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At home with the kids? Instantly access any of these printable activity bundles to keep them learning! Last Updated on Being aware of your menstrual cycle, ovulation, and the body changes during this time can be key to helping you plan a pregnancy, or avoid pregnancy. During the menstrual cycle (a total average of 28 days), there are two parts: before ovulation and after ovulation. Get to know the entire cycle of fertility, so you can be aware of your body’s changes. Day 1 starts with the first day of your period. Usually by Day 7, a woman’s eggs start to prepare to be fertilized by sperm. Between Day 7 and 11, the lining of the uterus (womb) starts to thicken, waiting for a fertilized egg to implant there. Around Day 14 (in a 28-day cycle), hormones cause the egg that is most ripe to be released, a process called ovulation. The egg travels down the fallopian tube towards the uterus. If a sperm unites with the egg here, the egg will attach to the lining of the uterus, and pregnancy occurs. If the egg is not fertilized, it will break apart. Around Day 25 when hormone levels drop, it will be shed from the body with the lining of the uterus as a menstrual period. The first part of the menstrual cycle is different in every woman, and even can be different from month-to-month in the same woman, varying from 13 to 20 days long. This is the most important part of the cycle to learn about, since this is when ovulation and pregnancy can occur. After ovulation, every woman (unless she has a health problem that affects her periods) will have a period within 14 to 16 days. A missed period is a sign of pregnancy, but not a guarantee. Charting Your Fertility Pattern Knowing when you’re most fertile will help you plan or prevent pregnancy. There are three ways you can keep track of your fertile times. They are: Basal Body Temperature Method Basal body temperature is your temperature at rest as soon as you awake in the morning. A woman’s basal body temperature rises slightly with ovulation. So by recording this temperature daily for several months you’ll be able to predict your most fertile days. Basal body temperature differs slightly from woman to woman. Anywhere from 96 to 98 degrees orally is average before ovulation. After ovulation most women have an oral temperature between 97 and 99 degrees. The rise in temperature can be a sudden jump or a gradual climb over a few days. Usually a woman’s basal body temperature rises by only 0.4 to 0.8 degrees Fahrenheit. To detect this tiny change, women must use a basal body thermometer. These thermometers are very sensitive. Most pharmacies sell them for around $10. You then record your temperature on a special chart. The rise in temperature doesn’t show exactly when the egg is released. But almost all women have ovulated within three days after their temperatures spike. Body temperature stays at the higher level until your period starts. You are most fertile and most likely to get pregnant: - two to three days before your temperature hits the highest point (ovulation), and - 12 to 24 hours after ovulation. A man’s sperm can live for up to three days in a woman’s body. The sperm can fertilize an egg at any point during that time. So if you have unprotected sex a few days before ovulation there is a chance of becoming pregnant. Many things can affect basal body temperature. To get the most useful chart you should take your temperature every morning at about the same time. Things that can alter your temperature include: - drinking alcohol the night before - smoking cigarettes the night before getting a poor night’s sleep having a fever doing anything in the morning before you take your temperature — including going to the bathroom and talking on the phone This involves keeping a written record of each menstrual cycle on a calendar. The first day of your period is Day 1. Circle Day 1 on the calendar. Do this for eight to 12 months so you know how many days are in your cycle. The length of your cycle may vary from month to month. So write down the total number of days it lasts each time. To find out the first day when you are most fertile, check your list for the cycle with the fewest days. Then subtract 18 from that number. Take this new number and count ahead that many days on the calendar. Draw an X through this date. The X marks the first day you’re likely to be fertile. To find out the last day when you are fertile, subtract 11 days from your longest cycle and draw an X through this date. This method always should be used with other fertility awareness methods, especially if your cycles are not always the same lengths. Cervical Mucus Method (also known as the Ovulation Method) This involves being aware of the changes in your cervical mucus throughout the month. The hormones that control the menstrual cycle also change the kind and amount of mucus you have before and during ovulation. Right after your period, there are usually few days when there is no mucus present or “dry days.” As the egg starts to mature, mucus increases in the vagina, appears at the vaginal opening, and is white or yellow and cloudy and sticky. The greatest amount of mucus appears just before ovulation. During these “wet days” it becomes clear and slippery, like raw egg whites. Sometimes it can be stretched apart. This is when you are most fertile. About four days after the wet days begin the mucus changes again. There will be much less and it becomes sticky and cloudy. You might have a few more dry days before your period returns. Describe changes in your mucus on a calendar. Label the days, “Sticky,” “Dry,” or “Wet.” You are most fertile at the first sign of wetness after your period or a day or two before wetness begins. This method is less reliable for some women. Women who are breastfeeding, taking hormonal contraceptives (like the pill) using feminine hygiene products, have vaginitis or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), or have had surgery on the cervix should not rely on this method. To most accurately track your fertility, use a combination of all three methods. This is called the symptothermal method.

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I have worked in child care for many years and in recent times I have noticed an increase in the number of defiant children responding to a request from an adult with outright defiance. Parents and child care workers have asked me on numerous occasions how to handle defiant children. There are many steps you can take to manage defiant children and get them under control. The most important step is to remain calm. If you show the child that you are angry or upset it will make things worse. Remaining calm is the key to managing defiant children. Next take a look at when the child acts defiantly. Are they acting this way because they are tired or feeling ill? Here’s some tips on how to manage defiant children: If you are a caregiver: - Give the child a “time out”. Walk them to a quiet spot in the room where they will be separate from the other children, but still under your observation. Have them sit quietly for a period of about 5 minutes and then go and talk to them in a quiet and gentle manner. Ask them if they know why they are sitting in “time out”. Nine times out of ten they will know. Ask them an open ended question for example “How could we sort this out?” “What should we do in future?” Let them share their thoughts. Let them know that you are not happy with their behavior. (It is important that the child realizes it is their behavior you are unhappy with and not them.) - Consider teaching a class lesson on behavior with role playing. Give different scenarios to the children and have them act out appropriate ways to respond. You can also have them act out the wrong way to respond to show a contrast. - If you are reading a story where a character responds in a defiant manner, have the children discuss the character’s behavior and what is right and wrong about it. If you are a parent: - Talk to your defiant children and ask them to share why they behaved in a defiant manner. Tell them how it made you feel and ask them how they felt. Most children truly want to please and open discussions encourage positive behavior. - Let the child know that toys, computer games, TV etc. are a privilege. In order to have fun with these, the child must demonstrate good behavior. Make it clear that these fun activities are not available to defiant children for a certain time period. - Reward positive behavior at all times. You can use a sticker chart. When they earn 5 stickers, they receive a treat. Reinforce positive behavior with treats such as extra computer time, special outings and puzzles. It is important not to reinforce positive behavior with items such as toys, sweets or junk food. Defiant children with disrespectful behavior can turn your home into a war zone where there is no peace. Recently, I came across an excellent resource that I highly recommend to anyone who wants to resolve this issue and I have written a review. The Total Transformation Program focuses on the older child, but can be used with a younger child as well. I like this program because results can be immediate. You will see results as soon as you start implementing the program. On day one, the course teaches you a whole new way to get your defiant children to cooperate, without having to raise your voice. As you work through the course you will learn how to avoid pointless, never-ending arguments with your child. There will be no more power struggles with your defiant children. No more negotiating and pleading to get your defiant children to respond to simple requests. No more feeling powerless and wrung out because nothing you say to your defiant children gets through. Now, when you talk, your child will listen and respond appropriately. Filed under: Parenting Tips Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!

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Carrot and Apple soup is a perfect dish for those who like something sweet, spicy and healthy. This recipe is fairly easy and effects are fantastic. You can divide the preparation of this soup in half if you would like your kids to try it. Even fussiest child will fall in love with this soup!Read More Have your mother force you to eat garlic because she said it is natural antibiotic? Some studies suggest that garlic can reduce or prevent Cancer. Find out more about this powerful vegetable and let us know your thoughts about it.Read More Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable which can help reduce the risk of Cancer. This recipe is very simple and easy to follow. You can modify it and use more spices or ingredients. It's good warm and cold. Bon Appetite.Read More There are some nutritional risk reduction strategies you can do to decrease your chance of development of cancer and lower the incidence of cancer returning. One of those strategies is including Vitamin D in your diet. What is a pesticide? It’s a substance or mixture of substances that destroy, repel or reduce pests, bugs, insects, mice, microorganisms (bacteria, viruses) or unwanted plants like weeds or fungi. They are applied to grow vegetable and fruit in order to protect from insects, diseases, weeds, and mold.Read More There are many people who believe that cancer thrives on sugar and recommend that people with cancer eliminate sugar in their diet. The studies have not confirmed that sugar intake has increased cancer risk directly nor increases cancer growth.Read More Cruciferous vegetables have been proven to prevent Cancer! Cruciferous vegetables are plants of Brassica genus and include many vegetables. Those vegetables contain chemicals known as glucosinolates as well as vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.Read More

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A modified anticancer drug can simultaneously target tumour sites and show whether or not it is working. Cancer drugs can be modified to specifically target tumour sites to help personalize cancer treatment. And while it is relatively easy to determine if the drugs have been delivered to the correct location, it is more difficult to monitor their therapeutic success. A modified platinum-based prodrug targets cancer cells and triggers cell death, or apoptosis, causing apoptosis sensors to fluoresce green. Now, a team led by Bin Liu from the A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering in Singapore, in collaboration with Ben Zhong Tang at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, has developed an anticancer drug with an inbuilt mechanism that shows if it is working. Platinum-based drugs are effective against many cancers, killing cells by triggering cellular suicide, or apoptosis. These drugs can, however, have severe side effects. Nontoxic forms can be modified, as a type of prodrug, to convert to their toxic form only after entering the targeted tumour cells, so as not to harm noncancerous cells. Liu and colleagues went one step further by modifying a platinum-based prodrug to not only target tumor cells effectively, but also show whether or not it was having the desired effect. According to Liu, this added feature could be crucial for improving cancer treatment. “Early evaluation of a patient’s response to a specific cancer therapy is important in clinical applications because it can minimize the duration of ineffective courses,” explains Liu. “The effectiveness of cancer treatment is commonly evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging to measure the tumor size, but this is unsatisfactory as the change in size is not obvious at the early stages of therapy.” In their new system, Liu and her team included an apoptosis sensor that is released when the prodrug converts to its toxic form inside the targeted tumor cells. The toxic form triggers cell apoptosis and activates an enzyme called caspase 3, which then cleaves the apoptosis sensor and causes it to fluoresce green. This provides a visual signal that the drug is killing the cells. Liu and her colleagues tested the mechanism by treating cultured cancer cells with the modified platinum prodrug. They observed a gradual increase in fluorescence in the cancer cells, reaching a maximum level of fluorescence six hours after treatment. Noncancerous cells were not affected in the same way, further proving the effectiveness of their targeting mechanism. Such noninvasive and real-time imaging of drug-induced apoptosis could be used to evaluate the therapeutic response to a specific anticancer drug at an early stage, explains Liu. “Our system can simultaneously deliver the therapeutic drugs and noninvasively evaluate the therapeutic responses in situ.” 1. Yuan, Y., Kwok, R. T. K., Tang, B. Z., Liu, B. Targeted theranostic platinum(IV) prodrug with a built-in aggregation-induced emission light-up apoptosis sensor for noninvasive early evaluation of its therapeutic responses in situ. Journal of the American Chemical Society 136, 2546–2554 (2014). Single atom alloy platinum-copper catalysts cut costs, boost green technology 09.10.2015 | Tufts University Controllable protein gates deliver on-demand permeability in artificial nanovesicles 09.10.2015 | Universität Basel Nondestructive material testing (NDT) is a fast and effective way to analyze the quality of a product during the manufacturing process. Because defective materials can lead to malfunctioning finished products, NDT is an essential quality assurance measure, especially in the manufacture of safety-critical components such as automotive B-pillars. NDT examines the quality without damaging the component or modifying the surface of the material. At this year's Blechexpo trade fair in Stuttgart, Fraunhofer IZFP will have an exhibit that demonstrates the nondestructive testing of high-strength automotive body parts using 3MA. The measurement results are available in a matter of seconds. To minimize vehicle weight and fuel consumption while providing the highest level of crash safety, automotive bodies are reinforced with elements made from... The MICADO camera, a first light instrument for the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT), has entered a new phase in the project: by agreeing to a Memorandum of Understanding, the partners in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Austria, and Italy, have all confirmed their participation. Following this milestone, the project's transition into its preliminary design phase was approved at a kick-off meeting held in Vienna. Two weeks earlier, on September 18, the consortium and the European Southern Observatory (ESO), which is building the telescope, have signed the corresponding collaboration agreement. As the first dedicated camera for the E-ELT, MICADO will equip the giant telescope with a capability for diffraction-limited imaging at near-infrared... Self-driving cars will be on our streets in the foreseeable future. In Graz, research is currently dedicated to an innovative driver assistance system that takes over control if there is a danger of collision. It was nature that inspired Dr Manfred Hartbauer from the Institute of Zoology at the University of Graz: in dangerous traffic situations, migratory locusts react around ten times faster than humans. Working together with an interdisciplinary team, Hartbauer is investigating an affordable collision detector that is equipped with artificial locust eyes and can recognise potential crashes in time, during both day and night. Inspired by insects An interdisciplinary team of researchers has built the first prototype of a miniature particle accelerator that uses terahertz radiation instead of radio... At present, tiny magnetic whirls – so called skyrmions – are discussed as promising candidates for bits in future robust and compact data storage devices. At... 01.10.2015 | Event News 30.09.2015 | Event News 17.09.2015 | Event News 09.10.2015 | Earth Sciences 09.10.2015 | Life Sciences 09.10.2015 | Life Sciences

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|Real numbers, coprocessors and vector units| Streaming SIMD Extensions (SSE) Streaming SIMD Extensions (SSE) SSE was introduced in the Pentium III and offered an additional 70 instructions to the Intel Instruction Set. SSE instructions can help give an increase in data thouroughput due to Single Instruction, Multiple Data (SIMD) instructions. These instructions can execute a common expression on multiple data in parallel. There are 8 (16 in 64-bit mode) XMM registers (XMM0-7(15)) that come with SSE, and they are 128-bit registers. Certain SSE instructions (movntdqa, movdqa, movdqu, etc...) can load 16 bytes from memory or store 16 bytes to memory in a single operation. Also, SSE introduces a few non-temporal hint instructions (movntdqa and movntdq) that allow one-shot memory locations to be stored in non-temporal memory so those location references to do not pollute the small on-chip caches. Since this change added new registers, it is disabled by default as the typical operating system of that time was not yet able to save those registers on a task switch. To support SSE, you will need to implement separate code paths for saving and restoring SSE state (as those instructions will cause an exception on processors that do not support it), and handlers for the new exceptions. After that, you can tell the CPU to enable SSE use in userland tasks. Checking for SSE to check for SSE CPUID.01h:EDX.SSE[bit 25] needs to be set mov eax, 0x1 cpuid test edx, 1<<25 jz .noSSE ;SSE is available In order to allow SSE instructions to be executed without generating a #UD, we need to alter the CR0 and CR4 registers. clear the CR0.EM bit (bit 2) [ CR0 &= ~(1 << 2) ] set the CR0.MP bit (bit 1) [ CR0 |= (1 << 1) ] set the CR4.OSFXSR bit (bit 9) [ CR4 |= (1 << 9) ] set the CR4.OSXMMEXCPT bit (bit 10) [ CR4 |= (1 << 10) ] Here is an asm example: ;now enable SSE and the like mov eax, cr0 and ax, 0xFFFB ;clear coprocessor emulation CR0.EM or ax, 0x2 ;set coprocessor monitoring CR0.MP mov cr0, eax mov eax, cr4 or ax, 3 << 9 ;set CR4.OSFXSR and CR4.OSXMMEXCPT at the same time mov cr4, eax ret FXSAVE and FXRSTOR FXSAVE and FXRSTOR are used to save and load the complete SSE, x87 FPU, and MMX states from memory. The host needs to allocate 512 bytes for the storage and use that memory pointer as an operand to either FXSAVE or FXRSTOR. Before using either of those instructions, make sure to check the CPUID features for the FXSR bit. Also, like most SSE instructions, the memory operand needs to be 16-byte aligned or a #GP exception will occur. Remember to execute FXSAVE *before* any MXCSR modifications happen, or else it the register will most likely get overwritten or set to 0 based on the unknown state of the MXCSR_MASK. char fxsave_region __attribute__((aligned(16))); asm volatile(" fxsave; "::"m"(fxsave_region)); or in asm: segment .code SaveFloats: fxsave [SavedFloats] segment .data align 16 SavedFloats: TIMES 512 db 0 Pitfalls: only one level of saving supported. MXCSR and its helpers LDMXCSR and STMXCSR The MXCSR register holds all of the masking and flag information for use with SSE floating-point operations. Just like the x87 FPU control word, if you would like to mask certain exceptions from occuring or would like to specify rounding types, MXCSR will need to be modified. Bits 16-31 are reserved and will cause a #GP exception if set. LDMXCSR and STMXCSR load and write the MXCSR register respectively. They both require a 32-bit memory operand. SSE support needs to already be set up before using either of these instructions (CR4.OSFXSR = 1, CR0.EM = 0, and CR0.TS = 0). If bits 7-12 are set, all SSE floating-point exceptions are masked. Bits 0-5 are exception status flags that are set if the corresponding exception has occured. Bits 13-14 are the RC (Rounding Control) bits. RC:0 = to nearest, RC:1 = down, RC:2 = up, RC:3 = truncate. Updates to SSE Later processors have added more instructions for different work to be performed on the vector registers. Supporting them with SSE support in place doesn't require any effort on the part of the OS (except for AVX, see below). The actual user of the instructions should however check if those instructions actually exist. Streaming SIMD Extensions 2 (SSE2) The bit for SSE2 can be found on CPUID page 1, in EDX bit 26. Streaming SIMD Extensions 3 (SSE3) The bit for SSE3 can be found on CPUID page 1, in ECX bit 0. Supplemental Streaming SIMD Extensions 3 (SSSE3) The bit for SSSE3 can be found on CPUID page 1, in ECX bit 9. Streaming SIMD Extensions 4 (SSE4) The bit for SSE4.1 can be found on CPUID page 1, in ECX bit 19 The bit for SSE4.2 can be found on CPUID page 1, in ECX bit 20 The bit for SSE4A can be found on CPUID page 1, in ECX bit 6 Streaming SIMD Extensions 5 (SSE5) SSE5 was planned as one unit, but split into several: The bit for XOP can be found on CPUID page 1, in ECX bit 11 The bit for FMA4 can be found on CPUID page 1, in ECX bit 16 The bit for CVT16 can be found on CPUID page 1, in ECX bit 29 The bit for AVX can be found on CPUID page 1, in ECX bit 28 The bit for XSAVE (needed to manage extended processor states) can be found on CPUID page 1, in ECX bit 26 The bits for AVX-512 are in CPUID page 0x0D, 0x0, EAX bits 5-7 When the X86-64 architecture was introduced, AMD demanded a minimum level of SSE support to simplify OS code. Any system capable of long mode should support at least SSE and SSE2, which means that the kernel does not need to care about the old FPU save code. X86-64 adds 8 SSE registers (xmm8 - xmm15) to the mix. However, you can only access these in 64 bit mode. Advanced Vector Extensions is a SIMD (Single Instruction, Multiple Data) instruction set introduced by Intel in 2011. AVX needs to be enabled by the kernel before being used. Forgetting to do this will raise an #UD on the first AVX call. Both SSE and OSXSAVE must be enabled before allowing. Failing to do so will also produce an #UD. AVX is enabled by setting bit 2 of the XCR0 register. Bit 1 of XCR0 must also be set (indicating SSE support). Here is an example of assembly code enabling AVX after SSE has been enabled (you should check AVX and XSAVE are supported first, see above): enable_avx: push rax push rcx xor rcx, rcx xgetbv ;Load XCR0 register or eax, 7 ;Set AVX, SSE, X87 bits xsetbv ;Save back to XCR0 pop rcx pop rax ret To enable AVX-512, set the OPMASK (bit 5), ZMM_Hi256 (bit 6), Hi16_ZMM (bit 7) of XCR0. You must ensure that these bits are valid first (see above).

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This chronic condition is a combination of attacks of diarrhoea and intermittent constipation. It can involve a disturbance of muscular movement in the large intestine. The cause of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is unknown, but the disorder can be aggravated by stress and may be linked to sensitivity to particular foods. Other symptoms of IBS include abdominal cramps, bloating, and passage of mucus with the faeces. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is characterised by recurrent irritation and inflammation of the large intestine (bowel), resulting in abdominal bloating and pain relief by bowel movements. A functional disorder with no evidence of accompanying structural defect in the intestines, IBS is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders. Frequent signs and symptoms of IBS: Cramp-like pain in the middle or to the side of the lower abdomen The pain usually relieved by bowel movements Loose of more frequent painful bowel movements Diarrhoea and constipation, usually alternating Symptoms of upset stomach, flatulence, nausea, loss of appetite Varying degrees of anxiety or depression Excessive secretion of colonic mucus Colonic Irrigation with anti-spasmodic herbs & bicarbonate of soda Colon cleansing with ENEMA HERBS & bicarbonate of soda is highly anti-spasmodic and helps void gas during colon hydrotherapy. It is especially beneficial in the presence of IBS and spasms. Your appointment will also include initial consultation. It is important to consult a doctor to properly diagnose irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to rule out any other conditions. Disturbed bacterial balance as a result of antibiotic or antacid usage. Antibiotics wipe out the friendly as well as unfriendly bacteria, disturbing normal gut ecology. Antacids decrease hydrochloric acid in the stomach – which is necessary for proper digestion and also destroys unfriendly bacteria in the stomach. Laxative abuse. Laxatives are irritants that work by triggering forceful contractions (peristalsis) of the intestines in the body’s efforts to purge these offending substances. Besides, laxative abuse can damage the intestinal lining and result in poor absorption of nutrients. Stress and emotional conflict that results in anxiety or depression. Stress disrupts the secretion of the body’s digestive factors like hydrochloric acid and pancreatic enzymes. IBS attacks are also often preceded by significant stress, obsessive worry about everyday problems, marital tension, fear of loss or death of a loved one. Food allergy. Approximately two-thirds of patients with IBS have at least one food allergy. Most common allergens are wheat and dairy products. Dietary factors. Excessive consumption of tea, coffee, carbonated drinks, and sugar. Excessive consumption of refined sugar may be the most important contributing fact to IBS. A diet high in sugar quickly raises blood glucose levels, causing a sharp decrease in intestinal peristalsis. Since sugar is primarily digested in the first sections of the small intestine, this portion of the digestive tract is constantly ordered to stop contracting and eventually becomes atonic (paralysed). When partially digested food sits in the small intestine, bacteria have an abnormally long time to feed, resulting in bacterial overgrowth, leading to bloating and flatulence. Risk increases with: Stress: disrupts digestive secretions Disease-promoting diet: a diet based on a high intake of red meat (saturated fat), processed foods, hydrogenated fats and sugar, with little consumption of fresh vegetables and whole grains which promote gut health – fibre, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and essential fatty acids. Drug therapy: in addition to antibiotics, which wipe out good gut bacteria, numerous commonly used drugs irritate the intestinal lining, eg laxatives, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Excess alcohol consumption: alcohol is an irritant that increases gut permeability to toxins and potentially allergenic foods. In addition, alcohol increases the adrenal gland’s secretion of stress hormones, including cortisol. Smoking: nicotine stimulates the adrenal glands to secrete stress hormones. Fatigue, over-work: both significantly increase stress. Poor physical fitness: physical exercise reduces cortisol (stress hormone) levels and increases levels of mood-elevating beta-endorphins, thus decreasing anxiety and tension. Other family members with IBS: family members typically share eating patterns and may also share behavioural patterns, ie reacting to stressful situations by shutting off the production of digestive factors. Irritable bowel syndrome preventative measures: Avoid caffeine, alcohol, carbonated beverages, and simple sugars (refined foods) Get adequate sleep. Poor sleep quality correlates with an increase in both the severity and frequency of Irritable bowel syndrome symptoms. Choose a health-promoting diet rich in whole, unprocessed, preferably organic goods, especially plant foods, and cold-water fish (salmon, mackerel etc) Increase dietary fibre from fruit and vegetable sources such as wheat and other grains are among the most commonly implicated foods in malabsorption and allergic conditions. In IBS, a condition in which the intestines are irritated and highly susceptible to potentially allergenic proteins leaking into the general circulation, food allergy is frequently a significant factor. Identify and eliminate allergenic foods. Approximately two-thirds of people with IBS have at least one food allergy-related allergy symptoms include palpitations, fatigue, excessive sweating, and headaches. Most common are dairy products so replace with goats milk and cheese and avoid products from a cow. Looking for the best vitamin and food supplement supplier online? Get a €20 rebate using the prescriber code “anatolis1“ under “Optional Code” when you make your first purchase of €100 or more from the leading European brand “SuperSmart“. Nutritional supplements for irritable bowel syndrome: Probiotics: Firstly, we need friendly bacteria to repopulate the intestines. Probiotics perform numerous functions essential for intestinal health including metabolizing nutrients, vitamins, drugs, hormones and carcinogens. Synthesizing food for intestinal cells; preventing unfriendly organisms from attaching to and colonizing the mucosal lining of the digestive tract; and stimulating normal immune responses. Probiotics compete with, thereby preventing colonization of the overgrowth of normally benign organisms such as Candida Albicans. Fibre: Secondly, use fibre derived from fruit and vegetable sources, not potentially allergenic grains. L-glutamine: a major metabolic fuel for the intestinal cells, maintains the villi. The absorptive surface through which we absorb nutrients B Complex: needed for proper muscle tone in the gastrointestinal tract. NAG (N-acetylglucosamine). A major constituent of the intestinal lining and of the barrier layer that protects the intestinal lining from digestive enzymes and other potentially damaging intestinal contents. Digestive enzymes (with pancreatin). To aid in protein digestion and prevention of leaky gut syndrome. Also aids in reducing inflammation which may be relieved by bowel movements.

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Home > Preview The flashcards below were created by user on FreezingBlue Flashcards. 1. What is immunity? 2. What is the immune system? Immune response? 3. What is the immune system associated with? (5) 4. What are the two processes involved in innate immunity? 1. Immunity - resistance to infectious disease 2. Immune system - collection of tissues, cells, molecules that mediate resistance to an intruder (prevention of infection and eradication of established infection) Immune response is the action of these tissues/cells/molecules 3. Defense against infection, tumors, allergy, autoimmunity, and transplant rejection 4. Blocking (skin, eyes, GI tract, respiratory pathways --> barrier to pathogens) and rapid, nonspecific elimination of intruders (inflammatory response) 1.Describe inflammatory response (3) 2. What are the 3 types of cells involved in the innate immune system? 3. What are antigen-presenting cells (APCs)? (3) 4. What are the 3 types of phagocytes? 1. Injury induces inflammation: 1. chemical signaling (histamine release stimulating blood vessel dilation and capillary leakiness) and cytokines stimulate release/attraction of WBCs to injury 2. Dilation of small blood vessels - allows for increased blood supply, redness, heat, swelling--> helps phagocytic cells move to site of injury. Phagocytic cells engulf microorganisms and clean debris 3. Role of clotting proteins & platelets in the blood - repairs/seals infected area preventing spread of infection 2. Phagocytic cells, natural killer cells, and mast cells 3. Dendritic cells (lymph), B cells, and monocytes/macrophages 4. Neutrophils, monocytes/macrophages, dendritic cells (lymph) Describe the 3 types of phagocytic cells. 1. Neutrophils (5) 2. Monocytes macrophages (4) 3. Dendritic cells ((1) 50% of WBCs, (2) first cells to respond to infections, (3) mainly target bacteria and fungi, (4) engulf and self-destruct, and (5) short-lived - few hours/days) 2. Monocytes and macrophages (1. 2-10%) 2. immature macrophages are monocytes --> blood monocytes become tissue macrophages. 3. Stimulate cells of adaptive immune response esp Th cell proliferation) and 4. live much longer than neutrophils 3. Dendritic cells - (1) phagocytic, antigen-presenting cell. (2) Links between innate and adaptive immune system (3) Function - takes up antigen, processes them, presents them to adaptive immune system cells for development of adaptive system 1. Which cells respond first to infection? 2. Which cells make up the majority of WBCs? 3. What is pus? 4. What do neutrophils target? 5. Which phagocytes are the shortest-lived? 6. Link between innate and adaptive? 2. Neutrophils (~50%) 3. Dead cells, debris, and fluid 4. Bacteria and fungi 6. Dendritic cells (but also macrophage) 1. Describe natural killer cells 2. How does granulation occur? What does it affect? What does it cause? 3. Do they directly kill microorganisms? What do they act upon? 4. What are they important for? 5. Do they have antigen-specific cell surface receptors? 1. Natural killer cells = cytotoxic lymphocytes part of the innate immune system. 2. NKs release perforin and granenzyme --> degradation of cel membrane --> cell lysis 3. No, they act on infected cells 4. Very important in viral infection and cancer 5. No - but they can recognize change in cell surface proteins 1. What are mast cells? 2. Where are they found? 3. What happens when they're activated? 4. What does this attract? (2) 5. Can mast cells be phagocytic? 1. Resident granulocyte (not lymphocyte or monocyte) containing granules of histamine & heparin 2. Connective tissue & mucous membranes 3. They release granules of histamine, heparin, and cytokines 4. Neutrophils and macrophages to aid in defense mech 1. How do phagocytes recognize the intruder before attacking/engulfing it? Be specific 1.5 How do lymphocytes recognize intruders? 2. What is the complement system? 3. Name 4 functions of the complement system 4. How is the complement system activated? 1. Through surface receptors that are specific to a broad class of microbial products (toll-like receptors) and other receptors like mannose and cytokine receptors. These signals lead to activation of the phagocyte 1.5. Through receptors on plasma membranes, but recognize specific receptors for a particular site on particular molecule. 2. Biochem/enzymatic cascade that aids ability of antibodies & phagocytes to clear pathogens or mark them for destruction by other cells. - 3. (1) Coating/promoting binding to antibodies and phagocytes - (2) Chemotaxis - attracting macrophages and neutrophils to sites of injury - (3) Clumping of foreign agents - making it easier for cells to clear debris - (4) cell lysis (via membrane attack complex - MAC) 4. (1) Classical pathway - triggered by antibody binding (involving adaptive immunity) (2) Alternative pathway - doesn't require antibodies - part of innate response, involving direct binding of C3B to microbe. (3) Lectin pathway - triggered by binding lectin to mannose residues of microbial glycoproteins 1. What are cytokines? 2. What is adaptive immunity comprised of? (2) 3. What does an infection usually activate? 4. What are the key cells of adaptive immunity? 5. What are the two main types of lymphocytes? 1. Soluble proteins that mediate immune/inflammatory rxns by acting as tools of communication between leukocytes and other cells (including leukocytes) 2. Cell-mediated and humoral immunity 3. Innate immune system and lymphocytes 5. B cells (humoral immunity) - antibody production and T cells (cell-med immunity) - helper t cells and cytotoxic t cells. T cells and T Receptors 1. What is the structure of a T cell receptor (TCR)? 2. What do B and T cells recognize? 3. How many antigen binding sites does a T cell receptor have? 4. How many antigen receptors does a B or T cell have? 5. What are the only types of antigens that T cells can "see?" 1. A-B chain linked by a disulfide bridge. 2. Antigens bound to MHC molecules 4. 100,000 identical antigen receptors 5. Antigens that have been processed and presented by other cells via MHC molecules. 1. What do CD8+ cells also go by? 2. What binds to CD8+ cells? 3. What type of cell can display peptide antigens via MHC1? 4. Which cells kill other cells? (2) 5. How do Tc cells kill other cells? 6. Which cells attack foreign transplant/tumor cells? - 1. Cytotoxic T cells - 2. MHC1 - 3. Any kind - 4. Tc and NK - 5. By attacking membrane - releasing granules causing perforin causing cell to lyse. - 6. Tc 1. What do Helper T cells do? (2) 2. Who makes MHC2 molecules? When? 3. In antigen presenting cells, what is the role of MHC2? 4. What specifically do Helper T cells recognize? 5. What does binding of Helper T cells to cell cause? 6. What are the types of helper T cells and what do they act on? 1-4, 2-4 1. Release cytokines that stimulate b cells to differentiate into effector cells that can produce antibodies OR facilitate proliferation of Tc cells 2. Antigen-presenting cells (APCs - dendritic cells, macrophages/monocytes, B cells). Constitutitively 3. MHC2 binds to peptides derived from foreign materials that have been phagocytized, tagging the cell attached to the antigen as "self" 4. Helper T cells recognize the antigen in the context of MHC2 by APCs 5. binding of Th cell to APC causes release of cytokines stimulating growth and division of Th cell ---> other functions (B cell differentiation, Tc proliferation) 6. Th1 - active against bacterial and protozoan infections, autoimmunity. Acts on CD8+ cells, macrophages, IgG B cells, Th2 - active against helminths and allergies. Acts on basophils, eosinophils, mast cells, IgE B cells 1. How are B cells activated? By who? 2. what happens to the B cell after activation? Who do they target? 3. What happens when the B cell binds to a pathogen with epitopes that match its receptor? 4. What do plasma/effector cells do? At what rate do they produce? 1. After binding to antigen-presenting cell and proliferating, helper T cells bind to B cells activating them. 2. Growth and proliferation. A specific antigen 3. Clonal selection - B cells proliferate and differentiate into effector (mostly) and memory cells. 4. Become factory for antibody productio, producing as many 2000 antibody molecules per second for 4-5 day lifespan of the plasma cell 1. What is an effector B cell? 2. What is a memory cell? 3. What are the functions of antibodies? (3) 4. What are the 5 types of antibodies? 1. Effector B cell = plasma cell - factory for creating antibodies until it dies (4-5 days) 2. Memory cell = long-lasting cells bearing receptors for the same antigen (REMEMBERED) 3. To (1) bind to antigen and (2) assist in elimination of that antigen by activating complement system, activating other effector cells (macrophages, neutrophils, dendritic cells, etc) and aggluginating cells together to make it easier to get rid of the pathogen (1) neutralization - blocks pathogens from carrying out damage bc phagocytes can recognize antigen-antibody complex (2) agglutination - crosslinks foreign molecules together to make it easier for phagocytes to find and engulf antigen-antibody complex (3) Activation of complement - eventually leads to cell lysis 4. IgM, IgG, IgA, IgE, IgD 1. What does IgM do? (2) where is it found? 2. IgG? (2) 3. IgA? (1) Where is it found? (2) 4. IgE? (2) 5. IgD? (2) 6. Which is most abundant? 7. Passive immunity? 8. Major antibody in colostrum? 1. IgM - early response, only in blood, activates complement system 2. IgG- comes later, diffuses through placenta for passive immunity for fetus, activates complement 3. Prevents pathogen from colonizing. Found in mucosal surfaces & colostrum 4. IgE - allergic reaction and triggers histamine release 5. IgD - antigen receptor on B cells, involved in innate cell activation - mysterious 1. What is the primary immune response? How long does it take? 2. What is the secondary immune response? How long does it take? How does it differ from primary (3)? 3. What do the characteristics of the secondary immune response indicate? 4. Are antibodies part of humoral or cell-med immune system? 5. Name the 3 mechanisms by which antibodies mark antigen-bearing invaders? 1. Selective proliferation and differentiation of lymphocytes that occur the first time the body is exposed to an antigen. 10-17 days 2. A second exposure to same antigen at later time. 2-7 days. faster response, greater magnitude, will last longer. 3. Immunological memory 5. (1) neutralization - blocks antigen from carrying out damage (2) agglutination (3) activation of complement leading to cell lysis 1. What is most common disorder of immune system? Affects how much of population? 2. What are 8 most common food allergens? 3. Define allergy 4. Where can allergy occur? 5. What is allergy mediated by? (2) 6. What are 4 common types of allergies? 1. Allergy - 20% 2. Peanuts, tree nut, shellfish, egg, fish, wheat, soy, milk 3. Allergy - rapid, hypersensitive response of the body's immune system to certain antigenes (allergens) 4. skin, GI tract, respiratory tract, etc 5. IgE cells and mast cells 6. Food allergens, seasonal allergens, exercise-induced allergens, exercise-induced food allergens 1. Causes of allergies? (3) 2. Describe mechanism in allergies (5) 3. What causes symptoms of allergies? What interferes with action of histamines? 4. What is anaphylaxis? 1. Strong genetic component (70% twins, 40% non-identical twins), over-hygiene, and imbalance between Th1 (pro-inflammatory) and Th2 (anti-inflammatory) 2. (1) B cells produce IgE antibody in response to allergen (in predisposed individual) (2) IgEs bind to mast cells at Fc region (process called sensitization) (3) IgEs re-encounter antigen. Cross-linking occurs betwen bound IgEs and introduced allergen (4) Cross-linking leads to degranulation (release of mast cell mediators) (5) Degranulation (release of mast cell mediators) - release of histamine, proteases, and other inflammatory mediators which cause inflammation including dilation and leakiness of blood capillaries and tissue damage. Released cytokines recruit LEUKOCYTES!!!!! (3) Degranulation (release of mast cell mediators) (4) Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of immediate hypersensitivity. Cuased by widespread and sudden mast cell degranulation in response to allergen --> abrupt dilation of peripheral blood vessels causes sharp drop in blood pressure --> can be lifethreateing and countered with epinephrine. 1. Are food tolerances IgE-mediated? 2. What are they caused by? (4) Name examples for each. 3. What is autoimmunity? Who does it occur in more often? 4. What factors must be in place in order for autoimmune disorder to be expressed? 5. What is ^ generally associated with production of? (5) 2. Enzyme deficiency (lactose, alcohol), inability to absorb nutrients (fructose -transporter), biochemical/pharmacologic reaction to food (aspirin), non-IgE immune response to food (celiac disease, gullian barre disease) 3. Lack of proper recognition to self due to improper immune response against self-antigens. Women 4. Needs environment, antibody, and target organ/cell to be malfunctioning in some way (multiple-hit phenomenon) 5. Autoreactive B and T cells, autoantibodies (IgG, IgM, IgA) 1. Describe pathogenesis of celiac disease. 2. What activates innate immune response? (2) - 1. Gluten protein gets through epithelial barrier to lamina propia stimulating immune system - 2. Gluten peptide encounters transaminase 2 --> deamidation --> glutamic acid (highly immunogenic, attracting APCs) 3. APCs process glutamic acid and presents antigen in context of HLA-DQ2/8 of the MHC2 molecule. 4. T cell sees this and produces cytokines--> activating B cells to produce antibodies to transaminase 2 and gluten. As well as release of cytokines from Th1 and Th2 5. Th1 cytokines cause release of inflammatory molecules and matrix metalloproteinases that cause cell death and cell degradation. 6. Response to gluten also activates innate immune system as eptihelial cells secrete IL-15 and MHC-1 molecules ---> activating CD8+ cells expressing NK receptors which further target/destroy epithelial cells. 2. A-amylase/protease inhibitors of wheat through engagement of toll-like receptor 1. Difference between celiac disease, wheat allergy, and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS)? 2. What can celiac disease and NCGS cause? Why? Symptoms? (4) 1. Celiac diseaes - anti-TG2, anti-D-gliadin antibodie. Gluten only 2. Wheat allergy - wheat-specific IgE antibodies. Clinical symptoms, skin prick tests (gluten AND non-gluten) 3. NCGS - negative for CD serologic markers, IgE antibodies, but many are positive for anti-gliadin antibody (not sure if trigger is gluten and/or other wheat proteins). 2. Neurological problems. Anti-gliadin antibodies are associated with neuropsychiatric diseases bc the antibodies bind to neural cells and synapsin causing their phagocytosis. Symptoms include ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, schizophrenia, bipolar, autism, etc. May not have intestinal symptoms. 1. Primary target in guillain barre syndrome? 2. Trigger? Where is it found? 3. Is there a genetic component? What is the immune response? 4. Symptoms? (3) 1. Peripheral nervous system 2. Trigger - C. jejuni in raw meat 3. Yes. Humoral (antibody to peripheral nerve glycolipids) 4. Symptoms: weakness, paralysis, fatality 5. Plasma exchange 6. Surface of c. jejuni contains polysaccharides that resemble glycoconjugates of human peripheral nerve tisuse, so single B or T cell receptor will trigger antibodies/T cells that attack both bacteria and nerve tissue. 1. What are common methods of antibody detection? (4) 2. What antibodies biomark infection? (2) ALlergy? (1)? Autoimmune? (3) 3. What can this information tell us? 1. ELISA, Western BLot (WB), immunohistochemistry, microarray immunoassay 2. Infection (IgG, IgM), allergy (IgE), autoimmune (IgG, IgM, IgA) - same as infection + A 3. Diagnosis of disease 1. Kwashiorkor vs. marasmus? 2. How do protein-calorie and micronutrient deficiency affect immune system (7) 1. Both are protein def, but kwashiorkor is sufficient calories. 2. (1) Atrophy of lymph organs (2) T cell deficiency (primarily impairment of cell-med immunity) (3) decreased phagocyte/NK function (4) defects in mucous membrane barrier (5) decreased cytokine response (6) decreased antibody production (7) Increased risk in frequency and severity of infection 1. What leads to increase in protein reqs? 2. What proteins are important in immune system? (2) 3. Deficiency in essential FAs leads to what? (2) 4. What can increased fat intake lead to? (2) Why? 5. What do diets high in w-6 vs. w-3 do? - 1. Immunological stress - 2. Glutamine - most abundant AA --> lymphocyte prolif against antigen. Arginine - enhances lymphocyte function (essential in infants and highly stressed people) 3. Lymphoid atrophy and depressed antibody responses. 4. Suppressed immune system (esp complement synthesis and cell-mediated immune function) bc these processes are mediated by products of lipid metabolism 5. High in w-6 --> increased productions of prostaglandin EG (PGE2) --> inhibits complement synthesis and depresses cell-mediated immune function High in w-3 --> inhibits production of PGE2 and enhances immune function What do deficiencies in: 1. Zinc - MHC-1 component, altered T cells, thymic atrophy, decreased IgG response 2. Iron - T cell defects, decreased IgG response, decreased phagocyte activity 3. Copper - essential for neutrophil function, decreased antibody production 4. Magnesium - increased inflammatory cytokines, histamine, reduced complement activity 5. Selenium - decreased antibody production, reduces Tc and lymphocyte proliferaiton part of glutathione reductase, What do the following vitamin deficiencies do in terms of effect on immune system? 1. Vitamin A - lymphopenia, decreased mucosal barrier function, decreased T cell, phaocytes, NK function 2. Vitamin C - decreased phagocyte function, decreased tumor resistance 3. Vitamin B - lymphopenia, reduction of antibody response 4. Vitamin D 5. Vitamin E 1. HOw does obesity affect the immune system? (4) 2. Why are newborns susceptible to infection? (5) 3. How does breast milk help? (3) 1. Greater incidence of infection (mortality), delayed wound healing, lower antibody production in response to vaccination (limited data) 2. Functional immaturity of immune system - (1) mucosal/epithelial barriers, (2)low circulation of complement proteins, (3) immature neutrophils, (4) impaired macrophage activation, (5) antimicrobial effector function is short 3. Prevents infection, enhances immune function, may protect against allergies/autoimmune disorders What are the immunoprotective components of milk? (3) 1. Immunoglobulins (sIgA - recognize a variety of microorganisms in respiratory tract and intestine) 2. Leukocytes (primarily in colostrum and early lactation) 3. Antimicrobial factors - (1) lactoferrin, (2) lactoferricin, (3)lysozyme (lysis of bacterial walls), (4) epithelial growth factor (decreasing permeability to infectious agents), (5) oligosaccharides, (6) variety of factors with anti-inflammatory activity (antioxidants, protease inhibitors, anti-inflammatory cytokines, casein subunits)

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ABC News is conducting exit polls in 31 primary races on Super Tuesday, along with polling partners CBS, CNN, Fox, NBC and the Associated Press. On election days, exit polls remain the best source of information about who voted, for whom they voted, and why. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about exit polls: What are they? Exit polls are surveys conducted as voters exit their polling place on Election Day. Reaching voters at that moment is important because it overcomes the problem pollsters have conducting telephone polls: people tend to misreport whether they voted or not. The "who won and why did they win" coverage on election night comes mainly from exit poll results, with the information reaching most Americans by television, and increasingly by the internet. How are exit polls conducted? Interviewers stand outside polling places in randomly selected precincts. They attempt to interview voters leaving the polling place at specific intervals (every 4th or 10th voter, for example). Voters who participate fill out a paper questionnaire, and place it in a box. Interviewers phone in results several times during the day. When a voter refuses to participate, the gender, approximate age and race of that voter are noted. In this way, the exit poll can be statistically corrected to make sure all voters are fairly represented in the final results. What sorts of questions are asked in an exit poll? Most importantly, exit polls ask for whom the voters cast their ballot, but they also gather demographic information to determine whether differences in such things as income, age, race, gender, and education impacted voting patterns. Typically, the exit poll also questions the voter's position on issues that were important in the race. Are exit polls accurate? Exit polls, like any other survey, are subject to sampling errors. Before news organizations report any exit poll results or make projections, though, they compare results to pre-election polls, past precinct voting history, and have statisticians and political experts carefully review the data. Actual vote count is added in throughout the evening and becomes particularly important in the closest elections. How do the exit polls account for the people who vote by mail? In the last national election, nearly 22% of Americans voted before Election Day. In states with high numbers of absentee voters, telephone interviews are conducted to reach and survey those voters. Information from those telephone interviews is included in the final exit poll results. When will exit poll results be reported? There is a strict quarantine on any news coming from the early waves of exit poll data until 5:00 p.m. ET. Also, the news organizations do not project winners in any state until after the polls have closed. Poll closing times are available on ABCNews.com. By late afternoon (approximately 5:45 p.m. ET), some initial demographic data about voter turnout will be available on ABCNews.com. That information will be constantly updated throughout the evening.

