur the creative process.

Be a Winner

---> If you're an athlete, there may be one simple way to improve your performance: sleep.

A Stanford University study found that college football players who tried to sleep at least 10 hours a night for seven to eight weeks improved their average sprint time and had less daytime fatigue and more stamina. 

The results of this study reflect previous findings seen in tennis players and swimmers.

Improve your Grades

--->Children between the ages of 10 and 16 who have sleep disordered breathing, which includes snoring, sleep apnea, and other types of interrupted breathing during sleep, are more likely to have problems with attention and learning, according to a 2010 study in the journal Sleep. This could lead to "significant functional impairment at school," the study authors wrote.

In another study, college students who didn't get enough sleep had worse grades than those who did. 

"If you're trying to meet a deadline, you're willing to sacrifice sleep," Dr. Rapoport says, "but it's severe and reoccurring sleep deprivation that clearly impairs learning."

Sharpen Attention

---> A lack of sleep can result in ADHD-like symptoms in kids, Dr. Rapoport says. 

"Kids don't react the same way to sleep deprivation as adults do," he adds. "Whereas adults get sleepy, kids tend to get hyperactive."

A 2009 study in the journal Pediatrics found that children ages seven and eight who got less than about eight hours of sleep a night were more likely to be hyperactive, inattentive, and impulsive.

"We diagnose and measure sleep by measuring electrical changes in the brain," Dr. Rapoport says. "So not surprisingly how we sleep affects the brain."

Have a Healthy Weight

---> If you are thinking about going on a diet, you might want to plan an earlier bedtime too.

Researchers at the University of Chicago found that dieters who were well rested lost more fat -- 56 percent of their weight loss -- than those who were sleep deprived, who lost more muscle mass. (They shed similar amounts of total weight regardless of sleep.)

Dieters in the study also felt more hungry when they got less sleep.

"Sleep and metabolism are controlled by the same sectors of the brain," Dr. Rapoport says. "When you are sleepy, certain hormones go up in your blood, and those same hormones drive appetite."

Lower Stress

---> When it comes to our health stress and sleep are nearly one and the same -- and both can affect cardiovascular health. 

"Sleep can definitely reduce levels of stress, and with that people can have better control of their blood pressure," Dr. Jean says. "It's also believed that sleep effects cholesterol levels, which plays a significant role in heart disease."

Avoid Accidents

---> The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported in 2009 that being tired accounted for the highest number of fatal single-car run-off-the-road crashes due to the driver's performance -- even more than alcohol! 

"Sleepiness is grossly underrated as a problem by most people, but the cost to society is enormous," Dr. Rapoport says. "Sleeplessness affects reaction time and decision making."

Insufficient sleep for just one night can be as detrimental to your driving ability as having an alcoholic drink.

Steer Clear of Depression

---> Sleeping well means more to our overall well-being than simply avoiding irritability. 

"A lack of sleep can contribute to depression," Dr. Jean says. "A good night's sleep can really help a moody person decrease their anxiety. You get more emotional stability with good sleep."

If you think the long hours put in during the week are the cause of your anxiety or impatience, Dr. Rapoport warns that sleep cannot necessarily be made up during the weekend.

"If you sleep more on the weekends, you simply aren't sleeping enough in the week," he says. "It's all about finding a balance.

So... don't forget to sleep when u are tension or sick or whatever... Must get enough sleep okay?? 

Malaysian Siamese

Haaa!! I'm so happy today.. I searched about Malaysian Siamese today.. I saw the wikipedia website got about my race.. thank you to our government.. I wait this thing so long.. Did u guys know about this before?? I always be an alien when people asked me about my race.. This is because our citizen don't know Malaysian Siamese appear in Malaysia. Hopefully after our Prime Minister approve my race as a Bumiputera, many people can understand and know about my race. Let's me introduce about it..hehehe

Malaysian Siamese is a term commonly referred to Malaysians of Thai ethnicity.Politically, Malaysian Siamese are recognised as Bumiputeras and are given similar status to the Malays, Kadazan-Dusuns, Ibans and Malaccan Portuguese.

