Four ways for World Cup visitors to experience the best of Brazil

 

by KEVIN RAUB·

Brazil lives, breathes and dies football – that's why you're coming for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, after all! – but the South American giant is no one-hit wonder; from the tablelands and canyons of the country's impressive national parks to a rich culinary pedigree to the living museums of its colonial past, Brazil offers a lot of distractions off the pitch.

Brazil is the world's fifth largest country – all of non-Russian Europe fits easily within its 8,515,767 sq km. Unless time is no object (lucky you!), a visit here requires focus and advance planning – the latter will be especially important during the World Cup – if you intend to make the most of it.

So which Brazil do you want to see before and after the matches? We've created four unique itineraries to highlight what Brazil does best (besides football, of course) – nature, gastronomy, colonial Brazil and beaches. All the itineraries feature World Cup host cities along the route. Following them religiously from start to finish isn't the idea here; rather, attack these trips with a hop-on, hop-off approach, depending on which host cities already play a part in your plans.

Go on then …Qual é o seu prazer? What's your pleasure? (What do you like most?)

Nature calls: where to go wild in Brazil (three weeks)

Pin this image

Red and green macaws in the Pantanal. Image by Schafer & Hill / Photolibrary / Getty Images.

Brazil is the world's most biodiverse country. There is a lot of nature to cover, much of it world-famous (the Amazon, Iguaçu Falls, the Pantanal), but some of the highlights are not so well known internationally (read: less crowded). With over 15% of the country's environment protected and nearly 70 national parks to choose from, there is a lot to enjoy.

• Begin in Foz de Iguaçu, which should offer you a break on airfares since it's not a World Cup host city, and admire one of the world's most spectacular waterfalls. You need two days (one for the Brazil side, one for Argentina – don't even think about seeing just one or the other).
• From Foz, it's a lengthy but easy bus ride on Eucatur (www.eucatur.com.br) to Campo Grande, one of the gateways to the Pantanal, Brazil's ultimate wildlife-watching experience. Here, in wetlands 20 times the size of Florida's Everglades, you'll soon be sick and tired of all the exotic birds and mammals you see on a minute-by-minute basis. After your week, you won't even flinch when you see a jacaré!
• Most folks tack on Bonito to a Pantanal trip and so should you. This freshwater river wonderland is Mother Nature's aquarium, where life-changing snorkelling and ecotourism attractions in crystal-clear rivers are another example of Brazil at its best. It's an easy side trip to/from Campo Grande.
• Back in Campo Grande, make your way to Cuiabá, the smallest World Cup host city, and plan a two-day detour north of the city to Parque Nacional Chapada dos Guimarães, where you'll find several impressive sights and hikes.
• Fly to Manaus and witness the first ever World Cup matches in the Amazon jungle. Pick up a cheap hammock there and settle in for the five-day riverboat to Belém for the ultimate waterborne jungle journey.
• Leave a few days to explore the bustling, bohemian Amazon city of Belém, the more thrilling and food-centric of Brazil's two Amazon metropolises (and a cheaper flight out since it's not a host city).

Bom apetite: a Brazilian foodie tour (two weeks)

Pin this image

A fish dish served during a cruise down the Amazon. Image by Jorge from Brazil / CC BY 2.0.

A diversity of flavours shape Brazil's regional cuisines. From the Afro-Brazilian influences of Bahia and the Northeast to the massive immigration (mainly of Italians, Japanese, Syrians, Lebanese, and Germans) in the South/Southeast and the countryside cowboy cuisine of its interior (to say nothing of its Portuguese heritage), most Brazilian recipes are as culturally diverse as a cocktail reception at the UN. Foodies rejoice!

