Features

Are you all caught up on your favourite Netflix show, but that novel on your nightstand is gathering dust?

You are far from alone, according to a German study released on Thursday decrying a “dramatic” decline in book readership as more time is spent online.

The number of people buying books in Germany plummeted by nearly 18 per cent between 2013 and 2017, the study commissioned by the German Publishers and Booksellers Association found.

The drop was even steeper at 24 to 37 per cent among those aged 20 to 50 — the same age group that now spends more than three hours a day on the Internet.

“There’s growing social pressure to constantly react and be tuned in so you don’t get left behind,” Boersenverein head Alexander Skipis said in a statement accompanying the study, titled “Book buyers, where are you going?”.

Streaming services like Netflix with their binge-worthy television series in particular “exert a great appeal” and frequently replace books as a pastime, it said.

The findings are likely to make for grim reading in a country that prides itself on being well-read and is home to the world’s largest book fair.

The study, for which the GfK polling firm questioned 25,000 people, revealed that the long-held truism that every second German was a book buyer no longer stood up.

Last year just 44 per cent of Germans over the age of ten — or 29.6 million people — bought a book.

On a brighter note for the industry, those that are still bookworms are reading and spending more than before.

The average customer bought 12 books last year, up from 11 in 2013. The total amount spent jumped from around 117 euros ($138) to 137 euros.

The story is similar among e-books, with customer numbers slipping nearly eight per cent between 2016 and 2017 to 3.5 million, but the amount of titles purchased per person went up.

Reacting to the findings, the Publishers and Booksellers Association said the industry should seize the opportunity to present books as an antidote to today’s hectic, digital world.

“People are yearning for a time-out,” said Skipis, stressing that all age groups reported having a “very positive” attitude towards books.

Some respondents offered their own suggestions for how to better incorporate books in their lives.

These ranged from apps that made personalised recommendations to encounters with fans and authors to make the reading experience more interactive, and putting books in unexpected places like the gym.

Until the end of last year, and except for this dear cousin of mine who insisted on sending season greetings on otherwise beautiful printed postcards from the USA, and for the income tax department who would send various written, registered notifications and reminders, I had not received any important mail in my rented, physical post office box.

Bills, bank statements, personal and business correspondence, even advertising and promotional brochures, there is absolutely none of these that has not been converted to digital and that now comes to us via e-mail, as push-notifications on our smartphones, or that we treat and process online. As of this year, even the tax department, just like the other government institutions and services, they all are doing it electronically and online.

So why then a PO.Box? Is there still any use for it in the digital age?

Though I still have one, I stopped mentioning it on my business cards, my business correspondence letterhead, and in the signature contact details at the bottom of the e-mails I send. I just mention my e-mail address and my mobile phone number. This is how people reach you today, this is all the contact details you need: an email address and a mobile number.

When many years ago I first tried to rent a PO.Box in Amman, I almost had to beg the post office manager to get one. Recently I asked the staff at my post office centre in Dahyat Al Hussein how the situation was, in general. I was told that there were now plenty of available boxes to rent, that many people simply are not renewing their annual subscription and instead are giving up their box. This despite the very reasonable JD11 annual rent for a regular box.

Perhaps another exception to the fully-digital rule is the parcels service of the Jordan Post Company. Naturally parcels still cannot be digitised or e-mailed! You have to take delivery of them physically, whatever their contents. Whenever you receive a parcel through the Jordan Post service, they would mail you a printed notification to your PO.Box so that you can take it, go to the parcels bureau, and then claim your parcel.

However, this parcel service has been greatly challenged by all the private express courier services such as DHL, Aramex, UPS, TNT, FedEx, NEDCO and the like, and for many years now. Consequently the volume of parcel handling at the Jordan Post has significantly diminished. Understandably all these private services use digital methods to contact senders and recipients, and parcels usually are delivered to your door.

In addition to the fact that a traditional PO.Box system is in flagrant contradiction — violation should I say — with the push towards a paperless world, going physically to the post office to check incoming mail also is against the trend to avoid as much as possible transportation and driving, to decongest traffic and to save precious time that can be put to better use.