Most Malaysian Siamese people are Buddhists of the Theravada sect. Their place of worship is called the Wat. Each Wat has several monks administering it.

Most Malaysian Siamese people lead a way of life similar to the Malays. This is evident especially among the Kelantanse Siams. One could not differentiate a Malay or a Siamese if they are not heard speaking their own language. The only distinctive mark among them is their religion and language. Otherwise Malaysian Siamese are like Malays as they also speak fluent local Malay dialects.

The Malaysian Siamese often get patronage from the state governments for their community well being. Often, temples are given generous fundings by the governments.

For more information :

• http://www.kpkk.gov.my/pdf/keturunan_siam.pdf
• http://panduanpercuma.info/info/3566/etnik-siam-malaysia-siam-bukan-thai/ 

the place of worship

rongtham

 Guatama Buddha

gate

Rongtham

 Wat

Buddha Statue 

Siamese not Thai

 this is my sister... :)

  

this is my picture..hehe

Save Malaysia, Stop Lynas

Did u know, we have a hot issue about Lynas. Firstly I also don't know what is Lynas?? After I read more about Lynas and I know some news about it. I don't know more about it but I'll share u some of the issue.. Hey friends, what do u think about it? Why the Malaysian citizen didn't against it before the Lynas Corp was built-up?  Hopefully this info can help u about this issue and hopefully we have initiative to solve the problem without war. Did u know the meaning of Lynas??

What is Lynas and where is the waste going to go??

The Lynas Corporation issue has been going on for a while now. This is one serious matter which needs to be addressed or it would have a lot of consequences later. In fact, it all began when the government invited Lynas Corp to build its plant in the Kuantan area where it would be producing rare earth materials. Make no mistake about this, rare earth are not that rare to begin with.

In fact, rare earth metals can be found in several places and the whole production involves mining and extracting it. Rare earth metals are important as it is used to produce many of today’s devices. This include the likes of catalytic converters, wind turbines, the more known disk drives, hybrid car batteries, mobile phones as well as television screen displays. This means that rare earth metal is pretty much one of the material which is used to power up today’s appliances, which means that if it can be produced in Malaysia, the cost of these devices could be greatly reduced. But is that going to be the case.

At the moment, supply of rare earth in the world comes from China which commands some 97% of the supply. These minerals are found in ores where it contain very small amounts of uranium and thorium, which are radioactive elements and hence, there is a very important debate about whether it would be hazardous.

The argument for Lynas is that people are constantly being exposed to a certain radioactive exposure level which is at 1mSv per year. The Lyncas project involves Lynas Corp of Australia which is involved in the production and sale of rare earth ores and its products. What it wants to do in Gebeng, which is not far from Kuantan is to process the rare earth ore which they mine from Mount Weld in Western Australia. The rare earth ore will come through the container which will port at Kuantan.

Their reason is that there are skilled workers and gas and water supplies here while it is also located close to the Kuantan port. In Gebent, Lynas Corp will extract the rare earth minerals from the ore where they will mostly be used for export.

The big question is what about the waste? That is the biggest concern that drew Himpunan Hijau to protest. Lynas Corp claims that the waste will be used to make products which will be safe or tored in secure containers in certain sites. Where exactly are the sites? Is it going to be in Malaysia? Word has it that to attract Lynas to build their site here, they are exempted from 12 years of tax. So who is actually benefiting from all this?

Nobody wants the waste from the rare earth ore because they are radioactive. No country wants them. What happens when they run out of space to store the waste? What if they pour it into Kuantan river? All this questions must be answered and they must be satisfactory before they can start their operations because if not, there will surely be long term effects.

I took it from website : http://malaysiatoday.com/2012/03/lynas-corp-where-is-the-waste-going-to-go/