• This tastebud tour begins in São Paulo, Brazil's undisputed gastronomic capital, which boasts over 12,500 restaurants showcasing 52 types of cuisine. But you'll want to stick to what Sampa does best: Brazilian, Japanese, Italian and Arab. There are (literally) hundreds of amazing places to eat in this culinary monster, but for the best bang for your buck try: Maní (contemporary Brazilian), Pizzeria Speranza (pizza), Kinoshita (Japanese; www.restaurantekinoshita.com.br) and Tendo do Nilo (Lebanese; www.tendadonilo.com.br).
• Head west into Brazil's vast interior to Minas Gerais, famous for its hearty homegrown cuisine and warm, welcoming people. In World Cup host city Belo Horizonte, chef Doña Nelsa's Mineira staples – frango com quiabo (chicken with okra), carne na panela (stewed beef), tutu a Mineira (mashed black beans with onions, garlic and seasonings) at Xapuri, are a national reference for what Minas does so well.
• Detour four hours from BH via São João del Rei to the gorgeous town of Tiradentes, a treasure in its own right, but an altar for genuflecting gourmands in the know. Just 7,000 people share some six starred restaurants – the highest per capita in Brazil – according to Guia4Rodas, Brazil's most respected culinary bible and a soulmate to France's Michelin guides.
• Back in BH, fly to World Cup host city Salvador, the culinary cradle of Brazil's fiery and complex African-influenced cuisine. Dig into Brazil's best regional dishes, such as the moqueca (seafood stew) and acarajé (black-eyed pea fritters stuffed with vatapá, a creamy paste of shrimp, peanuts, coconut milk and dendê oil). For the former, head to Donana (www.donanarestaurante.com.br); for the latter, Casa Da Dinha (www.casadadinhadoacaraje.com.br).
• Finish things off with a flight into the heart of the Amazon, Belém. Making use of exotic Amazonian ingredients, the region's most famous dishes, such as tacacá (a soup made from jambu, a mouth-numbing indigenous herb, tucupi [a manioc broth] and dried shrimp) have been championed not only by the city's gourmands (eat at Remanso do Peixe; www.facebook.com/RemansoDoPeixe), but also by the country's most famous chef as well: at São Paulo's D.O.M., currently sitting pretty as the sixth best restaurant in the world according to the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, celebrity chef Alex Atala owes it all to harnessing the best of this region. Bom apetite!

Colonial splendours: explore Brazil's Portuguese heritage (two weeks)

Pin this image

A cobbled street in the colonial town of Paraty. Image by Rodrigo Soldon / CC BY 2.0.

Brazil stands alone in South America as the lone country colonised by the Portuguese, a quirk of history that distinguishes its culture, its architecture and its way of life from its continental neighbours. One of the most endearing treasures the Portuguese left behind is Brazil's wealth of colonial towns and villages, many of which are Unesco World Heritage sites. Step back in time on this tour of the country's most alluring spots.

• From your international gateway of Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo, make your way to Paraty, which sits halfway between the two along a drop-dead gorgeous stretch of sea and Atlantic rainforest. This pristinely preserved coastal town will floor you; its whitewashed walls and uneven cobbled roads are something straight out of a period piece. Surrounded by unparalleled beaches, it's the best Brazil has to offer.
• From Rio state, head inland to Minas Gerais, where tranquil Tiradentes awaits to charm your socks off. Not only is this tiny village one of Brazil's most quaint, but it's one of the best places to eat in the country.
• About 170km north is Ouro Prêto, which rises from the countryside like a dazzling colonial diamond in the rough. Over 80 years of conservation efforts have helped turn the city's two dozen gilded hilltop churches and colourful streets into a living museum. It's Brazil's Venice.
• Fly to host city Salvador via Belo Horizonte and revel in the vibrant sights and sounds of Pelourinho, the bustling city's Afro-Brazilian-influenced historic quarter, another Unesco World Heritage site and certainly one of the country's most picturesque spots.
• It's a quick 1 1/4-hour flight north from Salvador to Recife – catch a World Cup match, then ride out the remainder of your time in country in nearby Olinda, the Unesco-protected, artsy antidote to Recife's big city bedlam located just 20km north of Recife's international airport.

Coasting along: the best of Brazil's beaches (one month)

Pin this image

An arc of beach at Fernando de Noronha. Image by Jackson Carvalho / Flickr / Getty Images.

Where to begin? There's 7,491km of coastline in Brazil. That's a lot of sun, sand and caipirinhas! This country doesn't even do bad beaches, so narrowing it down to the top shores becomes one gargantuan (and subjective) task. Consider this your rough guide to beach-bound paradise.

