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Tuscaloosa, located at the falls of the Black Warrior River in west central Alabama, is the the fifth-largest city in Alabama with a population of 90,468, and the seat of Tuscaloosa County. It is named for the Choctaw chieftain Tuskalusa (meaning Black Warrior), who battled and was defeated by Hernando de Soto in 1540 in the Battle of Mauvila. Best known as the home of the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa is also the center of industry, commerce, healthcare, and education for the region commonly known as West Alabama. The area at the fall line of what would be later known as the Black Warrior River had long been well known to the various Indian tribes whose shifting fortunes brought them to West Alabama. The river shoals at Tuscaloosa represented the southernmost site on the river which could be forded under most conditions. Inevitably, a network of Indian trails converged upon the place, the same network which, in the first years of the 19th Century began to lead a few white frontiersmen to the area. The pace of white settlement increased greatly after the War of 1812, and a small assortment of log cabins soon arose near the large Creek village at the fall line of the river, which the settlers named in honor of the legendary Chief Tuscaloosa. In 1817, Alabama became a territory, and on December 13, 1819, the territorial legislature incorporated the town of Tuscaloosa, exactly one day before the United States Congress admitted Alabama to the Union as a state. From 1826 to 1846 Tuscaloosa was the capital of Alabama. During this period, in 1831, the University of Alabama was established. The town's population and economy grew rapidly until the departure of the capital to Montgomery caused a rapid decline in population. Establishment of the Bryce State Hospital for the Insane in Tuscaloosa in the 1850s helped restore the city's fortunes. During the Civil War following Alabama's secession from the Union, several thousand men from Tuscaloosa fought in the Confederate armies. During the last weeks of the War, a brigade of Union troops raiding the city burned the campus of the University of Alabama. Tuscaloosa, too, suffered much damage from the battle and shared fully in the South's economic sufferings which followed the defeat. The construction of a system of locks and dams on the Black Warrior River by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 1890s opened up an inexpensive link to the Gulf seaport of Mobile, stimulating especially the mining and metallurgical industries of the region. By the advent of the 20th Century, the growth of the University of Alabama and the mental health-care facilities in the city, along with strong national economy fueled a steady growth in Tuscaloosa which continued unabated for 100 years. Manufacturing plants of large firms such as Michelin and JVC located in town during the latter half of the 20th Century. However, it was the announcement of the addition of the Mercedes-Benz US International assembly plant in 1993 that best personified the new era of economic prosperity for Tuscaloosa. Geography and climate According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Tuscaloosa has a total area of 66.7 square miles. 56.2 mi² of it is land and 10.5 mi² of it (15.7%) is water. Most of water within the city limits is in Lake Tuscaloosa, which is entirely in the city limits, and the Black Warrior River. Tuscaloosa lies approximately 60 miles southwest of Birmingham, at the fall line of the Black Warrior River on the boundary between the Appalachian Highland and the Gulf Coastal Plain approximately 120 miles upriver from its confluence with the Tombigbee River in Demopolis. Consequently, the geography of the area around Tuscaloosa is quite diverse, being hilly and forested to the northeast and low-lying and marshy to the southwest. The area experiences a typical Southern subtropical climate with four distinct seasons. The Gulf of Mexico heavily influences the climate by supplying the region with warm, moist air. During the fall, winter and spring seasons, the interaction of this warm, moist air with cooler, drier air from the North along fronts create precipitation. Notable exceptions occur during hurricane season where storms may move from due south to due north or even from east to west during land-falling hurricanes. The interaction between low- and high-pressure air masses is most pronounced during the severe weather seasons in the spring and fall. During the summer, the jet streams flows well to the north of the southeastern U.S., and most precipitation is consequently convectional, that is, caused by the warm surface heating the air above. Winter lasts from mid-December to late-February; temperatures range from the mid-20s to the mid-50s. On average, the low temperature falls at freezing or below about 50 days a year. While rain is abundant (an average 5.09 in. per month from Dec.-Feb.), measurable snowfall is rare; the average annual snowfall is about 0.6 inches. Spring usually lasts from late-February to mid-May; temperatures range from the mid-50s to the low-80s and monthly rainfall amounts average about 5.05 in. (128 mm) per month. Summers last from mid-May to mid-September; temperatures range from the upper-60s to the mid-90s, with temperatures above 100°F not uncommon, and average rainfall dip slightly to 3.97 in. per month. Autumn, which spans from mid-September to early-December, tends to be similar to Spring terms of temperature and precipitation. As of the census of 2000 there were 77,906 people, 31,381 households, and 16,945 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,385.2/mi². There were 34,857 housing units at an average density of 619.8/mi². The racial makeup of the city was 54% White and 43% Black or African American. 1.40% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 31,381 households out of which 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.0% were married couples living together, 15.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.0% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.93. In the city the population was spread out with 19.8% under the age of 18, 24.5% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males. The median income for a household in the city was $27,731, and the median income for a family was $41,753. Males had a median income of $31,614 versus $24,507 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,129. About 14.2% of families and 23.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.3% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over. Government and Politics Tuscaloosa has a strong-mayor variant, mayor-council form of government, led by a mayor and a seven-member city council. The mayor is elected by the city at-large and serves four-year terms. Council members are elected to single-member districts every four years as well. Neither the mayor nor the members of the city council is term-limited. All elected offices are nonpartisan. The mayor administers the day-to-day operations of the city, including overseeing the various city departments, over whom he has hiring and firing power. The mayor also acts as ambassador of the city. The mayor sits in city council meetings and has a tie-breaking vote. The current Mayor of Tuscaloosa is Walter Maddox, who was elected to office is September 2005. Prior to Maddox, Alvin A. DuPont had served as mayor for 24 years. The city council is a legislative body that considers policy and passes law. The council also passes the budget for mayoral approval. Any resolution passed by the council is binding law. The majority of work in the council is done by committee, a usually consisting of a chairman, two other council members, and relevant non-voting city employees. |3||Cynthia Lee Almond||2005| |7||William Tinker, III||2005| Tuscaloosa, as the largest county seat in western Alabama, serves a hub of state and federal government agencies. In addition to the customary offices associated with the county courthouse, namely two District Court Judges, six Circuit Court Judges, the District Attorney and the Public Defender, several Alabama state government agencies have regional offices in Tuscaloosa, such as the Alabama Department of Transportation and the Alabama State Troopers. Also, several federal agencies operate bureaus out of the Federal Courthouse in Tuscaloosa. Tuscaloosa is located partially in both the 6th and 7th Congressional Districts, which are represented by Spencer Bachus and Artur Davis respectively. On the state level, the city is split among the 5th, 21st, and 24th Senate districts and 62nd, 63rd, and 70th House districts in the Alabama State Legislature. Despite its image as a college town, Tuscaloosa boasts a diversified economy based on all sectors of manufacturing and service. 25% of the labor force in the Tuscaloosa Metropolitan Statistical area is employed by the federal, state, and local government agencies. 16.7% is employed in manufacturing; 16.4% in retail trade and transportation; 11.6% in finance, information, and private enterprise; 10.3% in mining and construction; and 9.2% in hospitality. Education and healthcare account for only 7.2% of the area workforce with the remainder employed in other services. The city's industrial base includes Elk Corporation of Alabama, Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa, BF Goodrich Tire Manufacturing, JVC America, Phifer Incorporated, Gulf States Paper Corporation, and the Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc., assembly plant. Health-care and education serve as the cornerstone of Tuscaloosa's service sector, which includes the University of Alabama, DCH Regional Medical Center, Bryce State Mental Hospital, the William D. Partlow Developmental Center, and the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center. The University of Alabama is the dominant institution of higher learning. Enrolling approximately 24,000 students, UA has been a part of Tuscaloosa's identity since it opened its doors in 1831. Stillman College, which opened in 1875, is a historically Black liberal arts college which enrolls approximately 1,200 students. Additionally, Shelton State Community College, one of the largest in Alabama, is located in the city. The school enrolls 8,000 students from all backgrounds and income levels. The Tuscaloosa City School System serves the city. It is overseen by the Board of Education, which is composed of eight members elected by district and a chairman is elected by a citywide vote. Operating with a $100 million budget, the system enrolls approximately 10,300 students. The system consists of 19 schools: 11 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 3 high schools (Paul Bryant High School, Central High School, and Northridge High School), and 2 specialty schools (the Tuscaloosa Center for Technology and Oak Hill School for special needs students). In 2002, the system spent $6,313 per pupil, the 19th highest amount of the 120 school systems in the state. Tuscaloosa is home to a variety of cultural sites and events reflective of its historical and modern role in Alabama and the Southeast in general. Many of these cultural events are sponsored by the University of Alabama. Numerous performing arts groups and facilities, historical sites, and museums dedicated to subjects as varying as American art and collegiate football dot the city. During football season the area known as "The Strip" pulsates with students, alumni, locals and visitors. The Tuscaloosa Public Library is a city/county agency with nearly 200,000 items on catalog. 46,857 registered patrons use the library on a regular basis — roughly 28 % of the population of the county. There are currently with three branches: the Main Branch on Jack Warner Parkway, the Weaver-Bolden Branch, and the Brown Branch in Taylorville. Most of the museums in Tuscaloosa are found downtown or on the campus of the University. Downtown is the home of Children’s Hands-On Museum of Tuscaloosa and the Murphy African-American Museum. The Alabama Museum of Natural History and the Paul Bryant Museum are located on the University campus. The Westervelt-Warner Museum of American Art is located in northern Tuscaloosa at Jack Warner's NorthRiver Yacht Club. Moundville Archaeological Park and the Jones Archaeological Museum are located 15 miles south of Tuscaloosa in Moundville. The University Alabama also currently fields championship–caliber teams in football, men's baseball, men's and women's basketball, women's gymnastics, and women's softball. These teams play in athletics facilities on the University campus, including Bryant-Denny Stadium, Coleman Coliseum, Sewell-Thomas Baseball Stadium, Alabama Softball Complex, and the Ol' Colony Golf Complex. Stillman College fields teams in football, basketball, and other sports. In the past decade, Stillman has gone through a renaissance of renovations, including a new football stadium. Shelton State fields men's and women's basketball, baseball, and softball teams, each with on-campus facilities. Tuscaloosa is part of the Birmingham-Tuscaloosa-Anniston television market, which is the 40th largest in the nation. All major networks have a presence in the market. WBMA-LP is the ABC affiliate, WIAT-TV is the CBS affiliate, WBRC 6 is the Fox affiliate, WVTM-TV is the NBC affiliate, WBIQ 10 is the PBS affiliate, WTTO is the CW affiliate, and WABM is the MyNetworkTV affiliate. Additionally, WVUA-CA, an independent station, is operated by the University of Alabama. Health and medicine DCH Regional Medical Center is the main medical facility in Tuscaloosa. Other major medical centers in Tuscaloosa include the 702-bed VA Medical Center and the 422-bed Bryce State Mental Hospital. The city lies at the intersection of U.S. Highway 11, U.S. Highway 43, and U.S. Highway 82, Alabama State Route 69, Alabama State Route 215, and Alabama State Route 216) and the duplexed (conjoined) I-20 and I-59. Interstate 359 spurs off from I-20/I-59 and heads northward, ending just shy of the Black Warrior River in downtown Tuscaloosa. Tuscaloosa is served by the Tuscaloosa Transit Authority which operates the Tuscaloosa Trolley System. The Tuscaloosa Regional Airport, is located on the north side of the Black Warrior River west of downtown Northport. Barge traffic routinely transports goods along the Black Warrior River from Birmingham and Tuscaloosa to the Alabama State Docks at Mobile, on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Via the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, the city is connected to the Ohio River valley. "Tuscaloosa, Alabama." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 26 April 2007, 02:03 UTC . Accessed 30 April 2007.

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... Structure and function 2.1 Rate of enzyme mediated ... reactions in one direction. Rate of enzyme mediated Main article: Rate of enzyme mediated Enzymes can increase reaction rate ... ... kinetics describe the rate of enzyme mediated reactions for many enzymes. It is named for ... To determine the maximum rate of an enzyme mediated reaction, the substrate concentration ( [S] ) ... , the factors that effect the rate of enzyme mediated reactions (ie. pH, temperature, etc) are at ... ... Active transport is the mediated transport of biochemicals , and other atomic / molecular substances, across membranes . Unlike passive transport , this process requires ... ... that action potentials do propagate back into the dendrites once initiated in the axon in most neurons. This backpropagating action potential is mediated by the activation of voltage-gated ion channels and can interact with synaptic input to alter the synaptic activity. The structure and branching of ... ... ) is a process of passive transport ( diffusion ) via which molecules diffuse across membranes , with the help of transport proteins ( mediated Small uncharged molecules can easily diffuse across cell membranes. However, due to the hydrophobic nature of the lipids that make ... ... thousands of other cells. Types of signalling Neurons communicate with one another across synapses. This communication is usually chemically mediated by rapid secretion of neurotransmitter molecules . Pre-synaptic neurons (i.e.the neurons which release the neurotransmitter) may produce in the ...

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(Redirected from George C. Marshall George Catlett Marshall (December 31, 1880–October 16, 1959), was an American military leader and statesman best remembered for his leadership in the Allied victory in World War II and for his work establishing the post-war reconstruction effort for Europe, which became known as the Marshall Plan. Marshall was born into a middle-class family in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. While attending Virginia Military Institute he was initiated into the now dormant Beta('01) chapter of Kappa Alpha Order . In 1948, he was awarded the Distiguished Achievement Award for his role and contributions during and after WWII. Marshall was instrumental in getting the U.S. Army and Army Air Corps reorganized and ready for war. Marshall wrote the document that would become the central strategy for all Allied operations in Europe, selected Dwight Eisenhower as Supreme Commander in Europe, and designed Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy. Throughout the remainder of the World War II, Marshall coordinated all Allied operations in Europe and the Pacific. He was characterized as the organizer of Allied victory by Winston Churchill. Time Magazine named Marshall Man of the Year in 1944. After WW II he was sent to China to negotiate a truce and build a coalition government between the Nationalists and Communists fighting the Chinese Civil War. His efforts failed and he was recalled in January 1947. Marshall 'retired' in November 1945 and was named Secretary of State in 1947. As such, on June 5, 1947 at a speech at Harvard University, he outlined the U.S. government's preparedness to contribute to European recovery. The European Recovery Plan, which became known as the Marshall Plan, helped Europe quickly rebuild and earned Marshall the honor of being named TIME's Man of the Year in 1948 and awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953. In 1949 he resigned from the State Department and was named president of the American National Red Cross. He was named Secretary of Defense in 1950, but retired from politics for good in 1951 after Senator Joseph McCarthy implied he was a traitor and denounced him for making decisions that "aided the Communist drive for world domination". Marshall died on October 16, 1959. He married Elizabeth Carter Cole of Lexington, Virginia in 1902. She died in 1927. 1930 he married Katherine Boyce Tupper Brown. After graduating from the Virginia Military Institute in 1901, he entered the U.S. Army, where he was to have a long and distinguished career. Until World War I, he was posted to various positions in the US and the Philippines, and was trained in modern warfare. During the War he had roles as a planner of both training and operations. Between WWI and WWII, he was a key planner and writer in the War Department, spent three years in China, and taught at the Army War College. He went to France in the summer of 1917 as the director of training and planning for the 1st Infantry Division. In mid-1918, he was promoted to American Expeditionary Forces headquarters, where he was a key planner of American operations. He was instrumental in the design and coordination of the Meuse-Argonne offensive, which forced Germany to sue for peace. In 1919 he became an aide-de-camp to General John J. Pershing. Between 1920 and 1924, while Pershing was Army Chief of Staff, Marshall worked in a number of positions in the US Army, focusing on training and teaching modern, mechanised warfare. He was promoted to Brigadier General in October 1936. In 1939 he was selected by Franklin D. Roosevelt to be Army Chief of Staff, a position he held until 1945. Dates of rank - Second Lieutenant, United States Army: February 2, 1902 - First Lieutenant, United States Army: March 7, 1907 - Captain, United States Army: July 1, 1916 - Major, National Army: August 5, 1917 - Lieutenant Colonel, National Army: January 5, 1918 - Colonel, National Army: August 27, 1918 - Major, Regular Army (reverted to permanent rank): July 1, 1920 - Lieutenant Colonel, Regular Army: August 21, 1923 - Colonel, Regular Army: September 1, 1933 - Brigadier General, Regular Army: October 1, 1936 - Major General, Regular Army: September 1, 1939 - General, Regular Army, for service as Army Chief of Staff: September 1, 1939 - General of the Army, Army of the United States: December 16, 1944 - General of the Army rank made permanent in the Regular Army: April 11, 1946 Notes about components: - United States Army: Regular U.S. Armed Forces prior to World War I - National Army: Combined conscript and regular United States forces during World War I - Regular Army: Regular volunteer forces after 1930. Considered "career" professionals - Army of the United States: Combined draft and regular forces of World War II. Awards and decorations "We are determined that before the sun sets on this terrible struggle, Our Flag will be recognized throughout the World as a symbol of Freedom on the one hand and of overwhelming force on the other." -- George Marshall (May 29, 1942, Larry I. Bland and Sharon Ritenour Stevens, ed. The Papers of George Catlett Marshall, Vol 3 pp. 212-14.) "I couldn't sleep nights, George, if you were out of Washington." -President Roosevelt, reported by Henry Stimson, 1943 “...what a joy it must be to [Marshall] to see how the armies he called into being by his own genius have won immortal renown. He is the true 'organizer of victory.’” Winston Churchill, 1945 "A man devoted to the daily study of war on several continents with all the ardour of a certified public accountant." - Alistair Cooke, 1959 "Hitherto I had thought of Marshall as a rugged soldier and a magnificent organizer and builder of armies - the American Carnot. But now I saw that he was a statesman with a penetrating and commanding view of the whole scene." - Winston Churchill |- style="text-align: center;" | width="30%" |Preceded by: Louis A. Johnson | width="40%" style="text-align: center;" |United States Secretary of Defense | width="30%" |Succeeded by: Robert A. Lovett

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Brookhaven National Laboratory was established in 1947 on the eastern end of Long Island at the former site of the U.S. Army’s Camp Upton. Originally built out of a post-World War II desire to explore the peaceful applications of atomic energy, the Laboratory now has a broader mission: to perform basic and applied research at the frontiers of science, including nuclear and high-energy physics; physics and chemistry of materials; nanoscience; energy and environmental research; national security and nonproliferation; neurosciences and medical imaging; structural biology; and computational sciences. Over its history, Brookhaven Lab has housed three research reactors, numerous one-of-a-kind particle accelerators, and other cutting-edge research facilities responsible for discoveries leading to many advances for science and society as well as seven Nobel Prizes. Brookhaven was originally conceived, in part, to establish a national laboratory in the Northeastern United States to design, construct and operate large scientific machines that individual institutions could not afford to develop on their own. Throughout the years, Brookhaven’s scientists and visiting researchers have used these unique facilities to make discoveries in biology, physics, chemistry, geophysics, medicine, and materials science. Since Brookhaven opened its doors, countless innovations and inventions by staff and visiting scientists have contributed to research in many fields. Discoveries made here have shaped our understanding of the atom and the universe, advanced medical imaging techniques, and created new technology and tools for studying microbiology, climate and pollutants, energy storage and more.

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Fun Classroom Activities The 20 enjoyable, interactive classroom activities that are included will help your students understand the text in amusing ways. Fun Classroom Activities include group projects, games, critical thinking activities, brainstorming sessions, writing poems, drawing or sketching, and more that will allow your students to interact with each other, be creative, and ultimately grasp key concepts from the text by "doing" rather than simply studying. 1. A Year from Now Where will Bone be and how will she be feeling a year from now? Write a one page description of Bone's life a year after the end of the book from Bone's perspective. 2. The Monster Within When Bone's anger is described, it seems to grow and even take form. Take one of the descriptions for Bone's anger and rage and draw it. 3. Bone's Poetry Write a poem as if you are Bone. The poem can be... This section contains 555 words| (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page)

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Description: Over the last thirty years, scholars have begun to explore the implications of an ancient Jewish and Christian tradition that referred to the “Minor Prophets” as “the Twelve,” “the Twelve Prophets,” or the “Book of the Twelve.” Scholarly work on the Book of the Twelve in the last quarter century has focused on two issues in particular: 1) Developing models regarding how the Book of the Twelve came to be recorded on a single scroll, and 2) Isolating unifying elements that transcend the individual writings and take on new significance when the Book of the Twelve becomes a single collection rather than twelve distinct writings. Dr. Nogalski’s comprehensive and accessible commentary offers an overview of the ancient traditions concerning the Book of the Twelve that lay the foundation for understanding these recent developments. Subjects: Bible, Hebrew Bible / Old Testament, Prophetic Literature, Book of the Twelve, Literature, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi Review by Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer Read the Review Citation: Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer, review of James D. Nogalski, The Book of the Twelve, Review of Biblical Literature [http://www.bookreviews.org] (2012). Adobe Acrobat Reader All RBL reviews are published in PDF format. To view these reviews, you must have downloaded and installed the FREE version of Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have the Reader or you have an older version of the Reader, you can download the most recent version now.

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Simply begin typing or use the editing tools above to add to this article. Once you are finished and click submit, your modifications will be sent to our editors for review. female Finn Dorset sheep that lived from 1996 to 2003, the first successfully cloned mammal, produced by Scottish geneticist Ian Wilmut and colleagues of the Roslin Institute, near Edinburgh. The announcement in February 1997 of the world’s first clone of an adult animal was a milestone in science, dispelling decades of presumption that adult mammals could not be cloned and igniting a debate... ...senior scientific officer at the Animal Breeding Research Organisation (ABRO; renamed Edinburgh Research Station of the Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics Research in 1985 and finally Roslin Institute in 1993), a government-supported research facility located in Roslin, Scot., just south of Edinburgh. At the ABRO facility, Wilmut studied embryo development and became interested in... What made you want to look up "Roslin Institute"? Please share what surprised you most...

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RR Lyrae starArticle Free Pass RR Lyrae star, any of a group of old giant stars of the class called pulsating variables (see variable star) that pulsate with periods of about 0.2–1 day. They belong to the broad Population II class of stars (see Populations I and II) and are found mainly in the thick disk and halo of the Milky Way Galaxy and often in globular clusters. There are several subclasses—designated RRa, RRb, RRc, and RRd—based on the manner in which the light varies with time. The intrinsic luminosities of RR Lyrae stars are relatively well-determined, which makes them useful as distance indicators. What made you want to look up "RR Lyrae star"? Please share what surprised you most...

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The history of the British Isles and its inhabitants, both human and canine, has long been entwined. Breed reveals the enduring and affectionate relationship between the British people and their dogs and explores the very beginnings of pedigree dog breeding in Britain. This is a "self delivery" pack which has been designed specifically for National Science and Engineering Week 2013. The science behind fingeprints is well known! What is not so well known is the link between fingerprints and footprints. Right Angle Events have launched a new education pack called ‘Toes for Turf’ comprising at least 4 hours of fun teaching material linked to Key Stage 1-4 Mathematics. We have designed a fantastic scheme especially for National Science & Engineering Week called "Toes For Turf". The science behind fingerprints is well known. What is not so well known is the science behind footprints or "feet prints". This activity enables students to take, classify and "lift" both fingerprints and foot prints. As the research on footprints is meagre, this scheme will allow students to make some discoveries about the correlation or otherwise between fingerprints and feet prints. We will be running a science club for children from the junior school for 8 weeks before science week. Children will be working on projects designed by local scientists and making posters to show what they've done. A competition will be held and prizes will be given for the best posters and projects. During science week we'll have a science day for the whole school. Local scientists will come to the school and we'll have science themed activities all day. Imagine you are part of the team planning and designing the first manned mission to Mars. Your job is to investigate just one problem of the mission, and come up with an idea that might solve it. You’re asked to create a poster, no bigger than A1-sized, to explain the problem and your idea. The idea can be anything you like, but it must be based on real-science. The competition is for Years 7, 8, or 9. We can accept both individual and team entries. All Posters must be received by us by 4pm 12th March 2013. You can hand your posters in through participating schools and STEM clubs. Primary School competition - teams of four to prepare a 5 minute demo and supporting display on the theme of Inventions and Discoveries. Winning team from each school to compete at Chipping Campden School Primary Science Conference on March 18th. An egg race type activity will also form part of the competition. A demo lecture will finish the proceedings.

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What is bone cancer? Bone is the framework that supports the body. Most bones are hollow. Bone marrow is the soft tissue inside hollow bones. The main substance of bone is made up of a network of fibrous tissue onto which calcium salts are laid down. This makes the bone very hard and strong. At each end of the bone is a softer bone-like tissue called cartilage that acts as a cushion between bones. The outside of the bone is covered with a layer of fibrous tissue. The bone itself contains 2 kinds of cells. Osteoblasts are cells that form the bone. Osteoclasts are cells that dissolve bone. Although we think that bone does not change, the truth is that it is very active. New bone is always forming and old bone dissolving. The marrow of some bones is only fatty tissue. In other bones the marrow is a mixture of fat cells and the cells that make blood cells. These blood-forming cells make red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Types of bone tumors Most of the time when someone is told they have cancer in their bones, the doctor is talking about a cancer that started somewhere else and then spread to the bone. This is called metastatic cancer (not bone cancer). This can happen to people with many different types of advanced cancer, such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, and many others. Under a microscope, theses cancer cells in the bone look like the cancer cells that they came from. If someone has lung cancer that has spread to the bone, the cells there will look and act like lung cancer cells and they will be treated the same way. To learn more about cancer that has spread to bone, please see the American Cancer Society document Bone Metastasis, as well as the document on the place where the cancer started (Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer (Non-Small Cell), Prostate Cancer, etc.). Other kinds of cancers that are sometimes called “bone cancers” start in the bone marrow – in the blood-forming cells – not the bone itself. These are not true bone cancers. The most common of these is multiple myeloma. Certain lymphomas (which more often start in lymph nodes) and all leukemias start in bone marrow. To learn more about these cancers, refer to the document for each. A primary bone tumor starts in the bone itself. True (or primary) bone cancers are called sarcomas. A sarcoma is a cancer that starts in bone, muscle, tendons, ligaments, fat tissue, or some other tissues in the body. There are different types of bone tumors. Their names are based on the bone or tissue that is involved and the kind of cells that make up the tumor. Some are cancer (malignant). Others are not cancer (benign). Most bone cancers are called sarcomas. Benign bone tumors do not spread to other tissues and organs. They can usually be cured by surgery. The information here does not cover benign bone tumors. Bone tumors that are cancer (malignant) Osteosarcoma: Osteosarcoma (also called osteogenic sarcoma) is the most common true bone cancer. It is most common in young people between the ages of 10 and 30. But about 10% of cases are people in their 60s and 70s. This cancer is rare during middle age. More males than females get this cancer. These tumors start most often in bones of the arms, legs, or pelvis. This type of bone cancer is not discussed in this document, but is covered in detail in our document, Osteosarcoma. Chondrosarcoma: This is cancer of the cartilage cells. Cartilage is a softer form of bone-like tissue. Chondrosarcoma is the second most common true bone cancer. It is rare in people younger than 20. After age 20, the risk of this cancer keeps on rising until about age 75. Women get this cancer as often as men. Chondrosarcomas can develop in any place where there is cartilage. It most often starts in cartilage of the pelvis, leg, or arm, but it can start in many other places, too. Chondrosarcomas are given a grade, which measures how fast they grow. The lower the grade, the slower the cancer grows. When cancer grows slowly, the chance that it will spread is lower and the outlook is better. There are also some special types of chondrosarcoma that respond differently to treatment and have a different outlook for the patient. These special types look different when seen under a microscope. Ewing tumor: This cancer is also called Ewing sarcoma. It is named after Dr. James Ewing, the doctor who first described it in 1921. It is the third most common bone cancer. Most Ewing tumors start in bones, but they can start in other tissues and organs. This cancer is most common in children and teenagers. It is rare in adults older than 30. This type of bone cancer is not discussed in this document, but is covered in detail in our document, Ewing Family of Tumors. Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH): This cancer more often starts in the soft tissues around bones (such as ligaments, tendons, fat, and muscle) rather than in the bone itself. If it starts in the bones, it most often affects the legs or arms. It usually occurs in older and middle-aged adults. MFH mostly tends to grow into nearby tissues, but it can spread to distant sites, like the lungs. (Another name for this cancer is pleomorphic undifferentiated sarcoma.) Fibrosarcoma: This is another type of cancer that starts more often in “soft tissues” than it does in the bones. Fibrosarcoma usually occurs in older and middle-aged adults. Leg, arm, and jaw bones are most often affected. Giant cell tumor of bone: This type of bone tumor has both benign (not cancer) and malignant forms. The benign form is most common. These don’t often spread to distant sites, but after surgery they tend to come back where they started. Each time they come back after surgery they are more likely to spread to other parts of the body. These tumors often affect the arm or leg bones of young and middle-aged adults. Chordoma: This tumor usually occurs in the base of the skull and bones of the spine. It is found most often in adults older than 30. It is about twice as common in men than in women. Chordomas tend to grow slowly and usually do not spread to other parts of the body. But they often come back in the same place if they are not removed completely. When they do spread, they tend to go to the lymph nodes, lungs, and liver. Last Medical Review: 12/05/2012 Last Revised: 01/24/2013

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Biomass plants generate electricity by burning what otherwise would be waste: brushy undergrowth that's been cleared from forests. The U.S. Forest Service estimates that on California national forest lands alone, there are easily 500,000 acres per year that should be thinned to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire. But to Tom Christoff of the Placer County Air Pollution Control District it's not only about reducing forest fires and producing electricity. He says by burning this waste in controlled emission plant, instead of in smoky piles in the forest: CHRISTOFF: "The benefits are huge, on the order of 95 percent reduction on particulate matter, 60 to 70 percent reduction on nitrous oxides, and considerable percentrage on carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds." Christoff says independent studies showed this would lead to demonstrable health benefits. That's one of the many reasons Placer County is planning to build a 2 megawatt biomass plant on county-owned land just outside Truckee. Transportation cost is a complicating factor. It's much cheaper to burn the biomass in a pile in the forest than to truck it to a facility, says Kerri Timmer, who works for the state's Sierra Nevada Conservancy. TIMMER: "And there's at this point no guarantee for what price will be paid for the power that's generated using the material. So it's hard to get all of these commitments lined up to a point where an investor would feel comfortable in putting a lot of money into this up front." But recent legislation should help. A bill passed this year requires California's three biggest energy producers to purchase 50 megawatts of energy generated from forest biomass power plants. That's about enough electricity to power 50,000 homes.

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The transportation sector is responsible for an enormous amount of pollution, from fuel extraction and processing to greenhouse gas emissions and smog. Thankfully, old and new technologies alike can help us clean up our footprint as we get from here to there. Here are three options to consider. 1. Cargo Bike A cool trend in green transportation is the use of cargo bikes (sometimes called pedicabs), mainly in cities. The idea is that pedal power transports people or bins of cargo (see photo above) — meaning goods can be delivered and people can get around without the use of fuel. Some companies that operate locally are even delivering their goods with bike power. You can create your own cargo bike by hooking a small cart to the back of your bicycle. You can take your recycling to the recycling center or take trips to the store or farmers market and transport your goods home without relying on a vehicle. To learn much more about this trend, see Cargo Bikes and Pedicabs. 2. Commuter Bicycle To make your daily commute to work — or even your weekly commute around town to run errands — there are many great bike options. Biking is a win-win: You get great exercise, enjoy fresh air, and can feel great about using a green form of transportation. If you’ve thought about commuting by bike, but aren’t sure which bicycle is right for you, check out the tips in What the Right Bike Can Do for You. 3. Green Car If the distance between point A and point B is too great for a bicycle or walking — and mass transit isn’t an option — a car can be a necessity. There have been many great strides made in green car technology over the past decade, and your options (check out Best Green Cars for some of them) now extend far beyond the well-known Prius hybrid. New all-electric vehicles, such as the Nissan Leaf, are getting great expert and driver reviews. While the upfront cost of a hybrid or electric vehicle may be prohibitive, the car can pay for itself over time in fuel cost savings and maintenance cost savings (think no oil changes for an electric car!). Plus, you can take advantage of a $7,500 federal tax credit for the purchase of many green cars — and be sure to look into what state tax incentives may also be available in your area. You may have heard some common arguments against green cars. Probably the most common is that if an electric car runs on electricity generated by a coal-fired power plant, it isn’t actually cleaner than a regular gas car. The math has been crunched on this issue, and you can find the answers in the article Why Electric Cars Are Cleaner. There have also been some recent concerns about the safety of electric and hybrid cars; rumors on this issue were fueled by a Chevy Volt catching on fire. The green cars on the market today actually have excellent safety ratings, and you can read much more about this issue in The Truth About Electric Car Safety. If you do drive a gas-only car, you can still make driving it as clean as possible by hypermiling (using driving techniques that help you get better gas mileage). Learn how in Save Gas with Hypermiling. What are your favorite means of green transportation? Photo by Metro Pedal Power Read more: Conscious Consumer, Eco-friendly tips, Green, Technology, Transportation, bicycles, Bikes, care2 earth day, cargo bikes, cars, commuting, electric cars, green cars, green transportation, hybrid cars, hybrids, pedicabs, vehicles Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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Common Career Technical Core The Common Career Technical Core (CCTC) is a state-led initiative to establish a set of rigorous, high-quality standards for Career Technical Education (CTE) that states can adopt voluntarily. The standards have been informed by state and industry standards and developed by a diverse group of teachers, business and industry experts, administrators and researchers. The initiative is being coordinated by the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc), which represents the state and territory heads of secondary, postsecondary and adult CTE across the nation. Forty-two states the District of Columbia and Palau participated in the development stage of the CCTC. The development of the CCTC was a multi-step process that incorporated input from approximately 3,500 individuals representing K-12 education, business and industry and higher education from across the nation. The process for developing the CCTC was informed by: • High-quality state and industry standards; • Input and guidance from educators, business and industry and state leaders; and • Feedback from the public. The CCTC includes a set of standards for each of the 16 Career Clusters™ and their corresponding Career Pathways that define what students should know and be able to do after completing instruction in a program of study. The CCTC also includes an overarching set of Career Ready Practices that apply to all programs of study. The Career Ready Practices include 12 statements that address the knowledge, skills and dispositions that are important to becoming career ready. In June, the NASDCTEc Board of Directors voted in full support and approved the CCTC that defines common expectations for CTE organized by the National Career Clusters™ Framework. Learn more about the CCTC or share information about the initiative with these resources: An online database of the CCTC standards provides an opportunity to create reports specific to the needs of the user. In addition, additional resources including performance elements and sample indicators for the CCTC standards are provided as a resource tool in the exploration and understanding of the standards. A public license has been created for the use of the CCTC standards and is available to review. Representatives from organizations across the nation have expressed support for the CCTC. Learn who they are and share their statements with others as you work to gain support of and raise awareness about the CCTC in your state. A summary of the process used to achieve the outcomes of the CCTC. Report highlights the steps used, the participation and recommendations for future revisions and engagements associated with the development of the CCTC. A summary of the process, methodology and approach used to update the 2008 Knowledge and Skills Statements and prepare for transition for use by the Common Career Technical Core Working Groups in the development of the CCTC. For additional information about the CCTC, contact email@example.com.