It is reasonable to assume that those in charge of the PO.Box system are doing serious thinking and are re-considering the entire concept. Not that the system is harmful of course, but it is rather a waste of human and financial resources that can reallocated to do something else, something more in line with the connected, digital world we are living in. I would not be surprised to see PO.Boxes abandoned for good in a maximum of five years from now.

People who smoke or have diabetes may be more likely to have calcium deposits in brain regions crucial for memory, a Dutch study suggests. 

The deposits were not associated with lower cognitive function, however. 

Researchers examined cognitive test results and brain scans for 1,991 patients visiting a memory clinic at a Dutch hospital from 2009 to 2015. Overall, 380 patients, or about 19 per cent, had calcification, or abnormal buildup of calcium, in the hippocampus, the region of the brain important for short-term and long-term memory. 

Diabetics and smokers were about 50 per cent more likely to have calcification in this region of the brain than other participants in the study, the researchers note in Radiology. 

The hippocampus is typically damaged in people who develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. 

“The hippocampus is an important area in the brain for memory storage, so we thought that calcifications in this area would be related with cognitive problems,” said lead study author Dr Esther de Brouwer of the University Medical Centre Utrecht in the Netherlands. 

But in these volunteers, hippocampal calcifications were not related to cognitive problems, de Brouwer noted in an e-mail. This was a surprise because researchers had expected that calcification might be related to vascular problems common with smoking and diabetes that could contribute to shrinkage of tissue, or atrophy, in the hippocampus and subsequent cognitive decline. 

Because the hippocampus has many layers, it’s possible the calcification didn’t damage the layers involved in memory, de Brouwer said. More research is needed to explore possible links between calcifications and cognitive problems, the study authors conclude. 

Participants in the study were 78 years old on average, although they ranged in age from 45 to 96. 

Each added year of age was associated with a 5 per cent greater risk of calcification in the hippocampus, the study found. 

Overall, 228 participants, or about 12 per cent, were smokers. Once researchers accounted for factors like age, sex, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, the smokers in the study were 49 per cent more likely to have calcifications in the hippocampus than nonsmokers. 

A total of 317 participants, or about 16 per cent, had diabetes. After researchers accounted for smoking status and the other factors they examined for smokers, they found diabetics were 50 per cent more likely to have calcifications than participants without diabetes. 

The study wasn’t designed to prove whether or how smoking or diabetes might directly contribute to calcifications in the hippocampus or cognitive problems. 

Even though the study didn’t connect calcifications to worse cognitive abilities, calcium may accumulate more when people have unhealthy blood vessels, said Dr Rebecca Gottesman, a neurology researcher at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore who wasn’t involved in the study. 

“This study did suggest that the more risk factors you have, the more hippocampal calcification you have,” Gottesman said by e-mail. “And, other studies have suggested that a greater number of these types of risk factors can be associated with worse cognitive outcomes.” 

People should still work to avoid smoking, diabetes and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, said Dr Andrew Budson, a neurology researcher at Boston University School of Medicine and author of “Seven Steps to Managing Your Memory: What’s Normal, What’s Not, and What to Do About It.”

“Everyone should work to reduce their cardiovascular risk factors by quitting if they are smokers, keeping their sugars under control if they have diabetes, reducing obesity that can be a risk factor for hypertension and diabetes, eating a Mediterranean style diet and engaging in aerobic exercise,” Budson, who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email. 

“Regarding hippocampal calcifications themselves, people shouldn’t worry about them as they are not related to cognitive function,” Budson added. 

People, who are not familiar with Indian food, club all the exotically prepared dishes, under one broad nomenclature and call it “curry”. However, if you ask any self-respecting chef from the Indian sub continent, nothing can be further from the truth. And that is because not only do special ingredients go into the making of each individual item but also, the same food can be made to taste differently by altering the tempering that goes into it. 

Many of us love spices, but do not know how to unlock their full potential. That is where tempering comes in, which is called “tadka” in the local language. The word itself conjures up images of such delicious aromas that one does not even have to be familiar with the process to understand it. The technique — in which whole or ground spices are momentarily roasted in oil or ghee (clarified butter) in order to release their essential oils — is what makes all the difference. This is then poured over the dish — where it produces a loud hissing sound as a final garnishing. 