• Fly into World Cup host city Fortaleza, where an all-day bus/4WD truck combo will transport you to the isolated paradise of Jericoacoara, one of Brazil's storybook destinations. Towering beach dunes and memorable sunsets will linger long in the memory.
• Head back to Fortaleza, where one of Brazil's ultimate beach experiences awaits: hook up with Nordeste Off Road for a three- to five-day, 700km, 92-beach buggy ride all the way to Natal, stopping in traditional fishing villages, popular weekend beaches and more remote sands along the way.
• Natal is both a World Cup host city and a gateway to Brazil's aquatic Eden: Fernando de Noronha, which no discerning beach connoisseur would ever consider skipping. Here you'll find Brazil's three most beautiful beaches, its best diving and its best surfing (Dec to Mar).
• You can fly out of Noronha to Recife, where you can catch another World Cup match, then make your way south to Praia dos Carneiros, a perfect isolated patch of sand hugging the Rio Formoso, before hopping on a flight to Salvador, another host city and gateway to the beautiful Bahian beaches of Trancoso, Boipeba, Caraiva and Praia do Espelho. Take your pick!
• After soaking up the sun in the best of Bahia, it's time for a change of scenery. Fly south to Florianópolis on the island of Santa Catarina. You're now within earshot of 42 idyllic beaches, each with its own distinct personality. There is something for everyone here: surf beaches, gay beaches, hippie beaches, trendy beaches – you get the idea. It's the kind of place you won't want to leave. Up to you!

São Paulo-based Kevin Raub is the co-author of Lonely Planet's Brazil travel guide and he loves anywhere that ends in -land. Follow him @RaubontheRoad.

Crucial security problem in Google Play: Thousands of secret keys found in android apps

---

Some of the secret keys, including Facebook and LinkedIn, were discovered by PlayDrone, a tool developed by Columbia Engineering researchers that uses hacking techniques to circumvent Google security to successfully download Google Play apps and recover their sources.

In a paper presented -- and awarded the Ken Sevcik Outstanding Student Paper Award -- at the ACM SIGMETRICS conference on June 18, Jason Nieh, professor of computer science at Columbia Engineering, and PhD candidate Nicolas Viennot reported that they have discovered a crucial security problem in Google Play, the official Android app store where millions of users of Android, the most popular mobile platform, get their apps.

"Google Play has more than one million apps and over 50 billion app downloads, but no one reviews what gets put into Google Play -- anyone can get a $25 account and upload whatever they want. Very little is known about what's there at an aggregate level," says Nieh, who is also a member of the University's Institute for Data Sciences and Engineering's Cybersecurity Center. "Given the huge popularity of Google Play and the potential risks to millions of users, we thought it was important to take a close look at Google Play content."

Nieh and Viennot's paper is the first to make a large-scale measurement of the huge Google Play marketplace. To do this, they developed PlayDrone, a tool that uses various hacking techniques to circumvent Google security to successfully download Google Play apps and recover their sources. PlayDrone scales by simply adding more servers and is fast enough to crawl Google Play on a daily basis, downloading more than 1.1 million Android apps and decompiling over 880,000 free applications.

Nieh and Viennot discovered all kinds of new information about the content in Google Play, including a critical security problem: developers often store their secret keys in their apps software, similar to usernames/passwords info, and these can be then used by anyone to maliciously steal user data or resources from service providers such as Amazon and Facebook. These vulnerabilities can affect users even if they are not actively running the Android apps. Nieh notes that even "Top Developers," designated by the Google Play team as the best developers on Google Play, included these vulnerabilities in their apps.

"We've been working closely with Google, Amazon, Facebook, and other service providers to identify and notify customers at risk, and make the Google Play store a safer place," says Viennot. "Google is now using our techniques to proactively scan apps for these problems to prevent this from happening again in the future."

In fact, Nieh adds, developers are already receiving notifications from Google to fix their apps and remove the secret keys.

Nieh and Viennot expect PlayDrone to lay a foundation for new kinds of analysis of Android apps. "Big data is increasingly important and Android apps are just one form of interesting data," Nieh observes. "Our work makes it possible to analyze Android apps at large scale in new ways, and we expect that PlayDrone will be a useful tool to better understand Android apps and improve the quality of application content in Google Play."

Other findings of the research include:

• showing that roughly a quarter of all Google Play free apps are clones: these apps are duplicative of other apps already in Google Play

• identifying a performance problem resulting in very slow app purchases in Google Play: this has since been fixed

• a list of the top 10 most highly rated apps and the top 10 worst rated apps in Google Play that included surprises such as an app that, while the worst rated, still had more than a million downloads: it purports to be a scale that measures the weight of an object placed on the touchscreen of an Android device, but instead displays a random number for the weight

Good news for the hundreds of thousands of developers who upload content to Google Play and even more so for the millions of users who download the content.