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Heat a room from the floor up Under-floor radiant heating involves underlaying the floor with a hot element or tubing that transfers heat into the room via infrared radiation and convection, making forced or blowing air unnecessary. According to the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Savers website, radiant heating "is more efficient than baseboard heating and usually more efficient than forced-air heating because no energy is lost through ducts." It is also flexible as it can run off electricity, gas, oil, wood, solar and other sources or combinations thereof can feed radiant systems. And radiant heating is a good choice for those with severe allergies as no potentially irritating particles get blown around the room. Several aspects of radiant heating make it more energy efficient. For starters, the uniform heat distribution over the entire surface of a floor heats the lower half of the room, enveloping inhabitants in warmth at a lower overall temperature — in some cases up to five degrees Fahrenheit cooler — than a conventional heating system. "Radiators and other forms of 'point' heating circulate heat inefficiently and hence need to run for longer periods to obtain comfort levels," reports the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNet). "They draw cold air across the floor and send warm air up to the ceiling, where it then falls, heating the room from the top down, creating drafts and circulating dust and allergens." RESNet adds that radiant systems transmit heat on average some 15 percent more efficiently than conventional radiators. The efficiency gains can be magnified significantly with good insulation and a well-designed system. While tearing out old heating systems and/or replacing decent existing flooring might be overkill for the sake of moving to radiant heat, you can certainly consider it if you are embarking on new building projects or contemplating major renovations. According to TLC Network's Green Living Guide, there are two main types of radiant heating, electric and hydronic. In the former, heated wires installed in the floor radiate heat upward. This type of radiant heat is most commonly used to retrofit a single room — especially a bathroom or kitchen — in an older house or building. Meanwhile, hydronic radiant heating, whereby heated water is forced through tubes under the floor, is more often designed into a new structure from the get-go and is more energy efficient overall. TLC points out that while radiant heat is definitely more efficient in smaller, snug homes with lower roofs, it might not always be the best solution in homes with bigger rooms: "In some scenarios it can be less energy efficient than forced-air heating." Contact a reputable heating contractor to see if radiant heating is a sensible way to go.

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On May 15, the House Agriculture Committee passed its 2013 farm bill. The bill would cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program) by almost $21 billion over the next decade, eliminating food assistance to nearly 2 million low-income people, mostly working families with children and senior citizens. The bill’s SNAP cuts would come on top of an across-the-board reduction in benefits that every SNAP recipient will experience starting November 1, 2013. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s (SNAP) primary purpose is to increase the food purchasing power of eligible low-income households in order to improve their nutrition and alleviate hunger and malnutrition. The program’s success in meeting this core goal has been well documented. Less well understood is the fact that the program has become quite effective in supporting work and that its performance in this area has improved substantially in recent years. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program) is the nation’s most important anti-hunger program. In 2012, it helped almost 47 million low-income Americans to afford a nutritionally adequate diet in a typical month. Nearly 72 percent of SNAP participants are in families with children; more than one-quarter of participants are in households with seniors or people with disabilities. SNAP is the nation’s most important anti-hunger program. This chartbook highlights some of the key characteristics of the almost 47 million people using the program as well as trends and data on program administration and use. Related: SNAP is Effective and Efficient SNAP, the nation’s most important anti-hunger program, helps roughly 35 million low-income Americans to afford a nutritionally adequate diet. WIC — short for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children — provides nutritious foods, information on healthy eating, and health care referrals to about 8 million low-income pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and children under five. The School Lunch and School Breakfast programs provide free and reduced-price meals that meet federal nutritional standards to over 22 million school children from low-income families. - Introduction to SNAP The Center designs and promotes polices to make the Food Stamp Program more adequate to help recipients afford an adequate diet, more accessible to eligible families and individuals, and easier for states to administer. We also help states design their own food stamp programs for persons ineligible for the federal program. Our work on the WIC program includes ensuring that sufficient federal funds are provided to serve all eligible applicants and on helping states contain WIC costs. Our work on child nutrition programs focuses on helping states and school districts implement recent changes in how they determine a child's eligibility for free or reduced-priced school meals. May 17, 2013 Revised May 16, 2013 Updated May 8, 2013 Revised May 1, 2013 Updated May 1, 2013 - View All By Date

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Religion Subject Guide guides are designed to help students begin the research process, find reputable sources, and save time. the Library Catalog for Books & Other Materials To locate books and other materials in CCSF Libraries, select the Library Catalog from the Library's Homepage. You will notice many ways to search, such as Title, Author, Subject, Subject Keyword, Examples of Subject searches include: Religion, Religion and Politics, Religion and Science, Buddhism, Islam, Islam – United States, Prayer, Aguaruna Indians -- Religion include books, sample tests, class notes, and other items that instructors put at the library for class use. The check out time is shorter than regular circulating books. To search for a book on reserve in the Library Catalog, select either Reserves by Course or Reserves by Instructor. When you have located the materials, write down the Call Number and Title and present this to a staff person at the Circulation Desk. the Library Collection the Library are shelved by call number according to the Library of Congress classification system. Books are arranged on the shelves by subject. areas in the collection to find materials on religion include: CALL NUMBER RANGE |Religions. Mythology. Rationalism |Islam, Bahai Faith. Theosophy, etc Reference books provide background information and overviews on a given topic. Relevant reference books for religion include: Man, myth, and magic: the illustrated encyclopedia of mythology, religion, and the unknown. Richard Cavendish, editor in chief. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2000. BF 31 E52 2000 Vols. 1-8 Rosenberg Reference The Oxford dictionary of world religions. John Bowker, ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997. BL 31 084 1997 Rosenberg Reference Atlas of the world’s religions. Ninian Smart, ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. G 1046 .E4 A8 1999 Rosenberg Reference. Taking sides. Clashing views on controversial issues in religion. Daniel K. Judd, ed. Guilford, CT: McGraw-Hill, Dushkin, c2003. H61 .T3577 2003 Rosenberg Reference. The encyclopedia of American religious history. Edward L. Queen. New York, NY: Facts On File, c1996. BL 2525 .Q44, 1996 Rosenberg Reference Encyclopedia of American religion and politics . Paul A. Djupe and Laura R. Olson. New York: Facts On File, c2003. BL 2525 .D58 2003 Rosenberg Reference. Electronic Reference Sources from the CCSF Ebooks collection For more information about eBooks go to: http://www.ccsf.edu/library/ebooks.html Encyclopedia of religious rites, rituals, and festivals 2004 Encyclopedia of new religious movements 2006 Encyclopedia of women and religion in North America 2006 A popular Dictionary of Buddhism 1997 Who's who in the Old Testament together with the Apocrypha 2002 The Quran : an encyclopedia 2006 for Articles in Periodical Databases databases group together journal, magazine, and newspaper articles by subject. They also usually provide abstracts (brief summaries) and the full text of the articles. Do you need help identifying the differences between scholarly journal v. popular magazine articles? databases are part of the private, passworded Web, so you will need to have a current CCSF ID card with a barcode to access those that CCSF subscribes to. All current CCSF Student ID cards should already have a barcode. More information about obtaining a library bar code. Infotrac is a brand name for several databases with coverage from 1980 to the present. Most relevant for religion topics is InfoTrac’s Religion & Philosophy database which covers topics in the areas of both religion and philosophy. InfoTrac’s Expanded Academic ASAP and OneFile databases also have useful materials. These databases let you limit your results to articles only from scholarly journals by checking the box "Refereed titles." Literature Resource Center Literature Resource Center has traditional reference works, critical information on authors and their works, and current journal articles. It is valuable for biographical information on authors of works relating to religion, and for critical information on both an individual work and an author’s body of work CQ provides lengthy research reports written by the editorial staff of the Congressional Quarterly Co. There are many reports related to religion. Some examples are Religion in America, Evolution versus Creationism, Prayer and Healing, and Religious Persecution. There are also reports on related moral or ethical issues such as issues of reproductive ethics, teaching values, assisted suicide, designer humans, and the ethics of war. Ethnic Newswatch is comprised of newspapers, magazines and journals of the ethnic, minority and native press in America. Search here for ethnic aspects of topics related to religion. Below are some examples of academic/scholarly web sites on Religion. If you use a search engine, such as Google, remember to evaluate the quality of the results. Web Resources for General Reference Virtual Religion Index An extensive and well organized index of Web resources with useful annotations that speed the targeting and process of research. From Rutgers University. Voice of the Shuttle – Religious Studies Page Links to resources including general studies, specific religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikkism, etc.), nonreligious views (Atheism, Agnosticism), issues of law and religion, society and religion, and religious studies courses and departments. From the University of California, Santa Barbara. Encyclopedia of Religion and Society “Full text online of the Encyclopedia, with table of contents, covering the spectrum of religions.” The Encyclopedia of Religion and Society is from the Hartford Institute for Religious Research, and its editorial board is comprised of a number of respected sociologists of religion. The Internet Sacred Text Archive “a freely available archive of electronic texts about religion, mythology, legends and folklore, and occult and esoteric topics” Particular focus is on believers’ (defined very broadly) sacred texts, including both primary and secondary materials. Content Evaluation Guidelines Advice from the Medical Library Association Webpages: Techniques to Apply and Questions to Ask A UC Berkeley - Teaching Library Internet Workshops Analyzing Information Sources Developed by Olin-Kroch-Uris Libraries at Cornell University. and Citing Source A quick and easy check list to use when determining the quality of web documents. Prepared by Librarians at CCSF. help you may contact the Reference Desk by phone at (415) 452-5543 or stop by the East and West reference desks at the Rosenberg and Citing Information Sources Electronic Reference Service to CCSF students, faculty, staff and registered community users. Use this service when you are NOT in a CCSF library. and Web Research Workshops FIfty minute workshops are given throughout the semester on effective methods in searching for books, articles and information on the Several useful sources for evaluating the quality of web pages, how to prepare citations for a "Bibliography" or "Works Cited" list, and how to avoid plagiarism. Online Writing Lab One of the most thorough and easy to navigate writing labs avaialble! Research and Writing Hosted by the Internet Public Process @ CSU Colorado State University developed these guides which "focus on a range of composing processes as well as issues related to the situations in which writers find themselves." comments or suggestions to: | Library Home Copyright Library & Learning Resource Center, City College of San Last updated September 13, 2007

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February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness & Prevention Month Did you know that in a recent national survey, 1 in 10 teens reported being hit or physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend at least once in the 12 months prior to the survey? And nearly half of all teens in relationships say they know friends who have been verbally abused. Before violence starts, a teen may experience controlling behavior and demands. One partner may tell another what to wear and who to hang out with. Over time, the unhealthy behavior may become violent. That's why adults need to talk to teens now about the importance of developing healthy, respectful relationships. Dating violence can have a negative effect on health throughout life. Victims of teen dating violence are more likely to do poorly in school, and report binge drinking, suicide attempts, physical fighting, and current sexual activity. Teens who perpetrate dating violence may also carry these patterns of violence into future relationships. CDC's Division of Violence Prevention is leading the initiative, Dating Matters™: Strategies to Promote Healthy Teen Relationships. Dating Matters™ aims to promote respectful, nonviolent dating relationships among youth in high-risk, urban communities. The comprehensive approach will build upon current evidence-based practice and experience to reduce the burden of teen dating violence in these communities. The initiative will support communities as they implement prevention strategies in schools, with families, and in neighborhoods. Over the next five years, Dating Matters™ will be implemented in middle schools and neighborhoods across Chicago, Illinois, Baltimore, Maryland, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and Oakland, California. For more information about each of these communities, view the Dating Matters™ grantee profiles. Learn more about CDC's efforts to prevent dating violence: Get email updates To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address: - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1600 Clifton Rd Atlanta, GA 30333 TTY: (888) 232-6348 - Contact CDC-INFO

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CDC's Office on Disability and Health focuses on the prevention of secondary conditions and health promotion among persons with disabilities. Emphasis is on scientific support for surveillance of disabilities, cost-effectiveness of prevention strategies focused on secondary conditions and health promotion activities, and identifying risk and protective factors for secondary conditions. This is implemented through providing funds to states for public health activities addressing the needs of persons with disabilities. The program emphasizes secondary conditions which cross diagnostic categories, and focus on broader disability areas. This is a relatively new approach to prevention programs for CDC, which historically focused on the primary prevention of disabling conditions. The program is focusing on activities that will enhance the ability to measure performance in this new area. This performance measure reflects a first step toward building a data collection system that will enable CDC to monitor trends related to health and quality of life among people with disabilities. Performance Goals and Measures Performance Goal: By 2002, a national network will exist that will provide all states with better access to data on disabilities for their use in analyzing the needs of people with disabling conditions. |FY Baseline||FY 1999 Appropriated||FY 2000 Estimate| |0 (1997).||By 1999, the number of states who have begun using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) disability module will be increased to 15.||By 2000, the number of states who have begun using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) disability module will be increased to 25.| Currently, there is not a data collection system in place that could be used to measure outcomes that focus on actual improvements in the quality of life of people with disabling conditions. As a result, the performance measure that has been selected for this program involves the nationwide implementation of a data collection system by the year 2002. We believe that, although challenging, nationwide implementation of the BRFSS' disability module by 2002 is feasible. However, this represents a change in direction for CDC's disabilities program, which previously focused on preventing primary disabilities. As part of on-going strategic planning efforts, the program has refocused its efforts on promoting health and improving quality of life among people with disabilities. 1997 is the first year that CDC has funded states to address these issues. As a result, the program is focusing on activities that will enhance the ability to measure performance in this new area. Tracking of the implementation of this data collection system will be accomplished through a requirement that all CDC state grantees report on whether they are utilizing the module. The cost of this data collection effort will be minimal. Verification/Validation of Performance Measures: This performance measure will be verified by reviews of the reports required by cooperative agreement recipients. Links to DHHS Strategic Plan This objective is closely linked to DHHS Goal 5: Improve public health systems.

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Multistate Outbreak of Human Salmonella Chester Infections (Final Update) Posted September 9, 2010 This outbreak appears to be over. However, Salmonella is an important cause of human illness in the United States. More information about Salmonella, and steps people can take to reduce their risk of infection, can be found on the CDC Salmonella Web Page. Persons Infected with the Outbreak Strain of Salmonella Chester, United States, by State Infections with the Outbreak Strain of Salmonella Chester, by Week of Illness Onset CDC collaborated with public health officials in many states, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA/FSIS), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella serotype Chester infections. Investigators used DNA analysis of Salmonella bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing to identify cases of illness that were part of this outbreak. As of 9:00 AM EDT on August 27, 2010, a total of 44 individuals infected with a matching strain of Salmonella Chester have been reported from 18 states since April 11, 2010. The number of ill people identified in each state with this strain is as follows: AK (1), CA (5), CO (2), GA (8), IL (1), KY (1), MA (2), MN (2), MO (1), NC (1), OK (1), OR (2), SC (2), TN (1), TX (3), UT (3), VA (4), and WA (4). Among those for whom information is available about when symptoms started, illnesses began between April 4, 2010 and June 16, 2010. Case-patients ranged in age from <1 to 88 years old, and the median age was 36 years. Fifty-four percent of patients were female. Among the 43 patients with available hospitalization information, 16 (37%) were hospitalized. No deaths were reported. The outbreak can be visually described with a chart showing the number of people who became ill each day. This chart is called an epidemic curve or epi curve. For more details, please see the Salmonella Outbreak Investigations: Timeline for Reporting Cases. Investigation of the Outbreak A widely distributed contaminated food product might cause illnesses across the United States. The identity of the contaminated product often is not readily apparent. In outbreaks like this one, identification of the contaminated product requires conducting detailed standardized interviews with persons who were ill. It may also require conducting interviews with non-ill members of the public ("controls") to get information about foods recently eaten and other exposures to compare with information from the ill persons. The investigation is often supplemented by laboratory testing of suspected products. Collaborative investigative efforts of officials in many local, state, and federal public health, agriculture, and regulatory agencies linked this outbreak to Marie Callender’s Cheesy Chicken & Rice single-serve frozen entrées. During June 14-18, 2010, CDC and public health officials in multiple states conducted an epidemiologic study by comparing foods eaten by 19 ill and 22 well persons. Analysis of this study suggested that eating a Marie Callender's frozen meal was a source of illness. Ill persons (89%) were significantly more likely than well persons (14%) to report eating a frozen meal. All ill persons (100%) who ate frozen meals reported eating a Marie Callender's frozen meal. None of the well persons who ate a frozen meal reported eating a Marie Callender's frozen meal. There was insufficient data from this study to implicate a specific frozen meal type. However, many of the ill persons reported eating a Marie Callender's Cheesy Chicken & Rice frozen entrée in the week before becoming ill. Additionally, two unopened packages of Marie Callender’s Cheesy Chicken & Rice single-serve frozen entrées collected from two patients’ homes (one collected in Minnesota on June 18, and one in Tennessee on July 19) yielded Salmonella Chester isolates with a genetic fingerprint indistinguishable from the outbreak pattern. On June 17, 2010, ConAgra Foods announced a precautionary recall of Marie Callender's Cheesy Chicken & Rice single-serve frozen entrées after being informed by the CDC of a possible association between this product and the outbreak of Salmonella Chester infections. On June 17, 2010, USDA's FSIS announced ConAgra's recall. View recalled food package [PDF - 6 pages] posted by FSIS. Clinical Features/Signs and Symptoms Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12–72 hours after infection. Infection is usually diagnosed by culture of a stool sample. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days. Although most people recover without treatment, severe infections can occur. Infants, elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems are more likely than others to develop severe illness. When severe infection occurs, Salmonella may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other body sites and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. More general information about Salmonella can be found here under Salmonella FAQs. Advice to Consumers - Salmonella is sometimes present in raw foods (e.g., chicken, produce, and spices) which can be used as ingredients in not-ready-to-eat frozen dinners. - Consumers should follow the instructions on the package label of the frozen dinner. Conventional ovens are better at cooking foods thoroughly. Microwave ovens vary in strength and tend to cook foods unevenly. - If you choose to cook the frozen dinner using a microwave, be sure to: - Cook the food for the time specified for your microwave's wattage. - Let the food "stand" for the stated time, so cooking can continue. - Use a food thermometer to make sure that it is fully cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. - Individuals who think they might have become ill from eating a Marie Callender's frozen dinner should consult their health care providers. - Consumers who have Marie Callender's Cheesy Chicken & Rice single-serve frozen entrées in their freezer should discard them or return them to their retailer for a refund. - Consumers are urged to read and follow the preparation instructions on the label of all frozen entrees. If the package says “Do Not Microwave,” consumers should follow that instruction and use a conventional oven. Consumers should use a food thermometer to make sure the entrees reach at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. - General Information: Salmonella - Description of the Steps In a Foodborne Outbreak Investigation - CDC's Role During a Multi-State Foodborne Outbreak Investigation - Two Minnesota cases of Salmonella infection linked to national recall of frozen meals - Cooking Safely in the Microwave Oven CDC's Role in Food Safety As an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), CDC leads federal efforts to gather data on foodborne illnesses, investigate foodborne illnesses and outbreaks, and monitor the effectiveness of prevention and control efforts. CDC is not a food safety regulatory agency but works closely with the food safety regulatory agencies, in particular with HHS's U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Food Safety and Inspection Service within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). CDC also plays a key role in building state and local health department epidemiology, laboratory, and environmental health capacity to support foodborne disease surveillance and outbreak response. Notably, CDC data can be used to help document the effectiveness of regulatory interventions.

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NOAA scientists agree the risks are high, but say Hansen overstates what science can really say for sure Jim Hansen at the University of Colorado’s World Affairs Conference (Photo: Tom Yulsman) Speaking to a packed auditorium at the University of Colorado’s World Affairs Conference on Thursday, NASA climatologist James Hansen found a friendly audience for his argument that we face a planetary emergency thanks to global warming. Despite the fact that the temperature rise has so far been relatively modest, “we do have a crisis,” he said. With his characteristic under-stated manner, Hansen made a compelling case. But after speaking with two NOAA scientists today, I think Hansen put himself in a familiar position: out on a scientific limb. And after sifting through my many pages of notes from two days of immersion in climate issues, I’m as convinced as ever that journalists must be exceedingly careful not to overstate what we know for sure and what is still up for scientific debate. Crawling out on the limb, Hansen argued that global warming has already caused the levels of water in Lake Powell and Lake Mead — the two giant reservoirs on the Colorado River than insure water supplies for tens of millions of Westerners — to fall to 50 percent of capacity. The reservoirs “probably will not be full again unless we decrease CO2 in the atmosphere,” he asserted. Hansen is arguing that simply reducing our emissions and stabilizing CO2 at about 450 parts per million, as many scientists argue is necessary, is not nearly good enough. We must reduce the concentration from today’s 387 ppm to below 35o ppm. “We have already passed into the dangerous zone,” Hansen said. If we don’t reduce CO2 in the atmosphere, “we would be sending the planet toward an ice free state. We would have a chaotic journey to get there, but we would be creating a very different planet, and chaos for our children.” Hansen’s argument (see a paper on the subject here) is based on paleoclimate data which show that the last time atmospheric CO2 concentrations were this high, the Earth was ice free, and sea level was far higher than it is today. “I agree with the sense of urgency,” said Peter Tans, a carbon cycle expert at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration here in Boulder, in a meeting with our Ted Scripps Fellows in Environmental Journalism. “But I don’t agree with a lot of the specifics. I don’t agree with Jim Hansen’s naming of 350 ppm as a tipping point. Actually we may have already gone too far, except we just don’t know.” A key factor, Tans said, is timing. “If it takes a million years for the ice caps to disappear, no problem. The issue is how fast? Nobody can give that answer.” Martin Hoerling, a NOAA meteorologist who is working on ways to better determine the links between climate change and regional impacts, such as drought in the West, pointed out that the paleoclimate data Hansen bases his assertions on are coarse. They do not record year-to-year events, just big changes that took place over very long time periods. So that data give no indication just how long it takes to de-glaciate Antarctica and Greenland. Hoerling also took issue with Hansen’s assertions about lakes Powell and Mead. While it is true that “the West has had the most radical change in temperature in the U.S.,” there is no evidence yet that this is a cause of increasing drought, he said. Flows in the Colorado River have been averaging about 12 million acre feet each year, yet we are consuming 14 million acre feet. “Where are we getting the extra from? Well, we’re tapping into our 401K plan,” he said. That would be the two giant reservoirs, and that’s why their water levels have been declining. “Why is there less flow in the river?” Hoerling said. “Low precipitation — not every year, but in many recent years, the snow pack has been lower.” And here’s his almost counter-intuitive point: science shows that the reduced precipitation “is due to natural climate variability . . . We see little indication that the warming trend is affecting the precipitation.” In my conversation with Tans and Hoerling today, I saw a tension between what they believe and what they think they can demonstrate scientifically. “I like to frame the issue differently,” Tans said. “Sure, we canot predict what the climate is going to look like in a couple of dcades. There are feedbacks in the system we don’t understand. In fact, we don’t even know all the feedbacks . . . To pick all this apart is extremely difficult — until things really happen. So I’m pessimistic.” There is, Tans said, “a finite risk of catastrophic climate change. Maybe it is 1 in 6, or maybe 1 in 20 or 1 in 3. Yet if we had a risk like that of being hit by an asteroid, we’d know what to do. But the problem here is that we are the asteroid.” Tans argues that whether or not we can pin down the degree of risk we are now facing, one thing is obvious: “We have a society based on ever increasing consumption and economic expectations. Three percent growth forever is considered ideal. But of course it’s a disaster.” Hoerling says we are living like the Easter Islanders, who were faced with collapse from over consumption of resources but didn’t see it coming. Like them, he says, we are living in denial. “I think we are in that type of risk,” Tans said. “But is that moving people? It moves me. But I was already convinced in 1972.”

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Sponsor a Child in Guinea - ChildFund came to Guinea: 2005 - Population below poverty line: 49% - News about Guinea - Children’s Voices: Fatoumata From Guinea - Around the Globe with ChildFund in 31 Days: Protecting Children in Guinea - Amid Violence, Work in Guinea Continues - A Family’s Access to Resources Means Hope Read More Guinea is a significant source of the world’s major minerals including gold, diamonds, iron ore and bauxite but the country’s poor infrastructure and political uncertainty prohibits it from developing its economic potential from these and other resources. Located in western Africa on the North Atlantic Ocean between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone, Guinea is smaller than the state of Oregon and suffers from a lack of safe water, environmentally damaged mining regions and preventable diseases. “We’ve brought important knowledge… to local health workers.” Education and Early Childhood Development Many children in Guinea are not in school, and for younger children, there is often no foundation for later learning. Our Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs include building ECD Centers and supplying them with materials and tools used to train families about child protection and healthy development. More than 3340 children have attended school in our ECD Centers and we have educated families in more than 530 homes about how to protect their children and motivate their development. Healthier Families and Children Working with the Ministry of Health, we’ve brought important knowledge, including information about HIV and AIDS, to local health workers and have hired and trained 128 community volunteers to educate the community about disease prevention, proper hygiene and more. We also work to make health services affordable. To provide access to safe water and sanitation facilities, we have provided 29 water systems. Sponsor a child in Guinea today and make a difference in a child’s life.

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How do you get HIV? HIV can be passed on when infected bodily fluid, such as blood or semen, is passed into an uninfected person. Semen is the liquid which is released from a man's penis during sex which carries sperm. It can be infected with HIV or AIDS when someone is HIV positive or is carrying the AIDS virus. This can happen during unprotected sex. For example when two people have sex without using a condom when one partner is already infected, or between drug users who inject and share needles. It can't be transmitted by things like coughing, sneezing, kissing, sharing a toilet seat, swimming pools, sweat and tears.

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Why can some people drink heavily and never become alcoholics when other people get addicted so quickly? Contributing Factors to the Development of Alcoholism Why some people can use and even abuse alcohol without ever developing alcoholism, and why some people seem unusually susceptible to alcoholism, remains a poorly understood phenomenon. There is a genetic component to alcoholism, and people who grow up in alcoholic homes are far more likely to become alcoholics themselves. Children born to alcoholic parents, but raised in homes without alcohol abuse or addiction are also predisposed to alcoholism, so we do know that genetics plays an important role. But all people genetically predisposed to alcoholism do not develop dependencies, and some people with no genetic history of alcoholism end up battling the disease for years. It is now accepted that although a genetic predisposition plays an important influence in the development of the disease, that social and environmental factors are in fact the lager influences towards alcohol abuse or alcoholism. In addition to genetic influences, the Mayo Clinic considers that there are three additional primary influences to alcohol abuse or alcoholism. Emotional States or Emotional Stressors can Induce Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism People may use alcohol excessively in response to frequent or significant emotional disturbances or stresses. When alcohol is used with enough frequency as an emotional management or stress coping tool the risk of dependency or alcoholism increases greatly. There is also likely a bio physical link with stress and alcohol abuse, and stress hormones have been casually linked to increased alcohol consumption and a greater risk for alcoholism. People who use alcohol to deal with life's problems or stresses are at a greater risk to develop alcoholism. The Co-Presence of a Corresponding Psychiatric Condition People suffering through psychiatric conditions like depression, bi polar disorder, borderline personality disorder or anxiety disorders are at a greatly elevated risk to develop alcohol abuse problems or alcoholism. Psychiatric patients often use alcohol or other illicit drugs to self medicate the negative symptoms of an experienced disorder. Unfortunately, while intoxication may bring some temporary relief, the long term effects of alcohol abuse almost always worsen experienced psychiatric symptoms. Alcoholic psychiatric patients are at a great risk for an accelerated progression of both diseases, and require immediate interventions and treatment. In addition to clinical psychiatric conditions, non clinical, but still significant factors such as low self esteem can also increase the likelihood to alcohol abuse, and ultimately alcoholism. Alcohol is rarely an effective long term coping strategy. Social Environmental Factors As a society, largely due to billions of dollars invested in alcohol advertising campaigns, there is a perception of alcohol being associated with glamour, attractiveness and success, and these lingering subconscious perceptions may influence people to try alcohol at a young age and continue to drink more than they should throughout life. The immediate environment can also increase the probability of alcoholism. People who socialize, or live romantically with a person who drinks to excess, whether dependent or not, are far more likely to also drink heavily, and put themselves at risk for alcohol abuse and alcoholism. Even the neighborhood around the home seems to influence consumption patterns, and people brought up in or who reside in neighborhoods of heavy abuse are also more likely to use and abuse alcohol themselves. Nothing about alcoholism is completely understood, and all we know is that the variables that can induce alcohol abuse and ultimately alcoholism are many, and that what may cause alcohol dependence in one, seem to have little influence over another. We all present with an individual risk profile for our susceptibility to the disease, although those people with a genetic history of alcoholism are undoubtedly at an increased risk to develop the disease. Regardless of the factors that may induce the occurrence of the disease, the treatments are essentially the same, and alcoholics need intervention, intensive treatment, and long term aftercare therapies. Most alcoholics will never be capable of drinking in moderation, and abstinence is the only recommended philosophy of use for people with alcoholic histories. Page last updated Sep 23, 2012

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Reality in everyday usage means "everything that exists". The term reality, in its widest sense, includes everything that is, whether it is observable, comprehensible, or self-contradictory by science, philosophy, or any other system of analysis. Reality in this sense may include both being and nothingness, whereas existence is often restricted to being (compare with nature). In the strict sense of Western philosophy, there are levels or gradation to the nature and conception of reality. These levels include, from the most subjective to the most rigorous: phenomenological reality, truth, fact, and axiom. Other philosophies, particularly those founded in eastern religions like Hinduism and Buddhism have different explications of reality. Conceptions of reality in Buddhism include: dharma, paramattha dhamma, samsara and maya (illusion in Sanskrit). == Phenomenological reality =

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ANM uses specific ports for its processes. Figure A-1 illustrates a typical ANM server deployment in a network. This illustration identifies the protocols and ports used by the different network devices in a typical deployment. •Table A-1 lists the ports used for ANM client (browser) or ANM server and ANM high availability communication. •Table A-2 lists the ports used for communication between ANM and managed devices. Figure A-1 ANM Server Deployment Table A-1 Ports Used by ANM in a Network Deployment1 Default port if ANM is configured for access using HTTP (using anm-installer). Default port if ANM is configured for access using HTTPS (using default install option). MySQL Database system (ANM HA installation opens this port to communicate with the peer ANM). TCP (10444) and TCP (10445) ANM License Manager (ANM HA installation opens these two ports to communicate with the peer ANM). Port used by ANM server to communicate to Email Gateway through SMTP. Port used by ANM server to send out trap notification to external NMS application. 1It is highly recommended that you run ANM on a stand-alone device. However, if you run ANM on a shared device, please note that ANM locally opens the following ports for internal communication:

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Asthma Outreach and Education Clean Air Council is currently working in medically under-served communities of Philadelphia to educate asthma patients of all ages, parents, and health care professionals about indoor and outdoor environmental asthma triggers. Asthma is a chronic condition of the lungs that makes people more sensitive to air pollution. Asthma is caused by genetics and exposure to pollution, allergens, and toxins found in indoor and outdoor air. The Council provides information on basic asthma health, air pollution and health, indoor air quality checklists, and the tools available for reducing pollution in your community. The Council has materials created especially for eduacting children, including an interactive asthma triggers game and coloring books. The Council also works to connect community members with free or low-cost health and asthma management services throughout the city. In addition to offering materials, the Council can also provide your community group or health care organization with a free workshop on indoor and outdoor air pollution, how it affects health, and the many low- to no-cost strategies for reducing exposure. Feel free to contact us should you like to schedule a workshop or have any questions about how we can meet the needs of your organization.