As an aside, my pet peeve these days is to pick out the mistake writers make between “its” and “it’s”. Both of them are different terms and cannot be used alternatively. Suffice to say “it’s” is a contraction for the full form of “it is” or “it has” and “its” is something that the subject possesses. Example: “It’s an unfriendly dog but keeps wagging its tail.” 

Right! Now where tempering is concerned, the wide range of seasoning that goes into it, also varies from region to region. In Bengal, for instance, there are five primary spices, called the “paanch phoran”, comprising of fennel seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, nigella seeds and fenugreek seeds that are used in the “tadka”. In the southern part of the country, curry leaves and dried red chillies are also included but the important thing is to make it fresh. It cannot be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator because the aromas that are the most important part of any “tadka” are completely lost.

One of the keys of making the perfect “tadka” is the order in which the spices are added. This should be done in rapid succession, rarely together, with those requiring longer cooking put earlier than the ones that get roasted easily. When mixed in very hot oil, the spices begin to splatter. The pan can be covered when they spit, but one has to move fast because the sizzling oil can burn the tadka and once that happens there is no way of saving it, other than starting all over again. 

Moreover, to add or avoid the stinky asafoetida in the tadka, is what gives the most enthusiastic of wannabe cooks, sleepless nights. This potent smelling spice is referred to as Devil’s Dung because of its strong odour and gets its name from the Persian word “aza” and the Latin word “foetida”, referring to its strange sulphurous stench. In Indian herbal medicine Ayurveda, asafoetida is used to stimulate appetite and digestion and to help neutralise flatulence caused by beans and other legumes.

“It is called Heeng in Hindi,” explained the legendary chef while giving the cooking demonstration. 

“You must just use a pinch of it,” he continued. 

“What will happen if we add more?” I asked. 

“I will not be held responsible,” the chef replied. 

He paused to emphasise the point. 

“For the gassy consequences,” he specified.

Global warming is expected to make vegetables significantly scarcer around the world, unless new growing practices and resilient crop varieties are adopted, researchers warned on Monday.

By the end of this century, less water and hotter air will combine to cut average yields of vegetables — which are crucial to a healthy diet — by nearly one-third, said the report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

A 4ºC increase in temperature, which scientists expect by 2100 if global warming continues on its current trajectory, reduces average yields by 31.5 per cent, said the report.

“Our study shows that environmental changes such as increased temperature and water scarcity may pose a real threat to global agricultural production, with likely further impacts on food security and population health,” said lead author Pauline Scheelbeek of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).

Southern Europe, large parts of Africa and South Asia may be particularly affected.

The findings are based on a systematic review of 174 studies examining the impact of environmental exposures on the yield and nutritional content of vegetables and legumes since 1975.

Some previous research has pointed to a likely increase in crop yields as carbon dioxide rises, but the current review found that any such boost would be cancelled out by higher greenhouse gases, reduced water availability for irrigation and rising temperatures.

“We have brought together all the available evidence on the impact of environmental change on yields and quality of vegetables and legumes for the first time,” said senior author Alan Dangour, also of LSHTM.

‘Urgent action’ needed

“Our analysis suggests that if we take a ‘business as usual’ approach, environmental changes will substantially reduce the global availability of these important foods,” he added.

“Urgent action needs to be taken, including working to support the agriculture sector to increase its resilience to environmental changes, and this must be a priority for governments across the world.”

A second study in PNAS found that rising temperatures will increase the volatility of corn, the most widely grown crop on the planet. 

Researchers confirmed prior studies that showed global warming would likely cut back on corn growth.

They also showed that heat waves may boost inconsistency and volatility across various regions from year to year, leading to price hikes and global shortages.

“Previous studies have often focused on just climate and plants, but here we look at climate, food and international markets,” said lead author Michelle Tigchelaar, a University of Washington postdoctoral researcher in atmospheric sciences. 

“We find that as the planet warms, it becomes more likely for different countries to simultaneously experience major crop losses, which has big implications for food prices and food security.”

