Breakthroughs Today

ZOSIMO T. LITERATUS, RMT More than we know it, flirting not only provides the fun of encounter but also is a natural, and yet essential and universal, necessity of human interaction. The positive and negative connotations of flirting came obviously from the manner in which it has been commonly practiced without so much guidance in the proper and wholesome ways to do it. It might be instinctive to flirt, but the way to do it is not. Effective flirting is well-informed flirting Flirting, while admitted not yet a science, is certainly an art...an art of interpersonal communication and subtle influence. Kate Fox of the Social Issues Research Centre, a non-profit organization based in St. Clements, Oxford, United Kingdom, makes an important contribution in providing us the SIRC Guide to Flirting. ( Click here to download in pdf format)

ZOSIMO T. LITERATUS, RMT There are two major phases in the initiation of courtship among us. First, the move of making the contact; then, the introduction of oneself once the contact has been established. Biologically, as can be observed among lower mammals, courtship behavior is designed to maximize reproductive success of each respective species. In humans, intimate relationship acts as the initial goal of contact, which is hoped in time to evolve into long-lasting bonds including sexual commitments. The theory of parental investment [1] proposed that the gender that invests most in reproduction (usually the female) will be more selective in choosing a mate. Conversely, the gender that invests the least is more likely to desert and to pursue additional mating opportunities. This prospect justifies the need for courtship or wooing in order to increase male investment to the intimate relationship, also increasing the masculine need to be ensured of exclusive sexual access to their pa

ZOSIMO T. LITERATUS, RMT Two outbreaks of petfood-associated renal failure occurred in 2004 (involving around 6,000 dogs and a smaller number of cats) and 2007 (involving a large number of dogs and cats in North America). In 2004, the outbreak was linked to the ingestion of specific commercial dog foods, and occurred in dogs from Asia. Health authorities attributed it to poisonous compounds (particularly ochratoxin, citrinin, or both) that contaminated raw materials in a manufacturing plant in Thailand. In 2007, on the heel of another renal failure outbreak associated with pet foods, North American health authorities identified the toxic compounds as melamine and cyanuric acid; both are present in wheat gluten, rice protein, and corn gluten imported from China and used as a pet food ingredient. Able to elevate falsely the measure of protein content in pet foods because of its high nitrogen content, melamine was presumed to have been intentionally added by suppliers in China. Two studie