Good Morning Baby is a short film starring Piper Perabo and is based on a non-fiction piece by Courtney Lochner.

Plot

Gabriella (Perabo) is a woman who is living in New York, having gotten a freelance job at a magazine for two months. She calls her fiance back home in her small town (starting off the conversation with "Good morning, baby.") the day before she's set to come back home. As she leaves him a message on his machine, she checks her e-mail, only to find that he left her an e-mail saying that he met someone else, saying that the distance was too much for him.

Gabriella then wanders around the city, bumping into a young man whom she calls an idiot. She finally meets her friend in a park, who asks to meet her tomorrow, as that will be her last day in New York. The next day, Gabriella is seen sitting on a park bench, wearing a red wig - "I wanted to be someone else today," she explains. As the two friends sit, the friend mentions how she misses the 'old New York', with the grime and crime giving the city an 'edge'. Gabriella, however, still enjoys New York as it is. When she gets back, Gabriella is given a small gift by her landlady - a small plastic globe with "I Love NY", so that she'll have something to remember the city by. Getting back to her apartment, she gets a message from her fiance, Max, who says that he's sorry and he misses her - he wants to make things right when she gets home.

The following morning, Gabriella is hailing a cab with her belongings, when the handsome man from the other day comes out of the first cab that stops. When he asks if she's going somewhere, Gabriealla stops, smiles, and says that "I'm coming home", slamming the taxi door shut. She then watches the handsome man walk off, sits down on the stoop, and calls her mom on the cell phone with a smile on her face.

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Blood pressure (BP) is the pressure of circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels. When used without further specification, "blood pressure" usually refers to the pressure in large arteries of the systemic circulation. Blood pressure is usually expressed in terms of the systolic pressure (maximum during one heart beat) over diastolic pressure (minimum in between two heart beats) and is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), above the surrounding atmospheric pressure (considered to be zero for convenience).

It is one of the vital signs, along with respiratory rate, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and body temperature. Normal resting blood pressure in an adult is approximately 120 mmHg systolic, and 80 mmHg diastolic, abbreviated "120/80 mmHg".

Traditionally, blood pressure was measured non-invasively using a mercury manometer and this is still generally considered the gold standard. More recently other semi-automated methods have become common, largely due to concerns about potential mercury toxicity, although cost and ease of use have also influenced this trend. Early alternatives to mercury sphygmomanometers were often inaccurate, but more modern validated devices have similar accuracy to mercury devices.

Blood pressure is influenced by cardiac output, total peripheral resistance and arterial stiffness and varies depending on situation, emotional state, activity, and relative health/disease states. In the short term it is regulated by baroreceptors which act via the brain to influence nervous and endocrine systems.

Blood pressure that is low due to a disease state is called hypotension, and pressure that is consistently high is hypertension. Both have many causes and may be of sudden onset or of long duration. Long term hypertension is a risk factor for many diseases, including heart disease, stroke and kidney failure. Long term hypertension is more common than long term hypotension. Long term hypertension often goes undetected because of infrequent monitoring and the absence of symptoms.

Classification

Systemic arterial pressure

The risk of cardiovascular disease increases progressively above 115/75 mmHg. In practice blood pressure is considered too low only if noticeable symptoms are present.

Observational studies demonstrate that people who maintain arterial pressures at the low end of these pressure ranges have much better long term cardiovascular health. There is an ongoing medical debate over what is the optimal level of blood pressure to target when using drugs to lower blood pressure with hypertension, particularly in older people.

The table shows the classification of blood pressure adopted by the American Heart Association for adults who are 18 years and older. It assumes the values are a result of averaging resting blood pressure readings measured at two or more visits to the doctor.

In the UK, clinic blood pressures are usually categorized into three groups; low (90/60 or lower), normal (between 90/60 and 139/89), and high (140/90 or higher).

Blood pressure fluctuates from minute to minute and normally shows a circadian rhythm over a 24-hour period, with highest readings in the early morning and evenings and lowest readings at night. Loss of the normal fall in blood pressure at night is associated with a greater future risk of cardiovascular disease and there is evidence that night-time blood pressure is a stronger predictor of cardiovascular events than day-time blood pressure. Also, an individual's blood pressure varies with exercise, emotional reactions, sleep, digestion and time of day (circadian rhythm).

Various other factors, such as age and sex, also influence a person's blood pressure. In children, the normal ranges are lower than for adults and depend on height. Reference blood pressure values have been developed for children in different countries, based on the distribution of blood pressure in children of these countries. As adults age, systolic pressure tends to rise and diastolic pressure tends to fall. Consequently, in the elderly, systolic blood pressure often exceeds the normal adult range, this is thought to be due to increased stiffness of the arteries.

Differences between left and right arm blood pressure measurements tend to be small. However, occasionally there is a consistent difference greater than 10 mmHg which may need further investigation, e.g. for obstructive arterial disease.

Mean arterial pressure

The mean arterial pressure (MAP) is the average over a cardiac cycle and is determined by the cardiac output (CO), systemic vascular resistance (SVR), and central venous pressure (CVP):

${\displaystyle \!{\text{MAP}}=({\text{CO}}\cdot {\text{SVR}})+{\text{CVP}}}$

In practice the contribution of CVP (which is small) is generally ignored and so

${\displaystyle \!{\text{MAP}}={\text{CO}}\cdot {\text{SVR}}}$

MAP can be estimated from measurements of the systolic pressure ${\displaystyle \!P_{\text{sys}}}$  and the diastolic pressure ${\displaystyle \!P_{\text{dias}}}$ 

${\displaystyle \!{\text{MAP}}\approxeq P_{\text{dias}}+{\frac {1}{3}}(P_{\text{sys}}-P_{\text{dias}})}$

Pulse pressure

The pulse pressure is the difference between the measured systolic and diastolic pressures,

${\displaystyle \!P_{\text{pulse}}=P_{\text{sys}}-P_{\text{dias}}.}$

The up and down fluctuation of the arterial pressure results from the pulsatile nature of the cardiac output, i.e. the heartbeat. Pulse pressure is determined by the interaction of the stroke volume of the heart, the compliance (ability to expand) of the arterial systemâ€"largely attributable to the aorta and large elastic arteriesâ€"and the resistance to flow in the arterial tree. By expanding under pressure, the aorta absorbs some of the force of the blood surge from the heart during a heartbeat. In this way, the pulse pressure is reduced from what it would be if the aorta were not compliant. The loss of arterial compliance that occurs with aging explains the elevated pulse pressures found in elderly patients.

Systemic venous pressure

Blood pressure generally refers to the arterial pressure in the systemic circulation. However, measurement of pressures in the venous system and the pulmonary vessels plays an important role in intensive care medicine but requires invasive measurement of pressure using a catheter.

Venous pressure is the vascular pressure in a vein or in the atria of the heart. It is much less than arterial pressure, with common values of 5 mmHg in the right atrium and 8 mmHg in the left atrium.

Variants of venous pressure include:

• Central venous pressure, which is a good approximation of right atrial pressure, which is a major determinant of right ventricular end diastolic volume. (However, there can be exceptions in some cases.)
• The jugular venous pressure (JVP) is the indirectly observed pressure over the venous system. It can be useful in the differentiation of different forms of heart and lung disease.
• The portal venous pressure is the blood pressure in the portal vein. It is normally 5â€"10 mmHg

Pulmonary pressure

Normally, the pressure in the pulmonary artery is about 15 mmHg at rest.