The vast majority of the global corn exports come from the United States, Brazil, Argentina and Ukraine.

“Under 4ºC warming, which the world is on track to reach by the end of the century if current greenhouse gas emissions rates continue, there’s an 86 per cent chance that all four maize-exporting countries would simultaneously suffer a bad year,” said the report.

Food production itself is a major contributor to climate change.

Agriculture, forestry and changes in land use together produce nearly a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, making them the second largest emitter after the energy sector, said the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation.

The volume of food transported around the world also is exacerbating global warming.

The global demand for food is expected to soar as the world’s population is projected to grow to 9.8 billion people by 2050, up from 7.6 billion today, according to the UN.

Crops now take up 11 per cent of the world’s land surface, and livestock grazing covers 26 per cent of ice-free land, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Farming accounts for about 70 per cent of all water used globally, said the OECD.

Water scarcity already affects more than 40 per cent of the world’s population, according to the UN.

That number is expected to rise due to global warming, with one in four people projected to face chronic or recurring shortages by 2050, the UN said.

LOS ANGELES — The ladies of “Ocean’s 8” pulled off a solid debut at the box office.

Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures’ gender-bending heist film opened to $41.6 million from 4,145 locations — a series best for the “Ocean’s” franchise. Overseas, it launched with $12.2 million for a global start of $53.8 million.

Women and older moviegoers bolstered box office numbers. Females accounted for 69 per cent of audiences, while 69 per cent were over the age of 25. “Ocean’s 8” currently has a B+ CinemaScore and 68 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Jeff Goldstein, head of domestic distribution at Warner Bros., thanks counter-programming against a series of tentpoles for the film’s strong debut.

“We exceeded our expectations,” Goldstein said. “There’s always been a lack of movies [female-led projects]. I’m glad audiences enjoyed it as much as we did.”

The spinoff marks over a decade since Steven Soderbergh’s “Ocean’s” trilogy with George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon graced the big screen. “Ocean’s Eleven”, “Ocean’s Twelve”, and “Ocean’s Thirteen”, which released between 2001 and 2007, each bowed between $36 million and $39 million, not adjusted for inflation. Adjusted for inflation, that range climbs to $48 million and $61 million.

“Ocean’s 8” represents a solid return for its star, Sandra Bullock. Her latest on-screen role was in 2015 with “Our Brand Is Crisis”, which bombed with a $3 million opening. The drama grossed only $7 million worldwide. Prior to that, Bullock starred in the critically acclaimed “Gravity”. The sci-fi thriller, which landed Bullock an Oscar nomination, opened with $55.7 million and went on to make $274 domestically and $723 million worldwide.

Meanwhile, Toni Collette’s “Hereditary” also got a box office boost. A24’s R-rated thriller didn’t scare audiences away — it exceeded estimates to open in fourth place with $13 million from 2,964 locations. “Hereditary” marks A24’s best opening weekend in history, outpacing 2015’s “The Witch’s” $8.8 million bow.

Ari Aster’s directorial debut has been critically lauded since its debut in the Midnight section at Sundance Film Festival. Audiences appear to disagree — the horror film currently has a D+ CinemaScore and 64 per cent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, while its critical rating is 94 per cent Fresh.

Not all weekend openers were as fortunate. “Hotel Artemis” checked in with a dismal $3.1 million on 2,407 screens. Jodie Foster and Sterling K. Brown star in the action thriller set in the near future.

“Hotel Artemis” represents Foster’s first big screen role since 2013’s “Elysium”, which opened with $29.8 million. The sci-fi drama went on to earn $93 million in North America and $286 worldwide.

“Ocean’s 8” easily nabbed the box office crown. “Solo: A Star Wars Story” secured second place with $15.2 million in its third weekend, bringing its domestic total $176.4 million. Internationally, the Han Solo origin story brought in an additional $11.3 million. The Disney and Lucasfilm movie continues to struggle with a global tally of $312.2 million.

In third is “Deadpool 2” with $13.8 million in its fourth frame. Ryan Reynolds’ antihero film has pocketed $278.9 million in North America and $376 million internationally, including an $18 million overseas haul this weekend.

