And if the spa's gem associations are a stretch, they're comparable to what others are doing, like using diamond dust in anti-aging body treatments and here, for obvious reasons, sapphire dust as well (which felt great in a body cream but didn't have any discernible effect).

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Next year, world governing body IAAF will launch the Diamond League, a 14-city tour also including events in Asia and the United States.

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Yet those close to the parliamentary body say it is unlikely Diamond will have a second chance to put on a polished appearance because the committee is due to be reshuffled next week.

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The compound may help desire and arousal disorders in postmenopausal women, perhaps by stimulating estrogen receptors at sites in the body, including the brain, says Michael Diamond, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Wayne State University.

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This body, known as 55 Cancri e, "is likely covered in graphite and diamond rather than water and granite, " according to astronomer Nikku Madhusudhan from Yale University.

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