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Goya in Akers shipyard in Oslo, shortly before completion |Owner:||Johan Ludwig Mowinckel Rederi| |Builder:||Akers Mekaniske Verksted, Oslo| |Fate:||Confiscated by Germany during invasion of Norway| |Fate:||Torpedoed and sunk north of Rixhöft (now Cape Rozewie) on 16 April 1945| |Tonnage:||5,230 Gross Register Tons| |Length:||146 m (479 ft)| |Beam:||17.4 m (57 ft)| |Installed power:||Burmeister & Wain 7,600 horsepower (5,700 kW)| |Speed:||18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)| The Goya was a Norwegian motor freighter. Completed in 1940 for Johan Ludwig Mowinckel Rederi company, it was named after Francisco de Goya. Following the invasion of Norway it was seized by Germany and pressed into service of the Kriegsmarine as a troop transport. Near the end of the Second World War, the ship took part in Operation Hannibal, the evacuation of German military personnel and civilians from German-held pockets along the Baltic Sea. Loaded with thousands of refugees and Wehrmacht soldiers, the ship was sunk on 16 April 1945 by the Soviet submarine L-3. Most of the crew and passengers died. The sinking of the Goya was one of the biggest single-incident maritime losses of life of the war, and as such one of the largest maritime losses of life in history, with just 183 survivors among roughly 6,700 passengers and crew. History of the ship Goya was originally built as a freighter by the Akers Mekaniske Verksted shipyard in Oslo in 1940. The ship was 146 m (475.72 feet) long and 17.4 m (57.08 feet) wide, had a capacity of 5,230 GRT, and a top speed of 18 knots. Following the German occupation of Norway, the ship was seized by Germany and in 1942 refitted as an auxiliary transport for German U-boats. In 1943 it was turned into a depot ship, but the following year it was moved to Memel (modern Klaipėda), where it was used as a target ship for torpedo practice by the 24th U-boat Flotilla. In 1945, during Operation Hannibal, Goya was used as both an evacuation ship and Wehrmacht troop transport, moving people from the eastern and southern Baltic to the west. Its commanding officer was Captain Plünnecke. Contrary to popular belief, the Goya was not a hospital ship but rather an ordinary troop transport. On 16 April 1945, Goya was sailing from Gdynia, around the Hel Peninsula and across the Baltic Sea to western Germany. The convoy included Goya, as well as two smaller vessels (Kronenfels and a steam tug Aegir) and two minesweepers as convoy escort: M-256 and M-328. The ship was overloaded with German troops and civilians fleeing from the Red Army, including 200 men of the 25th Panzer Regiment (part of 7th Panzer Division). Four hours after leaving the port, close to the southern tip of Hel Peninsula, the convoy was attacked by Soviet bombers. During the air raids one of the bombs hit Goya, but damage was small. Having passed the Hel Peninsula and left the Danzig Bay, several miles north of Cape Rixhöft (Cape Rozewie), the convoy was sighted by the Soviet minelayer submarine L-3 which also carried torpedoes. While Goya was faster than submarines, the convoy was slowed down by the engine problems of the Kronenfels, which also required a 20-minute stop for repairs. At around 23:52, the commander of L-3, Captain Vladimir Konovalov, gave the order to fire a spread of four torpedoes. Two of them hit Goya; one in the bow, the second exploded amidships. The ship broke in two and sank in less than four minutes, soon after midnight. Goya, a freighter without the safety features of a passenger ship or a proper troop transport, sank to a depth of approximately 76 metres (249 ft). As the ship sank in under four minutes, most passengers either went down with her or died of hypothermia in the icy waters of the Baltic Sea. The exact death toll is difficult to estimate. Authors cite the total number of passengers as "over 6000", 6700, or 7200, although the exact number might never be known, as the evacuated military personnel and civilians boarded the ships in chaotic circumstances and often occupied all available space on ships leaving the German-held enclaves in East Prussia and occupied Poland. In any case, the death toll exceeded 6000, which makes the sinking one of the worst maritime disasters by number of casualties, exceeded only by Wilhelm Gustloff. The number of survivors is also a matter of dispute. Most place it at around 182 people saved (176 soldiers and 4 civilians), of whom 9 died shortly afterwards. However, other figures are also used, notably 172 and 183. Discovery of the wreck The position of the wreck has been known to Polish fishermen for a long time, however, it was not identified and was referred to as "Wreck No. 88" on Polish Navy maps. On 26 August 2002, the wreck was discovered by Polish technical divers Grzegorz Dominik, Michał Porada and Marek Jagodziński, who also salvaged the ship's compass. Exactly 58 years after the sinking of the Goya, the wreck was located on 16 April 2003 by an international expedition under the direction of Ulrich Restemeyer with the help of 3D-Sonar scanning. The position records of Goya's accompanying ships were found to be incorrect, probably made during a hasty escape. During the rediscovery another, smaller, ship had been seen above the wreck, which at first was thought to carry fishermen, but when Restemeyer's Fritz Reuter came close, the ship, seemingly carrying divers, left. The wreck lies at a depth of 76 meters (249 feet) below the surface of the Baltic Sea and is in remarkably good condition, though covered with nets. Survivors have mourned the tragedy by laying wreaths at the surface to show condolences to the 5,000 people who were killed here. Shortly after the discovery, the wreck was officially declared a war grave by the Polish Maritime Office in Gdynia. In 2006 the decision was published in an official government gazette of the Pomeranian Voivodeship and thus it is illegal to dive to within 500 metres of the wreck. |Wikimedia Commons has media related to Goya (ship, 1940).| - Cap Arcona - Wilhelm Gustloff - List by death toll of ships sunk by submarines - List of World War II ships - Iosif Stalin - (English) Yitzhak Arad (2010). In the Shadow of the Red Banner: Soviet Jews in the War Against Nazi Germany. Gefen Publishing House Ltd. ISBN 978-965-229-487-6. - (English) Heinz Chinnow (1 February 2004). Pomerania: 1945 Echoes of the Past. iUniverse. ISBN 978-0-595-30624-4. - (Polish) "Zarządzenie porządkowe Nr 9 dyrektora Urzędu Morskiego w Gdyni w sprawie zakazu nurkowania na wrakach statków-mogił wojennych" (pdf). Dziennik Urzędowy Województwa Pomorskiego (Gdańsk: Wojewoda Pomorski) 62: 4243. 2006. ISSN 1508-4779. Retrieved 5 September 2014. - (Russian) Mark Steinberg (2005). Евреи в войнах тысячелетий [Jews in 1000 years of warfare]. Moscow-Jerusalem: Gesharim. p. 587. ISBN 5-93273-154-0. - (English) Spencer Tucker (30 November 2011). "Sinking of Wilhelm Gustloff, General von Steuben and Goya". World War II at Sea: An Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. pp. 800–801. ISBN 978-1-59884-457-3. - (Polish) Krzysztof Wnorowski; Marek Jagodziński (2014). "Goya". Baltic Sea Wrecks. Retrieved 5 September 2014. - Fritz Brustat-Naval: Unternehmen Rettung, Koehlers Verlagsgesellschaft, Hamburg, 2001, ISBN 3-7822-0829-3 - Ernst Fredmann: Sie kamen übers Meer - Die größte Rettungsaktion der Geschichte, Pfälzische Verlagsges., ISBN 3-88527-040-4 - Heinz Schön: Ostsee '45, Motorbuch Verlag Stuttgart, 1995, ISBN 3-87943-856-0 - Williams, David, Wartime Disasters at Sea. Near Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Limited, 1997. - The expedition searching for the wreck of the Goya between the 12 – 22 April 2003 with the MS Fritz Reuter and an MDR-Team (in German) - Photograph of SS Goya

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Astronomy Courses Online Humans have gazed in wonder at the heavens since prehistoric times. The complex yet regular movements of stars and planets beg for explanation. Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences, and today would-be stargazers can find many excellent astronomy courses and information sources online. The Best Online Astronomy Courses The study of our solar system, as well as the stars and other wonders that lie beyond our sun, is a subject that appeals to all ages. Here are some of best online astronomy courses, for elementary, high school, college and graduate students. NASA, the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration, has many astronomy classroom materials for teachers, and short introductory courses for students of every grade level. NASA's site features streaming video, podcasts, spectacular photo galleries, and news about current missions. The Kids Online Astronomy Academy offers two free courses for students aged 7-11 and 12-18. Each course consists of downloadable packets of study materials. It's recommended that students complete one packet per week, but the courses are entirely self-paced. Students complete a final project and take a test to earn a certificate of completion. About.com has a free, ten-week intro to astronomy course. The course is text-based, with links to many other valuable resources. There is also a community forum where students can ask and answer questions about astronomy. Online University Courses in Astronomy MIT offers three free astronomy courses as part of the Open CourseWare initiative. Introduction to Astronomy (http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/8-282j-introduction-to-astronomy-spring-2006/) gives you an introduction to the solar system, stars, our galaxy, and the universe. Follow-up courses such as "The Solar System" and "Hands-On Astronomy: Observing Stars and Planets" are also available. Course materials can be downloaded, and are available in English, Japanese, Portugese, and Spanish. The United Kingdom's Open University offers five free astronomy courses. All of them can be downloaded and include text and graphic materials. Topics include the Sun, Moon, Comparing Stars, Telescopes and Spectrographs, and the history of astronomy's greatest discoveries. Indiana University offers tuition-based online courses in astronomy. These correspondence courses are geared towards entry-level undergraduates. Since IU is accredited, credit for completed courses may be transferable. But like all college credits, it's up to the receiving school to determine what credits it will accept. The Essential Radio Astronomy course is geared for astronomy graduate students. Its text is heavily laden with equations. There's also a final exam and ten sets of problems to test students' learning throughout the course. This course was created by the National Radio Astronomy Laboratory. Australia's Swinburne University of Technology offers a complete online postgraduate degree program in astronomy. Designed for astronomy educators, working astronomers, and advanced amateur astronomers, Swinburne Astronomy Online focuses on developing students' ability to communicate the often complex concepts they learn to others. Courses vary from six weeks to a full Masters Degree program. Fees are AUD $1400 per unit. Whatever your level of education or interest, there is an online astronomy program for you. As astronomers are fond of saying, "the sky is not the limit." Do you have a favorite astronomy learning website? Post your comment or question below... This article was posted by Bob Rankin on 19 May 2011 |For Fun: Buy Bob a Snickers.| Free Audio Software The Top Twenty Online Vacation Planning Resources Post your Comments, Questions or Suggestions Free Tech Support -- Ask Bob Rankin Subscribe to AskBobRankin Updates: Free Newsletter Copyright © 2005 - Bob Rankin - All Rights Reserved Article information: AskBobRankin -- Astronomy Courses Online (Posted: 19 May 2011) Copyright © 2005 - Bob Rankin - All Rights Reserved

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Article - Issue 35, June 2008 Large Hadron Collider Dr Lyn Evans CBE A section of the end-cap yoke of the CMS magnet with muon chambers installed on it © STFC/Stuart Boreham In a tunnel linking man-made caverns 100 m below ground, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), is being put together with the help of engineers from many different countries and disciplines. The first beam will go into the machine in July 2008, the LHC is the latest and most powerful in a series of particle accelerators located near Geneva, Switzerland. Dr Lyn Evans CBE, the LHC project leader writes of some of the key challenges involved and describes the novel ways through which engineers and scientists plan to unlock a new understanding of the fundamental nature of matter. For engineers and scientists alike, 2008 is set to become a landmark year – the year in which the world’s biggest scientific apparatus begins to run the world’s boldest experiments. Here at CERN (Conseil Européenne pour la Recherche Nucléaire) in Switzerland, many of our teams have lived with (and lived for) this Large Hadron Collider, or LHC, project since the 1990s. Today our confidence and expectations are energised not only by the impending power-up of the LHC but also by the fact that success with these experiments is likely to deliver knowledge that could completely reshape our understanding of matter – of our world and our universe. The aims and ambitions of our scientists have formulated these exciting experiments but it is the inspiration and persistence of our engineers that are providing the reality of the LHC. Few, if any, scientific initiatives have ever posed so many challenges to so broad a range of engineering talents. Before the science can even start, engineers have had to create the right physical environment for the four prime experiments that are to be empowered by the LHC. This involves recycling the existing 27 km circular tunnel built for a previous major experiment at CERN, some 100 m beneath the Swiss/French border near Geneva, and creating caverns at four points around this ring to house four huge detectors. Before the 7,000-tonne ATLAS experiment (the largest detector ever constructed for particle physics) could be assembled, an enormous cavern had to be excavated to house the equipment. The second general detector that will search for new physics is the CMS, or Compact Muon Solenoid, which weighs some 12,500 tonnes and was constructed on the surface before being lowered underground in massive modules to its final position. One cavern had an underground river that had to be frozen using liquid nitrogen before it could be excavated and a concrete structure installed that then held back the water. The LHC is now being prepared for the day this summer when its initial trials will begin to fine-tune its ability to accelerate two contra-rotating beams of protons (members of the family of particles known as hadrons) to near the speed of light, empowered and guided by superconducting magnets running through eight separate sectors. Each sector must be sealed in a vacuum and cooled by superfluid helium to -271.3 °C, just 1.9 °C above absolute zero – the coldest place not only on the planet but colder, too, than outer space. These particles are sent in pulses, accelerated in bunches of 100 million every 25 nanoseconds. These bunches meet head-on about 40 million times per second within the four experiments spaced around the LHC circuit. The collisions form smaller particles that spray out in all directions from the collision points. Each experiment will track and analyse these collisions, searching for unusual events that will shed new light on the fundamental nature of matter. They will produce data from which scientists hope to gain information, that will enable them to analyse the physics of our world more deeply than ever before – and, perhaps, to catch tentative glimpses into entirely new dimensions. But that is for the future. Today, the engineers who are preparing our four key experiments are experiencing challenging and exciting months while their specific items of equipment are installed and prepared for action after years in the planning, design, development, construction and testing phases. CERN was established back in 1954 and is still a leading participant among a truly global scientific and engineering workforce. Soon after its establishment, the work at the laboratory went beyond the study of the atomic nucleus into higher-energy physics – an activity which is mainly concerned with the study of interactions between particles. Therefore the laboratory operated by CERN is commonly referred to as the European Laboratory for Particle Physics. A herculean task The ATLAS is the largest decector ever constructed for particle physics. Some 1,800 scientists from 165 universities and laboratories in 35 countries have been involved in building and preparing to take data. UK engineers are particularly well-represented in the ATLAS and CMS detectors. At 45 m long and 25 m high, ATLAS is actually not a single detector but a complex series of sub-detectors, one within another. At its very heart, closest to the beam of particles, is the pixel detector with its 80 million pixels, similar in many ways to the modern digital camera with its eight million pixels (see ‘Capturing Particles’ insert). ATLAS will focus, among other priorities, on why particles have mass and what the unknown 96% of the universe is made of. In ATLAS and the three other major experiments, engineers have created the tools to achieve these ambitions. Ensuring CERN is ship-shape Integrity is our engineers’ watchword. The LHC itself, for instance, links 1,740 magnets that together require some 40,000 leak-tight welds and 65,000 ‘splices’ of superconducting cables to enable them to generate a magnetic field powerful enough to bend and focus the proton beams accelerated to nearly the speed of light. A leak in the cryogenic system that cools the LHC or a fault in an electrical line would mean warming-up an entire sector of the LHC to repair it, an extremely time-consuming process. A major challenge with ATLAS was to ensure its physical elements are robust enough to withstand the enormous magnetic forces on its superconductor magnets when it is switched on. In the ATLAS barrel toroid magnet, for example, the current of 21,000 amps imposes hundreds of tonnes of force, trying to pull its eight superconducting coils apart. The solution here is to hold the conducting material in place by insulation, kept in compression wherever possible. During trials engineers cooled the ATLAS barrel toroid to -269°C, the temperature needed to create and maintain a superconducting state. Once the magnet reached full power the current was gradually switched off and magnetic energy of 1.1 gigajoules was dissipated safely, completing a successful test of all the advanced materials involved. The CMS detector is another exemplar of prolonged and intense engineering effort, culminating recently after eight years of careful work to design, prototype, construct and commission the largest silicon detector ever built. Excellent identification of particles over a very wide momentum range is assured by the use of 73,000 radiation-hard, low-noise microelectronic chips, almost 40,000 analogue optical links and 1,000 power supply units. Our teams pioneered an automated assembly process for this enormous system, vital for constructing thousands of modules quickly and on schedule. CMS also generated a huge interconnection requirement. Each module was assembled from one or two microstrip sensors, which had to be connected to the readout chip. The solution was intensive use of automatic-wire bonders, which maintained consistent throughput with few delays (see The Compact Muon Solenoid experiment sidepanel). New world of physics These engineering masterpieces in miniature will soon witness the re-creation of conditions just after the Big Bang, an environment that will be studied and analysed with unprecedented insight and accuracy. Many possibilities and many theories exist as to what will result from these conditions. Perhaps the only certainty is that the Large Hadron Collider and its experiments will lead us in to a new world of physics, an era in which scientists can describe the workings of the Universe. The LHC could change our knowledge of dimensions, too. Our world appears to have only three dimensions (up and down, left and right, backwards and forwards) plus one of time. But current theories that attempt to explain the behaviour of sub-atomic particles of matter only work if more than four dimensions exist – as many as 10 or more. Science fiction perhaps, but the LHC offers a real prospect of discovering these dimensions…if they exist. Will the LHC reveal the unknown? Only time will tell. Our machine, our apparatus and our engineers and scientists will drive knowledge forward as never before, unlocking experimental data that will spur the energies of people who dare to dream. The author would like to thank John Hutchinson for his help with this article. Biography – Dr Lyn Evans CBE Dr Lyn Evans CBE is leader of the Large Hadron Collider project, managing the day-to-day running of a laboratory of 2,500 staff while overseeing the co-ordination between the many worldwide organisations and engineers involved in building and testing elements of the LHC. Dr Evans gained his PhD from the University of Swansea in 1970 and became a research Fellow at CERN in the same year. He went on to play key roles in a succession of projects there before embracing the LHC project in 1994. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, a Fellow of the University of Wales and a Commander of the British Empire.

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Ovid (Introductions to the Classical World) English | ISBN: 1405136421 | 2010 | 160 pages | PDF | 1,9 MB This book provides a unique and accessible introduction to the complete works of Ovid. Using a thematic approach, Volk lays out what we know about Ovid's life, presents the author's works within their poetic genres, and discusses central Ovidian themes. The first general introduction to Ovid written in English in over 20 years, offering the very latest Ovidian scholarship Discusses the complete works of Ovid Accessible writing and a thematic approach make this text ideal for a broad audience A current revival in Ovid makes this timely edition highly valuable Organize for a Fresh Start: Embrace Your Next Chapter in Life Space, In Chains Patrizia Dughero - Luci di Ljubljana, poesie Benevento Sandro - Echi di voci lontane (Liriche) The Oxford Handbook of British and Irish War Poetry Movements in Chicano Poetry: Against Myths, against Margins William Wordsworth "Poems" Ezra Pound - Aforismi e detti memorabili Walt Whitman "Poems" Third International Anthology on Paradoxism This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately. Ellen Schreiber - Vampire Kisses Series (5067) Coraline (Neil Gaiman)(4069) The Epic of Gilgamesh: A New Translation(3274) W. H. Auden - Selected Poems(3261) The Amulet of Samarkand: The Bartimaeus (2631) Beautiful Book of Nursery Rhymes(2347) Mystical Poems of Rumi(1996) William Shakespeare - Hamlet(1809) Art of Poetry(1805) Forgotten Realms. Anthologies(1788) The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry(1724) The Oxford Book of American Poetry - Dav(1596) Organize for a Fresh Start: Embrace Your(1315) The Oxford Handbook of British and Irish(1217)

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Health Effects Information On December 6, 1974 the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was signed into law. The purpose of the law is to assure that the nation's water supply systems serving the public meet minimum national standards for the protection of public health. The SDWA covers all public water systems with piped water for human consumption with at least 15 service connections or a system that regularly serves at least 25 individuals. The SDWA directed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish national drinking water standards. These standards limit the amount of certain contaminants provided by public water. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water. All drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. The water delivered to you must meet strict rules of purity. In the Water Quality Report (pdf) , you see the MCL's expressed in parts per billion. Have you ever heard the expression, "to win the publisher clearing house sweepstakes is a one chance in a million? Nearly everyone has difficulty understanding what one in a million actually means. In the drinking water industry we take the concept of one in a million very seriously, since this is how we measure very small traces of chemicals or contaminants in water. When we test and measure the level of contaminants in water, we record and report the results in terms of - parts per million, or milligrams per liter, written as ppm or mg/l respectively. A smaller unit of detection we regularly use is parts per billion, or micrograms per liter, written as ppb or \xb5g/l. One part per million, or one milligram per liter, would be equal to putting ONE drop of water into 10 gallons of water. One part per billion, or one microgram per liter, would be equal to adding one drop of water to a 10,000 gallon swimming pool. (A part per billion is 1,000 times smaller than a part per million.) To better understand the possible health effects that are described below for regulated contaminants, a person would have to drink 2 liters, (a little more than two quarts), of water every day at the Maximum Concentration Level (MCL) for a lifetime, (which at present is about 70 to 80 years), to have a "one in a million chance" of having the described health effect. Arsenic - Some people who drink water containing arsenic in excess of the MCL (50 parts per billion) over many years could experience skin damage or problems with their circulatory system and may have an increased risk of getting cancer. Barium - Some people who drink water containing barium in excess of the MCL (2000 parts per billion) over many years could experience an increase in their blood pressure. Benzene - Some people who drink water containing benzene in excess of the MCL (5 parts per billion) over many years could experience anemia or a decrease in blood platelets, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer. Chromium - Some people who drink water containing chromium well in excess of the MCL (100 parts per billion) over many years could experience allergic dermatitis. COPPER: Copper is an essential nutrient, but some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level (1300 parts per billion) over a relatively short amount of time could experience gastrointestinal distress. Some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over many years could suffer liver or kidney damage. People with Wilson's Disease should consult their personal doctor. Lead - Infants and children who drink water containing lead in excess of the action level (15 parts per billion) could experience delays in their physical or mental development. Children could show slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities. Adults who drink this water over many years could develop kidney problems or high blood pressure. Nitrate - Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL (10,000 parts per billion) could become seriously ill and, if untreated may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and bluebaby syndrome. Total Trihalomethanes - Some people who drink water containing TTHM's in excess of the MCL (80 parts per billion) over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer. Please see Water Contaminants for additional information.

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Student Teaching Jobs Rather part of a bachelor's degree of master's degree program, student teaching is the culmination of a teacher's preparation. Besides a cooperating teacher, each student teacher is assigned a supervisor from the college or university. The supervisor will visit and evaluate the student teacher's performance several times during the experience. They will meet to discuss strengths and areas of weakness in the student teacher's lessons, classroom management, and instruction techniques. A similar observation process occurs with the cooperating teacher. Relationships between the cooperating teacher and student teacher can sometimes be awkward. It is important for both participants to know their roles and responsibilities. The college or university will provide specific requirements of all participants. There may be certain tasks the student teacher must complete like integrating technology into a lesson, writing daily reflections over the lessons, and creating a teaching portfolio. The cooperating teacher is responsible for providing feedback, completing evaluations, and planning with the student. The student teacher should be given the freedom to design and implement lessons that are applications of what he has learned from his education experience. He is not there to merely continue in the exact footsteps of the cooperating teacher. In turn, the student teacher must take the position seriously being professional at all times. He should respect the classroom environment that exists and work to maintain a respectful relationship with the cooperating teacher. Going above and beyond leads to outstanding references from the cooperating teacher and supervisor.

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What is Scleroderma? What is scleroderma? Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease that causes tightening and hardening of the skin and other connective tissues. It is caused by an overabundance of collagen in body tissues. Scleroderma can be either localized or systemic. Localized scleroderma affects only the skin. Systemic scleroderma affects blood vessels and internal organs due to the thickening and scarring of tissues. Appoximately 300,000 Americans have been diagnosed with either localized or systemic scleroderma. What are the symptoms of scleroderma? The most common symptom of scleroderma is patches of hard, tight skin. These patches may be in the shape of ovals or straight lines and may cover large areas of the body. The skin may appear shiny, and the tightness of the skin may limit movement of the affected area. Another common symptom of both localized and systemic scleroderma is pain, stiffness, and swelling of the joints, bones and muscles. One of the earliest indications of systemic scleroderma is when the fingers become pale, numb and tingle when exposed to cold temperatures or when stressed (Raynaud’s phenomenon). It is important to note that Raynaud’s phenomenon can also occur in individuals without scleroderma. Other symptoms of systemic scleroderma include, but are not limited to, the following: - Digestive symptoms such as trouble swallowing, diarrhea or constipation - Shortness of breath - High blood pressure - Abnormal heart rhythms Who is at risk for scleroderma? Anyone can develop scleroderma. Individuals who are more likely to develop scleroderma include, but are not limited to, the following: - Individuals between the ages of 30 to 50 - Certain ethnic groups, including the Choctaw Native Americans - Individuals who have an existing autoimmune disorder Environmental factors, such as exposure to certain viruses, medications or drugs, may lead to the development of scleroderma.

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Many people today believe that slavery is a thing of the past but sadly, slavery is very much alive and can be found in every single country in the world. An estimated 40.3 million people are in some form of modern slavery today. To bring awareness to this issue and to abolish it completely, International Day for the Abolition of Slavery which is recognized annually on this day, has become a global event observed by all the member nations of the United Nations (UN). Modern slavery is used as an umbrella term to describe people in exploited situations which they are unable to leave from because of threats, violence, coercion, deception, and/or abuse of power. Modern slavery also takes many different forms such as forced labor, debt bondage, forced marriage, and human trafficking, etc. The UN human rights bodies have found that old forms of slavery have carried over from traditional beliefs and customs continue to persistent as well. These are usually targeted against minority groups in different societies. Migrants seeking opportunities to come to the U.S. are some of the most vulnerable when it comes to being a part of modern slavery. In 2019, there were a total 250 million migrants in the world of which 16% were in modern slavery. This is because many migrants fleeing situations of violence and conflict, are dislocated from their community, and lack access to legitimate forms of employment, legal status, as well as social protection. As a result, these migrants turn to irregular channels of moving and working leading them into a state of exploitation. So what can be done? Over the years, the UN has advocated various protections for vulnerable migrants and victims. These include providing protection for those fleeing repressive regimes, ensuring access to decent work and finances, and addressing the threat of deportation and detention for migrants seeking help as a result of employment abuses. Fortunately, these are some of the same measures members of congress are working towards implementing today. However, such measures even if enacted in the short term, could take years to implement and enforce on a global scale to the point where modern slavery is finally abolished. In spite of this daunting task, it is necessary to continue working towards ending one of humanity’s oldest and worst injustices in order to create a better world.

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Pitt Meadows Pest Control Services Although the origins of Pitt Meadow’s name remain fairly ambiguous, it is thought that the city is named after Pitt River and Pitt Lake, which were possibly named after William Pitt, a former British PM.Incorporated as a municipality in 1914, thanks to a rich and fertile landscape Pitt Meadows began its life as a tight-knit agricultural community. Today, the city is still true to its roots as its agribusiness is a key contributor towards the local economy.Present day sees Pitt Meadows with a modest, but progressive community just shy of 18,500. Much like its neighbor, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows has a great deal to offer due to its stunning natural setting, perfect for many outdoor hobbies, ranging from premium golf courses to hiking trails to all manner of water-sport pursuits. Is it any wonder then that for a city which has breathtaking scenery – mountains to one side and a river to the other with wetlands, floodplains, farmland and forested areas in between – Pitt Meadows’ population is expected to reach 21,000 by 2021. However, because well over 80% of Pitt Meadows is within a green zone, most of its residents are concentrated in the town center. Sizable areas have been designated as environmentally sensitive in order to conserve wildlife – whilst this may not be on people’s doorstep, it is still in neighboring parts of Pitt Meadows, meaning humans and nature will inevitably clash. Fortunately, Atlas experts possess the required expertise to resolve all types of pest and wildlife control. Did You Know?Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge have always been closely linked, so much so that the original Municipality of Maple Ridge included Pitt Meadows. Although, so it seems, this was at the dismay of its residents who petitioned that Pitt Meadows was removed from the District of Maple Ridge in the late 1800s. It is not just the physical damage rats can do to property, but the threat they pose to our health: their urine and feces are toxic, and they will happily contaminate any food source, whilst eating and relieving themselves simultaneously. It goes without saying that rats can spread various types of harmful diseases. Do not be fooled by their size – breathing air that has come in contact with mouse excrement has been linked to severe, sometimes life-threatening respiratory problems, such as Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome. Mice can also pass on salmonellosis by contaminating food with its faeces. Although they are definitely cuter than rats, mice are still considered a pest by the Canadian Environmental Health Authority. Atlas experts have the necessary solutions to remove any undesirable guests from your Pitt Meadows Property. Despite a pigeon’s history, it is unfortunate that today pigeons (particularly the widespread feral pigeon) are deemed vermin. However, given the aforementioned, their filthy reputation is much deserved. Therefore, Atlas experts have the necessary solutions to remove any unwanted feathered squatters and prevent them from roosting. Starlings typically return to the same nest cavity to raise young each year and continue to add to any existing nesting material. This clearly presents a problem that will not be resolved unless treated. Atlas experts have the required deterrents to discourage starlings from nesting on residential, commercial and industrial buildings. Winged animals (birds) are stunning animals, however not when they foul up your property and in some cases as much as we cherish these little critters, they can bring about a great many dollars’ worth of harm to our property and to our homes. We at Atlas Pest Control have joined forces with Bird B Gone to offer the highest level of bird control in Pitt Meadows. Sound like something big is in your attic space or ceiling? Seeing pieces of your roof missing? Well you more often than not have a raccoon issue! Raccoons like to take up residence in your attic or crawlspace. They cause and enormous amount of damage and you will want to get them removed right away! Once a Raccoon is in your attic space your attic essentially turns into a giant animal cage that hosts animals that are not trained where to defecate and nobody cleans there cage out. You can only imagine how unsanitary it can get just on the other side of your drywall in your own home and not even know it! That is why you should have your raccoon problem dealt with as soon as possible! Call Atlas Pest Control for all of your Pitt Meadows Raccoon control needs! Often people confuse squirrels and rats when they hear noises in there attic space. The big difference is what time of day you hear the noises. Rats you will only hear in the middle of the night when most people go to sleep. Squirrel noises will be heard in the morning and evening on the same schedule as us! Aside from the scurrying about, the noise squirrels make should be the least of your concerns. A squirrel has an exceptionally large appetite, consuming almost its body weight in food per week, thereby resulting in countless droppings. This, along with urine-sodden nesting material brought in from the outside presents the same excrement health risks (such as leptospirosis or salmonella) associated with less adorable rats and mice. To avoid squirrels driving you nuts, Atlas will come out and do a full home inspection to solve your Pitt Meadows squirrel problem and make sure it never returns. We are so confident in our workmanship we will even give a 5-year warranty to ensure you are squirrel free! Bed bugs are typically found in beds and small cracks and crevices. When Bed bugs feed, they inject the skin with their saliva (this keeps the blood from clotting) and an anesthetic (this keeps the host from feeling the bite and moving). Bed bugs can feed on the blood of any warm-blooded animal. Their most common targets are humans because, unlike animals with fur, we have a lot of exposed skin for them to bite. The creatures don’t have wings and they can’t fly or jump. But their narrow body shape and ability to live for months without food make them ready stowaways and squatters. Bed Bugs can easily hide in the seams and folds of luggage, bags and clothes. Bed Bugs will crawl about 100 feet in a night, but typically creep around to within 8 feet of the spot its host sleeps. Bed bugs are hard to see, so if you think you have bed bugs in your Pitt Meadows apartment, call a pest management professional. Anyone can get Bed Bugs. Do not lose another night’s sleep. Call Atlas today. Ants produce some of the most potent antibiotics and antimicrobials known to man. Current research is going on isolating and reproducing them. The bodies of most ants are virtually germ free. They have impeccable grooming habits, and take great pride in keeping themselves clean! Their saliva has antibacterial properties. This allows them to live in highly concentrated colonies without spreading disease to each other. If ants are marching in to your Pitt Meadows home or business, contact the professionals at Atlas to assess your situation and create a customized treatment plan today. Unless you find yourself in the polar regions, the familiar presence of brightly wrapped buzzing wasps will be close by. Understandably avoided by people: Wasps, Bees, and Hornets, are knowingly aggressive in defense of their nests. A Wasp sting may trigger an anaphylactic reaction in people with allergies. These stings may potentially lead to a deadly result. Even the fossil Honey Bees have stings that prompt others to attack by releasing a pheromone. There are over 30,000 identified species coming in all ranges of the color spectrum. From metallic blue, bright red, and familiar yellow to brown. Wasps are distinguishable from bees by their pointed lower abdomens and the narrow “waist,” called a petiole that separates the abdomen from the thorax. If there is a wasp nest on your Pitt Meadows property and wasps begin to pose a threat to your family, Call Atlas today. Have you had rodents in your attic or crawlspace? Notice a smell in your home and not sure what it is? Your attic space could very well resemble an out of control Hamster cage that never gets cleaned up! On top of this you will never know what damage has been caused until you have a full inspection completed. Call Atlas Pest and Wildlife Control for a free inspection of your Pitt Meadows attic or crawlspace today! Entry Point Inspections The most important part of solving a Rat, squirrel, or Raccoon problem is not the trapping and the initial issue. Why? Because you can have a problem solved and then the following year the issue can and most likely will return as pests leave a scent behind. Here at Atlas Pest and Wildlife Control, we put a lot of focus on making sure your problems do not return. Our highly trained technicians are specialists in finding the points of entry and all the small chewed holes around the outside of your Pitt Meadows business or residence. This is very important because pest control can cost you a lot of money to solve a problem, you do not want to be paying for the services every year when the problem returns.

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Troubleshooting Your Irrigation System It's a day before the big game. Everyone expects the field to be perfect. You have your schedule full preparing the field for the big show — mowing, grooming, painting the yard lines. All of a sudden, you notice brown spots appearing in some locations and puddles in others. This is no time to panic. Determined and focused, you begin the daunting task of troubleshooting the irrigation system on your game field. Your role to the performance and success of the team is critical. Irrigation is critical to maintaining healthy athletic fields. It is an important tool in providing an athletic surface that is safe for the athlete. As the turf manager, you can control surface performance by closely managing soil moisture on an athletic field. A surface that is too dry often becomes hard, increasing the risk of injury. A surface that is excessively wet will easily rut and lose stability, resulting in surface irregularities. Both conditions negatively impact the performance of an athletic surface and increase the risk associated with athletic competition. When faced with the prospect of troubleshooting an irrigation problem on an athletic field, the answer is simple: Just follow the water. BE A DETECTIVE Athletic fields, unlike other landscapes, are finely-tuned turf systems. They are extremely uniform in slope, solar orientation and soil consistency. The goal of a turf manager is to create a surface that is as uniform as possible in appearance and performance. As a result, high-performance fields show stress sooner. An observant turf manager can use this increased sensitivity to stress as a guide to identify problems with irrigation equipment or operation. Carefully reading subtle changes in the appearance of the turf provides you a powerful diagnostic tool. Observing the location, size, distribution, pattern and relationship to irrigation equipment provides clues on the potential irrigation problem. In order to understand the clues, you must ask critical questions and act as a detective noticing patterns in turf irregularity. Where is the problem? Does the pattern repeat on other areas of the field? What is the size of the affected area? The size of the impacted area can identify whether the problem is an entire zone or confined to a single rotor. As a general rule, smaller problem areas are usually malfunctioning heads; larger problem areas covering multiple heads are usually valves; and problems impacting the entire field are usually controller related. Troubleshooting is most effective with a complete understanding of the design of the irrigation system. Detailed as-built drawings are essential in understanding how your system operates and where all the equipment is located. The goal of any irrigation system is to apply the minimum amount of water required to meet the plant's needs. This requires a precise and uniform application of water over the surface. Variations in water-application uniformity usually indicate a problem. In the broadest terms, there are two types of water-related problems: insufficient water and excess water. Dry spots and brown turf are a clear indication of insufficient water. Observe the pattern closely. Small, isolated dry spots are usually related to the operation of a single rotor. If this is the case, you can find the offending rotor at the center of the dry spot. Insufficient water for a rotor is a sign that something is clogging the head or the head is not properly rotating. Check the screen at the bottom of the head for debris, and then observe the rotor in operation. Some dry areas are not centered on the individual head, but located equal distance from two heads along the edge of a field. The cause of this type of pattern is usually improper arc adjustment. When the areas of insufficient water cover multiple heads, you need to follow the water back upstream from the head to the valve. The problem is either a control valve or a lateral pipe break when all the impacted heads are associated with the same control zone. Lateral pipe breaks that are significant enough to create large areas of insufficient water can usually be detected by the isolated area of excessive water. In sand-based athletic fields, these types of lateral pipe failures can be difficult to locate due to the permeability of the soil. A simple way to detect if a lateral pipe or a valve is the problem in sand-based fields is to monitor the water meter while the zone is operating. No water flowing is an indication of a malfunctioning valve, while water flowing is usually a broken lateral pipe. There is some sound detection equipment that can detect the location of a broken pipe in a sand-based field. A general rule when troubleshooting control valves is that if the valve fails to operate, it is an electrical problem; and when a valve fails to shut off, it is a hydraulic problem with the valve. The failure of a valve to operate can be traced to three possible components: the controller, control wire or the solenoid on the valve. Use a voltage meter to check power to the valve at the controller terminal strip with the zone operating. Problems internal to the controller typically will not power the terminal strip. Next, using the voltage meter, check power at the solenoid while the system is operating. No power or low power to the solenoid usually indicates a severed or damaged control wire. Finally, if power is verified to the solenoid and the valve will still not operate, it is time to replace the solenoid. In situations where the entire field is impacted and shows insufficient water, follow the water upstream of the control valves to the points of connection and the control system. If you can manually operate the system by purging the master valve and control valves, the likely culprit is an electrical problem. Be sure to follow the water from the water meter, manually opening all gate, ball and solenoid valves along the way. Often, the problem is that someone accidentally shuts off a valve without notifying the turf manager. System-wide electrical problems are a little more difficult to troubleshoot, but can be traced to four components: controller, main ground wire, rain sensor or master valve. Each of these components can disable the entire system. To check the controller, make sure it is receiving power and that the terminal strip is being powered. Also, check the controller settings to make sure it is properly programmed and operating correctly. Both the master valve and rain sensor are designed to disable the entire irrigation system. Failure in either of these components will result in an entire system shutdown. Check the rain sensor and master valve the same as you would a control valve. You can remove both of these components from the system by disconnecting them. The system should begin operating again; if not, the problem may be a damaged or severed common ground wire. Unlike valve control wires that run to each valve, a common ground wire is run to all the valves. Ground wire problems are among the most difficult problems to detect and repair. Typically, the controller provides normal power to the terminal, but the voltage meter indicates no voltage or low voltage to all valves. You can identify excessive water by saturated soil conditions, a sour anaerobic smell and algae cover on the surface of the soil. Clues can be gathered by the size and extent of the saturation. At times, there are clear indications if the excessive water is intermittent or not by the way algae or salts have accumulated. Most excessive water problems are localized to a single equipment failure, such as leaking equipment or a broken pipe. Saturated soil around a head is a sign of a leaking wiper seal or that the head is installed low and the nozzle is obstructed. It would also be a result of the head sticking up and the mower decapitating the top of the riser. Observing the head in operation will help identify the problem. If the excess water appears to be bubbling out of the ground, the problem is below grade with the riser connection or the swing joint. Other equipment problems can result in isolated wet spots. Quick coupler valves frequently leak at the seal. A control valve box filled with water is commonly a leak between the valve body and bonnet or at the threaded connections of a valve. Isolation valves are known to leak at the riser stem. Armed with the construction drawings of the irrigation system, you can usually follow the water to the problem. Saturated soil not located near a head or other equipment is likely a lateral pipe break. One thing to consider is that the location of the saturated soil may not be the location of break. Excess water can travel underground through the soil and irrigation trenches and surface some distance from the break. However, it can always be assumed the saturated soil is down slope of the break. Finding the break is sometimes difficult. Running the suspected zone for a long time can sometimes force the break to surface revealing its location. When excessive water to a large area is observed, the first place to look is at the controller settings. The system may simply be programmed to apply excess water. The next culprit is usually a valve that won't shut off. The cause of a valve remaining open can be attributed to debris stuck between the diaphragm and the valve body preventing closure of the valve or a clogged diaphragm port. If you suspect a valve problem, remove the top bonnet of the valve and flush to remove debris. Inspect the diaphragm for damage or wear and replace, if required. WHEN IN DOUBT, FOLLOW THE WATER The cause-and-effect relationship of problems in irrigation systems are most often direct. An observant turf manager can use the subtle changes in water distribution as a powerful diagnostic tool in troubleshooting irrigation problems on athletic fields. It requires a mental picture of how the system operates, where the equipment is located and what problem would cause the observed pattern. Armed with this knowledge, you need only to apply logic like a detective solving a crime. Systematically considering each of the potential causes and eliminating them one by one, you can follow the water back to the source of the problem. Jeffrey Bruce is president of Jeffrey L. Bruce & Co. (North Kansas City, Mo.), a landscape architecture and planning firm that specializes in irrigation engineering and sports turf. Bruce also serves on the board of the American Society of Irrigation Consultants. Want to use this article? 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Most metal working projects will require cuts to be made during fabrication. There are many different cutting methods and equipment options available ranging from simple hand tools to industrial specialist machinery. Although all methods will result in a cut being made through metal, it is really important to choose the most appropriate process for the specified task. By understanding how the tools work, and how and when to use each method, it will be easier to make the right choice first time- saving time, money, and of course, maintaining workshop safety. A note on safety. When performing any task involving metal, safety should be a priority. Always follow the safety procedures laid down by workplace protocols and any training courses attended. If there are any concerns relating to workshop safety, these publications are available as free downloads from the HSE website; ‘Health and Safety in Engineering Workshops’ and ‘The safe use of compressed gases in welding, flame cutting and allied processes’. Personal Protective Equipment should never be overlooked, even if you think the task will be quicker to complete than hunting down your safety equipment, it is never worth the risk. PPE can help protect from burns, cuts, and metal chips becoming embedded in skin and eyes. PPE should include; - A full-face welding mask for plasma cutting and protective eyewear as a minimum for all other cutting methods. - Ear defenders as the noise from machinery can permanently damage hearing and has been linked to the onset of tinnitus. - Sturdy foot protection, no-one really wants hot sparks flying in their shoes- reinforced toe boots make sense when cutting metal in case the offcut falls. - Long sleeved tops and full-length trousers to protect skin from hot sparks and metal chips travelling at high speed. - Protective gloves- make sure these are fit for purpose; holes and splits will offer no protection and if they don’t fit properly, they will restrict your movement. - Always ensure tools are well maintained; check switches, cables, and consumables for signs of damage or wear and ensure blades are sharp- a dull blade is more likely to slip and jump on the metal surface which can damage the metal and lead to injury. - Replace consumables, such as blades and cutting discs, once signs of heavy use appear. - Always ensure you disconnect tools from the power supply before replacing the blades or performing any adjustments to the settings. - Keep the floor and surfaces free from clutter, trailing flexes, and debris. - Take your time- Rushing about in a workshop environment can increase the risk of trips, slips and injury. - Wipe up spills immediately to reduce the risk of liquids coming into contact with electrical items. - Take extra care when handling flammable substances. - Do not let children into the workshop unsupervised, if they are watching an adult work, they should also be provided with suitable PPE. Following the above suggestions should help keep you safe while cutting metal in the workplace or home workshop. To find out about all the different types of metal cutting processes and guidance on how to perform them, please click on the links below.

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Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium called; Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal. How TB Spreads TB is spread through the air from one person to another. The TB bacteria are put into the air when a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected. TB is NOT spread by - shaking someone’s hand - sharing food or drink - touching bed linens or toilet seats - sharing toothbrushes Latent TB Infection and TB Disease Not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick. As a result, two TB-related conditions exist: latent TB infection and TB disease. Latent TB Infection TB bacteria can live in the body without making you sick. This is called latent TB infection. In most people who breathe in TB bacteria and become infected, the body is able to fight the bacteria to stop them from growing. People with latent TB infection do not feel sick and do not have any symptoms. People with latent TB infection are not infectious and cannot spread TB bacteria to others. However, if TB bacteria become active in the body and multiply, the person will go from having latent TB infection to being sick with TB disease. TB bacteria become active if the immune system can't stop them from growing. When TB bacteria are active (multiplying in your body), this is called TB disease. People with TB disease are sick. They may also be able to spread the bacteria to people they spend time with every day. Many people who have latent TB infection never develop TB disease. Some people develop TB disease soon after becoming infected (within weeks) before their immune system can fight the TB bacteria. Other people may get sick years later when their immune system becomes weak for another reason. For people whose immune systems are weak, especially those with HIV infection, the risk of developing TB disease is much higher than for people with normal immune systems. Symptoms of TB disease include: - a bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer - pain in the chest - coughing up blood or sputum - weakness or fatigue - weight loss - no appetite - sweating at night TB Risk Factors Once a person is infected with TB bacteria, the chance of developing TB disease is higher if the person: - Has HIV infection; - Has been recently infected with TB bacteria (in the last 2 years); - Has other health problems, like diabetes, that make it hard for the body to fight bacteria; - Abuses alcohol or uses illegal drugs; or - Was not treated correctly for TB infection in the past Testing for TB Infection There are two kinds of tests that are used to detect TB bacteria in the body: the TB skin test (TST) and TB blood tests. These tests can be given by a health care provider or local health department. If you have a positive reaction to either of the tests, you will be given other tests to see if you have latent TB infection or TB disease. Exposure to TB If you think you have been exposed to someone with TB disease, contact your healthcare provider or local health department to see if you should be tested for TB infection. Be sure to tell the doctor or nurse when you spent time with the person who has TB disease. Treatment for Latent TB Infection If you have latent TB infection but not TB disease, your health care provider may want you to be treated to keep you from developing TB disease. Treatment of latent TB infection reduces the risk that TB infection will progress to TB disease. Treatment of latent TB infection is essential to controlling and eliminating TB in the United States. The decision about taking treatment for latent TB infection will be based on your chances of developing TB disease. Treatment for TB Disease TB disease can be treated by taking several drugs, usually for 6 to 9 months. It is very important to finish the medicine, and take the drugs exactly as prescribed. If you stop taking the drugs too soon, you can become sick again. If you do not take the drugs correctly, the germs that are still alive may become resistant to those drugs. TB that is resistant to drugs is harder and more expensive to treat. - TB - General Information (Fact sheet) - Basic Tuberculosis Facts (Audio Podcast) - Questions and Answers About TB (Booklet) - The Difference Between Latent TB Infection and TB Disease (Fact sheet) - Get the Facts About TB Disease (Pamphlet) (PDF - 430k) - What You Need to Know about TB Infection (Pamphlet) (PDF - 409k) - Tuberculosis Information for Employers in Non-Healthcare Settings (Fact sheet)

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The human eye is a highly complex organ system which is difficult to describe anatomically and physiologically. This article gives you a brief overview about the essentials of the eye. The eye ball lies in the orbit, a bony cavity in the skull. The retrobulbar fat (corpus adiposum orbitae) is a fatty tissue that lines the orbit from the inside and contains the vessels and nerves. The eye ball consists of the eye layers, the lens and the chambers. One of the main eye layers are the sclera and the cornea. The sclera represents the white of the eye. It is covered by the conjunctiva, a transparent mucous membrane which is important for the distribution of the tear film during the eye blink. Inflammation of the conjunctive (conjunctivitis) caused by bacterial or viral infection may be painful and uncomfortably restrict the patient’s vision. The cornea protects the eye to some extent. It is part of the optical system and mainly responsible for the refraction of light. Deformation of the cornea may lead to visual disorders. The retina and the choroidea are essential eye layers as well. Light waves striking the retina within certain wave lengths are transformed into electrical signals and transmitted to the brain via the optic nerve (cranial nerve II) and the so called “visual pathway”. These signals are then processed in the brain and converted to a picture. The choroid contains blood vessels that supply the retina. The lens plays a major role in the accommodation of the eye, the focusing of close and distant vision. Through contraction and relaxation of the ciliary muscles the lens changes its shape adjusting the refraction of light. Cataract, a common eye disorder affecting the lens, develops slowly over years and necessarily needs to be treated. The term iris is Greek for “rainbow”. This “pinhole” reaches around the pupil and changes its diameter through contraction. By this means the iris regulates the eye’s adaptation to light and dark.The anterior and posterior eye chambers are separated from each by the iris but have a connection through the pupil. They are filled with aqueous humor which flows from the posterior to the anterior eye chamber. An obstruction to the flow causes an increased intraocular pressure which may lead to glaucoma. Due to the aqueous humor’s ability of refracting the light it is considered as part of the optical system as well. The vitreous body is also part of the refractive apparatus. It is a jelly-like material filling the space behind the lens and has a similar refractive index as the cornea. The eye movement is controlled by different eye muscles which all originate from the orbit.

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You are hereCastle Wildenstein Castle Wildenstein (Schloss Wildenstein) dates from the around the 16th century and has acquired a reputation for being haunted. According to John and Anne Spencer in The 'Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits', on 1st March 1953, Baroness von Lobenstein reported seeing an apparition of a young boy in a sailor suit stood in the kitchen. This boy was possibly identified from an old photograph as Adolt Hermann Erwin (Born Berlin 7 August 1884 – died Wildenstein Castle 18 May 1884). In 1945 an American Military Officer stationed at the castle had a strange experience whilst having a bath. A young woman in white clothing walked into the bathroom and just stood staring at him. The American got out of the bath to push her out of the room as he was feeling uncomfatable around her, but found that his hand went straight through the woman. She then vanished, leaving the naked officer running out of the room and down into the kitchens in a panic. Other haunting type phenomena associated with the castle includes the playing of ghostly music and the appearance of phantom monks. There is also a fairy attachment to the castle with sightings again taking place just after World War II. According to 'Fairies, Real Encounters with The Little People' by Janet Bord, Maximilian, Baron Hofer von Lobenstein encountered a little man with a beard which hopped around him. The Baron had gone outside to let the dogs out and had noticed the little person that was lit from behind by a blue light. The Baroness is also supposed to have witnessed a little man, about two foot tall in a yellow vest and peaked cap doing somersaults in one of the castles rooms. There were also claims of poltergeist activity at the castle, and the Baron witnessed his glass of wine rise from the table. The castle came into the possession of Barons Hofer von Lobenstein in 1662

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One of the fallacious assumptions of classical physics is the belief that physical events and phenomena occur within a simple and precise mathematical framework. This idea is an extension of the principle of Occam’s Razor, which states that the simplest idea that can account for all the facts is preferred over an unnecessarily complex one. While this may be true for conceptual ideals, it cannot be extended to mathematics. When James Clerk Maxwell first tried to understand and explain the electromagnetic interaction, he developed a system in which the magnetic forces were enacted by hollow tubes extending from the magnetic bodies. The interaction occurred when the hollow tubes from one body came in contact with hollow tubes from another body. However, when he tried to apply mathematical analysis to this idea, he was hindered from proceeding by a wall of mathematical complexity beyond his abilities. Finally, in desperation, he abandoned the whole idea in favor of the concept of the “field.” When Maxwell applied mathematics to the idea of the electromagnetic field, he finally attained a set of beautiful differential equations that described the results of his electromagnetic experiments. This discovery was viewed by many to be the first great revelation toward the ultimate field explanation of everything. The great beauty of the field in theoretical physics is that the mathematics involved to describe an event are simple and concise when compared with the mathematics of same event in non-field terminology, such as Maxwell attempted to do with his “hollow tube” explanation of magnetic force. The requirement of theoretical physics, that all fundamental theories be presented within a concise mathematical framework, virtually prevented the serious theoretician from ever considering a non-field theory because of its mathematical complexities. Non-field theories are denied serious consideration because they cannot be given a precise mathematical description. Even if someone was able to develop a precise set of non-field equations, they would likely be so complex and mystifying that only the most gifted mathematician would be able to understand them. Prevailing logic maintains that as long as we can explain the all-pervading electromagnetic force as a field with such beautiful mathematics, then the truth of the field’s existence cannot be denied. Therefore, if the true underlying nature of electromagnetism is a field, then all other forces must also be field events at their basic level. Albert Einstein readily embraced this line of reasoning when he developed the theory of General Relativity, which depicted the force of gravity being transferred between objects through a “gravitational field” that each body of mass generated. Johannes Kepler spent a good many years studying Tycho Brahe’s detailed observations of planetary motion in an effort to resolve their seemingly complex movements into a simple system which could be applied to all of them. Finally, armed with the Copernican assumption that the earth and the planets revolved around the sun, he was able to develop his four laws of planetary motion that were able to explain these motions in a simple and concise mathematical way. Later, Isaac Newton was able to take Kepler’s laws and combine them with his own three laws of motion, his invention of calculus, and his theory of gravitation, to develop a simple and very precise system that was able not only to describe the motions of the planets but the motions of falling apples and the trajectories of cannon balls as well. For many years Kepler’s laws and Newton’s equations were offered as proof of the idea that the underlying truths of complex natural phenomena could ultimately be expressed in simple and concise mathematical form. Then along came Einstein with his theory of General Relativity, which offered a far more complex system of mathematics that was more accurate than Newton’s system. Newton’s equations were thus shown to be a mere generalization of gravitational phenomena that had nothing whatsoever to do with any kind of underlying truth. From its earliest beginnings, particle physics has developed and been built upon two basic assumptions: the “point particle” and the “field.” These two ideas have persisted to the present day not so much because they have been fruitful in revealing underlying truth but because they can be so easily manipulated mathematically. Recently it has been proposed by some that the idea of the point particle be discarded and replaced with the idea of the “string particle.” String theories have shown much promise, but the extremely complex mathematics needed to manipulate them has severely limited their progress. The closer string theories approach the truth of matter, the more complex the mathematical treatment of matter’s actual dynamics become. The idea that ultimate truth can be represented with simple mathematical equations is probably totally false. A simple example of this is the familiar series of circular waves that move away from the point where a pebble is dropped into a quiet pool of water. While these waves can be described in a general way with a simple set of mathematical equations, any true and precise mathematical description of this event would have to include the individual motion of each molecule within this body of water. Such an equation would require more than the world’s supply of paper to print and its complexity would make it virtually meaningless. The idea of the circlon is easy to describe and illustrate. However, any kind of mathematical description of its complex internal dynamics is presently beyond my abilities. This deficiency does not mean that circlon theory cannot compete with the mathematically simplistic point-particle and field theories of matter. It simply means that perhaps ultimate truth is not as easily accessible to a mathematical format as was once hoped. In the last portion of this book, nuclear structure is described in what I feel is a very precise mathematical presentation. While these nuclear equations are not what might be called “real” mathematical equations, they describe very accurately the entire body of experimental knowledge surrounding the 2000 or so known isotopes of the chemical elements.