Increased blood pressure in the capillaries of the lung cause pulmonary hypertension, leading to interstitial edema if the pressure increases to above 20 mmHg, and to pulmonary edema at pressures above 25 mmHg.

Disorders

Disorders of blood pressure control include: high blood pressure, low blood pressure, and blood pressure that shows excessive or maladaptive fluctuation.

High

Arterial hypertension can be an indicator of other problems and may have long-term adverse effects. Sometimes it can be an acute problem, for example hypertensive emergency.

Levels of arterial pressure put mechanical stress on the arterial walls. Higher pressures increase heart workload and progression of unhealthy tissue growth (atheroma) that develops within the walls of arteries. The higher the pressure, the more stress that is present and the more atheroma tend to progress and the heart muscle tends to thicken, enlarge and become weaker over time.

Persistent hypertension is one of the risk factors for strokes, heart attacks, heart failure and arterial aneurysms, and is the leading cause of chronic kidney failure. Even moderate elevation of arterial pressure leads to shortened life expectancy. At severely high pressures, mean arterial pressures 50% or more above average, a person can expect to live no more than a few years unless appropriately treated.

In the past, most attention was paid to diastolic pressure; but nowadays it is recognised that both high systolic pressure and high pulse pressure (the numerical difference between systolic and diastolic pressures) are also risk factors. In some cases, it appears that a decrease in excessive diastolic pressure can actually increase risk, due probably to the increased difference between systolic and diastolic pressures (see the article on pulse pressure). If systolic blood pressure is elevated (>140 mmHg) with a normal diastolic blood pressure (<90 mmHg), it is called "isolated systolic hypertension" and may present a health concern.

For those with heart valve regurgitation, a change in its severity may be associated with a change in diastolic pressure. In a study of people with heart valve regurgitation that compared measurements 2 weeks apart for each person, there was an increased severity of aortic and mitral regurgitation when diastolic blood pressure increased, whereas when diastolic blood pressure decreased, there was a decreased severity.

Low

Blood pressure that is too low is known as hypotension. Hypotension is a medical concern if it causes signs or symptoms, such as dizziness, fainting, or in extreme cases, shock.

When arterial pressure and blood flow decrease beyond a certain point, the perfusion of the brain becomes critically decreased (i.e., the blood supply is not sufficient), causing lightheadedness, dizziness, weakness or fainting.

Sometimes the arterial pressure drops significantly when a patient stands up from sitting. This is known as orthostatic hypotension (postural hypotension); gravity reduces the rate of blood return from the body veins below the heart back to the heart, thus reducing stroke volume and cardiac output.

When people are healthy, the veins below their heart quickly constrict and the heart rate increases to minimize and compensate for the gravity effect. This is carried out involuntarily by the autonomic nervous system. The system usually requires a few seconds to fully adjust and if the compensations are too slow or inadequate, the individual will suffer reduced blood flow to the brain, dizziness and potential blackout. Increases in G-loading, such as routinely experienced by aerobatic or combat pilots 'pulling Gs', greatly increases this effect. Repositioning the body perpendicular to gravity largely eliminates the problem.

Other causes of low arterial pressure include:

• Sepsis
• Hemorrhage â€" blood loss
• Toxins including toxic doses of blood pressure medicine
• Hormonal abnormalities, such as Addison's disease
• Eating disorders, particularly anorexia nervosa and bulimia

Shock is a complex condition which leads to critically decreased perfusion. The usual mechanisms are loss of blood volume, pooling of blood within the veins reducing adequate return to the heart and/or low effective heart pumping. Low arterial pressure, especially low pulse pressure, is a sign of shock and contributes to and reflects decreased perfusion.

If there is a significant difference in the pressure from one arm to the other, that may indicate a narrowing (for example, due to aortic coarctation, aortic dissection, thrombosis or embolism) of an artery.

Fluctuating blood pressure

Normal fluctuation in blood pressure is adaptive and necessary. Fluctuations in pressure that are significantly greater than the norm are associated with greater white matter hyperintensity, a finding consistent with reduced local cerebral blood flow and a heightened risk of cerebrovascular disease. Within both high and low blood pressure groups, a greater degree of fluctuation was found to correlate with an increase in cerebrovascular disease compared to those with less variability, suggesting the consideration of the clinical management of blood pressure fluctuations, even among normotensive older adults. Older individuals and those who had received blood pressure medications were more likely to exhibit larger fluctuations in pressure.

Physiology

During each heartbeat, blood pressure varies between a maximum (systolic) and a minimum (diastolic) pressure. The blood pressure in the circulation is principally due to the pumping action of the heart. Differences in mean blood pressure are responsible for blood flow from one location to another in the circulation. The rate of mean blood flow depends on both blood pressure and the resistance to flow presented by the blood vessels. Mean blood pressure decreases as the circulating blood moves away from the heart through arteries and capillaries due to viscous losses of energy. Mean blood pressure drops over the whole circulation, although most of the fall occurs along the small arteries and arterioles. Gravity affects blood pressure via hydrostatic forces (e.g., during standing), and valves in veins, breathing, and pumping from contraction of skeletal muscles also influence blood pressure in veins.

Hemodynamics

Most influences on blood pressure can be understood in terms of their effect on cardiac output and resistance (the determinants of mean arterial pressure).

Some factors are:

• Blood volume: the greater the blood volume, the higher the cardiac output. There is some relationship between dietary salt intake and increased blood volume, potentially resulting in higher arterial pressure, though this varies with the individual and is highly dependent on autonomic nervous system response and the reninâ€"angiotensin system.
• Cardiac output: the pumping action of the heart is ultimately responsible for blood pressure. Increases or decreases in cardiac output can result in increases or decreases respectively in blood pressure.
• Systemic vascular resistance: the higher the resistance to blood flow, the higher the arterial pressure upstream needs to be to maintain flow. In simple terms, resistance is related to vessel radius by the Hagen-Poiseuille's equation (resistance∝1/radius⁴, so the smaller the radius, the very much higher the resistance). Other physical factors that affect resistance include: vessel length (the longer the vessel, the higher the resistance), blood viscosity (the higher the viscosity, the higher the resistance) and the presence of an arterial stenosis (a narrow stenosis increases resistance to flow, however this increase in resistance rarely if ever increases systemic blood pressure, it decreases downstream flow). Substances called vasoconstrictors can reduce the calibre of blood vessels, thereby increasing blood pressure. Vasodilators (such as nitroglycerin) increase the calibre of blood vessels, thereby decreasing arterial pressure.

In practice, each individual's autonomic nervous system and other systems regulating blood pressure respond to and regulate all these factors so that, although the above issues are important, they rarely act in isolation and the actual arterial pressure response of a given individual can vary widely in the short and long-term.

Regulation

The endogenous regulation of arterial pressure is not completely understood, but the following mechanisms of regulating arterial pressure have been well-characterized:

• Baroreceptor reflex: Baroreceptors in the high pressure receptor zones detect changes in arterial pressure. These baroreceptors send signals ultimately to the medulla of the brain stem, specifically to the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). The medulla, by way of the autonomic nervous system, adjusts the mean arterial pressure by altering both the force and speed of the heart's contractions, as well as the systemic vascular resistance. The most important arterial baroreceptors are located in the left and right carotid sinuses and in the aortic arch.
• Renin-angiotensin system (RAS): This system is generally known for its long-term adjustment of arterial pressure. This system allows the kidney to compensate for loss in blood volume or drops in arterial pressure by activating an endogenous vasoconstrictor known as angiotensin II.
• Aldosterone release: This steroid hormone is released from the adrenal cortex in response to angiotensin II or high serum potassium levels. Aldosterone stimulates sodium retention and potassium excretion by the kidneys. Since sodium is the main ion that determines the amount of fluid in the blood vessels by osmosis, aldosterone will increase fluid retention, and indirectly, arterial pressure.
• Baroreceptors in low pressure receptor zones (mainly in the venae cavae and the pulmonary veins, and in the atria) result in feedback by regulating the secretion of antidiuretic hormone (ADH/Vasopressin), renin and aldosterone. The resultant increase in blood volume results in an increased cardiac output by the Frankâ€"Starling law of the heart, in turn increasing arterial blood pressure.