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Study promoter activity using the Living Colors Fluorescent Timer, a fluorescent protein that shifts color from green to red over time (1). This color change provides a way to visualize the time frame of promoter activity, indicating where in an organism the promoter is active and also when it becomes inactive. Easily detect the red and green emissions indicating promoter activity with fluorescence microscopy or flow cytometry. Easily Characterize Promoter Activity The Fluorescent Timer is a mutant form of the DsRed fluorescent reporter, containing two amino acid substitutions which increase its fluorescence intensity and endow it with a distinct spectral property: as the Fluorescent Timer matures, it changes color—in a matter of hours, depending on the expression system used. Shortly after its synthesis, the Fluorescent Timer begins emitting green fluorescence but as time passes, the fluorophore undergoes additional changes that shift its fluorescence to longer wavelengths. When fully matured the protein is bright red. The protein’s color shift can be used to follow the on and off phases of gene expression (e.g., during embryogenesis and cell differentiation). Fluorescent Timer under the control of the heat shock promoter hsp16-41 in a transgenic C. elegans embryo. The embryo was heat-shocked in a 33°C water bath. Promoter activity was studied during the heat shock recovery period. Green fluorescence was observed in the embryo as early as two hr into the recovery period. By 50 hr after heat shock, promoter activity had ceased, as indicated by the lack of green color. pTimer (left) is primarily intended to serve as a convenient source of the Fluorescent Timer cDNA. Use pTimer-1 (right) to monitor transcription from different promoters and promoter/ enhancer combinations inserted into the MCS located upstream of the Fluorescent Timer coding sequence. Without the addition of a functional promoter, this vector will not express the Fluorescent Timer. Detecting Timer Fluorescent Protein You can detect the Fluorescent Timer with the DsRed Polyclonal Antibody. You can use the DsRed1-C Sequencing Primer to sequence wild-type DsRed1 C-terminal gene fusions, including Timer fusions. Terskikh, A., et al. (2000) Science290(5496):1585–1588.

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Brain Matures a Few Years Late in ADHD but Follows Normal Pattern A 2007 press release from the National Institute of Mental Health discusses brain development in ADHD youths. In some cases, brain development is delayed as much as three years. The full release and related video are available on the NIMH site: Brain Matures a Few Years Late in ADHD, but Follows Normal Pattern. Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD): How to Help Children with Autism Learn From Dr. Lauer and Dr. Beaulieu's talk Quick facts about Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD)/ Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) - Autism is a 'spectrum disorder' meaning that it affects children in different ways and at different times in their development. - Typically, delays and learning problems can emerge in several areas of functioning including social functioning, communication skills, motor skills, and overall intellectual potential. - Each child has their own learning style that includes specific learning challenges as well as areas of preserved skills and, at times, exceptional abilities. - Both autism and Asperger's disorder are on the same continuum but are distinct in their expression. What are the challenges students with PDD/ASD frequently experience? - Academic difficulties that can often be misinterpreted as learning disabilities. - Problems with executive functioning skills. - Difficulty in forming relationships with peers. - Emotional difficulties due to learning and social problems such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem. - Fear of new situations and trouble adjusting to changes. - May look like or be misconstrued as attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD), Oppositional-Defiant Disorder or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Why choose US to help YOU? - Our evaluations are conducted by neuropsychologists who have been extensively trained in the early detection of autistic spectrum disorders and in the identification of specific patterns of learning strengths and weaknesses that are often associated with this condition. - Our evaluations help determine which teaching style is best suited to fit an individuals' specific learning profile; we also offer suggestions regarding compensatory educational approached. - We work as a team with other learning professionals, advocates and health professionals to enhance the child's potential for success in all settings. 'The design of truly individual treatment plans that exploit strengths and compensate for weaknesses begins with a detailed understanding of how learning is different for children with autism than for those without autism and how learning is different among children with autism.' — Bryna Siegel, Ph.D., author of Helping Children with Autism Learn For more information on current research, interventions and programs, follow us on Facebook. Coming to see you for an evaluation was so helpful and Im so happy that I did this. After struggling for years with ADHD but not knowing thats what it was and almost completely ruining our marriage because of it, your diagnosis helped more than you could know. Now I know that its not just me the diagnosis has turned our lives around and helped me feel more accomplished at work. Thanks again for everything. Sandy and Bob M.

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Download source - 8 Kb This tutorial is based off of the MSDN Article #ID: Q194873. But, for a beginner, following these MSDN articles can be intimidating to say the least. One of the most often asked questions I see as a Visual C++ and Visual Basic programmer is how to call a VB DLL from VC++. Well, I am hoping to show you exactly that today. I am not going to go over the basic details of COM as this would take too long, so I am assuming you have an understanding of VB, VC++ and a little COM knowledge. It's not too hard to learn; just takes a little time. So let's get started. The first thing you need to do is fire up Visual Basic 6 (VB 5 should work as well). With VB running, create a new "ActiveX DLL" project. Rename the project to "vbTestCOM" and the class to "clsTestClass". You can do this by clicking in the VB Project Explorer Window on the Project1 item (Step 1), then clicking in the Properties window and selecting the name property (Step 2). Do the same for the Class. Click on the class (Step 3), then the name property and enter the name mentioned above (Step 4). Your project so far should look like the folowing right hand side picture: Ok, now we are ready to add some code to the VB Class. Click on the "Tools" menu, then select the "Add Procedure" menu item. The Add Procedure window will open up. In this window we need to add some information. First (Step 1) make sure the type is set to Function. Second (Step 2) enter a Function name called "CountStringLength". Finally hit the Ok button and VB will generate the new function in the class. You should have an empty function with which to work. The first thing we will do is specify a return type and an input parameter. Edit your code to look like this: Public Function CountStringLength(ByVal strValue As String) As Long What are we doing here? We are taking one parameter, as a String type in this case, then returning the length through the return type, which is a Long. We specify the input parameter as ByVal, meaning VB will make a copy of this variable and use the copy in the function, rather than the default ByRef, which passes the variable by reference. This way we can be sure that we do not modify the string by accident that was passed to us by the calling program. Let's add the code now. Public Function CountStringLength(ByVal strValue As String) As Long If strValue = vbNullString Then CountStringLength = 0 CountStringLength = Len(strValue) In the first line of code we are checking to see if the calling program passed us an empty, or NULL, string. If so we return 0 as the length. If the user did pass something other than an empty string, then we count it's length and return the length back to the calling program. Now would be a good time to save your project. Accept the default names and put it in a safe directory. We need to compile this project now. Go to the File menu and select the "Make vbCOMTest.dll..." menu item. The compiler will produce a file called surprisingly enough: vbCOMTest.dll. The compiler will also do us the favor of entering this new DLL into the system registry. We have finished the VB side of this project, so let's start the VC++ side of it. Fire up a copy of VC++, then select from the menu, "New Project". The New Project window should appear. Select a "Win32 Console Application" (Step 1), then give it a name of "TestVBCOM" (Step 2). Finally, enter a directory you want to build this project in (Step 3 - your directory will vary from what I have entered). Click on the "OK" button and the "Win32 Console Application - Step 1 of 1" window will appear. Leave everything on this page as the default, and click the "Finish" button. One final window will appear after this titled "New Project Information". Simply click the "Ok" button here. You should now have an empty Win32 Console project. Press the "Ctrl" and hit the "N" key. Another window titled "New" will appear. Select the "C++ Source File" (Step 1), then enter the new name for this file called, "TestVBCOM.cpp" (Step 2 - make sure the Add to Project checkbox is checked and the correct project name is in the drop down combo box), then click the "Ok" button to finish. Now we are going to get fancy! You need to go to your Start Menu in Windows and navigate to the "Visual Studio 6" menu and go into the "Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0 Tools" sub-menu. In here you will see an icon with the name "OLE View". Click on it. The OLE View tool will open up. You will see a window similar to this one: Collapse all the trees, if they are not already. This will make it easier to navigate to where we want to go. Highlight the "Type Libraries" (Step 1) and expand it. You should see a fairly massive listing. We need to locate our VB DLL. Now, remember what we named the project? Right, we need to look for vbTestCOM. Scroll down until you find this. Once you have found it, double click on it. A new window should appear - the "ITypeLib Viewer" window. We are only interested in the IDL (Interface Definition Language) code on the right side of the window. Select the entire IDL text and hit the "Ctrl" and "C" buttons to copy it to the clipboard. You can close this window and the OLE View window now as we are done with the tool. We need to add the contents of the IDL file into our VC++ project folder. Go to the folder you told VC++ to create your project in and create a new text file there (If you are in Windows Explorer, you can right click in the directory and select "New" then scroll over following the arrow and select "Text Document"). Rename the text document to "vbCOMTEST.idl". Then double click on the new IDL file (VC++ should open it if you named it correctly with an IDL extension). Now paste the code in the file by pressing the "Ctrl" and "V" keys. The IDL text should be pasted into the file. So far, so good. Now, this IDL file is not going to do us much good until we compile it. That way, VC++ can use the files it generates to talk to the VB DLL. Let's do that now. Open a DOS window and navigate to the directory you created your VC++ project in. Once in that directory, at the prompt you need to type the following to invoke the MIDL compiler: E:\VCSource\TestVBCOM\TestVBCOM\midl vbTestCOM.idl /h vbTestCOM.h Hit the "Enter" key and let MIDL do its magic. You should see results similar to the following: Close the DOS window and head back into VC++. We need to add the newly generated vbTestCOM.h and vbTestCOM_i.c files to the project. You can do this by going to the "Project" menu, then selecting the "Add to Project" item, and scrolling over to the "Files" menu item and clicking on it. A window titled, "Insert Files into Project" will open. Select the two files highlighted in the next picture, then select the "Ok" button. These two files were generated by MIDL for us, and VC++ needs them in order to talk to the VB DLL (actually VC++ does not need the "vbCOMTest_i.c" file in the project, but it is handy have in the project to review). We are going to add the following code to the "TestVBCOM.cpp" file now, so navigate to that file in VC++ using the "Workspace" window. Open the file by double clicking it and VC++ will display the empty file for editing. Now add the following code to the "TestVBCOM.cpp" file: _clsVBTestClass *IVBTestClass = NULL; hr = CoInitialize(0); hr = CoCreateInstance( CLSID_clsVBTestClass, _bstr_t bstrValue("Hello World"); hr = IVBTestClass->CountStringLength(bstrValue, cout << "The string is: " << ReturnValue << " characters in length." << endl; hr = IVBTestClass->Release(); cout << "CoCreateInstance Failed." << endl; If all the code is entered in correctly, then press the "F7" key to compile this project. Once the project has compiled cleanly, then press the "Ctrl" and the "F5" keys to run it. In the C++ code, we include the MIDL created "vbTestCOM.h" file, the "Comdef.h" file for the _bstr_t class support and the "iostream.h" file for the "cout" support. The rest of the comments should speak for themselves as to what's occurring. This simple tutorial shows how well a person can integrate VB and VC++ apps together using COM. Not too tough actually.

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1854-89 THREE DOLLARS INDIAN HEAD In 1853 the United States negotiated the "Gadsden Purchase"settlement of a boundary dispute with Mexico that resulted in the U.S. acquiring what would become the southern portions of Arizona and New Mexico for ten million dollars. The following year Commodore Matthew Perry embarked upon his famed expedition to re-open Japan to the Western world and establish trade. Spreading beyond its borders in many ways, a few years earlier the United States had joined the worldwide move to uniform postage rates and printed stamps when the Congressional Act of March 3, 1845 authorized the first U.S. postage stamps, and set the local prepaid letter rate at five cents. This set the stage for a close connection between postal and coinage history. Exactly six years later, the postage rate was reduced to three cents when New York Senator Daniel S. Dickinson fathered legislation that simultaneously initiated coinage of the tiny silver three-cent piece as a public convenience. The large cents then in circulation were cumbersome and unpopular, and the new denomination was designed to facilitate the purchase of stamps without using the hated "coppers." This reasoning was carried a step further when the Mint Act of February 21, 1853 authorized a three-dollar gold coin. Congress and Mint Director Robert Maskell Patterson were convinced that the new coin would speed purchases of three-cent stamps by the sheet and of the silver three-cent coins in roll quantities. Unfortunately, at no time during the 35-year span of this denomination did public demand justify these hopes. Chief Engraver James Barton Longacre chose an "Indian Princess" for his obverse not a Native American profile, but actually a profile modeled after the Greco-Roman Venus Accroupie statue then in a Philadelphia museum. Longacre used this distinctive sharp-nosed profile on his gold dollar of 1849 and would employ it again on the Indian Head cent of 1859. On the three-dollar coin Liberty is wearing a feathered headdress of equal-sized plumes with a band bearing LIBERTY in raised letters. She's surrounded by the inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Such a headdress dates back to the earliest known drawings of American Indians by French artist Jacques le Moyne du Morgue's sketches of the Florida Timucua tribe who lived near the tragic French colony of Fort Caroline in 1562. It was accepted by engravers and medalists of the day as the design shorthand for "America." Longacre's reverse depicted a wreath of tobacco, wheat, corn and cotton with a plant at top bearing two conical seed masses. The original wax models of this wreath still exist on brass discs in a Midwestern collection and show how meticulous Longacre was in preparing his design. Encircled by the wreath is the denomination 3 DOLLARS and the date. There are two boldly different reverse types, the small DOLLARS appearing only in 1854 and the large DOLLARS on coins of 1855-89. Many dates show bold "outlining" of letters and devices, resembling a double strike but probably the result of excessive forcing of the design punches into the die steel, causing a hint of their sloping "shoulders" to appear as part of the coin's design. The high points of the obverse design that first show wear are the cheek and hair above the eye; on the reverse, check the bow knot and leaves. A total of just over 535,000 pieces were issued along with 2058 proofs. The first coins struck were the 15 proofs of 1854. Regular coinage began on May 1, and that first year saw 138,618 pieces struck at Philadelphia (no mintmark), 1,120 at Dahlonega (D), and 24,000 at New Orleans (O). These two branch mints would strike coins only in 1854. San Francisco produced the three-dollar denomination in 1855, 1856, and 1857, again in 1860, and apparently one final piece in 1870. Mintmarks are found below the wreath. Every U.S. denomination boasts a number of major rarities. The three-dollar gold coinage of 1854-1889 is studded with so many low-mintage dates that the entire series may fairly be called rare. In mint state 1878 is the most common date, followed by the 1879, 1888, 1854 and 1889 issues. Every other date is very rare in high grade, particularly 1858, 1865, 1873 Closed 3 and all the San Francisco issues. Minuscule mintages were the rule in the later years. Proof coins prior to 1859 are extremely rare and more difficult to find than the proof-only issues of 1873 Open 3, 1875 and 1876, but many dates are even rarer in the higher Mint State grades. This is because at least some proofs were saved by well- heeled collectors while few lower-budget collectors showed any interest in higher-grade business strikes of later-date gold. Counterfeits are known for many dates; any suspicious piece should be authenticated. The rarest date of all is the unique 1870-S, of which only one example was struck for inclusion in the new Mint's cornerstone. Either the coin escaped, or a second was struck as a pocket piece for San Francisco Mint Coiner J.B. Harmstead. In any event, one coin showing traces of jewelry use surfaced in the numismatic market in 1907. It was sold to prominent collector William H. Woodin, and when Thomas L. Elder sold the Woodin collection in 1911, the coin went to Baltimore's Waldo C. Newcomer. Later owned by Virgil Brand, it was next sold by Ted and Carl Brandts of Ohio's Celina Coin Co. and Stack's of New York to Louis C. Eliasberg in 1946 for $11,500. In Bowers and Merena's October 1982 sale of the U.S. Gold Collection, this famous coin sold for a record $687,500. The three-dollar denomination quietly expired in 1889 along with the gold dollar and nickel three-cent piece. America's coinage was certainly more prosaic without this odd denomination gold piece, but its future popularity with collectors would vastly outstrip the lukewarm public reception it enjoyed during its circulating life.

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Creature Feature: American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) By Emma Dean, CG Science Editor Though once believed to have a range that covered what would be the continental United States until the glacial period, American beech currently maintains a slightly lesser native geographic habitat, which is still quite impressive. American beech covers the eastern U.S. and Canada from Florida to Quebec, as well as Utah. Indigenous to North America, European colonists recognized the tree as a relative of the European beech and gathered the beechnuts to extract the oil which is similar to olive oil. The beechnuts, which persist through winter, can become somewhat of a litter problem, but not the leaf litter due to the fact that after turning a lovely bronze color, the leaves stay on the tree throughout winter. As autumn ends and winter begins, the leaves become less bronze and resemble thin, curled parchment paper. Due to a shallow root system, grass does not sprout beneath the tree. This is not entirely noticeable because the short trunk allows the branches to nearly touch the ground. Its roots are unique, also, in that they routinely develop root suckers, which is when the root system is the site of new growth that then grows upward and out of the ground to form new branches and essentially a clone of the original tree. Entire beech groves have been known to grow from the roots of a single tree. American beech is notorious for having incredibly smooth, light grey bark even as it advances in age. Though not necessarily beneficial for the tree, American beech is also notorious for being a favorite for carved initials and dates which are preserved indefinitely. - American beech is a larval host as well as a nectar source for Early Hairstreak. - American beech is at home in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia and also Washington D.C. - This beech is often associated with the extinct Passenger Pigeon, which consumed beechnuts and roosted in its branches. - A few minor pest issues that affect American beech include powdery mildew, aphids, canker and beech bark disease. - Though it has a slow growth rate, American beech will grow to a height between 50-70 feet. - The general lifespan for an American beech is 300-400 years.

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Accreditation is a form of independent, professional certification that focuses on schools and programs in a particular field. Accreditation of universities in the USA therefore assures you and your parents that the school adheres to high quality standards. Which means the programs are delivered by qualified faculty and are constantly updated to follow the changes and meet the needs of the relevant industry or working world. Attending an accredited school or program is often thought to make you more competitive on the job market. University accreditation in the USA takes place at different levels. At the highest level, governmental and other agencies govern and recognize the accrediting bodies. For instance, the US Department of Education, the Council for Higher Education Association (CHEA) and the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA) grant power to associations that oversee accreditation at the regional, institutional or program level. Regional: The US Department of Education recognizes 6 distinct higher educational regions, each of which is overseen by a different accrediting body. This is the type of accreditation most commonly referred to and is for a university as a whole, not for individual programs. Accreditation by these regional agencies isn't automatic: this is voluntary accreditation. Institutional: Depending on the kind of university or college it is (e.g., private, public, Christian, etc.) it may also be accredited by institute-type specific agencies. America's universities are extremely different in character, size, location and in the programs they offer. Therefore a school may be accredited by one or more organizations. Specialized: Specialized accreditation focuses on specific areas of study and individual university programs. This is sometimes called professional accreditation, because it means specific programs meet the national standards for that field of study. Universities in the USA cover a huge range of programs, and each institution usually has a page on its website listing both institutional and individual program accreditation. When assessing quality, international students can also look at whether a school or program has any memberships in, or endorsements by, professional associations which reflect certain standards of quality, but this is not the same as official accreditation. For instance, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities does not accredit programs, but is a national organization committed to maintaining and promoting the quality of America's higher education system. Regional Accrediting Agencies for Universities in the USA Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Higher Education New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities Why Accreditation? The goal of university accreditation in the USA is to ensure that education provided by institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality. Accrediting agencies have no legal control over institutions or programs; they promote certain standards and approve or renew membership of institutions that apply and meet the accreditation standards or criteria. Certain licensing programs may require that you've been through a course of study with specialized accreditation, because it ensures that you have been taught by faculty qualified to teach in that field. The US Secretary of Education and CHEA each maintain and publish a list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies, and most institutions attain eligibility for Federal funds by holding accredited or pre-accredited status with one of the recognized accrediting agencies. Take a Virtual Tour of a featured Campus e-tours allow students to view the facilities and student life at featured Universities in the USA, giving you the opportunity to see what the University looks like, as well as facts about the campus, courses, etc. Once you’ve completed your tour you can read the in-depth profile to get more detailed information, or click the Request FREE Info link to request specific information such as scholarships and financial aid directly from that institution. Click here to view Virtual Tours of Featured Universities in the USA Request FREE Info! Request FREE info directly from featured Featured institutions want to send you more information on their to receive free information directly from the school. To see a complete list of featured schools, Note: Your request is sent directly to the institution and is not maintained on this website. Your privacy is completely protected.

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A bachelor's degree earned in the United States usually takes a minimum of four years. Degrees are earned by taking a combination of required courses which meet liberal arts distribution requirements (humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences), a required number of courses in the major field of study (called a "major"in the United States), and the balance of courses as electives. Each course taken is assigned a value called "points" (also called "credits" or "units"). To earn a bachelor's degree, one must earn a minimum of 124 points (usually more) and, at the same time, meet the distribution and major requirements. Advisement on course selection is available in each school at the time of registration. Undergraduate studies are offered in three divisions of the University. Each division offers a distinct program of studies. The divisions that offer the undergraduate (B.A. or B.S.) degree are: College (CC) - Study of the liberal arts and sciences leading to the B.A. degree traditionally, but not exclusively, for students just out of secondary school, usually between the ages of 17 and 22. With an enrollment of approximately 4,000, Columbia College is the smallest college in the 2. Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) - Offers the B.S. degree in engineering and applied science fields. 3. School of General Studies (GS) - Offers the B.A. or B.S. degree to students who have had a break of a year or more in their education since high school. All other divisions of the University are graduate schools and, as such, offer degrees beyond the bachelor's degree, usually master's or doctoral degrees. Master's degrees take from one to three years to earn depending on the course work and research/writing requirements. Ph.D. requirements may vary but usually require one to two years of course work beyond the master's degree, comprehensive examinations, a major original contribution to research in the field of study, and oral defense of one's research. The research and writing requirement can take from two to five years beyond the course work. A Ph.D. candidate should plan on a minimum of four and an average of six years of study to complete the degree requirements. It is not unusual for a student to be at Columbia seven or eight years to complete a doctorate. To be admitted to these schools, the applicant must have completed a degree considered in the United States to be equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree with a strong academic record. There are also other admissions requirements. The Columbia schools and programs that offer graduate degrees are: |College of Physicians and Surgeons||Program in Physical Therapy| |Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science||School of Continuing Education| |Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation||College of Dental Medicine| |Graduate School of Arts and Sciences||School of International and Public Affairs| |Graduate School of Business||School of Law| |Graduate School of Journalism||School of Nursing| |Institute of Human Nutrition||School of Social Work| |Mailman School of Public Health||School of the Arts| |Program in Occupational Therapy| The School of Continuing Education offers, in addition to its masters' degree program, opportunities for non-degree study at Columbia to qualified applicants. Both undergraduate and graduate level courses from the University's arts and sciences course offerings may be taken for credit. This option is particularly appropriate for international students who wish to visit at Columbia for a semester or two. To qualify for an I-20 to be in F-1 student status in the U.S., students must register for at least 12 points of credit-bearing coursework each semester. This is usually equivalent to four courses each semester. Of particular interest to international students is the School of Continuing Education's American Language Program. The ALP is one of the oldest English as a Second Language programs in the United States and offers a carefully integrated sequence of courses to students, business and professional people, and international visitors who wish to improve their command of English. There are two institutions which are affiliated with, located adjacent to, and bear the name of Columbia University. They are administered separately and applications for admission must be made directly to these institutions. Barnard College, Columbia University An undergraduate liberal arts college for women affiliated with Columbia University. For more information, write to Barnard College Admissions, 111 Milbank,3009 Broadway, New York, NY 10027, U.S.A. Teachers College, Columbia University A graduate school for students interested in education, offering only the master's and doctoral degrees. For more information, write to Teachers College Admissions, 146 Horace Mann, 551 West 120 Street, New York, NY 10027, U.S.A.

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In the American electoral system, a primary election is an election that determines the nominee for each political party, who then competes for the office in the general election. A presidential primary is a state election that picks the delegates committed to nominate particular candidates for president of the United States. A presidential caucus, as in Iowa, requires voters to meet together for several hours in face-to-face meetings that select county delegates, who eventually pick the delegates to the national convention. No other country uses primaries; they choose their candidates in party conventions. Primaries were introduced in the Progressive Era in the early 20th century to weaken the power of bosses and make the system more democratic. In presidential elections, they became important starting in 1952, when the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire Primary helped give Dwight D. Eisenhower the Republican nomination, and knocked Harry S. Truman out of the Democratic race because of his poor showing. In 1964, Lyndon B. Johnson ended his reelection campaign after doing poorly in New Hampshire. After 1968, both parties changed their rules to emphasize presidential primaries, although some states still use the caucus system. In recent decades, New Hampshire holds the first primary a few days after Iowa holds the first caucus. That gives these two states enormous leverage, as the candidates and the media focus there. New Hampshire and Iowa receive about half of all the media attention given all primaries. The primary allows voters to choose between different candidates of the some political parties, perhaps representing different wings of the party. For example, a Republican primary may choose between a range of candidates from moderate to conservative. Gallup's 2008 polling data indicated a trend in primary elections towards more conservative candidates, despite the more liberal result in the general election. In recent years the primary seasons has come earlier and earlier, as states move up to earlier dates in the hope it will give them more leverage. For example, Barry Goldwater won the 1964 nomination because he won the last primary in California. The logic is faulty--in highly contested races the later primaries have more leverage. Thus in 2008 California gave up its traditional last-in-the-nation role and joined 20 other states on Super Tuesday. Neither the candidates not the voters paid it much attention. Michigan and Florida moved up their primaries in defiance of national Democratic Party rules and were penalized. The result is the primary season is extended, and is far more expensive, and no state gets an advantage--except for Iowa and New Hampshire, which now have dates in early January. In late 2009 the two national parties are meeting to find a common solution. - Duncan, Dayton. Grass roots: one year in the life of the New Hampshire presidential primary (1991) 436 pages; on 1988 campaign - Johnson, Haynes, and Dan Balz. The Battle for America 2008: The Story of an Extraordinary Election (2009), excellent history of 2008 primaries - Kamarck, Elaine C. Primary Politics: How Presidential Candidates Have Shaped the Modern Nominating System (2009) excerpt and text search

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2 Products Found |Results per page: 24 48 72|| In terms of ecologically friendly flooring, bamboo is one of the top contenders. Not only is bamboo flooring made from totally renewable resources, but it also is available in a wide variety of design options. For those who desire the look of hardwood flooring but are concerned about the environmental consequences of harvesting trees, bamboo offers the perfect solution. While bamboo is not technically wood flooring, its appearance is close enough to fool even the most discerning eye. Why is Bamboo Flooring Considered Environmentally Friendly? Although bamboo is actually a type of grass, it is harder than red oak. It reaches full maturity in just 3 to 5 years rather than several decades and re-growth appears naturally without the need for replanting. Harvesting bamboo is actually somewhat required because it is so hardy that leaving it to its own devices would put a strain on the environment. It would be a terrible shame to waste the harvested material, so people have designed many ways to put it to good use from thatched roofs to flooring material. Bamboo also has no requirements for irrigation, fertilizers, or pesticides when grown in its natural environment. Bamboo is naturally resistant to insects and pests. The lack of need for harsh chemicals during its growth only does more to keep the carbon footprint down. How is Bamboo Flooring Manufactured? There are several steps involved in creating a material suitable for flooring from bamboo. Upon harvest, the bamboo is boiled to remove its natural starches and moisture which could become a wonderful environment for termites if not remedied. The outer skin is then removed and the stalk is cut into strips for flooring. These strips are then boiled again to make them even harder or carbonized; the longer the carbonation process, the darker the color of the final product. When the strips are ready they are formed into flooring either by gluing strips together or gluing a single layer of bamboo strips on top of another solid surface, resulting in either solid bamboo flooring or engineered bamboo flooring respectively. The flooring also goes through other processes to strengthen it further by applying laminate materials to increase scratch resistance. What are the design options with bamboo flooring? - Bamboo flooring is available in widths ranging from 3 ž inches to 7 inches and thicknesses of 5/8 inches and 9/16 inches. - Finish options for bamboo flooring are available from unfinished and natural from the FSC Unfinished Bamboo collection to nearly black and a choice of either horizontal or vertical graining as found in the FSC Designer collection. - The two edge types of bamboo flooring are micro-beveled edges and square edges. Bamboo is also available in floating floor styles and nail or glue down styles. How Durable is Bamboo Flooring? Bamboo is naturally hard and durable, and the process it goes through during the manufacture of flooring only increases this strength. While one should avoid sliding furniture across the floor or allowing water to stand, bamboo flooring will do well in most any low moisture room. Bamboo flooring from the EcoBamboo Collection to the FSC Prestige Collection will be an investment in beauty and durability that is sure to add value to any home with minimal environmental impact.

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By Karen Kaplan 5:53 PM EST, January 30, 2013 Attention dieters: Many of the “facts” you think you know about obesity and weight loss are wrong. So says a report published in Thursday’s edition of the New England Journal of Medicine. An international team of dietitians, doctors and other experts examined more than a dozen ideas about obesity that are widely believed to be true but aren’t actually supported by reliable medical evidence. It’s not just dieters who buy into these mistaken notions, the study authors note – much of this incorrect conventional wisdom is espoused by physicians, academic scientists, government agencies and (gulp) the media. Seven of these errant ideas were classified as “myths,” meaning they are “beliefs held to be true despite substantial refuting evidence.” Another six were categorized as “presumptions,” or “beliefs held to be true for which convincing evidence does not yet confirm or disprove their truth.” Without further ado, let’s get to the myth-busting: Eating a little less or exercising a little more will lead to large weight loss over time, as long as those behaviors are sustained. This myth is based on the idea that 3,500 calories are equal to one pound. That equation was based on short-term experiments. In the long-term, the body compensates in various ways that slow down weight loss. For instance, the equation predicts that a person who burns 100 extra calories per day will lose more than 50 pounds over five years; in reality, that exercise regimen will cause a person to shed only about 10 pounds (assuming calorie intake remains the same). It’s important to set realistic weight-loss goals so dieters don’t get frustrated. Studies that have examined this reasonable-sounding assumption have found that having realistic goals has no impact on the amount of weight lost. Indeed, some studies have found that those who set the most ambitious goals lost the most weight, even if they fell short of their initial expectations. Slow, gradual weight loss is easier to sustain than large, rapid weight loss. In fact, clinical trials have found that people who jump-start their diets by dropping a lot of weight in the beginning (by consuming only 800 to 1,200 calories per day, for instance) had the best results in long-term studies. In order to help someone lose weight, you must gauge their readiness to stick to a diet. Experimental evidence shows that readiness isn’t related to diet results. School P.E. classes help reduce and prevent childhood obesity. While there is certainly some amount of physical education that would help fight childhood obesity, P.E. classes in their current form have not been shown to reduce BMI or obesity in kids on a consistent basis. Babies who are breast-fed are less likely to become obese. If you think this is true, you’re in good company – the World Health Organization presented this “fact” in one of its reports. But a randomized, controlled clinical trial that followed 13,000 children for more than six years found “no compelling evidence” that breastfeeding staves off obesity, according to the New England Journal of Medicine report. (The authors did note that breastfeeding has other benefits and should be encouraged anyway.) You can burn 100 to 300 calories by having sex. In fact, having sex burns calories at about the same rate as walking at a pace of 2.5 mph. “Given that the average bout of sexual activity lasts about 6 minutes,” the authors write, a man in his early to mid-30s might burn 21 calories. But wait, it gets worse: Considering that this man could burn 7 calories just watching TV, the true benefit of having sex is only 14 additional calories burned. The report also says that these widely accepted ideas are just as likely to be false as true: * Eating breakfast instead of skipping it will help prevent obesity. * Long-term eating and exercise habits are set in early childhood. * Regardless of what else you do, eating more fruits and vegetables will lead to weight loss (or less weight gain). * Yo-yo dieting will take months or years off your life. * Snacking will make you gain weight. * The availability of sidewalks, parks and other aspects of the “built environment” influence the prevalence of obesity. How’s that for a reality check? You can read the full article for yourself here. Return to the Booster Shots blog. Follow me on Twitter @LATkarenkaplan Copyright © 2013, Los Angeles Times

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What They Are and How to Learn More about the Appellate Courts and the Justices Who Serve on Them Every four years, more than a third of California’s 99 court of appeal justices face California voters for retention. In addition, several of the seven justices on the California Supreme Court face retention elections every four years. These are not contested elections; no one may run against the justices. Instead, the voters simply decide whether the justice shall continue to serve. If a majority of voters cast "yes" votes for a particular justice, that justice remains for another term. The Code of Judicial Ethics requires all judges "to be faithful to the law regardless of partisan interests, public clamor or fear of criticism . . . ." The retention election system, adopted by California voters as part of the State Constitution, is designed specifically to foster judges’ independence from improper external pressures. Because supreme court justices hold statewide offices, voters everywhere in California decide whether to retain them. In contrast, because court of appeal justices serve in districts, voters in each district alone decide whether to retain them. California’s 99 court of appeal justices are divided among six districts, centered in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, Fresno, and San Jose. Supreme and appellate court justices generally do not actively campaign for retention. The only promise they can make voters is to decide appeals impartially and according to the law, without fear or favor toward any individual or group. However, they do seek to provide helpful information to voters. The justices have worked closely and actively with the Secretary of State’s Office to help the public learn more about the appellate courts, who the appellate justices are, and what they do. As a consequence, voters everywhere in California can easily get biographical information on every justice who appears on the ballot. As to supreme court justices, the information is contained in the statewide ballot pamphlet sent to all voters by the Secretary of State. As to court of appeal justices, the official statewide voter pamphlet does not contain biographical sketches, but does refer voters to an Internet website and a toll-free telephone hotline so they may obtain justices’ biographies, either on-line or through receipt of the Judicial Information Bookleton request. The Secretary of State’s Internet website and Judicial Information Booklet also include brief descriptions of the appellate courts and how they differ from trial courts. To gain access to these materials, voters may go to the Secretary of State’s Internet website at http://www.ss.ca.gov/ or call the telephone hotline at 1(800) 345-VOTE. While supreme and appellate court justices perform their roles quietly and without fanfare, the public can find much of their work published in law books titled "California Reports," "California Appellate Reports" and "California Reporter." Each of California’s 58 counties has a public law library containing these books, as do law schools and most law offices. Recently issued opinions are available on the same day they are filed at 'Opinions' which is maintained by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), State of California. Adding to the data supplied by the Secretary of State, the Judicial Branch’s website that you are currently reading from also contains biographical information about all the appellate court justices, as well as informative articles entitled "How Appellate and Supreme Court Justices are Selected" and "What Appellate Justices Do."