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Science Shows We Prefer Compassion And It Grows With Practice A three-month old infant sits propped up in her mother’s lap, entranced by a puppet show. A small dog tries to lift a heavy bag, and a kind teddy bear helps. Then, as the dog struggles once again to lift the bag, a mean bunny grabs it away. After the puppet show, the infant is shown both the teddy bear and the dog – and stares at the kind doggy. For infants, that stare indicates liking. It’s not just newborns. Given the same kind-mean choice 80 to 100 percent of infants and toddlers up to two years old prefer the kind puppet. That three-month-old was part of a series of such studies by Kiley Hamlin at the University of British Columbia suggesting we come into this world wired to prefer kindness. The data adds to research challenging the assumption that self-interest alone guides us through life, painting human nature as a mix of self-interest and compassion. And converging date strongly suggests we can get better at strengthening the better side of our nature.

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Alzheimer’s patients often come to the attention of law enforcement officials and Search and Rescue personnel because of wandering. As the person with Alzheimer’s loses more and more of their memory, they will often go in search of a particular item, person, or place. The brain changes and visual impairments that occur in people with Alzheimer’s cause an irrepressible urge to wander. Wandering has proven such a common behavior that Alzheimer’s experts predict that 60% to 70% of all people with Alzheimer’s will wander away from safety at least once during the course of their illness. Many will wander 6 to 8 times before they are placed into a residential facility or an outside, qualified caretaker is brought into the home to help. Generally accepted statistics used by the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association (ADARDA) show that one in ten persons aged 65 and over, and nearly 50% of all persons aged 85 and over have Alzheimer’s disease. It would be easy, then, to assume that ten percent of all his searches for persons 65 and older are for persons with Alzheimer’s (and along that same reasoning, half of all his searches for persons 85 and older). This would be a fallacy to assume. The reality is that a much higher percentage of Search and Rescue call outs for wandering or missing elderly are people with Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s Lost Wandering People with Alzheimer’s who wander rarely find their own way home. When they are located in or near their home, the likelihood is greatest that they hadn’t wandered very far away. Many People with Alzheimer’s become lost or disoriented from their own home or care facility, but an increasing number of people with Alzheimer’s are being reported missing from malls, parks, zoos, and other public arenas. These persons, already in an unfamiliar environment are particularly unlikely to be able to navigate themselves to safety. Search records and anecdotal history from law enforcement officers show that even when people with Alzheimer’s who wander do encounter public citizens, they are often ignored, considered “homeless” or given aid, but are not reported to responsible agencies. Search reports reflect that once a subject has been found, a variety of items that have occurred cannot be explained by the subject. In a 1997 case in Escondido, California, a subject named Audrey, a 73 year-old woman, was last seen at her care facility wearing pink pajamas, slippers, and carrying her wig. When located nearly nine hours later, Audrey was found to have four separate canceled bus pass tickets on her person. As she left without money, it became obvious that Audrey dressed in pajamas and carrying her wig encountered persons who purchased bus fare for her. None of these people reported her missing, called law enforcement or asked for medical aid. Audrey’s case is not unusual. Search and Rescue Considerations Dogs and ScentPeople with AD, especially in care facilities, will put on several layers of clothes sometimes due to a thermal regulation problem or obsessive-compulsive behavior. This leads to borrowing clothing from others. Trailing dogs will have a problem with distinguishing the right scent and may not follow the right person. The interview of the caregiver should determine if person exhibits this behavior. Man-trackingNeed to get started early. The person who wanders can keep going and going. They exhibit what is called the Pinball Effect. They will walk a straight line until they hit an obstacle like a fence, turn and continue on until the next obstacle, and so on. Eventually they will keep going until they get stuck. Water HazardsDrowning is one of the major causes of death to people with Alzheimer’s who wander. Because of the Pinball Effect described above and the inability to perceive danger they will walk into lakes, ponds, rivers, and canals. All these potential hazards need to be checked with dive teams and water dogs. Also searchers need to be made aware of the possible biohazards. MediaIn an urban environment the average missing person will encounter up to several people who have no idea the person is lost. In several documented cases, the person who wandered got on public transportation and the drivers did not bother to take a fare. The person will ride all day, may even talk to other riders who offer help and who will take them to a requested destination. In one case in San Diego, California, a Latino person who got lost trying to get home received help and transportation all the way back to Mexico and was left in the middle of a city he did not know. Thus, the need to get the word out with pictures and descriptions is critical. Flyers are effective. Other considerationsBe aware whether the person is afraid of dogs, horses and uniforms.

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Naturally the common people don’t want war, neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it’s the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it’s always a simple matter to drag the people along…. All you have to do is tell them that they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to greater danger. It works the same way in any country. –Rcichsmarshall Hermann Goering Much of the moral basis for American leadership was destroyed by the dark parallels between Adolf Hitler’s invasion of Poland in 1939 and George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq in 2003. Adolf Hitler (third from left) with his generals In 1970, Albert Speer, Adolf Hitler’s former architect and Minister of Aramaments, published his bestselling postwar memoirs, Inside the Third Reich. In a striking passage, he revealed how the Fuehrer really felt about German soldiers who were suffering and dying in a war he had provoked. One evening during the middle of the war, Speer was traveling with Hitler on the Fuehrer’s private train. Late at night, they enjoyed a lavish dinner in the elegant rosewood-paneled dining car. As they ate, Hitler’s train slowed down and passed a freight train halted on a side track. From their open cattle car, recalled Speer, wounded German soldiers from the Russian Front–starved, their uniforms in rags–stared across the few yards to their Fuehrer’s dining-car window. Hitler recoiled at seeing these injured men intently watching him–and he sharply ordered an adjutant to lower the window shades. Hitler had served as a frontline soldier in World War 1 and had won the Iron Cross for bravery as a dispatch runner. As Fuehrer, he often boasted of his affinity with the average German soldier. He claimed that “my whole life has been one long struggle for Germany.” Yet throughout the six years of World War II, he refused to visit German cities ravaged by British and American bombs. Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, despaired at this. Winston Churchill, prime minister of Great Britain, often visited cities hit by German bombers, and Goebbels knew these visits greatly boosted British morale. Goebbels urged Hitler to make similar visits to bombed-out German cities, but theFuehrer refused. Albert Speer believed that Hitler couldn’t bear to see the carnage wrought by his decision to provoke a needless war. George W. Bush “looking” for WMDs in the White House GEORGE W. BUSH Similarly, Bush showed his contempt for the soldiers suffering and dying in his own unprovoked war. On March 24, 2004, at a White House Correspondents dinner, he joked publicly about the absence of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs). To Bush, the non-existent WMDs were nothing more than the butt of a joke that night. While an overhead projector displayed photos of a puzzled-looking Bush searching around the Oval Office, Bush recited a comedy routine. “Those weapons of mass destruction have gotta be somewhere,” Bush laughed, while a photo showed him poking around the corners in the Oval Office. “Nope-–no weapons over there! Maybe they’re under here,” he said, as a photo showed him looking under a desk. In a scene that could have occurred under the Roman emperor Nero, an assembly of wealthy, pampered men and women–-the elite of America’s media and political classes–-laughed heartily during Bush’s performance. Only later did the criticism come, from Democrats and Iraqi war veterans–especially those veterans who had suffered grievous wounds to protect America from WMDs. In his Presidential memoirs, Decision Points, Bush failed to mention his joking about the “missing WMDs” at the correspondents dinner. In writing about discovering insights into the human character, the ancient historian, Plutarch, said it best: “And the most glorious exploits do not always furnish us with the clearest discoveries of virtue or vice in men. “Sometimes a matter of less moment, an expression or a jest, informs us better of their characters and inclinations, than the most famous sieges, the greatest armaments, or the bloodiest battles whatsoever.” * * * * * So add it all up: - Two all-powerful leaders. - Two nations lied into unprovoked wars. - Adolf Hitler’s war costs the lives of 4.5 million German soldiers. - George W. Bush’s war costs the lives of 4,484 Americans. - Germany’s war results in the deaths of millions of Europeans and Russians. - America’s war results in the deaths of an estimated 655,000 Iraqis, according to a 2006 study in the Lancet medical journal. - America’s foray into Iraq costs its treasury at least $2 trillion. - Hitler is literally driven underground by his enemies and commits suicide to avoid capture, trial and certain execution for war crimes. - Bush retires from office with a lavish pension and full Secret Service protection. He writes his memoirs and is paid $7 million for the first 1.5 million copies. No world leader publicly claims to model himself upon Adolf Hitler. How many Republicans look to George W. Bush as their ideal in Presidential leadership?

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Four Steps to Self-defense can be summarized by the acronym — P A R R (Robert Koga). Proper self-defense training for women should, at a minimum, incorporate four basic steps. - Prepare for dealing with hazardous situations and violence, which is done through proper and adequate training. - Anticipate potential threats and hazards through awareness that may be present anywhere you are. - Recognize actual hazardous situations and threatening people. - Respond properly to threatening situations and people. Response requires rapid evaluation of the immediate threat and your capabilities while understanding all the possible strategies and options available to you. The application of these four steps allows you to avoid the danger whenever possible, but also apply physical self-protection when necessary. Stay Out of the Victim Pool There is a story about two hikers who encountered a ferocious grizzly bear moving toward them. One hiker immediately stopped, bent down, and started to tighten his shoelaces. The other scoffed at his companion, “You can’t outrun a grizzly. A man can only run about fifteen miles an hour, while a grizzly can top 35mph.” The other hiker replied, “I don’t have to outrun the grizzly, I just have to outrun you!” (Thomas & Bishop 1993) Other links to assist in considering what to look for in a self-defense program:

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Publicized by Bonny Anderson in Category Grade at Wednesday, April 18th 2018. Tagged with . 60/100 rated by 583 users This article section brings along 33 pic of Grade, some of them are including Multiplication Facts Worksheets Understanding Multiplication To 134. Multiplication Worksheets For Grade 3 76. Multiplication Worksheets Free Printable 3rd Grade Worksheets For 3. 3rd Grade Math Worksheets Free Bd2fc3333ae057f031693fb7546 Phinixi. All Rights Reserved. Designated trademarks, brands and all uploaded materials by users are the property of their respective owners. Worksheets Kindergarten and Free Printables. All Rights Reversed. © 2016 Worksheets Kindergarten and Free Printables, Corp.••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

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Nutrition is key to leading a healthy way of life. Everybody wants to enjoy good health, but few people really understand how to achieve this. Becoming healthier is much easier than you may think. Utilize the advice provided below, and you can be on the right track towards living a healthier, happier life. Although salads have a well-deserved reputation for being healthy, many people reduce or eliminate the health benefits by slathering their salad in rich dressings. Dressings that are creamy tend to have more fat and lower nutritional value. Make your own dressing with olive oil for a healthy alternative. Another great idea is adding cranberries and walnuts to a salad. If you are going for a healthier diet, start out slowly. This isn’t something that should be rushed. It is also not wise to eat foods that you simply cannot stand. Add in healthy food items a little at a time, and you will ease yourself into the differences. Make your own fruit smoothies. The ones you get at the store have too many calories. By making your own, you can control its nutrition. Additionally, it’s easier to tailor it to suit your diet. Focus on ingredients like bananas, Greek yogurt, peanut butter and skim milk. This will make it healthy and delicious. In your attempt to feel the best that you can during the course of the day, make sure to moderate your meal plan. If you eat too much, you can take in too many nutrients and fat, leaving yourself feeling out of sorts. This can interfere with normal body processes and can be detrimental to your health. A useful tip for maintaining good nutrition is to have a bite to eat prior to attending a big meal. If you arrive to dinner hungry, you are more at risk for overeating. When you have a little to eat before Thanksgiving dinner, you will feel full faster and will not eat so much. Heart-healthy diets include low fat and high protein foods. Poultry meet both requirements, but don’t eat the skin. Ideally, poultry is boiled, baked, broiled or roasted, but never fried. White meat is generally healthier than dark meat. To cut down fat in your foods, cook veggies in water rather than oil. Steamed or boiled veggies are as tasty as fried ones. If you need an oil, use a bit of vegetable oil versus margarine or butter. This grain contains 14 grams of nutrient-rich protein for every 100 grams. Quinoa can be used in many different dishes. You can substitute it for rice, make it like oatmeal with fruit or even bake with it. Trade out a portion of white flour in a recipe for whole wheat flour for a quick nutritional boost. There is more fiber and nutrient content in whole wheat flour than there is in white flour, and it is also less processed. It seems counterintuitive, but seaweed actually has healthful properties. Seaweeds like kombu, dulse and nori are rich in vitamins and minerals. People living close to the sea have eating these plants for many thousands of years. Anyone can eat better if they try. Proper nutrition is vital to good health and the food you eat is sure to have a huge impact on your overall sense of health. Follow the advice from this article to incorporate nutrition into your life.

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December 17, 2015 – Adams State University students will have a unique opportunity to develop artificial intelligence and social-emotional programming for robots through a three-year grant of more than a half-million dollars from the Department of Defense Army Research Office (ARO). Their work will tie together with similar projects underway across the world, through scholarly collaborations developed by Dr. Matthew Ikle, professor of mathematics. Today’s robots are light years ahead of the Jetsons’ “Rosie” and Star Wars’ “C3PO.” Adams State students will be involved in advanced programming to take such devices to an even higher level, thanks to the $501,159 grant. The 24″ NAO model looks like Rock’em, Sock’em robots, an overgrown kid’s toy. With a few taps on her laptop, Dr. Comfort Cover activates the NAO, which blinks its eyes and performs a precise tai chi form. It can obey pre-programmed commands, recognize objects and faces, and track objects. Buttons on the Robokind’s chest prompt different facial and body expressions – happy, sad, surprised, angry. Its “face” is made of “frubber,” which mimics the malleability of the human face. Because robots like this are programmed to speak and focus on human faces, they are useful in therapy with autistic persons. For three years beginning in 2016, students in the Summer Research Internship Program in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Social and Emotional Robotics will interact with research groups around the world, according to Ikle. Interns will engage in hands-on, directed research opportunities to encompass numerous Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies and their integration with robotics. Ikle has been involved in robotics research for the last 20 years, collaborating with Embry-Riddle Aeronautics University and colleagues in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as well as in the U.S., Bulgaria, France, Germany, and other nations. During his sabbatical last spring, he spent four months in the computer laboratory at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Working with Dr. Gino Yu and Dr. Benjamin Goertzel, Ikle continued his research and development work on the open-source artificial intelligence platform, OpenCog. ASU interns will assist Ikle and his partners in developing programming to integrate robot vision, object classification, social and emotional robotics, reasoning under uncertainty, and attention and resource allocation. The ultimate goal is to develop robots that can interact with humans, Ikle said. Funded through the DOD’s Army Research Office (ARO) grant for Research and Education Program for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCU/MI), the project is directed by Ikle in collaboration with Cover, asst. professor of management information systems, and George Sellman, asst. professor of mathematics/computer science. Ikle said the project will build on previous research and leverage recent infrastructure improvements in ASU’s undergraduate robotics lab that were funded by the DOD, US Army, and other external sources. Each summer, four interns will earn $15 an hour, 40 hours a week, for eight weeks, in addition to a 12-credit tuition waiver for STEM courses and a two-month, $1000 housing allowance. In addition, the grant will fund student travel to professional conferences. Next summer the group will attend the Artificial General Intelligence Conference in New York City, an organization Ikle has belonged to since its inception. “The DOD can only make grants to U.S. citizens. They want to encourage young people with ideas to get into research,” noted Sellman. “If you are an undergraduate at a large university, you wouldn’t get to touch equipment like this; maybe a little, in your junior or senior year . . . But at Adams State, you can be part of a small group of students working side by side with faculty who are collaborating with others around the world on cutting edge research.” Selection for the internships will be competitive, Ikle said. “Our goal is to motivate students, to cut through the attitude of ‘why math?’ We put a lot of thought into making this super attractive to retain students through the summer and into fall, to keep them connected and build excitement around the program.” The program’s ultimate goal is to increase bachelor’s degree completion in engineering, computer science, and mathematics.

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Pregnant women should avoid traveling to Latin America and Caribbean countries that have outbreaks of a tropical illness linked to birth defects, health officials said Friday. The illness is caused by the Zika virus which is spread through mosquito bites. It causes only a mild illness in most people. But it's been spreading around the world, and there's mounting evidence linking it to a terrible birth defect, especially in Brazil. Late Friday, U.S. health officials said pregnant women should consider postponing trips to 14 destinations - Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Suriname and Venezuela. They also advised women who are trying to get pregnant or thinking of getting pregnant to talk to their doctor before traveling to those areas, and to take extra precautions to avoid mosquito bites. WHAT IS ZIKA? Zika (ZEE'-ka) is the name of a virus discovered in a monkey in the Zika forest of Uganda in 1947. It is native to tropical Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. But infections have exploded recently in Latin America and the Caribbean. It is spread through bites from the same kind of mosquitoes that can spread other tropical diseases, like chikungunya and dengue fever. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? Experts think that only about 1 in 5 people who are infected with the Zika virus develop any symptoms. For those that do, Zika illness usually involves fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes - which usually last no more than a week. There is no medicine or vaccine for it. Hospitalizations are rare, and deaths from Zika have not been reported. WHY IS IT A CONCERN NOW? Two reasons. First, there's been growing evidence linking Zika infection in pregnant women to a rare condition called microcephaly, in which the head is smaller than normal and the brain has not developed properly. U.S. health officials are heading to Brazil, where there's been a recent spike in the birth defect, to further study the actual risk to pregnant women. More than 3,500 cases have been reported in Brazil since October. Second, the threat seems to be moving closer. Infections are occurring in our southern neighbor, Mexico, and the kind of mosquitoes that can carry the virus are found along the southern United States, too. Experts think it's likely the pests may end up spreading the virus here, though probably on a smaller scale than what's been seen in the tropics. HAVE THERE BEEN CASES IN THE US? At least 26 Americans have been diagnosed with Zika since 2007, all of them travelers who are believed to have caught it overseas. In addition, a person in Puerto Rico who had not traveled was diagnosed with the illness last month. WHAT'S THE ADVICE? Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Protection advised U.S. travelers to take protect themselves against mosquito bites if they visit places in Latin America or the Caribbean where Zika has been spreading. The advice includes wearing long sleeves and long pants and using insect repellent. On Friday, the CDC came out with an alert asking pregnant women - at any stage of pregnancy - to postpone travel to 14 destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean. In Brazil, most of the mothers who had babies with the condition - called microcephaly - were apparently infected during the first trimester, but there is some evidence the birth defect can occur later in the pregnancy, said the CDC's Dr. Cynthia Moore. Another CDC official, Dr. Lyle Petersen, said the virus seems to remain in the blood only about a week or two. Why hasn't a link between Zika and the birth defect been noted earlier? Previous outbreaks were much smaller, and the problem may have occurred less often - and so was harder to recognize, he said. There's another travel alert for pregnant women already in place, discouraging travel to areas where malaria is spreading. AP Medical Writer Lauran Neergaard in Washington contributed to this report. CDC travel warnings page: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices

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Salivary Gland Tumors Salivary gland neoplasms account for ∼3–5% of H&N cancers. Major salivary glands consist of the paired parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands. Minor salivary glands located throughout oral cavity, pharynx, and paranasal sinuses. Parotid glands located lateral to the mandibular ramus and masseter muscle. Facial nerve divides parotid gland into superficial and deep lobes. Parotid gland drains into oral cavity through Stensen’s duct adjacent to upper second molar. Lymphatic drainage from parotid gland is to intraparotid and periparotid nodes, followed by ipsilateral level I, II, and III nodes. KeywordsSalivary Gland Parotid Gland Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Minor Salivary Gland Great Dimension We thank Allen Chen for his contribution to this chapter in the first edition. - Armstrong JG, Harrison LB, Spiro RH, et al. Malignant tumors of major salivary gland origin. A matched-pair analysis of the role of combined surgery and postoperative radiotherapy. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1990; 116:290-293.Google Scholar - Chen AM, Garcia J, Lee NY, Bucci MK, Eisele DW. Patters of nodal relapse after surgery and postoperative radiation therapy for carcinomas of the major and minor salivary glands: what is the role of elective neck irradiation? Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2007; 67: 988-994.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar - Laramore GE, Krall JM, Griffin TW, et al. Neutron versus photon irradiation for unresectable salivary gland tumors: final report of an RTOG-MRC randomized clinical trial. Radiation Therapy Oncology Group. Medical Research Council. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 1993;27:235-240.Google Scholar - Spiro IJ, Wang CC, Montgomery WW. Carcinoma of the parotid gland. Analysis of treatment results and patterns of failure after combined surgery and radiation therapy. Cancer 1993;71:2699-2705.Google Scholar - Bragg CM, Conway J, Robinson MH. The role of intensity-modulated radiotherapy in the treatment of parotid tumors. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2002;52:729-738.Google Scholar - Douglas JG, Koh WJ, Austin-Seymour M, et al. Treatment of salivary gland neoplasms with fast neutron radiotherapy. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2003;129:944-948.Google Scholar

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New Delhi: Arunima Ganguly, a little over four now, held a smartphone in her hands for the first time over a year ago. The vivid display and stunning colours immediately caught her imagination. Today, Arunima is hooked on to the digital world after school hours and during holidays. For four-year-old Akshini Dixit, who lives in Mumbai, love for the tablet came instantly the moment her father brought one home two years ago. Today, from watching rhymes on YouTube to playing various downloaded games, the screen is slowly taking over the outdoor fun - once a staple for her - and the time with family and friends. Arunima and Akshini (real names) are not alone. The screen addiction - in the form of smartphones, tablets, iPads and laptops - is witnessing a phenomenal rise among the Indian toddlers and the future is not all that bright, experts warn. "I am concerned at the heavy use of digital technology that is happening at the expense of human interaction in toddlers today. It can have long-lasting negative effects on their mental health," stresses Dr Shilpa Aggarwal, child and youth psychiatrist from Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital in Mumbai. "This can have an impact on the toddlers' capacity to regulate themselves emotionally and affect healthy communication, social interaction and creative play," Dr Aggarwal told IANS. The American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) discourages any amount or type of screen media and screen time for children under two years of age and no more than one to two hours of total screen time per day for children older than two years. While some parents use digital media platforms for providing learning in the form of nursery rhymes and elementary-level teaching videos to their toddlers, others use the gadgets just for keeping them engaged at the dinner time or when they want some time alone. However, clinical experience shows that in very young children, the use of digital technology as a pacifier is happening at the expense of the much-needed recreational time with other toddlers and family members. "Excessive screen use at the cost of human interaction can affect social-communication skills and family bonding in the toddlers," stresses Dr Sameer Malhotra, director (mental health and behavioural sciences) at Max Super Speciality Hospital in New Delhi. Recent evidence from neuro-imaging studies shows that screen addiction in toddlers can result in several cognitive deficits and information processing problems. "This means that if toddlers are exposed to a large amount of screen time early on, it could manifest in the form of cognitive deficits later on in life," warns Dr Aggarwal. Undeniably, there are many apps offering opportunities for the kids to develop skills related to planning, strategising and problem-solving. "However, such opportunities cannot serve as a substitute for the unstructured and more conventional forms of interactions and socialisation in the real world," adds Dr Samir Parikh, director (mental health and behavioral sciences) at Fortis Heathcare. Imaginative play and group activities help toddlers learn the value of sharing, trust building, empathy, teamwork, abstract thinking and other communication skills necessary to prepare them to be adept at dealing with the social and emotional demands in the future. Screen addiction can also put kids at the risk of developing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). "One case in particular I remember when a toddler who showed symptoms of ASD was responding only to images on ipad and was found addicted to the screen. After he was admitted to a play school, the access to unstructured play with other toddlers helped him develop socio-emotional skills," said Satinder K Wali, child psychologist at BLK Super Speciality Hospital. An overuse of digital technology can directly impact the child's overall social and emotional development as it would restrict their exposure to the stimuli in the real world, with a greater preoccupation in the virtual world of technology, the experts say. "Overdependence could lead to social alienation and deprivation of the opportunities to interact with peers and significant others which are vital to understand the nature of reciprocity and socio-emotional development of the child," stresses Dr Parikh. The screen addiction can also hamper language and speech development. "We are witnessing more cases of expressive speech delays because of excessive exposure to screen time. I would say that with too many gadgets around, these are the warning signs of early childhood problems like autism, speech delays and lack of social skills," warns Dr Preeti Singh, clinical psychologist with Paras Hospitals in Gurgaon. Extreme cases of addiction can cause structural change in the brain. "It can lead to impaired cognitive functioning, impulse inhibition, increased sensitivity to rewards and insensitivity to loss," Dr Singh emphasises. While there are some parents who are concerned about their child's overdependence on technology as a primary means of leisure, it is more common for them to express such concerns and seek help as the child grows older. "It happens when the excessive screen use begins to interfere in their studies and other areas of functioning," notes Dr Parikh. For the parents, the need of the hour may be to limit the screen exposure for their toddlers and let the tiny souls explore the world on their own.

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The Sacred Geometry of Sacred Time in the Olympiad and the Mayan Calendar Round (cont.) By William Glyn-Jones The Olympiad Calendar You may have noticed that the above - 2004, 2012, etc - are all Olympics years, while the Ancient Greeks from at least the Hellenistic period used the four-year Olympic period, the Olympiad, as a calendar unit when cataloguing important historical events. The Summer 2004 Olympics were in Greece, with the Summer 2012 in London eight years later. The Olympiad period is of course not eight years but four years. However, although there was not a Venus transit in early June 2008, there was a "superior conjunction" of Venus and the Sun. In other words, Venus went passed the Sun, but not fully aligned in the vertical plane, so she didn't actually pass across the face of the Sun. The same will be true in early June 2016. In fact, the four year period, half of the Venus cycle, is marked out continually by these conjunctions, so that the halving of the 8-year period to the more frequent 4 years makes a great deal of sense. But there seems to be something spookily elegant about the fact that the first time the Olympics were held in London was in the summer of 1908. This means that the 2012 London Games are being held exactly 104 years after the first London Games, which is of course the Double Calendar Round of 13 x 13 = 169 Venus years - the Olympian Venus Round - and this can be counted with the 13 & 20 day wheels making Tzolkins interlocking with Haabs right the way through, to culminate with a Venus/Sun transit in 2012! Now we're really Tzlokin. The other London Olympics was in 1948, which is the 5/8 Fibonacci / Golden Section measuring backwards from 2012 to 1908. As well as the games of Olympia, the Greeks also held major games at their sacred site of Delphi, and the original period for these was the full eight years. Plato spoke of how the planets come into alignment after eight full years in his book Timaeus and it is assumed that this was a reference to the Venus cycle; the Delphic period was probably inaugurated to follow the Venus cycle. Poussin's beautiful painting Parnassus, showing the crowning of a poet with a laurel wreath at Delphi while he drinks from a chalice of inspiration proffered by Apollo, can only refer to the Delphic games, since these included not just athletic but also musical and poetic contests, and the winners were indeed crowned with Apollo's plant, the laurel. Notice that Poussin has included a reclining Venus figure centrally placed. (As it happens, one of the rare Venus Transits occurred in 1632, shortly after this painting was completed.) Delphi was the home of the most famous and revered prophetesses and sibyls, and of course Sacred Time structures become most potent in consciousnesses where there is also a honed ability to feel time, past and to some extent future, because time itself is the raw substance that is alchemically enriched by the sacred geometry of these patterns. Without this the geometric calendars are like cooking paella without the paella. Time is sensed through the feelings, from whence the information is translated into ideas via the Eye of the Mind. The ability to use feelings as a prophetic sense organ is enhanced if the emotions are calm yet sensitive - the ideal state for the feeling body. This state is easier to attain when we plug into the Earth, grounding into the sweet, deep, blissful vibration of Gaia. So, for example, the custodians of the Greek oracle at Dodona walked bare foot on the soil, and the first oracle at Delphi received her utterances from Ge, Gaia, the "First Condition" of R.J.Stewart's elemental communications (e.g. in The Power within the Land.) Poussin's Parnassus painting was inspired by the similar Parnassus of Raphael, which in turn was inspired by Mantegna's equivalent painting, also known as Parnassus but which surely shows in fact Mount Helicon, with its two springs, one brought into existence by the stamping of the hoof of Pegasus (who Mantegna shows) and with the dancing Muses, sacred to Helicon, where they had a temple, also shown. As well as these features, Mantegna's scene is watched over by Mars and Venus in embrace. As the art historian Edgar Wind described in Pagan Mysteries of the Renaissance this theme of Venus united with (and thus tempering) Mars was championed by Renaissance Neo-Platonists as an alchemical fusion vital to the health and vitality of things, and the implication in the painting is that this union vivifies culture (represented by the Muses). This leads us on to an extraordinary fact - the synodic period (of the retrograde movements) of Mars in our sky is 780 days, precisely 3 Tzolkin periods of 260 days! So every 3 Venus Rounds (3 x 104 years) the cycles are fully synchronized. And so Mars and Venus are united by the Tzolkin!

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Alcohol Monopolies are Anti-Consumer Competition among producers of goods and services benefits consumers. It increases consumer choice, reduces prices, and improves customer service. It was abolishing the old telephone monopoly that made possible the dramatic expansion of communication products that we take for granted today. It was deregulation of the airline industry, opening it to competition, that led to an increase in the number of airlines and a significant reduction in the inflation-adjusted price of air fares. It is competition among computer companies that reduces prices and continues to expand the diversity of products available. Monopolies and near monopolies (oligopolies) only benefit the monopoloies and oligopolies themselves; they harm everyone else by increasing prices and reducing consumer choice. Surprisingly, many people and organizations want to increase the price of alcohol beverages, reduce the selection of brands, and make them more difficult to purchase. They want to maintain old Colonial-era Blue laws prohibiting the purchase of alcohol on Sundays, although it is the second busiest shopping day of the week. They want to prohibit retailers from purchasing directly from producers, thus eleminating unnecessary middlemen who only add to the cost that consumers must pay for alcohol beverages. They want to prohibit the use of credit and debit cards for the purchase of alcohol, prohibit its home delivery, and make it more difficult to purchase. They also want to maintain government alcohol sale monopolies in those states that have them and to expand them to non-monopoly states. In government monopoly states, consumers must pay higher prices for the same brands, suffer restricted product choices, and experience limited service. Government monopoly stores often resemble the old Soviet stores with their take-it-or-leave-it surly attitude of indifferent state bureaucrats in their secure jobs that are unrelated to customer service and satisfaction. Monopolies are anti-consumer and promoting them is also anti-consumer. There are currently 18 alcohol monopoly or control states in the U.S. The term "control state" is popular but misleading because all states control and regulate the sale of alcohol. Therefore every state is a control state but only 18 are monopoly states. Learn more at about alcohol monopoly states. filed under: Economics

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New Zealand Plant Protection 67 (2014): 324 Grape powdery mildew, first reported in New Zealand in 1901, is widespread in New Zealand grape growing regions, causing significant losses in some seasons. In the summer of 2014, the sexual stage of this fungus was observed for the first time in New Zealand. Subsequent surveys showed the sexual state as widespread in Gisborne, Hawke's Bay and Marlborough. Internationally, two E. necator populations are recognised, Group A being asexual, while Group B undergoes sexual recombination. DNA was obtained from a sexual isolate from Hawke's Bay and from an asexual isolate from Canterbury and they matched Group B and Group A respectively. Asexual populations overwinter in dormant buds and develop new infections at budbreak, whereas sexual populations overwinter as cleistothecia (sexual fruiting bodies) with primary infections following ascospore release. In Europe, where both sexual and asexual populations are widespread, overwintering through cleistothecia is considered most important for between season transmission. The impact of this newly introduced powdery mildew population is as yet unknown but, with the additional source of new season inoculum coupled with greater genetic diversity increasing the risk of fungicide resistance, future control of the disease may become more difficult. |An initial genetic characterisation of the grape powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator) in New Zealand associated with recent reports of the sexual stage| J.A. Cooper, D. Park and P.R. Johnston (2015) New Zealand Plant Protection 68: 389-395 Copyright © 2014 New Zealand Plant Protection Society (Inc.).

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Are you looking for picture books that encourage cooperation? With the publication of Yoga Friends, a book to help children learn yoga poses with a partner, I thought it would be fun to find other books that encourage cooperation and working with a partner. There are so many wonderful stories from which to choose. Read the stories with your children. See what they notice about the story’s lesson. See what they might agree with or try in their own lives. Children’s Books That Encourage Cooperation Yoga Friends by Miriam Gates and Rolf Gates, illustrated by Sarah Jane Hinder Introduce your children to playful partner poses that they can do with a friend or sibling or parent. Read the simple text, look at the kids in the brightly-illustrated pictures, and copy the pose. The authors’ goal is to make yoga playful as well as focused. I think they succeed! “We are a lizard on a rock/basking in the sun. / Back and forth we go until / our rest is done.” This is the Lizard pose. Each pose is further explained in the back. For the Lizard, you’ll read: “Hook your arms behind you with your partner’s arms, elbow to elbow. One of you slowly leans forward while the other leans back. Then switch, so you are stretching back and forth.” You’ll also find the following partner poses: Lotus, Octopus, Owl, Boat, Drawbridge, Heart, Double Warrior, Tree, and Tree Variation. “Yoga friends is an opportunity to share the fun and connection of practicing with the other person that we’ve enjoyed as a family for years,” says Mariam Gates. Red & Yellow’s Noisy Night by Josh Selig Red and Yellow live happily together in the Olive Tree. One night when Yellow wants to sleep, Red wants to be loud. What? It takes the two friends time to work out a solution but eventually Red plays quieter and Yellow likes it. In fact, he falls asleep to the music. This book is part of Little Light Foundation, a non-profit charity whose goal is to help children learn about conflict resolution and mutual respect. Colors versus Shapes by Mike Boldt The colors show the shapes how talented they are by mixing yellow and blue to make green. The shapes show the colors how two triangles combine make a square. They argue until . . . an octagon and the color red collide. Whoa! Maybe they are all better together. It’s silly fun about the power of cooperation! A House in the Woods by Inga Moore Little pig’s den becomes filled with friends but once Moose arrives, the den collapses. Oh, no! What will they do? Together the animals build a new house in the woods big enough to fit all the friends. That Fruit Is Mine! by Anuska Allepuz Prince and Pirate by Charlotte Gunnufson, illustrated by Mike Lowery Prince and Pirate are two unique fish who live in their own fish bowls. Until one day they’re moved into a tank together. The two do not get along. AT ALL. They name-call and pester each other. UNTIL they work together to help the newest fish arrival, a small, scared dogfish. You’ll love the bright illustrations, hilarious dialogue, and (eventual) message of kindness. Ella and Penguin Stick Together by Megan Maynor, illustrated by Rosalinde Bonnet This will make a fun gift book since it contains glow-in-the-dark stars! This is a sweet story about a little girl and her penguin friend who work together to explore and decorate. Frankie by Mary Sullivan Frankie is going home from the shelter. There, he wants to figure out what his things are. Is the bed Frankie’s? No. It’s Nico’s. In fact, it turns out that the blankie, bed, rope, and puppy all are Nico’s. Poor Frankie. Will these two cute doggies ever learn to share? Gorgeous illustrations and simple text about the power of sharing. The Brownstone by Paula Scher, illustrated by Stan Mack The Bear family is ready for hibernation but first, they need to figure out the huge noise problem. This silly book shows all the animals working together to shift apartments so that everyone finds the best apartment for their needs. You’ll love the message and illustrations! The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier, illustrated by Sonia Sanchez Remember the story of The Little Red Hen? The Little Red Fort is the same set-up but with a girl-powered engineering twist. And it’s SO awesome — both the clever story and the fantastic illustrations!! Ruby asks her brothers to help her build something. They dismiss her idea. She isn’t daunted– she learns and does it herself. She invites them to help with all the steps in the process — making plans, gathering supplies, cutting the boards, hammering the nails — but they always decline. The illustrations show the boys playing outside, playing in the pool, playing on screen time. Of course, when Ruby is all done, the boys want to play in her fort but she says no. To apologize, the boys contribute to the fort — flowers, paint, and a mailbox — then they all have a fort-warming party. Also on: Engineering Picture Books for Kids Claymates by Dev Petty, illustrated by Lauren Eldridge Pencil: A Story with a Point by Ann Ingalls, illustrated by Dean Griffiths What a great story that shows not only that technology isn’t everything but also incorporates punny humor and the success of collaboration. Pencil and Jackson used to have a lot of fun together until Tablet came along. Pencil show Jackson all the other cool things he can do –but none of his ideas work. Not until the other office supplies help and find a clever way to get Jackson’s attention. Violet and Victor Write The Best-Ever Bookworm Book by Alice Kuipers, illustrated by Bethanie Deeney Murguia The Tallest Tree House by Elly MacKay A treehouse building competition turns dangerous until the fairy friends work together. When Pigs Fly by James Burke Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen The humor isn’t in the story but in the illustrations. Kids get this right away; they go straight for the pictures and think it’s totally funny. Sam and Dave work together to dig a hole and dig and dig. But they find nothing. Except if you notice their dog, you’ll see that he’s sniffed out the world’s biggest diamond. All the while Sam and Dave never notice. Maybe working together should include your dog? Mine! by Jeff Mack Two mice each want the large rock. But first, they must get rid of the other mouse. Told in hilarious illustrations with only the word “mine“, you’ll crack up at the story and surprise ending. Maybe “mine!” isn’t best. Please Please the Bees by Gerald Kelley The Whispering Town by Jennifer Elvgren In a small Danish fishing village, a Jewish family must escape in pitch blackness. The townspeople guide the fleeing family with whispers. This true story shows how people working together can do so much good — save lives, in this case. Also on: Children’s Books About the Holocaust

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Commissioners hope to prove to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that there are adequate local management strategies for species preservation in place. "We're taking steps to assure the viability of the bird. We're trying to make sure they prevail (as a species) and don't go extinct," County Commissioner Gary Ellis said. As part of the wildlife impact mitigation regulations, commissioners adopted a Gunnison sage grouse occupied habitat map, based on state Department of Parks and Wildlife information. Special-use permits, amendments to zoning, planned unit developments, building permits for new structures and subdivision of property within the habitat area will not be approved unless the applicant first obtains a development permit or a statement that the development will have no significant impact. The regulations spell out the requirements for obtaining a development permit and also detail the appeals process. "If they don't like the answer, there is a right of appeal. The Gunnison sage grouse is found primarily in Gunnison County, but also in limited areas of Montrose, Hinsdale, Saguache, Delta, Dolores, Delta, San Miguel, Mesa and Montezuma counties in Colorado, as well as San Juan County, Utah, the Montrose Daily Press reported Thursday ( http://tinyurl.com/q3tqls3). Several of the counties have indicated that a listing would devastate their economies and harm landowners and claimed that a listing is unnecessary because of local protection efforts. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed listing the bird as endangered, because of ongoing habitat fragmentation, low numbers, threats from development and other considerations. Information from: The Montrose Daily Press, http://www.montrosepress.com