These different mechanisms are not necessarily independent of each other, as indicated by the link between the RAS and aldosterone release. When blood pressure falls many physiological cascades commence in order to return the blood pressure to a more appropriate level.

1. The blood pressure fall is detected by a decrease in blood flow and thus a decrease in Glomerular filtration rate (GFR).
2. Decrease in GFR is sensed as a decrease in Na⁺ levels by the macula densa.
3. The macula densa cause an increase in Na⁺ reabsorption, which causes water to follow in via osmosis and leads to an ultimate increase in plasma volume. Further, the macula densa releases adenosine which causes constriction of the afferent arterioles.
4. At the same time, the juxtaglomerular cells sense the decrease in blood pressure and release renin.
5. Renin converts angiotensinogen (inactive form) to angiotensin I (active form).
6. Angiotensin I flows in the bloodstream until it reaches the capillaries of the lungs where angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) acts on it to convert it into angiotensin II.
7. Angiotensin II is a vasoconstrictor which will increase bloodflow to the heart and subsequently the preload, ultimately increasing the cardiac output.
8. Angiotensin II also causes an increase in the release of aldosterone from the adrenal glands.
9. Aldosterone further increases the Na⁺ and H₂O reabsorption in the distal convoluted tubule of the nephron.

Currently, the RAS is targeted pharmacologically by ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor antagonists. The aldosterone system is directly targeted by spironolactone, an aldosterone antagonist. The fluid retention may be targeted by diuretics; the antihypertensive effect of diuretics is due to its effect on blood volume. Generally, the baroreceptor reflex is not targeted in hypertension because if blocked, individuals may suffer from orthostatic hypotension and fainting.

Measurement

Arterial pressure is most commonly measured via a sphygmomanometer, which historically used the height of a column of mercury to reflect the circulating pressure. Blood pressure values are generally reported in millimetres of mercury (mmHg), though aneroid and electronic devices do not contain mercury.

For each heartbeat, blood pressure varies between systolic and diastolic pressures. Systolic pressure is peak pressure in the arteries, which occurs near the end of the cardiac cycle when the ventricles are contracting. Diastolic pressure is minimum pressure in the arteries, which occurs near the beginning of the cardiac cycle when the ventricles are filled with blood. An example of normal measured values for a resting, healthy adult human is 120 mmHg systolic and 80 mmHg diastolic (written as 120/80 mmHg, and spoken as "one-twenty over eighty").

Systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressures are not static but undergo natural variations from one heartbeat to another and throughout the day (in a circadian rhythm). They also change in response to stress, nutritional factors, drugs, disease, exercise, and momentarily from standing up. Sometimes the variations are large. Hypertension refers to arterial pressure being abnormally high, as opposed to hypotension, when it is abnormally low. Along with body temperature, respiratory rate, and pulse rate, blood pressure is one of the four main vital signs routinely monitored by medical professionals and healthcare providers.

Measuring pressure invasively, by penetrating the arterial wall to take the measurement, is much less common and usually restricted to a hospital setting.

Fetal blood pressure

In pregnancy, it is the fetal heart and not the mother's heart that builds up the fetal blood pressure to drive blood through the fetal circulation. The blood pressure in the fetal aorta is approximately 30 mmHg at 20 weeks of gestation, and increases to approximately 45 mmHg at 40 weeks of gestation.

The average blood pressure for full-term infants:

• Systolic 65â€"95 mmHg
• Diastolic 30â€"60 mmHg

References

Further reading

• Pickering TG, Hall JE, Appel LJ, et al. (2005). Subcommittee of Professional Public Education of the American Heart Association Council on High Blood Pressure Research. "Recommendations for blood pressure measurement in humans and experimental animals: Part 1: blood pressure measurement in humans: a statement for professionals from the Subcommittee of Professional and Public Education of the American Heart Association Council on High Blood Pressure Research". Hypertension. 45 (5): 142â€"61. doi:10.1161/01.HYP.0000150859.47929.8e. PMID 15611362. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 

External links

• Blood Pressure Association (UK)
• About High Blood Pressure, American Heart Association
• Control of Blood Pressure, Toronto General Hospital
• Blood Pressure Chart, Vaughn's Summaries

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Good Technology, owned by BlackBerry Limited, is a mobile security provider headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company serves more than 5,000 organizations worldwide in industries such as financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, energy and utilities, legal, government, and technology. Good makes products for managing and securing mobile devices in a business environment. The company focuses on securing apps and data on mobile devices.

History

Good Technology in its current form is a continuation of two previous companies. One was Visto, founded in 1996 (and initially known as Roampage). Visto acquired the original Good Technology in 2009, and assumed its name. The original Good Technology had been founded in 2000; it was initially known as SpringThings, and sold an MP3 player for the Handspring Visor before shifting to email products for mobile professionals.

Prior to the acquisition, both companies were known as market leaders in email access from portable devices. In November 2006, Motorola announced plans to acquire Good Technology as part of its plan to compete with Research in Motion’s Blackberry product line in the enterprise sector, and expressed its intention to continue licensing its technology to other phone manufacturers. At the time of the acquisition, Good’s flagship products were Good Mobile Messaging, Good Mobile Intranet and Good Mobile Defense; the company had 470 employees.

On February 23, 2009, Motorola announced that it had agreed to sell Good Technology to rival push email provider, Visto. In 2009 Visto announced that it had renamed itself Good Technology effectively taking the name of the former independent company.

From 2009 to 2012, Good Technology grew through acquisitions, among them Intercasting Corporation (May 2009), Copiun (2012), and AppCentral (2012).

In December 2009 Good Technology began supporting iPhone and Android devices. The company launched Good Dynamics, a set of mobile application development tools for enterprise and consumers, in October 2011.

With the Good Secure Mobility Solution, released in June 2013, Good Technology aimed to address real-world usage in which professionals use several apps to accomplish a task. Building on its app containerization approach and the Good Dynamics platform, the company presented a system that was both secure and responsive to customers’ usage habits.

In September 2013 the company’s "Good for Enterprise (GFE)" solution became the first cross-platform mobile collaboration solution to achieve Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level 4 Augmented (EAL4+) and the only containerized solution to meet this level of security certification on either iOS or Android.

On September 4, 2015 BlackBerry announced that it is acquiring Good Technology for $425 Million dollars. The news of the acquisition was confirmed by Good Technology CEO Christy Wyatt in a blog post on the Good Blog.The acquisition was completed on November 2, 2015.

Platform and products

The Good Dynamics Secure Mobility Platform serves as a foundation for the Good Collaboration Suite, and also for the Good Mobile Alliance ISV Ecosystem, in which independent developers create and distribute apps of their own. In October 2013 Good announced the Good Dynamics Shared Service Framework as part of Good Dynamics, including services such as printing, file sharing, and email. The framework is also designed to make it easier for developers to reuse code and connect apps. Good also announced Direct Connect in fall 2013; this technology enables companies to control the way data flows through their networks, for instance with respect to corporate or national boundaries.