Rounding out the top five is the seventh weekend of “Avengers: Infinity War” with $6.9 million. The Marvel adventure picked up another $10.9 million overseas, bringing its global total to $1.998 billion.

Two years ago, Sony’s all-female reboot of “Ghostbusters” launched with $46 million. The sci-fi comedy — starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones — struggled to sustain momentum at the box office and tapered off to $128 million in North America. With hefty production costs and expensive marketing, the remake cost Sony around $50 million.

In limited release, Focus Features’ “Won’t You Be My Neighbour” launched with $470,000 on 29 screens. The documentary on the life and legacy of “Mister Rogers’ Neighbourhood” host Fred Rogers stirred up positive social media buzz, with audiences sharing how the film spurred them to tears. It has a 99 per cent Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Overall, the year-to-date box office is ahead 4.3 per cent, according to comScore.

Parents and caregivers should be aware of the three ways children can get the vitamin D they need, according to a new resource published in the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics. 

Although many people know calcium and vitamin D are vital for building healthy bones, not everyone knows calcium can only be absorbed when vitamin D is present. 

“Vitamin D is sometimes misunderstood and underappreciated, especially when it works as a silent partner with calcium,” said Megan Moreno of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison, who wrote the one-page primer intended for parents and caregivers. 

The patient page, accessible for free, is based on recommendations given by the American Academy of Paediatrics. The resource emphasises the best ways for children to obtain vitamin D through sunlight exposure, diet and supplements. 

Current guidelines recommend that infants under 12 months get 400 international units of vitamin D daily from all sources and that children and adolescents get 600 IU daily. For infants who are fully or partially breastfed, daily vitamin D supplementation is recommended until the child is weaned and drinking fortified milk. 

“Summer is coming up, and there will be many opportunities for kids to be out in the sun, eat more meals at home and be around their parents more,” Moreno said in a telephone interview. “This is an opportune time for parents to reflect on the ways to get vitamin D.” 

Foods rich in vitamin D, such as salmon or tuna, could be cooked on the grill alongside summer vegetables, she said. Other fatty fish, fortified milk and yoghurt, fortified cereals and eggs also have good amounts of vitamin D. 

“Multivitamins may not be necessary if children eat a varied diet,” Moreno said. “Sun is also an important way to get vitamin D, though sun protection is also important.” 

When exposed to direct sunlight, the skin manufactures a version of vitamin D that will end up in an active form circulating in the bloodstream. The amount produced depends on the time of day, season, latitude, how much skin is exposed and an individual’s skin pigmentation. In some locations, vitamin D production may decrease or be absent during the winter months. 

Sun protection is essential to protect a child’s skin from sunburn and skin cancer risk, though sunscreen can decrease vitamin D creation. Most children receive enough sun exposure in their day-to-day lives, even with sun protection, to be sufficient, Moreno writes. 

A third option for getting vitamin D is taking a supplement. Although daily multivitamins are not recommended as necessary for children, Moreno writes, supplementing with vitamin D could help those who do not get it through food or sun exposure. These supplements are often available as liquids, chewables or pills, and some have both calcium and vitamin D. 

“Balancing health recommendations can be really tricky for families,” she said. “We create these pages so parents can receive the best information possible to make these choices.” 

Recent studies of vitamin D have shown its life-long health benefits, especially for the immune system. Researchers are now studying the role vitamin D may play in autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents. 

Lower levels of vitamin D in kids could be a factor in diabetes, for instance, said Majid Aminzadeh of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences in Iran, who was not involved with this patient resource 

“Besides its role in calcium homeostasis, vitamin D has an important immune-modulation effect,” said Aminzadeh, a pediatric endocrinologist who recently published a study of vitamin D status in diabetic children. 

Vitamin D deficiency can also lead to weak or soft bones in children. It can lead to a rare but serious condition called rickets, which causes children’s legs to appear bowlegged. 

Parents who aren’t sure whether their children receive enough vitamin D should talk to their paediatricians, Moreno said. 