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Boston's Arnold Arboretum: A Place for Study and Recreation-- By looking at Boston's Arnold Arboretum: A Place for Study and Recreation, students discover how the first arboretum in the United States became part of the burgeoning urban park movement in the second half of the 19th century. Those interested in learning more will find that the Internet offers a variety of interesting materials. Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site is a unit of the National Park System. Visit the park's Web pages for a detailed history of Olmsted as well as information about the Olmsted Archives that has historic documentation for Olmsted-designed landscapes. Also featured on the site is the Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation (OCLP) providing technical assistance to historic properties in cultural landscape research, planning, stewardship and education. National Park Service (NPS) Historic Landscape Initiative Learn more about the National Park Service (NPS) Historic Landscape Initiative. This program promotes responsible preservation practices that protect our nation's irreplaceable legacy--designed landscapes such as parks and gardens, as well as vernacular historic landscapes such as farms and industrial sites. The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University Visit the Arnold Arboretum website for more information about this research and educational institution. It manages a collection of hardy trees, shrubs, and vines located on 265 acres in Boston, Massachusetts and associated herbarium and library collections. The grounds were planned and designed by the Arboretum's first director, Charles Sprague Sargent, in collaboration with the landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted as part of Boston's Emerald Necklace park system. Visit Some of the Parks Created by Frederick Law Olmsted The Cultural Landscape Foundation The Cultural Landscape Foundation is the only not-for-profit foundation in America dedicated to increasing the publicís awareness of the importance and irreplaceable legacy of cultural landscapes. Visit their website for more information on what cultural landscapes are and what they represent. Also learn about endangered landscapes and grassroots efforts to preserve them. Library of Congress Visit the American Memory Collection Web page to search through the archives for the writings of Frederick Law Olmsted, pictures from his personal collection, and information on his various parks. Also search for information on the industrialization of America, the reactionary movements to the consequences, and Arnold Arboretum. Of special note are the environmental and landscape photographs of Arnold Arboretum. American Journal of Botany Browse the American Journal of Botany, a journal devoted to the study of plants, for a variety of articles on botany. The Industrial Revolution Visit the ThinkQuest Junior Web pages on the Industrial Revolution to explore this time period that helped spark the park movement in America. The site provides important facts about the Industrial Revolution, it offers fun things to do related to the facts learned, and it recommends other sources of information related to the revolution. For Further Reading Students (or educators) wishing to learn more about Frederick Law Olmsted, Charles Sprague Sargent, or the Arnold Arboretum may want to read: Ida Hay, Science in the Pleasure Ground: A History of Arnold Arboretum (Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1995); Witold Rybczynski, A Clearing in the Distance: Frederick Law Olmsted and America in the Nineteenth Century (New York: Scribner, 1999); S. B. Sutton, Charles Sprague Sargent and the Arnold Arboretum (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1970); and Cynthia Zaitzevsky, Frederick Law Olmsted and the Boston Park System (Cambridge: Belknap Press, 1982).

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What Is Mead? Mead, also known as honey wine, is regarded as the oldest of fermented beverage and has stood the test of time. From the dawn of pre-history to today mead has long been regarded as a delicacy, often referred to as the "nectar of the gods". The earliest archaeological evidence for the production of mead dates to around 7000 BC where pottery vessels containing a mixture of mead, rice and other fruits along with organic compounds of fermentation were found in Northern China. Crafted Artisan Meadery uses the finest raw, unfiltered, unpastuerized honey as well as fruits, spices, herbs, and other natural ingredients to create an experience that is solely "mead". Some of our meads are aged on oak and others not...oak does wonders to an already complex mead. Our use of honey might make you think that mead is only sweet. While mead can be made as sweet as a dessert wine it can also be made dry...and anywhere in between. Yes, you'll find a little of "traditional wine" and even a little of "craft beer" elements but mead is an experience all it's own. Where other beverages work within the confines of industry standards and style categories mead can be broken down into a few broad categories that allow us to be as creative and unique as we want...there are no rules. Traditional Traditional mead is purely Honey, Water, and Yeast. Traditionals allow the chosen honey to be showcased and the drinker to explore the characteristics of that honey. Tupelo, Clover, Orange Blossom, the list is long...there is a wide array of varietal honey available each with it's own unique flavor and aroma characteristics. Melomel Melomels are mead crafted using fruit, honey, water and yeast. Fresh and local: any fruit can be used but we tend to stick to fruits that we can source locally to ensure the freshest and best product possible. We build relationships with our vendors and often times find ourselves hauling a trailer load of cider or blueberries back from their family operations. Ask us, we'd love to share with you how to find these great local farms. Metheglin Metheglins are mead crafted using spices and/or herbs, honey, water and yeast. Cinnamon, vanilla and hibiscus are just a few examples of the countless ingredients we can use. The name "metheglin" finds it origins in the welsh translation "medicine" where these herbal elixirs were seen as have healing powers. We can't vouch for medicinal qualities but can say that a good metheglin is tough to beat. Pyment Pyments are mead crafted using wine grapes, honey, water, and yeast. While being a type of melomel pyments are worth noting for their combination of elements of both wine and mead. While using red or white grapes honey is used to create something that is truly unique. Cyser Cysers are mead crafted using apple cider, honey, and yeast. Being in Northeast Ohio we are in a prime location for some of the best tasting and freshest apple cider around. With our local sources we are usually able to begin a cyser fermentation within a day or two of the cider being pressed. With the number of apple and honey varieties available there is an endless array of flavors to create.

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Join Us on Add To Favorites Discover the beauty, and functionality, of ancient Native American pottery! These replicas are a wonderful way to learn more about a culture. Pottery in any culture is an age-old practice that was originally practical and eventually became seen as an art form. Ancient Native American pieces are beautifully decorated ceramics that are not only functional but a pleasure to look at as well. Choose a style of pottery from one Native nation to replicate. Based on the style of the pot, choose an armature such as a recycled container or crumpled aluminum foil. Cover this basic form with a thin Crayola® Model Magic® layer. Add embellishments to your pot by creating ropes, leather cords, feathers, and beads, as appropriate to the culture and time period, and affixing them to your pot. For even edges, cut the compound with Crayola Scissors. One way to make beads is to cut a long piece of fishing line. Make small Model Magic balls and wrap them around the fishing line about half-way down the length. Leave enough fishing line uncovered so you can use it to wrap around the lip of the pot later. Try making different shapes of beads and alternating colors to get different patterns. Another way to make beads is by wrapping the Model Magic compound around short pieces of plastic straws. You can then string your beads any way you like. At the end of a string of beads on Native pottery, there are often large decorative feathers. Roll out Model Magic compound into feathers. Combine different colors for multicolor feathers. Then take a craft stick or other modeling tool to etch in the feather’s vein and the edges. Press the feather on the fishing line at the end of your beads. Cut off any fishing line that sticks out on the bottom. Wrap the extra fishing line around the lip of the pot and tie a knot. You can hide the fishing line by covering the lip with cords or other decorative elements. Adorn your pot with a beautiful rope by braiding three long pieces of Model Magic compound and then wrapping the braid around the lip. Add leather-like cords by rolling out long pieces of Model Magic compound and pressing them a little flat. Then twist and hang them on your pot. Model Magic® dries to the touch overnight and dries completely in 2 to 3 days. Study Native American use of animal hides for homes and clothing. Add To Favorites How do people communicate when the landscape is as barren and forbidding as Arctic tundra? Make a stone message board In Make a realistic replica of a Hopi messenger from the spirit world. Incorporate natural objects to explore this traditio Tell bigger-than-life raven stories from the Tlingit, Salish, and Haida nations. Build a miniature theatre to set the st Interview relatives about your family history. Write and illustrate the story of your family's past on a scroll you can Create an original pop-art repetitive portrait based on a study the life and work of Andy Warhol. Picasso’s art career spanned many decades and included a variety of styles and influences. Create a portrait collage ins Update an ancient craft with contemporary designs and art materials. These holiday ornaments are light and unbreakable, Our crayons have been rolling off the assembly line since 1903, and you can see how it’s done. Visit us » Be the first to know!

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Dinosaur Bones "Buried" By Evolutionists! A recent presentation at the 2012 Western Pacific Geophysics meeting in Singapore showed C-14 dates of soft tissue found in dinosaur bones to be in the range from 22,000 - 39,000 years old. Previously, it has been assumed that dinosaurs died out over 65 million years ago, so these new findings are astonishing and should have made international news. But shortly after the presentation was made at the meeting, the abstract was removed from the meeting’s website! So it appears that instead of making international news, these findings have been buried. First, let’s look at what was actually being presented. The organic matter (collagen) and hard carbonate bone mineral (bioapatite) in the bone samples were analyzed. The samples came from several species of dinosaurs (acrocanthosaur, hadrosaurus, triceratops and apatosaurus) taken from various sites in Texas, Colorado, Arkansas and Montana. The samples were meticulously handled and cleaned to avoid possible contamination. The carbon-14 (C-14) levels in these samples were measured using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS). The resultant C-14 ages obtained from these samples were consistently in the 22,000 - 39,000 years range. The fact that the samples were from a variety of species and sites all giving consistent results greatly reduces the chance that the results are from contamination. The theoretical upper limit for C-14 dating is ten times the half-life, or about 57,000 years. The proposed practical upper limit for C-14 dating is between 40,000 - 50,000 years. While some samples fell close to the 40,000 year upper limit, 16 out of 20 (80%) were aged at 35,000 years or younger, well within the acceptable upper C-14 dating limits. While other researchers have found soft tissue in dinosaur bones and C-14 dates in these ranges, this current study has been the most comprehensive. The fact that there is any collagen at all remaining in these bone samples is amazing, considering that they are supposed to be older than 65 million years. Protein just doesn’t hang around that long! And that there is any C-14 in them also is reason to possibly question conventional wisdom. But why have we not heard about any of this in the news? Shouldn't there have been at least a 15-second blip from one of the media outlets? But the media have been silent and the abstract pulled from the meeting proceedings. The sacred cow of evolution once again remains intact. We truly are living in an age of great deception. “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.” (2 Thessalonians 2:11) This article, by Creation Moments board member Dr. Don Clark, is based on an interview broadcast by Broken Road Radio. To hear the interview and many others on biblical creation topics, go to http://brokenroadradio.com/morning-show-september-17-2012/

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[Note: in Japan, it is customary to refer to a person with their last name first. We have retained this practice in the below excerpt from Kurosawa’s text.] The gate was growing larger and larger in my mind’s eye. I was location-scouting in the ancient capital of Kyoto for Rashomon, my eleventh-century period film. The Daiei management was not very happy with the project. They said the content was difficult and the title had no appeal. They were reluctant to let the shooting begin. Day by day, as I waited, I walked around Kyoto and the still-more-ancient capital of Nara a few miles away, studying the classical architecture. The more I saw, the larger the image of the Rashomon gate became in my mind. At first I thought my gate should be about the size of the entrance gate to Toji Temple in Kyoto. Then it became as large as the Tengaimon gate in Nara, and finally as big as the main two-story gates of the Ninnaji and Todaiji temples in Nara. This image enlargement occurred not just because I had the opportunity to see real gates dating from that period, but because of what I was learning, from documents and relics, about the long-since-destroyed Rashomon gate itself. “Rashomon” actually refers to the Rajomon gate; the name was changed in a Noh play written by Kanze Nobumitsu. “Rajo” indicates the outer precincts of the castle, so “Rajomon” means the main gate to the castle’s outer grounds. The gate for my film Rashomon was the main gate to the outer precincts of the ancient capital--–--–Kyoto was at that time called “Heian-Kyo.” If one entered the capital through the Rajomon gate and continued due north along the main thoroughfare of the metropolis, one came to the Shujakumon gate at the end of it, and the Toji and Saiji temples to the east and west, respectively. Considering this city plan, it would have been strange had the outer main gate not been the biggest gate of all. There is tangible evidence that it in fact was: The blue roof tiles that survive from the original Rajomon gate show that it was large. But, no matter how much research we did, we couldn’t discover the actual dimensions of the vanished structure. As a result, we had to construct the Rashomon gate to the city based on what we could learn from looking at extant temple gates, knowing that the original was probably different. What we built as a set was gigantic. It was so immense that a complete roof would have buckled the support pillars. Using the artistic device of dilapidation as an excuse, we constructed only half a roof and were able to get away with our measurements. To be historically accurate, the imperial palace and the Shujakumon gate should have been visible looking north through our gate. But on the Daiei back lot such distances were out of the question, and even if we had been able to find the space, the budget would have made it impossible. We made do with a cut-out mountain to be seen through the gate. Even so, what we built was extraordinarily large for an open set. When I took this project to Daiei, I told them the only sets I would need were the gate and the tribunal courtyard wall where all the survivors, participants and witnesses of the rape and murder that form the story of the film are questioned. Everything else, I promised them, would be shot on location. Based on this low-budget set estimate, Daiei happily took on the project. Later, Kawaguchi Matsutaro, at that time a Daiei executive, complained that they had really been fed a line. To be sure, only the gate set had to be built, but for the price of that one mammoth set they could have had over a hundred ordinary sets. But, to tell the truth, I hadn’t intended so big a set to begin with. It was while I was kept waiting all that time that my research deepened and my image of the gate swelled to its startling proportions. When I had finished Scandal for the Shochiku studios, Daiei asked if I wouldn’t direct one more film for them. As I cast about for what to film, I suddenly remembered a script based on the short story “Yabu no naka” (“In a Grove”) by Akutagawa Ryunosuke. It had been written by Hashimoto Shinobu, who had been studying under director Itami Mansaku. It was a very well-written piece, but not long enough to make into a feature film. This Hashimoto had visited my home, and I talked with him for hours. He seemed to have substance, and I took a liking to him. He later wrote the screenplays for Ikiru (1952) and Shichinin no samurai (Seven Samurai, 1954) with me. The script I remembered was his Akutagawa adaptation called “Male-Female.” Probably my subconscious told me it was not right to have put that script aside; probably I was—without being aware of it–wondering all the while if I couldn’t do something with it. At that moment the memory of it jumped out of one of those creases in my brain and told me to give it a chance. At the same time I recalled that “In a Grove” is made up of three stories, and realized that if I added one more, the whole would be just the right length for a feature film. Then I remembered the Akutagawa story “Rashomon.” Like “In a Grove,” it was set in the Heian period (794-1184). The film Rashomon took shape in my mind. Since the advent of the talkies in the 1930s, I felt, we had misplaced and forgotten what was so wonderful about the old silent movies. I was aware of the aesthetic loss as a constant irritation. I sensed a need to go back to the origins of the motion picture to find this peculiar beauty again; I had to go back into the past. In particular, I believed that there was something to be learned from the spirit of the French avant-garde films of the 1920s. Yet in Japan at this time we had no film library. I had to forage for old films, and try to remember the structure of those I had seen as a boy, ruminating over the aesthetics that had made them special. Rashomon would be my testing ground, the place where I could apply the ideas and wishes growing out of my silent-film research. To provide the symbolic background atmosphere, I decided to use the Akutagawa “In a Grove” story, which goes into the depths of the human heart as if with a surgeon’s scalpel, laying bare its dark complexities and bizarre twists. These strange impulses of the human heart would be expressed through the use of an elaborately fashioned play of light and shadow. In the film, people going astray in the thicket of their hearts would wander into a wider wilderness, so I moved the setting to a large forest. I selected the virgin forest of the mountains surrounding Nara, and the forest belonging to the Komyoji temple outside Kyoto. There were only eight characters, but the story was both complex and deep. The script was done as straightforwardly and briefly as possible, so I felt I should be able to create a rich and expansive visual image in turning it into a film. Fortunately, I had as cinematographer a man I had long wanted to work with, Miyagawa Kazuo; I had Hayasaka to compose the music and Matsuyama as art director. The cast was Mifune Toshiro, Mori Masayuki, Kyo Machiko, Shimura Takashi, Chiaki Minoru, Ueda Kichijiro, Kato Daisuke and Honma Fumiko; all were actors whose temperaments I knew, and I could not have wished for a better line-up. Moreover, the story was supposed to take place in summer, and we had, ready to hand, the scintillating midsummer heat of Kyoto and Nara. With all these conditions so neatly met, I could ask nothing more. All that was left was to begin the film. However, one day just before the shooting was to start, the three assistant directors Daiei had assigned me came to see me at the inn where I was staying. I wondered what the problem could be. It turned out that they found the script baffling and wanted me to explain it to them. “Please read it again more carefully,” I told them. “If you read it diligently, you should be able to understand it because it was written with the intention of being comprehensible.” But they wouldn’t leave. “We believe we have read it carefully, and we still don’t understand it at all; that’s why we want you to explain it to us.” For their persistence I gave them this simple explanation: Human beings are unable to be honest with themselves about themselves. They cannot talk about themselves without embellishing. This script portrays such human beings–the kind who cannot survive without lies to make them feel they are better people than they really are. It even shows this sinful need for flattering falsehood going beyond the grave—even the character who dies cannot give up his lies when he speaks to the living through a medium. Egoism is a sin the human being carries with him from birth; it is the most difficult to redeem. This film is like a strange picture scroll that is unrolled and displayed by the ego. You say that you can’t understand this script at all, but that is because the human heart itself is impossible to understand. If you focus on the impossibility of truly understanding human psychology and read the script one more time, I think you will grasp the point of it. After I finished, two of the three assistant directors nodded and said they would try reading the script again. They got up to leave, but the third, who was the chief, remained unconvinced. He left with an angry look on his face. (As it turned out, this chief assistant director and I never did get along. I still regret that in the end I had to ask for his resignation. But, aside from this, the work went well.) During the rehearsals before the shooting I was left virtually speechless by Kyo Machiko’s dedication. She came in to where I was still sleeping in the morning and sat down with the script in her hand. “Please teach me what to do,” she requested, and I lay there amazed. The other actors, too, were all in their prime. Their spirit and enthusiasm was obvious in their work, and equally manifest in their eating and drinking habits. They invented a dish called Sanzoku-yaki, or “Mountain Bandit Broil,” and ate it frequently. It consisted of beef strips sautéed in oil and then dipped in a sauce made of curry powder in melted butter. But while they held their chopsticks in one hand, in the other they’d hold a raw onion. From time to time they’d put a strip of meat on the onion and take a bite out of it. Thoroughly barbaric. The shooting began at the Nara virgin forest. This forest was infested with mountain leeches. They dropped out of the trees onto us, they crawled up our legs from the ground to suck our blood. Even when they had had their fill, it was no easy task to pull them off, and once you managed to rip a glutted leech out of your flesh, the open sore seemed never to stop bleeding. Our solution was to put a tub of salt in the entry of the inn. Before we left for the location in the morning we would cover our necks, arms and socks with salt. Leeches are like slugs—they avoid salt. In those days the virgin forest around Nara harbored great numbers of massive cryptomerias and Japanese cypresses, and vines of lush ivy twined from tree to tree like pythons. It had the air of the deepest mountains and hidden glens. Every day I walked in this forest, partly to scout for shooting locations and partly for pleasure. Once a black shadow suddenly darted in front of me: a deer from the Nara park that had returned to the wild. Looking up, I saw a pack of monkeys in the big trees about my head. The inn we were housed in lay at the foot of Mount Wakakusa. Once a big monkey who seemed to be the leader of the pack came and sat on the roof of the inn to stare at us studiously throughout our boisterous evening meal. Another time the moon rose from behind Mount Wakakusa, and for an instant we saw the silhouette of a deer framed distinctly against its full brightness. Often after supper we climbed up Mount Wakakusa and formed a circle to dance in the moonlight. I was still young and the cast members were even younger and bursting with energy. We carried out our work with enthusiasm. When the location moved from the Nara Mountains to the Komyoji temple forest in Kyoto, it was Gion Festival time. The sultry summer sun hit with full force, but even though some members of my crew succumbed to heat stroke, our work pace never flagged. Every afternoon we pushed through without even stopping for a single swallow of water. When work was over, on the way back to the inn we stopped at a beer hall in Kyoto’s downtown Shijo-Kawaramachi district. There each of us downed about four of the biggest mugs of draft beer they had. But we ate dinner without any alcohol and, upon finishing, split up to go about our private affairs. Then at ten o’clock we’d gather again and pour whiskey down our throats with a vengeance. Every morning we were up bright and clear-headed to do our sweat-drenched work. Where the Komyoji temple forest was too thick to give us the light we needed for shooting, we cut down trees without a moment’s hesitation or explanation. The abbot of Komyoji glared fearfully as he watched us. But as the days went on, he began to take the initiative, showing us where he thought trees should be felled. When our shoot was finished at the Komyoji location, I went to pay my respects to the abbot. He looked at me with grave seriousness and spoke with deep feeling. “To be honest with you, at the outset we were very disturbed when you went about cutting down the temple trees as if they belonged to you. But in the end we were won over by your wholehearted enthusiasm. ‘Show the audience something good.’ This was the focus of all your energies, and you forgot yourselves. Until I had the chance to watch you, I had no idea that the making of a movie was a crystallization of such effort. I was very deeply impressed.” The abbot finished and set a folding fan before me. In commemoration of our filming, he had written on the fan three characters forming a Chinese poem: “Benefit All Mankind.” I was left speechless. We set up a parallel schedule for the use of the Komyoji location and open set of the Rashomon gate. On sunny days we filmed at Komyoji; on cloudy days we filmed the rain scenes at the gate set. Because the gate set was so huge, the job of creating rainfall on it was a major operation. We borrowed fire engines and turned on the studio’s fire hoses to full capacity. But when the camera was aimed upward at the cloudy sky over the gate, the sprinkle of the rain couldn’t be seen against it, so we made rainfall with black ink in it. Every day we worked in temperatures of more than 85º Fahrenheit, but when the wind blew through the wide-open gate with the terrific rainfall pouring down over it, it was enough to chill the skin. I had to be sure that this huge gate looked huge to the camera. And I had to figure out how to use the sun itself. This was a major concern because of the decision to use the light and shadows of the forest as the keynote of the whole film. I determined to solve the problem by actually filming the sun. These days it is not uncommon to point the camera directly at the sun, but at the time Rashomon was being made it was still one of the taboos of cinematography. It was even thought that the sun’s rays shining directly into your lens would burn the film in your camera. But my cameraman, Miyagawa Kazuo, boldly defied this convention and created superb images. The introductory section in particular, which leads the viewer through the light and shadow of the forest into a world where the human heart loses its way, was truly magnificent camera work. I feel that this scene, later praised at the Venice International Film Festival as the first instance of a camera entering the heart of a forest, was not only one of Miyagawa’s masterpieces but a world-class masterpiece of black-and-white cinematography. And yet, I don’t know what happened to me. Delighted as I was with Miyagawa’s work, it seems I forgot to tell him. When I said to myself, “Wonderful,” I guess I thought I had said “Wonderful” to him at the same time. I didn’t realize I hadn’t until one day Miyagawa’s old friend Shimura Takashi (who was playing the woodcutter in Rashomon) came to me and said, “Miyagawa’s very concerned about whether his camera work is satisfactory to you.” Recognizing my oversight for the first time, I hurriedly shouted “One hundred percent! One hundred for camera work! One hundred plus!” There is no end to my recollections of Rashomon. If I tried to write about all of them, I’d never finish, so I’d like to end with one incident that left an indelible impression on me. It has to do with the music. As I was writing the script, I heard the rhythms of a bolero in my head over the episode of the woman’s side of the story. I asked Hayasaka to write a bolero kind of music for the scene. When we came to the dubbing of that scene, Hayasaka sat down next to me and said, “I’ll try it with the music.” In his face I saw uneasiness and anticipation. My own nervousness and expectancy gave me a painful sensation in my chest. The screen lit up with the beginning of the scene, and the strains of the bolero music softly counted out the rhythm. As the scene progressed, the music rose, but the image and the sound failed to coincide and seemed to be at odds with each other. “Damn it,” I thought. The multiplication of sound and image that I had calculated in my head had failed, it seemed. It was enough to make me break out in a cold sweat. We kept going. The bolero music rose yet again, and suddenly picture and sound fell into perfect unison. The mood created was positively eerie. I felt an icy chill run down my spine, and unwittingly I turned to Hayasaka. He was looking at me. His face was pale, and I saw that he was shuddering with the same eerie emotion I felt. From that point on, sound and image proceeded with incredible speed to surpass even the calculations I had made in my head. The effect was strange and overwhelming. And that is how Rashomon was made. During the shooting there were two fires at the Daiei studios. But because we had mobilized the fire engines for our filming, they were already primed and drilled, so the studios escaped with very minor damage. After Rashomon I made a film of Dostoevsky’s The Idiot (Hakuchi, 1951) for the Shochiku studios. This Idiot was ruinous. I clashed directly with the studio heads, and then when the reviews on the completed film came out, it was as if they were a mirror reflection of the studio’s attitude toward me. Without exception, they were scathing. On the heels of this disaster, Daiei rescinded its offer for me to do another film with them. I listened to this cold announcement at the Chofu studios of Daiei in the Tokyo suburbs. I walked out through the gate in the gloomy daze, and, not having the will even to get on the train, I ruminated over my bleak situation as I walked all the way home to Komae. I concluded that for some time I would have to “eat cold rice” and resigned myself to this fact. Deciding that it would serve no purpose to get excited about it, I set out to go fishing at the Tamagawa River. I cast my line into the river. It immediately caught on something and snapped in two. Having no replacement with me, I hurriedly put my equipment away. Thinking this was what it was like when bad luck catches up with you, I headed back home. I arrived home depressed, with barely enough strength to slide open the door to the entry. Suddenly my wife came bounding out. “Congratulations!” I was unwittingly indignant: “For what?” “Rashomon has the Grand Prix.” Rashomon had won the Grand Prix at the Venice International Film Festival, and I was spared from having to eat cold rice. Once again an angel had appeared out of nowhere. I did not even know that Rashomon had been submitted to the Venice Film Festival. The Japan representative to Italiafilm, Giuliana Stramigioli, had seen it and recommended it to Venice. It was like pouring water into the sleeping ears of the Japanese film industry. Later Rashomon won the American Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Japanese critics insisted that these two prizes were simply reflections of Westerners’ curiosity and taste for Oriental exoticism, which struck me then, and now, as terrible. Why is it that Japanese people have no confidence in the worth of Japan? Why do they elevate everything foreign and denigrate everything Japanese? Even the woodblock prints of Utamoro, Hokusai and Sharaku were not appreciated by Japanese until they were first discovered by the West. I don’t know how to explain this lack of discernment. I can only despair of the character of my own people. Excerpted from Something Like an Autobiography, trans., Audie E. Bock. Translation Copyright ©1982 by Vintage Books. Reprinted by permission of Vintage Books, a division of Random House.

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St. Francis, Animals and the Environment Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio You often see a garden statue of him with a bird on his shoulder. Yes, St. Francis of Assisi did have a special relationship with animals. He preached to the birds, pacified a wolf, and put together an animal cast for what is regarded as the very first live nativity scene. But he had no interest in “the environment.” No feeling for it whatsoever. Instead, he was in love with creation. And that’s because he was in love with the Creator, who he regarded not as some cosmic force or distant, detached monarch, but as “Father.” He so much loved God his Father that he had great affection for anything related to God – the sacraments, the Church, its very imperfect ministers, broken down country chapels, and all of God’s marvelous works of art – human beings first and foremost, but also the animals and even the inanimate objects that adorn the heavens and the earth. The fondness for and kinship St. Francis felt with “brother son and sister moon” was truly a gift. But it is gift that we all receive when we receive the Holy Spirit since it is one of the seven gifts mentioned in Isaiah 11:2-3. At least this is how St. Thomas Aquinas and many after him explained this beautiful, supernatural gift of piety. The natural virtue of piety was extolled by the Greeks and Romans – a love of those who gave you life, first and foremost your parents and after them, your fatherland. This entailed also a respect and affection for all that is connected with your parents and dear to them as well– your grandparents, uncles and aunts, and in the case of your country, its flag, its national anthem, its history and its heros. The term for piety towards one’s country is “patriotism” which actually has at its root, the term “pater” or “father.” St. Francis loved his home town of Assisi. But his deeper patriotism was for the Kingdom of God. His affection for the Kingdom included respect and reverence for all the King’s creatures and subjects, whether they be great or small. Now, this does not mean that Francis saw all creatures as his equals, as some animal rights advocates today seem to do. One animal rights philosopher, Peter Singer, goes so far as to teach that adult whales and chimpanzees are actually superior to human fetuses and infants in both dignity and value. He would save the whales but allow both abortion and infanticide. St. Francis would be appalled at such a concept. Biblical person that he was, he understood that woman and man are God’s supreme masterpieces, made in His image and likeness, unlike the animals. Human beings are given dominion over the rest of creation in Genesis 2 not to exploit however, but to cultivate, care for, and perfect. God entrusts Adam and Eve not with “the environment,” but with “the Garden” – a place of beauty in which we are made to walk with God. So St. Francis loves the birds, but also presses them into the service of the gospel. He saves the wolf of Gubbio from the wrath of angry townspeople, but rebukes it for its ferocity and calls men and wolf to live everafter in harmony. And the animals of the nativity scene? They are companions of the infant who is the Word made flesh. So the authentic biblical and Catholic approach to “the environment” is not to see it coldly and scientifically as “the environment.” But rather, in the fashion of St. Francis, to approach it as the expression of the Father’s beauty, as the gift of the Father’s love, as an icon, a window to the new creation. Reckless exploitation would never fit with such a vision. But neither would some secular environmentalism. Follow Us - Join us on Facebook Join us on Twitter Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio writes from Texas. For more information on his resources and his pilgrimages to Italy and the Holy Land, visit www.crossroadsinitiative.com or call 1.800.803.0118. Click here to download and print, click here! For more Catholic resources to feed your faith, visit the Crossroads Initiative Homepage. To sign up for our free weekly e-mail with Dr. D'Ambrosio's commentary on the Sunday readings, liturgical feasts, updates on where Dr. D will be speaking, a chance to WIN a FREE CD and MORE, CLICK HERE! Personal Prayer: Pathway to Joy Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D. Everyone knows that personal prayer is important. You can't expect to deepen a relationship with God talking with Him only once a week! But how, in the midst of the busy, noisy life we all lead, can we develop a pattern of daily prayer that really works? And if we are successful in carving out some moments for prayer, what do we do? How should we spend that time in way that would be most fruitful? Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio has taught spiritual theology academically, but, more importantly, he's had plenty of practice applying that tradition to everyday life. With a family of seven, a business, and a non-profit corporation to run, he knows the challenges that a busy, active life can pose to the Christian who wants to pray. In this talk, he lays down principles and gives practical suggestions on how busy laypeople can develop a prayer life that leads to joy and personal transformation. CD - $8.95 The Seven Deadly Sins - 3 CD Set What are the Seven Deadly Sins? There are books written about them and movies made about them, but what are they? From about the fifth century, Christian spiritual writers identified seven patterns of sin that, if not broken, would lead to spiritual death. In this fascinating series by Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio, we learn the destructive, addictive dynamics of these seven vices and how they infiltrate, and ultimately take over people's lives. Most importantly, we find out how to get free of the chains forged by these sins and the necessary qualities to cultivate to make us immune to them in the future. Beyond the Birds and the Bees "The Talk." It's one of the most daunting prospects parents face. Communicating the richness of Catholic teaching on sexuality in a faithful and effective way can be an overwhelming responsibility. But does it have to be so? In this thoroughly revised version of Beyond the Birds and the Bees, Greg and Lisa Popcak empower you with the tools needed to move well beyond "the Talk" by offering a comprehensive guide to raising sexually whole and holy children. Using the riches of Blessed John Paul II's Theology of the Body, the Popcaks help you safely navigate your children from infancy through the teenage years and beyond. Building Our House on Rock: The Sermon On The Mount Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount ends with the parable of the builders on rock or sand. Doing what Jesus asks results in building a life that endures; not doing it results in disaster. The choice is ours, and it’s a scary one. How can we read these words so that we can know what Jesus meant and do it?