The Good Collaboration Suite includes email, calendar, contacts, tasks, instant messaging, browsing and document sharing features that go beyond the consumer-oriented features of iOS, Windows Phone or Android, and are more tightly integrated with one another. It also includes business-oriented features such as single sign-on, secure access to corporate networks, and administrative functions. Good for Enterprise, the core component of the Collaboration Suite, provides a strict separation between personal and corporate content, allowing both to coexist on an employee's device without compromising security. Other components of the Collaboration Suite include Good Share (for SharePoint-based file sharing) and Good Connect (for Lync and Sametime instant messaging). Good's product offerings also include: Good Vault, offering enhanced data protection for Good for Enterprise, and using two-factor authentication; Good for OEMs/Carriers, which enables telecommunications companies to create integrated social messaging experiences for their customers; Good Secure Mobility Solution, which supports developing, securing, deploying, and managing workflows for mobile workers.

Industry status

Good Technology's reports and executives have been cited as experts in the adoption and use of mobile technology in the enterprise sector. In particular, its quarterly Mobility Index Report tracks data based on Good's customers device activations and, more recently, app activations.

Good's client base includes those with high security needs, such as government agencies and financial institutions. Good's security products offer customers a way to migrate from the BlackBerry platform to iOS, Windows Phone and Android. In fall 2013, Good opened offices in Benelux and Stockholm. It also has offices in New Jersey, New York, Washington, Texas, Australia, China, Germany, Italy, South Korea, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

The platform has earned accreditations and certifications that enable companies to comply with government regulations around the world. Good software was required in the U.S. Department of Defense's first approval of Android devices in 2012. In 2013, the platform became the first cross-platform mobile collaboration solution to achieve Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level 4 Augmented (EAL4+) and the only containerized solution to meet this level of security certification on either iOS or Android. It was also listed on Australia's Defence Signals Directorate's Evaluated Products List.

A fall 2013 Info Security magazine feature article on women in the information security industry which quoted Good CEO Christy Wyatt, and noted that Good's workforce was 27% female, and its executive team 40% female, both ahead of an estimated 10% female workforce in the industry.

References

Further reading

• Lemon, Sumner (February 23, 2009). "Motorola Sells Good Technology to Visto". PC World. Retrieved December 28, 2011. 
• Gohring, Nancy (July 21, 2011). "T-Mobile Securing Android Phones With Good Technology". PC World. Retrieved December 28, 2011. 
• "Good Technology Buys Up CloudSync". Techcrunch.com. January 27, 2010. Retrieved January 1, 2012. 

External links

• Official website

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"Real Good Looking Boy" is a song written by the guitarist of the British rock band The Who, Pete Townshend. It was originally released in 2004 on the compilation album Then and Now, and was one of two new songs on that album, the other being "Old Red Wine". Together, they were the first new songs released by the Who for 15 years. It was later released as an edited single backed with the aforementioned song. "Real Good Looking Boy" was later performed in the 2007 rock musical The Boy Who Heard Music.

Lyrical meaning

The song was a tribute to the legendary rock 'n roll singer Elvis Presley. During live performances, Roger Daltrey gives a short introduction to the song, describing it as a song about "A man that changed my life at the age of 11. I saw Elvis Presley live at 11. Thank God I did, I loved him because everybody under the age of 20 thought they were Elvis and dressed like him. Everybody over 20 hated them and that was good enough for me." The piano intro borrows from the Elvis song "Can't Help Falling in Love", and one of the later verses in "Real Good Looking Boy" uses lyrics from the first verse of the Elvis song.

The song is also about Pete Townshend growing up and realizing that he really wasn't a good looking boy, that he wasn't part of the cool good looking group of boys his age and the trials, tribulations that we almost all go through in life. That is the first part. The second part is where the Elvis tribute comes into play and also where the song speaks of falling in love. The third part is where Townshend pays homage to finding true love and being made to feel like a "real good looking boy." It is also a shout out to surviving life as well as finding love where others did not and embracing what the world and his woman has given him.

Personnel

• Guitars, backing vocals: Pete Townshend
• Lead vocals: Roger Daltrey
• Bass guitar: Greg Lake
• Drums: Zak Starkey
• Piano: John "Rabbit" Bundrick
• Additional guitars and keyboards: Simon Townshend
• Producer: Simon Townshend at Eel Pie Oceanic Studios, London c. Nov. 2003
• Engineers: Bob Pridden and Myles Clarke

"Old Red Wine"

"Old Red Wine" was written for The Who's former bassist John Entwistle, who died two years prior to the release of "Then and Now".

The riff at the end of the song predated the actual song by a few years, being played at the end of some versions of "My Generation" from the 2000 tour. The riff was also played in a performance of the same song during Entwistle's last show, at the Royal Albert Hall on 8 February 2002. Portions of the song were also played sometimes after "My Generation" on the band's 2002 (after Entwistle's death), 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008 tours.

Personnel

• Guitars, piano, backing vocals: Pete Townshend
• Lead vocals: Roger Daltrey
• Bass guitar: Pino Palladino
• Drums: Zak Starkey
• Hammond organ and additional piano: John Bundrick
• Producer: Simon Townshend at Eel Pie Oceanic Studios, London c. Early 2004
• Engineers: Bob Pridden and Myles Clarke

References

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A Good Woman is a 2004 American-British-Italian-Spanish drama film directed by Mike Barker. The screenplay by Howard Himelstein is based on the 1892 play Lady Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde. It is the fourth screen version of the work, following a 1916 silent film using Wilde's original title, Ernst Lubitsch's 1925 version and Otto Preminger's 1949 adaptation entitled The Fan.

Plot

Set in 1930, the film opens in New York City, where femme fatale Mrs. Erlynne finds that she is no longer welcomed by either the high-ranking men she has seduced or the society wives she has betrayed. Selling her jewelry, she buys passage on a liner bound for Amalfi, Italy, where she apparently sets her sights on newlywed Robert Windermere. When his car frequently is seen parked outside her villa, local gossips become convinced the two are having an affair.

Robert's demure wife Meg remains oblivious to the stories about the two circulating throughout the town, but when she discovers her husband's cheque register with numerous stubs indicating payments to Erlynne, she suspects the worst. What she doesn't know is that Erlynne actually is her mother, who has been extorting payments from Robert in return for keeping her secret. She is consoled with the advice, "Plain women resort to crying; pretty women go shopping."

In retaliation for what she believes is her husband's transgression, Meg wears a revealing gown to her twenty-first birthday celebration, attended by Erlynne - wearing the same dress - in the company of Lord Augustus, a wealthy, twice-divorced man who has proposed marriage to Erlynne. Complications ensue when Lord Darlington professes his love for Meg and implores her to leave her supposedly wayward husband, an invitation she accepts.

Erlynne, having found Meg's farewell note to Robert, intercepts her on Darlington's yacht, where the two are trapped when Augustus, Darlington, Robert, and friends arrive for a night of drinking. Robert is startled to see the fan he gave Meg for her birthday on board; while Meg makes a hasty escape, Erlynne reveals herself and claims she had taken it from the party in error; and Augustus, thinking his fiancée was planning a romantic rendezvous with Darlington, ends their engagement.