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SuperMemo helps you organize learning and minimize time needed for repetitions. However, it is not the ultimate formula for success in learning. The mere personality of the student can often render SuperMemo unusable. The main quality needed to succeed is perseverance. Only strongly motivated individuals are able to persist in repetitions. For others, short-term expenditures seem to overshadow long-term benefits. There are many more snags awaiting an unprepared student. The most important ones are discussed in the following sections: - Regular repetitions - Selection of material - Awareness of the mental stages passed by a typical student - Mnemonic Decalog Regular repetitions are critical for your success The most frequent reason for the lack of success with SuperMemo is lack of regularity and perseverance. In fact, irregular repetitions fall out of the definition of the SuperMemo method. No wonder then that for those who lack regularity success is not forthcoming. Regular sessions with SuperMemo are among the most demanding factors and require lots of will power and determination. Indeed, SuperMemo is not only a good therapy for poor memory, but it also helps to develop iron will. The importance of regularity comes from the fact that SuperMemo computes optimal intervals that should separate repetitions. You need to repeat when SuperMemo demands it. It should not be interpreted as a shortcoming of the method, but as an inherent property of memory. Every day of delay, not only increases the proportion of forgotten items, but also results in an inevitable accumulation of work that has to be done in the days to come. This imposes additional stress on the student who, with each passing day, is less inclined to return to repetitions. In SuperMemo, the best results are obtained when the student uses the method every day for the same period of time. Working every second day, although less effective, is much better than working every second week, etc. Systematic work with SuperMemo is a sine qua non of success, and those who do not intend to work regularly should not hope the program will make up for their lack of persistence. Treat your repetitions like you treat your daily religious or physiological rituals. Like brushing your teeth. To paraphrase a well-known adage, you might say that SuperMemo is like sex: you cannot leave it to others. You cannot buy knowledge, you have to regularly make it flow into your memory. In SuperMemo for Windows, your repetitions should proceed daily until the following equivalent conditions are met (if one of these conditions is met, so are the others): Selection of material: you cannot learn all things you would want to As SuperMemo makes learning easy, you may be tempted to learn more than you really need. Only with time will you discover the true extent of knowledge that you need and are able to master. Although SuperMemo is extremely effective, it is not omnipotent! Immoderation will sooner or later result in your being overwhelmed with the number of repetitions Working with SuperMemo imposes a strict limitation on the amount of new knowledge that can be learnt in unit time, and requires an accurate selection of material. In choosing facts and rules to remember, you should primarily use the criterion of applicability. Lots of items may seem worth knowing, but because of the limited capacity of memory, only a small fraction of them may actually be remembered, and the choice should favor items of the highest applicability in day-to-day situations. You will not waste much time if you include items that you would remember anyway just because of their regular use. Therefore, you better always err on the safe side and include all important items you are not sure you would remember. Concerning the selection of the material to learn, another general principle is that you should first master the most fundamental aspects of the learned subject and get into details at later stages. Meticulous dismembering of textbooks page by page is bound to produce excess of details at the cost of principal knowledge. An important psychological aspect of the general-to-specialized approach is that you can soon discover great profits coming from the perfect knowledge of the most fundamental facts. With amazement, you will notice how new facts and rules excellently slot in in what you have already learned. Good foundations make it easier to slot in new knowledge, provide additional encouragement to work, and free you from the unhealthy impression that you are acquiring knowledge for the knowledge's sake. For an extensive discussion of knowledge selection and prioritizing see: Flow of knowledge in SuperMemo It is a frequent case that a SuperMemo beginner, amazed with results obtained by a friend who used the method, embarks on an exceedingly ambitious program of gaining new knowledge. The thing (s)he usually overestimates is his or her own learning ability and perseverance. SuperMemo does not guarantee an immediate success. It requires some skills and strategy that develop over a longer period of time. The fact that a student can memorize a myriad of items in a short time does not necessarily mean that the same student will have enough perseverance to continue repetitions of the newly memorized material. Nor does it indicate that the learned items are properly structured and will be kept in memory as easily as they have been memorized. Two factors contribute to the dangers of immoderation: - You slow down in the beginning: The speed of learning decreases substantially during the first few months of learning as a result of a pile up of repetitions (the decline is most visible in the first few weeks) - Badly formulated items show up with time: Learning new material is much easier than retaining the acquired knowledge in memory. Badly structured items usually reveal their intractability only after several repetitions! (see: 20 rules of formulating knowledge in SuperMemo) Before starting any extensive process of expanding your collection, you must examine your ability to: - formulate simple and clear items (with hardly any exception, beginners are bound to form a great deal of ill-structured items!) - work continually for a longer time with SuperMemo (only the most persistent individuals can sustain memorathons lasting more than 1 hour!) Moderation and a cool estimation of one's needs and abilities are important factors of success with SuperMemo. The recommended time of working with SuperMemo is 5-20 minutes per day for beginners, and no more than 60-90 minutes per day for advanced students! It is a frequent beginning: an enthusiastic SuperMemo student wastes lots of time on learning complex and wordy items that by no means want to stick to his or her memory Imagine that you want to remember all European countries by cramming a long list of their names. The typical situation is that you remember most of the names on the list, but usually fail to mention one or two. The net result is that the item is considered forgotten again and again, and that you cannot see any progress in learning. Using mnemonic techniques, you could learn to produce the whole list in a given order, but this is unlikely to accurately reflect knowledge which you actually want to learn. A vast majority of educated people are unable to list all countries in Europe (10% of college seniors in the US cannot even point to a single country in Africa!). A total recall is possible if you use the trick of systematic scanning of the European map in your imagination. You have to know the map first though. A good SuperMemo student will not attempt storing the whole list in one item. He will use one of the knowledge structuring tricks, and split the list into many items. Depending on what sort of knowledge might be useful, the student will use tricks such as: - grouping items by geographical locations of particular countries, - grouping them by their affiliation (e.g., European Union, EEA, EFTA, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, NATO), - grouping them by natural language family, etc. These tricks will certainly introduce redundancy, but a clever student will certainly use the redundancy to his or her advantage. Monster items consume more time and produce less effect than the same items split into a number of subitems. To ensure good recall, a multifaceted approach should be taken, i.e. all possible combinations of questions concerning a given relationship should be asked. For example, if you want to remember that the leading cause of death is heart disease, and that it accounts for almost 40% of deaths in western countries, the following question might appear insufficient: - What is the leading cause of death in western countries? However, the above question does not let you remember the proportion of deaths caused by heart disease, nor does it ensure that the 40% statistic refers to western countries. Instead, a multifaceted set of questions could look as follows: - What is the leading cause of death in western countries? - In what group of countries is heart disease a leading cause of death? - What proportion of deaths in western countries can be attributed to heart disease? - What disease is responsible for 40% of deaths in western countries? - Is heart disease a leading cause of death in western countries? Such a collection of items, although redundant and time-consuming, will be learned faster and will leave a more stable trace in your memory The problem of properly structuring knowledge in learning is so critical that we strongly recommend that you carefully read: 20 rules of formulating knowledge in learning The fact that your items are simple, doesn't yet guarantee that they are easy to remember. One of the big obstacles in creating easy collections is the problem of interference, or confusion, coming from the fact that two different items might have similar questions or similar answers. For example, imagine that you want to learn something about SuperMemo, and you create a special collection for that purpose. Consider the following two items: - Q: What is the name of items which resemble one another? A: ambiguous items - Q: How are similar-looking items called? A: equivocal items You need not much experience with SuperMemo to predict that the student who wants to master a collection containing two such items will continually confuse ambiguous items with equivocal items until he discovers that he keeps two items whose questions are semantically identical but answers differ. The simple remedy to the problem is to formulate an item with two optional answers: - Q: What is the name of items which are similar to one another? - A: (a) ambiguous items OR (b) equivocal items In such a case, providing one of the answers is sufficient to classify the item as remembered (unless the user wishes to remember both terms and replaces OR with AND). The problem of interference is particularly visible in attempts to remember numbers. No simple trick of splitting items into subitems can suffice here. The ages long solution to the problem here is mnemonic techniques. One popular mnemonic technique is to represent numbers as pictures and attempt to remember scenes formed by those pictures instead of remembering numbers. For example, instead of having the item: - Q: What is the value of the constant p? - A: 3.14 the student might memorize the universal list of 10 pictures corresponding to 10 digits e.g.: - harpoon (because 1 looks like a harpoon), - coin (because a coin has two sides), - tripod (because a tripod has three legs), - dog (because a dog has four legs), etc. and formulate the mnemonic item in the following way: - Q: What is the value of the constant p? - A: 3.14 because: p rhymes with fry and ... on a small tripod a big balloon is being fried (balloon represents the decimal point), suddenly somebody pierces the balloon with a harpoon, and from inside the bursting sphere a big dog jumps on the student If you do not have problems with remembering the value of p, you should not bother with mnemonic techniques. However, even when formulating the above scene may seem awkward and time consuming, it always results in better remembering (if the mnemonic item is constructed skillfully). The net result is saved time The problem of knowledge interference is discussed in: 20 rules of formulating knowledge in learning In the pursuit of more and more knowledge, you may develop a tendency to give careless answers and hastily jump from question to question in order to reduce the repetition time. There are no dangers related to fast repetitions on condition that the speed is achieved by simplicity of items rather than by negligence in providing answers. It is often possible to automatically answer a question without understanding its important implications. Instead of being semantic, i.e., based on the meaning, the repetitions become syntactic or literal, based on the automatic rendition of the item's wording. Not only is the thus acquired knowledge of little value, but what is worse, you may become disillusioned with SuperMemo because of inadequate learning progress. To prevent such an outcome, you must constantly control the learning process by asking the following questions: - Is this item truly important for the skills I want to develop? - Does the ability to answer the question truly ensure that I remember exactly what I want to remember? - If I have any problems with remembering a given item, is it truly formulated in the simplest and most univocal way? (see: 20 rules of formulating knowledge) - If I have problems with a simple and univocal item, what mnemonic technique could I use to make it easier to remember? - Are the following elements of the learning process suitably - The extent of the subject I want to learn (considering my learning capacity and availability of time) - The degree to which I want to get into details - The level of knowledge retention I want to reach (see: Forgetting index) - The amount of time a day I can afford to spend on SuperMemo All these questions must recur again and again, and you must constantly maintain the highest level of alertness and concentration. The profits coming from mastering concentration skills are extraordinary! Sloppy work will produce poor results and cause disillusionment. Experience shows that repetitions made early in the morning make it easier to ensure adequate concentration (independent of your circadian rhythm and mentality!) (see: Morning repetitions) It is highly recommended that you keep all your knowledge in one collection! You will notice that this greatly helps you put equal emphasis on all parts of the material. You should use the tools provided by SuperMemo to emphasize more important subjects (e.g. forgettingindex or branch learning)! Splitting your knowledge into many collections will often result in using negligence as your emphasis tool! Awareness of the mental stages passed by a typical student It may be useful in the beginning to understand the stages passed by a typical student during the evolution of his understanding and attitude towards SuperMemo. The observations presented below were compiled from hundreds of letters and questionnaires sent to SuperMemo World, as well as from personal contacts with dozens of students at both basic and advanced levels (data compiled in 1994 may differ from figures for 1998 and later when the Internet has changed the profile of users of SuperMemo) (see: SuperMemo User Survey) 90% of students start their affair with SuperMemo because of good opinions they heard about the program from their colleagues or from press (recently, more and more customers are attracted to SuperMemo via the Internet). The initial attitude is positive and full of expectation. After studying the basics of SuperMemo, reactions of students vary greatly, and are highly correlated with the general level of intelligence and education, especially with respect to sciences. A substantial group of students become discouraged because of the mechanical and repetitive nature of SuperMemo. In this group, individuals with no university education, or university education in humanities strongly prevail. On the other end of the spectrum are individuals with strong background in mathematics, physics or computing sciences, who seem to easily accept the philosophy of SuperMemo, and whose first contact with the method is likely to enhance their positive attitude. From this group, SuperMemo has recruited the greatest number of enthusiastic supporters. Only 75% of individuals continue their repetitions beyond one month! The drop-outs provide the following reasons for cessation of repetitions: (1) they do not believe in SuperMemo (10%)(no university education or education in humanities prevails), (2) they do not believe in their own learning powers (5%)(mostly individuals over 45 years of age), (3) they do not have time for repetitions (25%)(private entrepreneurs, physicians, lawyers, etc.), and (4) they intend to return to repetitions in the future (60%)(students). Only those who pass the first month of repetitions can truly testify to the usefulness of the method. Among those the approval rate is 95%! Most of them consider SuperMemo an excellent aid in learning (50%) or a useful product (45%); only 5% of those polled did not have a specified opinion or rated SuperMemo as nothing special. SuperMemo World has not received a single questionnaire from a student who had tried out SuperMemo for at least one month, and was generally dissatisfied with the method. However, the attrition rate after the first month remains still high. Having passed a month of repetitions, almost all students wish they had used SuperMemo on a permanent basis, but for hundreds of reasons they cannot cope with busy repetition schedules (introduction of Tools : Mercy in 1992 reduced the attrition rate at the cost of the quality of learning!). The most widespread attitude is to hope to resume repetitions in some unspecified future. Here, the major drawback of SuperMemo becomes visible: it does not produce amazing results for free! It does produce amazing results only through hard and systematic work. In busy times of our dynamically growing civilization, we all too often stick with the principle that better an egg today than a hen tomorrow. 10 minutes spent on a business call, reading a scientific paper, or writing a report seem to bring immediate result. The same 10 minutes spent on repetitions with SuperMemo, can save several hours or even days in lifetime, but the saving is hard to sense, even for an experienced student. SuperMemo is a gratification delayed! What is worse, after a longer period of repetitions, the student may easily come to the false conclusion that the knowledge has already been well memorized, and requires no further repetition. This way, even the most enthusiastic students often drop weeks of repetitions. Additionally, abusing Tools : Mercy can easily produce the impression that all is OK with the learning process. For an average user, breaks in repetitions regularly make up 20% of the learning time!!! Remember that you are not the only one saying: I will do it tomorrow, or next week, or I think I still remember it all right. Forgetting is like radiation: you cannot smell it, you cannot taste it, and when you finally notice the damage, it is already irreversible (i.e. contrary to popular belief, rememorizing will cost you little less than learning for the first time!) There is a sure way to tell if a given student will be successful in his work with SuperMemo or not. If he finds pleasure in long-lasting sessions with repetitive work, he is bound to do terrific job. Despite what meets the eye at first, SuperMemo repetitions do not have to be monotonous. Here is a couple of examples of extra activities that accompany repetitions and provide a solid ground for making the work with SuperMemo interesting and challenging: - Editing items that do not seem to comply with the principles of simplicity and univocality - Dismissing or deleting items that no longer seem worth remembering - Cross-analysis of the learning material, in order to eliminate discrepancies or redundancy. Note that not all sorts of redundancy are undesirable. For example, having the same foreign word twice in a collection introduces unnecessary noise in the optimization process; however, having the same word in different contexts might increase its semantic associativeness, and make it easier to remember the word - Adding new items - Inspecting statistical data used in monitoring one's progress - Analysis of the repeated items: - What does a given fact or rule imply? Does it agree with other facts I know? - In what situations can I use the knowledge I learn? What will the profit or satisfaction be? - In what situation did I find that I should remember this item? Was I really able to make use of knowing it? If the repetition process appears to be tedious and monotonous, the student must seriously reconsider all the earlier mentioned prerequisites of success (see also: 20 rules of formulating knowledge). Lack of enthusiasm is the first symptom of misguided use of SuperMemo. On the other hand, if used properly, SuperMemo can be quite addictive. You will easily find it indispensable for your personal and professional success As in other activities, general health helps you achieve better results in learning. It increasingly becomes a common knowledge how to keep healthy and fit. It may still, however, be useful to list the most important principles that should be remembered by every student: - Sufficient amount of sleep. It is during sleep that the consolidation of memories takes place. Both the REM and slow-wave sleep components are critical for the consolidation to take place, and only 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep can produce good learning results in most people. Each all-nighter reduces the proportion of REM sleep in the next night. Intense intellectual work may cause increased demand for sleep, and nothing should prevent the student from satisfying it. Anecdotal evidence suggests (customer surveys) that 40 minutes of SuperMemo a day may increase your natural demand for sleep by up to one hour. No one has ever benefited from trying to save time by sleeping less. By trying to emulate Edison, the student is bound to dramatically reduce the effects of learning. Secondly, the tiredness caused by lack of sleep is one of the main factors that can ruin a learning session with SuperMemo. If you did not get enough sleep in the night, a short nap may be an excellent temporary remedy. See: Good sleep, good learning, good life - Physical exercise is absolutely necessary for every successful student. Without it, the respiratory and circulatory systems cannot adapt easily to increased demand for oxygen in intense intellectual work. An unfit student tends to be drowsy and cannot maintain the sufficient level of alertness in long sessions with SuperMemo. Pains of the back, eye strain, hemorrhoidal problems, gastrointestinal disorders, repetitive strain injury, and many other ailments of a hard-working student are greatly prevented by a high level of fitness in physically active individuals. Sports that result in a long-lasting increase in the heart rate and oxygen consumption, e.g., jogging, inline skating, cycling, swimming, etc. are particularly recommended. Secondly, an anaerobic strength exercise should also be made a part of a student's weekly schedule - It is a common knowledge that smoking and alcohol are major preventable causes of a great spectrum of disorders that not only interfere with the process of learning, but are also dangerous to health and, in the long run, life. Alcoholism is notorious for its toxic effects to the brain, and is a major environmental cause of senile dementia (loss of memory in old age). It is also known to reduce the number of NMDA receptors in the brain (receptors involved in memory), and to reduce retention in recall memory tests. It affects both short and long-term memory. Moderate drinking may be beneficial for health but you should avoid drinking before repetitions due to possible drowsiness and lost focus. Smoking is most renowned for its contribution to heart disease and cancer; however, even to a student who is not much concerned with his or her own future, it is worth noting that smoking also causes hypertension, increased excitability of the nervous system, cerebral hypoxia (reduced oxygenation of the brain) and many other effects that are highly undesirable in learning. It is worth noting that hypertension is consider the primary factor in aging of the brain. - Adequate nutrition is indispensable in successful learning. It is difficult to specify particular guidelines except for the fact that the foods consumed should comply with what is generally considered a healthy diet. For example, you may think that a satisfying lunch will be good for your learning, however, research demonstrates that the level of mental alertness drops substantially after a meal. It is also known that a low-fat diet prevents arteriosclerosis and should be considered desirable. However, another research shows that reduced blood levels of lipoproteins (a group of fat components) have a negative influence on the performance in intelligence tests. An average, healthy diet should satisfy all the nutritional needs of a student, so that no supplements shall be necessary. Regular administration of vitamins, particularly B and C, or mineral preparations, however, might be of preventive value. - Tea and coffee are used by many people as stimulants, especially as a remedy for sleep deficit. While having a positive effect on alertness, high levels of caffeine and theophylline (active compounds of coffee and tea) may cause restlessness, problems with concentration and, worst of all, sleep disturbances (see: Good sleep, good learning, good life). Some research has indicated positive impact of coffee on health and longevity. To avoid misguided use, examine your reaction to caffeine. If you use it to speed up your transition from sleep to full wakefulness and experience an immediate boost in intellectual capacity, your learning process may benefit. However, if you abuse caffeine as a result of stress or sleep deficit, you are likely to produce anxiety and problems with concentration. If your mind veers off repetitions all too often, cut down on caffeine and examine your stress levels. Tea, coffee, as well as all sorts of caffeine-containing drinks, should be used with moderation - In intense intellectual work, the brain may use up 30 or more percent of total oxygen. As you will observe, SuperMemo is a particularly tiring learning method. This comes from the fact that it forces your brain to work at its top gear (repetitions are scheduled at the possibly longest intervals). An average, untrained student will experience drowsiness as soon as after 30 minutes of continuous repetitions. Most of individuals find it impossible to work with SuperMemo for more that 1 hour, and each minute beyond that limit may bring a genuine mental torture. This entails the great importance of the availability of fresh air in the room when the learning takes place. Working in two or even three sessions may also help. Sufficient amount of sleep, fresh air and enthusiasm for work are the best allies of a student who wishes to spend long sessions with SuperMemo and produce fabulous results - Mental health: You need a happy mind to be an effective student. You need to learn to avoid stress and cope with unavoidable stress. Have a look at The Medical Basis of Stress, Depression, Anxiety, Sleep Problems, and Drug Use for a goldmine of good tips for those who have to struggle with winter blues, addiction, stress or sleep problems - Work regularly with the SuperMemo method the same amount of time every day. No pain, no gain - Create your collections using only the most applicable knowledge. Don't get too far into details before forming a general picture of the field you want to master. Too much pudding will choke the dog - Don't overwork. More haste, less speed - Before embarking on intense expansion of your knowledge system, check if your ability to formulate easy-to-remember items is sufficient, and check what your mental powers are, and how much time you can afford to spend on learning. Look before you leap - Make sure that your items are as simple as possible and that they ask about all important aspects of the learned knowledge. Small is beautiful - Save on future repetition time by using mnemonic techniques for the most intractable items. A stitch in time saves nine - Concentrate and don't stop thinking. Repetitions should be conscious, not automatic. All troubles come from ignorance - If you do not find working with SuperMemo pleasant, then stop adding new items and pay more attention to cleaning your knowledge system from useless or ill-structured garbage. Once you make your repetitions pleasurable, your enthusiasm will triple your results. Nothings succeeds like success - Keep fit. Do not cut down on sleep, exercise regularly and give up all hazardous habits like smoking or drinking. Healthy flesh nurtures healthy spirit - Read the above rules from time to time or formulate them as SuperMemo items that could be placed in one of your learning collections. Forget about forgetting (says SuperMemo World). For example: Question: What is the best method to use against intractable items? ... Answer: Delete them! (for less radical solutions see: 20 rules of formulating knowledge)

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By quoting numbers from the CDC, a food safety specialist from Oklahoma State University recently demonstrated how import home food safety is, especially during the holiday season when there are more cooks in the kitchen and more people at the table. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 45 million turkeys are expected to be consumed on Thanksgiving Day. Multiply that by the number of family and friends sitting down to holiday meals, and that’s a lot of opportunities for food poisoning, from the turkey alone. “Every year in the United States, approximately 48 million people get sick because of some form of foodborne illness,” said Ravi Jadeja, food safety specialist for the Oklahoma State University Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report of those patients, 128,000 are hospitalized and, 3,000 people die every year. “Everyone has a role to play in preventing illness from food,” said Administrator Carmen Rottenberg of USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). “It is important to be mindful of all of your cooks and people in the kitchen. Children, older adults, and those with compromised immune systems are especially at risk of foodborne illnesses.” The following warnings and tips from the USDA and Oklahoma State University’s Food and Agricultural Products Center can help keep your family and guests safe this Thanksgiving. 1. Practice common sense food safety - Buy only government-inspected meat and poultry products, and check the “sell by” date on all food purchases. Never buy products if the expiration date has passed. - Wash your hands thoroughly before and after preparing any food product. - Use two cutting boards: one for preparing raw meat, poultry and fish, and the other for cutting cooked food or preparing salads. 2. Don’t wash your turkey Individuals that wash or rinse raw poultry are putting themselves at risk of illness, a new study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) revealed. “Cooking and mealtime is a special occasion for all of us as we come together with our families and friends,” said Dr. Mindy Brashears, the USDA’s Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety. “However, the public health implications of these findings should be of concern to everyone. Even when consumers think they are effectively cleaning after washing poultry, this study shows that bacteria can easily spread to other surfaces and foods. The best practice is not to wash poultry.” Significantly decrease your risk by preparing foods that will not be cooked, such as vegetables and salads, BEFORE handling and preparing raw meat and poultry. - Of the participants who washed their raw poultry, 60 percent had bacteria in their sink after washing or rinsing the poultry. Even more concerning is that 14 percent still had bacteria in their sinks after they attempted to clean the sink. - 26 percent of participants that washed raw poultry transferred bacteria from that raw poultry to their ready to eat salad lettuce. Thoroughly clean and sanitize ANY surface that has potentially touched or been contaminated from raw meat and poultry or their juices. - Of the participants that did not wash their raw poultry, 31 percent still managed to get bacteria from the raw poultry onto their salad lettuce. - This high rate of cross-contamination was likely due to a lack of effective handwashing and contamination of the sink and utensils. - Clean sinks and countertops with hot soapy water and then apply a sanitizer. - Wash hands immediately after handling raw meat and poultry. Wet your hands with water, lather with soap and then scrub your hands for 20 seconds. Destroy any illness-causing bacteria by cooking meat and poultry to a safe internal temperature as measured by a food thermometer. - Beef, pork, lamb and veal (steaks, roasts and chops) are safe to eat at 145°F. - Ground meats (burgers) are safe to eat at 160°F. - Poultry (whole or ground) are safe to eat at 165°F. - Washing, rinsing, or bringing meat and poultry in saltwater, vinegar or lemon juice does not destroy bacteria. If there is anything on your raw poultry that you want to remove, pat the area with a damp paper towel and immediately wash your hands. 3. Follow thawing instructions As soon as raw or cooked meat, poultry or egg products begin to thaw and become warmer than 40 degrees F, bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to multiply. Perishable foods should never be thawed on the counter, at room temperature or in hot water. They must not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. There are safe ways to thaw a turkey and other food, including in the refrigerator, in cold water and in the microwave. Even though the center of the food may still be frozen as it thaws on the counter, the outer layer of the food can easily be in the “Danger Zone,” between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F. The danger zone allows bacteria to multiply rapidly. Remove the giblets from the turkey cavities after thawing and cook them separately. Refrigerator thawing for turkey and other foods In the Refrigerator (40 °F or below) Allow approximately 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds |4 to 12 pounds||1 to 3 days| |12 to 16 pounds||3 to 4 days| |16 to 20 pounds||4 to 5 days| |20 to 24 pounds||5 to 6 days| - Planning ahead is the key because a large frozen turkey requires at least 24 hours for every 5 pounds. - Small amounts of frozen food — such as a pound of ground meat or boneless chicken breasts — require a full day to thaw - Food will take longer to thaw in a refrigerator set at 35 °F than one set at 40 °F. - After thawing in the refrigerator, items such as ground meat, stew meat, poultry, seafood, should remain safe and good quality for an additional day or two before cooking. - Red meat cuts (such as beef, pork or lamb roasts, chops and steaks) should remain safe and good quality 3 to 5 days. - Food thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen without cooking, although there may be some loss of quality. Cold water thawing In Cold Water Allow approximately 30 minutes per pound |4 to 12 pounds||2 to 6 hours| |12 to 16 pounds||6 to 8 hours| |16 to 20 pounds||8 to 10 hours| |20 to 24 pounds||10 to 12 hours| - This method is faster than refrigerator thawing but requires more attention. - The food must be in a leak-proof package or plastic bag. If the bag leaks, bacteria from the air or surrounding environment could be introduced into the food. Also, the meat tissue may absorb water, resulting in a watery product. - The bag should be submerged in cold tap water, changing the water every 30 minutes so it continues to thaw. - Small packages of meat, poultry or seafood — about a pound — may thaw in 1 hour or less. - A 3-to 4-pound package may take 2 to 3 hours. For whole turkeys, estimate about 30 minutes per pound. - Once thawed food must be cooked immediately. Foods thawed by the cold water method should be cooked before refreezing. - After thawing in the microwave, always cook immediately, whether microwave cooking, by a conventional oven, or grilling. - Holding partially cooked food is not recommended because any bacteria present wouldn’t have been destroyed and, indeed, the food may have reached optimal temperatures for bacteria to grow. - Foods thawed in the microwave should be cooked before refreezing. - Never thaw foods in a garage, basement, car, dishwasher or plastic garbage bag; out on the kitchen counter, outdoors or on the porch. These methods can leave your foods unsafe to eat. Cooking without thawing - It is safe to cook foods from the frozen state. - The cooking will take approximately 50% longer than the recommended time for fully thawed or fresh meat and poultry. 4. Thoroughly cook your turkey - Use a meat thermometer to determine when the turkey is done. - Insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the turkey thigh. Be aware dark meat takes longer to cook than any other part. - The turkey is done when the thermometer reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. - Basting the turkey while it is cooking is not necessary. Basting tools could be sources of bacterial contamination if dipped into uncooked or undercooked poultry juices and then allowed to sit at room temperature for later basting. - Do not cook a turkey overnight in an oven set at a low temperature. Cooking a turkey at a temperature below 325 degrees Fahrenheit allows harmful bacteria to multiply. - Once the turkey is done, remove the stuffing immediately. - If you purchase a fully cooked turkey, pick it up hot and bring it home to eat immediately. (To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)

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The word accent system of Tokyo Japanese might look quite complex with a number of accent patterns and rules. However, recent research has shown that it is not as complex as has been assumed if one incorporates the notion of markedness into the analysis: nouns have only two productive accent patterns, the antepenultimate and the unaccented pattern, and different accent rules can be generalized if one focuses on these two productive accent patterns. The word accent system raises some new interesting issues. One of them concerns the fact that a majority of nouns are ‘unaccented,’ that is, they are pronounced with a rather flat pitch pattern, apparently violating the principle of obligatoriness. A careful analysis of noun accentuation reveals that this strange accent pattern occurs in some linguistically predictable structures. In morphologically simplex nouns, it typically tends to emerge in four-mora nouns ending in a sequence of light syllables. In compound nouns, on the other hand, it emerges due to multiple factors, such as compound-final deaccenting morphemes, deaccenting pseudo-morphemes, and some types of prosodic configurations. Japanese pitch accent exhibits an interesting aspect in its interactions with other phonological and linguistic structures. For example, the accent of compound nouns is closely related with rendaku, or sequential voicing; the choice between the accented and unaccented patterns in certain types of compound nouns correlates with the presence or absence of the sequential voicing. Moreover, whether the compound accent rule applies to a certain compound depends on its internal morphosyntactic configuration as well as its meaning; alternatively, the compound accent rule is blocked in certain types of morphosyntactic and semantic structures. Finally, careful analysis of word accent sheds new light on the syllable structure of the language, notably on two interrelated questions about diphthong-hood and super-heavy syllables. It provides crucial insight into ‘diphthongs,’ or the question of which vowel sequence constitutes a diphthong, against a vowel sequence across a syllable boundary. It also presents new evidence against trimoraic syllables in the language. “Altaic” is a common term applied by linguists to a number of language families, spread across Central Asia and the Far East and sharing a large, most likely non-coincidental, number of structural and morphemic similarities. At the onset of Altaic studies, these similarities were ascribed to the one-time existence of an ancestral language—“Proto-Altaic,” from which all these families are descended; circumstantial evidence and glottochronological calculations tentatively date this language to some time around the 6th–7th millennium The debate over the nature of the relationship between the various units that constitute “Altaic,” sometimes referred to as “the Altaic controversy,” has been one of the most hotly debated topics in 20th-century historical linguistics and a major focal point of studies dealing with the prehistory of Central and East Eurasia. Supporters of “Proto-Altaic,” commonly known as “(pro-)Altaicists,” claim that only divergence from an original common ancestor can account for the observed regular phonetic correspondences and other structural similarities, whereas “anti-Altaicists,” without denying the existence of such similarities, insist that they do not belong to the “core” layers of the respective languages and are therefore better explained as results of lexical borrowing and other forms of areal linguistic contact. As a rule, “pro-Altaicists” claim that “Proto-Altaic” is as reconstructible by means of the classic comparative method as any uncontroversial linguistic family; in support of this view, they have produced several attempts to assemble large bodies of etymological evidence for the hypothesis, backed by systems of regular phonetic correspondences between compared languages. All of these, however, have been heavily criticized by “anti-Altaicists” for lack of methodological rigor, implausibility of proposed phonetic and/or semantic changes, and confusion of recent borrowings with items allegedly inherited from a common ancestor. Despite the validity of many of these objections, it remains unclear whether they are sufficient to completely discredit the hypothesis of a genetic connection between the various branches of “Altaic,” which continues to be actively supported by a small, but stable scholarly minority. K. A. Jayaseelan The Dravidian languages have a long-distance reflexive anaphor taan. (It is taan in Tamil and Malayalam, taanu in Kannada and tanu in Telugu.) As is the case with other long-distance anaphors, it is subject-oriented; it is also [+human] and third person. Interestingly, it is infelicitous if bound within the minimal clause when it is an argument of the verb. (That is, it seems to obey Principle B of the binding theory.) Although it is subject-oriented in the normal case, it can be bound by a non-subject if the verb is a “psych predicate,” that is, a predicate that denotes a feeling; in this case, it can be bound by the experiencer of the feeling. Again, in a discourse that depicts the thoughts, feelings, or point of view of a protagonist—the so-called “logophoric contexts”—it can be coreferential with the protagonist even if the latter is mentioned only in the preceding discourse (not within the sentence). These latter facts suggest that the anaphor is in fact coindexed with the perspective of the clause (rather than with the subject per se). In cases where this anaphor needs to be coindexed with the minimal subject (to express a meaning like ‘John loves himself’), the Dravidian languages exhibit two strategies to circumvent the Principle B effect. Malayalam adds an emphasis marker tanne to the anaphor; taan tanne can corefer with the minimal subject. This strategy parallels the strategy of European languages and East Asian languages (cf. Scandinavian seg selv). The three other major Dravidian languages—Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada—use a verbal reflexive: they add a light verb koL- (lit. ‘take’) to the verbal complex, which has the effect of reflexivizing the transitive predicate. (It either makes the verb intransitive or gives it a self-benefactive meaning.) The Dravidian languages also have reciprocal and distributive anaphors. These have bipartite structures. An example of a Malayalam reciprocal anaphor is oral … matte aaL (‘one person … other person’). The distributive anaphor in Malayalam has the form awar-awar (‘they-they’); it is a reduplicated pronoun. The reciprocals and distributives are strict anaphors in the sense that they apparently obey Principle A; they must be bound in the domain of the minimal subject. They are not subject-oriented. A noteworthy fact about the pronominal system of Dravidian is that the third person pronouns come in proximal-distal pairs, the proximal pronoun being used to refer to something nearby and the distal pronoun being used elsewhere. Japanese is a language where the grammatical status of arguments and adjuncts is marked exclusively by postnominal case markers, and various argument realization patterns can be assessed by their case marking. Since Japanese is categorized as a language of the nominative-accusative type typologically, the unmarked case-marking frame obtained for transitive predicates of the non-stative (or eventive) type is ‘nominative-accusative’. Nevertheless, transitive predicates falling into the stative class often have other case-marking alignments, such as ‘nominative-nominative’ and ‘dative-nominative’. Consequently, Japanese provides much more varying argument realization patterns than those expected from its typological character as a nominative-accusative language. In point of fact, argument marking can actually be much more elastic and variable, the variations being motivated by several linguistic factors. Arguments often have the option of receiving either syntactic or semantic case, with no difference in the logical or cognitive meaning (as in plural agent and source agent alternations) or depending on the meanings their predicate carry (as in locative alternation). The type of case marking that is not normally available in main clauses can sometimes be obtained in embedded contexts (i.e., in exceptional case marking and small-clause constructions). In complex predicates, including causative and indirect passive predicates, arguments are case-marked differently from their base clauses by virtue of suffixation, and their case patterns follow the mono-clausal case array, despite the fact that they have multi-clausal structures. Various case marking options are also made available for arguments by grammatical operations. Some processes instantiate a change on the grammatical relations and case marking of arguments with no affixation or embedding. Japanese has the grammatical process of subjectivization, creating extra (non-thematic) major subjects, many of which are identified as instances of ‘possessor raising’ (or argument ascension). There is another type of grammatical process, which reduces the number of arguments by virtue of incorporating a noun into the predicate, as found in the light verb constructions with suru ‘do’ and the complex adjective constructions formed on the negative adjective nai ‘non-existent.’ Languages from at least five genetically unrelated families are spoken in the Caucasus, but there are only three endemic linguistic families belonging to the region: Kartvelian, West Caucasian, and Northeast Caucasian. These families are rather heterogeneous in terms of the number of languages and the distribution of the speakers across them. The Caucasus represents a situation where languages with millions of speakers have coexisted with one-village languages for hundreds of years, and where multilingualism has always been the norm. The richness of Caucasian languages on every linguistic stratum is dazzling: here we find some of the largest consonant inventories, inflectional systems where the mere number of word forms strains credibility (one of the Caucasian languages, Archi, is claimed to have over a million and a half word forms), and challenging syntactic structures. The typological interest of the Caucasian languages and the challenges they present to linguistic theory lie in different areas. Thus, for Kartvelian languages, the number of factors at play in the verbal system make the task of the production of a correct verbal form far from trivial. West Caucasian languages represent an instance of polysynthetic polypersonal verb inflection, which is unusual not only for Caucasus but for Eurasia in general. East Caucasian languages have large systems of non-finite forms which, unusually, retain the ability to realize agreement in gender and number while their non-finite nature is determined by the inability to head an independent clause and to express certain morpho-syntactic categories such as illocutionary force and evidentiality. Finally, all Caucasian languages are ergative to some extent. Haihua Pan and Yuli Feng Cross-linguistic data can add new insights to the development of semantic theories or even induce the shift of the research paradigm. The major topics in semantic studies such as bare noun denotation, quantification, degree semantics, polarity items, donkey anaphora and binding principles, long-distance reflexives, negation, tense and aspects, eventuality are all discussed by semanticists working on the Chinese language. The issues which are of particular interest include and are not limited to: (i) the denotation of Chinese bare nouns; (ii) categorization and quantificational mapping strategies of Chinese quantifier expressions (i.e., whether the behaviors of Chinese quantifier expressions fit into the dichotomy of A-Quantification and D-quantification); (iii) multiple uses of quantifier expressions (e.g., dou) and their implication on the inter-relation of semantic concepts like distributivity, scalarity, exclusiveness, exhaustivity, maximality, etc.; (iv) the interaction among universal adverbials and that between universal adverbials and various types of noun phrases, which may pose a challenge to the Principle of Compositionality; (v) the semantics of degree expressions in Chinese; (vi) the non-interrogative uses of wh-phrases in Chinese and their influence on the theories of polarity items, free choice items, and epistemic indefinites; (vii) how the concepts of E-type pronouns and D-type pronouns are manifested in the Chinese language and whether such pronoun interpretations correspond to specific sentence types; (viii) what devices Chinese adopts to locate time (i.e., does tense interpretation correspond to certain syntactic projections or it is solely determined by semantic information and pragmatic reasoning); (ix) how the interpretation of Chinese aspect markers can be captured by event structures, possible world semantics, and quantification; (x) how the long-distance binding of Chinese ziji ‘self’ and the blocking effect by first and second person pronouns can be accounted for by the existing theories of beliefs, attitude reports, and logophoricity; (xi) the distribution of various negation markers and their correspondence to the semantic properties of predicates with which they are combined; and (xii) whether Chinese topic-comment structures are constrained by both semantic and pragmatic factors or syntactic factors only. Dene-Yeniseian is a proposed genealogical link between the widespread North American language family Na-Dene (Athabaskan, Eyak, Tlingit) and Yeniseian in central Siberia, represented today by the critically endangered Ket and several documented extinct relatives. The Dene-Yeniseian hypothesis is an old idea, but since 2006 new evidence supporting it has been published in the form of shared morphological systems and a modest number of lexical cognates showing interlocking sound correspondences. Recent data from human genetics and folklore studies also increasingly indicate the plausibility of a prehistoric (probably Late Pleistocene) connection between populations in northwestern North America and the traditionally Yeniseian-speaking areas of south-central Siberia. At present, Dene-Yeniseian cannot be accepted as a proven language family until the purported evidence supporting the lexical and morphological correspondences between Yeniseian and Na-Dene is expanded and tested by further critical analysis and their relationship to Old World families such as Sino-Tibetan and Caucasian, as well as the isolate Burushaski (all earlier proposed as relatives of Yeniseian, and sometimes also of Na-Dene), becomes clearer. The Eskimo-Aleut language family consists of two quite different branches, Aleut and Eskimo. The latter consists of Yupik and Inuit languages. It is spoken from the eastern coast of Russia to Greenland. The family is thought to have developed and diverged in Alaska between 4,000 and 6,000 years ago, although recent findings in a variety of fields suggest a more complex prehistory than previously assumed. The language family shares certain characteristics, including polysynthetic word formation, an originally ergative-absolutive case system (now substantially modified in Aleut), SOV word order, and more or less similar phonological systems across the language family, involving voiceless stop and voiced fricative consonant series often in alternation, and an originally four-vowel system frequently reduced to three. The languages in the family have undergone substantial postcolonial contact effects, especially evident in (although not restricted to) loanwords from the respective colonial languages. There is extensive language documentation for all languages, although not necessarily all dialects. Most languages and dialects are severely endangered today, with the exception of Eastern Canadian Inuit and Greenlandic (Kalaallisut). There are also theoretical studies of the languages in many linguistic fields, although the languages are unevenly covered, and there are still many more studies of the phonologies and syntaxes of the respective languages than other aspects of grammar. Eva Buchi and Steven N. Dworkin This is an advance summary of a forthcoming article in the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Linguistics. Please check back later for the full article. Within the field of linguistics, etymology is the only subdiscipline that is uniquely historical in its study of the relevant linguistic data. It is one of the oldest fields in Romance linguistics. The scholar credited with establishing Romance linguistics as a scholarly discipline, Friedrich Diez (1794–1876) authored both the first comparative Romance historical grammar (his three-volume Grammatik der Romanischen Sprachen [1836–1844]) and the first pan-Romance etymological dictionary (his Etymologisches Wörterbuch der Romanischen Sprachen ). A similar combination, illustrating the indissoluble link between etymology and historical grammar (especially the study of sound change), can be seen in the work of Wilhelm Meyer-Lübke (1861–1936), author of a four-volume Grammatik der Romanischen Sprachen (1890–1902) and of the last complete pan-Romance etymological dictionary, the Romanisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch (3d definitive edition, 1935). The concept of etymology as practiced by Romanists has changed over the last 100 years. At the outset, Romance etymologists took as their brief the search for and identification of individual word origins. Starting in the early 20th century, various specialists began to view etymology as the preparation of the complete history of all facets of the evolution over time and space of the words or lexical families under study. Identification of the underlying base was only the first step in the process. From this perspective, etymology constitutes an essential element of diachronic lexicology, which covers all formal, semantic, and syntactic facets of a word’s evolution, including, if appropriate, the circumstances leading to its demise and replacement. Practitioners of Romance etymology tend to study the history of individual words or word families in specific Romance languages rather than across the entire family. Almost every Romance language and many of their regional varieties have at least one etymological dictionary devoted to the history of its vocabulary (or at least to the identification of relevant word origins), the most notable being such multi-volumed works as the Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch (1922–2002), the Lessico Etimilogico Italiano (1979–), the Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico (1980–1991), and the Diccionari etimològic i complimenari de la llengua catalana (1980–2001). The last complete pan-Romance dictionary remains the afore-cited third edition of Meyer-Lübke’s Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch. Although originally coined as a riposte to the Neogrammarian view of sound change, Jules Gilliéron’s (1854–1926) dictum, “each word has its own history,” applies equally well to etymology. Yakov Malkiel (1914–1998), one of the leading writers on questions of method and practice in Romance etymology, has discussed the unique and complex nature of etymological solutions. As a result of the emphasis on individual problems and solutions, Romance etymology has not lent itself to the formulation of theories on the nature of lexical change, although there was in the past no shortage of literature on questions of methodology. Although specialists continue to work on language-specific etymological questions, etymology is not currently at the forefront of work in Romance historical linguistics, a situation that may result, in part, from its lack of engagement with broad theoretical issues. Most studies still appear in the form of journal articles or Festschrift contributions. There is currently underway a new pan-Romance project, the Dictionnaire étymologique Roman (DéRom), with a new (and controversial) methodological underpinning, namely the rigorous application to the Romance data of comparative reconstruction to capture more accurately the phonological and morphological reality of proto-Romance (in essence a register of spoken Latin) and the semantic scope of the etymological base. This project has reawakened an interest in Romance etymology among a new generation of Romanists. Indeed, to remain vital and relevant within the framework of Romance linguistics, etymology must go beyond the details of individual lexical histories and make an effort to link its findings to our understanding of the nature and processes of language change. While in phonology Middle Indo-Aryan (MIA) dialects preserved the phonological system of Old Indo-Aryan (OIA) virtually intact, their morphosyntax underwent far-reaching changes, which altered fundamentally the synthetic morphology of earlier Prākrits in the direction of the analytic typology of New Indo-Aryan (NIA). Speaking holistically, the “accusative alignment” of OIA (Vedic Sanskrit) was restructured as an “ergative alignment” in Western IA languages, and it is precisely during the Late MIA period (ca. 5th–12th centuries (a) We shall start with the restructuring of the nominal case system in terms of the reduction of the number of cases from seven to four. This phonologically motivated process resulted ultimately in the rise of the binary distinction of the “absolutive” versus “oblique” case at the end of the MIA period). (b) The crucial role of animacy in the restructuring of the pronominal system and the rise of the “double-oblique” system in Ardha-Māgadhī and Western Apabhramśa will be explicated. (c) In the verbal system we witness complete remodeling of the aspectual system as a consequence of the loss of earlier synthetic forms expressing the perfective (Aorist) and “retrospective” (Perfect) aspect. Early Prākrits (Pāli) preserved their sigmatic Aorists (and the sigmatic Future) until late MIA centuries, while on the Iranian side the loss of the “sigmatic” aorist was accelerated in Middle Persian by the “weakening” of s > h > Ø. (d) The development and the establishment of “ergative alignment” at the end of the MIA period will be presented as a consequence of the above typological changes: the rise of the “absolutive” vs. “oblique” case system; the loss of the finite morphology of the perfective and retrospective aspect; and the recreation of the aspectual contrast of perfectivity by means of quasinominal (participial) forms. (e) Concurrently with the development toward the analyticity in grammatical aspect, we witness the evolution of lexical aspect (Aktionsart) ushering in the florescence of “serial” verbs in New Indo-Aryan. On the whole, a contingency view of alignment considers the increase in ergativity as a by-product of the restoration of the OIA aspectual triad: Imperfective–Perfective–Perfect (in morphological terms Present–Aorist–Perfect). The NIA Perfective and Perfect are aligned ergatively, while their finite OIA ancestors (Aorist and Perfect) were aligned accusatively. Detailed linguistic analysis of Middle Indo-Aryan texts offers us a unique opportunity for a deeper comprehension of the formative period of the NIA state of affairs.

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Policy cycle in culture In this phase, it’s advisable to gather information on the situation of women and men in a particular area. This means identifying sex-disaggregated data and gender statistics, as well as checking for the existence of studies, programme and project reports and/or evaluations from previous periods. Examples of gender and culture statistics As there are no specific collections of data pertaining to culture and the contribution of culture to the economy, culture statistics are derived from existing multi-purpose data collections. The culture statistics that concern both social and economic statistics from a gender perspective relate to the following dimensions: - employment statistics from the Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS) - education and training statistics - private and public expenditure from household budget surveys (HBS), in particular in the Harmonised European Time Use Survey (HETUS). The European Union Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS) The European Union Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS) provides the main aggregated statistics on labour market outcomes in the EU. The EU-LFS is the main data source for employment and unemployment statistics. It includes tables on: - working hours - job permanency - professional status, etc. It provides disaggregated statistics by: - age group - economic activity (including cultural activities) - educational attainment and field of education - type of employment (part-time, full-time) - type of occupation. From these statistics it’s possible to measure the characteristics of the labour force of women. Education and training database This database produces and publishes indicators on and analyses of the operation, evolution and impact of education, from early childhood through to formal education and lifelong learning and training. Data and indicators disseminated include: - participation rates at different levels of education - enrolment in public and private institutions - third-level education graduates - pupil–teacher ratios - foreign-language learning - expenditure on education per student - relative GDP, etc. Data are disaggregated by sex, age and educational level. The data collection on education statistics is based on the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED). For data on educational attainment based on the EU Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS), the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011) has been applied since 2014. Time use surveys (TUS) Time use surveys (TUS) measure the amount of time people spend doing various activities, such as paid work, household and family care, personal care, voluntary work, socialising, travel, and leisure and cultural activities. This domain presents results from the first wave of the Harmonised European Time Use Surveys (HETUS 2000), carried out by several European countries between 1998 and 2006. This domain provides population estimates for 3 main indicators: - time spent: mean time spent on the activities by all individuals - participation time: mean time spent on the activities by those individuals who took part in the activity - participation rate: the proportion of the individuals who spent some time doing the activities. The 3 indicators are compiled by: - sex and age group - household composition - highest level of education attained (according to ISCED-97) - self-declared labour status, i.e. labour status as perceived by the respondent - professional status, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) definition (employment, unemployment and not in the labour force) - day of the week - month of the year. Harmonised European Time Use Survey (HETUS) Traditionally, harmonised data on time use were rather scarce. However, the Harmonised European Time Use Survey (HETUS) offers an insight into how the daily time of European women and men is distributed among different activities, highlighting gender gaps and cross-national differences. HETUS contains harmonised information on the use of time by each member of the household. The list of domestic activities available in HETUS is fairly comprehensive. In 2008, Eurostat released an updated version of the guidelines on the HETUS, the purpose of which is to provide a solid methodological basis for countries intending to carry out time use surveys, to ensure that the results are comparable between countries and hence to greatly increase the value of the data. Examples of studies, research, reports UNESCO, Reshaping cultural policies, 2015 This report analyses the implementation of the Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions with the aim of monitoring its long-term impact. This study is based on the contributions of independent experts, as well as the secretary of the convention and the principal editor, putting forward for data collection and indicator building that will make possible in the near future ever more meaningful monitoring, assessment and evaluation. Hesmondhalgh D. and Baker, S., ‘Sex, gender and work segregation in the cultural industries’, 2015 The paper outlines the different forms that work segregation by sex takes in the cultural industries, considering: - the high presence of women in marketing and public relations roles - the high numbers of women in production coordination and similar roles - the domination of men of more prestigious creative roles - the domination by men of technical jobs. Furthermore, the authors analyse the gender dynamics at the basis of work segregation according to sex. Drawing on interviews, the authors claim that the stereotypes that may influence such segregation are referred to the following assumptions: - women are more caring, supportive and nurturing - women are better communicators - women are ‘better organised’ - men are more creative because they are less bound by rules. Conor, B., Gill, R. and Taylor, S., Gender and creative labour, 2015 The article aims at introducing an exploration of inequalities within the cultural and creative industries (CCI) marking the significance of gender for an understanding of creative labour in the neoliberal economy. Researches reveal that gendered patterns of disadvantage and exclusion are complicated by divisions of class, and also disability, race and ethnicity and amplified by the precariousness, informality and requirements for flexibility. The article underlines that these features are widely typical of contemporary creative employment. Other topics covered in the article concern the disadvantages due to the boundary-crossing (for instance, between home and work, paid work and unpaid work), as well as the pressures around identity-making and self-presentation, or difficulties related to sexism and the need to manage parenting responsibilities alongside earning. Jones, D. and Pringle, J. K., ‘Unmanageable inequalities: sexism in the film industry’, 2015 This article tackles the presence of gender inequalities in the film industry. In particular, it analyses the gendered working lives of below-the-line film workers in New Zealand, in the context of the western film industry, observing that women’s good ideas, merits or work capabilities are often less likely to be recognized than those of men. O’Brien, A., ‘Producing television and reproducing gender’, 2015 The paper presents a case study of Irish television, revealing that gendered production routines and role allocations become embedded over time and eventually form a gendered culture of television production that prohibits Irish women’s equal participation. The study underlines that gender segregation can be detected even in television processes, considering that women and men are channeled into different types of roles where they receive differential rewards and opportunities from their work. Nevertheless, despite the reproduction of gendered work roles, routines and cultures, women offer evidence of sustainable and valued careers in production. Council of Europe, Online compendium on cultural policies and trends in Europe, 2009 The compendium provides information on cultural policy developments in the Council of Europe Member States, including a specific section on gender equality in culture. UNESCO, Gender equality: heritage and creativity, 2014 The study presents an overview of the status of gender equality in culture, revealing that this field is permeated by the same inequalities and discrimination than other areas of society. The publication originates from the consideration that gender is a cultural and social construction. Moreover it is underlined that the cultural interpretation and negotiation of gender is crucial to the identity of individuals and their communities. The analysis takes into consideration some of the most important United Nations reports and General Assembly resolutions, considering also significant case studies from all across the word. EIGE, Women and the media, 2013 The report addresses gender equality in the media sector, paying particular attention to women’s role in the decision-making process. The report identifies the main gender gaps and provides a set of policy recommendations to overcome them. Carter, C., Steiner, L. and McLaughlin, L., The Routledge companion to media and gender, 2013 The Routledge companion to media and gender assesses gender equality in the media sector, analysing controversies and future trends in this sector from a gender perspective. The companion addresses the following issues, specifically relevant for future debates on gender mainstreaming in the media: - post feminism - sexual violence - media industries - queer identities - video games - digital policy - media activism - teen drama - cosmetic surgery - media Islamophobia - news audiences - social and mobile media. Gill, R., Gender and the media, 2007 Gender and the media provides an analysis of how gender issues are addressed in the media, with a particular focus on gender mainstreaming in the following areas: talk shows, magazines, news, advertising, and contemporary screen and paperback romances. The book discusses how women’s and men’s representation in these areas are changing in the 21st sector, following the feminist movements’ requests/actions and anti-racist critiques. The report provides an in-depth assessment of available tools and methodologies for analysing representations raising the question of the usefulness of these tools and methodologies in promoting gender equality in the Western media and cultural policies. One of the first steps to take when defining your policy/project/programme is to gather information and analyse the situation of women and men in the respective policy domain. The information and data you collect will allow an understanding of the reality and assist you in designing your policy, programme or project. Specific methods that can be used in this phase are gender analysis and gender impact assessment. Examples of gender analysis The Swedish Union for Theatre, Artists & Media (Teaterförbundet), Gender equality checklist The gender equality checklist includes questions on how gender equality is ensured in all work-related aspects in the performing arts, from planning of rehearsals to ways of working, casting, costuming, make up, marketing, etc. A separate checklist was drawn up for the film sector. The list is designed as a tool to help identify possibilities and obstacles concerning gender equality. It raises questions challenging gender norms, such as: - Has the team considered issues like ethnicity, gender, power and sexuality? - Has the production company discussed whether the story contributes to preserving or challenging prevailing norms and notions concerning for example age, ethnicity, disabilities, sexuality? - Has the production company considered how people are depicted in words and in pictures and how people are exposed in the marketing of the film? The checklist is used widely in the performing arts sector in Sweden. An evaluation of the checklist is currently being carried out between the trade union and the Swedish performing arts employers’ organisation (Svensk Scenkonst) with the purpose of creating a common checklist. Arts Council UK, Equality and diversity within the arts and cultural sector in England, 2014 This report establishes a methodological framework for assessing equality, including gender, in 4 areas: - arts and cultural audiences - arts and cultural participation - workforce and access to finance. Furthermore, it offers a baseline of data, evidence and research about equality and diversity across the arts and cultural sector. Example of gender impact assessment WIPO, Draft guidelines on assessing the economic, social and cultural impact of copyright on the creative economy, 2013 The guidelines include a methodological framework for assessing the economic social and cultural impacts of copyright on the creative economy. Gender equality is one of the issues considered in the social impacts. Thus , the guidelines provide recommendations on how to assess gender issues in this area. Consider consulting stakeholders (e.g. gender experts, civil society organisations) on the topic at hand, to share and validate your findings and to improve your policy or programme proposal. This will enhance the learning process on the subject for all those involved and will improve the quality of the work done at EU level. The stakeholders consultation process will start in this phase, but could also be considered as an important method to be applied along all the policy cycle’s phases. Examples of stakeholders that can be consulted Women in Film and Television International (WIFTI) This network was set up in 1979 to enhance women’s participation in the international entertainment industry; it has 37 local branches also in several EU countries such as Italy, Denmark, Sweden, UK and Ireland. International Alliance for Women in Music (IAWM) This is a global network of women and men working to increase and enhance musical activities and opportunities and to promote all aspects of the music of women. In this phase, it’s appropriate to analyse budgets from a gender perspective. Gender budgeting is used to identify how budget allocations contribute to promoting gender equality. Gender budgeting brings visibility to how much public money is spent for women and men respectively. Thus, gender budgeting ensures that public funds are fairly distributed between women and men. It also contributes to accountability and transparency about how public funds are being spent. Example of gender budgeting in the cultural sector Council of Europe, Gender budgeting: practical implementation, 2009 The focus of this publication is to act as a guide to the practice of gender budgeting. This handbook assumes an understanding of: - the objectives of a gender equality strategy - the ways in which gender inequality is manifest - the need for structural change in order to tackle unintentional gender bias - the basics of gender mainstreaming as a strategy to address gender equality. Even though not referring only to culture, this sector is one of the fields used as an example for applying gender budgeting. Junta de Andalucia, G+ project, 2010 A methodology for using public budgeting to improve gender equality. This document describes the G+ Project and the different instruments that have been developed since its implementation. Most notably, it describes the progress achieved over the last year following the creation of the strategic guidance documents (DOEs G+ ). As a result of the initiative, this pioneering and increasingly consolidated methodology has become a national and international benchmark. The results to date confirm its potential for turning Andalusia into a more equal, more united and more competitive society. The guidelines include specific indications on how to conduct gender budgeting processes and how to train staff on taking on the gender aspects in the budgeting process. The methodology has been used by Junta de Andalucia in conducting gender budgeting within the administration in all sectors, including culture. In 2012, the Junta de Andalucia published the gender impact assessment report on the budget of the autonomous community of Andalusia for 2012. It includes a gender budget assessment of the policies and programmes of Junta de Andalucia, including those in the cultural field. When planning, don’t forget to establish monitoring and evaluation systems, and indicators that will allow measurement and compare the impact of the policy or programme on women and men over the timeframe of its implementation. Remember to define the appropriate times to monitor and evaluate your policy. Examples of indicators for monitoring gender in the cultural sector Proportion of higher education graduates in humanities and arts by sex The indicator describes the proportion of women and men third-level graduates in humanities and arts, from both public and private institutions. It includes those completing graduate/postgraduate (ISCED 5) as well as advanced research studies (ISCED 6) compared to the total number of third-level graduates in the respective fields of study. The latest available data relating to 2012 show the proportion of graduate women in humanities and arts is 65% compared to 35% of men. Calculation of the indicator could be made using Eurostat data, education and training statistics. Percentage of those employed in cultural activities by sex The indicator describes the proportion of women and men in the creative, arts and entertainment sector and in the libraries, archives, museums and other cultural activities. According to recent data (2014), women involved in creative, arts and entertainment represent 43.7% of the total workforce in the sector (457,000). In the libraries, archives, museums and other cultural activities women reach 64.8% (380,000) of the total in the EU-28. Data are available on the Eurostat labour force database. Frequency of going to cinema, live performances, cultural sites or attending live sport events by sex The indicator provides the frequency (1 – 3, 4 – 6, 7 – 12, more than 12 times) of going to the cinema, live performances, cultural sites or attending live sport events by sex and age group (16 – 19, 16 – 24, 16 – 29, 20 – 24, 20 – 29, 25 – 29). Data are available on the Eurostat website in the youth domain, and derived from the EU-SILC survey specific module on social participation, referred to 2006. When preparing calls for proposals in the framework of funding programmes, or terms of reference in the context of public procurement procedures (notably for contractors to be hired for policy support services), don’t forget to formalise gender-related requirements. This will ensure the projects and services which the European Commission will fund are not gender-blind or gender-biased. Examples of procurement European Commission, Buying social, 2010 The purpose of this guide is to raise contracting authorities’ awareness of the potential benefits of social responsible public procurement (SRPP). It explains in a practical way the opportunities offered by the existing EU legal framework for public authorities to take into account social considerations in their public procurement. Thus, it pays attention not only to price but also to the best value for money. SRPP means procurement operations that take into account one or more of the following social considerations: - employment opportunities - decent work - compliance with social and labour rights - social inclusion (including persons with disabilities) - equal opportunities - accessibility design for all - taking account sustainability criteria, including ethical trade issues and wider voluntary compliance with corporate social responsibility (CSR). Even though not specifically designed for culture, it can be also used in the cultural sector. UNESCO, Gender lens for developing terms of reference (TORs) of surveys and research, 2003 The document provides basic indications on how to include the gender perspective in designing tenders. Even though not specifically designed for the cultural sector, it can be used also in this field. In the implementation phase of a policy or programme, ensure that all who are involved are sufficiently aware about the relevant gender objectives and plans. If not, set up briefings and capacity-building initiatives according to staff needs. Think about researchers, proposal evaluators, monitoring and evaluation experts, scientific officers, programme committee members, etc. Example of capacity-building initiatives about gender and culture European Commission, She culture, 2014 She Culture is a project funded within the EU 2007-2013 Culture Programme that aims to assess the support and visibility awarded to women in the cultural sector in order to increase their participating in this field. The project, involving partners from Italy, Spain, Norway, Denmark and Albania, included the development of Guidelines for Women’s Museums/Gender Oriented Museums. The Guidelines provide a definition of Gender Oriented Museums and include a set of recommendations on how to promote, accredit and communicate gender oriented museums, ensuring their long-time sustainability. The Guidelines include also indications on the evaluation of gender equality in this area. International Federation of Actors, 2010 The handbook includes more than 50 good practices on combating gender stereotypes and promoting gender equality in theatre, film and TV from 12 European countries: Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Based on these good practices, the handbook provides indications for policy makers in these sectors. International Federation of Journalists, Gender equality in journalism, 2009 This handbook is conceived as a guide and resource material for journalists. It is addressed to media organisations, professional associations and journalists’ unions seeking to contribute to the goal of gender equality. This booklet provides guidelines to journalists and union activists on ways of bringing gender equality into the mainstream of our profession. The booklet is divided into 4 sections: - Section 1: Women journalists in the media, sets out the current status of women media professionals, the level and areas of inequality and measures that are used to address them. - Section 2: Stereotypes in the media, examines media performance in the portrayal of women and reinforcing or breaking down existing stereotypes and raises some of the key professional challenges facing journalists in their reporting. - Section 3: Women in the unions and associations, examines the role unions, professional organisations and union activists can play in promoting equality and ensuring women are properly represented in their decision-making bodies. - Section 4: Resources and contacts, points to the tools that will get the job done – the resources that tackle gender equality in the media and in the workplace, as well as a set of useful contacts that promote women’s rights and gender equality in the media. GTZ, Manual for training on gender-responsive budgeting, 2006 Even though not directly referred to the cultural sector, it can also be used for providing training on gender-responsive budgeting in this field. The manual is based on the advanced training course. It has been designed for professional gender trainers who are familiar with training methods and gender concepts. It is structured as a modular system: the trainer can choose topics and exercises according to the target group and the length of the training. The manual consists of the following modules: - module 1: Basic concepts. What does gender mean? – what is a budget? - module 2: Gender-responsive budgeting – an introduction - module 3: Gender-responsive budgeting initiatives – good practices and lessons learned - module 4: Different stakeholders and steps of implementation - module 5: Sex-disaggregated statistics, time use data and gender indicators - module 6: Gender-responsive budgeting tools – an overview - module 7: Gender-aware policy appraisal - module 8: Sex-disaggregated public expenditure incidence analysis - module 9: Gender-aware beneficiary assessment - module 10: Gender-sensitive public expenditure tracking surveys - module 11: Sex-disaggregated analysis of the impact of the budget on time use - module 12: Engendering social accounting matrices - module 13: Lobbying and advocacy strategies. UNESCO, Gender equality eLearning programme, 2005 This eLearning programme contains 6 modules, each taking approximately 15 minutes to complete. Every module includes, in additional to the core content, quizzes, links to relevant documents or websites and references for further reading to expand learning in each topic area. Even though not specifically designed for culture, these modules can also be used for providing training on gender equality aspects in the cultural field. Examples of gender language in the cultural sector Watson, E, Fashion on gender equality, 2015 This gives voice to fashion industry representatives on gender equality in the fashion industry, underlying both current inequalities and future perspectives on how to achieve gender equality in this sector. UNESCO, Guidelines on gender neutral language, 1999 Although these guidelines are not specifically designed for the cultural sector, they can easily be followed to guide cultural operators and policy makers on gender neutral language in this field. The guidelines are particularly suitable for some creative industries sectors (e.g. literature, mass media – journals, reviews). The aim of this booklet is not to abolish certain words or to alter historically established texts; nor is it suggested that these guidelines be followed to the letter. For the sake of equality, however, writers are asked in every case to pause and consider the alternatives indicated by the book. A policy cycle or programme should be checked both during monitoring – and at the end – evaluation, of its implementation. Monitoring the ongoing work allows for the follow-up of progress and remedying unforeseen difficulties. This exercise should take into account the indicators delineated in the planning phase and realign data collection based on those indicators. At the end of a policy cycle or programme, a gender-sensitive evaluation should take place. Make your evaluation publicly accessible and strategically disseminate its results to promote its learning potential. Examples of gender monitoring and evaluation on gender in the cultural sector UNESCO, Culture for development indicators Methodology manual., 2014 The UNESCO Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions (2005) calls for the integration of culture in development policies at all levels. This is in order to create a favourable environment for sustainable development and foster the diversity of cultural expressions. To assess the multidimensional role of culture in development, the CDIS project addresses culture not only as a sector of activity but also in terms of values and norms that orient human action. This methodology manual is a step-by-step guide, not only to the construction of the 22 indicators covering these 7 dimensions, but also to their use for maximum policy impact. It provides detailed and easy-to-follow instructions for collecting and processing data, constructing indicators and interpreting them according to the national context. The manual includes a specific section on the gender equality dimension, including a series of indicators that can be used in the monitoring and evaluation of cultural policies and programmes. Equal Opportunities Unit for Flanders, Media emancipation effect report (MEER) Media emancipation effect report (MEER) aims to provide a tool for carrying out a gender assessment of television programmes, with a particular focus on its “emancipatory” effect on women. The tool is also addressed to reporters, sustaining them in promoting a gendered reporting. MEER can be used to provide gender assessments of non-fiction television programmes, talk shows, discussion programmes, election shows, while it cannot be used for analysing advertisements, films or other fiction programmes. MEER is primarily addressed to researchers, journalists and trainers, and trainers. In practice MEER is a digital tool which works by uploading the programme on a computer and scanning it, based on a gender content analysis, through a coding automatically inserted in a databased. When the coding procedure is finalised, the database is used to calculate the result and draft the assessment report. UNESCO, Measuring cultural participation, 2009 This handbook is a resource for organisations interested in measuring cultural participation, as well as a tool for raising awareness among policymakers. It is part of a series designed to facilitate the implementation of the 2009 UNESCO framework for cultural statistics (FCS). By presenting current methodologies and key topics related to the measurement of cultural domains, the handbook can assist Member States to develop cultural statistics in their countries. The handbook includes specific recommendations (tools and methodologies) on how to include a gender perspective in measuring culture.