“Vitamin D has become a more common, big picture topic that we discuss in clinical situations,” she said. “Advice can get murky, so it’s important for everyone to know the recommendations.” 

Introduced in 2016 as the second of a new generation of a car, the Volvo S90 is the Swedish manufacturer’s most concerted effort to secure a more grounded footing in the mostly German-dominated executive saloon car segment. 

A thoroughly more convincing luxury midsize car than its S80 predecessor, the S90 puts emphasis on a sharp new design language, comfortable, welcoming and luxurious interiors and high tech equipment. And in keeping with Volvo’s long-standing commitment to safety, the S90 is offered with an extensive suite of standard and optional driver assistance systems.

Imposing presence

Positioned somewhere between its Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Audi A6 rivals, the S90 design may be new, cutting edge and futuristic, but its character is rooted in a sense of no-nonsense solidity, conservatism, grand presence and tradition, not too unlike the E-Class. However, as one of very few convincing executive cars offered with front-wheel-drive — including the featured T5 Inscription model, as driven in Amman — and optional four-wheel-drive for range-topping petrol and hybrid models, the S90 follows a similar path as Audi, with design, safety and technology firmly in the foreground.

With its upright fascia and broad chrome ringed grille with dominant Volvo emblem and concave vertical slats, the S90 strikes and imposing presence vaguely hinting at past designs, but with a thoroughly modern direction. Elegantly stylish and with flowing and rakish roofline, the S90 featured sculpted surfacing and dramatic U-shaped boomerang style rear lights and signature “Thor’s Hammer” LED elements to its slim front lights in a nod to its Scandinavian provenance. Long, wide and low, with elegantly long wheelbase and rear overhang, the S90 sits on the road with an elegantly luxurious demeanour.

Effortless and efficient

The S90’s short front overhang, long bonnet and distance between wheel arch apex and A-pillar suggest classical rear drive proportions. However, Volvo’s flagship saloon in fact rides on the brand’s new transverse engine and front-wheel-drive based Scalable Product Architecture platform. Powered by 2-litre turbocharged petrol or diesel engines (or hybrid powertrain) mated to a slick 8-speed automatic gearbox across the range (and optional four-wheel-drive), the tested front-drive T5 model sits in the middle of the petrol-powered model range, between 187BHP T4 and 316BHP T6 variants.

Smooth, refined and with a broad, willing and muscular mid-range providing effortless and accessible versatility, the S90 T5 developing 250BHP at 5,500rpm and 258lb/ft throughout 1500-4800rpm. Tractable from low-end and with a hint of torque-steer at full throttle, owing to so much power going through the front wheels, the T5 is quick through 0-100km/h in 6.8-seconds, and tops out at 230km/h. At its best riding on its bulging mid-range torque plateau, the T5 is brisk in town, on highway and through winding inclines. Meanwhile, its quoted 6.7-litres/100km combined cycle consumption is reflected with real world fuel efficiency, as observed.

Confidence and comfort

Resolutely stable and quiet at speed, smooth and comfortable in town and ergonomic inside, the S90 character is one that inspires — and rewards — a less harried and more relaxed and careful driving style. Not that it lacks the power to whoosh past slower traffic with flexibility and authority, but one drives with a sense of confident ease and comfort in its classy cabin. Not rising to the bait of being irked as other less pertinent drivers overtake even, the S90’s indulgent ride and ambiance even perhaps imbues one with a hint of self-satisfied and detached arrogance.

A thoroughly modern midsize luxury car with an old school sense of substance and relaxed comfort rather than over sports saloon, the S90, however, handles with better confidence than expected of a large 1755kg front-driven luxury saloon. Responsive, alert and tidy in turn-in and body control when driven briskly, the S90 T5’s instinct is for slight initial understeer if driven too brashly in such a situations, while light lift-off oversteer helps tighten a cornering line, as stability controls kick in decisively. Brakes are meanwhile reassuring and steering accurate with three levels of assistance to choose from the driving mode menu.