Children consuming a Mediterranean diet are 15% less likely to be overweight, study finds

---

A study of 8 European countries presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO)in Sofia, Bulgaria, shows that children consuming a diet more in line with the rules of the Mediterranean one are 15% less likely to be overweight or obese than those children who do not.

The research is by Dr Gianluca Tognon, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden, and colleagues across the 8 countries: Sweden, Germany, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Belgium, Estonia and Hungary.

The researchers used data from the IDEFICS study (Identification and Prevention of Dietary -- and lifestyle -- induced health effects in Children and infants), funded by the European Commission. Weight, height, waist circumference, and percent body fat mass were measured in children from these eight countries.

Vegetables, fruit, nuts and fish

The parents of these children were interviewed by means of a questionnaire specifically designed for the IDEFICS study and enquiring about the consumption frequency of 43 foods. Additional dietary data have been complemented by a telephone interview performed on a sub-sample of parents.

The adherence to a Mediterranean-like diet was assessed by a score calculating by giving one point for high intakes of each food group which was considered typical of the Mediterranean diet (vegetables, fruit and nuts, fish and cereal grains), as well as one point for low intakes of foods untypical of the Mediterranean diet (such as dairy and meat products).

Swedish children most Mediterranean

Interestingly, the prevalence of high adherence to a Mediterranean-like diet was found to be independent of the geographical distribution, with the Swedish children scoring the highest (followed by the Italians) and the children from Cyprus scoring the lowest.

The team found that children with a high adherence to a Mediterranean-like diet were 15% less likely to be overweight or obese than low-adherent children. The findings were independent of age, sex, socioeconomic status or country of residence.

The children with high adherence at baseline were 10-15% less likely to be among those who went through major increases in BMI, waist circumference and body fat.

"The promotion of a Mediterranean dietary pattern is no longer a feature of Mediterranean countries. Considering its potential beneficial effects on obesity prevention, this dietary pattern should be part of EU obesity prevention strategies and its promotion should be particularly intense in those countries where low levels of adherence are detected." says Gianluca Tognon, researcher at the Sahlgrenska Academy.

New manufacturing methods for 'soft' machines, robots

---

Purdue researchers have developed a technique to embed a liquid-alloy pattern inside a rubber-like polymer to form a network of sensors. The approach might be used to produce "soft machines" made of elastic materials and liquid metals for potential applications in robotics, medical devices and consumer electronics.

Researchers have developed a technique that might be used to produce "soft machines" made of elastic materials and liquid metals for potential applications in robotics, medical devices and consumer electronics.

Such an elastic technology could make possible robots that have sensory skin and stretchable garments that people might wear to interact with computers or for therapeutic purposes.

However, new manufacturing techniques must be developed before soft machines become commercially practical, said Rebecca Kramer, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue University.

She and her students are working to develop the fabrication technique, which uses a custom-built 3D printer. Recent findings show how to use the technique to create devices called strain gauges, which are commonly found in many commercial applications to measure how much something is stretching.

The findings are detailed in a research paper appearing this week in the journal Advanced Functional Materials and is featured on the journal's inside front cover. The paper was authored by postdoctoral research associate J. William Boley; doctoral student Edward L. White; George T.C. Chiu, a professor of mechanical engineering; and Kramer.

The researchers embedded liquid-alloy devices into a rubber-like polymer called polydimethylsiloxane, or PDMS, a silicon-based "elastomer." The liquid gallium-indium alloy was used to create patterns of lines to form a network of sensors.

"It has some odd properties," Kramer said. "Gallium oxidizes really quickly and forms a thick gallium-oxide skin, which is challenging to work with using typical liquid-processing techniques."

However, the Purdue researchers have invented a method that takes advantage of the alloy's oxidized skin.

"We exploit this oxide skin by using it for structural stability. This means you can print liquid on a surface and it will maintain stable structures without moving around," she said. "Once you print it you can flip it over or turn it on its side, because the liquid is encased by this oxide skin. We use this finding to embed our electronics in elastomer without ruining or altering the printed structures during the processing steps."

Strain gauges measure how much a material stretches or deforms. Because conventional strain gauges are made of rigid metal film, they can't measure more than a 1-percent deformation before breaking, whereas a soft strain gauge could continue stretching with the material, measuring 100 percent of a material's strain.

"What's exciting about the soft strain gauge is that it can detect very high strains and can deform with almost any material," Kramer said. "The skin around your joints undergoes about 50 percent strain when you bend a limb, so if you wanted to have sensory skin and wearable technology that tracks your movement you need to employ soft, stretchable materials that won't restrict your natural range of motion."

