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LOS ANGELES, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Eating earth may protect the stomach against toxins, parasites and pathogens, a new study suggests.To examine the possible benefits from eating earth, researchers at Cornell University analyzed reports from missionaries, plantation doctors, explorers, and anthropologists to put together a database of more than 480 cultural accounts of geophagy -- the eating of earth.The database includes as many details as possible about the circumstances under which earth was consumed, and by whom. The researchers could then use patterns in the data to evaluate each potential explanation.Studies in the database indicate that geophagy is common even when food is plentiful. Moreover, when people eat dirt they tend to eat only small quantities that are unlikely to fill an empty stomach.The database shows that geophagy is documented most commonly in women in the early stages of pregnancy and in pre-adolescent children. Both categories of people are especially sensitive to parasites and pathogens, according to the researchers.In addition, geophagy is most common in tropical climates where foodborne microbes are abundant. Finally, the database shows that people often eat earth during episodes of gastrointestinal stress.It's unlikely the intestinal problems are caused by the dirt itself because the type of clay people usually eat comes from deep in the ground, where pathogens and parasites are unlikely to contaminate it. Plus, people usually boil the clay before eating it.More study would be helpful to confirm the protection hypothesis, the researchers say, but the available data at this point clearly support it over the other explanations for eating earth."We hope this paper stimulates (more) research," said Sera Young, a researcher at Cornell University and the study's lead author. "More importantly, we hope readers agree that it is time to stop regarding geophagy as a bizarre, non-adaptive gustatory mistake.""With these data, it is clear that geophagy is a widespread behavior in humans ...that occurs during both vulnerable life stages and when facing ecological conditions that require protection."The study is appearing in the June issue of The Quarterly Review of Biology.

BERLIN, June 9 (Xinhua) -- A 57-year-old man died of E. coli infection in Germany's Frankfurt Thursday, pushing the death toll from the bacteria to 30.The man had traveled with his wife to the city of Hamburg, an epicenter of the outbreak, Frankfurt authority said.Another two deaths were reported in the state of Lower Saxony, including a 68-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman, while more than 2,800 people in 14 countries have been infected since the deadly E. coli outbroke.German researchers detected again the deadly strain o104 of E. coli on the scraps of cucumbers in a dustbin in the eastern city of Magdeburg in the state Saxony-Anhalt on Wednesday.German health minister Daniel Bahr expressed his cautious hope for the disease on Wednesday as the number of new infection is clearly going down.But he also admitted there will be new cases and more deaths have to be expected, as Germany's national disease control centre, the Robert Koch Institute reported more than 300 infection in Germany on the same day.The Robert Koch Institute also noticed the declining trend in new cases but it was not clear whether this was caused by people staying away from vegetables or the outbreak was truly waning.

BEIJING, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The after-tax CIF (cost, insurance and freight) price of China's jet fuel imports has been set at 7,768 yuan (1,206 U.S. dollars) per metric ton for August, China's economic planner said on Monday.The price adjustment marked the first time for the economic planner to adjust jet fuel prices on a monthly basis after it announced jet fuel pricing reforms in July, according to a notice posted on the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC)'s website.The NDRC announced on July 7 that it would introduce a market-oriented jet fuel pricing mechanism starting from Aug. 1.Under the new mechanism, the ex-plant price of jet fuel is required to be no higher than the after-tax CIF price of jet fuel imports from Singapore, Asia's largest oil trading and storage center.Taking transportation expenses, trade volumes and international crude oil prices into account, the jet fuel premium is negotiable between jet fuel sellers and buyers and will be reviewed once a year, while jet fuel ex-plant prices will be adjusted on the first day of every month, according to the NDRC.

WASHINGTON, July 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday hailed space shuttle Atlantis' final flight in NASA's shuttle program, saying Americans across the country watched with pride as America reached for the heavens once more.Obama expressed his "sincere gratitude" to Atlantis astronauts and space workers because they "helped our country lead the space age.""Today's launch may mark the final flight of the space shuttle, " Obama said in a statement. "But it propels us into the next era of our never-ending adventure to push the very frontiers of exploration and discovery in space."Friday's flight is the 33rd voyage for Atlantis. Its return to the earth later this month will mark the end of the 30-year shuttle program."What a truly awesome day today," said NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier at the STS- 135 postlaunch news conference. "What you saw is the finest launch team and shuttle preparation teams in the world.""It truly was an awesome, spectacular launch," added Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, who looked ahead to plans for future development beyond the shuttle program as space station operations continue.Atlantis will be the last shuttle to be retired. Discovery was first in March, followed by Endeavour at the beginning of June. Each shuttle will head to a museum.When the U.S. space shuttle program officially ends later this year, the Russian space program's Soyuz capsule will be the only method for transporting astronauts to and from the station.

BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- China will start "overall and thorough" safety checks on offshore oil exploration and production to eliminate risks in the wake of oil spills in the country's northern Bohai Bay, the work safety authority said Saturday.The checks, which starts from September 10 to December 10, will be applied to all offshore oil exploration and production, the State Administration of Work Safety said in a circular addressed to oil companies on its website.The companies include China National Petroleum Corporation, China Petrochemical Corporation, China National Offshore Oil Corporation, ConocoPhillips China, Kerr-McGee China Petroleum Ltd., Roc Oil (Bohai) Company, CACT Operators Group, Husky Oil China Ltd., Shanghai Petroleum Co., Energy Development Corporation (EDC) China and Tincy Group Energy, the statement said.The administration urged these enterprises to conduct self-examinations on their offshore fixed and mobile platforms and floating production storage and offloading units, submarine pipelines and onshore oil terminals in two months till November 10. They should file result reports before November 20.The authority's officials, joined by experts, will launch inspections from late November, the statement said. The checks cover well control amid drilling operation, safety management during production, facilities, and management over extreme weather, it added.The order came after the State Council on Wednesday called for strengthened monitoring and management of the marine environment as well as safety checks over the country's ocean oil fields to toughen safety measures and erase potential risks.The decision was made after oil spills at an offshore oil field run by U.S. oil giant ConocoPhillips have polluted more than 5,500 square km of sea water in the Bohai Bay since June.The central government also imposed restricts on new petrochemical projects and ban reclamation projects in the bay for environmental concerns.China has stepped up efforts to explore and materialize offshore resources to seek more dependence of the marine industries as a strategic development move. In its 12th Five-Year Plan, the government advocates greater scientific and systematic utilization of marine resources and coastal areas as energy demand soars.