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Indonesia is known for being prone to natural disasters of all kinds, ranging from climatic (floods, drought) to geologic (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanoes, etc.), biological (avian influenza) to man-made (deforestation, mining, conflicts). With an already high level of food insecurity, households' vulnerability to shocks is high as the assets and structures of communities are jeopardized by these complex emergencies and a general lack of disaster risk reduction and management. Over the past five years, more than 1,500,000 people have been directly affected by natural disasters, primarily in West Sumatera, West Java, Central Java, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara and Papua. Following the tsunami of 2004, the government of Indonesia has become more aware of the risks, both real and potential, affecting the provinces, and has taken steps to build the capacity of its staff in disaster risk reduction. Emergency preparedness and response has also become a priority for the Indonesian Church, specifically the national Caritas office—KARINA—and a growing number of dioceses. Various disasters over the past five years offered opportunities for the dioceses in those areas to contribute to the disaster responses and increase their response and management capacities. This has provided Catholic Relief Services Indonesia with greater opportunity to work with and support the local Church and other organizations to improve their capacity in emergency response programming. Latest Stories From Indonesia View all stories »» See all the different ways your support helps people around the world after disasters strike. »» The latest eruption from Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano killed 70 people and forced thousands to flee from their homes. »» When Sumatran villagers were left homeless after an earthquake, a CRS program helped them build 11,000 houses in just a few months. »» |Population:||248,645,008 (July 2012 est.)| |Size:||735,358 sq. mi.; slightly less than three times the size of Texas| |People Served:||863 (2012 est.)| Since 1957, Catholic Relief Services has been helping rural communities in Indonesia alleviate human suffering, eradicate poverty and become self-reliant. Over the past five years, CRS in Indonesia has responded to various disasters and helped more than 60,000 people rebuild their lives. Our response to the West Sumatera earthquake in 2009 through cash grant for transitional shelter has been widely appreciated by the local government and donor community as the most effective strategy to provide timely, appropriate, accountable and high quality interventions. PartnersKARINA (Caritas Indonesia) CORDAID and Caritas Australia United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

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CTComms sends on average 2 million emails monthly on behalf of over 125 different charities and not for profits. Take the complexity of technology and stir in the complexity of the legal system and what do you get? Software licenses! If you've ever attempted to read one you know how true this is, but you have to know a little about software licensing even if you can't parse all of the fine print. By: Chris Peters March 10, 2009 A software license is an agreement between you and the owner of a program which lets you perform certain activities which would otherwise constitute an infringement under copyright law. The software license usually answers questions such as: The price of the software and the licensing fees, if any, are sometimes discussed in the licensing agreement, but usually it's described elsewhere. If you read the definitions below and you're still scratching your head, check out Categories of Free and Non-Free Software which includes a helpful diagram. Free vs Proprietary: When you hear the phrase "free software" or "free software license," "free" is referring to your rights and permissions ("free as in freedom" or "free as in free speech"). In other words, a free software license gives you more rights than a proprietary license. You can usually copy, modify, and redistribute free software without paying a fee or obtaining permission from the developers and distributors. In most cases "free software" won't cost you anything, but that's not always the case – in this instance the word free is making no assertion whatsoever about the price of the software. Proprietary software puts more restrictions and limits on your legal permission to copy, modify, and distribute the program. Free, Open-Source or FOSS? In everyday conversation, there's not much difference between "free software," "open source software," and "FOSS (Free and Open-Source Software)." In other words, you'll hear these terms used interchangeably, and the proponents of free software and the supporters of open-source software agree with one another on most issues. However, the official definition of free software differs somewhat from the official definition of open-source software, and the philosophies underlying those definitions differ as well. For a short description of the difference, read Live and Let License. For a longer discussion from the "free software" side, read Why Open Source Misses the Point of Free Software. For the "open-source" perspective, read Why Free Software is Too Ambiguous. Public domain and copyleft. These terms refer to different categories of free, unrestricted licensing. A copyleft license allows you all the freedoms of a free software license, but adds one restriction. Under a copyleft license, you have to release any modifications under the same terms as the original software. In effect, this blocks companies and developers who want to alter free software and then make their altered version proprietary. In practice, almost all free and open-source software is also copylefted. However, technically you can release "free software" that isn't copylefted. For example, if you developed software and released it under a "public domain" license, it would qualify as free software, but it isn't copyleft. In effect, when you release something into the public domain, you give up all copyrights and rights of ownership. Shareware and freeware. These terms don't really refer to licensing, and they're confusing in light of the discussion of free software above. Freeware refers to software (usually small utilities at sites such as Tucows.com) that you can download and install without paying. However, you don't have the right to view the source code, and you may not have the right to copy and redistribute the software. In other words, freeware is proprietary software. Shareware is even more restrictive. In effect, shareware is trial software. You can use it for a limited amount of time (usually 30 or 60 days) and then you're expected to pay to continue using it. End User Licensing Agreement (EULA). When you acquire software yourself, directly from a vendor or retailer, or directly from the vendor's Web site, you usually have to indicate by clicking a box that you accept the licensing terms. This "click-through" agreement that no one ever reads is commonly known as a EULA. If you negotiate a large purchase of software with a company, and you sign a contract to seal the agreement, that contract usually replaces or supersedes the EULA. Most major vendors of proprietary software offer some type of bulk purchasing and volume licensing mechanism. The terms vary widely, but if you order enough software to qualify, the benefits in terms of cost and convenience are significant. Also, not-for-profits sometimes qualify for it with very small initial purchases. Some of the benefits of volume licensing include: Lower cost. As with most products, software costs less when you buy more of it. Ease of installation. Without volume licenses, you usually have to enter a separate activation code (also known as a product key or license key) for each installed copy of the program. On the other hand, volume licenses provide you with a single, organisation-wide activation code, which makes it much easier to find when you need to reinstall the software. Easier tracking of licenses. Keeping track of how many licenses you own, and how many copies you've actually installed, is a tedious, difficult task. Many volume licensing programs provide an online account which is automatically updated when you obtain or activate a copy of that company's software. These accounts can also coordinate licensing across multiple offices within your organisation. To learn more about volume licensing from a particular vendor, check out some of the resources below: Qualified not-for-profits and libraries can receive donated volume licenses for Microsoft products through TechSoup. For more information, check out our introduction to the Microsoft Software Donation Program, and the Microsoft Software Donation Program FAQ. For general information about the volume licensing of Microsoft software, see Volume Licensing Overview. If you get Microsoft software from TechSoup or other software distributors who work with not-for-profits, you may need to go to the eOpen Web site to locate your Volume license keys. For more information, check out the TechSoup Donation Recipient's Guide to the Microsoft eOpen Web Site. Always check TechSoup Stock first to see if there's a volume licensing donation program for the software you're interested in. If TechSoup doesn't offer that product or if you need more copies than you can find at TechSoup, search for "volume licensing not-for-profits software" or just "not-for-profits software." For example, when we have an inventory of Adobe products, qualifying and eligible not-for-profits can obtain four individual products or one copy of Creative Suite 4 through TechSoup. If we're out of stock, or you've used up your annual Adobe donation, you can also check TechSoup's special Adobe donation program and also Adobe Solutions for Nonprofits for other discounts available to not-for-profits. For more software-hunting tips, see A Quick Guide to Discounted Software Programs. Pay close attention to the options and licensing requirements when you acquire server-based software. You might need two different types of license – one for the server software itself, and a set of licenses for all the "clients" accessing the software. Depending on the vendor and the licensing scenario, "client" can refer either to the end users themselves (for example, employees, contractors, clients, and anyone else who uses the software in question) or their computing devices (for example, laptops, desktop computers, smartphones, PDAs, etc.). We'll focus on Microsoft server products, but similar issues can arise with other server applications. Over the years, Microsoft has released hundreds of server-based applications, and the licensing terms are slightly different for each one. Fortunately, there are common license types and licensing structures across different products. In other words, while a User CAL (Client Access License) for Windows Server is distinct from a User CAL for SharePoint Server, the underlying terms and rights are very similar. The TechSoup product pages for Microsoft software do a good job of describing the differences between products, so we'll focus on the common threads in this article. Moreover, Microsoft often lets you license a single server application in more than one way, depending on the needs of your organisation. This allows you the flexibility to choose the licenses that best reflect your organisation's usage patterns and thereby cost you the least amount of money. For example, for Windows Server and other products you can acquire licenses on a per-user basis (for example, User CALs) or per-device basis (for example, Device CALs). The license required to install and run most server applications usually comes bundled with the software itself. So you can install and run most applications "out of the box," as long as you have the right number of client licenses (see the section below for more on that). However, when you're running certain server products on a computer with multiple processors, you may need to get additional licenses. For example, if you run Windows Server 2008 DataCenter edition on a server with two processors, you need a separate license for each processor. SQL Server 2008 works the same way. This type of license is referred to as a processor license. Generally you don't need client licenses for any application that's licensed this way. Client Licenses for Internal Users Many Microsoft products, including Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008, require client access licenses for all authenticated internal users (for example, employees, contractors, volunteers, etc.). On the other hand, SQL Server 2008 and other products don't require any client licenses. Read the product description at CTXchange if you're looking for the details about licensing a particular application. User CALs: User CALs allow each user access to all the instances of a particular server product in an organisation, no matter which device they use to gain access. In other words, if you run five copies of Windows Server 2008 on five separate servers, you only need one User CAL for each person in your organisation who access those servers (or any software installed on those servers), whether they access a single server, all five servers, or some number in between. Each user with a single CAL assigned to them can access the server software from as many devices as they want (for example, desktop computers, laptops, smartphones, etc.). User CALs are a popular licensing option. Device CALs: Device CALs allow access to all instances of a particular server application from a single device (for example, a desktop computer, a laptop, etc.) in your organisation. Device CALs only make sense when multiple employees use the same computer. For example, in 24-hour call centres different employees on different shifts often use the same machine, so Device CALs make sense in this situation. Choosing a licensing mode for your Windows Server CALs: With Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008, you use a CAL (either a User CAL or a Device CAL) in one of two licensing modes: per seat or per server. You make this decision when you're installing your Windows Server products, not when you acquire the CALs. The CALs themselves don't have any mode designation, so you can use either a User CAL or a Device CAL in either mode. Per seat mode is the default mode, and the one used most frequently. The description of User CALs and Device CALs above describes the typical per seat mode. In "per server" mode, Windows treats each license as a "simultaneous connection." In other words, if you have 40 CALs, Windows will let 40 authenticated users have access. The 41st user will be denied access. However, in per server mode, each CAL is tied to a particular instance of Windows Server, and you have to acquire a new set of licenses for each new server you build that runs Windows. Therefore, per server mode works for some small organisations with one or two servers and limited access requirements. You don't "install" client licenses the way you install software. There are ways to automate the tracking of software licenses indirectly, but the server software can't refuse access to a user or device on licensing grounds. The licenses don't leave any "digital footprint" that the server software can read. An exception to this occurs when you license Windows Server in per server mode. In this case, if you have 50 licenses, the 51st authenticated user will be denied access (though anonymous users can still access services). Some key points to remember about client licensing: The licensing scenarios described in this section arise less frequently, and are too complex to cover completely in this article, so they're described briefly below along with more comprehensive resources. You don't need client licenses for anonymous, unauthenticated external users. In other words, if someone accesses your Web site, and that site runs on Internet Information Server (IIS), Microsoft's Web serving software, you don't need a client license for any of those anonymous users. If you have any authenticated external users who access services on your Windows-based servers, you can obtain CALs to cover their licensing requirements. However, the External Connector License (ECL) is a second option in this scenario. The ECL covers all use by authenticated external users, but it's a lot more expensive than a CAL, so only get one if you'll have a lot of external users. For example, even if you get your licenses through the CTXchange donation program, an ECL for Windows Server 2008 has an £76 administrative fee, while a User CAL for Windows Server 2008 carries a £1 admin fee. If only a handful of external users access your Windows servers, you're better off acquiring User CALs. Also, an ECL only applies to external users and devices. In other words, if you have an ECL, you still have to get a CAL for all employees and contractors. Even though Terminal Services (TS) is built into Windows Server 2003 and 2008, you need to get a separate TS CAL for each client (i.e. each user or each device) that will access Terminal Services in your organisation. This TS license is in addition to your Windows Server CALs. Microsoft's System Centre products (a line of enterprise-level administrative software packages) use a special type of license known as a management license (ML). Applications that use this type of licensing include System Center Configuration Manager 2007 and System Center Operations Manager 2007. Any desktop or workstation managed by one of these applications needs a client management license. Any server managed by one of these applications requires a server management license, and there are two types of server management licenses – standard and enterprise. You need one or the other but not both. There are also special licensing requirements if you're managing virtual instances of Windows operating systems. For more information, see TechSoup's Guide to System Center Products and Licensing and Microsoft's white paper on Systems Center licensing. Some Microsoft server products have two client licensing modes, standard and enterprise. As you might imagine, an Enterprise CAL grants access to more advanced features of a product. Furthermore, with some products, such as Microsoft Exchange, the licenses are additive. In other words, a user needs both a Standard CAL AND an Enterprise CAL in order to access the advanced features. See Exchange Server 2007 Editions and Client Access Licenses for more information. With virtualisation technologies, multiple operating systems can run simultaneously on a single physical server. Every time you install a Microsoft application, whether on a physical hardware system or a virtual hardware system, you create an "instance" of that application. The number of "instances" of particular application that you can run using a single license varies from product to product. For more information see the Volume Licensing Briefs, Microsoft Licensing for Virtualization and the Windows Server Virtualization Calculator. For TechSoup Stock products, see the product description for more information. There are a lot of nuances to Microsoft licensing, and also a lot of excellent resources to help you understand different scenarios. About the Author: Chris is a former technology writer and technology analyst for TechSoup for Libraries, which aims to provide IT management guidance to libraries. His previous experience includes working at Washington State Library as a technology consultant and technology trainer, and at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as a technology trainer and tech support analyst. He received his M.L.S. from the University of Michigan in 1997. Originally posted here. Copyright © 2009 CompuMentor. This work is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License. The latest version of Microsoft Office Professional Plus is an integrated collection of programs, servers, and services designed to work together to enable optimised information work.

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- Our Story - In Memory Vaccination and Immunotherapy for Alzheimer’s Disease Vaccination against amyloid is a promising approach for the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) therapeutics. Approximately half of the investigational new therapeutics in human clinical trials for AD are active or passive immunotherapeutics. Active vaccination involves the injection of an antigen and relies on the production of antibodies in the vaccinated patient. Four human clinical trials of active vaccination currently are under way. Passive immunization is also a promising strategy that involves the production of antibodies outside of the patient and injection of these antibodies. There are currently 12 clinical trials of passive immunization. You can check for Alzheimer therapeutics in human clinical trials by visiting www.clinicaltrials.gov and searching for key words “Alzheimer’s and immunotherapy.” Thinking out of the box The development of vaccinations as a strategy for treating or preventing Alzheimer’s is an example of thinking out of the box. Vaccinations commonly are associated with infectious diseases, like influenza, small pox and polio, which appear to have little in common with neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s. Moreover, the brain is an immunoprivileged site with little access to antibodies, so it seems unlikely antibodies would be protective in the brain. Researchers were pleasantly surprised when Dale Schenk and co-workers at Elan Inc. reported that vaccination of transgenic mouse models of AD against the amyloid Aß peptide prevented amyloid deposition in young animals and removed pre-existing amyloid deposits in older animals. Subsequent work showed that immunization against Aß prevented or reversed many other pathological features and prevented cognitive dysfunction in transgenic mice and non-human primates. This vaccine (Elan AN1792) was tested in human clinical trials, where it showed similar beneficial effects of removing amyloid deposits and slowing cognitive decline in patients with significant levels of anti-Aß antibodies, but the clinical trial was halted because 6 percent of the patients developed meningoencephalitis, an inflammatory side effect. Second-generation vaccines and passive immunization To circumvent the unwanted inflammatory side effects, second-generation active vaccines have been developed and passive immunization strategies have been explored. The second-generation vaccines use small pieces of the amyloid Aß sequence to avoid activating the T-cells responsible for meningoencephalitis, while passive immunization bypasses the human immune response by directly supplying antibodies. These newer strategies have shown the same beneficial effects in transgenic mice and passive immunization has shown some promise in a subset of patients in human trials, but they have raised new questions about their effectiveness and potential new side effects. Elan/Wyeth reported preliminary results from clinical trials of their monoclonal antibody, Bapineuzimab, that demonstrated only a small benefit in a subgroup of patients who lack the apoE4 genotype. They also failed to observe an improved benefit with an increased dose of antibody and reported side effects, like a buildup of fluid in the brain. Results of active vaccination human clinical trials with second-generation vaccines remain to be reported. Third-generation vaccines and antibodies: Thinking perpendicular to the box Both second-generation vaccines and antibodies suffer from a common problem. They both target linear amino acid sequences found in normal human proteins (the amyloid precursor protein) and in the amyloid deposits themselves. Making antibodies against normal human proteins can cause autoimmune side effects, in which the immune system is attacking normal human cells in addition to the Alzheimer’s pathology. Fortunately, it is difficult to make antibodies against self-proteins because of immune suppression of auto antibodies. Third-generation vaccines seek to overcome these problems of autoimmune side effects and autoimmune suppression by using antibodies that target structures specific to the amyloid aggregates and that do not react with normal human proteins. Cure Alzheimer’s Fund has been supporting two projects that seek to develop third-generation immunotherapeutics. Dr. Charles Glabe’s laboratory is developing active vaccines and monoclonal antibodies that recognize conformations of the amyloid peptide that only occur in the pathological amyloid oligomer aggregates, while Dr. Rob Moir’s lab is working on cross-linked amyloid peptides (CAPs) that are only found in disease-related aggregates. Dr. Glabe’s strategy relies on the fact that when the Aß peptide aggregates into ß-sheet oligomers, it creates new antibody recognition sites, known as epitopes, that are not found on native proteins. The surprising finding is that these oligomer-specific antibodies recognize amyloid oligomers from other diseases that involve amyloids formed from sequences unrelated to Aß. This means the same antibodies also may be effective for other amyloid-related neurodegenerative diseases, like Parkinson’s disease. The explanation for why the antibodies are specific for amyloid oligomers that involve several individual peptide strands arranged in a sheet and yet recognize these sheets when they are formed from other amino acid sequences is simple and elegant (Figure 1). It is now known that most pathological amyloids aggregate into simple and very regular structures where the peptide strands are arranged in parallel and where the amino acid sequence is in exact register. This is like a sheet of paper upon which the same sentence is written on each line. The individual amino acids line up and down the sheet in homogeneous tracts, known as “steric zippers.” The steric zippers do not occur in normal protein structures and the oligomer-specific antibodies are thought to recognize these steric zipper patterns on the surface of the sheets. Since all proteins are made up using the same 20 amino acids, any sequence in this parallel, in-register structure gives rise to the same steric zippers regardless of the linear sequence, which can explain why the antibodies recognize the oligomers formed by different proteins. Dr. Moir’s group is working on CAPs, where Aß is cross-linked by oxidation of a tyrosine residue at position 10 of the peptides’ sequence. Aß is oxidized after it is produced from the amyloid precursor protein as a consequence of the abnormally high level of oxidative activity in a brain with AD and the peptides’ propensity to bind redox active metals. Excessive CAPs generation is associated with the disease state and is not a normal feature of Aß biology. The cross-linking at tyrosine 10 that gives rise to CAPs may serve to align the peptides in a parallel, in-register fashion and promote the generation of still-larger oligomeric aggregates that display steric zippers on their surface. Dr. Moir and Dr. Rudy Tanzi’s labs found that natural antibodies to CAPs are reduced in the blood of patients with AD. More recently, evidence published by Tony Weiss-Coray’s group at Stanford University supports the idea that antibodies that recognize steric zippers and CAPs may be important for protecting against Alzheimer’s disease. The levels of these antibodies that target the zippers and CAPs were among the highest in young, normal humans; levels dropped with aging and with AD. Furthermore, the results of a recent study supported by Baxter Biosciences of patients that received human antibodies purified from normal individuals (IVIg) reported that antibody treatment reduced the risk of being diagnosed with AD by 42 percent over the five-year study period. This is one of the most remarkable reports of prevention of AD by any therapy. Although the normal human antibodies that target amyloid primarily recognize the steric zippers and CAPs, these antibodies are present at relatively low levels. It is reasonable to imagine that an even greater protective effect might be achieved by boosting the levels of these protective antibodies by either active vaccination or passive immunization. Figure 1 shows how the same steric zipper patterns are formed on parallel, in-register oligomers from completely different sequences. A segment of the Aß sequences is shown in the upper left corner and a random sequence is shown in the upper right. Each amino acid is designated by a capital letter. Typical antibodies recognize the linear sequence (from left to right) indicated in the horizontal boxes, which is unique to each sequence. When the peptides aggregate to form pathological oligomers, they line up in a parallel, in-register fashion, shown below. This gives rise to steric zippers that run up and down the sheet perpendicular to the sequence, shown in vertical boxes. Aggregation-dependent, disease-specific antibodies recognize the steric zippers from many different amyloid sequences. Zippers from F and V amino acids are shown in boxes, but there are potentially 20 different zippers; one for each of the 20 amino acids. The fact that a completely random sequence can form the same type of steric zipper as is found in Aß amyloid in Alzheimer’s disease means we can use a non-human, random peptide sequence as a vaccine to produce a protective immune response that has a very low potential for autoimmune side effects. Vaccines based on non-human peptides, like diphtheria and pertussis toxin, are so safe they routinely are given to infants. There is no reason to expect that a vaccine for AD that targets the disease-specific steric zippers wouldn’t be as safe and free of side effects. A goal of the research funded by Cure Alzheimer’s Fund is to do the preclinical investigations that are a necessary prelude to getting these third-generation vaccines and monoclonal antibodies that target disease-specific epitopes into human clinical trials.