Unpretentious luxury

Comfortable, smooth and settled ride over most imperfections, the S90 well absorbs road textures and bumps, while stylishly big 19-inch alloy wheels with 255/40R19 tyres offered good steering and braking control. However, one felt that smaller base model 17- or Inscription trim entry-level 18-inch tyres would be better suited for some local roads, and would likely provide an supple ride quality and added layer of comfort over the more sudden and jagged cracks, lumps and bumps on Amman roads. Meanwhile, slightly firmer damping would have been nice through such mid-corner imperfections for slightly sportier and more tautly buttoned down handling.

Well finished inside, the S90’s cabin in upscale Inscription specification level features stylish and user-friendly layouts and infotainment system, well-adjustable leather seating and quality materials, including lovely matt wood trim for a warm and welcoming and luxurious, yet, unpretentious ambiance.

Cabin space is mostly generous front and rear, including rear legroom, while boot volume is well accommodating at 500-litres. Visibility is also mostly good despite thick safety-minded pillars, but nonetheless, the S90’s blind spot warning system, parking assistance, sensors and camera help one manoeuvre in even the tightest spots. Meanwhile, equipment levels are generous in terms of convenience, comfort, safety and assistance.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 2-litre, turbocharged, all-aluminium, transverse 4-cylinders

Bore x stroke: 82 x 93.2mm

Compression ratio: 10.8:1

Valve-train: 16-valve, DOHC, direct injection, variable valve timing

Gearbox: 8-speed automatic, front-wheel-drive

Ratios: 1st 5.25:1; 2nd 3.029:1; 3rd 1.95:1; 4th 1.457:1; 5th 1.22; 6th 1:1; 7th 0.809:1; 8th 0.673:1

Reverse/final drive ratios: 4.015:1/3.075:1

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 250 (254) [187] @5500rpm

Specific power: 127BHP/litre

Power-to-weight: 142.4BHP/tonne

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 258 (350) @1,500-4800rpm

Specific torque: 177.7Nm/litre

Torque-to-weight: 199.4Nm/tonne

0-100km/h: 6.8-seconds

Top speed: 230km/h

Fuel consumption, combined: 6.7-litres/100km 

CO2 emissions, combined: 152g/km

Fuel capacity: 55-litres

Length: 4,963mm

Width: 1,879mm

Height: 1,443mm

Wheelbase: 2941mm

Track, F/R: 1,628/1,629mm

Ground clearance: 152mm

Luggage volume: 500-litres

Unladen weight: 1755kg

Steering: Speed sensitive electric-assisted rack & pinion

Turning Circle: 11.4-metres

Suspension, F/R: Double wishbones/integral axle

Brakes, F/R: Ventilated discs

Braking distance, 100-0km/h: 35-metres

Tyres: 255/40R19

Price, on-the-road, third party insurance: JD46,900

Dr Dana Fara’neh Batayneh

Dermatologist

Regardless of whether it is your way to relax and pamper yourself, or to be healthy with clean and strong nails, manicures and pedicures can be a major health hazard.

You can catch many skin diseases very easily, even at the best nail salon. Examples are warts, bacterial infections of the skin, infection of hair follicles in the legs and, most commonly, fungal nail infections.

Fungal nail infections affect fingernails, and more often toenails. Although they rarely cause serious complications (only in diabetics or people with low immunity), they are quite challenging to diagnose and treat. They usually cause annoying symptoms like a change in nail colour (usually yellow or black), thick and weak nails that break easily and also pain and discomfort when trimming nails or simply walking.

Risk factors

Fungal nail infections are contagious, and nail salons are a very common source (if not the most common source) for women. We diagnose hundreds of patients with fungal nail infections in Jordan every year. In most of these cases, the only risk was having her nails recently done at the nail salon.

Other causes of fungal nail infections are places that are always wet and moist, like your gym or the swimming pool. Repetitive trauma to your nails (from tight fitting shoes for example) also makes it easier for fungus to cause an infection. Wearing socks and shoes for a long period of time makes a perfect moist environment for fungus to grow.