Robert pays Erlynne to leave Amalfi immediately and begs her not to reveal her identity to Meg. Reluctantly, she complies with his wishes, although she returns his cheque before she departs. On board the plane waiting to take her to a new life, she discovers Augustus, who presents her with the fan Meg gave him when she confessed to him all that had really happened. Erlynne accepts his renewed proposal of marriage and the two depart for places unknown.

Cast

• Helen Hunt as Mrs. Stella Erlynne
• Scarlett Johansson as Meg Windermere
• Mark Umbers as Robert Windermere
• Stephen Campbell Moore as Lord Darlington
• Tom Wilkinson as Lord Augustus
• Milena Vukotic as Contessa Lucchino
• Roger Hammond as Cecil
• John Standing as Dumby
• Giorgia Massetti - Alessandra
• Diana Hardcastle - Lady Plymdale
• Shara Orano - Francesca
• Jane How - Mrs. Stutfield

Production notes

Twenty-two people from Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Luxembourg were credited as producers of the film.

It was shot on location in Italy at Amalfi, Atrani, Ravello, Sorrento, and Rome.

It grossed $238,609 in the US and $6,639,233 in foreign markets for a total worldwide box office of $6,877,842.

Critical reception

In his review in The New York Times, Stephen Holden called the film a "misbegotten Hollywood-minded screen adaptation" and added, "There is an excruciating divide between the film's British actors (led by Tom Wilkinson and Stephen Campbell Moore), who are comfortable delivering Wilde's aphorisms . . . and its American marquee names, Helen Hunt and Scarlett Johansson, [who have] little connection to the English language as spoken in the high Wildean style."

Derek Elley of Variety stated, "In most respects, the film is so far from Wilde's play that it's practically a separate work. Bathed in pastels, ochres, blacks and golds, and easily moving around a variety of locations, it's like another slice of '30s nostalgia in the vein of Enchanted April or Where Angels Fear to Tread. Though undeniably retaining their wit, the Wilde-isms are finally more of a distraction, imported from another world and another genre."

In the San Francisco Chronicle, Mick LaSalle opined, "There's nothing to dislike about this movie . . . Yet something is wrong with A Good Woman: The lightning never strikes. It's never quite alive . . . the process of literalizing the action, an inevitable consequence of moving a play to the screen, makes [it] less exaggerated and more somber than is ideal. But nothing can diminish the wit and the pleasure of Wilde's epigrams."

Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "The film is well intentioned and mildly diverting, but in attempting to modernize its story it has lost many of the things that make the original so memorable and not gained much in return . . . Despite its talented cast, the result lacks Wilde's trademark bite; it's soft and middlebrow, even though he was anything but . . . Although transposing this story to photogenic Italy makes for the requisite number of scenic vistas, it also creates a number of problems for the story, starting with the fact that Wilde's concerns about the restrictive nature of society don't play as well outside the rigid confines of Victorian England. Also sacrificed in this more naturalistic production is the brilliance of Wilde's artifice. The sharpness and crackling energy of his conception, frankly, makes a bad fit with the film's fitful and not particularly successful attempts to make these characters more well-rounded . . . A Good Woman won' t ruin anyone's day, but it won't make anyone's either, and it won't get the great Irish playwright anything like the admiration his work deserves."

In The Times, Wendy Ide observed, "There’s more life in Oscar Wilde’s long-dead corpse than there is in A Good Woman . . . spiked with as many pithy Wildean aphorisms as could be cannibalised from his other work and crowbarred unceremoniously into the flagging script."

Rottentomatoes.com reports that 39% of critics gave it a positive review, based on 77 reviews.

References

External links

• Official website
• A Good Woman at the Internet Movie Database
• A Good Woman at Box Office Mojo

Learn more »

Green tea is a type of tea that is made from Camellia sinensis leaves that have not undergone the same withering and oxidation process used to make oolong and black tea. Green tea originated in China, but its production has spread to many countries in Asia.

Several varieties of green tea exist, which differ substantially because of the variety of C. sinensis used, growing conditions, horticultural methods, production processing, and time of harvest.

History

Tea consumption has its legendary origins in China during the reign of Emperor Shennong.

A book written by Lu Yu in 600-900 AD (Tang Dynasty), "Tea Classic" (simplified Chinese: 茶经; traditional Chinese: 茶ç¶"; pinyin: chájÄ«ng), is considered important in green tea history. The Kissa Yojoki (喫茶養ç"Ÿè¨˜ Book of Tea), written by Zen priest Eisai in 1191, describes how drinking green tea may affect five vital organs, the shapes of tea plants, flowers and leaves, and how to grow and process tea leaves.

Brewing and serving

Steeping, or brewing, is the process of making tea, generally using two grams of tea per 100 ml of water or about 1 teaspoon of green tea per 150 ml cup. Higher-quality teas, like gyokuro, use more tea leaves and are steeped multiple times for short durations.

Steeping temperatures range from 61°C (142°F) to 87°C (189°F) and times from 30 seconds to three minutes.

Generally, lower-quality green teas are steeped hotter and longer while higher-quality teas are steeped cooler and shorter, but usually for multiple times (2-3 typically). Steeping too hot or for too long results in the release of excessive amounts of tannins, leading to a bitter, astringent brew, regardless of initial quality. The brew’s taste is also affected by the steeping technique. Two important techniques are to warm the steeping container beforehand to prevent the tea from immediately cooling down and to leave the tea leaf in the pot and gradually add more hot water as you drink the tea.

Extracts

Green tea extracts have been used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine for a variety of uses.

Green tea leaves are initially processed by soaking in an alcohol solution, which may be further concentrated to various levels; byproducts of the process are also packaged and used. Extracts may be sold in liquid, powder, capsule, or tablet form. Decaffeinated versions are also available.

Green tea extract supplements are accessible over the counter in various forms. Standardized green tea extract is 90 percent total polyphenols, and 1 capsule equals 5 cups of tea.

Health effects

Regular green tea is 99.9% water, provides 1 Calorie per 100 mL serving, is devoid of significant nutrient content (table) and contains phytochemicals, such as polyphenols and caffeine. Polyphenols found in green tea include epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epicatechin gallate, epicatechins and flavanols, which have antioxidant, anticarcinogen, anti-inflammatory, and anti-radiation biochemical effects in vitro. Other components include three kinds of flavonoids, known as kaempferol, quercetin, and myricetin. A remarkably higher content of myricetin is detected in tea and its extracts than in many other plants, and this high concentration of myricetin may have some implications for the experimentally-observed bioactivity of tea and its extracts in vitro.

Although numerous claims have been made for the health benefits of green tea, human clinical research has not provided conclusive evidence of any effects. In 2011, a panel of scientists published a report on the claims for health effects at the request of the European Commission: in general they found that the claims made for green tea were not supported by sufficient scientific evidence. Although the mean content of flavonoids and catechins in a cup of green tea is higher than that in the same volume of other food and drink items that are traditionally considered to promote health, flavonoids and catechins have no proven biological effect in humans.

Cancer

There is no conclusive evidence that green tea helps to prevent or treat cancer in people. A review of existing studies concluded that while suggestive evidence existed, it did not amount to a clear indication of benefit.