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Aliphatic alcohols occur naturally in free form (component of the cuticular lipids) but more usually in esterified (wax esters) or etherified form (glyceryl ethers). Several alcohols belong to aroma compounds which are found in environmental or food systems (see the website: Flavornet). They are found with normal, branched (mono- or isoprenoid), saturated or unsaturated of various chain length and sometimes with secondary or even tertiary alcoholic function. An unusual phenolic alcohol is found as a component of glycolipids in Mycobacteria. Some cyclic alcohols have been described in plants. A classification according to the carbon-chain structure is given below. 1 - Normal-chain alcohols The carbon chain may be fully saturated or unsaturated (with double and/or triple bonds), it may also be substituted with chlorine, bromine or sulfate groups. Some acetylenic alcohols have been also described. Among the most common, some are listed below 9-methyl-1-hendecanol (anteisolauryl alcohol) 11-methyl-1-tridecanol (anteisomyristyl alcohol) 14-methyl-1-pentadecanol (isopalmityl alcohol) 13-methyl-1-pentadecanol (anteisopalmityl alcohol) 16-methyl-1-heptadecanol (isostearyl alcohol) 15-methyl-1-pentadecanol (anteisostearyl alcohol) Free fatty alcohols are not commonly found in epicuticular lipids of insects, although high molecular weight alcohols have been reported in honeybees (Blomquist GJ et al., Insect Biochem 1980, 10, 313). Long-chain alcohols also have been reported in the defensive secretions of scale insects (Byrne DN et al., Physiol Entomol 1988, 13,267). Typically, insects more commonly produce lower molecular weight alcohols. Honeybees produce alcohols of 17–22 carbons, which induce arrestment in parasitic varroa mites (Donze G et al., Arch Insect Biochem Physiol 1998, 37, 129). Two female-specific fatty alcohols, docosanol (C22) and eicosanol (C20), which have been found in epicuticle of Triatoma infestans (a vector of Chagas disease in South America), are able to trigger copulation in males (Cocchiararo-Bastias L et al., J Chem Ecol 2011, 37, 246). Hexadecyl acetate is found in the web of some spiders (Pholcidae) to attract females (Schulz S, J Chem Ecol 2013, 39, 1). Long-chain alcohols (C18, C24, C28) from the femoral glands in the male lizard Acanthodactylus boskianus play a role in chemical communication as a scent marking pheromone (Khannoon ER et al., Chemoecology 2011, 21, 143). Various fatty alcohols are found in the waxy film that plants have over their leaves and fruits. Among them, octacosanol (C28:0) is the most frequently cited. Policosanol is a natural mixture of higher primary aliphatic alcohols isolated and purified from sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum, L.) wax, whose main component is octacosanol but contains also hexacosanol (C26:0) and triacontanol or melissyl alcohol (C30:0). Policosanol is also extracted from a diversity of other natural sources such as beeswax, rice bran, and wheat germ (Irmak S et al., Food Chem 2006, 95, 312) but is also present in the fruits, leaves, and surfaces of plants and whole seeds. A complex policosanol mixture has been identified in peanut (Cherif AO et al., J Agric Food Chem 2010, 58, 12143). More than 20 aliphatic alcohols were identified (C14-C30) and four unsaturated alcohols (C20-24). The total policosanol content of the whole peanut samples varied from 11 to 54 mg/100 g of oil. This mixture was shown to have cholesterol-lowering effects in rabbits (Arruzazabala ML et al., Biol Res 1994, 27, 205). Octacosanol was also able to suppress lipid accumulation in rats fed on a high-fat diet (Kato S et al., Br J Nutr 1995, 73, 433) and to inhibit platelet aggregation (Arruzazabala ML et al., Thromb Res 1993, 69, 321). The effectiveness of policosanol is still questionable but it has been approved as a cholesterol-lowering drug in over 25 countries (Carbajal D et al., Prostaglandins Leukotrienes Essent Fatty Acids 1998, 58, 61), and it is sold as a lipid-lowering supplement in more than 40 countries. More recent studies in mice question about any action on improvement of lipoprotein profiles (Dullens SPJ et al., J Lipid Res 2008, 49, 790). The authors conclude that individual policosanols, as well as natural policosanol mixtures, have no potential for reducing coronary heart disease risk through effects on serum lipoprotein concentrations. Furthermore, sugar cane policosanol at doses of 20 mg daily has shown no lipid lowering effects in subjects with primary hypercholesterolemia (Francini-Pesenti F et al., Phytother Res 2008, 22, 318). It must be noticed that, for the most part, positive results have been obtained by only one research group in Cuba. Outside Cuba, all groups have failed to validate the cholesterol-lowering efficacy of policosanols (Marinangeli C et al., Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2010, 50, 259). Independent studies are required before evaluating the exact value of the therapeutic benefits of that mixture. An unsaturated analogue of octacosanol, octacosa-10, 19-dien-1-ol was synthesized and was as effective as policosanol in inhibiting the upregulation of HMGCoA reductase (Oliaro-Bosso S et al., Lipids 2009, 44, 907). This work opens promising perspectives for the design of new antiangiogenic compounds (Thippeswamy G et al., Eur J Pharmacol 2008, 588, 141). An unsaturated analogue of octacosanol, octacosa-10, 19-dien-1-ol was synthesized and was as effective as policosanol in inhibiting the upregulation of HMGCoA reductase (Oliaro-Bosso S et al., Lipids 2009, 44, 907). This work opens promising perspectives for the design of new antiangiogenic compounds. 1-Octanol and 3-octanol are components of the mushroom flavor (Maga JA, J Agric Food Chem 1981, 29, 1). Many alcohols in the C10 to C18 range, and their short-chain acid esters are potent sex or aggregation pheromones. They are mainly found as components of specialized defensive glands, pheromone glands or glands of the reproductive system. A series of C22 up to C28 saturated n-alcohols, with even carbon numbers predominating, and a maximum at C26 and C28, has been identified in the cyanobacterium Anabaena cylindrica (Abreu-Grobois FA et al., Phytochemistry 1977, 16, 351). Several authors have reported high contents of the 22:0 alcohol in sediments where an algal origin is plausible. For example, the major alcohol in a sample of the lacustrine Green River Shale of Eocene age is also 22:0 which comprises over 50% of the alcohols present (Sever JR et al., Science 1969, 164, 1052) Long-chain alcohols are known as major surface lipid components (waxes) with chains from C20 up to C34 carbon atoms, odd carbon-chain alcohols being found in only low amounts. Very long-chain methyl-branched alcohols (C38 to C44) and their esters with short-chain acids were shown to be present in insects, mainly during metamorphosis. A series of long-chain alkanols (more than 23 carbon atoms) were identified in settling particles and surface sediments from Japanese lakes and were shown to be produced by planktonic bacteria being thus useful molecular markers (Fukushima K et al., Org Geochem 2005, 36, 311). Cutin and suberin contain as monomer saturated alcohols from C16 to C22 up to 8% of the total polymers. C18:1 alcohol (oleyl alcohol) is also present. Long-chain di-alcohols (1,3-alkanediols) have been described in the waxes which impregnate the matrix covering all organs of plants (Vermeer CP et al., Phytochemistry 2003, 62, 433). These compounds forming about 11% of the leaf cuticular waxes of Ricinus communis were identified as homologous unbranched alcohols ranging from C22 to C28 with hydroxyl group at the carbon atoms 1 and 3. In the leaf cuticular waxes of Myricaria germanica (Tamaricaceae) several alkanediols were identified (Jetter R, Phytochemistry 2000, 55, 169). Hentriacontanediol (C31) with one hydroxyl group in the 12-position and the second one in positions from 2 to 18 is the most abundant diol (9% of the wax). Others were far less abundant : C30-C34 alkanediols with one hydroxyl group on a primary and one on a secondary carbon atom, C25-C43 b-diols and C39-C43 g-diols. Very-long-chain 1,5-alkanediols ranging from C28 to C38, with strong predominance of even carbon numbers, were identified in the cuticular wax of Taxus baccata (Wen M et al., Phytochemistry 2007, 68, 2563). The predominant diol had 32 carbon atoms (29% of the total). Long-chain saturated C30-C32 diols occur in most marine sediments and in a few instances, such as in Black Sea sediments, they can be the major lipids (de Leeuw JW et al., Geochim Cosmochim Acta 1981, 45, 2281). A microalgal source for these compounds was discovered when Volkman JK et al. (Org Geochem 1992, 18, 131) identified C30-C32 diols in marine eustigmatophytes from the genus Nannochloropsis. Two nonacosanetriols (7,8,11-nonacosanetriol and 10,12,15-nonacosanetriol) have been isolated from the outer fleshy layer (sarcotesta) of the Ginkgo biloba "fruit" (Zhou G et al., Chem Phys Lipids 2012, 165, 731). They exhibited slight activity of antithrombin and moderate activities of platelet aggregation in vitro. The chief lipid fraction in the uropygial gland excretion of the domestic hen is a diester wax. The unsaponifiable fraction consists of a series of three homologous compounds, which have been named the uropygiols and identified as 2,3-alkanediols containing 22-24 carbon atoms. These fatty alcohols are esterified by saturated normal C22-C24 fatty acids (Haahti E et al., J Lipid Res 1967, 8, 131). - Unsaturated alcohols Some fatty alcohols have one double bond (monounsaturated). Their general formula is: The unique double bond may be found in different positions: at the C6: i.e. cis-6-octadecen-1-ol (petroselenyl alcohol), C9 i.e cis-9-octadecen-1-ol (oleyl alcohol) and C11 i.e cis-11-octadecen-1-ol (vaccenyl alcohol). Some of these alcohols have insect pheromone activity. As an example, 11-eicosen-1-ol is a major component of the alarm pheromone secreted by the sting apparatus of the worker honeybee. In zooplankton, the cis-11-docosen-1-ol (22:1 (n-11) alcohol) is not only present in high proportion in wax esters (54 to 83%) but may be also predominant in free form (75-94% of free alcohols) in ctenophores (Graeve M et al., Mar Biol 2008, 153, 643). This presence is unexplained because pathways for conversion and catabolism of fatty alcohols in ctenophores are still unknown. Some short-chain unsaturated alcohols are components of mushroom flavor, such as 1-octen-3-ol, t2-octen-1-ol, and c2-octen-1-ol (Maga JA, J Agric Food Chem 1981, 29, 1). An acetoxy derivative of a 16-carbon alcohol with one double bond, gyptol (10-acetoxy cis-7-hexadecen-1-ol), was described to be a strong attractive substance secreted by a female moth (Porthetria dispar, "gypsy moth"). A fatty alcohol with two double bonds, bombykol (tr-10,cis-12-hexadecadien-1-ol), was also shown to be excreted as a very strong attractive substance by the female of silk-worm (Bombyx mori). This first discovery of a pheromone was made by Butenandt A et al. (Z Naturforsch 1959, 14, 283) who was formerly Nobel laureate (in 1939) for his work in sex hormones. Another pheromone, 8,10-dodecadienol (codlemone), is secreted by the codling moth Cydia pomonella, has been used for monitoring and mating in apple and pear orchards in the USA and Europe. This molecule was also used to monitor the population of the pea moth Cydia nigricana. Likewise, 7,9-dodecadienol, the female pheromone of the European grapewine moth Lobesia botrana, was used to control this important pest in vineyards. A fatty triol with one double bond, avocadene (16-heptadecene-1,2,4-triol) is found in avocado fruit (Persea americana) and has been tested for anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. These properties are likely related with the curative effects of avocado described for a number of ailments (diarrhea, dysentery, abdominal pains and high blood pressure). Several others heptadecanols with one primary and two secondary alcohol functions and with one double or triple bond have been identified in the leaves of Persea americana (Lee TH et al., Food Chem 2012, 132, 921). One or two of these alcohol groups may be acetylated. These compounds may be related to the known antifungal activity of Persea leaves. Long-chain alkenols (C37 to C39) with 2 to 4 double bonds, the reduced form of the alkenones, have been described in the benthic haptophyte Chrysotila lamellosa (Rontani JF et al., Phytochemistry 2004, 65, 117). al., 1986). C30 to C32 alcohols having one or two double bonds are significant constituents of the lipids of marine eustigmatophytes of the genus Nannochloropsis (Volkman JK et al., Org Geochem 1992, 18, 131). These microalgae could be partially the source of the alkenols found in some marine sediments. Two chlorinated derivatives of unusual alcohols were described in a red alga Gracilaria verrucosa (Shoeb M et al., J Nat Prod 2003, 66, 1509). Both compounds have a C12 aliphatic chain chlorinated in position 2 and with one double bond at carbon 2 (compound 1 : 2-chlorododec-2-en-1-ol) or two double bonds at carbon 2 and 11 (compound 2 : 2-chlorododec-2,11-dien-1-ol). - Acetylenic alcohols Natural acetylenic alcohols and their derivatives have been isolated from a wide variety of plant species, fungi and invertebrates. Pharmacological studies have revealed that many of them display chemical and medicinal properties. Monoacetylenic alcohols : were isolated from culture of Clitocybe catinus (Basidiomycetes) and the study of their structure revealed the presence of two or three hydroxyl groups (Armone A et al., Phytochemistry 2000, 53, 1087). One of these compounds is shown below. Acetylenic alcohols have been also described in a tropical sponge Reniochaline sp (Lee HS et al., Lipids 2009, 44, 71). One of the two described in that species is shown below, it exhibited a significant growth effect against human tumor cell lines. Polyacetylenic alcohols : Several examples with different chain lengths, unsaturation degrees, and substitution have been reported from terrestrial plants and marine organisms. Food plants of the Apiaceae (Umbellifereae) plant family such as carrots, celery and parsley, are known to contain several bioactive bisacetylenic alcohols. The main plant sources of these compounds are Angelica dahurica, Heracleum sp and Crithmum maritimum (falcarindiol, falcarinol), red ginseng (Panax ginseng) (panaxacol, panaxydol, panaxytriol), Cicuta virosa (virol A), and Clibadium sylvestre (cunaniol). All these compounds display antibiotic or cytotoxic activities. Polyacetylenes have been isolated from the stems of Oplopanax elatus (Araliaceae), plant used in Korean and Chinese traditional medicine for anti-inflammatory and analgesic purposes (Yang MC et al., J Nat Prod 2010, 73, 801). Among the most efficient in inhibiting the formation of nitric oxide in LPS-induced cells is a seventeen-carbon diyne diol with an epoxy cycle, oploxyne A. Other parent compounds without the epoxy group were also described. J. Sci. Food Agric. 2003, 83, 1010). Falcarinl has potent anticancer properties on primary mammary epithelial cells and was compared with that of b-carotene. These results might be important in developing new cancer treatments with simple and common vegetables. At high concentrations, falcarinol is capable to induce contact dermatitis. Falcarinol, a seventeen-carbon diyne fatty alcohol (1,9-heptadecadiene-4,6-diyn-3-ol), was first isolated from Falcaria vulgaris (Bohlmann F et al., Chem Ber 1966, 99, 3552) as well as from Korean ginseng (Takahashi et al., Yakugaku Zasshi 1966, 86, 1053). It was also isolated from carrot (Hansen SL et al. Falcarinol protects the vegetable from fungal diseases, it showed biphasic activity, having stimulatory effects between 0.01 and 0.05 µg per ml and inhibitory effects between 1 and 10 µg per ml, whereas b-carotene showed no effect in the concentration range 0.001–100 µg per ml (Hansen SL et al., J Sci Food Agric 2003, 83, 1010). Experiments with macrophage cells have shown that falcarinol (and its C-8 hydroxylated derivative, falcarindiol) reduced nitric oxide production, suggesting that these polyacetylenes are responsible for anti-inflammatory bioactivity (Metzger BT et al., J Agric Food Chem 2008, 56, 3554). Falcarindiol was first reported as phytochemicals in carrots (Daucus carota) (Bentley RK et al., J Chem Soc 1969, 685). Besides falcarinol, falcarindiol, and falcarindiol 3-acetate, nine additional bisacetylene alcohols were identified in Daucus carota (Schmiech L et al., J Agric Food Chem 2009, 57, 11030). Experiments with human intestinal cells demonstrate that aliphatic C17-polyacetylenes (panaxydol, falcarinol, falcarindiol) are potential anticancer principles of carrots and related vegetables (parsley, celery, parsnip, fennel) and that synergistic interaction between bioactive polyacetylenes may be important for their bioactivity (Purup S et al., J Agric Food Chem 2009, 57, 8290). Compounds very similar to falcarinol and extracted from Panax japonicus are potent a-glucosidase inhibitors (Chan HH et al., Phytochemistry 2010, 71, 1360). These inhibitors may potentially reduce the progression of diabetes by decreasing digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. The water dropwort (Oenanthe crocata), which lives near streams in the Northern Hemisphere, contains a violent toxin, cicutoxin, resulting in convultions and respiratory paralysis (Uwai K et al., J Med Chem 2000, 43, 4508). The biochemistry and bioactivity of polyacetylenes are presented in a review (Christensen LP et al., J Pharm Biomed Anal 2006, 41, 683) as well methods for the isolation and quantification of these compounds. Many other polyacetylenic alcohols were found in primitive marine organisms, such as sponges and ascidians. These invertebrates have no physical defenses and thus they have developed efficient chemical mechanisms such as polyacetylenic metabolites to resist predators and bacteria. A C36 linear diacetylene alcohol named lembehyne was found in an Indonesian marine sponge (Haliclona sp) (Aoki S et al., Tetrahedron 2000, 56, 9945) and was later able to induce neuronal differentiation in neuroblastoma cell (Aoki S et al., Biochem Biophys Res Comm 2001, 289, 558). Several polyacetylenic alcohols with 22 carbon atoms were isolated and identified in lipid extract from a Red Sea sponge, Callyspongia sp (Youssef DT et al., J Nat Prod 2003, 66, 679). Their physical study revealed the presence of 4 triple bonds and one, two or three double bonds. The structure of one of these Callyspongenols is given below. Several di- and tri-acetylenic di-alcohols with a chain of 26 up to 31 carbon atoms, named strongylodiols, have been isolated from a Petrosia Okinawan marine sponge (Watanabe K et al., J Nat Prod 2005, 68, 1001). Some of them have cytotoxic Several polyacetylenic alcohols with 21 carbon atoms were isolated from a marine ascidian (Polyclinidae) and were determined to have two triple bonds combined with a conjugated dienyne group (Gavagnin M et al., Lipids 2004, 39, 681). Some of them have an additional hydroxyl group or only three double bonds. The structure of one of these molecules is given below. Several brominated polyacetylenic diols with cytotoxic properties were isolated from a Philippines sponge Diplastrella sp (Lerch ML et al., J Nat Prod 2003, 66, 667). One of these molecules is shown below. A comprehensive survey of acetylenic alcohols in plant and invertebrates with information on their anticancer activity has been released by Dembitsky VM (Lipids 2006, 41, 883). - Sulfated alcohols Long-chain di-hydroxy alcohols in which both the primary and secondary hydroxyl groups are converted to sulfate esters and one to five chlorine atoms are introduced at various places have been discovered in the alga Ochromonas danica (Chrysophyceae, Chrysophyta) where they constitute 15% of the total lipids (Haines TH, Biochem J 1969, 113, 565). An example of these chlorosulfolipids is given below. There may be several types of chlorine addition : one at R4, two at R3 and R5 or R1 and R2, five at R1 to R5 and six at R1 to R6. Similar molecules with a 24 carbon chain was also described in Ochromonas malhamensis (review in Dembitsky VM et al., Prog Lipid Res 2002, 41, 315 and in Bedke DK et al., Nat Prod Rep 2011, 28, 15). It was suggested that the chlorosulfolipids replace sulfoquinovosyl diglyceride, since when the later is high the former is low and vice versa. They have been associated with the human toxicity of the mussel-derived lipids (Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning). Several of these chlorosulfolipids have also been identified from more than 30 species of both freshwater and marine algae belonging to green (Chlorophyceae), brown (Phaeophyceae), red (Rhodophyceae) macrophytic algae (Mercer EI et al., Phytochemistry 1979, 18, 457), and other microalgal species (Mercer EI et al., Phytochemistry 1975, 14, 1545). Some fatty alcohols, such as dodecanol (lauryl or dodecyl alcohol), are used for the manufacture of detergents after sulphonation (by action of SO3 gas). The salt sodium laurylsulfate (or sodium dodecylsulfate) is a detergent and strong anionic surfactant, used in biochemistry and in the composition of cosmetic products (shampoos, toothpastes). 2 - Branched-chain alcohols In 1936, Stodola et al. characterized an optically active substance recovered on saponification of ‘‘purified waxes’’ of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, determined its global formula and proposed to name it phthiocerol (Stodola FH et al., J Biol Chem 1936, 114, 467). In 1959, after several chemical studies, its structure was determined as a mixture of C36 and C34b-glycols. It has been proposed that the term phthiocerol be reserved for the original 3-methoxy congener (phthiocerol A) and that the term phthioglycol be used to refer to the family of compounds (Onwueme KC et al., Prog Lipid Res 2005, 44, 259). Among the most important saturated isopranols found in plants or in geological sediments are those having two (tetrahydrogeraniol), three (farnesanol), or four (phytanol) isoprenoid units. Pristanol (2,6,10,14-tetramethyl-1-pentadecanol) is tetramethylated but with only three complete isoprenoid units. B - Unsaturated polyisoprenoids (prenols or polyprenols) They have the following general structure : These molecules consist of several up to more than 100 isoprene residues linked head-to-tail, with a hydroxy group at one end (a-residue) and a hydrogen atom at the other (w-end). - 1. all trans forms : They have the following structure: Some important members of the series are as follows: Number of isoprene unit Number of carbons Long-chain trans-polyprenol (n>8) have been characterized from Eucommia ulmoides. Geraniol (from rose oil) is a monoterpene (2 isoprene units). It has a rose-like odor and is commonly used in perfumes and as several fruit flavors. Geraniol is also an effective mosquito repellent. Inversely, it can attract bees as it is produced by the scent glands of honey bees to help them mark nectar-bearing flowers and locate the entrances to their hives. Farnesol is a sesquiterpene (3 isoprene units). It is the prenol that corresponds to the carbon skeleton of the simplest juvenile hormone described for the first time in insects in 1961 (Schmialek PZ, Z Naturforsch 1961, 16b, 461; Wigglesworth VB, J Insect Physiol 1961, 7, 73). It is present in many essential oils such as citronella, neroli, cyclamen, lemon grass, rose, and others. It is used in perfumery to emphasize the odors of sweet floral perfumes. It is especially used in lilac perfumes. As a pheromone, farnesol is a natural pesticide for mites. The dimorphic fungus Candida albicans has been shown to use farnesol as quorum-sensing molecule (Hornby JM et al., Appl Environ Microbiol 2001, 67, 2982). Geranylgeraniol is a diterpene (4 isoprene units). Geraniol and geranylgeraniol are important molecules in the synthesis of various terpenes, the acylation of proteins and the synthesis of vitamins (Vitamins E and K). The covalent addition of phosphorylated derivatives of typical isoprenoids, farnesyl pyrophosphate and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, to proteins is a process (prenylation) common to G protein subunits. These isoprenylated proteins have key roles in membrane attachment leading to central functionality in cell biology and pathology. Solanesol, discovered in tobacco leaves in 1956 (Rowland RL et al., J Am Chem Soc 1956, 78, 4680), may be an important precursor of the tumorigenic polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons of smoke but is also a possible side chain for plastoquinone. Solanesol is also present in the leaves of other Solanaceae plants including tomato, potato, eggplant and pepper. It has useful medicinal properties and is known to possess anti-bacterial, anti-inflammation, and anti-ulcer activities (Khidyrova NK et al., Chem Nat Compd 2002, 38, 107). Industrially, solanesol is extracted from Solanaceae leaves (about 450 tons in 2008) and used as an intermediate in the synthesis of coenzyme Q10 and vitamin K analogues. Spadicol was discovered in the spadix (inflorescence) of the Araceae Arum maculatum (Hemming FW et al., Proc R Soc London 1963, 158, 291). Its presence is likely related to its presence in the ubiquinone as the side-chain. Phytol is a partially saturated diterpene, a monounsaturated derivative of geranylgeraniol which is part of the chlorophyll molecule : - 2. ditrans-polycis-prenols, such as the bacteria prenol and betulaprenol types. In general, bacteria, as all prokaryotic cells, possess ditrans-polycis-prenols containing between 10 and 12 units, the most abundant being undecaprenol (trivial name bactoprenol). Betulaprenols with n = 3-6 were isolated from the woody tissue of Betula verrucosa (Wellburn AR et al., Nature 1966, 212, 1364), and bacterial polyprenol with n = 8 were isolated from Lactobacillus plantarum (Gough DP et al., Biochem J 1970, 118, 167). Betulaprenol-like species with 14 to 22 isoprene units have been discovered in leaves of Ginkgo biloba (Ibata K et al., Biochem J 1983, 213, 305). Polyisoprenoid alcohols are accumulated in the cells most often as free alcohols and/or esters with carboxylic acids. A fraction of polyisoprenoid phosphates has also been detected, and this form is sometimes predominant in dividing cells and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Adair WL et al., Arch Biochem Biophys 1987, 259, 589). - 3. tritrans-polycis-prenols, of the ficaprenol type.Some of the earliest samples were obtained from Ficus elastica, giving rise to the trivial names ficaprenol-11 and ficaprenol-12 (Stone KJ et al. Biochem J 1967, 102, 325). In plants, the diversity of polyprenols is much broader, their chain length covers the broad spectrum of compounds ranging from 6 up to 130 carbon atoms (Rezanka T et al., J Chromatogr A 2001, 936, 95). - 4. dolichol types, the a terminal is saturated. Most eukaryotic cells contain one type of polyisoprenoid alcohols with one a-saturated isoprenoid unit (2,3-dihydro polycis-prenols) which have been called dolichol by Pennock JF et al. (Nature 1960, 186, 470), a derivative of prenols. Most of these carry two trans units at the w-end of the chain. Dolichols (fro the Greek dolikos: long) have the general structure : Dolichols isolated from yeast or animal cells consist mainly of seven to eight compounds, those with 16, 18, or 19 isoprenoid units being the most abundant (Ragg SS, Biochem Biophys Res Comm 1998, 243, 1). Dolichol amount was shown to be increased in the brain gray matter of elderly (Pullarkat RK et al., J Biol Chem 1982, 257, 5991). Dolichols with 19, 22 and 23 isoprenoid units were described as early as 1972 in marine invertebrates (Walton MJ et al., Biochem J 1972, 127, 471). Furthermore, the pattern of their distribution may be considered as a chemotaxonomic criterion. It has been reported that a high proportion of dolichols is esterified to fatty acids. As an example, 85-90% of dolichols are esterified in mouse testis (Potter J et al., Biochem Biophys Res Comm 1983, 110, 512). In addition, dolichyl dolichoate has been found in bovine thyroid (Steen L. et al., Biochim Biophys Acta, 1984, 796, 294). They are well known for their important role as glycosyl carrier in a phosphorylated form in the synthesis of polysaccharides and glycoproteins in yeast cells, and animals. Dolichyl phosphate is an obligatory intermediate in the biosynthesis of N-glycosidically linked oligosaccharide chains. Conversely, they have been identified as the predominant isoprenoid form in roots (Skorupinska-Tudek K et al., Lipids 2003, 38, 981) and in mushroom tissue (Wojtas M et al., Chem Phys Lipids 2004, 130, 109). Similar compounds (ficaprenols) have the same metabolic function in plants. The repartition of the various types of polyisoprenoid alcohols between plants and animals and their metabolism have been extensively discussed (Swiezewska E et al., Prog Lipid Res 2005, 44, 235). Biosynthesis of polyisoprenoid alcohols and their biological role have been reviewed in 2005 (Swiezewska E et al., Prog Lipid Res 2005, 44, 235). 3 - Phenolic alcohols Among the simple phenolic alcohols, monolignols are the source materials for biosynthesis of both lignans and lignin. The starting material for production of monolignols (phenylpropanoid) is the amino acid phenylalanine. There are two main monolignols: coniferyl alcohol and sinapyl alcohol. Para-coumaryl alcohol is similar to conipheryl alcohol but without the methoxy group. Conipheryl alcohol is found in both gymnosperm and angiosperm plants. Sinapyl alcohol and para-coumaryl alcohol, the other two lignin monomers, are found in angiosperm plants and grasses. Conipheryl esters (conypheryl 8-methylnonanoate) have been described in the fruits of the pepper, Capsicum baccatum (Kobata K et al., Phytochemistry 2008, 69, 1179). These compounds displayed an agonist activity for transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (capsaicin receptor) as the well known capsaicinoids present in these plant species. Complex phenolic alcohols (phenolphthiocerol) were shown to be components of Mycobacterium glycolipids which are termed glycosides of phenolphthiocerol dimycocerosate (Smith DW et al., Nature 1960, 186, 887) belonging to the large family of "mycosides". The chain length differs according to the homologues, 18 and 20 carbon atoms in mycosides A, and B, respectively. One of these phenolphthiocerols is shown below. An analogue component but with a ketone group instead of the methoxy group, a phenolphthiodiolone, has been detected in mycoside A (Fournie JJ et al., J Biol Chem 1987, 262, 3174). An alcohol with a furan group, identified as 3-(4-methylfuran-3-yl)propan-1-ol, has been isolated from a fungal endophyte living in a plant, Setaria viridis (Nakajima H et al., J Agric Food Chem 2010, 58, 2882). That compound was found to have a repellent effect on an insect, Eysarcoris viridis, which is a major pest of rice. Some cyclic alkyl polyols have been reported in plants. Among the various form present in an Anacardiaceae, Tapirira guianensis, from South America, two displayed anti-protozoal (Plasmodium falciparum) and anti-bacterial (Staphylococcus spp) activities (Roumy V et al., Phytochemistry 2009, 70, 305). The structure shown below is that of a trihydroxy-alcohol containing a cyclohexene ring. As emphasized by the authors, external application of the active plant extract or of the purified compounds could represent an accessible therapeutic alternative to classical medicine against leishmaniasis. aldehydes are found in free form, but also in the form of vinyl ether (known as alk-1-enyl ether) integated in glycerides and phospholipids (plasmalogens). The free aldehydes can be as fatty acids saturated or unsaturated. They have a general formula CH3(CH2)nCHO with n=6 to 20 or greater. The most common is palmitaldehyde (hexadecanal) with a 16 carbon chain. Normal monoenoic aldehydes are analogous to the monoenoic fatty acids. It must be noticed that an aldehyde function may be found at a terminal (w) position while an acid function is present at the other end of the carbon chain (oxo fatty acids). These compounds have important signaling properties in plants. Long-chain aldehydes have been described in the waxes which impregnate the matrix covering all organs of plants (Vermeer CP et al., Phytochemistry 2003, 62, 433). These compounds forming about 7% of the leaf cuticular waxes of Ricinus communis were identified as homologous unbranched aldehydes ranging from C22 to C28 with a hydroxyl group at the carbon 3. Long-chain 5-hydroxyaldehydes with chain lengths from C24 to C36, the C28 chain being the most abundant, were identified in the cuticular wax of Taxus baccata needles (Wen M et al., Phytochemistry 2007, 68, 2563). Long-chain aliphatic aldehydes with chain-length from C22 to C30 are also present in virgin olive oils, hexacosanal (C26) being the most abundant aldehyde (Perez-Camino MC et al., Food Chem 2012, 132, 1451). Aldehydes may be produced during decomposition of fatty acid hydroperoxides following a peroxidation attack. Several aldehydes (hexanal, heptanal..) belong to aroma compounds which are found in environmental or food systems (see the website: Flavornet). Aldehydes (mono- or di-unsaturated) with 5 to 9 carbon atoms are produced by mosses (Bryophyta) after mechanical wounding (Croisier E et al., Phytochemistry 2010, 71, 574). It was shown that they were produced by oxidative fragmentation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (C18, C20). Trans-2-nonenal is an unsaturated aldehyde with an unpleasant odor generated during the peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. It participates to body odor and is found mainly covalently bound to protein in vivo (Ishino K et al., J Biol Chem 2010, 285, 15302). Fatty aldehydes may be determined easily by TLC or gas liquid chromatography (follow that link). The most common method for the determination of aldehydes involves derivatization with an acidic solution of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine to form corresponding hydrazones followed by HPLC separation and UV–VIS detection. An optimized derivatization procedure for the determination of aliphatic C1-C10 aldehydes has been described (Stafiej A et al., J Biochem Biophys Meth 2006, 69, 15). Other short-chain aldehydes (octadienal, octatrienal, heptadienal) are produced via a lipoxygenase-mediated pathway from polyunsaturated fatty acids esterifying glycolipids in marine diatoms (D'Ippolito G et al., Biochim Biophys Acta 2004, 1686, 100). Heighteen species of diatoms have been shown to release unsaturated aldehydes (C7:2, C8:2, C8:3, C10:2, and C10:3) upon cell disruption (Wichard T et al., J Chem Ecol 2005, 31, 949). Several short-chain aldehydes were shown to induce deleterious effects on zooplankton crustaceans and thus limiting the water secondary production (birth-control aldehydes) (D'Ippolito G et al., Tetrahedron Lett 2002, 43, 6133). In laboratory experiments, three decatrienal isomers produced by various diatoms were shown to arrest embryonic development in copepod and sea urchins and have antiproliferative and apoptotic effects on carcinoma cells (Miralto A et al., Nature 1999, 402, 173). Later, the copepod recruitment in blooms of planktonic diatom was shown to be suppressed by ingestion of dinoflagellate aldehydes (Nature 2004, 429, 403). It was demonstrated that diatoms can accurately sense a potent 2E,4E/Z-decadienal and employ it as a signaling molecule to control diatom population sizes (Vardi A et al., PLoS Biol 2006, 4, e60). This aldehyde triggered a dose-dependent calcium transient that has derived from intracellular store. Subsequently, calcium increase led to nitric oxide (NO) generation by a calcium-dependent NO synthase-like activity, resulting in cell death in diatoms. Myeloperoxidase-derived chlorinated aldehydes with plasmalogens has been reported. Thus, the vinyl-ether bond of plasmalogens is susceptible to attack by HOCl to yield a lysophospholipid and an Both these chloro-fatty aldehydes have been detected in neutrophils activated with PMA (Thukkani AK et al., J Biol Chem 2002, 277, 3842) and in human atherosclerotic AK et al., Circulation 2003, 108, 3128). Furthermore, 2-chlorohexadecanal was shown to induce COX-2 expression in human coronary artery endothelial cells (Messner MC et al., Lipids 2008, 43, 581). These data suggest that 2-chlorohexadecanal and possibly its metabolite 2-chlorohexadecanoic acid, both produced during leukocyte activation, may alter vascular endothelial cell function by upregulation of COX-2 expression. Long after the demonstration of the presence of iodinated lipids in thyroid (besides iodinated aminoacids), it was shown that the major iodinated lipid formed in thyroid when incubated in vitro with iodide was 2-iodohexadecanal (Pereira A et al, J Biol Chem 1990, 265, 17018). In rat and dog thyroid, 2-iodooctadecanal was determined to be more abundant that the 16-carbon aldehyde. These compounds, which are thought to play a role in the regulation of thyroid function, were recently shown to be formed by the attack of reactive iodine on the vinyl ether group of PE plasmalogen. This attack generates an unstable iodinated derivative which breaks into lysophosphatidylethanolamine and 2-iodo aldehydes (Panneels V et al, J Biol Chem 1996, 271, 23006). In some bacteria, aldehyde analogs of cyclopropane fatty acids were described. Several fatty aldehydes are known to have pheromone functions. Studies in African and Asian countries have shown that the use of 10,12-hexadecadienal could be effective for control of the spiny bollworm Earias insulana, a cotton pest. The sex pheromone of the navel orange worm, Amyelois transitella, 11,13-hexadecadienal, is usually used in the control of this citric pest. A branched saturated aldehyde (3,5,9-trimethyldodecenal, stylopsal) has been identified as a female-produced sex pheromone in Stylops (Strepsiptera), an entomophagous endoparasitic insect (Cvacka J et al., J Chem Ecol 2012, 38, 1483). Several isoprenoid aldehydes are important in insect biology as pheromones and in botany as volatile odorous substances. Some examples are given below: These three terpenic aldehydes are produced in large amounts by the mandibular glands of ants and may function as defensive repellents (Regnier FE et al., J Insect Physiol 1968, 14, 955). In contrast, the same molecules have a role of recruiting pheromones in honeybees Citral, a mixture of the tautomers geranial (trans-citral) and neral (cis-citral) is a major component (more than 60%) of the lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) oil. Lemongrass is widely used, particularly in Southeast Asia and Brazil, as a food flavoring, as a perfume, and for its medicinal properties (analgesic and anti-inflammatory). It was found that citral is a major suppressor of COX-2 expression and an activator of PPARa and g (Katsukawa M et al., Biochim Biophys Acta 2010, 1801, 1214). It was demonstrated that damaged leaves released 2-hexenal, among other C6-volatile aldehydes, produced from the catalytic activity of hydroperoxide lyase (Turlings TC et al., Proc Ntl Acad Sci USA 1995, 92, 4169). These compounds, considered as signal molecules, can trigger several responses in neighboring plants and may also act as antimicrobial agents (Farmer EE, Nature 2001, 411, 854). One important constituent of this group of aldehydes is retinal, one active form of vitamin A involved in the light reception of animal eyes but also in bacteria as a component of the proton pump. Retinal exist in two forms, a cis and a trans isomer. On illumination with white light, the visual pigment, rhodopsin is converted to a mixture of a protein (opsin) and trans-retinal. This isomer must be transformed into the cis form by retinal isomerase before it combines again with opsin (dark phase). Both isomers can be reduced to retinol (vitamin A) by a NADH dependent alcohol dehydrogenase. Retinol is stocked in retina mainly in an acylated form. Cinnamic aldehyde (cinnamaldehyde) is the key flavor compound in cinnamon essential oil extracted from Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Cinnamomum cassia bark. Investigations have revealed than that benzyl aldehyde activates the Nrf2-dependent antioxidant response in human epithelial colon cells (Wondrak GT et al., Molecules 2010, 15, 3338). Cinnamic aldehyde may therefore represent a precious chemopreventive dietary factor targeting colorectal carcinogenesis.

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The immune system immune; immunity; disease; bacteria; viruses; white; cells; lymph; germs; mucous; mucus; glands; What is immunity? Immunity (say im-yoon-it-i) means that you are protected against something. There are different kinds of immunity. This topic is about how different parts of our bodies work together to keep us from getting sick. Immunity to some diseases is passed on from our mothers before we are born. Immunisation (having your 'shots') helps our body's immune defence system protect us from diseases . body's immune system Every body has an inbuilt immune system which protects it from diseases and germs. This system has a lot of different parts which work together to keep out any harmful germs, and attack and destroy any which manage to get inside your body - Every day your body is exposed to millions of germs, and you do not get sick from them because of your immune system. - Every time you do get sick because of a germ, your immune system works to get rid of it and then it remembers how to fight the infection if the same germ comes again. - Usually the older you get, the more germs you become immune to. So, let's have a look at the immune system, starting from the outside of the body. The skin is the first line of defence in your immune system. You know how you put plastic wrap over leftovers to keep them fresh enough for later? Well, your skin is like a plastic wrap to keep germs from getting into your body. - The epidermis (outside layer of skin) has special cells which warn the body about incoming germs. - Glands in the skin also make substances that can kill some bacteria (anti-bacterial chemicals). This means you don't get infections on your skin unless your skin is damaged, such as by a cut or a graze. Your nose, mouth and eyes are the next point of attack. - The mucous membranes which line the mouth, throat, lungs and bowel, act like a barrier to germs, just as the skin does. - Saliva in the mouth and the tears which wash your eyes have special enzymes (chemicals) in them which break down the cell walls of many bacteria and viruses. - The mucous that is made in your nose, throat and lungs traps bacteria, viruses and dust. - Acid in your stomach kills most germs, and starts to digest your food. - Lymph (limf) is a clear fluid that is very similar to blood plasma, the clear liquid in blood, but it carries only white blood cells, not red blood cells. - The lymph flows through all the parts of the body picking up fluid around cells and carrying it back to large veins near the heart. It also carries white blood cells to the places that they are needed. - Some bacteria or viruses that have entered the body are collected by the lymph and passed on to the lymph nodes where they are filtered out and destroyed. Lymph nodes are sometimes called glands. Your doctor can often tell if you have an infection by checking out the lymph nodes (glands) in your neck and under your arms to see if they're swollen. If they are, it shows that they are working to get rid of bacteria or viruses. In your blood you have red blood cells and white blood cells, and in lymph there are white blood cells. There are several different types of white cells which work together to seek out and destroy bacteria and viruses. All of them start off in the bone marrow, growing from 'stem cells'. The disease-fighting white blood cells are specialists. Some of the white blood cells are: - Neutrophils (say new-tro-fills), which move around the body in the blood and seek out foreign material (things that don't belong in your body). - Macrophages (say mak-row-far-jes) are the biggest blood cells. Some live in different parts of the body and help to keep it clean, eg. in the lungs. Others swim around cleaning up other white blood cells that have been damaged while doing their jobs, eg. cleaning up pus that has been caused by neutrophils when they work to clear out bacteria from a wound. - Lymphocytes (say lim-fo-sites) work on bacterial and viral infections There are two different types: - B cells produce antibodies. Each cell watches out for a particular germ, and when that germ arrives, the cell starts to produce more antibodies which begin the process of killing that germ. Antibodies attach themselves to the germs so that other cells can recognise that these germs need to be destroyed. - T cells look for cells in your body that are hiding invaders (germs) or body cells that are different to normal healthy cells (such as cells that could develop into a cancer) and kill them. does your immune system know which cells to attack? Your body has lots of friendly bacteria around it which help your body work properly - eg. some bacteria inside your bowel help you to digest your food and break it up into the different things that are needed in various parts of the body. - These friendly bacteria live on the surfaces of the body, such as on our skin or inside the bowel. - They do not try to invade the body, so the immune system does not try to get rid of them. - Other germs which cause illness, try to enter the body. - Antibodies, which are made by the lymphocytes, attach to the invaders so that the other white blood cells can destroy them. They 'tag' them so they can be easily noticed. As well as attacking germs, your immune system recognises and destroys other cells which do not belong in your body. - The cells in your own body are marked with a special system called Human Leukocyte Antigen or HLA (say Hew-man lew-ko-site anti-jen). - Your immune system can recognise these markings as 'you'. Any cells which do not have the right markings are 'not you' and are therefore attacked.This happens if, for example, you have a blood transfusion with the wrong types of blood cells. Your body's immune system recognises that these cells do not belong in your body, so it destroys them. How you know your immune system is working You know your immune system is working: - if you get better after you are sick - if cuts heal without getting infected - if you don't catch the same diseases over and over again - when you get swollen glands - when you get swelling and soreness around a cut. Your immune system is in there working to get rid of any infection. When things go wrong with the immune system Sometimes the immune system will make a mistake. - It may attack your own body as if it were the enemy, eg. insulin dependent diabetes (the type that most often starts in children and young people) is caused by the immune system attacking the cells in the pancreas that make insulin. - Allergies are caused by the immune system over-reacting to something that is not really a threat, like when pollen triggers hay fever or asthma. - If tissue is transplanted from one person to another - eg. a skin or organ transplant - then the immune system will attack the new part. The immune system has to be suppressed by drugs to allow the transplant to work. - When the immune system is damaged, such as when people have a serious illness called AIDS, they get lots of infections and are much more likely to get cancers. Their body cannot recognise the infection or abnormal cells very well and the immune system does not destroy them as well as usual. The immune system is absolutely amazing. It deals with millions of bacteria and viruses every day to keep us healthy. Keeping up to date with immunisations can help your body to build immunity to some serious diseases too. We've provided this information to help you to understand important things about staying healthy and happy. However, if you feel sick or unhappy, it is important to tell your mum or dad, a teacher or another grown-up.

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Radon, a silent killer in homes DeKALB – Many homeowners take precautions to protect themselves. They lock their doors at night, turn off and unplug appliances and regularly test their smoke detectors. Radon isn’t something many homeowners consider a danger in their homes, but it could be harming them the most. Radon is a colorless, odorless naturally occurring gas found in uranium in soil. The gas often seeps through cracks in a house’s foundation or other areas exposed to soil. The health risks associated with radon are not immediate but rather a result of continuous exposure over a long period of time. If you have any technical difficulties, either with your username and password or with the payment options, please contact us by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.org

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When it comes to solar power, the real dilemmas are efficiency and cost. On the one hand, efficiency has steadily improved over the last couple decades to the point where it’s approaching the utility prices of other power generation methods. Exotic technologies promise even greater gains. However, the price of solar-generated power still remains at least five times as expensive as coal-power, the chief source of power in the U.S. (compared to the leading candidate, nuclear, which is approximately 1.5 to 2 times as expensive). While solar adoption from a cost standpoint is unattractive, there's much debate over whether commercial adoption is needed to spur further research to propel solar into the realm of cost competitiveness. While many nations like the U.S. and China have modestly taken this position, adopting solar at a moderate rate, one nation has fallen head over heels for solar -- Spain. Spain is allowing solar and wind power plants to charge as much as 10 times the rates of coal power plants, making it possible for solar power installations to earn utilities big money. On average, recent rate increases have raised solar charges to over 7 times the rates of coal or natural gas rates. The costs are added onto consumers' power bills. The results are mixed; while Spanish power bills are at record highs, the number of deployments is soaring. Spain has 14 GW of solar power, or the equivalent capacity of nine average nuclear reactors, under construction -- the most of any nation. Florida’s FPL Group Inc. and French Electricite de France SA are among the many jumping to build in Spain. Gabriel Calzada, an economist and professor at Rey Juan Carlos University in Madrid, states, "Who wouldn’t want to enter a business that’s paid many times more than the market rate, and where the customer is guaranteed for life?" By 2009, 42 percent of Spaniards energy bills -- approximately 95 euros ($127) on average -- will be provided by alternative energy. Spanish law requires power distributors to buy all clean energy produced in the first 25 years of the plants' lives. The government also recently raised the rate of Spain believes this sacrifice will pay off as fossil fuel resources become depleted and emissions standards tighten. Karsten von Blumenthal, an industrial analyst at Hamburg-based SES Research GmbH states, "The guarantee is more attractive than what other countries offer. Actually the U.S. has better space for solar, in the deserts of California and Nevada." The U.S. meanwhile is also advancing thanks in part to President Obama's solar initiatives passed earlier this year as part of the federal stimulus legislation. Over 6 GW of capacity is planned for the U.S. Fred Morse, an official at the Washington- based Solar Energy Industries Association trade group and author of the first report to the White House on solar power (1969), says that the U.S. needs to adopt more incentives if it hopes to catch Spain. He states, "The incentives, if implemented promptly and effectively, should greatly facilitate the financing of these plants." One promising benefit of the Spanish solar boom is that it is increasing the number of plants utilizing new, potentially more efficient technologies like solar thermal or sterling engines. Spain is limiting the number of photovoltaic plants (solar panel-based designs), but is giving out unlimited licenses for solar thermal and other alternative plants. quote: 1 - Solar Tech is improving very quickly. In another 3~5 years, it SHOULD be just as cheap as coal. quote: 4 - If many people buy their own, it reduces the drain on the electrical system quote: 2 - If its cheap, unlike a power plant (coar / nuke) Anyone can buy it and install it on their roof or their yard. Remember on DT - they're's tech that'll allow your windows to be solar collectors. quote: 5 - if everyone has one, it can help re-charge their electric cars. Because AS OF NOW, eletric cars STILL require power from Coal / Nuke plants which generate pollution / waste. quote: Assuming 0,45 cents per KW Here, quote: But the pleasure to not give the moneyto them... doesn´t have a price...