Findings in the research paper describe how to use the 3D printer to create soft strain gauges.

"If you want to achieve a strain gauge device and you want the traces to be a certain width or height, we can tell you with our paper exactly what parameters you should choose, including the flow rate of the liquid, the speed of the stage, and the standoff distance of the nozzle from the substrate. We have created a design strategy for 3D printing liquid metals."

The research has shown that the liquid alloy does not readily adhere to the PDMS, whereas the oxide skin does. The findings may enable the researchers to increase this adhesion, a step that could help in the further development of the technique.

"Most sensors made from these materials are prototyped individually and limited to the millimeter-scale," said Kramer, who leads the team that created the prototype sensor. "Our process enables digital fabrication of the sensors on the micro-scale. While this is a huge step forward, we need to continue to decrease scale and increase density to develop sensors and electronics that are comparable to traditional, rigid devices and that mimic the functionality of human skin."

The new process also can be used to fabricate pressure sensors, capacitors and conductors. Previously, Kramer developed a hyperelastic tactile keypad using the same materials.

"It's a sensitive keypad that is flexible and wearable," she said. "When you push on the elastomer it will deform the underlying microchannels, changing the resistance across them."

Soft machines could make possible new types of soft microelectromechanical systems, or MEMS. Current MEMS such as miniature accelerometers and gyroscopes found in consumer electronics, automotive airbags and other products are made of solid metals. However, the development of soft MEMS could open up new applications.

'Smart glass' micro-iris for smartphone cameras

 

June 18, 2014

Institute of Physics

A small, low-powered camera component made from a 'smart glass' material has been created by a group of researchers in Germany with the hope of inspiring the next generation of smartphone cameras. The micro-iris is an electro-chemical equivalent to the bulky, mechanical blades that are usually found in cameras and has very low power consumption, making it an ideal component for a wide-range of camera-integrated consumer devices.

---

The micro-iris is an electro-chemical equivalent to the bulky, mechanical blades that are usually found in cameras and has very low power consumption, making it an ideal component for a wide-range of camera-integrated consumer devices.

The device and the first results of its performance have been presented in a study published today, 19 June, in IOP Publishing's Journal of Optics.

In the human eye, the iris controls the diameter of the pupil and subsequently the amount of light that reaches the retina. The purpose of an iris, or aperture stop, in a camera is exactly the same; it controls the amount of light that reaches a camera's sensors, which affects the overall focus of the image.

Traditionally, cameras have contained a set of overlapping blades that are mechanically moved to change the size of the hole -- or aperture -- through which light enters. However, with the rising popularity of small, compact and lightweight consumer devices that are integrated with cameras, it has been almost impossible to miniaturise these mechanical systems.

The researchers, from the University of Kaiserslautern, have proposed an alternative method using an electrochromic material. This material, which is often referred to as "smart glass," transforms from a transparent material into an opaque material when a small electrical voltage is applied to it.

In their study, the researchers fabricated a micro-iris using two glass substrates sandwiched together, and with each one carrying a thin film of electrochromic material, called PEDOT, on an underlying transparent electrode.

The micro-iris was 55 µm thick and could be switched into an opaque state using a current of 20 µA with a voltage of 1.5 V.

The micro-iris exhibited a memory effect and did not require a continuous current to maintain the opaque state, so its power consumption remained very small.

In addition to testing the intensity of light that passed through the micro-iris, as well as the amount of time it took to switch between different states, the researchers also examined the depth of focus that the micro-iris was able to impart in comparison to a traditional blade-based iris.

Lead author of the research Tobias Deutschmann said: "There is currently no technological solution available that meets all the demands of integrated iris apertures in smartphones.

"Many of the proposed devices require the motion of a strong absorbing material to block the path of light. Electrochromic materials, as used in this study, remain stationary whilst they change their absorption, so there is no need for any actuation. This allows for much smaller casings to fit around the devices and thus enables the integration into tiny camera systems”.

"We will now further investigate the potential of optimized electrochromic materials, with a particular focus on improving the optical contrast and, in particular, the control of the depth of focus -- this is the decisive hardware parameter which determines the success of next-generation models in the smart phone business."

Longer battery life, more memory in electronics? Rare materials perform at near-room temperature

---

New theoretical physics research reveals rare materials that possess both controllable magnetic and electric polarization properties at near-room temperatures.

