Milk in Nepal and India: the difference!

-
Image
 I have observed that whenever milk ferments when I am in India, the paneer or cottage cheese does not come out easily. Even if I boil it and add lime juice to it, the cheese formed is quite little and more powdery than cheesy.  But when the same happens in Nepal, the cheese formation is immediate, dense and cheesy. I do not have to do more efforts to get cottage cheese out of the milk in Nepal. What is the reason? I checked internet and found some factors that can affect the quality and amount of cheese  1. Freedom from pathogenic bacteria - Good cheese forms of milk is free from pathogenic bacteria. Differences between Nepali vs Indian panipuri  2. Different milk quality with different amounts of fats and proteins  3. Ultra-pasteurization can destroy vital enzymes and bacteria that are required for cheese formation  4. If temperature of milk is less when it ferments, cheese formation will be less.  5. If milk is rancid, it means it's fats are also br...
Post a Comment

Update: The current data and status of Astrazeneca Covid vaccine

-

 Astazeneca covid vaccine is in some trouble. Neither the people nor government are happy about it. And the regulators are looking out for some more data from the company. What is the current scenario on it? 

Astrazeneca-covid vaccine and the status 

There are doubts about the covid vaccine developed and manufactured by Astrazeneca company. A US health agency said in public that the said company used outdated data in the results of its large scale covid vaccine trials. 

Earlier, the company has released some interim data that revealed that its vaccine is better in the US trials. 

The company said:

"The numbers published yesterday were based on a pre-specified interim analysis with a data cut-off of 17 February.


"We have reviewed the preliminary assessment of the primary analysis and the results were consistent with the interim analysis. We are now completing the validation of the statistical analysis.


"We will immediately engage with the independent data safety monitoring board (DSMB) to share our primary analysis with the most up to date efficacy data. We intend to issue results of the primary analysis within 48 hours."

Anthony Fauci and his comments on the vaccine 

The main expert on covid in the USA government, Dr Anthony Fauci said:

"This (is) likely a very good vaccine."

He added:

"But the data and safety monitoring board got concerned that the data in AstraZeneca's public statement "were somewhat outdated and might in fact be misleading a bit,"

Emer Cooke is head of the European Medicines Unit. He said:

"The trials point to greater efficacy than what we actually observed in the previous trials that we examined,"

"The company has promised to provide us with (data) and we will adjust our assessment if there is any new information that needs to be taken into account."

Read here on medical and ethical issues of immunity passports 

Ian Jones, Professor of virology at Reading said:

"The NIAID (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) statement is not clear on the actual data that is causing the disquiet."

"I think it is generally accepted that the early trial data, while positive, did suffer from a communication issue which failed to get across a single clear message.


"But any concerns that date from that time would have surely been surpassed by the data now available from actual usage, which shows an excellent safety profile and the prevention of severe disease.

Astrazeneca vaccine for coronavirus (Source: BBC) 


"That is, in effect, a much bigger trial and it is that data that should be up front for consideration by bodies who have yet to approve its use."

More expert opinions 

Stephen Evans said:

"One explanation might well be that this trial is currently being conducted when there is a large amount of a new variant about more recently, and, as might be expected, the efficacy against that variant might be less, so more recent data shows reduced efficacy. Of course the other vaccines may also show such reduced efficacy and we don’t know by how much.

"It does not leave me concerned particularly unless they had found a safety issue that was being hidden, which does not appear to be the case."

German Professor Peter Kremsner said:

"This is indeed an extraordinary act. The negative reports about this vaccine do not stop, although my assessment is that it is well tolerated and safe, but clearly less effective than the two mRNA vaccines."


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Morton's toe: Everything you need to know about your longer second toe

-
Image
 Often, one notices that the second toe of some people is longer than the great toe. People say different things for it. Many of them say that it implies that the owner of such a longer second toe is a dominant, creative, energetic person in real life and very ambitious and peace and happiness-loving. But no one has tried to understand the reason, science, medicine and problems of having such a toe. It is called as Morton’s toe or Greek foot.  What is a Greek foot? Many people in the world have a longer second toe of the foot. Such feature may be on one side or in both the feet. It is called Morton’s toe or Greek foot. The other names for it are Morton’s foot or royal toe. But the reason is not the second toe is longer but the fact is that the first metatarsal below the great toe is shorter. Thus it is not due to the faulty phalanges but due to the difference in height of the metatarsals. Since the second metatarsal is relatively longer than the first metatarsal, the joint at ...
Read more

There can be no universal forgiveness! It never exists!

-
Image
Forgiveness or pardon means clearing off the feelings of resentment or revenge towards the offender. In most contexts it implies giving up any expectation of justice. People justify this act of forgiveness from a religious point of view and psychologists justify it as an act that would bring peace to the victim. But my experience tells me that both religion as well as psychologists are absolutely wrong in asking a victim to forgive the evil person. This act is bad from a society point of view and would lead to a rise in crimes and unhappiness. Let me explain in depth with examples. 1. I have a friend in the UK. She is originally from Nigeria. She has two siblings who are married with children and she herself is single and childless. In the year 2009, she had gone to her hometown. There her siblings tortured her physically and mentally and put her under house arrest. They did not want to give her any ancestral property and assets. She managed to free herself with the help of a friend an...
Read more

Voluntary childlessness is on the rise in the world! What are the reasons for it?

-
Image
 The decision of couples to have no children by choice seems tough but is increasing in the modern world. Though society looks down at such couples, the availability of effective and safe contraception and old age support from non-family agencies has made things a bit easier for such decisions to be made.  Reasons for voluntary childlessness 1. Personal reasons such as not wanting responsibilities of a child.  2. The emphasis on career rather than reproduction 3. The lack of desire to forward one's family genes or line due to child abuse.  4. Anguish against existence in general. 5. Non-readiness to give up one's freetime and social time for children rearing 6. Happier to help others raise kids 7. Preferring a pet over a child 8. Not wanting to give up personal space and sharing it with a child.  9. Not happy with child-rearing things such as cleaning up mess, disturbing one's sleep etc. 10. Not particularly fond of children behavior. 11. In some situations, one...
Read more