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Alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD), also known as simple steatosis, is a consequence of excessive alcohol consumption. When alcohol is ingested, it ends up in the liver where it is metabolized. Fat, water, and carbon dioxide are some of the end products of the metabolic process and cause an accumulation of excessive fat build-up in the liver. The excess accumulation and storage of fat in the liver is the first stage of alcoholic liver disease. Alcoholic fatty liver disease might be reversible with early detection and complete abstinence from liquor. A person with early-stage alcoholic fatty liver disease is usually asymptomatic. A routine physical examination can often detect whether the liver is slightly enlarged. Bloods tests, such as a liver panel or a comprehensive metabolic panel, can detect elevated liver enzymes. In order to make a positive diagnosis of alcoholic fatty liver disease, a liver biopsy is normally recommended by the physician. Continued alcohol consumption, once someone is diagnosed with alcoholic fatty liver disease, can lead to hepatitis and cirrhosis which are advanced forms of alcoholic liver disease. Liver disease covers a broad array of conditions that afflict people who drink excessively, or who drink very little, or people who have never consumed alcohol. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is the term used to describe a liver disorder unrelated to alcohol consumption. This type of fatty liver disease often affects more women than men, but includes all age groups. It is most prominent in overweight, middle-aged people and might accompany conditions such as elevated triglyceride levels, elevated cholesterol, or even diabetes. The liver is responsible for numerous duties such as bile production, filtering, and storage of blood, metabolism of sugars and fat, and making compounds for clotting and control of blood volumes. When liver function is compromised by excessive fatty infiltration, caused by excessive alcohol consumption, symptoms of abdominal discomfort, nausea, weakness, malaise, or even anorexia can eventually surface. Many people diagnosed with a liver disorder also experience jaundice, which is an increase in bilirubin in the blood and causes yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes. As a liver disorder progresses, more and more body systems are affected. Treatment options for fatty liver disease depend upon whether the disease is alcohol-induced. In order to keep alcohol-induced fatty liver disease from progressing into advanced hepatitis or cirrhosis, complete abstinence of alcohol is imperative. When a person is diagnosed with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, doctors recommend weight loss, a diet low in sugar and fat, and exercise. It is important to eat healthy foods and start exercising. Treatment of severe cases of alcoholic and nonalcoholic liver disease might also require a liver transplant.

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Common Misunderstanding About Buddhism In Buddhism, the practice of contentment is the source of happiness. However, before you are ready to put this concept into practice, you must understand that being content with less desire is not the same thing as being lazy and doing nothing. In actuality, Buddhism is by nature, active and aspirant. Khenpo-la, Tashi Delek. I am a Tibetan living in here in D. C. I have a question. From the Buddhist perspective, the source of happiness is referred to as a quality of contentment with fewer desires. But westerners treat such an attitude as an attitude of laziness or complacency. What’s your opinion about this? In Buddhism, we talk about less desire, being content, the mind of renunciation and so on. When you really go deeply into these teachings, you’ll find that it is neither laziness, lethargy nor complacency. The quality of contentment can be understood as a way to keep yourself away from endless desire. But you shouldn’t go to the other extreme of becoming lazy, complacent or inactive in life. Both the Vinaya (the basic vehicle) and Abhidharmakosha mention that accepting necessities is fine, but one shouldn’t accept offerings for accumulation. This is clearly stated in various other scriptures. However, many modern youths believe that Buddhism completely deviates from the norms of everyday life. For instance, when talking about ordination, some people in China and other countries believe it is a choice made only at the most difficult of times. We often see scenarios such as this portrayed in movies. But this is not the actual case. Buddhism itself is positive and holds an optimistic attitude towards life. However, too much desire will only bring us suffering instead of happiness. We need to understand it from this perspective.

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Why Active Children Get Heel Pain Updated: Jul 30, 2020 Active kids are healthier kids. Running around outside, playing sports, and generally using their bodies benefits children in so many ways. Activities build muscles and bone strength, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, control body fat and decrease the risk of obesity, and help boost your child’s mood and mental health. Like anything worthwhile in life, though, activities—particularly sports—comes with a risk for injuries. One such issue, Sever’s disease, is particularly common in growing athletes and should be something to watch for. Sever’s disease isn’t some terrible illness, despite its intimidating name. Rather, it’s a common injury that affects active kids whose feet are still growing. The culprit is stress on the heel bone’s growth plate, generally from tight tendons and hard impacts from sports. Why does this cause inflammation in the growth plate, especially in an active child? Well, it’s all in how your child’s foot grows. The growth plate is a thin line of special bone tissue that allows your child’s bone to grow and get bigger over time. When your foot is done growing, the line will harden and become solid, like the rest of the heel. The issue is that, often, foot bones grow faster than the connective tissues in the lower limbs. Tendons like the Achilles end up slightly too short and have to stretch and grow to catch up. This can place extra tension on the heel bone—and since the growth plate is the weakest part of a child’s heel, it feels the strain first. Hard impacts from sports and other activities make all of this worse. They already strain a child’s foot. Combining that with the other tensions can inflame the heel bone’s growth plate and cause pain whenever your child runs, jumps, and in some cases, just walks around. This doesn’t mean your child shouldn’t be active, of course. Active children are healthier children—you simply have to be aware of their increased risk for heel pain and take steps to stop it. Our team at Gulf South Foot & Ankle, LLC, can help you keep your son or daughter running without pain. If you’re at all concerned about a risk for Sever’s disease, or know your child already has discomfort, contact our Metairie, LA, office for an appointment. You can reach us online or by calling (504) 708-4810.

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The polymers Polyolefins are created using the joining of alkenes or olefins. For instance, ethylene can be a monomer (olefin) that could polymerize and form polyethylene (polyolefin). The polyolefin surfaces do not get influenced by many solvents, possess a better chemical resistance and may not be joint by solvent welding. The top of the polyolefins offers suprisingly low energy, and for that reason they do not easily wet out. As different of additives may be added for that manufacturing of numerous polyolefins, the caliber of adhesion convenience supplied by the surfaces may also vary. Another methods for adhesion and joining, including plasma treatment, flame treatment or Corona treatment might increase the cost of producing minimizing the income. They’re hence not useful when you wish to sign up two polyolefin surfaces or 1 polyolefin surface for the the surface of another material. While using the Cyanoacrylate Super Glue and Polyolefin Primer The super glue or Cyanoacrylate enables you to join the surfaces and materials that can not be grew to become part of by utilizing some other type of glues. Super glue can join rubber, metal, plastics and various sorts of surfaces and could kind of formidable bond forward and backward surfaces. Since the the top of polyolefin differs from other surfaces, you need to cope with it getting a polyolefin primer initially. Following a pre-treatment, the Cyanoacrylate Glue can be utilized towards joining the surfaces. Extended-term bonds might be produced so as to, as well as the joints hence created have a very great resistance and greater shear strength. The bonds hence created might also resist the non-polar solutions and solvents including gasoline and motor oil among others. Hence it is simple to join two polyolefin surfaces with each other, as well as the industrial implications for your combination of cyanoacrylate as well as the pretreatment polyolefin primer are immense. While using primer nulls involve almost every other kind of pretreatment process ( including Corona Discharge and Gas Treatments), and for that reason enhances the profitability and affordability in the industrial adhesion processes. While using mixture will be achieving a powerful and accurate bond. Cyanoacrylate may retain its characteristics even when uncovered along with other chemicals and water, and for that reason while using super glue helps to make the bond extended-lasting and resistive to a number of corrosive elements. While using the Acrylics for bonds requiring more water proof While doing standby time with the primer and cyanoacrylate glues combination is potent and useful enough generally, certain joints require using acrylic. The acrylic needs to be useful for allowing the bonds which should resist water or which require great strength. Certain bonds need to resist the polar solvents too and here the acrylic glues should again be preferred. The acrylic 1:1 mixes are available in ready-to-use forms to ensure that it’s not necessary to inflict mixing yourself. When the acrylics are employed, there is no requirement of the primers. A sizable and comprehensive quantity of merchandise is today made while using polyolefins (including polyethylene, polypropylene in addition to their combination). These plastics will be the most utilized but have a very surface that’s non-polar anyway. Hence binding them through some other type of glues is not achievable. The polyolefin primer can be a boon for industries worldwide while offering for fast and extended-lasting fixation while making the bonds strong and corrosion resistant.

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Tourists are not the only foreigners who flock to Egypt to find solace in Egypt’s eternal sunlight and indulge in the lush abundance of the Nile River—migrating birds from the north come too, and visitors luxuriating on one of Egypt’s gorgeous beaches, touring historic monuments, or enjoying a cruise down the Nile are bound to encounter a wide variety of bird life. Water-resistant and compact, this handy guide to the resident and seasonal birds of Egypt is a perfect reference for birdwatchers keen and casual. – 50 Migrating and resident species of the Nile Valley – Ancient Egypt’s Seasons: Akhet (Autumn) – Inundations Peret (Winter) – Growth Shomu (Summer) – Harvest – Map listing birdwatching and wintering/breeding locations About the series: The AUC Press Nature Foldout series combine, in beautifully practical form, a wealth of information written by leading experts with striking full-color illustrations on the flora and fauna of Egypt and the Middle East. Designed for nature lovers and outdoor adventurers, as well as for indoor use, the foldouts come in an easily foldable format, at once compact, waterproof, and portable, making them durable and convenient travel guides. Size is 23 x 8.5 in. / 58.5 x 21.5 cm unfolded.

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HOUSTON (AP) — BP's strategy after the Deepwater Horizon tragedy: Go deeper. BP is leading an industry-wide push to develop technology that can retrieve oil from formations that are so deep under the sea floor, and under such high pressure and temperature, that conventional equipment would melt or be crushed by the conditions. One BP field in the Gulf of Mexico, called Tiber, makes the Macondo field that the Deepwater Horizon rig was probing look like simple puddle of oil. It is thought to hold 20 times the amount of oil as Macondo. At 35,000 feet below the sea floor — 6.6 miles into the earth's crust — it is about twice as deep. There's an extraordinary amount of oil in similar discoveries around the world, several of which are controlled by BP. But BP first must figure out how to get it. New equipment, including blowout preventers far stronger than the one that failed on the Deepwater Horizon, must be developed. Then BP must convince regulators it can tap this oil safely. Another disaster could threaten BP's existence, but success could restore the company's fortunes — and perhaps its reputation. "There's 10 to 20 billion barrels of oil just for BP in this," says Kevin Kennelly, who runs BP's global technology operations. At today's prices, that's worth up to $2 trillion. After the Deepwater Horizon exploded, killing 11 workers, and spewing between 103 million and 176 million gallons of oil into the Gulf, questions were raised by regulators, engineers, environmentalists and others over whether BP — or any oil company — could safely produce oil from formations under thousands of feet of water and tens of thousands of feet of rock. Three years later, there are a record 39 rigs drilling in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, according to IHS Petrodata, as drillers probe enormous troves of oil in untapped formations — some of which are under especially high temperature and pressure. And it is BP, of all companies, that is pioneering the push to exploit the most difficult of them. Environmentalists are alarmed. "You hope (BP) has learned their lesson, but the nature of the business is that there are going to be spills, there is human error," says Athan Manuel, director of the Sierra Club's lands protection program. "These high pressure wells could cause another environmental disaster in the Gulf." For BP, drilling deeper is a bold and crucial step. CEO Bob Dudley told colleagues at an industry conference last year that management "thought very carefully before re-committing the company to the deep water following the 2010 accident." The spill has cost BP $42.5 billion, and legal battles are ongoing. BP decided to go forward in a major way. Dudley may not have had much choice — BP needs the oil. Its production is down 21 percent since the oil spill and its share price is 22 percent lower. Big oil companies need to find giant fields to generate enough oil to replace the steady natural declines of existing fields. These big fields are now only found in remote or difficult locations. Despite the Deepwater Horizon accident and BP's errors that contributed to it, BP remains one of the few companies with the technical expertise and financial resources to discover and produce oil at these depths. It is the biggest producer, investor and leaseholder in the Gulf of Mexico, which even with the onshore oil boom in states such as Texas and North Dakota still accounts for 17 percent of domestic production. BP recently added two more rigs in the Gulf, bringing its total to nine, more than it has ever had there. The company's new prospects are among the largest in the Gulf in a part of an emerging geologic formation called the Lower Tertiary. These layers of rock are far older, and deeper under the sea floor, than the Miocene formation responsible for most of the Gulf of Mexico's current oil production. The Lower Tertiary, once thought to have no oil and gas, is also being explored by Exxon, Chevron, Shell and others. Some of the shallower locations are already producing oil, and over the next 15 years it is expected to become the dominant source of the Gulf's oil, according to the consulting firm Wood Mackenzie. In all, the formation is thought to hold 15 billion barrels, worth $1.5 trillion. Current industry equipment, rated to 15,000 pounds per square inch and 250 degrees Fahrenheit, can't produce the oil in BP's Lower Tertiary fields, including Tiber and Kaskida. The rubber now used to seal valves and pipes would melt at more extreme temperatures. Some equipment, such as the blowout preventer, which failed in the Deepwater Horizon accident, is too small to withstand higher pressures. So BP launched a program it calls "Project 20K" to develop equipment with suppliers that can withstand up to 20,000 pounds per square inch and 350 degrees Fahrenheit. That's hot enough to bake a chicken, and the equivalent of having the weight of a school bus bearing down on every square inch of equipment. Some experts wonder if BP, or the rest of the industry, is up to the task. Robert Bea, professor emeritus of engineering at the University of California and an expert on offshore technology who studied the Macondo blowout, says more than just better equipment must be developed. The especially hard part, he says, is developing a management system that can properly direct and oversee such complex projects. Bea, who has testified for plaintiffs suing BP over the spill, says it takes "decades of concerted work" to do so safely. "BP's basic thinking has not fundamentally changed," he says. "They want to develop those resources so badly, and they want to develop them so quickly, their drive for production overcomes what should be a comparable drive for protection." BP says it has overhauled its oversight procedures and can now better identify problems before they crop up. On the 12th floor of a building on the company's Houston campus sits a monitoring center where BP's Gulf of Mexico drilling operations are tracked by engineers. Banks of large screens flicker with live video of each operating rig and columns of data fed by sensors that track the status and performance of the equipment at the drill sites. The newer equipment developed by BP and its suppliers for Project 20K, including the blowout preventer, will be able to be tested remotely to ensure not only that it is working properly, but that the sensors that detect whether it is working properly are themselves functioning correctly. Chris Harder, BP's wells operations director, compares the new testing system to a far more sophisticated "check engine" light in a car. "We didn't really know if the car needed a tuneup," he says of the old system. And BP is working to lower the chances of human error, sometimes with low-tech changes. For example, green "start" buttons and red "stop" buttons will no longer both be round. Instead, one will be a triangle, to help workers more quickly and accurately identify the buttons. BP says it is also developing new testing procedures that it hopes will help make regulators more comfortable with the new projects. BP will now test whole systems instead of just individual parts in an effort to better simulate real-world conditions. Taking a cue from the aircraft industry, BP will push equipment past its rated limits to see how it reacts when it fails. A drill ship called West Sirius is drilling into the Tiber field now, and it is well on its way to a final depth of 32,000 feet below the sea floor. It's an appraisal well, meant to determine exactly where BP should eventually place wells that will produce oil and gas when the high-pressure and high-temperature equipment is ready. But that is still years — and many permits — away. Michael Bromwich, the former head of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement, says regulators understand that is important for the U.S. to continue to develop offshore oil resources and remain a technological leader. But he says they will almost certainly hold BP to a higher standard than other oil companies. "Whoever reviews it is going to feel pressure, and give it extra scrutiny, it's human nature," he says. "People remember what happened." Jonathan Fahey can be reached at http://twitter.com/JonathanFahey .

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22310 Plestin Les Grèves Telephone : 0033 296 356 841 Email : firstname.lastname@example.org If your primulas are planted in the right kind of soil, and in the right place, regular inspection will prevent most problems. Healthy, well-grown plants are less susceptible to attack by pests or disease and, in general, primulas are relatively trouble free. Nevertheless, it is necessary to be alert to the early signs of any possible problems, and to tackle them speedily if they arise. Particular care is required under glass, as problems can multiply with alarming rapidity, once they present themselves. Probably the most important pest to look out for. The juvenile of the vine weevil is a cream comma shaped grub with a brown head about 1 cm long, which lives in the soil of your potted plant and has a particular liking for primula roots. Normally, the first sign of their presence is the collapse of a plant which was perfectly healthy until then. They must be dug out and destroyed, and infected soil must be disposed of. An infestation can spread quite rapidly. The adult is a brown colour, - about 2 cm long and emerges in autumn. They appear like a beetle, but with the 'snout' of a weevil. If you detect irregular notches eaten out of the sides of leaves, they may be present. The adult is nocturnal, and can be trapped in rolls of corrugated paper or flowerpots stuffed with fresh grass. Such traps must be inspected every day. Gravel around the neck of plants may deter the adult from laying, and anything which confuses their sense of smell may also help. Watering pathways and areas between plants with a weak solution of disinfectant may help; some crushed mothballs scattered in the area; or perhaps sowing chives or garlic between plants. There are chemical treatments also available but we are now using a nematode programme twice a year which appears to be keeping them under control. Certain root aphids infest primulas planted in the open in late summer as part of their yearly cycle of regeneration. They can weaken the plants and introduce viruses. Controls include keeping the primulas weed-free, as companion weeds also act as hosts to the aphids; not allowing primulas to dry out; and not reusing old potting compost. Whitefly, greenfly and blackfly must also be contended with. Whitefly is most damaging in glasshouses, while greenfly is a common outdoor pest. Some systemic insecticides are effective, but there are also many more natural solutions such as soap sprays, sticky fly traps etc. Slugs can devour a tray of young seedlings and will do enormous damage to new growth in spring. Try sharp gravel, beer traps, wood ash or other appropriate slug control. Once plants are well established slugs rarely destroy them completely but do certainly make them look less attractive. In cold spells mice will eat the crowns of plants. They will also eat developing seed pods and the fleshy roots of certain of the Asiatic primulas. Traps may be needed. Sometimes they strip the petals from young flowers, especially the yellow varieties. They are also capable of scratching up seedlings in their search for insects. Some black cotton thread stretched over the area seems to do the trick. They cause leaf and petal damage and this will be apparent on regular inspection. Pick them off if you can see them, otherwise use an appropriate natural insecticide. They like to live in leaf and plant debris which gathers in damp corners. Occasionally they will chew through seedlings. Best prevention is to keep your planted areas free of plant debris. They have their uses in the ecology of the garden. We are not advocating their destruction, but would encourage them to live elsewhere. They live on aphids and other small fry, so in general they are beneficial. Sometimes, they nip the petals of flowers, and will also end up in paper bags with drying seed pods. When they chew their way out of the bag you may lose some of your precious seed. Botrytis or grey mould is the major fungal enemy of primulas. Good air circulation, and the avoidance of over watering or water- logging in cold winter conditions are very important. Keep greenhouse plants well spaced and well ventilated during the winter months and remove dead or dying leaves which may harbour fungus spores. Water very sparingly and then only from the bottom. If fungus becomes obvious, spray with a fungicide. To avoid damping off young seedlings, avoid overcrowding, overwatering and poor ventilation. Photos Lawson et Jason Ingram Photography - web Design : Daniel Lawson

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IISD Reporting Services - KEY PUBLICATIONS AND ONLINE RESOURCES CHEMICALS AND WASTE MANAGEMENT This page was updated on: 12/09/10 Latest New Publications and Resources (UNEP and GEF, 2010) The report details how rising CO2 emissions are altering the chemical balance of our oceans and outlines the wide-ranging consequences of this emerging issue on marine food chains and ecosystems as well as human activities such as tourism and fishing. It also analyzes the effects of ocean acidification on global food security. [The report] The report estimates the emissions contribution of the waste sector at roughly 3-5%, but notes that reliability of calculation methods and data between countries vary, and concludes that the waste sector is well placed to cut its contribution to global man-made greenhouse gas emissions. [The report] (UNEP GRID-ARENDAL, October 2010) This report, released during the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), details solutions to the current biodiversity crisis in the Arctic, but it stresses that conservation gains are only possible if root causes for biodiversity loss are addressed outside the Arctic. It finds that existing multilateral environmental agreements that include the Arctic region, such as the Kyoto Protocol and the Basel Convention on Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes, may be effective against threats caused by local, national or regional activities (mining and oil and gas exploitation, for example) if implemented adequately, because threats such as climate change, transboundary contaminants and habitat fragmentation are global in nature. Among its recommendations, the report stresses that: more global, cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary thinking by policy-makers, scientists and other stakeholders will be necessary to deal with increasing pressures on Arctic biodiversity; the Arctic Council could play a more active role in supporting the development of specific conservation efforts and further collaboration with non-Arctic states that share responsibility for migratory Arctic wildlife; strengthening existing mechanisms for the protection and conservation of biodiversity, through the implementation of existing mechanisms, is necessary; harmonization of national reporting between the Arctic nations on issues of common concern would allow for more effective national reporting to multilateral environmental agreements; Arctic nations should substantially increase the extent of protected areas, especially in coastal zones and in the marine environment; and Arctic nations should invest in co-management regimes and programmes of adaptation for societies in the Arctic, drawing on their traditional knowledge. [The report] This paper by Aaron Cosbey, Soledad Aguilar, Melanie Ashton and Stefano Ponte looks for paths to progress in the WTO’s stalled negotiations on environmental goods and services – a set of talks that is frequently cited as trade policy's natural contribution to climate change objectives. It surveys the experience of a number of multilateral environmental agreements – the Rotterdam Convention (Prior Informed Consent or PIC), the Stockholm Convention (Persistent Organic Pollutants or POPs) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora – and ecolabels (looking at coffee, fisheries and the Energy Star label) for lessons that could be of aid in WTO negotiations. [The paper] (Stockholm Convention, June 2010) The Stockholm Convention Secretariat has released the first issue of its newsletter on technical assistance. This newsletter provides information on the ongoing activities in the area of technical assistance and capacity-building, activities carried out by the Secretariat and upcoming meetings. [The newsletter] (UNDESA, May 2010) This monthly newsletter of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) features an article on the role of affordable transport in achieving sustainable development and the Millennium Development Goals (MGDs). The article notes that over one billion people living in rural areas in developing countries lack access to adequate transportation, an essential precondition for development due to its importance for accessing markets, employment, education and basic services. It also underscores that globally increased urbanization and motorization over the past several decades have resulted in an unprecedented rise in emissions, leading to degradation in living conditions worldwide and accelerating climate change. It mentions large- and small-scale transport infrastructure success stories in India and Sri Lanka. The article. This report, by the International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management, hosted by UNEP, focuses on the stocks of metals in society and the recycling rates. It provides information on the quantity of metal stocks in the world. The resource. (Pesticide Action Network UK, 2010) This report details the results of a community monitoring study aimed at investigating the use and impacts of pesticides in affected communities in Asia, and observance of the International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides. The resource. This study includes: an analysis of the market potential of relevant technologies for the e-waste recycling sector in selected developing countries; examination of the application of the “Framework for UNEP Technology Transfer Activities in Support of Global Climate Change Objectives,” in order to foster the transfer of innovative technologies in the e-waste recycling sector; and identification of innovation hubs and centres of excellence in emerging economies relevant for e-waste recycling technologies. The resource. In May 2009, PFOS was added to Annex B of the Stockholm Convention and classified as a Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP). This paper collects all of the publicly available information on PFOS production and its uses. It aims to show patterns in these areas, both by country and by sector of use, to present a complete and clear picture from the multiple studies that have been published on PFOS. The resource. ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES TO REPLACE DDT AND

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To raise Kentucky’s standard of living to the national average by 2020, we must Double the Number of college graduates living in Kentucky. Demographers predict that in 2020, about 1 of every 3 Americans will have a bachelor’s degree. In 2000, about 1 in 5 Kentuckians had a bachelor’s degree. If current trends continue, we will fall short of our goal by about 211,000 college graduates. Why Bachelor's Degrees? Simply put, this plan is the most substantial contribution our postsecondary education programs can make to Kentucky’s quality of life in the shortest period of time. The Plan focuses on bachelor’s degree production because: - The link between economic prosperity and educational attainment is most dramatic at the bachelor’s degree level, both for states and for individuals. - At the current rate of improvement, Kentucky is on track to meet or exceed the national average in associate degree production, but will fall far short in bachelor’s degrees. - Master’s and advanced degrees, while vital to the new economy, cannot be obtained without a bachelor’s degree.

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Join Date: Aug 2008 Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s) Quoted: 0 Post(s) Calcium fluoride, aka organic fluoride is naturally occurring in vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Sodium fluoride aka inorganic fluoride or hydrofluosilicic acid, is the type of fluoride added to public water. It is a raw untreated waste from the phosphate fertilizer mining industry, a byproduct of industrial processes.

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Poem written in Middle English by an anonymous poet in the 14th century. It is about 2500 lines long (90 pages) and is part of the “alliterative revival” — similar to the style of Old English poetry like Beowulf, but in a regional dialect of Middle English. Unlike Chaucer who is from London, this poem is written in the Midlands dialect (near Sheffield). It helps to listen to a read-aloud version as the poem is meant to be heard, not read. The story begins at a New Year’s feast, when an unknown knight shows up uninvited, all dressed in green. He challenges Gawain to a beheading game, where Gawain gets to chop off the Green Knight’s head, except if he fails, he must return in a year to get his own head chopped off. Gawain succeeds at beheading the Green Knight, but the knight picks up his own head and leaves. The next year, Gawain returns to look for the Green Knight and be beheaded, and he is invited by a lord into his castle. While the lord goes out hunting, Gawain stays in bed to rest. But on multiple mornings, the lady of the castle comes into his room to try to seduce Gawain into doing sinful things, yet he successfully resists the temptation. Only on the third night, he secretly accepts the lady’s offer of a girdle, promised to have the power to save his life on the day of the beheading. This romantic poem shows us the expectations of a virtuous and chivalrous knight in the medieval period. Gawain is supposed to be an exemplar of perfect moral virtue out of all of the knights of the Round Table, never breaking a promise even to be beheaded, and never succumbing to the temptation of sleeping with another man’s wife when she tries to seduce him. Still, the poem shows the limits of this virtue, since he fails to be perfectly moral on the final night by accepting the girdle to save his life. Unbeknownst to him, all of these events are tests of his moral character, and it turns out that the lord and the Green Knight are the same person, and he ordered his lady to test Gawain’s morality.

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the digestive system The digestive system helps us break down the food we eat both mechanically and chemically into smaller compounds that can then be utilized for energy. Digestion is a form of catabolism, because it breaks down larger foods into smaller particles that can be absorbed into the bloodstream. The digestive system helps us digest the food we eat and absorb the nutrients that we need to survive. The food enters the mouth, and is chewed and broken down mechanically by the teeth and chemically by saliva in the mouth. It then moves into the esophagus, and it is massaged into the stomach, where it is chemically digested by hydrochloric acid and massaged to aid in digestion. It then moves to the small intestine, where all of the nutrients needed are absorbed out of the food. The large intestine is responsible for taking the correct amount of water out of the nutrients, so that it can be excreted.

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Any chemist worth her lab coat has a good story of singed eyebrows. "So my brother was two years younger, he was also a bit of a science nerd, and we read things in Boys' Life and various magazines that would describe experiments, and then we'd try to repeat them," recalls Michelle Francl, a professor at Bryn Mawr College. "And one of the things we really wanted to do was separate water into hydrogen and oxygen." So Francl and her brother set up an experiment in their homemade lab--the downstairs bathroom--passing an electric current through the water, then capturing the hydrogen gas in a test tube. To see if it worked, they stuck a burning ember into the tube. "It tested positive, and explosively positive, and there was kind of this big whoosh of flame, and my brothers' eyebrows and his little crew cut got singed," she says. The budding scientists cleaned up their mess, and slunk back upstairs. "I lived in fear that my mother would notice the singed eyebrows, but with six kids, as long as no one was bleeding, apparently, she didn't notice." Like lots of scientists, Francl credits those early mishaps with developing her sense of curiosity and persistence, two key traits for a career in the STEM fields. But with the decline in popularity of chemistry sets and other laboratory-like activities for kids, she's seeing less and less scientific moxie in her undergrads. "I think students are coming [in] far too cautious, and far less willing to stick their hands in something and see what happens," says Francl. Peak chemistry set There are no statistics on when it sold best, but most people agree the years before and after World War II were perhaps peak chemistry set. This was also a time when American scientific achievements were widely celebrated. The space race, companies like Dow and DuPont leading the charge. Better living through chemistry, right? But by the 1960s and 70s, the decline in popularity of the chemistry set coincided with America's waning passion for science, rising concern about toxic substances, and better entertainment options for children. In a way, that gives anyone trying to build a 21st century chemistry set the benefit of a clean slate: they can appeal to a whole new generation, who perhaps hasn't ever seen one, and use technology to draw them in. "So we have some cool stuff, like for example...we provide you a virtual reality headset," says Vassili Philippov, a Russian mathematician turned educational-toy-entrepreneur. He's showing off the newly launched MEL Chemistry set, which along with the headset includes more traditional components, like beakers, safety glasses, and syringes. The MEL Chemistry Set works off of a subscription model. Each month, three new experiments arrive in the mail containing small vials of chemicals like ammonium chloride and zinc powder, neatly packaged and labeled, with detailed instructions. An app guides users through the experiments, explaining what's happening on a molecular level. "Every time you do some experiment, at the same time you see what is happening inside. And so, it's not just magic tricks, you understand the science behind it," says Philippov. The set also includes a little plastic lens that clips onto a smartphone camera, zooming in to reveal stunning chemical reactions. The images and videos are what any kid would want to post on Facebook or Twitter. "Because if you have done something cool, you want to share it, it is natural," he says. Philippov's parents encouraged him to play with chemistry sets when he was young, and now he does the same with his four children. "It is...very important for how we spend time. It is a signal, and if you spend half an hour, it could change their life. That's why we like it, because we can change the lives of our kids." Open it and go But today, a lot of people would argue the answer to a better life--and a better career--isn't contained in the periodic table. Instead, it's typed out in algorithms and code. "I think we are in a moment in which we do see the hands on experience that is important is one that is in front of a computer," says Erin McLeary, museum director at Philadelphia's Chemical Heritage Foundation, which houses a huge collection of chemistry sets. She does push back on the idea that these educational toys have lost their standing, though. A well-designed set coupled with the right technology is still going to draw kids in. "They're like a dollhouse but for science," she says. "Dollhouses are extremely appealing to many people as sort of visual artifacts. They're like everything, but it is so tiny and precise and it is perfect and it is in miniature, and it takes you into this imaginative place." Chemistry sets still offer the same transformative effect, a tiny workshop with everything you need. "You can just open it and go." And as for what can go wrong, Professor Michelle Francl says parents shouldn't worry about the small chance for explosions or lost eyebrows. "We accept risk in a lot of places--baseball, sports--kids hurt themselves playing those things, yet we don't think that that's a bad idea for them to be doing, and so I think we have to accept a little bit of risk when they play with science," says Francl. Support provided by

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The Syrah cluster on the right was treated with the antitranspirant Vapor Gard; nontreated cluster is on the left. The treated cluster showed slower coloration, a sign of delayed ripening. PHOTO BY YUN ZHANG A Washington State University graduate student recently returned from the world’s most prestigious wine university where she collaborated in research on how grape berry water flow influences ripening. Her research highlights the detrimental effects overhead irrigation could have in delaying sugar accumulation and increasing cracking, especially with Concord juice grapes and, to a lesser degree, with Syrah wine grapes. Doctoral student Yun Zhang spent three months in France analyzing grape berry samples she brought from Washington State. The University of Bordeaux has a specialized molecular biology laboratory designed for genetic work. She received grants and financial support from both WSU and Bordeaux’s Institut des Sciences de Vigne et du Vin (Institute of Vine and Wine Sciences). Zhang grew up in China and received her bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering there, studying dams, reservoirs, and canals. She first became interested in wine grapes while conducting irrigation experiments on grapes for her master’s research in China. According to Zhang, grapes are primarily grown in northwest China—raisin and table grapes in the Xinjiang province and wine grapes in the Gansu province, near the ancient silk trade route. “What’s interesting to me is that Washington State and China’s wine grape regions share similar latitudes and varieties,” she told Good Fruit Grower, adding that Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and other vinifera varieties are grown in China as they are in Washington. Her grape irrigation research led her to WSU’s Dr. Markus Keller, a horticulturist who specializes in grape physiology. Zhang finished her master’s degree at WSU and will complete her doctorate research of grape berry water relations and their role in berry development later this year. “Water going into the berry is how we get berry growth and yield, but we tend to forget about how water flows out of the berry and what that means for ripening,” she said. “Just like in our human bodies, the grape berry has two circulatory systems, the xylem and phloem,” she said. The xylem is the main pipeline that brings water and nutrients into the grape berry, while the phloem mostly imports water and sugars to the berry. But while the xylem can bring excess water out, the phloem only transports water and sugars into the berry, not out. The water status of grape berries has a direct relationship to quality and yield, she said. “The net amount of grape berry growth is determined by the balance of the water ins [phloem and xylem inflows] and the outs [berry transpiration and xylem backflow].” Too much water retained in the berry causes cracking, while not enough causes shrinkage, she explained. Zhang likened the vascular pathway to a conveyor belt that unloads the sugar solution (soluble solids) into the berry. But as the berry fills up with soluble solids, a surplus of water from the phloem exists in the ripening berries. Disposal of the excess water requires both xylem backflow and berry transpiration. Previous research has shown that the xylem declines in its function of being the main water supplier to the berry after veraison. Zhang said that at one time, scientists believed that rapid expansion of the berry caused the xylem to collapse. Keller and others have since learned that the xylem pipeline is still intact, although a hydraulic gradient causes the xylem to stop or decline its import function. Zhang’s research has focused on the “outs” of water flow, trying to identify the gradient responsible for the declined xylem inflow, while examining what happens when the water flow out from the berry is restricted. Additionally, she has studied the hypothesis that sugars may leak out from the berries along with the xylem backflow. “Since xylem backflow exists, and there is no membrane barrier that stops unloaded sugar moving into the xylem, how is it that the berry doesn’t lose sugar from the backflow?” she asked. To test the sugar-recycling hypothesis, she spent three months in the molecular laboratory at the Bordeaux university, looking for gene expression in the pedicel that would indicate sugar recycling. “If sugar recycling is going on, there would have to be sugar transporters,” she said. “The good news is that I found gene expression of all ten of the different sugar transporters, so the machinery is there. That’s the first step in the recycling hypothesis.” Further research will focus on where the transporters are located and understanding protein activity. Restricting xylem backflow Zhang’s research focused on three cultivars—Merlot, Syrah, and Concord. She used three treatment methods, applied to preveraison berries, to see the effects of restricting the xylem backflow and inhibiting berry transpiration: - Applying an antitranspirant to fruit to inhibit berry transpiration - Drilling through the cluster peduncle to restrict xylem flow - Combining both the antitranspirant and drilling treatments For all cultivars, the rates of soluble solids (sugar) accumulation in berries with restricted xylem flow or berry transpiration were lower than in the controls. In an additional experiment, she was also able to slow the progression of ripening (sugar accumulation) in potted Syrah vines by restricting xylem backflow using root pressurization. By doubling up the berry’s waxy cuticle layer through the application of Vapor Gard, an antitranspirant used in fruits like cherries to prevent cracking from rain, Zhang was able to restrict berry transpiration, which increased cracking incidence in all three varieties. Syrah and Concord showed more cracking than Merlot. She used a cluster chamber to monitor berry transpiration throughout the day and found that the rate of berry transpiration was highly correlated with vapor pressure deficit. Vapor pressure deficit is a measure of how dry the air is. The drier the air, the higher the vapor pressure deficit, and the higher the berry transpiration rate will be. Berry transpiration is mostly cuticular transpiration, without any stomatal control, she explained. Zhang also found that berry transpiration increases initially during berry development and then declines, which means that berry transpiration may not be a reliable pathway to ensure water disposal from berries. Zhang’s physiology research has implications for growers who use overhead sprinkler irrigation or have a high water status in their vineyard. Overhead sprinklers can increase the humidity around the clusters, which reduces the rate of berry transpiration. Conversely, growers who could manipulate berry transpiration by reducing humidity within the canopy and cluster zone may be able to avoid delayed ripening and increased cracking. “Compared to Merlot, Concord and Syrah berries are very susceptible to cracking,” she said. Concord berries showed susceptibility to cracking throughout fruit development, but Syrah berries showed susceptibility after the onset of ripening and became less susceptible when Brix reached 20 degrees. “Cautions are needed when using overhead sprinkler irrigation in a Concord vineyard, especially,” Zhang concluded.

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Posted by psproefrock under EcoGeek | Tags: kite power , wind power Comments Off on Cheaper-than-Coal Power from a Tethered Kite – [EcoGeek] [Originally posted on EcoGeek. This is a really cool development, and one of six recent USDOE ARPA-E grant winning projects. I’ve seen several kite-oriented systems in the last few years, and there are a lot of cool ideas in them, but this is the most fully formed and compelling one I’ve seen yet.] Makani Power is one of six recent US Department of Energy ARPA-E grant winners for their Airborne Wind Turbine (AWT), a tethered flying wing that flies in endless loops around its anchor point on the ground and generates electricity from propellers on board. Makani believes it will be able to produce wind power that is 40% cheaper than conventional wind power and, more importantly, at an unsubsidized real cost competitive with coal-fired power plants. Think of this as a really big wind turbine. But, instead of needing a big blade going back to the hub, which requires a lot of strength and a lot of weight, only the tip of the blade is used, in the form of a flying wing kite on a tethered line. The kite is flying loops just like the tip of a turbine blade. The tips are the fastest moving and most energy productive part of the turbine; this approach simply gets rid of the rest of the bulky, less-productive blade. The propellers on the wing are turned as it moves through the air, generating electricity and slowing the speed of the wing. The tether serves as both an anchor for the wing as well as the conductor to bring power to the ground for distribution. The wing is able to self-launch and, since it is not carrying fuel or batteries, it has a very high thrust to weight ratio. The wing is turned vertically and the power-generating propellers act like helicopter rotors to power the wing to its operating altitude of 200 meters (656 feet). When wind at operating altitude drops below 3.5 m/s (7.8 mph), the speed needed to generate power, the wing re-orients into a vertical configuration (hover mode) and is winched back down to its cradle. You can see a set of animated clips showing just how this works. Once in flight, the wing is controlled by computer systems which steer the wing to keep it in flight and maintain power generation. “The autonomous controller is responsible for maintaining a stable flight path, while also maximizing power output. To do this, hundreds of times each second the controller calculates the wing’s position and heading from sensor data and adjusts the control surfaces (aileron, elevator, and rudder) to maintain the correct flight path. This fast response allows the wing to easily handle disturbances such as gusts. The control system has been proven, both in simulation and reality, to fly stable and reproducible paths.” We’ve seen other tethered power generation concepts, spinning blimps, and different versions of giant kites, as well as underwater kites, which are quite similar to the AWT. But the Makani system really seems to have everything pulled together in a complete system. The company has been testing a prototype 10 kW prototype, and will next move to the development of a utility-scale 1 MW system. Flying at a higher altitude than turbine towers reach means that the less likely to harm birds or bats. Its maximum altitude is 600 meters (1969 feet), which is comparable with tall buildings, radio towers, and other structures, and aviation safety will be maintained with signals and lights in a fashion similar to other tall ground structures.