Daily consumption of black tea (but not green tea) has been associated with a significant reduction in death from all cancers. There is limited evidence to suggest that green tea consumption may be associated with a slightly lower risk of esophageal cancer in the Chinese population, a lower risk of lung cancer in women, and a lower risk of oral cancer in Asian people. A 2015 meta-analysis of nine prospective cohort studies concluded that a high amount of green tea consumption may be associated with a lower risk of liver cancer in Asian women. This association was not seen in Asian men or when one cup of green tea was consumed daily. Similarly, another analysis of observational data conducted in 2012 suggested that green tea consumption may have a favorable effect on lung cancer risk. The observed effect was strongest in those who consumed more than seven cups of green tea daily. A 2011 meta-analysis of epidemiological studies found limited evidence that green tea consumption may b e associated with a moderately reduced risk of liver cancer in Chinese and Japanese people. Limited evidence suggests that green tea consumption is not associated with the risk of developing pancreatic cancer or prostate cancer. The link between green tea consumption and stomach cancer risk is unclear due to inconsistent evidence.

Green tea interferes with the chemotherapy drug bortezomib (Velcade) and other boronic acid-based proteasome inhibitors, and should be avoided by people taking these medications.

Cardiovascular disease

Observational studies have shown a correlation between daily consumption of green tea and a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease. In a 2015 meta-analysis of such observational studies, an increase in one cup of green tea per day was correlated with a 5% lower risk of death from cardiovascular causes. Green tea consumption may be correlated with a reduced risk of stroke. Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials have found that green tea consumption for 3â€"6 months appears to lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures a small amount (about 3 mm Hg each).

Glycemic control

Green tea consumption lowers fasting blood sugar but in clinical studies the beverage's effect on hemoglobin A1c and fasting insulin levels was inconsistent.

Hyperlipidemia

Drinking green tea or taking green tea supplements decreases the blood concentration of total cholesterol (about 7 mg/dL), LDL cholesterol (about 2 mg/dL), and does not affect the concentration of HDL cholesterol. A 2013 Cochrane review performed a meta-analysis of longer-term randomized controlled trials (>3 months duration) and concluded that green tea consumption lowers total and LDL cholesterol concentrations in the blood.

Inflammation

A 2015 systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials found that green tea consumption was not significantly associated with lower plasma levels of C-reactive protein levels (a marker of inflammation).

Mortality risk

Daily consumption of green tea is significantly correlated with a lower risk of death from any cause; an increase of one cup of green tea per day is linked with a 4% lower risk of death from any cause. A separate analysis found an increase of three cups of green tea per day was associated with a lower risk of death from any cause.

Weight loss

There is no conclusive evidence that green tea aids in weight loss.

Toxicity

Moderate, regular, and habitual consumption of green tea is safe; however, there are reports of liver toxicity in humans after consuming high doses (10â€"29 mg/kg/day) of green tea extract dietary supplements, and high doses may act as a pro-oxidant to damage DNA.

Production

Growing, harvesting and processing

Green tea is processed and grown in a variety of ways, depending on the type of green tea desired. As a result of these methods, maximum amounts of polyphenols and volatile organic compounds are retained, affecting aroma and taste. The growing conditions can be broken down into two basic types âˆ' those grown in the sun and those grown under the shade. The green tea plants are grown in rows that are pruned to produce shoots in a regular manner, and in general are harvested three times per year. The first flush takes place in late April to early May. The second harvest usually takes place from June through July, and the third picking takes place in late July to early August. Sometimes, there will also be the fourth harvest. It is the first flush in the spring that brings the best-quality leaves, with higher prices to match.

Green tea is processed using either artisanal or modern methods. Sun-drying, basket or charcoal firing, or pan-firing are common artisanal methods. Oven-drying, tumbling, or steaming are common modern methods. Processed green teas, known as aracha are stored under low humidity refrigeration in 30- or 60-kg paper bags at 0â€"5 °C (32â€"41 °F). This aracha has yet to be refined at this stage, with a final firing taking place before blending, selection and packaging take place. The leaves in this state will be re-fired throughout the year as they are needed, giving the green teas a longer shelf-life and better flavor. The first flush tea of May will readily store in this fashion until the next year's harvest. After this re-drying process, each crude tea will be sifted and graded according to size. Finally, each lot will be blended according to the blending order by the tasters and packed for sale.

Production by country

Import of Japanese tea

On 17 June 2011, radioactive cesium of 1,038 becquerels per kilogram was detected at Charles de Gaulle airport in France in tea leaves imported from Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan as a result of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, which was more than twice as much as the restricted amount of 500 becquerels per kilogram designated by the European Union, and the government of France announced that they rejected the tea leaves, which amounted to 162 kilograms (357 lb). The governor of Shizuoka Prefecture Heita Kawakatsu stated that "there is absolutely no problem when they [people] drink them because it will be diluted to about ten becquerels per kilogram when they steep them even if the leaves have 1,000 becquerels per kilogram," which was a consequence of own examinations of the prefecture. Minister for Consumer Affairs and Food Safety Renhō stated on 3 June 2011, that "there are cases in which aracha are sold as furikake [condiments sprinkled on rice] and so on and they are eaten as they are, therefore we think that it is important to inspect tea leaves including aracha from the viewpoint of consumers' safety."

Green tea by country

China

Loose leaf green tea has been the most popular form of tea in China since the Southern Song dynasty. While Chinese green tea was originally steamed, as it still is in Japan, after the early Ming dynasty it has typically been processed by being pan-fired in a dry wok. Other processes employed in China today include oven-firing, basket-firing, tumble-drying and sun-drying. Green tea is the most widely produced form of tea produced in China, with 1.42 million tons grown in 2014.

Popular or well-known Chinese green teas today include:

• Longjing tea
• Biluochun
• Gunpowder tea
• Huangshan Maofeng
• Maojian tea
• Chun Mee
• Lu'an Melon Seed tea
• Taiping houkui

Japan

Korea

Green tea, called nokcha (녹차; 綠茶) in Korean, can be classified into various types based on several different factors. The most common is the flush, or the time of the year when the leaves are plucked (and thus also by leaf size).

• Ujeon (ìš°ì „; 雨前; lit. "pre-rain")
  Ujeon, or cheonmul-cha (첫물차; lit. "first flush tea"), is made of hand-picked leaves plucked before gogu (20â€"21 April). The ideal steeping temperature for ujeon tea is 50 °C (122 °F).
• Sejak (세ìž'; 細雀; lit. "thin sparrow")
  Sejak, or dumul-cha (ë'ë¬¼ì°¨; lit. "second flush tea"), is made of hand-picked leaves plucked after gogu (20â€"21 April) but before ipha (5â€"6 May). The tea is also called jakseol (ìž'설; 雀舌; lit. "sparrow tongue") as the tea leaves are plucked when they are about the size of a sparrow's tongue. The ideal steeping temperature for sejak tea is 60â€"70 °C (140â€"158 °F).
• Jungjak (ì¤'ìž'; 中雀; lit. "medium sparrow")
  Jungjak, or semul-cha (세물차; lit. "third flush tea"), is made of leaves plucked after ipha (5â€"6 May) until the mid May. The ideal steeping temperature for jungjak tea is 70â€"80 °C (158â€"176 °F).
• Daejak (대ìž'; 大雀; lit. "big sparrow")
  Daejak, or kkeunmul-cha (끝물차; lit. "final flush tea"), is made of tea leaves plucked in late May and after. It is usually made into tea bags or used in cooking. The ideal steeping temperature for daejak tea is 80â€"90 °C (176â€"194 °F).

The mode of preparation also differs:

• ipcha (잎차; lit. "leaf tea") or yeopcha (엽차; è'‰èŒ¶; lit. "leaf tea")
  The synonyms ipcha and yeopcha refer to loose leaf tea, often in contrast to tea in tea bags. As the words mean "leaf tea", they can also be used in contrast to powdered tea.
• garucha (가루차; lit. "powder tea") or malcha (말차; 末茶; lit. "powder tea")
  The synonyms garucha and malcha refer to powdered tea.