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In digital imaging, there are 256 levels, or tonal values, ranging from black to white. Black is level 0. White is level 255. Of course, not all images (e.g. extreme foggy, misty, atmospheric shots) contain the full tonal range from black to white, but most do. The histogram (Levels) is a graphical representation of the tonal values in an image. Ideally, it should range from 0 to 255, with a good spread of tonal values throughout. If the histogram is bunched up towards the left, it indicates the image is under-exposed. Note the crushed shadow detail. If bunched up towards the right, it's over exposed. Note the blown-out highlights. If the black and white points are set incorrectly, the image will have a dull, flat, washed-out appearance. Here they're wrongly set to 20/230. Unless under instructions from a repro bureau or printer, you should not set the black/white points to anything other than 0/255. The printer may well adjust them later for technical reasons to do with repro, but don't try to guess what's required. It's true that some leeway is acceptable (e.g. up to 5% is usually OK), but your images will lack visual impact if the black/white points are incorrect, so don't do this as a matter of course. In the vast majority of cases, it's best to set them to 0/255.

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The robot can be outfitted with multiple attachments such as a cell-sprayer that can spray pesticides or fertilizers and can even weed areas intertwined with the crops. It’s able to do so with the help of strategically positioned cameras that take pictures of the ground, which are then sent to an onboard computer that analyzes the images and identifies both the crops and weeds (programmed with 20 known species per geographic area). Once the unwanted plants are identified, it can then spray an herbicide through a row of nozzles placed next to the cameras positioned behind the bot. The cameras look for the corresponding image and either open or close the nozzles based on the weeds' location. With a large range of add-on tools, this robot makes a perfect plant-nursing platform that’s able to keep plants healthy, one column at a time. Robots are even being employed to harvest crops, further maximizing the efficiency associated with robotic farmers. One such robot is known as the Robotic Strawberry Harvester from Robotic Harvesting LLC. The mechanical farmhand is autonomous in the true sense of the word and is self-propelled, navigating and harvesting, and as the name suggests, is excellent in picking ripe strawberries. Robot harvesting outfitted the robot with a camera array capable of taking "stereovision" photos both above and below the plants leaves to collect data on fruit (whether it’s ripe or not), flower count, plant pathogens (diseases), and other items of interest. The camera system can be reprogrammed to identify and collect data on a number of crops in 3D space (giving the robot the capability to see like humans) not just strawberries, and uses specialized software to discern whether the fruit is ripe. Once identified, the robot uses a three-pronged outfitted robotic arm to pick the fruit, which is then placed on a convenient tiny conveyor belt that drops the fruit off in a collection basket on top of the robot. This may not seem like much, but the robot is capable of picking the fruit (tested in a controlled environment) in as little as two seconds. While you most likely won't see a fully functional efficient farm being run entirely by robots anytime in the next few years, it’s safe to say it certainly is a possibility in the near future. As more and more people populate the planet, using robotic farmers is certainly a viable option in cultivating, nurturing, and harvesting increased food crops in an efficient manner.

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Living with Diabetes Diabetes is a condition that affects everyone from children right up to adults. It is referred as a chronic condition since a person who has it can go through many changes in their lives as it can affect their entire body. Over time, diabetes can cause blindness, stroke, and amputations among other things. There are two types of diabetes; Juvenile or Type 1 diabetes and adult-onset diabetes also known as Type 2 diabetes. The more common form of diabetes is Type 2 and those who have this type of diabetes are faced many difficulties and complications to their liver, muscle and even fat cells. In the case of Type 1 diabetics, they are required to use insulin to be able to combat the effects of diabetes. A simple blood sugar test can determine if you have diabetes or not. The doctor usually checks the level of your glucose to determine if you are diabetic. There are also telltale signs that one is diabetic as well. The symptoms of diabetes include an increase in thirst; feeling tired all the time, headaches, and weight loss and in some cases blurred vision and even dry mouth. There is a treatment for diabetes and one can easily keep it under control if proper measures are taken. One must first keep their blood glucose in check all the time and one way to achieve this is by eating healthy foods for diabetics. One can also combat the symptoms of diabetes by keeping up with an exercise regimen and it would also help to keep their weight under control as well.

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The environmental impact of electric vehicles has been in the media for some time. Now comes news that electric vehicles can also impact running the home. An exhibit at the Georgian College Auto Show, in Barrie, Ontario, demonstrates the integration of electric vehicles into the home by using the latest Smart Grid technologies. The display, which is run by Nissan and PowerStream, shows how an electric vehicle such as the Nissan LEAF can help power the home by converting energy stored in the car’s batteries to residential use through a system called Vehicle to Home (V2H). With energy stored in its 24kW lithium-ion battery, a fully charged Nissan LEAF can provide enough electricity to run a typical residential Canadian home for a full day. The LEAF to Home electricity-supply system is gathering attention as a new form of infrastructure, as well as contributing factor to energy saving and alternative energy use. PowerStream, Ontario’s second-largest community-owned company, began working on the project after taking delivery of Nissan’s fully-electric LEAF vehicle. “The PowerStream/Nissan display proves how smart connections between the grid, the home and the car can help us improve the way energy is managed, consumed – and conserved,” said Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti, who is chairman of the board at PowerStream. “The collaboration between Nissan and PowerStream illustrates the dramatic changes underway in technology and how two industry leaders can collaborate to benefit consumers.” Studies have shown that cutting off one household from the network when power demands are their highest can significantly contribute towards the stable supply of power throughout the grid. The Nissan/PowerStream V2H system demonstrates leading-edge technologies and the future capabilities of Smart Grid and the benefit to consumers. CNW Group/Nissan Canada Nissan Canada and PowerStream demonstrate the Nissan ‘LEAF to Home’ charging system for first time in Canada at the Georgian College Auto Show in Barrie. Earlier this week in Japan, Nissan introduced the EV Power Station, an electric-vehicle charging station developed by Nichicon Corporation. The EV Power Station can fully recharge the LEAF’s high-capacity batteries in as little as four hours, approximately half the time required by conventional chargers. “The public debut of V2H in Canada today will drive new advancements and collaboration in the auto industry of tomorrow,” said Nissan Canada president Allen Childs. “V2H will foster literal connections, such as those between vehicles, infrastructure, the Internet, and the nation’s electrical grid, and the connections and relationships between engineers who are developing the next generation vehicle technology.”

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What you will learn In this Maya tutorial we'll learn how to begin Maya's powerful Ocean features. Using Maya Oceans, we'll be able to achieve quality results within a matter of minutes. We'll begin this project by learning the basics of creating a Maya Ocean and what it is actually made of. We'll then learn about attributes we need to set early in the project. Then we'll learn how to control the noisiness of waves and their length. After that, we'll create line graphs to change each wave's height, turbulence and peak. We'll finish the tutorial by adding foam and editing the color information of the shader.

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Beginning in October 2006, some beekeepers began reporting losses of 30-90 percent of their hives. While colony losses are not unexpected during winter weather, the magnitude of loss suffered by some beekeepers was highly unusual. This phenomenon, which currently does not have a recognizable underlying cause, has been termed "Colony Collapse Disorder" (CCD). The main symptom of CCD is simply no or a low number of adult honey bees present but with a live queen and no dead honey bees in the hive. Often there is still honey in the hive, and immature bees (brood) are present. ARS scientists and others are in the process of carrying out research to discover the cause(s) of CCD and develop ways for beekeepers to respond to the problem. Why should the public care about honey bees? Bee pollination is responsible for $15 billion in added crop value, particularly for specialty crops such as almonds and other nuts, berries, fruits, and vegetables. About one mouthful in three in the diet directly or indirectly benefits from honey bee pollination. While there are native pollinators (honey bees came from the Old World with European colonists), honey bees are more prolific and the easiest to manage for the large scale pollination that U.S. agriculture requires. In California, the almond crop alone uses 1.3 million colonies of bees, approximately one half of all honey bees in the United States, and this need is projected to grow to 1.5 million colonies by 2010. The number of managed honey bee colonies has dropped from 5 million in the1940s to only 2.5 million today. At the same time, the call for hives to supply pollination service has continued to climb. This means honey bee colonies are trucked farther and more often than ever before. Honey bee colony health has also been declining since the 1980s with the advent of new pathogens and pests. The spread into the United States of varroa and tracheal mites, in particular, created major new stresses on honey bees. Is there currently a crisis in food production because of CCD? While CCD has created a very serious problem for beekeepers and could threaten the pollination industry if it becomes more widespread, fortunately there were enough bees to supply all the needed pollination this past spring. But we cannot wait to see if CCD becomes an agricultural crisis to do the needed research into the cause and treatment for CCD. The cost of hives for pollination has risen this year. But much of that is due to growing demand. Some of the price increase may also be due to higher cost of gas and diesel and other increases related to energy and labor costs. Commercial beekeepers truck hives long distances to provide pollination services, so in particular they must deal with rising expenses. Varroa mites (one is visible on the back of this bee) are a major threat to honey bee health and are becoming resistant to two compounds (coumaphos and fluvalinate) used to control them. Beekeepers now have a simple assay to determine whether mites are resistant and thus ensure use of appropriate control measures. Click the image for more information about it. Are there any theories about what may be causing CCD? Case studies and questionnaires related to management practices and environmental factors have identified a few common factors shared by those beekeepers experiencing CCD, but no common environmental agents or chemicals stand out as causative. There are three major possibilities that are being looked into by researchers. Pesticides may be having unexpected negative effects on honey bees. A new parasite or pathogen may be attacking honey bees. One possible candidate being looked at is a pathogenic gut microbe called Nosema. Viruses are also suspected. A perfect storm of existing stresses may have unexpectedly weakened colonies leading to collapse. Stress, in general, compromises the immune system of bees (and other social insects) and may disrupt their social system, making colonies more susceptible to disease. These stresses could include high levels of infection by the varroa mite (a parasite that feeds on bee blood and transmits bee viruses); poor nutrition due to apiary overcrowding, pollination of crops with low nutritional value, or pollen or nectar scarcity; and exposure to limited or contaminated water supplies. Migratory stress brought about by increased needs for pollination might also be a contributing factor. Has CCD ever happened before? The scientific literature has several mentions of honey bee disappearancesóin the 1880s, the 1920s and the 1960s. While the descriptions sound similar to CCD, there is no way to know for sure if the problems were caused by the same agents as today's CCD. There have also been unusual colony losses before. In 1903, in the Cache Valley in Utah, 2000 colonies were lost to an unknown "disappearing disease" after a "hard winter and a cold spring." More recently, in 1995-96, Pennsylvania beekeepers lost 53 percent of their colonies without a specific identifiable cause. What about cell phonesódo they have anything to do with CCD? The short answer is no. There was a very small study done in Germany that looked at whether a particular type of base station for cordless phones could affect honey bee homing systems. But, despite all the attention that this study has received, it has nothing to do with CCD. Stefan Kimmel, the researcher who conducted the study and wrote the paper, recently e-mailed The Associated Press to say that there is "no link between our tiny little study and the CCD-phenomenon ... anything else said or written is a lie." Newly emerged honey bee, Apis mellifera, the subject of genome sequencing work aimed at improving bee traits and management. Click the image for more information about it. What is ARS doing about CCD? In April 2007, ARS held a Colony Collapse Disorder Research Workshop that brought together over 80 of the major bee scientists, industry representatives, extension agents, and others to discuss a research agenda. They identified areas where more information is needed and the highest-priority needs for additional research projects related to CCD. A CCD Steering Committee, led by ARS and USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, developed a Research Action Plan to coordinate a comprehensive response for discovering what factors may be causing CCD and what actions need to be taken. One of the tools that will help in this research is the recently sequenced honey bee genome to better understand bees' basic biology and breed better bees, and to better diagnose bee pests and pathogens and their impacts on bee health and colony collapse. The use of this genome information certainly will have great applications in improving honey bee breeding and management. The search for factors that are involved in CCD is focusing on four areas: pathogens, parasites, environmental stresses, and bee management stresses such as poor nutrition. It is unlikely that a single factor is the cause of CCD; it is more likely that there is a complex of different components. In September 2007, a research team that included ARS published the results of an intensive genetic screening of CCD-affected honey bee colonies and non-CCD-affected hives. The only pathogen found in almost all samples from honey bee colonies with CCD, but not in non-CCD colonies, was the Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), a dicistrovirus that can be transmitted by the varroa mite. It was found in 96.1 percent of the CCD-bee samples. This research does not identify IAPV as the cause of CCD. What this research found was strictly a strong correlation of the appearance of IAPV and CCD together. No cause-and-effect connection can be inferred from the genetic screening data. (More information about this study) Honey bees devour a new, nutrient-rich food developed by ARS researchers. Click the image for more information about it. This was the first report of IAPV in the United States. IAPV was initially identified in honey bee colonies in Israel in 2002, where the honey bees exhibited unusual behavior, such as twitching wings outside the hive and a loss of worker bee populations. The study also found IAPV in honey bees from Australia that had been imported into the United States, as well as in royal jelly imported from China. Australian bees began to be imported from Australia into the United States in 2005. Questions were raised about a connection between those imported bees and the appearance of IAPV in the United States. Beekeepers sought out Australian imports of bees as a way to replenish their hive populations. To determine whether IAPV has been present in the United States since before the importation of honey bees from Australia, a follow up detailed genetic screening of several hundred honey bees that had been collected between 2002 and 2007 from colonies in Maryland, Pennsylvania, California and Israel was conducted by ARS researchers. The results of the follow study showed IAPV has been in this country since at least 2002, which challenges the idea that IAPV is a recent introduction from Australia. (More information about this study) This study in no way rules IAPV out as a factor in CCD. Research by several groups will now focus on understanding differences in virulence across strains of IAPV and on interactions with other stress factors. Even if IAPV proves to be a cause of CCD, there still may also be other contributing factors-which researchers are pursuing. What should beekeepers do now about CCD? Since little is known about the cause(s) of CCD right now, mitigation must be based on improving general honey bee health and habitat and countering known mortality factors by using best management practices. What can I as a member of the public do to help honey bees? The best action you can take to benefit honey bees is to not use pesticides indiscriminately, especially not to use pesticides at mid-day when honey bees are most likely to be out foraging for nectar. In addition, you can plant and encourage the planting of good nectar sources such as red clover, foxglove, bee balm, and joe-pye weed. For more information, see www.nappc.org.] ARS Honey Bee Research

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|Talking Trash about the Oceans: Creating a Community Service Campaign to Stop Offshore Dumping| In this lesson, students create a community service advertising campaign that raises awareness about the importance of keeping trash out of the marine ecosystem. Students work in teams to create different ad campaigns geared toward particular target audiences and produce posters promoting their messages. Links to additional information and resources are also provided. Intended for grade levels: Type of resource: No specific technical requirements, just a browser required Cost / Copyright: Copyright 2005, The New York Times Company. DLESE Catalog ID: DWEL-000-000-000-461 Resource contact / Creator / Publisher: Publisher: The New York Times Learning Network

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This book was the chosen book for the Celebration of Reading campaign, 2012 A Dog Named Worthless: A Hero Is Born Children's Book for K-6th Grade Humane Education A Dog Named Worthless: A Hero Is Born Written and illustrated by Rocky Shepheard Welcome to Dogs Deserve Better's first Fantasy Action/Adventure Fiction picture book for kids and adults alike! Disney-esque in tone, the book is beautifully illustrated and written by Rocky Shepheard, a long-time supporter and advocate for chained dogs. The book is full color, hardback for better protection and sturdiness, and comes to life on 32 pages. Worthless is a chained dog who has never lived inside the house. He suffers through cold winters and hot summers only with the help of his two friends—Otto and Sly Fox. His friends plot to free him and they set off on an adventure to look for a new life somewhere where there are no chains. They search for days in snow and ice until they find a place on the edge of a pond to hunker down for the winter. But fate intervenes and presents an opportunity for Worthless to finally prove to himself that he is worthy of love and a good home. Will Worthless have the courage to face his fears and become the dog he has always wanted to be? About Worthless: Worthless was the name of a real dog, he was the reason that Dogs Deserve Better was founded and that's why the book was named after him. Someone actually named their dog Worthless, can you believe that? Read about his rescue here. It was fitting that the winning contest model for the book was another black lab named Maggie, beloved companion of Joe Maringo of SPARRO. Dan Piraro - Internationally acclaimed cartoonist and creator of Bizarro: "'A New Name for Worthless: A Hero is Born' is, like it's title character, anything but worthless. This is an exciting story with a full range of emotions that kids will love and adults will take pause to think about. The same story that is lovingly illustrated within plays itself out in communities all over the world and the lessons learned from this story are simple but so important. This book will lead readers of all ages to more fully understand the true nature of "man's best friend" with a common-sense, compassionate approach that can change the world for the better." – Dan Piraro, creator of "Bizarro" Cia Bruno, Esq. - New York Animal Rights Advocate: "A masterfully captivating illustrative theme! In A New Name for Worthless: A Hero is Born, the author skillfully introduces several elements of conflict and resolution that are rich in opportunity for mutual exploration between parent and child. The dominant message being that 'all' sentient creatures are worthy of our respect for their needs and existence." — Cia Bruno, Attorney at law and advocate for all sentient creatures at www.meaningfuladvocacy.com Lorraine Chittock -Photographer and Author: "Wow. I love it. Finally a book appears which addresses a pressing dog issue, but doesn't come across as preachy or pandering. From the first page to the last, the reader is drawn into the troubles of Worthless, and captivated by a wonderful story juxtaposed with exquisite paintings. For children this book is a must. For adults, it signifies hope and the progress being made for the lives of chained dogs all over the world." Travel books exploring our unique bond with animals DDB Founder Tamira Thayne: "When Rocky presented his idea, I was instantly intrigued by a story that is less about the reality of everyday chaining, and more a fun fiction tale featuring animal friends and foes. I was delighted with his storyline, and even more enamored with his illustrations. I hope that A New Name for Worthless: A Hero is Born ends up on every dog lover's bookshelf, because that's where it deserves to be!" – Tamira C. Thayne, founder and CEO of Dogs Deserve Better www.dogsdeservebetter.org Robin Helfritch Co-founder of Open The Cages Alliance: "Rocky Shepheard's inspiring and delightful book, “A New Name for Worthless: A Hero is Born” will warm your heart and leave you smiling. Beautifully illustrated, it tells the tale of “Worthless,” a neglected dog who is callously left by his uncaring human “owner” to live his life chained to a rickety wooden box in extreme temperatures. This is, unfortunately, the fate for far too many dogs. Luckily for Worthless, he has good friends, Sly Fox and Otto the Otter. Through teamwork, bravery and a little luck, Worthless's life takes a turn for the better! This book teaches the importance of compassion, friendship, collaboration, acceptance, and the fact that all deserve freedom from oppression. It is perfect for children and adults of all ages, and the life lessons learned in this book will resonate within all who read it." – Robin Helfritch Co-founder, Open the Cages Alliance Catherine Hedges founder of Dont Bully My Breed, Inc.: "A New Name for Worthless; A Hero is Born, is a wonderful combination of fantasy and reality, and a reminder that no dog is born "Worthless" but, any dog, in the hands of the wrong person, can be treated as worthless. The book shows children everyone has worth and is a great lesson in self esteem, as well as emphasizing the importance of loyalty and friendship and what can be accomplished when friends work together. It shows the importance of compassion and love and should inspire kids to ask questions about animal cruelty and neglect. It is evident in Shepheard's heartwarming story and stunning illustrations that he is a person with a great heart and one hopes that his message will impact every adult or child who reads it." – Catherine Hedges Founder of Dont Bully My Breed, Inc. Nikki Brown - The UK DOG WHISPERER from Canine Angel: "'A New Name for Worthless: A Hero is Born' is just such a delightful book with a really simple yet powerful message about how these creatures that we humans call “Dogs”, can teach us all the important lessons of forgiveness, love, devotion, courage, bravery, living in the moment and never holding a grudge. The story is about how this dog views his world after being chained up to a dog house all his life suffering all weather conditions and being given the name of “Worthless “ by his human owner, reminding us all that neglect and cruelty still exists in today’s world. The beautiful illustrations help to ignite your imagination and take you into this dogs world where all he ever wants is the opportunity to show he can be the dog that he was born to be, and show that even though he has been mistreated he can still find it in his heart and soul to forgive, love unconditionally and become man’s best friend. A great read for kids and adults, and every dog owner or potential dog owner needs to have this in their book collection." – Nikki Brown – The UK DOG WHISPERER – Canine Angel Leigh-Chantelle -Australian Vegan Activist/Singer Songwriter: "Worthless the Dog is much more than his namesake. His friends Sly the fox and Otto the sea otter unite to free him from his unbearable life chained to a rickety wooden box, all Worthless has known as a home. Beautifully illustrated by Rocky Shepheard and written in the first person from Worthless’ point of view, A New Name for Worthless: A Hero is Born is a wonderful story of courage, friendship and bravery. Families can read this wonderful book together and learn lessons in patience, humility, forgiveness and respect, all taught by Worthless the dog. This is a great resource book for Humane Education released by the not for profit organisation Dogs Deserve Better who believe in respecting, freeing and enhancing the freedom of all chained animals." Founder of Green Earth Day, www.greenearthday.net Viva La Vegan www.vivalavegan.net Performing Artist www.leigh-chantelle.com Veterinarian / Activist Dr. Armaiti May: "What an inspiration! Engaging as it is educational, this children’s book brings to light the little-known problem of dogs being neglected and left to languish on the end of a chain rather than with their family inside the home. This dog’s story of hardship, collaboration with his fellow animal friends, and ultimate freedom from unfair confinement warms the heart. It is beautifully told and fills the reader with empathy for the dog’s predicament as well as admiration for his determination to free himself and find a more loving home." – Armaiti May, DVM Using age-appropriate messaging, this book targets the following Humane Education aspects for coursework and can be used to stimulate discussion about these issues with students and children: • Dog Chaining • Importance of friends • Working as a team • Wildlife education book follows the success of Puddles On The Floor, by Lorena Estep and illustrated by Tamira C. Thayne, and is only the second children's book created specifically for Dogs Deserve Better. It can be bought in package with Puddles at a discounted price, see below for package deals. book is perfect for family fun reading, and for humane education from kindergarten-through 6th grades. If you're a nonprofit who would like to buy wholesale for fundraising purposes, please call us at 757-357-9292 for pricing options. you'd like DDB to come to your school or group for a reading/visit, please call 757-357-9292 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org. Now Take Phone Orders at 1.877.636.1408 or mail your order to 1915 Moonlight Rd., Smithfield, VA 23430. A Dog Named Worthless: A Hero Is Born Book Written and Illustrated by Rocky Shepheard Copy Pak of A Dog Named Worthless: A Hero Is Born Book Perfect for Gift-Giving! One Stop Shopping for all the kids in the family. almost $4.00! FREE Hero Kids' Pak Includes: A New Name for Worthless, Puddles on the Floor, and Happy Dog! Coloring Book. The Hero Kids' Pak is the perfect classroom or home teaching aid, allowing parents, teachers, and facilitators to give children the 'whole Hero experience,' Hero Kids' Pak (FREE Hero Unchained 3 Pak Includes: A New Name for Worthless, Unchain My Heart, and Scream Like Banshee.The Hero Unchained 3 Pak is the perfect family pack, something for everyone in the family, and teaches about chaining, being a foster parent to a dog, and how you can get involved with making a dog's life better. Hero Unchained Pak (includes Hero Unchained Pak Plus Includes: A New Name for Worthless, Unchain My Heart, Puddles On The Floor and Scream Like Banshee. The Hero Unchained Pak Plus takes the family pack above and adds in Puddles on the Floor, for those who want both children's books. Hero Unchained Pak Plus (includes —Special Fundraiser! Signed Copies of A Dog Named Worthless - A Hero Is Born Special Signed Copy by the Author Rocky Shepheard. All $10 Extra goes to support Dogs Deserve Better! BOOK BLOGGER REVIEWS

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Published: Oct. 17, 2006 Updated: Apr. 20, 2010 Two-and-a-half-year-old Nina was bright-eyed and bouncy, full of laughter and hugs -- when you could get her attention. She often seemed to be ignoring her parents when they spoke to her, and when she did respond, many of her words were slurred. Concerned, her parents arranged for a hearing test -- and learned that Nina had moderate hearing loss in both ears. Outfitted with a hearing aid, and provided with speech therapy, she is just beginning to regain some of the ground she lost during the first years of life when important language skills are being learned. "Hearing impairment is the largest congenital disability, affecting about six out of every 1,000 infants," says Duke pediatric audiologist Ann Mabie. "For a very long time, people thought you couldn't test infants' hearing, and would just wait until children were two or three years old. But by the time you wait for children not to talk, a window of opportunity has shut." In fact, those tiny, shell-like ears that parents marvel over when getting to know their new babies are just the most visible parts of a highly sophisticated machine. Human infants spend the first year of life learning about their environment, and by one year of age, already understand far more language than they are yet able to use -- unless an undiagnosed hearing impairment disrupts the process. While hearing impairments are difficult at any age, they’re especially devastating in young children, because their brains rely on auditory stimulation to develop the capacity for oral communication. This makes early diagnosis and treatment of childhood hearing losses essential. Happily, all newborns in North Carolina now have access to the specialized screening needed to diagnose infants with hearing loss, thanks to state legislation passed in October 1999. Even babies born with normal hearing, however, can develop a hearing loss later in infancy or childhood, due to ear infections or head injuries. So parents should be aware of clues that their children might have difficulty hearing and insist on tests if they suspect hearing loss (see below). Mabie urges all parents who suspect that their child might have a hearing problem to get the child tested by an audiologist or physician with expertise in this area as soon as possible: "Every day you wait is a day lost." Hearing impairments caused by problems in the middle and outer ear can sometimes be treated medically. For impairments originating in the inner ear, a hearing aid and speech therapy can help. "Hearing aids help provide access to speech, and with some intensive speech and language therapy, hearing-impaired kids will do fine in a normal classroom." Children with severe to profound hearing impairments typically will require more extensive rehabilitation, and cochlear implantation may be indicated. At Duke, otolaryngologists have begun using sophisticated new technologies to help even tiny children with hearing impairments to interact with the hearing world. When Lauren, a two-month-old infant from western North Carolina, was diagnosed with profound hearing loss due to a malformation in her inner ears, or cochleas, she was immediately fitted with hearing aids. Shortly before her second birthday, she came to Duke for a cochlear implant. Duke specialists in speech pathology and audiology worked to perform a detailed evaluation of Lauren’s hearing loss, using the most precise diagnostic technologies available. Duke neurotologist (ear specialist) Debara Tucci, MD, then selected the cochlear implant that would be most appropriate for Lauren. After Tucci surgically implanted the mechanism -- a marvel of micro-engineering -- into Lauren’s inner ear, the tiny computer chip that controls the implant was carefully adjusted to transmit just the right auditory signals to Lauren’s brain. The result is a girl who is learning how to communicate with those around her right on schedule. Whatever intervention a child with hearing deficiencies may need, time is of the essence. As the mother of one hearing-impaired child puts it, "Once you find out and take action, things only get better, not worse.” If your child exhibits any of the following behaviors, have him or her checked by a professional audiologist or physician with expertise in hearing disorders.

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How to Check Your Dog’s Pulse 6 of 7 in Series: The Essentials of Dog Care for a Healthy Pet To check your dog’s pulse, you need to locate the femoral artery, which lies just below the skin on the inside of the back legs, between two large muscles where the leg joins the body. With your dog standing, reach around in front of the rear leg where it joins his body, and slide your fingers into the groin area. You can feel the femoral artery pumping each time the heart beats. When you have found the artery with your dog standing, try it with your dog lying on his side. Count how many pulses you feel in 15 seconds and multiply by 4 to get the number of beats per minute. Dogs normally have a pulse between 70 and 120 beats per minute. In puppies, the pulse ranges from 120 to 160 beats per minute. Become familiar with your dog’s pulse rate and how his pulse feels when he is relaxed as well as after exercise. If you have reason to believe your dog is suffering from an emergency, a dramatic change in pulse (such as, a slowed pulse indicating shock) can be one sign and symptom.

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CHICAGO – Nearly 1 in 20 Americans older than 50 have artificial knees, or more than 4 million people, according to the first national estimate showing how common these replacement joints have become in an aging population. Doctors know the number of knee replacement operations has surged in the last decade, especially in baby boomers. But until now, there was no good fix on the total number of people living with them. The estimate is important because it shows that a big segment of the population might need future knee-related care, said Dr. Daniel Berry, president of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and chairman of orthopedic surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. He was not involved in the research. People with knee replacements sometimes develop knee infections or scar tissue that require additional treatment. But also, even artificial knees wear out, so as the operations are increasingly done on younger people, many will live long enough to almost certainly need a second or even third knee replacement. “These data are sobering because we didn’t know what an army of people we’ve created over the last decade,” said Elena Losina, lead author of the analysis and co-director of the Orthopedics and Arthritis Center for Outcomes Research at Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “The numbers will only increase, based on current trends.” Replacement joints can greatly improve quality of life for people with worn-out knees, but they’re not risk-free and it’s a major operation that people should not take lightly, she said. Modern knee replacements in the United States date to the 1970s. Since then, advances in materials and techniques, including imaging scans to create better-fitting joints, have made the implants more durable and lifelike, surgeons say. Losina and colleagues came up with their estimate by analyzing national data on the number of knee replacements done from 1998-2009, U.S. census data, death statistics and national health surveys. For example, in 2009, more than 600,000 knee replacement operations were done nationwide. The study estimate includes people who had knee replacement operations that year and in previous years who are still living. Overall, 4.5 million Americans are living with artificial knees. That includes an estimated 500,000 who have had at least two replacement operations on the same knee. Knee replacements are most common in people older than 80 – 1 in 10 people in this age range have them, the study found. Though they’re less prevalent in people younger than that, there are still more than half a million Americans in their 50s with the artificial joints, and based on current trends, operations in that age group are expected to increase. According to the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, knee replacements tripled in people ages 45 to 64 between 1997 and 2009. Doctors think two trends have contributed to that increase: the nation’s obesity epidemic and amateur athletes who don’t adjust workouts to spare aging or even injured joints. Both can lead to or worsen arthritis, the main reason for replacing knees. Donna Brent, 63, is in the latter category. The Deerfield, Ill., administrative assistant says decades of racquetball, tennis, softball and other sports took a toll on her knees, but she got used to living with the pain, even when she became bowlegged and developed a limp. When pain “started getting in the way of some of my sports,” she gave in to her doctor’s advice and had the operation last June on her right knee. She said she feels better than ever, is back to exercising and plans to resume tennis and softball when the weather warms up. During knee replacement operations, surgeons slice off a small portion of the worn-out surface on the ends of both leg bones that meet at the knee, then implant an artificial joint usually made of plastic or metal. Typical operations last about two hours, require a few days in the hospital and cost about $40,000. Artificial knees generally last 15 to 20 years. While some are promoted as lasting 30 years, these estimates are generally based on use among older people more sedentary than baby boomers who expect new knees to let them be as active as they were before surgery. Sometimes that’s possible, though doctors often discourage knee replacement patients from engaging in high-impact sports including jogging. The National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases paid for the study.

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Last week, President Barack Obama ordered interim regulations designed to enable wildland firefighters employed by the federal government to purchase health insurance through their jobs. For anyone who has seen this summer’s catastrophic wildfires, this seems like a no-brainer. People who risk their lives to save others’ lives and property, including public lands “owned” by the country’s citizens, should be treated better. According to federal labor laws, most firefighters don’t qualify as permanent employees. Even though they may put in nearly a full year’s worth of hours during the fire season, the demand for men and women skilled in fighting wildfires drops precipitously during the winter. Keeping thousands of firefighters on the payroll all year long doesn’t make fiscal sense. Policies that push them toward other jobs make even less sense. Come spring, it makes sense to attract those who know what they are getting into and who already have been trained to fight fires effectively and safely. Every employer, including Uncle Sam, knows benefits are not cheap. Employers also know that good benefits help attract and retain good employees. Seasonal workers often do not receive benefits because they are largely interchangeable. One quits, another is hired, only minimal training is required. Quality may suffer – newly hired servers make more errors, for example, and the thumbs of new landscape personnel are not quite as green – but inexperience goes with the territory and the budget. That is hardly true of firefighters. These are not slow bloomers who ought to grow up and get a real job. They may never have another job as hard as this one. The hours are long, the working conditions are miserable and the work itself can be backbreaking, not to mention potentially fatal. They must respond quickly to rapidly worsening situations on unfamiliar terrain, and the consequences of not doing it well are catastrophic. Although some will transition into permanent public-lands jobs, most of these young men and women won’t fight fires as a lifelong career. Similarly, not all enlisted military personnel serve until retirement; that does not mean their service is not valuable for its duration. While they serve, they deserve good benefits, and that certainly includes health insurance. Insurance is available to nearly everyone for the right price, but anyone who has ever tried to buy an individual policy knows it can be difficult to find and difficult to use – distractions that firefighters certainly do not need. Individual insurance also can be more expensive than seasonal firefighters can afford, but the lack of insurance hampers their ability to seek care. And they do need care, not only because they risk their lives and their health on our behalf, but because occupational hazards are not the only health-care problems they face. Like everyone else, they catch colds and flu and fall off their bicycles on their days off. Also like everyone else, they may have families. Letting them purchase insurance through their job is the right thing to do. It is also not a benefit that many Coloradans would begrudge them, especially not this year.