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In this post I continue my tour through what medieval logicians have to say about ‘and’ or conjunction (here is Part 1). Roger Bacon in the Art and Science of Logic introduces a distinction between when ‘and’ is used to conjoin two things “in a third” and when it is used to conjoin two things “under a third” [par. 169]. An example of the first is “Socrates and Plato run”. The second way of conjoining is further distinguished according to whether the two things conjoined are equally principle in the third, or whether one is principle and the other is secondary. An example of the first is “my body and my soul are an animal” or “two and three are five”, while an example of the second is “I would prefer to be set free and be with Christ” or “This one eats bread and wine”. When ‘and’ conjoins things in a third, then it is “properly conjunctive”. When ‘and’ conjoins two equally principle things under a third, then it is “taken in a united sense”, and when it conjoins something principle and something secondary, it is “taken in an associative sense”. In the associative sense, ‘and’ has “the same force as ‘with'”. However, ‘with’ can be used both associatively, such as when “Socrates runs with Plato”, and conjunctively, such as when “Socrates [together] with Plato run”. ‘And’ can be used to conjoin terms and to conjoin propositions. When it conjoins terms, then the result will be a categorical proposition, and the conjoined terms can appear as either the subject, the predicate, or both, as in the examples “Socrates and Plato run”, “Five are two and three”, and “Socrates and Plato know grammar and music” [par. 170]. Interestingly, against the views of others, Bacon rejects that a conjunction of two propositions is a hypothetical proposition, because “the force of a conditional proposition is not understood to be actually in a conjunctive one”, and in this way conjunctions differ from disjunctions, as “a disjunctive proposition, as previously stated ([par. 157]), has the actual force of a conditional one since it can be resolved absolutely into a conditional one”. As a result, Bacon concludes that, strictly speaking, “a conjunctive proposition will be neither a hypothetical nor a categorical proposition” [par. 170]. This consequence raises interesting questions regarding the quality and the quantity of conjunctive propositions. If the conjunction is one of propositions then it “has no quantity because it does not have a subject and predicate as its parts, but only propositions” [par. 171]; it does, however, have a quality depending on whether or not the entire conjunction is negated: [A conjunctive proposition] is not said to be affirmative or negative from an affirmation or negation of one or both of its parts, but when the whole conjunctive proposition and the conjunction itself is denied, as in “It is not the case that Socrates and Plato run” and “It is not the case that Socrates runs and Plato argues” [par. 174]. If the proposition is, however, categorical, and the conjunction of terms occurs in the subject, the proposition will be universal in quantity even though singular terms are taken in the subject, because each of those terms is not the subject but the whole made up of them, which can be understood as having universally and according to its understanding the concept of a quantitative whole [par. 172]. One of the things that I am interested in seeing through doing these surveys is how and when ‘and’ developed into a fully-fledged logical connective. We saw in the Montanes Minores from 1130 that there was really no space available for conjunctive reasoning of any type. Here, a little over a century later (Bacon was writing in the 1240s and 1250s) we see conjunctions being admitted, but they are still not afforded the same full status that categoricals and (true) hypotheticals are given. I hadn’t realized before looking more closely at Bacon that he gave the categorical/hypothetical distinction but admitted well-formed propositions which were neither. Now I’m curious to see what William of Sherwood, Lambert of Auxerre, and Peter of Spain have to say on the matter, or if Bacon’s views are unusual for the middle of the 13th century. Bacon, Roger. Art and Science of Logic, trans. Thomas S. Maloney, (PIMS 2009).

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Breast Cancer Overview Know Your Risk! Determining your risk for breast cancer is the first step in the prevention process. Each patient will be pre-screened for risk factors during their first visit. Those suspected of being at increased risk will complete a comprehensive risk assessment. 1 IN 8 1 out of 8 women In the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer If you are a woman over age 40, you could be at risk for breast cancer. If you have a family history of breast cancer, your physician may recommend you begin screening sooner. 8 IN 9 8 out of 9 women diagnosed have no family history of the disease. This is a troubling statistic, one that reminds us why it is so important for all women to take advantage of routine mammography screenings, especially now that 3D technology is available. Doctors agree that early detection is the best defense against breast cancer. Successful treatment and survival rates for breast cancer patients are dramatically affected by early detection, as the 5-year survival rate is almost 100 percent. Comprehensive Breast Care The scope of “comprehensive breast care” includes everything from screening mammography to referral for surgery or oncology, and all that lies in between. It is an ideal approach for both patients and clinicians, who can work together more efficiently, accurately, and effectively to ensure patients have the absolute best possible outcome. That means things like customizing a schedule for high risk patients and fast-tracking all aspects of their care. It means increased access to biopsy services, and that all patients leave with a care plan, not questions. - Helping patients move from diagnostic imaging to biopsy. - Support patients during biopsy and while they wait for pathology results. - Facilitate prompt communication of results to each patient. - Track outcomes of all biopsies and facilitate appropriate referrals. - Serve as a liaison between patients and medical staff when needed. - Assist patients as they move through the health care system. - Connect patients with resources and support systems - Assist patients in finding financial resources to help with health care costs - Assist in ongoing patient education. - Provide risk assessment profiles when needed to other physicians. Schedule a Consultation

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This blog will analyze and assess how customers are easily manipulated in societies marketplace through conspicuous consumption. Over the years brands have been abled to influence their customers into buying needless merchandise, through advertising techniques. Packard (1957) studied contemporary social trends and indicated, “As a public we began to be sold products, not because of their intrinsic qualities, but because of their symbolic significance to our wishes, our fears and hopes – our subconscious.” Proclaiming that as individuals we buy goods to hide our insecurities and fulfill our desires as we try to fit into society. This theory is beyond 50 years old, however there are numerous examples that can support Packard’s concept. Abercrombie & Fitch’s 2015 advert features a man and a woman holding each other intimately. Their target audience is most likely aimed at teenagers and young adults. Packard’s theory is undeniably applicable with this advert; A&F draw their shoppers showing that you’ll never get this attractive or popular unless you wear their brand. The advert reminds those who regard themselves as ‘popular’ if they don’t wear A&F jeans; popular social groups won’t accept you. The Scarcity Principle (Investopedia, 2016) is another method of advertising that businesses use to persuade its customers in buying their products. “When a product is scarce, consumers are faced with conducting their own cost-benefit analysis, since a product in high demand but low supply will likely be expensive […] he or she sees a greater benefit from having the product than the cost associated with obtaining it.” During 2015 Adidas signed a deal with musician star Kanye West who is hugely admired by many for his music and clothing line. His ‘Yeezy trainers’ are somewhat special because you’re unable to buy them normally like you would with other branded shoes. Instead you need to line up at a given time like it shows above at 9am, as there is a limited amount available. It is clear that the ‘Scarcity Principle’ is being applied because consumers have to follow specific guidelines in order to buy these trainers. Therefore this makes the trainers much more desirable no matter the price, due to scarce level of ways in purchasing them. One would argue because a celebrity designs the trainers it stimulates fans and shoppers to be imbibed by conspicuous consumption, even if the money paid is past its value. Rene Girard was a French historian, who designed the Mimetic Theory (Woody Belangia, 2015); he believed that “based on the observable tendency of human beings to subconsciously imitate others and the extension of this mimesis to the realm of desire.” Marilyn Monroe in 1950’s was considered one of the sexiest females in America. She took part in an advert for Tru-Glo makeup in 1953. A majority of American men in the 50’s idolized Monroe for her physique and appearance. This is a prime example that can be referred to Girard’s theory, women across the world would want to instinctively buy this make up and it would be Monroe who was responsible. This wasn’t because of the brands quality and ingredients, but because women had aspired to be and look like her. This impression draws their ‘desire’ to buying the make-up, similar to the previous advert with Kanye West’s shoes and how a famous icon can create an impact on someone’s perception on purchasing something. Consumer’s consumption is a theory that has continued to grow over the years, starting from the 1950’s to 2016 you can see that adverts use them throughout. Companies have learnt to use advertising mischievously, where a consumer is unaware that they’re being controlled by brands. The power and growth of the media has helped companies use consumer consumption more effectively because shoppers are surrounded by advertisements. Packard Vance (2000) The social construct. Available at: http://www.thesocialcontract.com/artman2/publish/tsc1004/article_903.shtml/ (Accessed: 4 April 2016). Investopedia (2016) Scarcity Principle. Available at: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/scarcity-principle.asp (Accessed: 5 April 2016). Woody Belangia (2015) What is Mimetic Theory? Available at: https://woodybelangia.com/what-is-mimetic-theory/ (Accessed: 7 April 2016).

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There are two major stress periods for deer– late summer and late winter. During the winter, bucks lose a tremendous amount of their body fat. According to Dr. James Kroll, AKA Dr. Deer, during the winter months, bucks lose almost everything they have. Once their body fat is lost, they begin to lose the fat in the marrow of their bones. This puts them at dire risk of not making it to the next season. You could lose up to 50% of your bucks during this time! No hunter wants that, so we got the experts together to discuss all things regarding Frost Seeding. Frost Seeding is an easy way to have a complete food plot management program to support your herd during both stress periods. There is no special technique or equipment required for frost seeding. It’s actually quite simple. When snow is on the ground (or in the near forecast), broadcast your seed onto the snow, and the cycle of freezing and thawing will do the rest! As the sun comes out and thaws the ice, small cracks will appear in the soil, allowing the seed to incorporate and create good contact with the soil. The freezing and thawing action will produce a uniform seedbed, even in the presence of existing vegetation. This is done best with soil that holds moisture but is not as effective in sandy or dry soil areas. Yes. It’s that simple! Frost Seeding can be easily accomplished with nothing more than a handheld broadcast spreader. It is best done in the morning or in the evening when the ground is still frozen. What month should you frost seed? The best time to frost seed is when daytime temperatures are warm enough that your ground thaws, and nighttime temps are cold enough that your ground re-freezes. In general, this will be late winter or early spring. Frost Seeding gives your deer quick access to essential digestible energy as they are coming out of the winter stress period, and have lost a significant amount of their body fat. In the case of mature bucks more so than doe, you may experience as much as a 50% loss in your herd due to this loss. As an added bonus, Frost Seeding is economical! On average, you can reduce your cost for a new food plot by 70-75%! You can guard against the loss of up to 50% of your mature bucks with frost seeding and save money! This process is easy and effective. Your herd will be healthier, allowing for maximum potential antler growth. Be sure to put Frost Seeding in your food plot management plans!

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Buddhism teaches you to become your own therapist. It give you the tools to how to deal with life's difficult situations we all face with from time to time. The core teachings Buddhism is centered around mindfulness meditation. The practice of meditation helps one to abandon the defilements of the mind*. The abandoning of defilements in the mind makes us more skillful individuals and will enable us to deal with difficult situations in life with wisdom. *Defilements of the mind (1) Covetousness and unrighteous greed (2) ill will (3) anger (4) hostility (5) denigration(6) domineering (7) envy (8) miserly(9) hypocrisy(10) fraud (11) obstinacy (12) presumption (13) conceit (14) arrogance (15) vanity (16) negligence

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At dawn on June 28, Facebook’s Aquila drone took its first flight; it was a success and marked a new major milestone in Facebook’s effort to bring Internet access to remote parts of the world. Much like Google’s Project Loon — though distinctly different in many ways — Facebook’s eyeing the sky as a way to beam Internet to villages and rural communities below. Rather than using balloons, though, the social network has elected to use very wide but relatively light drones that sip solar power and can spend long periods of time in the sky. This latest milestone was for Aquila’s first full-scale flight test, and it follows previous flight tests using a one-fifth scale rendition of the drone. In the coming months, Facebook will continue to test the drone, saying it will push Aquila to the brink with the expectation that it will fail at times, thereby shedding light on potential issues that can be addressed. Aquila is very thin with a wide wingspan and relatively low power consumption — when operating at its cruising speed, the drone only uses 5,000 watts of energy, or about the power used by a high-end microwave. Facebook says the drone will, in its final form, be able to beam Internet to locations below from altitudes up to 60,000+ feet; it’ll also be able to travel with a diameter range of up to 60 miles. As far as this full-scale test flight goes, Facebook says it was very successful, so much so that the team few it for more than an hour and a half, a whole 3x times longer than first planned. Future tests are already in the pipeline (Facebook doesn’t say when they’ll happen); next time around, the team will fly Aquila for a longer duration at a faster speed, with each test slowly taking the drone higher until it exceeds that 60,000ft altitude.

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Educators today have a heightened sense of urgency and stress during this unusual time. While they first worry about their own family and loved ones, they next worry about their students’ social, emotional, and academic well-being and success. Educators, like other adults, are asking questions about their lives, social interactions, and work and they seek answers to those questions. They also crave personal and professional connections to share stories, seek others’ perspectives, remind themselves they are not alone, and have opportunities to build on each other’s strengths. In these times, there are multiple forms of professional learning to support educators’ continuous growth. Access to professional learning is particularly crucial for educators to lead, teach, and coach in remote contexts and to maintain their own professional networks to share workloads and cultivate best practices.''Access to professional learning is particularly crucial for educators to lead, teach, and coach in remote contexts and to maintain their own professional networks to share workloads and cultivate best practices.'' @jpkillion Click To Tweet When educators can’t gather for more traditional, in-person learning, technology offers multiple opportunities to implement and sustain professional learning. Essentially there are three overarching approaches to facilitating and supporting professional learning in these times. - Recommend and offer access to high-quality providers of online programs, webinars, and courses. These providers may include university and education agency MOOCs or courses such as Coursera, a collaborative of leading universities that offer access to courses from leading scholars in nearly every field, programs available from or vetted by professional associations (such as Learning Forward), district-developed programs, and those from for-profit entities. - Engage in collaborative learning to enhance their work. Educators can gather in online learning communities to learn and apply their learning to their own work context. Teachers often express desire for more time to write or tune-up units or courses of study, to design common assessments, and to identify more accommodations for differentiating instruction. Principals and central office staff might use this time to read and discuss texts about leadership in small groups. Content specialists are rarely able to gather teachers to contribute to curriculum review, common assessment redesign, or routine updates. Nearly all educators lack sufficient time to gather to analyze and interpret data and to use their learning to adapt programs and practices. Gatherings such as these are all possible with easily available platforms that accommodate large- and small-group connections. - Encourage self-organized learning individually or in small teams. Nearly all educators have inquiries about their professional practice they want to pursue. They can self-organize into a team or design an independent study focused on answering a set of inquiry questions or to redesign courses or units of study. They might hold book studies. Principals and central office staff frequently express a lack of time for professional reading about leadership, school management, content, and community relations. Teachers may want to read that new book about best instructional practices for English language learners. They may want to access video tutorials on tools and practices they want to integrate into their own practice. Educators may want to write the article they have always wanted to write. If individual learning is occurring, perhaps teams of teams might meet periodically to have a share fair with each other to spread their learning to others. While there are many options available, effectiveness, relevance to performance expectations, and impact from implementation are priority criteria for selecting and engaging in professional learning. And just as with all professional learning, to be high-quality, any educator learning is connected to individual, team, school, and district goals. Supervisors might hold calls with or ask for a brief plan with outcomes identified for professional learning. They might meet online to check in with supervisees about their learning and ask how educators will apply what they are learning to improve their own practice and student success. So while we are all engaged in remote work, this is a prime time to learn. Being purposeful and intentional in how we allocate resources to support professional learning that is driven by student and educator needs now will keep educators connected to one another, focused on their own continuous improvement, and cultivate collective responsibility for student success. Joellen Killion, Senior Advisor to Learning Forward As senior advisor, Joellen Killion leads initiatives related to the link between professional development and student learning. She led the most recent revision of the Standards for Professional Learning, and has extensive experience in planning, design, implementation, and evaluation of professional learning at the school, system, and state/provincial levels. She works with coaches, principals, district and state leaders to support understanding and embedding standards-based professional learning in a system. The author or co-author of numerous books, her most recent book, published in 2015, is The Feedback Process: Transforming Feedback for Professional Learning. Her other books include Coaching Matters (with Cindy Harrison, Chris Bryan, and Heather Clifton); Assessing Impact: Evaluating Staff Development; Taking the Lead: New Roles for Teachers and School-Based Coaches (with Cindy Harrison); Becoming a Learning School (with Patricia Roy), and others. @jpkillion

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Fourth graders focused on shape, balance, and symmetry while creating drawings of Raven: A Trickster Tale. After hearing the story, we used guided drawing to create the ravens. We talked about shape, balance, and symmetry. Students were asked to make the wings symmetrical and the body balanced using shapes. With the birds fully designed, students chose a color scheme of four colors of crayons to color their shapes and detail on their raven. When the birds were completely colored students used black watercolor to paint over the whole bird and make the crayon stand out. They cut out their birds when they were dry. Finished projects were assessed for symmetry and balance. Students also filled out this assessment in Google Classroom.

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The influence of HBCU’s and education can be seen in the 105 historically black colleges and universities educating 135,722 male and 238,685 female students across the United States this year alone. A new school year is beginning for HBCU’s, students are preparing to return to schools across our nation. Students and their families are shopping, packing and scheduling for college or university trips to HBCU campuses either close to home or several hundred miles away. The traveling may be by bus, plane, family car, train, carpooling or other means, the objective is to get students back into school, preparing them for future careers. I have prepared to make sure my son gets back to Florida A&M University to finish his final undergraduate year and preparing him for Graduate school of his choice. HBCU’s have been preparing for new freshmen and returning students, the process to prepare dorms, cafeterias and other facilities to support higher educational learning is nearing completion. The excitement is rising for a year of educational achievement, progressively striving for the goals of graduating and receiving a degree that was earned with hard work, sacrifice and dedication. The history of HBCU’s is well known nationally and internationally, the service of Historically Black Colleges and Universities is not praised as much as they should be, this is excepted because HBCU graduates know they receive an education that has prepared them for excellence in their fields of study and passion to positively contribute to mankind like so many from the past. A growing issue on campuses of HBCU’s are increasing female students. Visually there are more females than men. It is almost eerie to see so many female students and a small mixture of male students. Not only are there smaller numbers of male students, but male students are not graduating in the numbers like female students. To add insult to these academic injuries male students seem to be challenged academically more than females in the important areas of math and reading comprehension. HBCU’s see that Black male students are diminishing , this absence creates a vacuum of educated professional Black men serving as role models to Black males in high schools that strive to obtain higher education, but do not have a mentor or role model in their families or even neighborhoods. The U.S. Department of Education: the national college graduation rate for Black men is 33.1 percent compared with 44.8 percent for Black women. The total graduation rate is 57.3 percent. Black men represent 7.9 percent of 18 to 24 year olds in America but only 2.8 percent of undergraduates at universities. President Obama has stated that, “HBCUs continue a proud tradition as vibrant centers of intellectual inquiry and engines of scientific discovery and innovation. New waves of students, faculty, and alumni are building on their rich legacies and helping America achieve our goal of once again leading the world in having the highest proportion of college graduates by 2020.” The question is raised are communities, schools, churches and businesses doing enough to encourage Black males to excel in academics? The school closures in Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit and other cities show that educational resources are diminishing and parents in these communities need support and help. Condemning Black children also are weak Black Churches, what are Black churches doing, what impact does the clergy have in the 21st century educational realm and politics? At one time in history Black churches were the corner stone’s of education, they had schools, tutors and resources. The discrepancies of attendance and graduation can be seen from data accumulated from the Department of Education where national college graduation rates of Hispanic men is 41.1 percent, Native Americans and Alaska natives 33.8 percent. The comparison in graduation to White males is 54.5 percent. Asian/Pacific Islanders have the highest rate, 60.6 percent, based on their cultural respect for learning and education. If theses discrepancies continue the education gap for Black males will create situations where Black males have less earning. The skill levels will be substantially low not allowing access to higher paying careers, lack of education influences political influence, low socio-economic levels and the in-ability to provide for a family. Because of statistical evidence HBCU’s still play a very vital role in educating Black males especially those that will need additional assistance in reading, literacy, comprehension and mathematics. An example of the changes in college campuses can be seen at Howard University, undergraduate male enrollment dropped from 3,070 in the 1994-95 academic years to 2,499 during 2009-10. Female enrollment dropped by only 52 students, from 4,958 to 4,906. HBCU’s are still strong in encouraging Black males to attend college by providing services that address both academic and cultural uniqueness. Complicating these efforts in high schools are the changes in the structure for mandated state assessments, increase in discipline policies at high schools that leave no room for counseling and mentoring. Incarceration policies appear to be the only option if a student makes a bad call in judgment and actions in high school. The key to success of Black male and female students is parental and community involvement. Parents must have a vested interest in their children’s success. The costs of not having a college education is seen in limited job opportunities, reduced earning potential, stunted career advancement and negative long-term economic and social downturns in the Black community. Black males need solid careers with competitive wages, without solid incomes and steady careers, young Black males chances for success diminish greatly. A question asked by Mr. Lowe from Courageous Conversations Ask A Teacher: “Why are certain elements in American society trying to keep Black children from being educated?” As a graduate of South Carolina State University, in the area of education I learned the skills to be an effective educator, the support that I received even struggling in math and science allowed me to build my confidence, abilities and even grow a love for science and mathematics. Inspiring me to obtain years later a Masters of Education degree in Educational Technology and teaching Engineering and Technology at the elementary level. “Black men and women need college degrees more than ever.” William Jackson, STEAM Educator Resources should be made available to help Black males be successful in higher education, but starts in public education at elementary schools to high schools. The lack of male role models, mentors and educators does play a role in diminishing enrollment of Black males in higher education. Research on Black males on campuses shows that having supportive relationships with mentors on campus plays a significant and important role in Black male’s success. Parents as you take your children to college and university take the time to find out about mentoring services, clubs and organizations that can aid in your child’s success in college. It takes a village to raise leaders and the next generation of college graduates. The statement “Its more than about buying new clothes,” is important for parents to recognize and understand this school year, Hafeeza B Majeed Courageous Conversations Ask A Teacher Dialogue: Listen in about key issues to help students succeed and parents take a more active role. Archived about Common Core, parental involvement and impact on children: http://InstantTeleseminar.com/?eventid=44200137

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In the last six months Colorado, Louisiana, Missouri, Michigan and, most recently, Arizona have passed “right to try” laws that allow terminally ill patients to access treatments that have only passed FDA Phase I clinical trials. All patients need is permission from a drug company and a prescription from a doctor. Right to try laws are designed to ensure that terminally ill patients taking part in clinical trials are true volunteers and have no incentive to cheat the clinical trials system as has happened in the past. Recently, these laws have been critiqued as misguided, and the ethics of allowing patients to use experimental drugs are still up for debate. These laws do not guarantee access to experimental treatments and patients may have to pay for them out of pocket. Critics of these laws worry that alternative trial designs, or access to such experimental drugs outside the clinical trials system will significantly delay the development of effective therapies. Right to try laws are ethically defensible because they give desperately ill patients a choice. They can decide to participate in placebo controlled clinical trials or to access experimental agents as a possible last-chance treatment. The clinical trial system demands that participants are true volunteers. But, without right to try laws, terminally ill patients have no choice but to access these experimental treatments through placebo controlled trials. AIDS and the origins of ‘right to try’ Throughout the 1980s, AIDS activists and patients fought to change the clinical trials system. Dying from what was then a terminal illness, many people with AIDS insisted on the right to access experimental drugs that had successfully passed Phase I clinical trials. Phase I trials are designed to establish the toxicity profile of a particular drug. A small group of volunteers (often not more than a handful) test the drug to find out whether it has serious side-effects. They don’t have to be patients, because the objective is to determine what negative effects, if any, the short-term use of the experimental agents could have. The only option for AIDS patients in the 1980s was to join a post-Phase I placebo controlled trial or go without access to experimental agents that might give them a shot at survival. These drugs trials are typically double-blind. Double-blind means that neither the doctors nor the patients know who receives the experimental agent and who receives the placebo. This aims to eliminate any bias that might arise from patients or doctors knowing who receives what. Taking part in clinical drug trials meant that AIDS patients faced the chance of being assigned to the placebo control group, and not the group receiving the experimental treatment. These patients understood perfectly well the steep odds against these drugs working. But at least there was a chance. The same cannot be said of placebos. There is a sound methodological reason to test a new experimental agent against a placebo control when we have no gold standard of care. We need to know whether the new agent does better or worse than the existing standard of care. Even in cases where there is no effective or well-developed standard of care we are usually, but not always, justified in undertaking placebo controlled trials. But, we expect patients participating in clinical trials to be true volunteers. Patients need to choose to participate and give first person voluntary informed consent. AIDS patients charged that the clinical trials system was essentially coercive. To access experimental treatments, these patients were more or less forced to take part in these clinical trials. If they did not volunteer to participate in a placebo controlled trial, they couldn’t access experimental treatments. Many patients grew frustrated with this system and, often in collusion with their doctors and pharmacists, lied and cheated to access particular clinical trials. They analyzed who got placebos and who got the experimental drugs, and shared the drugs. Patients dropped out of clinical trials they believed offered trial designs not conducive to their own survival. Controlled trials become nearly impossible under such circumstances. Undoubtedly this made it harder to get a sense of what drugs worked and what didn’t and may have delayed the development of life-preserving anti-HIV medication. Right to try, but not right to access Since the 1980s special access protocols have been implemented in the United States, Canada and other countries. These protocols meant to ensure that catastrophically ill patients can access experimental agents outside the clinical trials’ system. At least in theory. In practice, things are different. Right to try laws do not guarantee the right to access experimental treatments. Even with laws in place, access is still controlled by drug manufacturers. In Canada the government permits people with terminal illnesses to access drugs that are in the clinical trials system, and they can do so without having to participate in the trials. In return they promise to have their doctors monitor the impact of the drug carefully and report it back to the manufacturer or whoever runs the clinical trial. Access to these treatments depends on the goodwill of pharmaceutical companies keen on recruiting patients into their clinical trials. Drug manufacturers effectively coerce terminally ill patients into their trials by refusing access to the experimental agents. Experimental drugs are sometimes released outside of clinical trials on so-called compassionate grounds, but that doesn’t always happen. And who pays for these experimental treatments? For good reasons insurance plans in the US (or, in Canada, government programs assisting uninsured patients) will not pay for drugs that are untested and are not known to work. As a result of this patients in both Canada and the US must pay out of pocket for these experimental agents. Pharmaceutical companies are free to charge whatever they wish for these agents, and so, arguably, are in a situation to exploit financially desperate dying patients. This also gives them an opportunity to deny patients access in order to coerce them into trial participation. Regulators need to look at this problem as a matter of urgency. For another view of the ethics of right to try laws see: ‘Right to try’ laws are compassionate, but misguided

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How Your Kid Can Receive Math Help Mathematics is a subject that has calculations of numbers. Math is an important class in everyone’s life as you have to apply it in various activities. Math is instructed in all learning institutions in the country.Math can be very complex to students if they do not get enough help from tutors and parents. Most children will need math help in their scholastic professions. Math can be to an extraordinary degree troublesome for a some scholars thus regard it as a perplexing subjects.For educators and guardians, it is prudent to present mathematics at the onset time to the youngsters. The youngsters should start to hone and learn arithmetic in kindergarten and amid the initial three years of their school life.There are a few methods for helping your youngster in mathematics.A successful math help involves understanding the various ways that children study. The skills of math are necessary because you use arithmetic on a day to day basis. You calculate discounts, interests, tax, percentages and many ways. To make maths simple for your kids there are a few means you should contemplate over. Arithmetic can be amusing to your kids from numerous points of view. The following are approaches to help your youngster in maths You need to create a flexible education approach.This means that since children learn differently and grasping ability is also different you might be required to change to an approach that is more useful to the child. This makes sure that your child propels since you focus on the kid’s weakness.Guardians require an approach to scrutinize and track their child’s progression.One way to do this is to have computer games that they can practice with. The PCs games have an adaptable instructive projects in mind. They introduce concepts gradually and kids proceed one lesson at a time.The PC diversions furnishes guardians with reports that demonstrates the kids progress. The PC entertainments are in like manner accommodating as they give particular kind of feedback than any other classroom gadgets. Kids value using PC math games regularly. This is because the games are in splendid tints and amazingly diverting to play with. The PC math recreations ensures that it offers strong establishment in arithmetic that permits quick progressions for all students. You can also introduce mathematical apparatus that can ease the children arithmetic problems. Such types of equipment are calculators, geometry sets, and workbooks. Calculators are in various structures, for example, the greatest common factor calculator otherwise called the GCF adding machine that is utilized as a part of count of likelihood.There is also the greatest common divisor also referred to as the GCD calculator. Your kid will value doing math’s with this things in this manner that will fix in their arithmetic subject. What a Baby Name Says About You as a Parent As we see in life, it is a common feature to have a baby named after the birth for viable identification. It is important to note that each and every name has its origin as well as meaning and reason. For the newborn babies, the parents are primarily responsible for the naming but in some special occasions, the other family members may be consulted for the naming. The naming may be in a ceremony, or just informally in the maternity ward with your baby and spouse as well. The reason as to why the choice of baby name for your child matters is because he or she is beginning a new, unblemished and completely start or rather new life. It is necessary to note that a name will move around with you in your life hence a very denotable an important life aspect. The name of the baby mostly reflects on your personality and aspects as a parent. The names that we pick and decide for our children are not ours but for the babies reason being that they possible can’t choose what they really want at that moment. There are parents who aim at getting spotlights and some kind of popularity by giving their babies some unusual celeb kind of names. People have often attached a feeling of greatness and specialty when it comes to unusual and celeb names. When a baby has an uncommon name, he or she tends to feel special and great in the sense that its unheard of. It is important to note that parents with old-fashioned naming desire could be to primarily remain conservative. As time has gone by in life, people have come to appreciate the old fashion trend hence very necessary that you do not refer to it in the context of boring. Old fashion names could be given simply and conservatively in memory and remembrance of grandparents and known people as well. For those parents who choose names with different spellings, it shows the prime ability in the dare to be completely different and specialty as well. Using this kind of style can be a bit challenging and possibly hit rocks in the instances where other people make fun of your child’s name since they do not understand the whole concept. It is necessary that you avoid burdening your child with having to spell over and over for your children when it comes to the naming aspect. A name is for the prime identity and growth hence very important to carefully think it over for the sake of your child. What is the Need of Using Online Distance Calculators The invention of online calculators has been of great help since the beginning. Just recently not many years back people were performing mathematical operations using objects which were not accurate even one bit. Let us talk about some of the few merits of using online calculators. Most of the people prefer using online distance calculators because of their convenience. Online distance calculators can be accessed anytime even in the middle of the night so long as you have an internet connection. It is you to decide whether you will use cellular data connection or you will use wi-fi connection. One good thing is that today wi-fi connections are almost everywhere and you will be able to use the online calculators even if your cellular data is not active. Unlike offline calculators which might fail you last minute due to some technical breakdown or they can even run out of battery at the time that you cannot find the solution to their problems. If you compare the cost you will realize that with offline calculator you will spend more amount of money. Apart from that online distance calculators are easy to use. This is because it does not need you to undergo some special training for you to know how you can use them. One thing with online calculators is that they come with a manual to guide you on the right step to take in case you are moving outside the line. This is a simple thing that only requires you to know how to read and some little technology knowledge. Many people also prefer online distance calculators because of their friendly user interface. because almost everything is direct and finding them is very easy makes it friendly to many users. You find that all its buttons are arranged in a manner that identifying them is very easy and this will save you a great deal of time. You find that offline calculators you may find that some buttons are not visible and locating them is very hard. Apart from that online distance calculators can perform all the calculations. With online distance calculators you will be able to perform all the operations from minus, plus, multiplication to division. You find that the same calculator that can be used in calculating distance around your house can as well be used in finding property taxes, house loans, insurance tax benefits, income tax benefits and many other operations. Apart from that it is suitable for both the business people and students making its usage to be wide. Accuracy is also another thing that you will achieve with online calculators since it is automatic which makes the outcome to be exact. What You Should Do To Improve Mathematics Skills For Your Child. In this age and era, students in schools have been performing lowly and poorly in the mathematics subject and this has been accelerated by as number of factors that make the either hate the subject or find it difficult with a lot of tricks to unravel. It’s important to be verse with contents of this article because you will have insights on how best you can make it in mathematics and be able to take up that career that you admire and cherish later in lifetime. It’s valuable to note that the logarithm calculator is one of basic tool that should be present in any mathematics class and tutors recommend that its use ought to be accompanied by basic knowledge that they instill to the learners for them to do basic mathematics operations. You need to have knowledge of using and calculating log tables and these calls for logarithm help from your tutor so that you can be skilled with knowledge on how to interpret and conduct operations relating to such mathematics table as they are imperative in the success of your mathematics subject And overall grade. When learning mathematics, it’s advisable to have with you all the necessary mathematics course books and their revision booklets that will enable you to refer to them for solutions and complicated tactics involving logarithms and other operations so that you can succeed and understand them better. When you have vital interests in advancing your mathematics levels, it’s essential to have a valuable tutor that will equip you with more knowledge and introduce you to the various mathematics operations and guide you as you go wrong so that you can perfect your understanding in every calculation you encounter. It’s also important to note that group works and team works with other learners offers thought-of assistance and understanding of mathematics as they can show you where they know and you don’t know and this equips you with advanced knowledge of basic logarithm calculations. The learning of mathematics with exquisite help can only be started from within self and this means the right attitude and dedication will make you grasp logarithm calculations and understanding of formulae concepts easily and quickly to save their time and to for solving operations and this will be the beginning for your success and achievement in mathematics. You can check for more details on how to succeed and excel in mathematics on the digital platform where the prominent mathematicians operates their blogs and website with updates on basic logarithm formulae that assist learners to grasp all the operation in mathematics and therefore succeed. Combine all those tricks with excess practice on logarithms and you will get superb grade in mathematics. Math Help Reviews Concepts in math can be tough, and some little help can be of great importance. Teachers usually have a schedule guiding them on which concepts to explain and for how long. Individual attention is required if a student fails to understand a particular concept. It is crucial for a parent to stay involved with a child’s education to be able to identify difficult concepts that a child has in math. Guided instructions often help a student develop an interest in math . Some concepts and principles in math are usually hard to understand, and a lot of practice should be done. A personal tutor usually comes on schedule, and so a student can study at certain times. The help of a parent when it comes to dealing with problems in math is highly recommended. Online math help is one of the best options for one to consider. Getting information about math helps from a relative or a friend will help one decide on the type of math kelp to get for her or his child. Online games capture the attention of kids and make math interesting. It is easy to learn and understand math if the concepts are made fun. Online learning has tools that help a student deal with math problems. It is vital for one to consult an educationist to distinguish between online designed games for entertainment and those that are adaptive learning tools. In learning math, the learning of one idea leads to another. It is vital for one to research some of the trusted and authorized math help sites. A teacher spends a lot of time with a child, and when it comes to identifying a child’s math-related problem, their help should be prioritized. Before hiring a tutor it is critical for a parent to explain in detail, the problems the child encounters in math. Personal interaction with a tutor will help one know that they are dealing with a knowledgeable person. It is always wise to confirm credentials to be sure of the tutor your child is dealing with . It is important to note that almost all good jobs require the knowledge of necessary math skills. Getting help early will ensure that your child s interest in math is enhanced. Practicing at home on simple addition and subtraction will help your child master other concepts gradually. The mastering of timetables is very important, and educationist, as well as teachers, should make it fun. Lessons that are considered extra should be precise and enjoyable to enable capture the attention of a student. Another tip useful is to provide that your children study for extra minutes. Math concepts are challenging, and teaching should be made accessible by combating different ideas to avoid boredom. Looking for a tutor involves spending money, and it is critical to find one whose price is considerably low . Recommended reference: you could look here Using an Online Calculator The the invention of the mats calculator has really made it easy for the normal people to carry out even the most difficult calculations. Different types of calculators have been invented and for example we have the online calculators and also the physical ones. Online calculators are being used widely nowadays due to the changing technologies in the world. There are also very many types of online calculators depending on the uses like the one for calculating fractions and it is known as an online fraction calculator. The calculation of fractions being so hard for an ordinary man, a need for help arises and thus the use of online fraction calculator. The stress and struggle of the calculation of fractions is thusly eliminated by the use of the online fraction calculator. Online fraction calculator is provided by different websites that you can access for free because the only thing that you need is an Internet connection. There are many benefits that the online fraction calculator offers to those people who use them. To start with on the list of the online fraction calculator pros is that it helps in the multiplication, division, addition and subtraction of the various fractions in a very easy way. All the strains and stresses that people face when they are working out the fractions are eliminated by use of the online fraction calculator. Another benefit is that an individual is easily able to validate all the answers that he or she gets. Another benefit of the online fraction calculator is that a person is able to get a step by step procedure on how you are supposed to calculate your fractions. Therefore, you are able to get a very good understanding of how you did all your fractions calculations and also you can easily explain how you arrived at all your answers at ease. This also provides one of the simplest and easiest ways of doing all the fractions calculations that may be hard at sometimes. Another important quality of the online fraction calculator is that it provides examples of how you fractions calculations are done. The best website that provides the online fraction calculator should be chosen by a person who is looking for this service. When you are looking for the best, you should look for the one who gives many illustrations of the calculations. The online fraction calculator provider should also be the one which have been used for the longest period as it proves that it is more reliable and effective to use.

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One of the mysteries of the English language finally explained. verb[with object]often as noun crossmatching Test the compatibility of (a donor's and a recipient's blood or tissue). - ‘The transfusion facility chose to crossmatch and transfuse type O red cells.’ - ‘Our transfusion medicine service performed all recipient blood typing and screening for irregular antibodies using the saline and tube technique for ABO typing and immediate spin crossmatching.’ - ‘This is relevant for junior medical staff taking samples for blood grouping and crossmatching.’ - ‘The patient's blood is grouped and crossmatched.’ - ‘The physician orders a unit of red blood cells to be crossmatched for a transfusion later that day.’ An instance of crossmatching. - ‘This crossmatch was compatible and the unit was allocated for possible exchange transfusion for the twins.’ - ‘Blood type and screen or crossmatch may be ordered by the surgeon.’ - ‘Since the crossmatch uses the patient's serum, which may lack potency, donors who are weakly positive for the antigen may be mistakenly called compatible.’ - ‘Repeated pretransfusion and posttransfusion crossmatches were also performed.’ - ‘The patient was transfused following a biologic crossmatch in an attempt to maintain hemoglobin and hematocrit levels.’ Top tips for CV writingRead more In this article we explore how to impress employers with a spot-on CV.

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Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 1975, Vol. 5OA,pp. 273 to 276. Pergamon Press. Printed in Great Britain SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC MEASUREMENT OF HEMOGLOBIN OXYGEN SATURATION IN THE OPOSSUM DIDELPHIS CLAYTON PETTY,* NICHOLAS C. BETHLENFALvAY,t AND THOMAS BAGEANT~ Departments and Hematology, Brooke Army Medical Center, Ft. Sam Houston, Texas 78234, U.S.A. (Received 5 November A spectrophotometric method can be used to measure oxyhemoglobin dissociation in opossums at optical densities of 500 and 592 nm. 2. Opossum hemoglobin spectrogram reveals a double-humped curve for oxygenated hemoglobin and a single-humped curve for reduced hemoglobin. 3. The Ps,, calculated by the above method at pH 7.4, 35°C and 40 mm Hg P, CO2 is 35.0 mm Hg of oxygen. Abstract-l. INTRODUCTION THE SPECTROPHOTOMETRICmeasurement of the oxygen dissociation curve in man has proven to be as accurate (Nahas, 1951; Rand et al., 1966; Deibler et al., 1958) as the manometric technique of Van Slyke & Neil1 (1924). Developmental research of the opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is expanding and a spectrophotometric method to study hemoglobin saturation would be advantageous in the examination of the respiratory functions of marsupial blood. MATERIALS AND METHODS Four female opossums were trapped and confined in the laboratory for 3-4 days prior to study. A 15-ml sample of cardiac blood was collected from each opossum into a sterile 20-ml glass syringe whose dead space had been filled with heparin. The syringe was immediately placed in ice and the blood studied within 1 hr of collection. Hemoglobin, red blood cell count and 2,3diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) was measured on each blood sample. Aliquots of blood were equilibrated in a sterile glass tonometer flask (Instrumentation Laboratories 237 tonometer) at 37°C for 20 min. Totally saturated hemoglobin was obtained by exposure to 100% oxygen and unsaturated hemoglobin was obtained by adding sodium hydrosulfite to 1 ml of blood (Refsum, 1957). Hemoglobin saturation points that fell on the straight portion of the sigmoid dissociation curve were obtained by * Present address: Division of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85724. t Present address: Department of Clinics, Fitzsimmons General Hospital, Denver, Colorado 80240. $ Department of Anesthesia and Hematology, Brooke Army Medical Center, Ft. Sam Houston, Texas 78234. equilibrating blood samples with 4.0% oxygen-6.0% carbon dioxide-90.0% nitrogen and 5.9% oxygen-6.0% carbon dioxide-88.1% nitrogen gas mixtures. Following equilibration, a 3-ml portion was withdrawn anaerobically and used for simultaneous determination of blood gases and optical density spectrum. Hemoglobin and 2,3-DPG was not measured after tonometry as previous studies have shown no alteration (Carden & Petty, 1973). Blood gases and pH were measured at 37°C using microelectrodes (Radiometer) calibrated immediately prior to use. Oxygen and carbon dioxide values were read after 2 min and immediate recalibration allowed correction for any minor electrode drift during measurement. Gases used to calibrate the oxygen and carbon dioxide electrodes were recalculated daily using a mercurial barometer pressure reading corrected for temperature, latitude and water vapor pressure. Oxygen tension was corrected for the gas/blood difference (1.04 times original reading) and pH to 7.40 using the following formula (Severinghaus, 1966): A log P, OS = 0.48 A pH+0.00138 Temperatures in the tonometer and blood gas electrode water baths were checked daily with a National Bureau of Standards thermometer and maintained at 37.O”C. Hemoglobin was determined by the cyanmethemoglobin method. Concentration of 2,3-DPG was measured using an enzymatic, ultraviolet method and reagents supplied by the Sigma Chemical Company (St. Louis, MO.). The dead space of a l-ml glass syringe was filled with Triton X-100 (Diebler et al., 1958) and then filled anaerobically with the appropriately treated blood sample. The syringe was gently rotated to ensure complete hemolysis and was then attached tip down into a 0.075-mm cuvette (Beckman Co.). The cuvette was filled carefully to avoid any bubbles and checked for § Base excess calculations were taken from the blood gas calculator of Severinghaus (1966) and represented a minute change in A log P, O2 determinations. 273 CLAYTON PETTY,NICHOLASC. BETHLENFALVAY ANDTHOMASBAGEANT red blood cell debris. A similar cuvette was filled with plasma obtained from the initial blood sample and treated in the same manner with Triton X-100. The plasma blank and hemolyzed sample were placed in a Beckman Acta C III recording spectrophotometer. A optical density spectrum from 450 to 700 nm was recorded for each blood sample using a chart speed of 10 nm/in., a scan speed of 2 nm/sec and a slit width adjusted to give a 500 dynode reading at 550 nm. An optical density spectrum was obtained for each opossum on a totally saturated hemoglobin, an unsaturated hemoglobin and two different partially saturated hemoglobin samples. METHODS The isobesic point [same molar extinction coefficient for reduced and saturated hemoglobin (Siggard-Andersen et al., 1962)] and wavelength for optimum separation of oxygenated and reduced hemoglobin were determined for each spectrogram. Using these two points and the formula described by Gordy & Drabkin (1957) for the Lambert-Beers laws of absorption the per cent hemoglobin saturation could be determined for the two The saturated hemoglobin samples. intermediate calculated per cent saturation was plotted against the corrected oxygen tension at pH 7.4, 37°C and 40 mm Hg P, CO, for the two samples of each opossum. In order to allow comparison of opossums the P, 0, was read at two points common to all animals, 33 per cent saturation and 43 per cent saturation. The saturation lines constructed for each opossum fell below the hemoglobin 50 per cent saturation point (P& It was assumed that the oxygen saturation curve for opossums was linear between 33, 43 and 50 per cent saturation and a straight line was extended to the 50 per cent intercept to obtain an oxygen tension commonly used for comparison with other species. RESULTS Table 1 lists the red blood cell data for each opossum. The hemoglobin, red blood cell count and calculated red blood cell volumes compare well with other laboratory data (Mays & Loew, 1968; Timmons & Marques, 1969). Values for hemoglobin concentration for the four animals appears satisfactory for determining accurate hemoglobin saturation by spectrophotometry (Rand et al., 1967) since the normal value for opossum hemoglobin concentration is less than humans. The mean blood oxygen tension at 33 per cent saturation was 29.4 mm Hg and at 43 per cent saturation was 35.1 mm Hg. Extension of the line connecting the high and low saturation points to intercept at the 50 per cent saturation level gave a mean Pj,, of 39.1 mm Hg (see Table 2). The hemoglobin spectrograms were almost identical for each opossum. The isobesic point was found to be 500 nm and the optimal separation of oxygenated and reduced hemoglobin to be at a wavelength of 592 run (see Figs. 1 and 2). The familiar double-humped curve for saturated hemoglobin and the single-humped curve for reduced hemoglobin seen in humans and other mammalians was found in opossums. Tonometry required longer in opossum blood (20 min) for equilibration than in human blood (8 min; Bageant & Petty, 1973) under duplicate experimental conditions. DISCUSSION Opossum blood has been shown to have a sigmoidshaped oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve with a P,, of approximately 35 mm Hg at 35°C (pH and P, CO, unknown; Scott, 1938) using the Van Slyke method. Correction of the Pso value of 39.1 mm Hg at 37°C found in our paper to 35°C was done by using the following formula: A log P 0, = 0.0240AT (Severinghaus, 1966) where T is temperature and 0.0240 is a constant derived from six experimental studies. The value of P,, at 35°C was found to be 35.0 mm Hg which is exactly the same value as determined by Scott (1938). Thus the P5,, value for the opossum is greater than that of man, but similar to that of the cat and rabbit. The use of the spectrophotometer for determining hemoglobin saturation has gained popularity over the years, and especially the Van Slyke manometric method because of the small sample size required and the rapid determination time. Opossum blood can readily be subjected to present spectrophotometric methods with 500 and 592 nm being used as wavelengths for determining hemoglobin saturation. Table 1. Red blood cell data Hemoglobin Total erythrocytes/mm3 ( x 106) (g/100 ml) Mean cell Mean corpuscular volume hemoglobin W) (W g) Mean corpuscular hemoglobin 2,3-DPG concentration (pmoles/ml packed red blood cells) (%) 1 2 3 4 13.0 9.0 13.0 10.0 4.3 4.0 4.5 4.1 80 74 78 75 28 23 25 24 36 29 32 30 3.63 2.83 2.69 3.05 ;P + SE. Measurement Table 2. Relationship of oxygen tension to hemoglobin P* CO, Per cent saturation oxygen saturation in the opossum saturation at pH 7.4, 37°C and 40 mm Hg Per cent saturation Per cent saturation 1 2 3 4 33 33 33 33 28.8 29.2 31.0 28.8 43 43 43 43 36.0 34.0 34.5 36.0 50 50 50 50 41.1* 37.6* 37.0* 40.8* R + S.E. * Values at intercept from extension of original data points. 0% Hemoglobin Saturation 100% Hemoglobin Saturation Fig. 1. Optical density spectra for fully oxygenated and totally reduced hemoglobin. Point A (500 run) represents the isobesic point and 592 nm the wavelength for optimum separation of oxygenated and reduced hemoglobin. 0% Hemogbbin Sahrratbn 100% Hemoglobin Saturation 27% Hemoglobin Saturation -....“‘44% Hemoglobin Sahntti Fig. 2. Representative for fully oxygenated, hemoglobin. CLAYTONPETTY, NICHOLAS C. BETHLENFALVAYAND THOMAS BAGEANT REFERENCES BAGEANT T. E. & PETTYW. C. (1973) Ketamine and the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve. Anesth. Anal. 52,905-907. CARDEN W. D. & PEIITYW. C. (1973) The lack of effect of lidocaine on oxyhemoglobin dissociation. Anesthesiology 38, 177-180. DEIBLERG. E., HOLMES M. S., CAMPBELLP. L. & GANS J. (1959) Use of Triton X-100 as a hemolytic agent in the spectrophotometric measurement of blood O2 saturation. J. appl. Physiol. 14, 133-136. GORDY E. & DRABKIND. L. (1957) Spectrophotometric studies-XVI. Determination of the oxygen saturation of blood by a simplified technique applicable to standard equipment. J. biol. Chem. 227,285-299. MAYS A., JR. & LOEW F. M. (1968) Hemograms of laboratory-confined opossums (Didelphis virginiana). J. Am. Vet. M. Assoc. 153, 8Ok802. NAHAS G. G. (1951) Spectrophotometric determination of hemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin in whole hemolyzed blood. Science, Wash. 113, 723-725. RAND P. W., LACOMBEE. & BARKERN. (1967) Effect of hemoglobin concentration on spectrophotometrically determined oxygen saturation. J. Lab. c/in. Med. 69, 862-873. REFSUMH. E. (1957) Spectrophotometric determination of hemoglobin oxygen saturation in hemolyzed whole blood by means of various wavelength combinations. Scar& J. clin. Lab. Invest. 9, 19&193. SCOTT W. J. (1938) Gas transport by the blood of the opossum, Didelphys virginiana. J. cell camp. Physiol. 12, 391401. SEVERINGHAUS J. W. (1966) Blood gas calculator. J. appl. Physiol. 21, 1108-1116. SIGCARD-ANDERSENO., JORGENSENK. & NAERAA N. (1962) Spectrophotometric determination of oxygen saturation in capillary blood. &and. J. clin. Lab. Invest. 14, 298-302. TIMMONSE. H. & MARQUESP. A. (1969) Blood chemical and hematological studies in the laboratory-confined, unanesthetized opossum, Didelphis virginiana. Lab. Anim. Care 19, 342-344. VAN SLYKED. D. & NEILLJ. M. (1924) The determination of gases in blood and other solutions by vacuum extraction and manometric measurement. J. biol. Chem. 61, 523-573. Key Word Index-Oxyhemoglobin 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG); virginiana). dissociation; P,,; opossum; (Dideiphis

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In August 2015, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (‘the EHRC’) conducted research into employer and employee practices, perceptions and experiences in relation to recruitment. Our aim was to understand whether there was any evidence of differential treatment between UK-born and foreign-born workers with a right to work in the UK; the extent of discrimination on the basis of nationality, and what may be causing it. The Equality Act 2010 provides protection from discrimination on the grounds of nine ‘protected characteristics’ including race, which covers ethnicity and nationality. The Act makes it unlawful for employers and their agents to discriminate against people seeking employment: they must treat applicants fairly and not discriminate in any arrangements for making appointments. The research focused on sectors with a high proportion of foreign-born workers and a mixture of skill levels: Workplaces across these five sectors that have at least 10 staff account for 6% of all UK workplaces. Twelve per cent of the UK workforce is employed in these workplaces.The research is based on a literature review on discriminatory recruitment practices and migrant workers in the UK, quantitative surveys of workplaces and recruitment. british, labour, migrants If you do not have Adobe® Acrobat® Reader, which is required to read this document, you can download it free from the Adobe Website.