Leaf teas are processed either by roasting or steaming.

• deokkeum-cha (덖음차; lit. "roasted tea") or bucho-cha (부초차; 麩ç‚'茶; lit. "roasted tea")
  Roasting is the most common and traditional way of tea processing in Korea. Also translated into "pan-fried tea", the roasted tea varieties are richer in flavour.
• jeungje-cha (증제차; è'¸è£½èŒ¶; lit. "steamed tea")
  Steaming is less popular in Korean tea processing, but the method is used in temple cuisine. Tea prepared with steamed tea leaves are more vivid in colour.

Southern, warmer regions such as Boseong in South Jeolla Province, Hadong in South Gyeongsang Province, and Jeju Island are famous for producing high quality tea leaves.

• Banya-cha (반야차; 般若茶; lit. "prajñā tea")
  It is one of the most renowned Korean green tea. The steamed tea is developed by Buddhist monks in Boseong. The tea is grown on sandy loam near mountains and sea. The word banya is a Korean transliteration of the Buddhist concept prajñā.
• Jungno-cha (죽로차; 竹露茶; lit. "bamboo dew tea")
  It is one of the most renowned Korean green tea. The roasted variety of tea is made of tea leaves grown among the bamboo in Gimhae, Hadong, and Jinju in South Gyeongsang Province.

Green tea can be blended with other ingredients.

• hyeonmi-nokcha (현미녹차; 玄米綠茶; lit. "brown rice green tea")
  nokcha (green tea) blended with hyeonmi-cha (brown rice tea)
• remon-nokcha (레몬 녹차; lit. "lemon green tea")
  nokcha (green tea) blended with lemon

Other countries

Learn more »

Green tea is a type of tea that is made from Camellia sinensis leaves that have not undergone the same withering and oxidation process used to make oolong and black tea. Green tea originated in China, but its production has spread to many countries in Asia.

Several varieties of green tea exist, which differ substantially because of the variety of C. sinensis used, growing conditions, horticultural methods, production processing, and time of harvest.

History

Tea consumption has its legendary origins in China during the reign of Emperor Shennong.

A book written by Lu Yu in 600-900 AD (Tang Dynasty), "Tea Classic" (simplified Chinese: 茶经; traditional Chinese: 茶ç¶"; pinyin: chájÄ«ng), is considered important in green tea history. The Kissa Yojoki (喫茶養ç"Ÿè¨˜ Book of Tea), written by Zen priest Eisai in 1191, describes how drinking green tea may affect five vital organs, the shapes of tea plants, flowers and leaves, and how to grow and process tea leaves.

Brewing and serving

Steeping, or brewing, is the process of making tea, generally using two grams of tea per 100 ml of water or about 1 teaspoon of green tea per 150 ml cup. Higher-quality teas, like gyokuro, use more tea leaves and are steeped multiple times for short durations.

Steeping temperatures range from 61°C (142°F) to 87°C (189°F) and times from 30 seconds to three minutes.

Generally, lower-quality green teas are steeped hotter and longer while higher-quality teas are steeped cooler and shorter, but usually for multiple times (2-3 typically). Steeping too hot or for too long results in the release of excessive amounts of tannins, leading to a bitter, astringent brew, regardless of initial quality. The brew’s taste is also affected by the steeping technique. Two important techniques are to warm the steeping container beforehand to prevent the tea from immediately cooling down and to leave the tea leaf in the pot and gradually add more hot water as you drink the tea.

Extracts

Green tea extracts have been used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine for a variety of uses.

Green tea leaves are initially processed by soaking in an alcohol solution, which may be further concentrated to various levels; byproducts of the process are also packaged and used. Extracts may be sold in liquid, powder, capsule, or tablet form. Decaffeinated versions are also available.

Green tea extract supplements are accessible over the counter in various forms. Standardized green tea extract is 90 percent total polyphenols, and 1 capsule equals 5 cups of tea.

Health effects

Regular green tea is 99.9% water, provides 1 Calorie per 100 mL serving, is devoid of significant nutrient content (table) and contains phytochemicals, such as polyphenols and caffeine. Polyphenols found in green tea include epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epicatechin gallate, epicatechins and flavanols, which have antioxidant, anticarcinogen, anti-inflammatory, and anti-radiation biochemical effects in vitro. Other components include three kinds of flavonoids, known as kaempferol, quercetin, and myricetin. A remarkably higher content of myricetin is detected in tea and its extracts than in many other plants, and this high concentration of myricetin may have some implications for the experimentally-observed bioactivity of tea and its extracts in vitro.

Although numerous claims have been made for the health benefits of green tea, human clinical research has not provided conclusive evidence of any effects. In 2011, a panel of scientists published a report on the claims for health effects at the request of the European Commission: in general they found that the claims made for green tea were not supported by sufficient scientific evidence. Although the mean content of flavonoids and catechins in a cup of green tea is higher than that in the same volume of other food and drink items that are traditionally considered to promote health, flavonoids and catechins have no proven biological effect in humans.

Cancer

There is no conclusive evidence that green tea helps to prevent or treat cancer in people. A review of existing studies concluded that while suggestive evidence existed, it did not amount to a clear indication of benefit.

Daily consumption of black tea (but not green tea) has been associated with a significant reduction in death from all cancers. There is limited evidence to suggest that green tea consumption may be associated with a slightly lower risk of esophageal cancer in the Chinese population, a lower risk of lung cancer in women, and a lower risk of oral cancer in Asian people. A 2015 meta-analysis of nine prospective cohort studies concluded that a high amount of green tea consumption may be associated with a lower risk of liver cancer in Asian women. This association was not seen in Asian men or when one cup of green tea was consumed daily. Similarly, another analysis of observational data conducted in 2012 suggested that green tea consumption may have a favorable effect on lung cancer risk. The observed effect was strongest in those who consumed more than seven cups of green tea daily. A 2011 meta-analysis of epidemiological studies found limited evidence that green tea consumption may b e associated with a moderately reduced risk of liver cancer in Chinese and Japanese people. Limited evidence suggests that green tea consumption is not associated with the risk of developing pancreatic cancer or prostate cancer. The link between green tea consumption and stomach cancer risk is unclear due to inconsistent evidence.

Green tea interferes with the chemotherapy drug bortezomib (Velcade) and other boronic acid-based proteasome inhibitors, and should be avoided by people taking these medications.

Cardiovascular disease

Observational studies have shown a correlation between daily consumption of green tea and a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease. In a 2015 meta-analysis of such observational studies, an increase in one cup of green tea per day was correlated with a 5% lower risk of death from cardiovascular causes. Green tea consumption may be correlated with a reduced risk of stroke. Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials have found that green tea consumption for 3â€"6 months appears to lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures a small amount (about 3 mm Hg each).

Glycemic control

Green tea consumption lowers fasting blood sugar but in clinical studies the beverage's effect on hemoglobin A1c and fasting insulin levels was inconsistent.

Hyperlipidemia

Drinking green tea or taking green tea supplements decreases the blood concentration of total cholesterol (about 7 mg/dL), LDL cholesterol (about 2 mg/dL), and does not affect the concentration of HDL cholesterol. A 2013 Cochrane review performed a meta-analysis of longer-term randomized controlled trials (>3 months duration) and concluded that green tea consumption lowers total and LDL cholesterol concentrations in the blood.