The discovery could lead to longer battery life and increased memory storage for electronic devices, said Yurong Yang, a research assistant professor at the University of Arkansas.

An international team of physicists published its findings on May 28 in Nature Communications, an online journal published by the journal Nature, in a paper titled "Near room-temperature multiferroic materials with tunable ferromagnetic and electrical properties."

A rare class of materials known as multiferroics can change their electrical polarization when under a magnetic field or magnetic properties when under an electric field. But multiferroics usually exhibit these properties at temperatures far below room temperature, which makes them useless for every-day applications.

As a result, the materials used to power today's memory devices do so through electricity or magnetism, but not both.

The research team included Yang and Laurent Bellaiche, Distinguished Professor of physics at the University of Arkansas. Yang, a theoretical physicist, used computer modeling to perform extremely accurate calculations on a specific class of materials to find combinations that would display these properties.

The researchers found that a specific class of multiferroics, when periodically alternating along a specific direction to make what is called a superlattice, should exhibit both controllable magnetic and electrical polarization properties at near-room temperature, Yang said.

Superlattices are like multi-layered cakes, where the cake layers are only nanometers thick and are made of different materials such as the multiferroics studied in this paper. The next step will be experimental confirmation of their calculations.

Yang and Bellaiche both conduct research in the University of Arkansas' Institute for Nanoscience and Engineering and the department of physics. Bellaiche holds the Twenty-First Century Endowed Professorship in Nanotechnology and Science Education.

The results were obtained through a collaborative effort with Hong Jian Zhao, a former visiting graduate student at the University of Arkansas who is now completing his doctorate in the department of materials science and engineering at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China. Also collaborating on the study were Xiang Ming Chen, Zhao's adviser at Zhejiang University; Wei Ren at Shanghai University in China and Jorge Iniguez at the Materials Science Institute of Barcelona in Spain.

Horizontal levitation: The ultimate solution to particle separation

 

June 18, 2014

Springer Science+Business Media

Separating particles from the liquid they are in can now be done with a new concept. Magnetic separators exploit the difference in magnetic properties between minerals, for example when separating magnetite from quartz. But this exercise becomes considerably more complex when the particles are not magnetic. In the wake of previous particle levitation experiments under high-power magnetic fields, a new study reveals that particles are deflected away from the magnet's round-shaped bore center in a horizontal direction.

---

Magnetic separators exploit the difference in magnetic properties between minerals, for example when separating magnetite from quartz. But this exercise becomes considerably more complex when the particles are not magnetic. In the wake of previous particle levitation experiments under high-power magnetic fields, a new study reveals that particles are deflected away from the magnet's round-shaped bore centre in a horizontal direction. Previous studies had observed the vertical levitation of the particles. These findings are presented by Shixiao Liu from the Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, UK and colleagues, in a paper recently published in EPJ E, and could led to a new concept in particles and minerals separation technologies.

The authors analysed video frames covering 0.1 second each of the movement of glass and pyrite particles of roughly one millimetre diameter in a solution that was subjected to a strong non-uniform magnetic field created by a superconducting magnet. The authors show that pyrite and glass particles were deflected and settled at certain positions in a specially designed container. They explain that this pattern is due to differences in the particles' densities and magnetic susceptibilities.

The gradient in the magnetic field gives rise to a radial force-defined by the particles' magnetic properties-capable of separating the glass from pyrite particles. At the same time, the magnetic field gradient also induces the so-called Magneto-Archimedes force, which compensates for the force of gravity. Surprisingly, the particle size seems to have little influence on the results, at least for the limited size range examined in these experiments.

The authors then confirmed their experimental findings using mathematical simulations of the particle displacement.

World Cup hotels: Where teams are staying in Brazil

 

 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

All eyes are on Brazil this summer as the world's soccer teams descend on the South American country for the 2014 World Cup. Wonder where all those players are staying? Trivago.ca takes Sun Media inside 10 of the hotels the world's top soccer teams are staying at. From beachfront resorts to mountain retreats, check out these 10 gorgeous properties in our gallery.