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Citation: Gross L (2006) Evolution of Neonatal Imitation. PLoS Biol 4(9): e311. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.0040311 Published: September 5, 2006 Copyright: © 2006 Public Library of Science. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Humans do it. Chimps do it. Why shouldn’t monkeys do it, too? Mimicry exists throughout the animal kingdom, but imitation with a purpose—matching one’s behavior to others’ as a form of social learning—has been seen only in great apes. (Mockingbirds can imitate an impressive number of other birds’ songs, but they can’t mimic you sticking out your tongue like a chimp can.) This matching behavior likely helps individuals conform to social norms and perform actions in the proper context. It’s generally believed that monkeys do not imitate in this way. However, the discovery that rhesus monkeys have “mirror neurons”—neurons that fire both when monkeys watch another animal perform an action and when they perform the same action—suggests they possess the common neural framework for perception and action that is associated with imitation. Most studies exploring the early signs of matching behavior have focused on humans. A landmark 1977 study by Andrew Meltzoff and Keith Moore showed that 12- to 21-day-old infants could imitate adults who pursed their lips, stuck out their tongue, opened their mouth, and extended their fingers. They later found similar results in newborns, demonstrating that imitation is innate, not learned. A handful of studies on newborn chimps found a similar capacity for imitating human facial gestures. In a new study, Pier Ferrari, Stephen Suomi, and colleagues explored the possibility that imitation evolved earlier in the primate tree by studying neonatal imitation in rhesus monkeys, which split from the human lineage about 25 million years ago. They found that rhesus infants can indeed imitate a subset of human facial gestures—gestures the monkeys use to communicate. The first investigation of neonatal imitation outside the great ape lineage, their study suggests that the trait is not unique to great apes after all. Ferrari et al. tested 21 baby rhesus monkeys’ response to various experimental conditions at different ages (one, three, seven, and 14 days old). Infants were held in front of a researcher who began with a passive expression (the baseline condition) and then made one of several gestures, including tongue protrusion, mouth opening, lip smacking, and hand opening. Day-old infants rarely displayed mouth opening behavior, but smacked their lips frequently. When experimenters performed the mouth opening gesture, infants responded with increased lip smacking but did not increase any other behavior. None of the other stimuli produced significant responses. But by day 3, matched behaviors emerged: infants stuck out their tongues far more often in response to researchers’ tongue protrusions compared with control conditions, and smacked their lips far more often while watching researchers smacking theirs. (Watch an infant imitating mouth opening at DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0040302.sv001.) By day 7, the monkeys tended to decrease lip smacking when humans performed the gesture, and by two weeks, all imitative behavior stopped. Infant rhesus monkeys, these results suggest, have a narrow imitation window that opens three days after birth, when they can reproduce human tongue protrusion and lip smacking. This imitation period is much longer in humans (two to three months) and chimps (about two months). It’s possible that rhesus babies show more varied and prolonged imitative behavior in response to mom or other monkeys than to human experimenters, who may not provide the most relevant biological cues. But this narrow window does comport with the development schedule of rhesus monkeys, which is much shorter than that of humans and chimps. Many questions remain about the neural mechanisms of neonatal imitation. The researchers argue that their results support a resonance mechanism linked to mirror neurons, which have recently been identified while monkeys observe others’ lip smacking and tongue protrusion. In this model, observing human mouth gestures directly activates mirror neurons in the monkeys’ brain, ultimately leading to a replication of the gesture. Human babies can imitate an adult’s facial gesture a day after seeing it, which may help them identify individuals. For rhesus monkeys, lip smacking (which often alternates with tongue protrusion) accompanies grooming sessions and signals affiliation—an important social cue for a species that is often described as “despotic and nepotistic.” Picking up these social gestures early in life may well facilitate the animal’s early social relations (primarily with the mother) and assimilation into the social fabric of the group, providing a mechanism for distinguishing friend from foe. It will be interesting to test the extent of imitation in monkeys with more complex social dynamics. While the social life of rhesus monkeys may not demand the more sophisticated repertoire of behaviors seen in great apes, they seem to be hard-wired for imitation just like apes.

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Other Proposed Natural Treatments - Achillea wilhelmsii - Berberine (Goldenseal) - Black Cohosh - Black Tea - Broccoli and Cabbage - Eclipta alba - Flaxseed Oil - Gamma Oryzanol - Green Tea - He Shou Wu - Lifestyle Changes - Olive Oil - Red Yeast Rice - Royal Jelly - Sage Leaf Extract One of the most significant discoveries in preventive medicine is that elevated levels of cholesterol in the blood accelerate atherosclerosis , a condition commonly known as hardening of the arteries. Along with high blood pressure , inactivity, smoking , and diabetes , high cholesterol has proven to be one of the most important promoters of heart disease , strokes , and peripheral vascular disease (blockage of circulation to the extremities, usually the legs). Cholesterol does not directly clog arteries like grease clogs pipes. The current theory is that elevated levels of cholesterol irritate the walls of blood vessels and cause them to undergo harmful changes. Because most cholesterol is manufactured by the body itself, dietary sources of cholesterol (such as eggs) are not usually the most important problem. The relative proportion of unsaturated fats (from plants) and saturated fats (mainly from animal products) in the diet is more significant. When the consequences of elevated cholesterol were first being researched, total cholesterol was the only measurement considered. Today, the overall lipid profile is taken into account. LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and triglycerides are the most common measurements related to cholesterol. Lipoprotein A and oxidized LDL cholesterol are drawing increasing attention as well. Increasing exercise and losing weight may produce adequate improvements in the lipid profile. If such lifestyle changes are not effective, however, there are many highly effective drugs to choose from. Medications in the statin family are most effective, and they have been shown to prevent heart attacks and reduce mortality. Other useful conventional options include ezetimibe (Zetia), fibrate drugs , and various forms of the vitamin niacin (discussed below). Principal Proposed Natural Treatments There are several herbs and supplements that appear to help lower cholesterol levels. For some (such as stanols/sterols, vitamin B 3 , fiber, and soy), the evidence is sufficiently strong to have produced mainstream acceptance. Note: If your primary problem is elevated triglycerides, see the High Triglycerides article. For more information, including dosage and safety issues, see the full Stanols article. Niacin (Vitamin B 3 ) Nonetheless, it is not safe to try this combination except under close physician supervision. Rhabdomyolysis can be fatal. For more information, including dosage and safety issues, see the full Vitamin B 3 article. For more information, including dosage and safety issues, see the full Soy article. Although primarily used to stimulate gallbladder function, artichoke leaf may be helpful for high cholesterol as well. Other Proposed Natural Treatments Numerous studies enrolling a total of many thousands of individuals purported to show that the substance policosanol , made from sugarcane, can markedly improve cholesterol profile. However, the single Cuban research group behind these studies has a financial connection to the product. It was not until 2006 that independent research groups began to report their results on the use of policosanol for hyperlipidemia. Currently, 9 such independent studies have been reported, enrolling more than 500 people, and in not one of these studies has policosanol proved to be more effective than placebo. See the full Policosanol article for detailed information. Herbs and Supplements to Use Only With Caution In addition, various herbs and supplements may interact adversely with drugs used to treat high cholesterol. For more information on this potential risk, see the individual drug article in the Drug Interactions section of this database. - Reviewer: EBSCO CAM Review Board - Review Date: 09/2014 - - Update Date: 09/18/2014 -

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Music is diverse however its artists are not and female artists are under represented in all genres of music. Although male artists have proven to make ratings on the radio, artists should not be discouraged from entering the music industry based on their gender; therefore, songs which portray women as sexual objects must be eliminated and radio stations should be required to equally represent female and male artists. A song’s popularity is determined by the broadcasting companies who choose which songs to play across their radio stations each week. Often radio stations play music by artists who have previously proven to make ratings, providing a challenge for new artists entering the music industry. However female artists face the greatest challenge when pursuing a career in music. Though dismissed by the majority of listeners, the ratio of male to female artists on the radio greatly favors men. In 2017 the top 10 artists played on the radio were male, according to Billboard’s Year End Charts. Additionally in rap and country music, male artists represent over 90% of the top 50 songs played on the radio in 2017 (Billboard). In a study taken by Music Victoria, a non profit organization which promotes up-and-coming artists, they discovered that female musicians felt overlooked because of society's perception that a woman was unable to perform on stage as well as a man. The media also plays a role in the creation of this perception of women in the industry as the media often refers to women as female musicians rather than simply musicians (Music Victoria). Furthermore, Forbes found that the five highest paid rap artists are male and of the seven most paid country music artists only one female is represented, Reba McEntire (Forbes). "Male artists represent over 90% of the top 50 songs played on the radio in 2017" Every year award shows recognize music’s most listened to artists. The Grammy Awards, music’s biggest night, continue to recognize the same artists each year. In a study by People Magazine they found that “between 2013 and 2018 a total of 90.7% of nominees were male, meaning just 9.3% were women” (People). Award shows argue that female nominees are being recognized; however only two female artists won an award at the Grammys in 2017, one of which won for Female Artist of the Year. Upon their research, People Magazine found that the issue of gender inequality at award shows is a result of the male dominated higher ups who choose the winners each year. At the Grammys in 2017 “two heads of the Recording Academy were honored. Both male. The show is produced by a man. The chairman of the board, vice chair, and president are men” (People). Unfortunately gender inequality at award shows spans beyond the Grammy Awards. In April of 2018, Billboard announced the nominees for this year’s Billboard Music Awards. The nominees for Top Artist of the Year include one female artist, Taylor Swift, while the Top Rap and Top Country Artist of the Year nominees are all male and at the iHeartRadio Awards no female artists were nominated for Top Artist of the Year across all genres of music (Billboard). Recently artist Kelsea Ballerini in response to a poll by our campaign Next Women of Country, which asked fans to vote on which artist they were most looking forward to seeing perform at the American Country Music Awards, stated “I just don’t want the new females in country music to be misrepresented to the fans or the media as the popular girls in high school that pose for pictures like we’re bffs but secretly despise that one that dates the quarterback... This isn’t Mean Girls, this is country music” (Instagram), commenting on how award shows pit artists against each other. Though the poll was harmless it opened up a conversation about artists supporting one another, revealing that just because the top female artists are given recognition at award shows doesn’t mean that all females are receiving the same respect. “Between 2013 and 2018 a total of 90.7% of nominees were male, meaning just 9.3% were women” Radio stations cannot enforce what people listen to, however they should not discriminate against artists on the basis of gender. Radio stations assume that listeners prefer one genre over another because of song lyrics; whereas a genre defines “a category of artistic, musical, or literary composition characterized by a particular style” according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Female artists recognize this and as a result are changing the way people perceive rap and country music by writing songs which tell a story. A study we created, found that despite 54% of poll takers commenting that they disliked country music, 95.5% of poll takers admitted that they enjoyed songs which tell a story demonstrating how male artists have created negative stereotypes surrounding country music. In 2015 radio consultant Keith Hill in an interview with Country Aircheck said “if you want to make ratings in country music, take females out,” later addressing the women in country music as tomatoes in a salad and the males as lettuce, claiming that female artists were an unnecessary addition to the genre (Dries). Upon hearing Keith Hill’s comment, the Tomatogate moment accelerated bringing forth what people knew but no one was talking about. To expose how female artists are breaking down the barriers of country music, the Song Suffragettes, a group of female singer-songwriters lead by artist Kalie Shorr and Todd Cassetty, have been performing in a showcase at The Listening Room in Nashville every Monday since 2015. In the wake of the Why We Wear Black campaign at the 2018 Golden Globe Awards, twenty-three Song Suffragette artists banned together to produce the song Times Up. The women of Song Suffragettes utilized their talent to add their voices to the current conversation on gender inequality and sexual harassment prevalent throughout America and on a local level within the country music industry. In an interview, Candi Carpenter who played a role in the song’s creation posed that, “if we want to see more women at the top of the charts, we have to support, love, and champion one another without jealousy. Let’s celebrate our differences, and what makes our music unique. Armies can accomplish a lot more than one lone warrior. We are an army of girls with guitars.” Knowing this we created our campaign to encourage songs which convey women as sexual objects to be eliminated and the equal representation of female and male artists on the radio, at award shows, and on music festival stages. However the main thing a fan can do is legally download music from the artists they like, which sends a message to the labels and radio stations that supporting those artists will make ratings. Rather than complain about how there’s nothing on the radio listeners should become engaged, get involved, and call their local radio station and ask for what they want.

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moral values Essay Examples The Crucible summary For the representatives of the Miller’s society being an honest and a decent man means not only respecting the religious doctrine but following its commandments literally. For instance, Abigail is the evil character in terms of the Miller’s society as she is into material and sexual desires. Though the society of “The Crucible” is a Puritan one on the surface in reality almost each member of this society is greedy, dishonest, and jealous of each other. The “real monster” of Mary W. Shelley’s “Frankenstein”. As the novel goes, the reader realizes that the real monstrous actions are made by Viktor Frankenstein: first he rejects his own creation, then he simply fees to forget what has happened, than he brother dies as the revenge of the monster and he lets an innocent girl die taking responsibility for this death. Eventually, he loses his best friend and his wife and dies himself. Viktor realizes the moral side of his actions only when he starts working to create a female companion for the monster. moral values Essay Topics A profound summary of Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”. The importance of the family for the formation of proper moral values. The revelation of the truth about who is the “real monster” of Mary W. Shelley’s “Frankenstein”. moral values Essay Questions What was the life of America like during the 1950s? Is religiousness of the society of the novel real of just a social game? How does the execution of a man go against the religion? What role does family play in Jem’s and Scout’s life? What are other families in the story like? Are they similar to the Finch family? What is Scout’s potential attitude to the notion of family? Why does Viktor Frankenstein consider his creation to be a brutal monster? Can the creature be honestly evaluated like a monster despite its physical appearance? Why is Viktor Frankenstein the real monster of the tragic novel? moral values Thesis Statement Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” reveals the life of America during the 1950s. The Finch family is a sanctuary for Jem and Scout as it teaches them the most vital lessons – the lessons of love. Mary Shelley throughout her novel and characters tells a story of the monster who is a victim and the creator who is a monster.

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All History Guide: Your guide to history on the Internet.. " .. this unusual, and yes, excellent history book.." "More books like this one introducing historical study in a sympathetic was are needed.." Now in paperback ... and into its 3rd reprint! At the heart of this case are three issues 1. Is this the site of the battle of Fulford? 2. Should we preserve this piece of heritage? 3. Have proper procedures been followed by the developers and planners to ensure that the interests of the community have been represented? Since there is agreement among all responsible authorities, including the developers, that Germany Beck is the likely location for the battle of Fulford [1.2ff ], the first part of this proof draws attention to the legal and planning rules that protect areas where there is a presumption of an important artefact can be established . Notwithstanding the agreement about the site, the relevance and defects in the investigations of the battle site are discussed as the case to destroy this piece of the Germany Beck Green Belt [1.6 3.3/3.4]. Failure by the developers to carry out a relevant investigation before the plans were approved coupled with the denial of access to our group to let them pursue this research are inevitably constant themes. Because this public inquiry has been set up to investigate whether it is safe to allow the present planning decisions to stand, there is a discussion about the decisions made by the supervisory authority, the City of York Council [ 4 ]. This poses many questions for the elected representatives and officers of the local authority that need answering. Environmental studies are increasingly integrated into archaeological investigations and so this proof deals with the ecological history of Germany Beck from the time that the last ice retreated until the present [3 ]. This points to the beck as an extremely important and rare habitat which has not yet been properly evaluated. The conservation needs of the battlesite and the local ecology are coincident. In addition to these specific issues, this paper takes the authorities to task on other important issues referred to in the brief for this inquiry. It could be argued that planning is overburdened with regulations, guideline and suggestions. However, the carefully crafted advice that is contained in the many official documents of guidance and statements are there for a purpose. In so many cases they have been ignored by the developer without any explanation or mitigation being offered or challenged by the planning authority. Not only has the local authority failed in it role to genuinely ‘plan’ but has not even effectively administered the planning regulations . Another matter arising from the supervision of this application is the failure to assess alternative uses . The importance of battle sites, and this battle of 1066 in particular, is argued with the support of all those who have in recent years presented TV series about battlefields [1.2.6]. The heritage, housing and environmental uses that could be made of this large site are set out . The need for housing is also addressed [3.4.1]. It will explore alternative ways of providing genuinely affordable housing that is relevant to the local needs [5.3 5.4]. Planning must involve some compromises but compromise implies public consultation. So the harshest criticism is reserved for the developers and their various agents. All the planning guidance emphasises the importance of making planning an iterative process by engaging the stake-holders. The woeful failure of the developers to take advantage of the help and advice offered has resulted in this attempt to impose an inappropriate development on the landscape and the community. Mitigations are suggested at each stage. However, since so much fault is found with the process, the present plan should in justice be cancelled with the city planners freed from all previous obligation to allow them to assess an application for this area that will meet the needs of the local and regional community that is consistent with the needs of our heritage and then environment. In several letters over the years, the Fulford Battlefield Society has invited the developers to discuss ways that will allow our heritage and housing to coexist. In the absences of any discussion, we must ask that the application be rejected so long as the planned access route is along the line of the ditch that separated the armies on 20 September 1066. To simplify referencing, most of the quotes from documents are included with the text of the source. Limited use of bold has been used to bring focus to the relevant quote. Other information is published on the society website. References to copies of other people’s correspondence or documents are in parenthesis which refer to our internal filing system so that they can be produced if required. Square brackets are internal references within this paper. This document was been coordinated with The Battlefield Trust, Fulford Parish Council and several individuals to ensure all areas are covered. The Battlefield Trust will set out national perspective of the battle at Fulford. The parish council are leading on the local issues. These are all strongly supported by FBS as they are at the core of arguments relating to the suitability, advisability and relevance of the development proposed. We will be contributing to these critical issues as they relate to the preservation of the battlesite. Fulford Battlefield Society The Society was formalised at the end of 2001 by a number of people who had been independently investigating the site for several years. It was successful in its application for a Lottery Grant from the Local Heritage Initiative fund. This money has been used to expand the project and employ the necessary experts. Five years of work has yielded a substantial amount of data related to the battle although most of the site has yet to be studied because access has been denied on behalf of the developers.

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The benefits of relaxation techniques help and affect your Epigenetics When faced with numerous responsibilities and tasks or the demands of an illness, relaxation techniques may take a back seat in your life. But that means you might miss out on the health benefits of relaxation. Practice relaxation techniques, this will reduce stress symptoms by: Slowing your heart rate Lowering blood pressure Slowing your breathing rate Reducing activity of stress hormones Increasing blood flow to major muscles Reducing muscle tension and chronic pain Improving concentration and mood Reducing anger and frustration Boosting confidence to handle problems These are some tips for relaxation exercises: - Try to practice whichever exercise you prefer at least once or twice a day. Expect your ability to relax to improve as you continue practicing and expect to practice two or three weeks before you become genuinely proficient. Once you learn how to do one of the exercises, you may no longer require the recorded instructions and you can tailor the exercise to your own liking. - Avoid practicing within an hour before or after a meal (either hunger or feeling full may distract you). Also, avoid practicing immediately after engaging in vigorous exercise. - Sit quietly and in a comfortable position, with your legs uncrossed and your arms resting at your sides. This is especially important when you are first learning the exercise. - Adopt a calm and accepting attitude towards your practice. Don’t worry about how well you’re doing or about possible interruptions. Instead, know that with repetition your ability to relax will grow. - When you are ready, close your eyes, begin listening to the recording and follow the directions. As you complete the exercise, you can expect your mind to wander a bit when this happens you can simply re-direct your focus back to the recording. - Once you’ve finished, stretch, look around and remain still another minute or two. - As you become more skilled, try applying the exercises to specific situations that might otherwise be anxiety provoking, such as tests, oral presentations, difficult social situations, job interviews, insomnia and so forth. Steps to Elicit the Relaxation Response 1. Sit quietly in a comfortable position. 2. Close your eyes. 3. Deeply relax all your muscles, beginning at your feet and progressing up to your face. Keep them relaxed. 4. Breathe through your nose. Become aware of your breathing. As you breathe out, say the word, “one”*, silently to yourself. For example, breathe in … out, “one”,- in .. out, “one”, etc. Breathe easily and naturally. 5. Continue for 10 to 20 minutes. You may open your eyes to check the time, but do not use an alarm. When you finish, sit quietly for several minutes, at first with your eyes closed and later with your eyes opened. Do not stand up for a few minutes. 6. Do not worry about whether you are successful in achieving a deep level of relaxation. Maintain a passive attitude and permit relaxation to occur at its own pace. When distracting thoughts occur, try to ignore them by not dwelling on them and return to repeating “one.” With practice, the response should come with little effort. Practice the technique once or twice daily, but not within two hours after any meal, since the digestive processes seem to interfere with the elicitation of the Relaxation Response.

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How to Become a Criminologist In order to become a criminologist, you need to know what are their roles and responsibilities are. Criminologists focus on the social behaviors of criminals, psychological makeup, and profiling them in an effort to understand and analyze criminal occurrences and try to forestall and prevent the occurrences of crimes. Criminologists do their research on criminals in courts, prisons or at crime scenes. They use their expertise in psychology, statistics and human behavioral sciences to trace a pattern of a criminal and provide valuable insight to help prevent the criminal striking again. To become a criminologist is a challenging job option. Understand the Job Requirements: The criminologists should have a thorough grasp of criminal justice, criminal psychology, juvenile corrections, justice and victimology etc. They study the methods of older master criminals and their techniques to spot any specific behaviour pattern in latter-day criminals. Research and analytical skills are a must as well as meticulous attention to details and immense patience to do research. There is no set path since many schools do not offer criminology at the undergraduate levels though there are a few exceptions. A graduate level degree in criminology/criminal justice is required and these include subjects like sociology, psychology law and logic, law and statistics etc. A master’s degree in behavioral science and a doctorate in psychology or sociology will help in the career of teaching criminology. Some states ask specifically to undergo written exams to obtain licenses to work as criminologists. You should check the local department requirements for all requirements. Analyze Career Graph: You will have to choose where you want to work: in a federal government agency or local or state government departments. The first few years as junior-level criminologist may be mostly office work. Field work will be available once you gain experience and added skills. Start as an intern in the related criminal justice area for practical criminology on-job experience. Work experience under a senior and skilled criminologist will help you know the intricacies of the job. It would be ideal to work part-time even during the undergraduate/graduate levels. Average starting salary will be about $30,000 annually for a criminologist with a bachelor’s degree. A master’s degree starts at a higher level of $55,000. Work experience and additional qualifications fetch in more salary and added work responsibilities. This job depends on public funding towards crime prevention and so openings are limited in government departments. There are openings in research and/or teaching at the university level if you have your PhD in subjects like psychology or sociology. Many colleges and universities offer jobs in teaching at undergraduate levels. Skills & Qualities: - You must be deeply interested in justice, human nature and behavioral patterns. - Keen observation skills as well as research and analytical skills are needed. - An aptitude in subjects like math and statistics will be helpful. - Computer literacy is a must and advanced computer working knowledge is very useful. - Good communication skills are needed. Programs like "CSI" and "Law & Order" have glamorized the profession of a criminologist. This challenging job is a stimulating job for people with a logical and analytical mind.

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Physicists from the University of Bonn are looking at things in a whole new light, quite literally. Through the clever use of mirrors and some smart science, researchers there have created a wholly new source of light by cooling photons to the point that they condense into a "super photon." The so-called Bose-Einstein condensate made up of photons was, until now, thought impossible. "Super particles" have been created before, but never out of light. For instance, take rubidium atoms down to a low enough temperature in a compact space, and they quickly become indistinguishable, behaving like a single particle (known as a Bose-Einstein condensate). And in theory, this should also work with photons. But it does not, for if you start to cool photons down they disappear. Perhaps expectedly, light doesn't chill very well. Think about a light bulb; if you apply a current, the filament gets hot and begins to give off light of different colors – red then yellow then blue. Scientists measure this kind of light-heat against a theoretical model known as a black body, as in it's dark until you heat it to a certain temperature where it begins to give off light at different wavelengths depending on temperature (click through the source link below for more on this). When a black body cools down, at some point it no longer radiates light in the visible spectrum, giving off infrared photons instead. Therein lies the problem with photons – as temperature and radiation intensity decrease, so does the number of photons. Keeping them together in quantity while cooling them has presented a fundamental problem for creating the Bose-Einstein condensate composed of photons. The key to keeping the photons form dissipating: keep them moving. The U. of Bonn team used mirrors to bounce the photons back and forth between two mirrors. Every so often the photons collided with dissolved pigment molecules that were placed between the reflective surfaces, molecules that essentially absorbed the photons and spit them out with each collision. But with each collision, the photons slowly assumed the temperature of the pigment molecules, cooling one another to room temperature without being lost in the process. Physics aside, the discovery is cool for a variety of reasons. Most notably, it's an entirely new kind of light with vast industrial implications, especially in the chip-making sector. Currently, laser's don't operate in the really short wavelengths like UV and X-ray. With a photonic Bose-Einstein condensate, the researchers say this should be possible. The inability to etch chips with lasers in the shorter wavelengths has limited how precisely they can design circuits on silicon. Finer etching begets higher-performing microchips, and that's just a start. When you create a whole new kind of light, everything from medical imaging and laboratory spectroscopy to photovoltaics could stand to benefit. Sounds like a great name for one of those fancy fluorescent bar drinks ... ... Folks will soon be able to sachet' up to a bar and proudly say, "Gimme a B.E.C. ... neat". ... So, now, we jus' gotta take a tunable electron-LASER, a bucket of carbon nono-fiber, a one Oz. block of AeroGel, two super-conducting coils, and a micro-UAV in a pear tree ... and, a tesla coil ... and ... make something that is both really cool and very scary ... It should be able to either save the world or destroy the known universe, and countries like Iran can use it to wipe out anyone who dares to make a cartoon that depicts Ahbadinejad as an evil troll. ... And, you can see it all on YouTube ... YAY! really getting sick of SPAMMERS! As for the this article, the science is entirely beyond me but it looks incredibly cool. As for the spammers, I don't think their goal is to sell stuff. They must realize by now that we despise them and won't be buying any cheap knock-off consumer goods from them. It's got to be some kind of scam, no doubt perpetrated by someone in China or North Korea by the looks of it. Don't anybody click on those links. Get a life you spamming commies, and get a real job. We're too smart to be suckered in by your scams. Phat photons! Whoda thunk? So they cooled it down by slowing it down, and kept it from disappearing completely by bouncing it around while they did it? If you live in a slightly colder climate, this might sound a little familiar - if you leave your tap/faucet running juuust slightly (drip, drip), it can prevent your pipes from freezing, (moving water doesnt freeze well) and it appears photons have issues going null if they are moving around as well. heh, who woulda thunkit!? XD BuzzLightYear - awesome comment btw... juust awesome lol I'm recently getting into chemistry and atomic physics is way beyond me but would "cooling down" the photons cause them to move slower (speed) or is temperature measured in how much energy they contain in wave form? Also by new kind of photon do they mean new wavelength or new way of acquiring it because the way I see it its like the discovery of Helium when you've only worked with Hydrogen, like a diphoton.(diproton...) Who would want to buy something from someone who advertises in a comment section. I bet they just want your credit card info. I wonder how much these spammers are getting paid for each spam they submit. I think this is very cool science, and it will be a dark horse in the push to take photonic sciences and tech to the next level. I also think that these stupid advertisments all over the comment page is hugely annoying!! It seems the spammers are competing for control over a nonexistent market. How amusing. I'm afraid to say my dears that NO ONE is interested in buying your cheap designer imitation clothing or your shabby accessories. Your syntax needs some work. I personally am of the opinion that the ideal market for your shoddy products is probably not the comments section of a well respected publication such as popular science. Try thrift store message boards. Here are some tips about potential customer mentality: stick to your market- don't advertise underwear in a computer store if your potential customers have indicated that they really DON'T care for your product, shoving it in their face will just tick everyone off Pardon my little rant, but these Taiwanese/Chinese ignoramuses are really grating my nerves. Anyways, from a technological or industrial standpoint, this is quite a breakthrough. Now, other devices, which previously depended on a collection of etched microchips can now be powered by one finely etched microchip. That may seem like a small increase in efficiency, but multiply that by the number of devices that are computer-controlled and you can clearly see just how overwhelmingly useful that breakthrough is. Furthermore, different kinds of lights have different kinds of uses, and eventually this advancement may be a revolutionary advancement. Ahh, yes; the old B.E.C. revisited. This should make for a nice weapon indeed, as buzz said above; I'm thinking photon cannon as the obvious choice. Disruption technology is the next obvious choice. You know, like Manfred Man says in that song no one knows the words to-"Blinded by the Light"..'wrapped up like a somethin or other in the somethin or other in the night'. Now there's a mystery needing solved. So, I guess the technique will be to shake em with an oscillating magnetic field while our photon ball builds up, and then just let er go with a higher powered EM charge across a shaped field to direct it? A few generations of equipment using this tech could very well lead us to the light saber. Indeed you are powerful, as the Emperor has foreseen. @spam: Good God. Nailing down a technique for creating a Bose-Einstein Condensate out of photons is definitely a step in the right direction. I'm not as knowledgeable in the implications of this as astuteverbosity is, but I'm sure it will lead to advances somewhere. Speaking of Star Wars, quasi44, I wonder if photon torpedoes will finally be possible? spammers: buzz off I don't want imitation Abercrombie and Fitch tanktops (or real ones for that matter) or imitation Puma trainers, and I honestly doubt anyone else does either Can't someone do something about these people? They're blatantly violating PopSci's ToS shouldn't any link with www or w w w or w-w-w or w.w.w or etc have to be approved first? that would make this so much easier STOP THE SPAMMING PLEASE I thought so, but apparently it isn't happening. Report the comments and hopefully they will get lost. Interestingly, many of these spammers have been users for 8 hours or less. Apparently, word is getting out among spammers about PopSci, ad we'll flooded with spam STOP THE SPAM STOP THE SPAM STOP THE SPAM I think any string of w's should be blocked, because I doubt that there is any other reason to have a string of w's other than world war How about blocking comments that have multiple instances of duplicate URLs, or comments with a URL that has "url" in it. As there doesn't seem to be a character limit for comments, there's no need to save space for sites such as xrl or tinyurl. For that matter, why not just block comments that contain links to certain sites? Seems to me blocking www, xrl, or any URL with "url" in it would eliminate at least 90% of the spam around here. Unfortunately, it seems PopSci's spam filter is actually made up of red words on the preview screen which do not reflect a genuine mechanism, because these red words state that hyperlinks with www in them will be "flagged as spam by [their] system," yet...they aren't. I thought the same thing. Apparently PopSci just doesn't care much about user experience. I think the big problem is how low of a "success" rate it takes for these spammers to be profitable. If it costs a fraction of a penny to get a spam message on these sites; then they can post hundreds of thousands of them across the interwebs a day, while only needing a fraction of a percent of them bearing fruit to break even, with probably a 1% success rate meaning huge revenues. And that assumes they are actually selling something and not trying to steal your info, where they might only need a handfull of successes per day. Maybe I should start spamming POPSCI with links to anti-spam technology? Check it out... good news, there's Akismet: B.E.C.s first use will prolly be in synchronizing optical data packets, and such, in optical computers and network routers and relays/repeaters. Tunable harmonics, and the like. @ astuteverbosity: Well I'm no physicist, but it might be that a torpedo delivery system could allow a photon ball to be magnetically contained and have a decently high quality vacuum till impact, yielding a higher order of detonation than a photon ball fired through the air, because of the massive loss of photon density to the atoms and rapid rise in temp. It may be the only way. Now from what I've read on it, we are talking serious cold here, like about a half millionth of a degree Kelvin. That creates real problems for a physical container. Who said anything about physical? What about using two repelling magnetic fields as demonstrated in Angels and Demons?

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One of the characteristics of early childhood is to have a strong sense of enthusiasm and curiosity towards many things around it. Curiosity can be raised using the media. Media is a means of learning that can bring the interest of students to learn because the media is everything that can be used to channel the message, stimulate the mind, attention, and willingness of students to be involved in the learning process. The series image media has a sequence of images that can stimulate the child's mind to speak and produce a continuous story. The purpose of the study explains the media of this series can increase the students' interest to speak so that the ability to speak early child is increasing. The research method used in this study is literature review is a series of activities related to the method of collecting data library, reading and recording and managing research materials. Research results obtained by using a series of drawing media can develop the potential for child speech development and increase vocabulary mastery.

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This is one of the great passages of invective in the New Testament, although missing Paul's slices of sarcasm. It blazes with moral indignation at these people who would coldly and cunningly destroy fellowships and rob believers of their faith. As the modern Christian knows, Communion is a time of 'thinness', of drawing close to Christ, and subsequently it is also a vulnerable time. The Early Church enjoyed a much fuller meal than the modern Church, celebrating Christ's death and looking forward to His appearing again and these were called Love Feasts. We can read of them in Paul's letters to the church at Corinth, where he criticises the wealthy in that fellowship for starting to eat before the slaves could attend and eating all the best food-1 Corinthians 11 v 17-22! It appears that these occasions, held regularly, were an opportunity to bring one's own food and to meet as church and eat a full meal together with some formal parts held during the meal- Scripture readings, some contemporary writings about Christ's death, singing and prayers-it balanced the jollity of a feast with the seriousness of the ritual. As both Jude and Paul noted, unless the love feast or Agape was true fellowship, it was a travesty. Jude's opponents were making a travesty of the Love Feasts. These false witnesses would eat their own food, keep to their own in-groups and had no interest for anyone else. They would make great claims, but were essentially useless. In the New Testament nothing is so unsparingly condemned as uselessness-remember Jesus' condemnation of the fig tree which bore no fruit?-'If a man or woman is not good for something, he or she is good for nothing'. How do we identify such people? Jude gives the reader three more characteristics of these evil intruders: 1. They are grumblers, always discontented with the life God has given them. 2. Their conduct is governed by their desires. 3. They speak with pride and arrogance, yet they also seek to flatter the powerful and wealthy within the fellowship. Beware of such people!

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Sponsored Link • All Java programs are compiled into class files that contain bytecodes, the machine language of the Java virtual machine. This article takes a look at the bytecodes that manipulate objects and arrays. Welcome to another edition of Under The Hood. This column focuses on Java's underlying technologies. It aims to give developers a glimpse of the mechanisms that make their Java programs run. This month's article takes a look at the bytecodes that deal with objects and arrays. The Java virtual machine (JVM) works with data in three forms: objects, object references, and primitive types. Objects reside on the garbage-collected heap. Object references and primitive types reside either on the Java stack as local variables, on the heap as instance variables of objects, or in the method area as class variables. In the Java virtual machine, memory is allocated on the garbage-collected heap only as objects. There is no way to allocate memory for a primitive type on the heap, except as part of an object. If you want to use a primitive type where an reference is needed, you can allocate a wrapper object for the type java.lang package. For example, there is an Integer class that wraps an int type with an object. Only object references and primitive types can reside on the Java stack as local variables. Objects can never reside on the Java The architectural separation of objects and primitive types in the JVM is reflected in the Java programming language, in which objects cannot be declared as local variables. Only object references can be declared as such. Upon declaration, an object reference refers to nothing. Only after the reference has been explicitly initialized -- either with a reference to an existing object or with a call to new -- does the reference refer to an actual object. In the JVM instruction set, all objects are instantiated and accessed with the same set of opcodes, except for arrays. In Java, arrays are full-fledged objects, and, like any other object in a Java program, are created dynamically. Array references can be used anywhere a reference to type Object is called for, and any method Object can be invoked on an array. Yet, in the Java virtual machine, arrays are handled with special bytecodes. As with any other object, arrays cannot be declared as local variables; only array references can. Array objects themselves always contain either an array of primitive types or an array of object references. If you declare an array of objects, you get an array of object references. The objects themselves must be explicitly created new and assigned to the elements of the array.

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Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books. No current Talk conversations about this book. References to this work on external resources. Wikipedia in English (1) Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0805069364, Hardcover) A premier leadership scholar and an eighteenth-century expert define the special contributions and qualifications of our first president Revolutionary hero, founding president, and first citizen of the young republic, George Washington was the most illustrious public man of his time, a man whose image today is the result of the careful grooming of his public persona to include the themes of character, self-sacrifice, and destiny. As Washington sought to interpret the Constitution’s assignment of powers to the executive branch and to establish precedent for future leaders, he relied on his key advisers and looked to form consensus as the guiding principle of government. His is a legacy of a successful experiment in collective leadership, great initiatives in establishing a strong executive branch, and the formulation of innovative and lasting economic and foreign policies. James MacGregor Burns and Susan Dunn also trace the arc of Washington’s increasing dissatisfaction with public life and the seeds of dissent and political parties that, ironically, grew from his insistence on consensus. In this compelling and balanced biography, Burns and Dunn give us a rich portrait of the man behind the carefully crafted mythology. (retrieved from Amazon Mon, 30 Sep 2013 13:24:38 -0400) Examines the contributions of America's first president, tracing his accomplishments as a Revolutionary War hero and explaining how his decisions as president established precedents for the future governing of America. Is this you? Become a LibraryThing Author.

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Moss phlox is a garden beauty, whose native land is America. As an easy to care for perennial, it enjoys great popularity in flower beds. Profile of moss phlox: Scientific name: Phlox subulata Plant family: phlox family (Polemoniaceae) or Jacob’s-ladder family Other names: mountain phlox, moss pink Sowing time: autumn Planting time: spring Flowering period: April to June Location: sunny to partially shady Soil quality: stony to sandy, sensitive to lime, moderately nutritious, low in humus These information are for temperate climate! Use in: flower beds, ground cover, group planting, planters, dry stone walls, borders, cottage garden, flower garden, roof garden, rock garden, pot garden Winter hardiness: hardy, USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 6 (-20 °C / -5 °F) Bee and insect friendly: Yes Plant characteristics and classification of moss phlox Plant order, origin and occurrence of moss phlox The moss phlox or mountain phlox (Phlox subulata) belongs to the lower members of the genus Phlox from the phlox family (Polemoniaceae). It is native to the northern United States, where it grows along forest edges and in low-humus barrens. In Europe, the moss phlox is a popular ornamental plant in parks and gardens. Characteristics of moss phlox Moss phlox is an undemanding plant that grows in a creeping, cushion-forming manner, producing gorgeous, carpet-like, sometimes overhanging flower clusters ranging from white to dark red. This hardy perennial spreads quickly and grows between 5 and 15 centimeters (2 and 6 in) tall. The fine roots of Phlox subulata can reach up to 60 centimeters (24 in) into the soil. Phlox subulata is a wintergreen plant. Its leaves are very narrow to needle-shaped and have a smooth leaf margin. The surface is softly hairy. The leaves sit in an opposite arrangement on the shoot. They appear green year-round and carpet the ground. In winter, the foliage is somewhat looser than during the growing season in summer. From March onwards, the plants develop star-shaped flowers, whose petals are fused into a tube in the lower part. The corolla tips are spread flat and slightly incised at the edge. The flowers are terminal and grow to about 2.5 centimeters (1 in) in size. Phox subulata develops pink flowers, the center of which is tinged with purple. The numerous cultivated forms shine in various shades of color from white to pink and red to blue. Some varieties develop multicolored flowers with contrasting colored flower eye. They attract wild bees and butterflies that feed on the sweet nectar. The flowering period lasts until June. Moss phlox – cultivation and care Like all phlox species, moss phlox prefers full sun. The perennial also tolerates partially shady conditions, but the lack of sun has a negative effect on the abundance of flowers. The preferred soil of Phlox subulata should be dry to fresh, well-drained and only moderately nutritious. The substrate can be sandy and with minerals. Very calcareous soil, on the other hand, is not tolerated very well by the moss phlox, and acidic soils absolutely not. The topsoil thickness should not be less than 20 centimeters (8 in), so that the roots can hold on well. Waterlogging must be avoided at all costs. In order that moss phlox forms a dense carpet, it is necessary to plant about ten specimens per square meter (10 sq ft). When planted individually, a distance of about 30 centimeters (12 in) between plants should be maintained. However, you can also plant it together in small groups or individually, for example, on a dry stone wall. The best time to plant is early spring, but potted perennials can be planted throughout the summer. To grow well, freshly planted moss phlox must be watered regularly. Outdoors, moss phlox requires additional watering only in prolonged periods of drought. On particularly hot days, you should water the plant in the evening hours, as soon as the soil has cooled down somewhat. If the moss phlox grows in very dry locations where water runs off quickly, you should mulch the soil. This will reduce the evaporation of moisture from the subsoil, and after some time a humus layer will form on the root area, which will maintain the water balance. The nutrient requirements of these perennials are low. Before the beginning of flowering, you can administer a little compost. This measure is also recommended in preparation for the winter. A layer of mulch will protect the soil from freezing and ensure that the evergreen plants receive adequate moisture during the frosty months. If your plant shows signs of a nutrient deficiency, you should mix some swill made from nettles into the watering water or rake a handful of horn shavings into the soil. If the plant is undersupplied, it will drop its flowers and leaves. Moss phlox does not require regular pruning, as its growth remains compact. You can regularly remove withered shoots and inflorescences. This will allow the already established buds to get more light. Shorten half of all shoot tips immediately after flowering. In this way, the plants can be stimulated to a second flowering. After a few years, you should rejuvenate the moss phlox, so that the plant again grows more lush. It tolerates radical pruning to hand height. This measure is carried out in late autumn or very early spring for early flowering varieties. Late-flowering phlox varieties retain their foliage through the winter so that the root system is better protected from the cold. They are pruned shortly after winter between February and March. From May to July is a particularly good time for taking cuttings of moss phlox. To do this, cut from the ends of the shoots of the plant about 5 to 6 cm long cuttings and remove from each of them the lower leaf bases. Then put the cuttings in a rather shady place in the garden in loose substrate. Keep this moderately moist for a few weeks until the cuttings have formed their own roots and can be transplanted. After a few years in the bed, you can carefully dig up particularly vigorous specimens of moss phlox in the spring and carefully divide them with a sharp-edged spade. Be careful not to make the size of the remaining individual pieces too small. Propagation by seed is possible. You can pick the fruits of the moss phlox after ripening. Since the seeds sprout only after a cold stimulus, you should sow them outdoors before winter. Pre-growing indoors at temperatures between 16 and 18 °C (61 and 64 ° F) is possible. These plants are sensitive to frost in the first year and should be planted outdoors only from the second year. Note the following tips: - phlox needs frost to germ, which is why it should be sown outdoors before winter - plants grown indoors may be frost sensitive - the tender roots of small young plants can be easily injured when transplanting Diseases and pests Phlox subulata is sometimes attacked by stem nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci). The pest can be recognized by stunted stems and leaves. Pruning to the ground is necessary in such cases. Downy and powdery mildew also occurs more frequently on almost all phlox species. As a precaution, plants should not be allowed to dry out and should never be watered over the foliage. Infested plant parts should be removed in case of heavy infestation and the remaining perennial should be treated with a fungicide. Phlox subulata tolerates temperatures down to -20 °C / -5 °F. The plants survive the winter in temperate climate without any problems. They should be watered on frost-free days, because they do not retract their metabolism even during the cold months. In case of strong sunlight, you should cover the leaves with a layer of brushwood. This material protects against excessive evaporation and prevents the shoots from drying out. Use in the garden As a cushion-forming perennial, moss phlox is particularly suitable for planting in rock gardens, wall tops, as borders along terraces and paths, between slabs and steps, in roof gardens, in wall joints and for dry stone walls. Together with rock speedwell (Veronica prostrata), basket of gold (Aurinia saxatilis) and evergreen candytuft (Iberis sempervirens), but also in the company of bulbous flowers or other cushion perennials such as lilacbush (Aubrieta deltoidea) or Serbian bellflower (Campanula poscharskyana), the small flowers are shown off to their best. Traditionally, phlox is planted as a groundcover. It also cuts a fine figure as an underplanting for tall stems or as a lush flowering plant in planters. In this case, however, care should be taken to ensure adequate drainage in the form of gravel, sand or expanded clay. And even for grave planting the colorful but unobtrusive moss phlox is used with pleasure. - Temiskaming: Blooms between April and May, flowers purple. Grows 10 to 15 centimeters (4 to 6 in) high. - Bavaria Blue: Blooms from April to May with white, pink or pink flowers, eye blue-purple. Growth height between 10 and 15 centimeters (4 to 6 in). - Zwergenteppich (Dwarf Carpet): blooms between April and June, flowers glow dark pink, flower center red. Grows 10 to 20 centimeters (4 to 8 in) high. - Candy Stripes: petals white with pink stripes, flower eye reddish. Grows between 5 and 10 centimeters (2 to 4 in) tall. - Emerald Cushion Blue: Strong-growing, robust. Flowers light purple, between April and June. Height of growth 5 to 10 centimeters (2 to 4 in) . Use in the kitchen – Edible The fresh flowers of the moss phlox are a true delicacy. They taste sweet and sweeten not only desserts but also refreshing appetizers. The petals refine salads or herb butter. They can be used for colorful flower ice cubes or ice cream. Pluck off individual flowers in the spring. During the main blooming period, the flavor is fully developed. Leave a Reply

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If you want to know the origin of this idiom, read it on this website: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/raining%20cats%20and%20dogs.html We give books is a website created mostly for kids, nevertheless it gives great resources to adult learners too. You must register, but it’s free and it’s worth it! For example, if you are struggling trying to learn weather vocabulary, this book could be helpful: “Weather” by DK Publishing. This is the website’s link: http://www.wegivebooks.org/ “We give books” supports worldwide charities. You can pick an organization and each time you read a book you will donate to that charity the book you’re reading. In this lesson, you will learn how to introduce yourself and greet people when speaking in an English conversation. Excellent IELTS preparation video with subtitles. This is a great video, it can help you improve your listening skills and conversation skills. The video consists of a variety of cartoons for different kind of conversation with subtitles in English.