Inflammation

A 2015 systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials found that green tea consumption was not significantly associated with lower plasma levels of C-reactive protein levels (a marker of inflammation).

Mortality risk

Daily consumption of green tea is significantly correlated with a lower risk of death from any cause; an increase of one cup of green tea per day is linked with a 4% lower risk of death from any cause. A separate analysis found an increase of three cups of green tea per day was associated with a lower risk of death from any cause.

Weight loss

There is no conclusive evidence that green tea aids in weight loss.

Toxicity

Moderate, regular, and habitual consumption of green tea is safe; however, there are reports of liver toxicity in humans after consuming high doses (10â€"29 mg/kg/day) of green tea extract dietary supplements, and high doses may act as a pro-oxidant to damage DNA.

Production

Growing, harvesting and processing

Green tea is processed and grown in a variety of ways, depending on the type of green tea desired. As a result of these methods, maximum amounts of polyphenols and volatile organic compounds are retained, affecting aroma and taste. The growing conditions can be broken down into two basic types âˆ' those grown in the sun and those grown under the shade. The green tea plants are grown in rows that are pruned to produce shoots in a regular manner, and in general are harvested three times per year. The first flush takes place in late April to early May. The second harvest usually takes place from June through July, and the third picking takes place in late July to early August. Sometimes, there will also be the fourth harvest. It is the first flush in the spring that brings the best-quality leaves, with higher prices to match.

Green tea is processed using either artisanal or modern methods. Sun-drying, basket or charcoal firing, or pan-firing are common artisanal methods. Oven-drying, tumbling, or steaming are common modern methods. Processed green teas, known as aracha are stored under low humidity refrigeration in 30- or 60-kg paper bags at 0â€"5 °C (32â€"41 °F). This aracha has yet to be refined at this stage, with a final firing taking place before blending, selection and packaging take place. The leaves in this state will be re-fired throughout the year as they are needed, giving the green teas a longer shelf-life and better flavor. The first flush tea of May will readily store in this fashion until the next year's harvest. After this re-drying process, each crude tea will be sifted and graded according to size. Finally, each lot will be blended according to the blending order by the tasters and packed for sale.

Production by country

Import of Japanese tea

On 17 June 2011, radioactive cesium of 1,038 becquerels per kilogram was detected at Charles de Gaulle airport in France in tea leaves imported from Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan as a result of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, which was more than twice as much as the restricted amount of 500 becquerels per kilogram designated by the European Union, and the government of France announced that they rejected the tea leaves, which amounted to 162 kilograms (357 lb). The governor of Shizuoka Prefecture Heita Kawakatsu stated that "there is absolutely no problem when they [people] drink them because it will be diluted to about ten becquerels per kilogram when they steep them even if the leaves have 1,000 becquerels per kilogram," which was a consequence of own examinations of the prefecture. Minister for Consumer Affairs and Food Safety Renhō stated on 3 June 2011, that "there are cases in which aracha are sold as furikake [condiments sprinkled on rice] and so on and they are eaten as they are, therefore we think that it is important to inspect tea leaves including aracha from the viewpoint of consumers' safety."

Green tea by country

China

Loose leaf green tea has been the most popular form of tea in China since the Southern Song dynasty. While Chinese green tea was originally steamed, as it still is in Japan, after the early Ming dynasty it has typically been processed by being pan-fired in a dry wok. Other processes employed in China today include oven-firing, basket-firing, tumble-drying and sun-drying. Green tea is the most widely produced form of tea produced in China, with 1.42 million tons grown in 2014.

Popular or well-known Chinese green teas today include:

• Longjing tea
• Biluochun
• Gunpowder tea
• Huangshan Maofeng
• Maojian tea
• Chun Mee
• Lu'an Melon Seed tea
• Taiping houkui

Japan

Korea

Green tea, called nokcha (녹차; 綠茶) in Korean, can be classified into various types based on several different factors. The most common is the flush, or the time of the year when the leaves are plucked (and thus also by leaf size).

• Ujeon (ìš°ì „; 雨前; lit. "pre-rain")
  Ujeon, or cheonmul-cha (첫물차; lit. "first flush tea"), is made of hand-picked leaves plucked before gogu (20â€"21 April). The ideal steeping temperature for ujeon tea is 50 °C (122 °F).
• Sejak (세ìž'; 細雀; lit. "thin sparrow")
  Sejak, or dumul-cha (ë'ë¬¼ì°¨; lit. "second flush tea"), is made of hand-picked leaves plucked after gogu (20â€"21 April) but before ipha (5â€"6 May). The tea is also called jakseol (ìž'설; 雀舌; lit. "sparrow tongue") as the tea leaves are plucked when they are about the size of a sparrow's tongue. The ideal steeping temperature for sejak tea is 60â€"70 °C (140â€"158 °F).
• Jungjak (ì¤'ìž'; 中雀; lit. "medium sparrow")
  Jungjak, or semul-cha (세물차; lit. "third flush tea"), is made of leaves plucked after ipha (5â€"6 May) until the mid May. The ideal steeping temperature for jungjak tea is 70â€"80 °C (158â€"176 °F).
• Daejak (대ìž'; 大雀; lit. "big sparrow")
  Daejak, or kkeunmul-cha (끝물차; lit. "final flush tea"), is made of tea leaves plucked in late May and after. It is usually made into tea bags or used in cooking. The ideal steeping temperature for daejak tea is 80â€"90 °C (176â€"194 °F).

The mode of preparation also differs:

• ipcha (잎차; lit. "leaf tea") or yeopcha (엽차; è'‰èŒ¶; lit. "leaf tea")
  The synonyms ipcha and yeopcha refer to loose leaf tea, often in contrast to tea in tea bags. As the words mean "leaf tea", they can also be used in contrast to powdered tea.
• garucha (가루차; lit. "powder tea") or malcha (말차; 末茶; lit. "powder tea")
  The synonyms garucha and malcha refer to powdered tea.

Leaf teas are processed either by roasting or steaming.

• deokkeum-cha (덖음차; lit. "roasted tea") or bucho-cha (부초차; 麩ç‚'茶; lit. "roasted tea")
  Roasting is the most common and traditional way of tea processing in Korea. Also translated into "pan-fried tea", the roasted tea varieties are richer in flavour.
• jeungje-cha (증제차; è'¸è£½èŒ¶; lit. "steamed tea")
  Steaming is less popular in Korean tea processing, but the method is used in temple cuisine. Tea prepared with steamed tea leaves are more vivid in colour.

Southern, warmer regions such as Boseong in South Jeolla Province, Hadong in South Gyeongsang Province, and Jeju Island are famous for producing high quality tea leaves.

• Banya-cha (반야차; 般若茶; lit. "prajñā tea")
  It is one of the most renowned Korean green tea. The steamed tea is developed by Buddhist monks in Boseong. The tea is grown on sandy loam near mountains and sea. The word banya is a Korean transliteration of the Buddhist concept prajñā.
• Jungno-cha (죽로차; 竹露茶; lit. "bamboo dew tea")
  It is one of the most renowned Korean green tea. The roasted variety of tea is made of tea leaves grown among the bamboo in Gimhae, Hadong, and Jinju in South Gyeongsang Province.

Green tea can be blended with other ingredients.

• hyeonmi-nokcha (현미녹차; 玄米綠茶; lit. "brown rice green tea")
  nokcha (green tea) blended with hyeonmi-cha (brown rice tea)
• remon-nokcha (레몬 녹차; lit. "lemon green tea")
  nokcha (green tea) blended with lemon

Other countries

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