England - Royal Tulip, Rio de Janeiro: The England squad will be making the Royal Tulip their home this summer – a stylish hotel located on the São Conrado beach in Rio de Janeiro. Fully equipped with an outdoor pool and stylish bar, the hotel certainly delivers on leisure activities, with two tennis courts, a gym and a sauna to help unwind after a tough match. (Courtesy Royal Tulip, Rio de Janeiro)

10 Reasons Why Rio de Janeiro is Awesome!

 

Posted in Featured, South America on February 10, 2014

Many times on my travels I have found there are cities that are hyped up to be something extra-ordinary, extra special, something spectacular, only to get there and feel disappointed because it just didn’t live up to the huge promotion it was given. I expected this to happen in Rio de Janeiro. I expected it not to be as good as I had imagined. I arrived in a bad mood thinking it wouldn’t be everything I wanted it to be. I was wrong. It was better than I imagined. I genuinely love this city and for that reason I thought I’d share with you 10 reasons why I think it’s awesome! I hope it makes you want to visit Rio if you haven’t visited already!

 

Breath-taking coastline

Usually I hate busy beaches. As a self confessed introvert on my travels I like my own space, and in particular I like empty or near-empty beaches. It’s only then I feel I can enjoy the sea views and the cusp of a wave to its full extent. However, even on an extremely busy weekend, walking along Rio de Janeiro’s most famous beaches – Copacabana and Ipanema - I couldn’t help but be over-awed by the stunning coastline landscape here. Particularly in the case of Ipanema (see me pictured at Ipanema beach above), despite the huge crowds of people you just couldn’t deny it was an incredible coastal view. You could definitely under stand the popularity and why these beaches are known the world over.

 

Well prepared for tourists

One of the things I was most impressed with in Rio was the strong presence at the International Airport and major tourist sites of tourist information points and people handing out free city maps. Particularly at the airport I think I passed around 3 separate tourist information desks, one of which you passed before you’d even collected your hold luggage. Something simple like this made it so much easier getting from the International Airport into town by bus and it was a small yet reassuring sign that Rio is ready for the World Cup in June despite its recent troubles.

 

Super friendly & sociable locals

I’ve only ever had good experiences when I’ve met Brazilian people on my travels around the world. They just seem to be friendly and sociable by nature and my time in Rio de Janeiro was no different. Every time I asked for help or directions people always seemed happy to help. When I was sitting in cafes on my own local people would just come up and talk to me even though I was a complete stranger. If there wasn’t enough seats in a restaurant people who’d never met each other before would just squeeze up next to one another and chat while they ate. Usually the big cities are the places where people can often be less friendly but I personally did not experience this in Rio de Janeiro. Genuinely, everyone was really nice to me. The place just had a cool vibe and I loved hanging out with the local people here.

 

Christ the Redeemer

It’s probably one of the few landmarks around the world that could rival the Eiffel Tower for fame - and you can see exactly why when you visit the ‘Christ the Redeemer’ statue in Rio de Janeiro. In actual fact, whilst the trip to view the statue up close was a worth while one-time experience in order to see it up close, in my opinion the statue is actually most impressive when viewed from afar around the city. For example, the views of ‘Christ the Redeemer’ from Botafogo – the neighbourhood where I was staying - were particularly impressive. They made what would have been a normal day shopping for example turn into something more inspiring when you see the statue in the distance (and I’m not even religious!)

Açaí is a non-alcoholic berry fruit drink that you drink/eat with a spoon. The Açaí Palm (the plant which the berries come from) is native to Central and South America but is particularly popular in Brazil. I personally had never heard of Açaí until I arrived in Rio and so it was therefore  a very welcome surprise! I actually think I got mildly addicted to the stuff while I was here, and considering how many juice bars there are in Rio, it was a good excuse to stop every so often and have a drink of Açaí when the hot summer weather here got too much.

 

Caipirinha

Rio de Janeiro is a party city. Even if you were like me and chose not to focus your activities here on partying so much, you can’t come to Rio and not taste a local Caiprinha in Brazil’s most famous city! A word of warning though – they do make them strong!

 

Brazilian Samba

Another popular activity to experience while you’re in Rio is to take some Samba lessons. You also may want to go see a Samba show. I personally recommend doing both, but I think you’ll also be hard pressed to find a Samba show in Rio de Janeiro that isn’t also a tourist trap. Not that there’s anything wrong with that as long as it’s fun and you have a good time, but personally I think for a more authentic experience it’s better to go learn a bit of the dance with a local qualified instructor followed by a trip to a samba club. You’ll find many of the hostels in Rio offer lessons in house or can arrange them for you (which is what I did in Rio as I had limited time to shop around), but I also heard good things about ‘Rio Samba Dancer’ school, a local company who offer group lessons to tourists.