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This is the first blog post in a series of three blog posts discussing how the Chemical Weapons Convention prevents the use of chemical weapons through proactive measures by prohibiting both the use of and the preparation to use chemical weapons. This first blog post describes key features of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The second blog post compares the Chemical Weapons Convention to other sources of international law that address chemical weapons. The third and final blog post examines recent events in Syrian Arab Republic, as a case study, to illustrate the concepts discussed in the first and second blog posts. Part I: The Structure of the Chemical Weapons Convention The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction—more commonly known as the Chemical Weapons Convention (the “CWC”)—provides the strongest protection against chemical weapons in international law. The CWC attempts “to exclude completely the possibility of the use of chemical weapons” by destroying existing chemical weapons stockpiles and preventing production of new chemical weapons. The CWC’s near-universal implementation and proactive enforcement structure provides the strongest protection in international law against the horrors of chemical weapons. First, this post provides background on the CWC. Second, it describes the international organization created by the CWC. Third, it explains the CWC’s key provisions. Finally, this post discusses the CWC’s enforcement and verification regime. A. Background on the CWC Early efforts at chemical weapons control provided deficient protections, and the CWC developed in response to that deficiency. The U.N. Conference on Disarmament adopted the final draft of the CWC on September 3, 1992, after twelve years of negotiation. The CWC opened for signature on January 13, 1993, in Paris. The CWC entered into force “180 days after the date of the deposit of the 65th instrument of ratification.” The sixty-fifth country—Hungary—ratified the convention in late 1996; after twenty-two countries ratified the CWC within 180 days of Hungary, the CWC entered into force on April 29, 1997 with eighty-seven State Parties. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (the “OPCW”)—the international organization that administers the CWC—started functioning the same day the CWC entered into force. The CWC faced early academic criticism. For example, one early article concluded that the CWC “falls short because a significant number of nations with chemical warfare ability have not joined the treaty, these countries have little incentive to join in the near future, and the OPCW has limited powers to react to chemical attacks.” Nonetheless, the CWC and OPCW developed into formidable institutions. Today, 190 countries have acceded to or ratified the CWC, leaving just six countries in the world that never acceded to or ratified the CWC. Additionally, after years of steady progress on the disarmament goals, the OPCW won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013. The six countries refusing to ratify or accede to the CWC are Israel, Myanmar-Burma, Angola, Egypt, North Korea, and South Sudan. Each country’s refusal is troubling, but not necessarily surprising. In terms of strategic international relations, ratifying the CWC and agreeing to its enforcement regime may not be rational for a state actor because a country that might have chemical weapons may be able to deter attack by enemies, based in part on that uncertainty. In the words of Sun Tzu: “All warfare is based on deception.” North Korea’s Kim-family dictators appear to act erratically, but calculatedly, to deter intervention in North Korea. South Sudan is a war-torn country that is less than three years old. Israel probably refuses to ratify the CWC to enhance its bargaining position in a region of enemies, particularly since continued non-recognition of the Palestinian state prevents a parallel ratification of the CWC by Palestine. Some countries on this list probably do not possess chemical weapons, but others almost certainly do. For example, in Burma-Myanmar, the current regime recently jailed reporters for “disclosing state secrets” by publicizing the government’s current, operating, chemical weapons factories. Overall, the most striking thing about the list is that the list only contains six countries. While the OPCW continues to work towards universality of membership, the CWC already applies in full force to 98% of the world. B. The OPCW: The International Organization Created by the CWC The OPCW oversees State Parties and redresses violations to supervise CWC compliance. The OPCW conducted “more than 5,000 inspections in 86 countries” over its seventeen years of existence. The OPCW monitored ninety-six declared chemical weapons facilities, overseeing the destruction of forty-three and conversion of twenty-two to peaceful purposes. Some cite this behind the scenes work as the reason the OPCW won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013—though the OPCW’s work in the Syrian Arab Republic that year certainly helped. Article VIII created the OPCW, established the OPCW’s headquarters in the Hague, and divided the OPCW’s responsibilities among three organs. The first organ, the Conference of the States Parties (the “Conference”), consists of all OPCW members. The Conference oversees CWC compliance, oversees other parts of the OPCW, and redresses violations of the CWC. The second organ, the Executive Council consists of forty-one rotating members, elected for two-year terms and selected to ensure representation of each geographic region. One of the Executive Council’s responsibilities is to provide recommendations to the Conference about what measures to take in the event of non-compliance with the CWC by a State Party. The final organ, the Technical Secretariat, provides administrative and technical support to other parts of the OPCW, and carries out the verification measures described in the CWC, including on-the-ground investigations. C. Key Provisions of the CWC Three subparagraphs of the CWC define of chemical weapons. The first subparagraph covers toxic chemicals and their precursors; toxic chemical means “[a]ny chemical which through its chemical action on life processes can cause death, temporary incapacitation or permanent harm to humans or animals.” The Chemicals Annex lists the prohibited chemicals and their precursors. The second subparagraph covers “[m]unitions and devices, specifically designed to cause death or other harm through the toxic properties of those toxic chemicals” identified in the first part of the definition. The third part covers equipment specifically designed for use directly in connection with the employment of munitions and devices” identified in part two. The CWC prohibitions rely on this three-part definition of chemical weapons. The CWC and the OPCW classify chemical weapons by their “mode of action” on victims, meaning how the chemical enters and affects the body. Categories of chemical weapons include choking agents, blister agents, blood agents, and nerve agents. Chemical weapons are distinguishable from biological weapons. Chemical weapons are generally man-made chemicals, while biological weapons are weaponized versions of naturally occurring bacteria and viruses. The 1972 Biological Weapons Convention (“BWC”) prohibits the development, production, and stockpiling of biological weapons. The broad chemical weapons definition in the CWC could be interpreted to include some biological weapons, where the “possible use is similar” for biological agents and chemical agents. Thus, the CWC states that nothing in the CWC “shall be interpreted as in any way limiting or detracting from the obligations assumed by any State under” the BWC. The protections of the CWC and BWC complement each other, but the two treaties address different types of weapons. State Parties only give up the rights the CWC expressly prohibits. Thus, the CWC contains excruciating detail to protect against chemical weapons. This produced what one author described as “the most complex disarmament and nonproliferation treaty in history.” As a starting point, Article I identifies the general obligations of State Parties under the CWC: 1. Each State Party to this Convention undertakes never under any circumstances: (a) To develop, produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile or retain chemical weapons, or transfer, directly or indirectly, chemical weapons to anyone; (b) To use chemical weapons; (c) To engage in any military preparations to use chemical weapons; (d) To assist, encourage or induce, in any way, anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Convention. 2. Each State Party undertakes to destroy chemical weapons it owns or possesses, or that are located in any place under its jurisdiction or control, in accordance with the provisions of this Convention. 3. Each State Party undertakes to destroy all chemical weapons it abandoned on the territory of another State Party, in accordance with the provisions of this Convention. 4. Each State Party undertakes to destroy any chemical weapons production facilities it owns or possesses, or that are located in any place under its jurisdiction or control, in accordance with the provisions of this Convention. 5. Each State Party undertakes not to use riot control agents as a method of warfare. Article I prohibits the most troubling aspects of chemical weapons. Paragraph 1 prohibits State Parties from using, producing, or stockpiling chemical weapons; it prohibits all preparations to use chemical weapons and prohibits facilitating any third party—including non-state terrorist actors—to prepare to use chemical weapons. Paragraphs 2-4 ensure the destruction of existing chemical weapons and existing production facilities. Paragraph 5 expressly prohibits the use of riot control agents in warfare, which clarifies that the permitted for use for domestic law enforcement purposes—under Article VI—does not lead to use of chemical agents in warfare. Moreover, Article XXII expressly prohibits any State Party from making any reservation to the CWC’s terms. Thus, all State Parties agree to the exact same limitations, including agreement never to retaliate with chemical weapons. After a country ratifies or accedes to the CWC, the country must secure compliance by public and private actors within the country. For example, the provisions addressing chemical weapons production facilities “shall apply to any and all chemical weapons production facilities owned or possessed by a State Party, or that are located in any place under its jurisdiction or control.” This enables the OPCW to oversee the destruction or conversion to peaceful use of both privately and publicly held chemical weapons factories, which includes both chemical factories and munitions factories under the CWC definition of chemical weapons. State Parties must enact penal legislation to criminalize actions prohibited by the CWC, which ensures the accountability of private actors. The OPCW website provides suggestions for how State Parties should implement the CWC through domestic legislation and regulations. The broad definition of chemical weapons in Article II specifically excludes chemicals that are used for a “purpose not prohibited” by the CWC, as long as the type and quantity is consistent with such purpose. The list of purposes not prohibited by CWC recognizes that some chemicals used in chemical weapons also have legitimate, economically beneficial purposes. When a State Party wishes to use an otherwise prohibited chemical for any of these non-prohibited purposes, the State Party must submit to verification measures overseen by the OPCW, as described in the next section. The most controversial use allowed by the CWC is the exception for the purpose of “Law enforcement including domestic riot control purposes.” The ICRC criticizes the use of any toxic chemicals for law enforcement purposes, mainly out of slippery-slope concerns about undoing the progress towards chemical weapons disarmament in international law. The ICRC vice-president expressed concern about any potential use of toxic chemicals by law enforcement in this video. Others express concerns about the ambiguous scope of the phrase “law enforcement.” The language of this exception could have been more clearly limited to cover a narrow list of chemical agents—such as pepper spray—to guarantee uniform compliance. State Parties must declare the possession of chemicals useable as riot control agents to the OPCW, as with possession of any chemical listed in the Chemicals Annex, but they are not required to report when or how riot control agents are used. However, if the OPCW becomes concerned about how a State Party interprets this provision, Article XIV addresses conflicts of interpretation between a State Party and the OPCW, and Article XV describes procedures for amending the CWC. D. Verifications, Inspections, and CWC Enforcement The CWC’s enforcement and verification system monitors disarmament, monitors chemical industries, and undertakes through short-notice inspections. As described by the ICRC, one “major innovation of the CWC is its intrusive verification regime.” That regime defines the roles of the State Party and the OPCW before, during, and after the initial implementation of the CWC. The process starts with State Parties submitting initial declarations to the OPCW, including a detailed inventory and a plan for the destruction of all existing chemical weapons stockpiles and chemical weapons production facilities. Creating and implementing the destruction plans can be challenging, especially due to the environmental problems inherent in destroying chemical weapons. Nonetheless, the Verification Annex provides instructions: it outlines the order of destruction for chemical weapons and describes the on-site inspections used throughout the destruction process. After the initial implementation of the CWC, State Parties must submit to OPCW monitoring whenever a they wished to use otherwise prohibited chemicals for a non-prohibited purpose. The Annex on Chemicals divides chemicals into three schedules, and verification measures under the Verification Annex vary based on the chemical’s location in the three schedules. This structure allows the OPCW to certify a State Party’s compliance by monitoring production of chemicals that could become or be used as chemical weapons, even when the intended use of the chemical is not prohibited by the CWC. State Parties may call on the OPCW to investigate any concerns about another State Party’s compliance with the CWC through a “challenge inspection.” The challenging State Party submits a request to the Executive Council of the OPCW, and unless concerns about the validity of the request stop the process, preparations for an inspection will begin. The CWC requires that State Party submit to challenge inspection by the Technical Secretariat, under an accelerated timeline: the inspected party may receive as little as twelve-hours of notice of the inspection team’s arrival. The challenge inspection contains different procedures for claims the State Party actually used chemical weapons and for claims of other violations. However, the timeline for responding to a challenge inspection remains the same for all alleged violations; this indicates that the CWC treats production and stockpiling of chemical weapons very seriously. First, the Executive Council reviews the inspection team’s final report; then, if the report reveals non-compliance with the CWC, it makes recommendations for action to the Conference. Article XII’s four relatively short and relatively broad paragraphs describe the measures for redressing noncompliance. By not specifying how to redress specific violations, the CWC enables the Executive Council and the Conference to be creative and to respond with anything from sanctions to aggression. The OPCW must notify the U.N. General Assembly and the U.N. Security Council of “cases of particular gravity.” To some extent, this envisions the two international organizations working together. The OPCW and the U.N. do work together sometimes. For example, where allegations of chemical weapons use arise in connection with a non-State-Party and the U.N. asks for help, the CWC commands the OPCW “to put its resources at the disposal of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.” This ensures that the OPCW’s expertise will be available when it may be most vital. However, nothing in Article XII prevents the Conference from taking collective action more quickly than the U.N. Security Council. Instead, “where serious damage to the object and purpose of [the CWC] may result from activities prohibited under [the CWC], in particular by Article I, the Conference may recommend collective measures to States Parties in conformity with international law.” Perhaps the possibility that the U.N. would refuse to act in the face of a situation serious enough to inspire independent action by the Conference is sufficiently unlikely that this will never be an issue. The U.N. Charter provides the Security Council with “primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.” Nonetheless, the option for independent collective action by the Conference could be a helpful alternative to the Security Council veto, in a hypothetical situation involving the use of chemical weapons alongside regional conflicts of interest. The best features of the CWC are the abilities of the OPCW: to interfere in a country’s chemical industry; to oversee both chemical weapons and precursor chemicals; to investigate actions of private and public actors; to monitor the destruction of chemical weapons; to guarantee the destruction, rather than the transfer, of chemical weapons. Overall, the OPCW prevents the use of chemical weapons by removing them from international commerce and from State Parties. Sure, the CWC theoretically could be better, but everything could be better: perfection in international law, as in life, is a goal rather than a reality. But the strengths of the CWC cannot be overemphasized. As will be shown in the next blog post in this series, the CWC provides exponentially more powerful protection against chemical weapons than other sources of international law. To show how this system looks in practice, the third and final blog post discusses events before and after the Syrian Arab Republic ratified the CWC in 2013. Katharine York is a third year law student at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and a staff editor for the Denver Journal of International Law and Policy Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons, opened for signature Jan. 13, 1993, S. Treaty Doc. No. 103-21, 1974 U.N.T.S. 45 [hereinafter CWC]. Id. at pmbl. For more information about other sources of international law addressing chemical weapons, see the second post in this three part series. CWC supra note 1, at art. XXI. The CWC refers to countries that have ratified or acceded to the CWC as “State Parties.” Kevin J. Fitzgerald, The Chemical Weapons Convention: Inadequate Protection from Chemical Warfare, 20 Suffolk Transnat’l L. Rev. 425, 447 (1997). Countries that were not signatories of the CWC before the CWC entered into force cannot ratify the CWC; however, any country may accede to the CWC. CWC, supra note 1, at arts. XIX-XX. See Thomas Schelling, Strategy of Conflict 3-80, 119-61 (1980 ed.) (explaining that the ability to communicate strength—either overtly or tacitly—is essential for deterrence). Sun Tzu, The Art of War 9 (Dallas Galvin ed., Lionel Giles trans., 2003 Barnes & Noble Classics) (1910). CWC, supra note 1, art. VIII, para. 1, 3, and 4. Id. at art. VIII, para. 9. Id. at arts. VIII, para. 20, XII, para. 1. Id. at art. VIII, para. 23. Id. at art. VIII, paras. 35-36. Id. at art. VIII, para. 38. Id. at art. II, para. 1-3. Id. at art. II, para. 1. Id. at art. XIII. Id. at art. VI, para. 1 (“Each State Party has the right, subject to the provisions of this Convention, to develop, produce, otherwise acquire, retain, transfer and use toxic chemicals and their precursors for purposes not prohibited under this Convention.”) (emphasis added). Urs A. Cipolat, The New Chemical Weapons Convention and Export Controls: Towards Greater Multilateralism?, 21 Mich. J. Int’l L. 393, 394 (2000). CWC, supra note 1, at art. I, para 1. Id. at art. XXII. Id. at art. V, para. 1. Id. at art. VII, para. 1. Id. at art. II, paras. 1-4. Id. at art. II, para. 9 (“‘Purposes Not Prohibited Under this Convention’ means: (a) Industrial, agricultural, research, medical, pharmaceutical or other peaceful purposes; (b) Protective purposes, namely those purposes directly related to protection against toxic chemicals and to protection against chemical weapons; (c) Military purposes not connected with the use of chemical weapons and not dependent on the use of the toxic properties of chemicals as a method of warfare; (d) Law enforcement including domestic riot control purposes.”). For more information about the ICRC’s contributions to the discussion of customary international law on chemical weapons, see the second post (upcoming) in this three part series. Benjamin Kastan, Note, The Chemical Weapons Convention and Riot Control Agents: Advantages of a “Methods” Approach to Arms Control, 22 Duke J. Comp. & Int’l L. 267, 271-72 (2012). James D. Fry, Gas Smells Awful: U.N. Forces, Riot-Control Agents, and the Chemical Weapons Convention, 31 Mich. J. Int’l L. 475, 485 (2010). CWC, supra note 1, at arts. XIV, para. 2, art. XV. Id. at art. III and Verification Annex. See generally David A. Koplow, How Do We Get Rid Of These Things?: Dismantling Excess Weapons While Protecting The Environment, 89 Nw. U.L. Rev. 445 (describing the environmental issues related to destroying chemical weapons and chemical weapons production facilities). CWC, supra note 1, Verification Annex, Part. IV(A), para. 15 and 37. Id. at art. VI, Annex on Chemicals. Id. at Verification Annex. Id. at art. IX, paras. 8-25. Id. at art. IX, para. 17. Id. at art. IX, para. 15. Id. at art. IX, para. 19. Id. at arts. IX, paras. 22-25, art. XII, para. 1. Id. at art. XII. Id. at art. XII, para 4. Id. at Verification Annex, Part XI, para. 27. Id. at art. XII, para 3.

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Tea grown in the Darjeeling region of India, near the Himalayas. Darjeeling teas are usually highly astringent. Darjeeling tea is a tea from the Darjeeling district in West Bengal, India. It is available in black, green, white and oolong. When properly brewed, it yields a thin-bodied, light-colored infusion with a floral aroma. The flavor can include a tinge of astringent tannic characteristics and a musky spiciness sometimes described as “muscatel”. Unlike most Indian teas, Darjeeling tea is normally made from the small-leaved Chinese variety of Camellia sinensis var. sinensis, rather than the large-leaved Assam plant (C. sinensis var. assamica). Traditionally, Darjeeling tea is made as black tea; however, Darjeeling oolong and green teas are becoming more commonly produced and easier to find, and a growing number of estates are also producing White Teas. It is said this Chinese tea, grown in India, has the flavor of French grapes and fresh Himalayan mountain air.

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Before you find a tutor, there is an essential first step: knowing your level. This will give you the best chance of finding the right tutor for you and your goals. “Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment” - Lao-Tzu During the first lesson, a good home tutor will take the time to evaluate your academic skills, but to find this, you need to know where to look. Do you have a good knowledge of French but haven’t practised since university? How can you be sure of your level? Don’t fret! We at Superprof are here to help you find the best kind of one on one tutoring to suit your needs. Defining Each Level In general, there are 5 levels of expertise: - Introduction: This is the discovery period, where learners are introduced to a subject they have never before encountered. Students start with the basics as a first glance at a topic. - Beginner: Beginner lessons mark the first stage of learning of a discipline. - Intermediate: At an intermediate level, learners are familiar with the basics of a subject and their new goal is to consolidate and improve their knowledge. - Advanced: This is the level where learners have not only acquired information but also have enough practice to make full use of the relevant skills. - Expert: By definition, being an expert in one’s field involves achieving mastery of each domain and having significant experience in that field. In school, levels are discussed by means of comparison with other pupils in the same establishment (such as nursery, KS1, KS2, high school, etc.), school year or class. In the education system, level is determined by academic grading. Teachers verify whether their pupils have correctly understood set topics from the syllabus. When it comes to languages, skill level is measured against the Common European Framework for Reference (CEFR) – a scale which assigns a level based on written and oral skills: - A1: Breakthrough or beginner - A2: Waystage or elementary - B1: Threshold or intermediate - B2: Vantage or upper intermediate - C1: Effective operational efficiency or advanced - C2: Mastery or proficiency This scale offers a universal framework to evaluate the skills of linguists in Europe and elsewhere. So, why is it important to know where you lie on a scale such as the CEFR before you find a tutor? To make the best choice when it comes to supplemental instruction, you can find tutors that specialise according to your level of education. Find tutors for primary school or tuition for secondary school students! What is the Role of Grading in Private Tuition? Level of knowledge and grades are the first point of discussion when you’re choosing a tutor. Tutoring services are all about providing tailored support according to the needs of the learner. In order to effectively adapt their methods, programme and resources, it is essential that tutors first measure the skills of their tutee. Going into detail about your strengths and weaknesses is more important than you may think, as your personal case can affect many things: - Adapted teaching methods: Private tutors put a lot of time and effort into planning lessons which are personalised according to the skills and learning strategies of their student. The teaching of theories is a large feature of beginner lessons, as it lays the foundations for further knowledge. In improvement or refresher sessions, a focus on practical work and discussion helps the tutor understand the student’s difficulties. Teaching methods can be adapted depending on these difficulties. - The skillset of each tutor: Levels vary from one tutor to the next. Tutors, like students, use this to find and pair up with learners of an appropriate level. This means that when students approach them asking for homework or exam preparation help, they can make an informed decision about whether their support will benefit the student. - Variation in hourly rates: Prices for lessons also vary depending on the level of the student. Costs for higher-level lessons at university are generally higher. Clearly, level plays a significant role in arranging private lessons. Tutors also have varying academic profiles, which should suit that of the learner in the interest of individualised teaching. With a good pairing, online tutor and tutee can establish a healthy relationship to boost self-esteem, optimise learning and progress rapidly towards academic success. By choosing to specialise in certain types of tuition, tutors gain the ability to easily develop teaching methods which take into account the skills of each individual student. Tutors and the Importance of a Student’s Aspirations In home tutoring is not just about getting your child a little help with their times tables. Tutors play a big part in providing their students with support and motivation on a regular basis alongside their formal education, ultimately helping them to succeed in their academic careers. The regularity of this encouragement is paramount to progressing and perfecting a learner’s skills, whether it’s in English, maths, piano, chemistry or French. To achieve this is to take the student's competence, goals and even their age into consideration when planning lessons. An expert maths teacher could provide A Level maths students with good quality lessons in the run up to their exams, but to help the little ones discover the joys of music or learning a foreign language, the required skills are completely different. Of course, this is a bit of an exaggeration, but there are a few examples which demonstrate the point at which the level and profile of a student impact teaching methods. Discovery for toddlers “The child is not a vase which we fill, but a spring which we allow to gush freely” - Maria Montessori Offering lessons in Spanish, music or even yoga to the youngest children is gaining popularity. This type of teaching (often done in a small group) not only requires a knowledge of the subject but a dash of creativity to keep little ones engaged. Keeping young learners interested is challenging, but can be made easier by: - Playing games - Telling stories - Hands-on workshops - Sensory learning Making the most of the curiosity of the little ones and helping them make sense of the world by opening their eyes to new experiences is a true mission – but it is so rewarding! Learning a foreign language with a tutor as an adult Would you like to take lessons in French, German, Spanish or another language? Whether you’re starting from scratch or you want to get some use out of your French GCSE or A Level qualifications, a language tutor can put your vocabulary skills to the test and help you pick up where you left off. Your tutor will probably assign you a level based on the CEFR scale, which you can use to outline your competence on your CV. Intensive courses for entrance exam and test preparation As exam period looms, many high school students resort to home tuition to make sure they have the right knowledge and exam technique to succeed on the big day. The educator becomes an academic coach, teaching theory and well as helping the student develop useful study skills and encouraging them to maintain a healthy frame of mind. The best tutors can deliver intensive courses as well as helping students manage pre-exam stress. When it comes to choosing whether to start the piano lessons you have always dreamt of and enrolling your child in guitar lessons to give them a good understanding of music, the paths are not the same! Even if two students are at the same level, their patience, motivation and learning abilities are sure to differ. It is therefore up to the teacher to adapt. This means using their teaching skills to cater to the needs and learning style of each student, so they all benefit from the lessons. Overcoming Your Anxieties to Private Tutoring Whatever your level, it’s not always easy to get started. Are you worried about failing? Does learning make you stressed? Don’t worry, it’s completely natural. It can be difficult to get back into the learning spirit for evening lessons when the school gates seem so far away. It’s also a challenge to accept the fact that you cannot make this journey alone, and that you need an extra bit of coaching that your classmates may not need. As for taking on the challenge of embarking on a new learning journey as an adult, going back to school can feel quite odd! If you have never had the opportunity to take private lessons before, you are faced with the unknown. A deep fear or judgement by other people may cause a lot of stress, even if your only objective is to improve your knowledge. However, once you see yourself start to make progress, the satisfaction will overcome the self-doubt and make for a boost in confidence as you begin to achieve your goals. What a pleasure it will be for you to be able to say: “Yes, I learnt Chinese at the age of 40!” or “Yes, there were difficulties along the way, but I passed by GCSE exams without any resits!” So yes, sometimes you have to swallow your pride before starting your search for a tutor, but you have everything to gain – the world is your oyster! The platform that connects tutors and students

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As a young teenager, Britney Digilio had no idea how therapeutic and relaxing growing up with animals proved to be. She had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. Her parents ran an animal shelter, so she was always surrounded by dogs, cats and horses but it was only later in her life that she realized the profound impact they had on her life. “If I was feeling bad, I just thought, I’ll go out and play with my dogs,” Digilio said. “But now, seeing all of the help service dogs can give [to those with mental illness], I can see how much they’ve really helped me.” When it was time to consider a new addition to her family, she said she knew she couldn’t settle for anything less than a perfect fit. Lola was only three weeks old when Digilio and her husband drove out to a local golden retriever breeder. The puppies were too young to judge their personalities, so Digilio had to rely on their parents’ temperaments. For Digilio, it was puppy love at first sight. She put down the deposit and visited Lola twice more before taking her home at eight weeks old. “I had known I wanted to do something with mental health and illness, but when Lola arrived, I started putting two and two together – using Lola to raise awareness about psychiatric service dogs.” Dogs have been used in the United States as helpers for people with disabilities since 1927, when 20-year-old Morris Frank brought Buddy, a trained German shepherd, from Switzerland to act as his seeing eye dog. Psychiatric service dogs (PSD) are a sub-classification of service dogs, trained for many tasks, but are mainly helpful to the estimated 25 percent of Americans who suffer from mental illness, according to The Lola Project. Lola was to be Digilio’s own PSD, so Digilio watched for her potential as a puppy. To be considered good for service work, dogs must be calm in the presence of a crowd, be well-behaved and under control of their handler and trained to perform “tasks,” or commands that are specifically designed to assist their owners. According to ADA.gov, examples of tasks may include guiding, alerting, pulling a wheelchair, alerting for seizures, alerting to the person to take prescription medication and calming a person with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the event of an anxiety attack. Tasks are not limited to these, and by law the person is not required to disclose their disability. Lola is now trained for more than 17 tasks, but she didn’t start out that way. Digilio introduced a young Lola to casual socialization and basic commands, including a “Puppy K and Play” style class where the idea of the Lola Project began to become a plausible reality. “You want to keep training fun for them,” Digilio said. Serious training, she said, doesn’t happen until well after until the puppy is eight months old. Until then, forming a bond with the dog is considered the only vital thing to focus on. And even when Lola was a puppy, Digilio kept training to three or four 10-minute daily sessions, the basics of any puppy: Come when called. Sit. Stay. Lie down for extended periods of time. As Lola excelled in basic obedience and thrived in training with Digilio’s guidance, she thought it might be time to expand upon Lola’s skills. The Lola Project’s public mission began in earnest on June 28, 2012, the first time Lola wore her “Service Dog in Training” vest. The first real-world test of Lola’s skills arrived when Digilio, currently a psychology major at Marist College, brought Lola to her weekly 45-minute class. “By law, psychiatric service dogs trained for tasks must be allowed in the classroom,” Digilio said. “But because my classes were psychology classes, the professors and students were especially interested in how Lola worked. It was the beginning of educating other people about the work of service dogs. People would ask me about what she did. It’s a conversation starter about mental health.” For Lola’s first birthday, Digilio and Lola hosted a “Spring on Education” event at Dirty Dogs Pet Grooming in Highland, New York. The Lola Project received overwhelming support from the community and raised more funds to print educational brochures about the work and benefits of PSD. “That was the kickoff of people recognizing who we were,” Digilio said. The distinct hot pink and lime green logo with the Greek letter psi, Ψ, to represent psychology, stands out and fits within a larger theme, Digilio said. The lime green also doubles as the color designated for mental health awareness. Digilio presented about PSD at businesses, expanded The Lola Project brochures and tried to keep up with the organization’s demand on Facebook. “People are curious – they want to know about the everyday life of a service dog,” Digilio said. The second year, The Lola Project attended the second “Spring on Education” event at Robibero Family Vineyards in New Paltz. More than 100 vendors, local and national, donated their services for raffles so The Lola Project could raise more money for educational costs – all money raised goes straight into providing educational services. Currently, The Lola Project has more than 5,000 Facebook followers and hundreds of Twitter followers. “Lola turns three in April,” Digilio said. “To make that much progress in two years is pretty amazing.” The community support from the beginning has made all the difference, especially from Paws of Distinction, Robibero Family Vineyards, Summer’s Paw and 1-800-PetMeds, said Digilio. Digilio plans on attending graduate school to become a mental health counselor. She hopes to eventually get certified to specialize in abnormal psychology and veteran mental health counseling while continuing her work with The Lola Project. “It’s important to talk about mental health,” Digilio said. “We have to keep talking about it because if we stop talking, it perpetuates the stigma. It’s okay to get help, ask questions and know you’re not alone.”

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A Historical Pedagogical Investigation of Infant Education By: T.L. Verster (editor)Paperback 1 - 2 weeks availability For those involved with the education of infants, this book aims to offer enlightening educational truths and guidelines on the history of infant education. The author traces the history of infant education through the ages and compares the development of and provision for the education of infants in various countries. Number Of Pages: - ID: 9780869817452 - Saver Delivery: Yes - 1st Class Delivery: Yes - Courier Delivery: Yes - Store Delivery: Yes Prices are for internet purchases only. Prices and availability in WHSmith Stores may vary significantly © Copyright 2013 - 2017 WHSmith and its suppliers. WHSmith High Street Limited Greenbridge Road, Swindon, Wiltshire, United Kingdom, SN3 3LD, VAT GB238 5548 36

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Introduce your students to cellular anatomy with this vivid, full-color, two-sided chart. One side depicts the richly detailed, inner structure of a plant cell and organelles, while the other is a generalized animal cell with organelles. The result of extensive research from multiple sources, each component is clearly labeled. The animal cell side features plasma membrane, nuclear envelope, and cytoskeleton details. This quick reference chart is laminated for durability and protection against spills and other damage.

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The 25th County of London were a County Territorial Association. These were local organisations, subject to local conditions and community support. They were volunteers, and there was a division of control between the War Office & the County Territorial Associations which both helped and hindered the The true purpose of the Territorial Army was to provide reinforcements in complete units for the Regular divisions of the Expeditionary Force. However they could not be forced to serve overseas, and an inability to impose a foreign service liability on pre-war Territorials, was a powerful handicap to their acceptance by the country as an essential part of the defence forces. In any case the turn of events in August 1914 brought to the War Office a man who had nothing but contempt for the entire concept of the Territorial Force. Asquith relinquished the War Office and appointed Field Marshal Earl Kitchener of as Secretary of State for War. A national hero to much of the British public, Kitchener brought to the War Office the drive and determination that the gravity of the crisis demanded. But he was also woefully ignorant of Britain's military forces and the changes that had taken place. In particular he distrusted the Territorial Force. He because they were dominated by civilians (the Territorials, he remarked, were administered by mayors in their parlours1), and because he saw in them a source of unwelcome pressure for military patronage. He dismissed the training that the Territorials had in peacetime as being of no account, and insisted that well-meaning amateurs (a Town Clerk's Army, he once called them2) could never replace fully-trained soldiers. Kitchener's initial inclination to bypass the Territorials entirely did not long survive and he decided that he would accept the offer of any Territorial unit that volunteered for overseas service. Overall, 318 Territorial battalions undertook foreign service during the war, compared with 404 battalions of New Armies. Not all Territorial units served in . Many, including whole units that had volunteered for service overseas, were kept at home, either as defence against the invasion that never came, or to train new Territorial units. Others, were sent to at the beginning of the war and later, so that Regular units on garrison duty there could be relieved and sent directly into action in Of all the grievances that the Territorials had during and after the war, none were greater than those of the Territorials . Their services there were forgotten, and they were denied any of the honours and medals that would have been their due, and which they were specifically promised. Although they had also fought in Mesopotamia and , they later faced accusations that they had 'saved their skins'. Despite being some of the first volunteers for overseas service, they were among the last to return to England, in some cases more than four years after leaving. They were treated shabbily, but in many ways not very differently from the majority of Territorials. Taken for granted, looked upon with contempt or amused indifference, bypassed in favour of Kitchener's New The Territorials who served in felt that they had been positively discriminated against. As one Territorial put it: I cannot help feeling that the fact that I am a 'territorial' instead of a 'Kitchener' makes it much more difficult to get a decent job - it was the same in India. They select a few Territorial Peers and MPs for good appointments for eye wash for the world at large, but there is not a Territorial Officer living, who does not feel that the Territorials have been badly treated Even worse was in store at the end of the war (see The Despite the War Office's promise that when demobilization began every consideration would be given to those who had volunteered for duty first, that undertaking was also scrapped on the grounds of economic and political expediency. Rather than apply the principle of 'first in, first out', the Government announced that it would release men on an industrial and commercial scale of priorities. The result was that some Territorials were still in almost a year after the war had ended. It was hardly enough to be told that a shortage of shipping prevented their earlier return, especially since, when they did return, they were denied the public honours and welcomes that other troops, often conscripts, had received. who had been 'banished to India', as one of their supporters put it to Scarbrough,4 had every reason to feel let down and abused. One wrote plaintively: 'It's no good moaning'. We Territorials are here in India. Nobody knows anything about us in England, and nobody seems to care about us. We were fools in the start and now must stand the racket.'5 The Surrey Association unanimously passed a resolution condemning the 'shabby' treatment that the had received at the hands of the War Office, but it made no difference. By 1919 the problems of demobilization and the wish to get back to a peacetime routine pushed aside the claims of the Territorials in India, and indeed of the Territorials as a whole, as making an invidious distinction between different sorts of volunteers, and between volunteers David French, British Economic and Strategic Planning 1905- 1915 ( , 1982), p. 126. Viscount Grey of Fallodon, Twenty-five Years, 1892 - 1916 ( , 1925), II, p. 68. in a letter from the Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for the Colonies to Scarbrough, 24 April 1919, Scarbrough Papers. Lieutenant-General Sir Reginald Carew to Scarbrough, 19 January 1919, Scarbrough Papers. Carew was Unionist MP for Bodmin , 1910 -16, and Inspector-General of the Territorial Force in 1914. Carew felt a special concern for the Territorials in India, for, as he explained to Scarbrough, 'I regret to say that I helped K[itchener] by telling the poor Terriers ... who were inclined to trust me, that they must go, and that they could trust K . . .. I suppose you will be able to get the Terriers home some day . . ..' Quoted by Carew to Scarbrough, 19 January 1919. 33 , 7 April 1919, Minutes, vol. 2. Source :- 'The Territorial Army 1906-1940' by Peter Dennis, The Royal Historical Society, 1987. Further reading :-

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The Journal of Technology and Science Education (JOTSE) has been created as a contribution to the development and improvement of scientific and technological education by constituting a common space to share experiences to all those who, somehow, are involved in the teaching and learning processes of engineering studies, in all modalities. In the international arena, the United States ranks low among developed countries with respect to teachers’ salaries relative to the salaries of other college-educated workers. For primary school teachers, the U.S. ranking is 20th of 23 countries. For lower and upper secondary school teachers, the United States is 21st of 23 countries. E. 1981. What Research Says to the Science Teacher. Washington, DC: National Science Teachers Association. Traditionally the high school curriculum has consisted of physics in grade twelve, chemistry in grade eleven, and biology in grade ten. Often schools have moved to second-level courses in each of these three disciplines; at times these advanced courses are titled Advanced Placement and can be counted toward college degrees if scores on national tests are high enough to satisfy colleges. This focus on school science as preparation for college has been a hindrance to the casting of science courses as ways to promote science and technology literacy. I am a full-time teacher of science, biology and maths. My work-load varies from day-to-day depending on my timetable. In general, I start with some prep work followed by classes. Corrections, administration work, preparing experiments and marking exams are all part of the job. Teaching also involves liaising with parents, other teachers, guidance counsellors and other professionals. In my non-contact hours, I am involved in pastoral care, coaching, Young Scientist and various extracurricular activities with the students. There are also parent-teacher meetings, exam supervision and many other tasks associated with the teaching life. Though sometimes demanding and challenging, teaching can be very rewarding. Teacher education can be evaluated and used to improve existing programs. Science should be exciting for young people, giving them skills and opportunities to improve their futures. But not all young people are inspired by science. Some don’t find it relevant to their lives, or know what careers are available. We want to make sure that all young people in the UK have access to a world-class science education. The goal of the R25 Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) program is support pre-kindergarten to grade 12 (P-12) and informal science education activities that: (1) enhance the training of a workforce to meet the nation’s biomedical, behavioral and clinical research needs, and (2) foster a better understanding of NIH-funded biomedical, behavioral and clinical research and its public health implications.

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Important information about your medical records Your patient records are kept in all the places where you receive care. These places can usually only share information from your records by letter, email, fax or phone. At times, this can slow down treatment and sometimes make it hard to access information West Cheshire Care Records are being introduced to improve the safety and quality of patient care. We would like to make sure that you know what is happening and the choices you have. Data sharing databases There are two very different data sharing databases in the country, West Cheshire Summary Care Records and Care.Data. Care.Data is a national scheme implemented by the government which uploads your anonymised medical records to a centralised database. This information is not available to health professionals providing your care, but to universities, pharmaceutical companies and commercial organisations. The aim of this database is so NHS can use this information to get a complete picture of what is happening across health and social care and to plan services according to what works best. West Cheshire Care Records The West Cheshire Care Record concerns direct clinical care for you as a patient. The aim of this scheme is to make your clinical information available to doctors and nurses from other providers (in A&E. GP out of hours centres and GP Extended Hours) should the need arise. You will still be asked to give permission to access your records by the clinician you see. Your medical records will not be shared with any other provider other than local NHS healthcare professionals. This was introduced to improve the safety and quality of your care. Because the Care Record is an electronic record, it will give healthcare staff faster, easier access to essential information about you, and help to give you safe treatment during an emergency or when your GP surgery is closed. All patients are automatically opted into both of these databases. If you are unhappy for your information to be shared in either of these ways we can provide you with a form to complete on request (se below to download the form or ask for one at reception). If you have any concerns about these schemes feel free to speak to a member of the Patient Services team at the surgery who will be pleased to clarify the issues with you. You can find out more on the NHS England Care Data website If you have made an informed choice that you do not agree with this initiative you can sign a petition to Jeremy Hunt the Health Secretary on the link below:

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Among all the States and Union territories, the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union territory of Chandigarh are most urbanized with 97.5 percent and 97.25 percent urban population respectively, followed by Daman and Diu (75.2 percent) and Puducherry (68.3 percent). Among States, Goa is now the most urbanised State with 62.2 percent urban population, a significant increase since 2001 when urban population of Goa was 49.8%. Another significant instance of rapid urbanisation is that of Kerala, its urban population is now 47.7 per cent, while a decade ago it was just 25.9 percent. Among the North-Eastern States, Mizoram is most urbanised with 51.5 per cent urban population, though in terms of absolute contribution to total urban population in the country, Mizoram’s contribution is just 0.1 percent. Similarly Sikkim, which was just 11.0 urbanised a decade ago became almost 25 percent urbanised in 2011. Among major states, Tamil Nadu continues to be the most urbanized state with 48.4 percent of the population living in urban areas followed now by Kerala (47.7 per cent) upstaging Maharashtra (45.2 percent). The proportion of urban population continues to be the lowest in Himachal Pradesh with 10.0 per cent followed by Bihar with 11.3 percent, Assam (14.1 percent) and Orissa (16.7 percent). In terms of absolute number of persons living in urban areas, Maharashtra continues to lead with 50.8 million persons which comprises 13.5 percent of the total urban population of the country. Uttar Pradesh accounts for about 44.4 million, followed by Tamil Nadu at 34.9 million.

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Having a cardiologist is an essential part of your health care. Why? Simple. The heart's the most important organ and you need a doctor, like Dr. Ronald VanderLaan in Grand Rapids, MI, who knows about your medical history. He'll know what you need and what's best for you! What is a cardiologist? A cardiologist is a doctor who specializes in treating heart diseases and heart abnormalities. Cardiologist, unlike a cardiac surgeon, tests, diagnoses, and carries out some procedures. A cardiologist reviews a patient's medical history and performs a physical examination by checking the person's weight, heart, lungs, blood pressure, and blood vessels. A cardiologist may carry out certain procedures such as: heart catheterizations, angioplasty, inserting a pacemaker, angioplasties, stenting, valvuloplasties, congenital heart defect corrections and coronary thrombectomies. What types of heart diseases does a cardiologist help with? - atrial fibrillation - congenital heart disease - coronary heart disease - congestive heart disease - high blood cholesterol - ventricular tachycardia - high blood pressure What tests help cardiologists diagnose heart diseases? - Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) enables your Grand Rapids doctor to evaluate recorded electrical activity of the heart. - Ambulatory ECG records heart rhythms while someone exercises or goes about their regular activities. Your cardiologist places small metal electrodes on to the chest to record the rhythms. - An exercise test shows heart-rhythm changes while a person is resting and exercising to measure the heart's performance. - Echocardiogram provides an ultrasound picture of heart chambers to make it possible for the cardiologist to examine how well the heart is functioning. - Echocardiography measures how well the heart pumps blood and can detect inflammation, structural abnormalities and infections. - Cardiac catheterization is a small tube that collects data and relieves blockage. It also takes pictures to aid doctors in monitoring the heart's electrical system. - Nuclear cardiology is a noninvasive test that uses radioactive materials to study cardiovascular disorders. Are you interested in speaking with a cardiologist? If so, call Dr. Ronald VanderLaan at his Grand Rapids, MI, office at (616) 717-5141 today!

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from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia - n. The domestication of animals; the relations between man and animals which are found in various stages of culture, beginning with the hunting of animals, and developing through toleration of animals as neighbors to domestication. Sorry, no etymologies found. Sorry, no example sentences found. Wordnik is becoming a not-for-profit! Read our announcement here.

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Using medication that reduces or blocks the actions of folic acid during the first trimester of pregnancy (weeks 1-12), increases the risk that the growing baby will develop abnormalities. This conclusion was reached by a team of Epidemiologists, Paediatricians, Clinical Pharmacologists, Obstetricians and Gynaecologists who examined birth and abortion data collected in Israel between 1998 and 2007. The study drew information from 84,832 babies born at Soroka Medical Center, in Beer-Sheva, Israel. It was carried out as part of the PhD dissertation of Mgr. Ilan Matok, supervised by principal investigators Dr. Amalia Levy and Prof. Rafael Gorodischer from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel, in collaboration with the Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada (the BeMORE collaboration). "After studying the data we concluded that first trimester exposure to folic acid antagonists is associated with increased risk for neural tube, cardiovascular and urinary tract defects," says paediatrician and clinical pharmacologist Rafael Gorodischer. Healthcare professionals now encourage women to take folic acid supplements or eat food fortified with folic acid if they are planning to get pregnant as well as during early pregnancy, because there is clear evidence that this reduces the risk of any resulting baby having neural tube defects and possibly other birth defects (congenital malformations). The team considered the effects of two groups of medications on pregnancy. Each group consists of drugs that prevent folic acid working in the body. One group (dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors), prevents folate being converted into its active metabolites and includes trimethoprim, sulfasalazine and methotrexate. The other medications are known to lower serum and tissue concentrations of folate by various mechanisms, and include antiepileptics (carbamazepine, phenytoin, lamotrigine, primidone, valproic acid and phenobarbital), and cholestyramine. "The study shows that exposure to folic acid antagonists in the first trimester of pregnancy, more than doubled the risk of congenital malformations in the fetus, and that neural tube defects, such as spina bifida and malformations of the brain, are increased by more than six fold after exposure to these antagonists," said epidemiologist Dr. Amalia Levy. "Clinicians should try to avoid the use of these drugs whenever possible in women contemplating pregnancy," concluded Gorodischer. Source: Wiley (news : web) Explore further: Smoking rates on the rise in New York City

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Interface Dynamics in Geophysical Flows - EarthFlows The dynamics of interface processes during flows on Earth, including the geosphere, the hydrosphere, the cryosphere, and the atmosphere, including the behavior of the complex interfaces separating ‘Fluid Earth’ from ‘Solid Earth’. The goal for the EarthFlows research group is to provide fundamentally new understanding of the dynamics of fluid-solid interfaces for a number of important geophysical systems. Geophysical flow processes provide first order controls on the evolution of the Earth’s crust and near-surface environments, including the hydrosphere, the atmosphere, the cryosphere and even the biosphere. The flow may include magmas, water and air, or chemically and physically more complex fluids such as hydrocarbons, CO2-water mixtures, and fluid-solid mixtures. Moreover, several rocks as well as ice, can behave both as solids or fluids, depending on the relevant time scales. The solid Earth provides the boundary conditions for a variety of flow processes on all scales. These boundaries, the interfaces between the Earth and the Flows, can be highly complex and evolve in time as a result of interactions between the flows and the solid Earth. Occasionally, the solid and the fluid may even be mixed to form a complex multiphase 3D boundary (volume) between solid and fluid components, such as in avalanches, landslides and in many types of reactive fluid flows into porous rocks. Despite the variety of such interfaces in natural systems, their dynamics can be adequately described with a very limited set of mathematical concepts and equations, enabling a focused approach to a large number of geophysical processes. The Earth-Flow boundary also represents a rarely crossed scientific frontier between specialists in fluid dynamics and fluid flow processes and researchers focused on the solid materials of the Earth. The dynamics of the solid-fluid boundary is rarely studied in detail as this requires an interdisciplinary group of researchers, with expertise both in the dynamics of the fluid and the solid Earth, and with theoretical, numerical, observational and experimental expertise. Lacking insights into the dynamics of the solid-fluid boundaries seriously limits the understanding of a large range of geophysical flow processes. The research in EarthFlows are conducted in six interdisciplinary research themes: The flow of magma in the Earth’s crust involves flowing viscous magma that interplays with host rock of visco-elasto-plastic rheology through the moving magma/host interface. In this project we aim to design a mechanical model of magma flow through the Earth’s crust. Understanding fluid flow in porous media is relevant for a whole range of applications both within and outside the Earth Sciences. In this project we aim to ivenstigate the migration of reactive fluids in rocks that are under significant differential stress even before fluid migration starts. Close to the Earth’s surface, the water that fills cracks and pore space in rocks and soil may experience freezing temperatures and cause fractures in the elements. The 'Frost driven fracturing' project is an experimental study in a simplified, model fracture with the goal to study the coupling between stress-build up and strain due to ice growth, water transport and fracture evolution. Mass loss from glaciers represents the largest (65%) contribution to observed sea level rise. In addition to melting they lose mass in different dynamical processes such as calving of fast flowing glaciers. The aim of this project is to develop a novel thermo-dynamical model that describes the observed large spatio-temporal variability of fast glacier sliding, applying current theory of interface friction. Flows in the Earth's interior are often heterogeneous, with different solid constituents surrounded by fluid or gas. Turbulence occours at all kinds of interfaces, those which separate a fluid and a solid and those between fluids with different flow properties or compositions, most notably density. This is called boundary layers, and are common in diverse physical systems, from the atmosphere to the ocean and in pipe flows. The intention of this project is to examine aspects of a coupled interface system. - Piotr Szymczak, Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of Warsaw - Joachim Mathiesen, The Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen The reserach group is hosted by the Department of Geosciences. EarthFlows is a strategic research initiative selected by the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Oslo. The group has funding for five PhDs and one Postdoc during the period 2015 – 2019 from the University of Oslo. In addition, our activity is supported from two ERC Advanced grants (‘DIME’ and ‘ICEMASS’) and several grants from the Norwegian Research Council. EarthFlows also receives support from UiO to the research section Physics of Geological Processes at the Department of Geosciences.

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Introduction to 3D Printing and Rapid Prototyping 3D printing, also known as rapid prototyping, is a mechanized method whereby 3D objects are quickly made on a reasonably-sized machine connected to a computer containing blueprints for the object. The 3D printing concept of custom manufacturing is exciting to nearly everyone. This revolutionary method for creating 3D models with the use of inkjet technology saves time and cost by eliminating the need to design; print and glue together separate model parts. Now, you can create a complete model in a single process using 3D printing. The basic principles include materials cartridges, flexibility of output, and translation of code into a visible pattern. Current 3D printing machines are fancy machines used by professional product designers, engineers, architects, and surgeons, who use them to make models to use in presentations for clients and students. Present-day 3D printers work using various materials such as sawdust and glue, which can be pressed into 3D structures as long as the design allows layers to be applied incrementally. 3D Printing Capabilities: As anticipated, this modern technology has smoothed the path for numerous new possibilities in various fields. The list below details the advantages of 3D printing in certain fields. 1. Product formation is currently the main use of 3D printing technology. These machines allow designers and engineers to test out ideas for dimensional products cheaply before committing to expensive tooling and manufacturing processes. 2. 3D printing has emerged in to the Medical Field. These manufacturing machines have the capability to help save lives. Surgeons using 3d printing machines to print body parts for reference before complex surgeries. Other machines are used to construct bone grafts for patients who have suffered traumatic injuries. Looking further in the future, research is underway as scientists are working on creating replacement organs. 3. Apart from saving lives, 3D printing can be used to solve crimes. 3D printing is used by crime scene investigators for forensic purposes in real life. 4. Architects need to create mockups of their designs. 3D printing allows them to come up with these mockups in a short period of time and with a higher degree of accuracy. 5. This new technological concept is exciting to nearly everyone including artists. 3D printing allows artists to create objects that would be incredibly difficult, costly, or time intensive using traditional processes. 3D Saves Time and Cost 3D printing has created a leap forward for product developers and small manufacturers. No longer are businesses forced to invest tedious man power and time in order to produce an efficient model for their design. Creating complete models in a single process using 3D printing has great benefits. This innovative technology has been proven to save companies time, manpower and money. Companies providing 3D printing solutions have brought to life an efficient and competent technological product. Read more on 3D Printers by Objet written by Samantha , January 26, 2012 i really am grateful for those of the people who have came up with the invention of a 3d printer! i believe it will come in handy dandy one of these days! |< Prev||Next >|

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