You can avoid fungal nail infections by… 

Choosing comfortable shoes to avoid repetitive trauma to your toenails

Drying your feet thoroughly after washing them, swimming or showering

Avoiding walking barefoot in swimming pools or gyms

Practicing good nail hygiene by frequently washing your nails and drying them, cleaning your nail tools regularly and staying hydrated

Having a balanced diet. Diet is important for the immune system, so proper nutrition can help to fight toenail fungus. Consult with your doctor if you have any deficiency so they can prescribe the appropriate supplements for you

Visiting your dermatologist at the earliest sign of any nail changes

Choosing your nail salon very carefully

You can ensure your safety at the nail 

salon by…

Avoiding shaving your arms or legs before going to the nail salon: Do not go if you have any open wounds or cuts in your skin. This can be a very easy entry point for micro-organisms

Being very meticulous when choosing your nail salon: Do not disregard any signs that show bad hygiene — chances are, employees there are not properly sterilising tool.

Avoiding trimming your cuticles at the nail salon: As tempting as it may be, this is the worst thing you can do for your nails. First of all, cuticles are there for a reason — under the cuticle lies the nail matrix, which is responsible for nail growth. Removing the cuticles makes it easier for fungus and other micro-organisms to enter the nail matrix and cause an infection. In addition, the nipper used to cut the cuticles can very easily transmit fungus in nail salons that do not abide by strict disinfection protocols. Ask the technician to skip this step or to push them back very gently instead (although I don’t prefer this, as it is not very safe either).

Investing in your own tool kit: Let us face it, you can never be 100 per cent sure the tools used in the salon are properly disinfected every single time. And chances are, according to studies, they are not

Cleaning nail tools to avoid transmitting nail fungus

Sanitisation involves removing any dirt or debris from the tools, washing them thoroughly with soap and hot water and scrubbing them clean. They dry using a new disposable paper towel.

Disinfection, which follows sanitisation, involves completely immersing the nail tools completely in a liquid sterilant that is effective against all microorganisms for a certain period of time depending on the type of liquid used, or by autoclaving: an autoclave is a device that uses high pressure and temperature to kill bacteria, viruses and fungi. Since liquid disinfectants have different levels of activity, an autoclave is the safest sterilisation method. You can ask your nail salon which method of sterilisation they use.

Other tools that should be cleaned regularly in the nail salon include foot tubs or basins, towels and tabletops. Foot tubs are very difficult to clean, because microbes are not only lurking on the surface of the tub, but also inside the pipes. So it is wise to skip the step of soaking your feet in the foot bowl!

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine

BRUSSELS — Taking high doses of supplements containing green tea extracts may be associated with liver damage, according to new research from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). 

Tea infusions, as used for brewed tea, are still considered safe. Instant tea drinks are also fine as they contain lower levels of the antioxidants naturally present in green tea, Parma-based EFSA said. 

Consuming too many of these antioxidants can be harmful, which is why the amount contained in supplements can have a harmful effect on the liver. 

Most supplements provide an intake of 5-1000mg, while tea infusions typically only contain 90-300mg, EFSA, which oversees food safety in the European Union, said. 

Researchers determined that consuming over 800mg per day led to higher health risks, but the EFSA said experts could not yet determine a supplement dosage that would be entirely safe. 

However, high consumption of green tea infusions did not indicate liver damage due to the drinks having a lower concentration of antioxidants. 

The watchdog called for further scientific trials into the effect of green tea catechins and for labels to announce the risks.

It comes after Canadian health officials demanded more explicit warnings on green tea extracts about their links to liver damage.

Health Canada made the move following a federal safety review, prompted after a teenager took the pills and needed dialysis for her liver.

EFSA conducted the research amid fears of catechins having harmful effects on the liver, prompted by an array of cases in Norway.

Officials in the Scandinavian country to issue a warning two years ago about the products — despite their purported health benefits.

And EFSA’s review, published today on its website, confirmed the link between green tea catechins and liver damage.

The body also delved into the potential effects of green tea infusions, instant drinks and food supplements.

However, it accepted there was no risks of liver damage for consuming infusions — even after high consumption.

The body, set-up in 2002, also concluded that instant tea drinks are also fine because they contain lower levels of catechins.

EFSA’s advice has been sent to the European Commission, which will decide on the most appropriate risk management follow-up.