 

Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas

 

For me the Rodrigo de Freitas lake was one of the major visual highlights of Rio de Janeiro. A) Because the lake itself it very tranquil and beautiful, and B) because of the great views of the ‘Christ the Redeemer’ statue from the lake side. It’s the best place in my opinion to view Rio’s iconic statue from afar, but it’s also just a really nice place to visit on its own if you’re chilling out on a sunny day or want to go for a bike ride. You’ll also meet a lot of local people here on weekends out cycling or having lunch with their family.

 

Pão de Açúcar Cable Car

Again, another great spot for epic views of Rio de Janiero! The Pão de Açúcar is a double cliff/mountain top and cable car situated on the coast in between Rio’s Botafogo neighbourhood and Copacabana. There are two cable cars that take you to both cliff tops and allow you some stunning views of the city. There is also more room to move than you’ll find when you go to visit the Christ Redeemer statue, so may allow you some better photos of the city. However, this attraction is also rather pricey at 60 Brazilian Reals for 1 adult - more than what it will cost you for much more famous attractions in the city! Still, the views are incredible.

 

Sunshine Weather

Rio never really gets cold. Certainly not by Northern European standards where I come from. When I was there a few weeks ago most days were around the 30 ºC mark, but on a particularly hot summer day it can reach as high as 40 ºC. In winter the weather here is usually around 20 ºC to 25 ºC (what an average summer would be like for me in Scotland!) Although you can find it dips down to as low as 15 ºC on a ‘cold’ winter day here. Essentially Rio has the perfect climate for a visit any time of year.

- I really loved Rio de Janeiro during my time here. I remember arriving in Rio feeling a little down and in a bit of a bluesy mood only to immediately feel much more cheery and uplifted as soon as I stepped out into the city. It’s just one of those places that has that kind of affect on you. It’s beautiful, sunny, there’s lots to do and the local people are friendly. The only thing I wished for was that I had more time here. It’s certainly on my agenda to make a return visit here at some point in the future. It really is an awesome city!

Yoga exercise program tailored for pulmonary hypertension patients

---

A first-of-its-kind yoga exercise program has been developed by Henry Ford Hospital for patients living with pulmonary hypertension, a chronic lung disease that afflicts women at least two times more than men.

Called Yoga for PH, the 40-minute program includes three yoga exercise levels and a nutrition and lifestyle discussion. It is available for free download on iTunes and Googleplay.

The program was developed by Henry Ford pulmonologist Rana Awdish, M.D. , a 20-year yoga practitioner.

"These yoga exercises are modified specifically for the needs of pulmonary hypertension patients and can be done safely regardless of the patient's level of physical fitness," Dr. Awdish says. "We all recognize the importance of exercise. But for these patients, routine activities like walking up stairs can be challenging, so convincing them they can have success exercising can be challenging.”

"What we've created are a series of gentle, low-impact exercises that can be in the comfort of their own home, sitting in a chair or standing. These are designed to improve balance, strength, reduce stress and calm the nervous system. Even patients who require oxygen can perform these exercises."

Henry Ford Hospital is among the largest referral centers for pulmonary hypertension in the United States, and is one of only two hospitals in Michigan that offer pulmonary and critical care medicine fellowship programs. The hospital has an intensive care unit dedicated to the care of pulmonary hypertension patients, with specially-trained nurses who are experts in managing the complex needs of these patients.

Dr. Awdish says the idea for a yoga exercise program was borne from requests from patients. It was funded by a grant from the Pulmonary Hypertension Association.

"The interest was all organic," she says, "and the patients wanted to know how to do yoga safely, despite their condition."

Pulmonary hypertension, or PH, is high blood pressure in the lungs. The blood vessels in the lungs become narrowed and the heart has to work harder to pump blood through them. It typically develops between the ages of 20 and 60, and is two or three times more common in women than men.

Common symptoms are shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain and a racing heartbeat. As PH worsens, symptoms may limit physical activity.

While PH has no cure, the earlier the disease is treated, the better the outcomes are for patients. Treatment options to relieve symptoms and slow the progression of the disease include medication, surgical procedures and lifestyle changes. "With proper medication," Dr. Awdish says, "patients can live a long and healthy life."

"Any amount of exercise is beneficial is patients," she says. "We know that when patients are engaged in their treatment and their healing, they have better outcomes. These yoga exercises will help aid their healing process."