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When I was learning carpentry from a master carpenter, I tried to do something with a tool close at hand instead of going to get the correct tool for the job. Of course, I butchered the piece of wood and eventually had to get the right tool, which got the job done in a fraction of the time that I wasted with the convenient-to-reach tool. The same lesson applies to power quality tools, which range from a simple screwdriver to a $24,000, 32-gigahertz (GHz) spectrum analyzer. Not only can you waste time and not get the answer you are looking for, you might even be led to the wrong answer using the wrong tool for the task. Before going into the variety of tools available, here’s a quick safety reminder. Always assess the hazards and skills required for the task, and ensure you or whoever is doing it is a “qualified person” per the National Electrical Code definition. Ensure all personnel within the possible hazard area wear the proper personal protective equipment per NFPA 70E and other local requirements. And wherever possible, make connections on de-energized circuits only. Even something as simple as taking a panel cover off to tighten a screw can be disastrous. Accidents don’t always happen to someone else. On the low end of the price range is an item in everyone’s tool kit: a digital multimeter (DMM). A DMM can measure a number of steady-state power quality phenomena, such as voltage imbalance. It can also be used to find voltage drops across contacts and other devices that should have very low drops. Excessive neutral-to-ground voltage is often a steady-state condition. Clamp-on power meters are slightly more expensive ($300–$3,000) but used similarly. Though only single-phase, they can be useful for current imbalance and power factor, and many have limited harmonic measuring capabilities. Be wary of the 3 assumptions some meters make, which contend that all three phases are identical and, therefore, give you three-phase answers with a simple multiplication. Also, most clamp-on meters use current transformers that cannot measure (or tolerate) direct current (DC). Power loggers generally have capabilities similar to power meters but can take unattended readings for extended periods. They are useful for finding time-correlated problems, such as the voltage drops at a certain time each day. Several manufacturers offer both single- and three-phase loggers ($500–$3,500) that come with software for downloading the data onto a computer for analysis. Some plug right into an outlet to let you piggyback the equipment being monitored for simple and safe connections. Most electrical contractors doing power quality work have several monitors, which can monitor a wide range of power quality phenomena. Read the specifications and the user’s guide before taking one out to troubleshoot for a suspected power quality problem. This is especially important when looking for transients and higher order harmonics. If the sampling rate of the instrument is 64 times per cycle, it is not possible to determine harmonics above the 32nd, and even that is suspect in the real world of measuring. If the current probe is a Rogowski coil (flex-probes) and you are measuring in a room with a half dozen 500-horsepower motors running off adjustable speed drives, much of the current data is going to be skewed by the antenna-like pickup characteristic of those probes. If using a current transformer that isn’t rated for DC and there is an inrush current condition on a saturated transformer with a DC offset, it won’t produce reliable data. However, using the instrument within its limitations provides a wealth of data that virtually no other instrument can simultaneously do for you. Right in the sweet spot of power quality monitors are capturing the waveforms of disturbances, such as the arcing transients that occur before the voltage sag is cleared by the distribution circuit protection device or the slight frequency and phase shift that occurs when switching from utility power to a backup power source that resulted in a particularly susceptible piece of equipment dropping off line. Whether doing a benchmark survey to compare the site data to the commissioning data or troubleshooting a process interruption that only occurs once per month but with large financial consequences, a power quality monitor in the $3,000–8,000 price range can do exactly that. Though they don’t have the same triggering, capture and characterization functionality as a power quality monitor, a high-speed (200 megahertz–1 GHz) digital oscilloscope ($3,000–5,000) can be a valuable tool to have at your disposal when looking at noise or transients that are above the bandwidth of power quality monitors. Likewise, a spectrum analyzer ($10,000–15,000) can provide a more complete and wider picture of the steady-state signals that are present in a system and fall below the fundamental frequency or above the harmonic range of most power quality analyzers. For random or burst signals, a noise logger ($4,000–8,000) is an invaluable tool, and for a hands-free, no-contact look for hot spots that can result from high impedance contacts or harmonic losses in motors and transformers, the thermal or infrared camera ($4,000–20,000) is the tool of choice. Of course, the most used tool for power quality tasks is likely the screwdriver (priceless). BINGHAM, a contributing editor for power quality, can be reached at 732.287.3680.

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Focus on Economic Data: Consumer Price Index and Inflation, October 19, 2011 Glossary terms from: One of many choices or courses of action that might be taken in a given situation. Any activity or organization that produces or exchanges goods or services for a profit. Consumer Price Index (CPI) A price index that measures the cost of a fixed basket of consumer goods and services and compares the cost of this basket in one time period with its cost in some base period. Changes in the CPI are used to measure inflation. People who use goods and services to satisfy their personal needs and not for resale or in the production of other goods and services. Spending by households on goods and services. The process of buying and using goods and services. A sustained decrease in the average price level of all the goods and services produced in the economy. A severe, prolonged economic contraction. The central bank of the United States. Its main function is controlling the money supply through monetary policy. The Federal Reserve System divides the country into 12 districts, each with its own Federal Reserve bank. Each district bank is directed by its nine-person board of directors. The Board of Governors, which is made up of seven members appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate to 14-year terms, directs the nation's monetary policy and the overall activities of the Federal Reserve. The Federal Open Market Committee is the official policy-making body; it is made up of the members of the Board of Governors and five of the district bank presidents. Something a person or organization plans to achieve in the future; an aim or desired result. Tangible objects that satisfy economic wants. Spending by all levels of government on goods and services; includes categories like military, schools and roads. Individuals and family units that buy goods and services (as consumers) and sell or rent productive resources (as resource owners). Payments earned by households for selling or renting their productive resources. May include salaries, wages, interest and dividends. A rise in the general or average price level of all the goods and services produced in an economy. Can be caused by pressure from the demand side of the market (demand-pull inflation) or pressure from the supply side of the market (cost-push inflation). Money paid regularly, at a particular rate, for the use of borrowed money. The quantity and quality of human effort available to produce goods and services. The amount of money that people pay when they buy a good or service; the amount they receive when they sell a good or service. The weighted average of the prices of all goods and services in an economy; used to calculate inflation. People and firms that use resources to make goods and services. A good or service that can be used to satisfy a want. A process of manufacturing, growing, designing, or otherwise using productive resources to create goods or services used to to satisfy a want. Goods, often supplied by the government, for which use by one person does not reduce the quantity of the good available for others to use, and for which consumption cannot be limited to those who pay for the good. The amount of goods and services that a monetary unit of income can buy. A decline in the rate of national economic activity, usually measured by a decline in real GDP for at least two consecutive quarters (i.e., six months). Money set aside for a future use that is held in easily-accessed accounts, such as savings accounts and certificates of deposit (CDs). Activities performed by people, firms or government agencies to satisfy economic wants. Use money now to buy goods and services. Standard of Living The level of subsistence of a nation, social class or individual with reference to the adequacy of necessities and comforts of daily life. Compulsory payments to governments by households and businesses. An abstract measure of the satisfaction consumers derive from consuming goods and services. Payments for labor services that are directly tied to time worked, or to the number of units of output produced. People employed to do work, producing goods and services.

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Rainy Day Painting Create your very own creepy, haunted castle sitting in a turbulent field of flowing grass, eerily surrounded by dark, ominous clouds. Fireworks are such an exciting part of part of summer festivities, but it's sad when the show is over. Keep them alive all year long with watercolor fireworks. Show your high schooler how to celebrate Mary Cassatt, an Impressionist painter, by creating a mother-child painting in her style. Put your individual fingerprint on the 100th Day of School (literally!) with this activity. Show your preschooler how to make a print of a butterfly using her hand as a tool--a great way to stimulate her sense of touch. Use marbles and paint to explore the wild world of shapes and color...and build kindergarten writing strength, too. Introduce your kindergartener to some art history by showing him how to create an everyday object print, Andy Warhol-style. Celebrate the changing seasons with this fun, hands-on art activity that will teach your child about the different colors of the seasons. Help your preschooler begin reading and writing the printed word by connecting simple letter recognition exercises with this easy art project: alphabet trees!

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Twenty Ideas for Engaging ProjectsSeptember 12, 2011 | Suzie Boss The start of the school year offers an ideal time to introduce students to project-based learning. By starting with engaging projects, you'll grab their interest while establishing a solid foundation of important skills, such as knowing how to conduct research, engage experts, and collaborate with peers. In honor of Edutopia's 20th anniversary, here are 20 project ideas to get learning off to a good start. 1. Flat Stanley Refresh: Flat Stanley literacy projects are perennial favorites for inspiring students to communicate and connect, often across great distances. Now Flat Stanley has his own apps for iPhone and iPad, along with new online resources. Project founder Dale Hubert is recently retired from the classroom, but he's still generating fresh ideas to bring learning alive in the "flatlands." 2. PBL is No Accident: In West Virginia, project-based learning has been adopted as a statewide strategy for improving teaching and learning. Teachers don't have to look far to find good project ideas. In this CNN story about the state's educational approach, read about a project that grew out of a fender-bender in a school parking lot. When students were asked to come up with a better design for the lot, they applied their understanding of geometry, civics, law, engineering, and public speaking. Find more good ideas in West Virginia's Teach21 project library. 3. Defy Gravity: Give your students a chance to investigate what happens near zero gravity by challenging them to design an experiment for NASA to conduct at its 2.2 second drop tower in Brookpark, Ohio. Separate NASA programs are offered for middle school and high school. Or, propose a project that may land you a seat on the ultimate roller coaster (aka: the "vomit comet"), NASA aircraft that produces periods of micro and hyper gravity ranging from 0 to 2 g's. Proposal deadline is Sept. 21, and flight week takes place in February 2012. 4. Connect Across Disciplines: When students design and build kinetic sculptures, they expand their understanding of art, history, engineering, language arts, and technology. Get some interdisciplinary project insights from the Edutopia video, Kinetic Conundrum. Click on the accompanying links for more tips about how you can do it, too. 5. Honor Home Languages: English language learners can feel pressured to master English fast, with class time spent correcting errors instead of using language in meaningful ways. Digital IS, a site published by the National Writing Project, shares plans for three projects that take time to honor students' home languages and cultures, engaging them in critical thinking, collaboration, and use of digital tools. Anne Herrington and Charlie Moran curate the project collection, "English Language Learners, Digital Tools, and Authentic Audiences." 6. Rethink Lunch: Make lunch into a learning opportunity with a project that gets students thinking more critically about their mid-day meal. Center for Ecoliteracy offers materials to help you start, including informative including informative essays and downloadable planning guides. Get more ideas from this video about a middle-school nutrition project, "A Healthy School Lunch." 7. Take a Learning Expedition: Expeditionary Learning schools take students on authentic learning expeditions, often in neighborhoods close to home. Check out the gallery for project ideas about everything from the tools people use in their work to memories of the Civil Rights Movement. 8. Find a Pal: If PBL is new to you, consider joining an existing project. You'll benefit from a veteran colleague's insights, and your students will get a chance to collaborate with classmates from other communities or even other countries. Get connected at ePals, a global learning community for educators from more than 200 countries. 9. Get Minds Inquiring: What's under foot? What are things made of? Science projects that emphasize inquiry help students make sense of their world and build a solid foundation for future understanding. The Inquiry Project supports teachers in third to fifth grades as they guide students in hands-on investigations about matter. Students develop the habits of scientists as they make observations, offer predictions, and gather evidence. Companion videos show how scientists use the same methods to explore the world. Connect inquiry activities to longer-term projects, such as creating a classroom museum that showcases students' investigations. 10. Learn through Service: When cases of the West Nile virus were reported in their area, Minnesota students sprang into action with a project that focused on preventing the disease through public education. Their project demonstrates what can happen when service-learning principles are built into PBL. Find more ideas for service-learning projects from the National Youth Leadership Council. 11. Locate Experts: When students are learning through authentic projects, they often need to connect with experts from the world outside the classroom. Find the knowledgeable experts you need for STEM projects through the National Lab Network. It's an online network where K-12 educators can locate experts from the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. 12. Build Empathy: Projects that help students see the world from another person's perspective build empathy along with academic outcomes. The Edutopia video, "Give Me Shelter", shows what compassionate learning looks like in action. Click on the companion links for more suggestions about how you can do it, too. 13. Investigate Climate Science: Take students on an investigation of climate science by joining the newest collaborative project hosted by GLOBE, Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment. The Student Climate Research Campaign includes three components: introductory activities to build a foundation of understanding, intensive observing periods when students around the world gather and report data, and research investigations that students design and conduct. Climate project kicks off Sept. 12. 14. Problem-Solvers Unite: Math fairs take mathematics out of the classroom and into the community, where everyone gets a chance to try their hand at problem solving. Galileo Educational Network explains how to host a math fair. In a nutshell, students set up displays of their math problems but not the solutions. Then they entice their parents and invited guests to work on solutions. Make the event even more engaging by inviting mathematicians to respond to students' problems. 15. Harvest Pennies : Can small things really add up to big results? It seems so, based on results of the Penny Harvest. Since the project started in New York in 1991, young philanthropists nationwide have raised and donated more than $8 million to charitable causes, all through penny drives. The project website explains how to organize students in philanthropy roundtables to study community issues and decide which causes they want to support. 16. Gather Stories: Instead of teaching history from textbooks, put students in the role of historian and help them make sense of the past. Learn more about how to plan oral history projects in the Edutopia story, "Living Legends." Teach students about the value of listening by having them gather stories for StoryCorps. 17. Angry Bird Physics: Here's a driving question to kickstart a science project: "What are the laws of physics in Angry Birds world?" Read how physics teachers like Frank Noschese and John Burk are using the web version of the popular mobile game in their classrooms. 18. Place-Based Projects: Make local heritage, landscapes, and culture the jumping-off point for compelling projects. That's the idea behind place-based education, which encourages students to look closely at their communities. Often, they wind up making significant contributions to their communities, as seen in the City of Stories project. 19. News They Can Use: Students don't have to wait until they're grown-ups to start publishing. Student newspapers, radio stations, and other journalism projects give them real-life experiences now. Award-winning journalism teacher Esther Wojcicki outlines the benefits this post on the New York Times Learning Network. Get more ideas about digital-age citizen journalism projects at MediaShift Idea Lab. 20. The Heroes They Know: To get acquainted with students at the start of the year and also introduce students to PBL processes, High Tech High teacher Diana Sanchez asked students to create a visual and textual representation of a hero in their own life. Their black-and-white exhibits were a source of pride to students, as Sanchez explains in her project reflection . Get more ideas from the project gallery at High Tech High, a network of 11 schools in San Diego County that emphasize PBL. To learn more, watch this Edutopia video interview with High Tech High founding principal Larry Rosenstock. Please tell us about the projects you are planning for this school year. Questions about PBL? Draw on the wisdom of your colleagues by starting discussions or asking for help in the PBL community.

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Nutrition has a big impact on health, including major diseases such as heart disease, osteoporosis, and cancer. Our work is designed to help people keep track of the nutrional content of foods they have eaten. Our work uses shopping receipts to generate suggestions about healthier food items that could help to supplement missing nutrients. Our application, based on shopping receipt data, provides access to ambiguous suggestions for more nutritious purchases. Our goal is to contribute a better understanding of how a sensor-based application can be integrated in everyday life. To do this, we chose an approach that can easily be replicated for many users, deployed, and tested for months at a time. We are currently in the process of conducting a diary study that can provide data on which we can train our prediction algorithms. We conducted a formative user study that suggested that receipts may provide enough information to extend our work by also estimating what people are actually eating, as opposed to simply what they are purchasing. We are also interviewing and observing people's shopping and food managing habits to further inform the system design.

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Description from Flora of China Lianas large, herbaceous or woody. Inflorescences extra-axillary, umbel-like or short racemelike, occasionally branched, shorter than leaves, usually few flowered. Flowers large. Calyx without glands. Corolla subrotate; lobes overlapping to right. Corona shallowly cupular, inserted at base of gynostegium, fleshy, apex entire or shallowly undulate. Filaments connate; anthers very large, decurrent to base of column, apex acuminate; pollinia 2 per pollinarium, slender, falcate, pendulous. Stigma head scarcely umbonate. Follicles stout, cylindric-fusiform, slightly tapering to a blunt apex. Two species: China, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand; one species in China.

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U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis Today in Energy The Strait of Hormuz (shown in the oval on the map), which is located between Oman and Iran, connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Hormuz is the world's most important oil chokepoint due to its daily oil flow of almost 17 million barrels per day (bbl/d) in 2011, up from between 15.5-16.0 million bbl/d in 2009-2010. Flows through the Strait in 2011 were roughly 35% of all seaborne traded oil, or almost 20% of oil traded worldwide. On average, 14 crude oil tankers per day passed through the Strait in 2011, with a corresponding amount of empty tankers entering to pick up new cargos. More than 85% of these crude oil exports went to Asian markets, with Japan, India, South Korea, and China representing the largest destinations. At its narrowest point, the Strait is 21 miles wide, but the width of the shipping lane in either direction is only two miles, separated by a two-mile buffer zone. The Strait is deep and wide enough to handle the world's largest crude oil tankers, with about two-thirds of oil shipments carried by tankers in excess of 150,000 deadweight tons. Several alternatives are potentially available to move oil from the Persian Gulf region without transiting Hormuz, but they are limited in capacity, in many cases are not currently operating or operable, and generally engender higher transport costs and logistical challenges. - Alternate routes include the 745-mile Petroline, also known as the East-West Pipeline, across Saudi Arabia from Abqaiq to the Red Sea. The East-West Pipeline has a nameplate capacity of about 5 million bbl/d, with current movements estimated at about 2 million bbl/d. - The Abqaiq-Yanbu natural gas liquids pipeline, which runs parallel to the Petroline to the Red Sea, has a 290,000-bbl/d capacity. - Additional oil could also be pumped north via the Iraq-Turkey pipeline to the port of Ceyhan on the Mediterranean Sea, but volumes have been limited by the closure of the Strategic Pipeline linking north and south Iraq. - The United Arab Emirates is also completing the 1.5 million bbl/d Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline that will cross the emirate of Abu Dhabi and end at the port of Fujairah just south of the Strait. - Other alternate routes could include the deactivated 1.65-million bbl/d Iraqi Pipeline across Saudi Arabia (IPSA) and the deactivated 0.5 million-bbl/d Tapline to Lebanon. EIA's World Oil Transit Chokepoints analysis brief contains additional information about other chokepoints, and the Middle East & North Africa overview contains additional information about countries in the region.

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German military use laser to destroy targets over half-a-mile away High-energy laser passes various tests with Germany-based Rheinmetall Defense has demonstrated a 50kW, high-energy laser at their ground facility in Switzerland. According to representatives from the company, the device passed all target tests with “flying High-energy laser system designed by While we’re still a bit away from the sort of shootouts we see in popular science-fiction flicks, the demonstration of this sort of weaponry is impressive How it works The Rheinmetall laser system isn’t a single laser; rather, it’s composed of two separate laser modules mounted on a Revolver Gun air defense turrets and attached to additional power modules. The laser modules themselves are 30kW and 20kW, respectively, and a Beam Superimposing Technology combines them, focusing the lights’ energy in a “superimposed, cumulative manner” for the sole purpose of obliterating its target(s). In one test, the laser system sliced through a half-inch thick steel girder from a little more than a half-mile away. Next, from a distance of approximately one-and-a-quarter miles, the system shot down a bunch of drones as they nose-dived toward the surface at a rate of 50m/s. Specific to this test, the system’s radar was able to actually track the drones through their descent at a distance of two and a half miles. The last test the system performed was perhaps its most impressive. The weapon was able to focus in on and destroy a steel ball with an 82mm diameter traveling at 50m/s. Beyond demonstrating a high level of accuracy, the purpose of this demonstrate was to simulate how well the laser could handle an incoming mortar round. Representatives from Rheinmetall say that the laser system will reduce the time required for counter rocket, artillery, and mortar measures to just a couple of seconds — even in difficult weather circumstances. As a matter of fact, the weather during the aforementioned tests featured a wide array of typical Swiss-based weather patterns, including ice, rain, snow, and extremely bright sunlight. Looking forward to the immediate future, the company plans to test a 60kW “technology demonstrator”: the quotes are purposeful here, as this new system will feature a couple of different technologies coming together in one unit. This includes 35mm Ahead Revolver Guns, which will allow the company to explore ways in which a laser and automatic canon can be used together. Looking a bit further down the road, Rheinmetall’s ultimate goal is to get their technology to a 100kW laser, and to make these systems mobile, where they can be mounted onto an armored vehicle so that they can be operated in the After successfully testing a 50kW laser system, Rheinmetall Defense will look to next develop a truck-mounted mobile system with 100kW power. Learn more about Jeff Bausch.

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1. Linguistic Background The languages that are currently spoken in the Pacific region can be divided broadly into three groups: the Australian and New Guinean languages formed by people who participated in the region’s earliest migrations over a period of 20,000-30,000 years starting several tens of thousands of years ago, and the Austronesian languages spoken by Mongoloid people who migrated from the Asian continent around 3,000 B.C. The region has numerous languages, including 250 Aboriginal languages in Australia and 750 Papuan languages on the island of New Guinea (including the Indonesian territory of Irian Jaya) and neighboring areas. There are also 350 Austronesian languages in Melanesia, 20 in Polynesia, 12 in Micronesia and 100 in New Guinea (Comrie, Matthews, and Polinsky 1996). There is wide variation not only among language groups, but also among the families of languages. Few language families have been identified among the languages of Australia and New Guinea using the methods of comparative linguistics. Pacific languages are also characterized by the small size of speaker populations and by the absence of dominant languages. However, there are usually bilingual people who can speak or at least understand the languages of neighboring populations, and it is believed that this situation has existed for a long time. In terms of cultural factors, it appears that the diversification of languages in the Pacific region was accelerated by the emblematic function of language in the creation of a clear distinction between “ingroup” and “outgroup.” The languages of New Guinea and the region around it show diverse linkages and wide variations between languages. The Austronesian languages of the Pacific region are mostly classified as Oceanian languages, while the Chamorro and Palau languages of Micronesia are classified into the languages of Western Malaya and Polynesia (WMP, Indonesian family), and the indigenous languages of Maluku and Irian Jaya in Eastern Indonesia into the Central Malayo-Polynesian (CMP) or the South Halmahera-West New Guinea (SHWNG) subgroups. In particular, there are strong similarities between the linguistic characteristics of the CMP and SHWNG languages and those of the Melanesian branch of the Oceanian languages. These linguistic conditions and characteristics are attributable to ethnic migrations within the region over a long period of time, accompanied by contacts and linguistic merging with indigenous Papuan people. Papuan languages are still found in parts of Indonesia, including Northern Halmahera and the islands of Pantar and Alor and central and eastern Timor in the Province of Nusa Tenggara. In New Guinea, contact with Papuan languages has caused some Austronesian languages to exhibit a word order change from subject-verb-object to subject-object-verb (Austronesian Type 2) (Sakiyama 1994). 2. Linguistic Strata With the start of colonization by the European powers in the nineteenth century, a new set of linguistic circumstances developed in the region. First, pidgin languages based on European and Melanesian languages gradually emerged as common languages. The establishment of plantations in Samoa and in Queensland, Australia, which had concentrations of people who spoke Melanesian languages, was important in providing breeding grounds for pidgin languages. A pidgin language is formed from elements of the grammar of both contributing languages, though the pidgin languages tend to be looked down upon from the perspective of the more dominant of the two parent languages. The region’s newly formed common languages, including Tok Pisin, Bislama, and Solomon Pidgin, flourished after they were taken back to the homelands of the various speakers. This was possible because Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea were all multilingual societies without dominant languages. The number of speakers of pidgin languages increased rapidly in this environment. At the same time, the continuing existence of ethnic minority languages came under threat. Examples of pidgins that were creolized (adopted as mother languages in their own right) include Solomon Pijin, which eventually had over 1,000 speakers aged five and over (1976) in the Solomon Islands. Bislama, a mixture of over 100 indigenous languages grafted upon a base of English and French, is now spoken by almost the entire population of Vanuatu (170,000 in 1996) and is partially creolized. Of particular interest is the fact that a group of more than 1,000 people who emigrated to New Caledonia have adopted Bislama as their primary language. The situation in Papua New Guinea, which has a population of 4,300,000 (1996), is even more dramatic. By 1982 the number of people using Tok Pisin as their primary language had reached 50,000, while another 2,000,000 used it as a second language (Grimes 1996). 3. Minority Languages and Common Languages in the Pacific Region The Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger of Disappearing published by UNESCO (Wurm 1996) provides merely a brief overview of the current situation in Papua New Guinea, Australia, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. There is no mention of Micronesia, New Caledonia, or Polynesia, presumably because of a lack of information resulting from the large number of languages in these areas. The following report covers areas and languages that I have researched and endangered languages covered by field studies carried out by Japanese researchers. 3.1 Belau (Palau), Micronesia According to Belau (Palau) government statistics (1990), the total population of 15,122 people includes 61 people living on outlying islands in Sonsorol State, and 33 in Hatohobei (Tochobei) State. Apart from the Sonsorol Islands, Sonsorol State also includes the islands of Fanah, Meril and Pulo An. In addition to the Hatohobei language, the language mix on these outlying islands also includes nuclear Micronesian (Chuukic) languages, which are the core Oceanian languages spoken in the Carolines. They differ from Palauan, which is an Indonesian language. To lump these languages together as the Sonsorol languages with a total of 600 speakers (Wurm and Hattori 1981-83) is as inaccurate as combining the Miyako dialects of Okinawa into a single classification. The number of Chuukic speakers has declined steadily since these figures were compiled. Starting in the German colonial period of the early twentieth century, people have been relocated from these outlying islands to Echang on Arakabesan Island in Belau. Today there are several hundred of these people. Many of those born in the new location only speak Palauan. A study by S. Oda (1975) estimated that there were 50 speakers of Pulo Annian. The language of Meril continued to decline and has now become extinct. From the early part of the twentieth century until the end of World War II, Micronesia was under Japanese rule, administered by the South Seas Mandate. Japanese was used as a common language, and its influence is still evident today. The linguistic data on Micronesia presented by Grimes (1996) is distorted by the fact that, while the number of English speakers is shown, no mention is made of Japanese. A study carried out in 1970 (Wurm, Mühlhäusler, and Tryon 1996) found that people aged 35 and over could speak basic Japanese. This group is equivalent to people aged 63 and over in 1998. An estimate based on Belau government statistics (1990) suggests that more than 1,000 of these people are still alive. In the State of Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia, where the percentage of females attending school is said to have been low, we can assume that the number of Japanese speakers has fallen below 500. It has been suggested that if Japan had continued to rule Micronesia, Japanese would certainly have become the sole language in the region, and indigenous languages would have disappeared (Wurm, Mühlhäusler, and Tryon 1996). This seems an overly harsh appraisal of Japan’s language policy. Except in the schools, as a matter of fact no significant steps were taken to promote the use of Japanese. Micronesia previously had no common language for communication between different islands. Even today, old people from different islands use Japanese as a common language (Sakiyama 1995; Toki 1998). However, the role of this Japanese pidgin appears to have ended within a single generation, and in this sense it too is an endangered language. Pidgin Japanese continues to be used as a lingua franca by Taiwanese in their fifties and older (Wurm, Mühlhäusler, and Tryon 1996), and the number of speakers is estimated to have been 10,000 in 1993 (Grimes 1996). 3.2 Yap, Micronesia Ngulu Atoll is situated between the Yap Islands and the Belau Islands. The Nguluwan language is a mixture of Yapese and Ulithian, which belongs to the Chuukic family. It has inherited the Ulithian phonetic system and a partial version of Yap grammar (Sakiyama 1982). Nguluwan appears to have evolved through bilingualism between Yapese and Ulithian, and to describe it as a dialect of Ulithian (Grimes 1996) is inappropriate. In 1980 there were 28 speakers. Even with the inclusion of people who had migrated to Guror on Yap Island, where the parent village is located, the number of speakers was fewer than 50. Speakers are being assimilated rapidly into the Yapese language and culture. 3.3 Maluku, Indonesia The book Atlas Bahasa Tanah Maluku (Taber et al. 1996) covers 117 ethnic languages (Austronesian, Papuan), including numbers of speakers for each language, areas of habitation and migration, access routes, simple cultural information, and basic numbers and expressions. This work is especially valuable since it corrects inaccuracies and errors in the 1977 Classification and Index of the World's Languages by C. Y. L. Voegelin and F. M. Voegelin. It also distinguishes languages and dialects according to their a priori mutual intelligibility. Fifteen languages are listed as having fewer than 1,000 speakers. They include the Nakaela language of Seram, which has only 5 speakers, the Amahai and Paulohi languages, also of Seram, which are spoken by 50 people each, and the South Nuaulu and Yalahatan languages, which have 1,000 speakers each on Seram Island. The data, however, are not complete. For example, the Bajau language is not included, presumably because of the difficulty of accessing the various solitary islands where the Bajau people live. The author researched the Yalahatan language in 1997 and in 1998, and the Bajau language (2,000 speakers) on Sangkuwang Island in 1997. 3.4 Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea Detailed information about the names, numbers of speakers, and research data for over 800 languages spoken in New Guinea and its coastal regions can be found in the works by the Barrs (1978), Voorhoeve (1975), and Wurm (1982). However, not only the minority languages but even the majority languages other than a few have yet to be surveyed and researched adequately. There are many languages for which vocabulary collection has yet to be undertaken. It appears that dictionaries or grammars have been published for less than one-tenth of the region’s languages. However, the gospel has been published in several dozen languages using orthographies established by SIL. Papuan languages range from those with substantial speaker populations, including Enga, Chimbu (Kuman), and Dani, which are spoken by well over 100,000 people, to endangered languages such as Abaga with 5 speakers (150 according to Wurm ), Makolkol with 7 (unknown according to Wurm), and Sene with under 10. There are very many languages for which the number of speakers is unknown and more up-to-date information is needed. Also, despite having substantially more than 1,000 speakers (Wurm 1982; Grimes 1996), Murik is in danger of extinction due to the creolization of Tok Pisin (Foley 1986). Moreover, it is questionable whether the present lists include all of the region’s languages. Information about Irian Jaya is even sparser. A study on popular languages carried out by the author in 1984-85 revealed that Kuot (New Ireland), Taulil (New Britain), and Sko (Irian Jaya) all had several hundred speakers and that, in the case of Taulil in particular, an increasing number of young people were able to understand what their elders were saying but could no longer speak the language themselves. There has been a rapid shift to Kuanua, an indigenous language used in trade with neighboring Rabaul, which is replacing Taulil. 3.5 Solomon Islands, Melanesia The total population of the Solomon Islands is 390,000 (1996). There are 63 Papuan, Melanesian, and Polynesian indigenous languages, of which only 37 are spoken by over 1,000 people (Grimes 1996). The Papuan Kazukuru languages (Guliguli, Doriri) of New Georgia, which were known to be endangered as early as 1931, have become extinct already, leaving behind just some scant linguistic information. The Melanesian Tanema and Vano languages of the Santa Cruz Islands and the Laghu language of the Santa Isabel Islands were extinct by 1990. This does not mean that the groups speaking them died out, but rather that the languages succumbed to the shift to Roviana, a trade language used in neighboring regions, or were replaced by Solomon Pijin (Sakiyama 1996). 3.6 Vanuatu, Melanesia The situation in Vanuatu is very similar to that in the Solomon Islands. The official view, written in Bislama, is as follows: I gat sam ples long 110 lanwis evriwan so i gat bigfala lanwis difrens long Vanuatu. Pipol blong wan velej ol i toktok long olgeta bakegen evridei nomo long lanwis be i no Bislama, Inglis o Franis. (Vanuatu currently has 110 indigenous languages, which are all very different linguistically. On an everyday basis people in villages speak only their local languages, not Bislama, English, or French). (Vanuatu, 1980, Institute of Pacific Studies) Among the Melanesian and Polynesian indigenous languages spoken by 170,000 people, or 93% of the total population (1996), there are many small minority tongues. These include Aore, which has only a single speaker (extinct according to Wurm and Hattori [1981-83]); Maragus and Ura (with 10 speakers each); Nasarian, and Sowa (with 20); and Dixon Reef, Lorediakarkar, Mafea, and Tambotalo (with 50). If languages with around 100 speakers are included, this category accounts for about one-half of the total number of languages (Grimes 1996). The spread of Bislama has had the effect of putting these languages in jeopardy. 3.7 New Caledonia, Melanesia New Caledonia has a total population of 145,000 people, of whom 62,000 are indigenous. As of 1981, there were 28 languages, all Melanesian except for the one Polynesian language Uvean. The only languages with over 2,000 speakers are Cemuhi, Paicî, Ajië, and Xârâcùù, along with Dehu and Nengone, which are spoken on the Loyalty Islands. Dumbea (Paita), which is spoken by several hundred people, has been described by T. Shintani and Y. Paita (1983). And M. Osumi (1995) has described Tinrin, which has an estimated 400 speakers. Speakers of Tinrin are bilingual in Xârâcùù or Ajië. Nerë has 20 speakers and Arhö 10, while Waamwang, which had 3 speakers in 1946, is now reported to be extinct (Grimes 1996). Descendants of Javanese, who began to migrate to New Caledonia in the early part of the twentieth century, now number several thousand. The Javanese language spoken by these people, which has developed in isolation from the Javanese homeland, has attracted attention as a new pidgin language. When Europeans first arrived in Australia in 1788, it is estimated that there were 700 different tribes in a population of 500,000-1,000,000 (Comrie, Matthews, and Polinsky 1996). By the 1830s Tasmanian had become extinct, and today the number of Aboriginal languages has fallen to less than one-half what it once was. However, T. Tsunoda left detailed records of the Warrungu language, the last speaker of which died in 1981, and the Djaru language, which has only 200 speakers (Tsunoda 1974, 1981). Yawuru, which belongs to the Nyulnyulan family, reportedly has fewer than 20 speakers, all aged in their sixties or older. The language is described by K. Hosokawa (1992). The Pacific has been heavily crisscrossed by human migration from ancient to modern times. All Pacific countries except the Kingdom of Tonga were colonized. This historical background is reflected in the existence of multilevel diglossia in all regions of the Pacific. Depending on the generation, the top level of language in Micronesia is either English (the official language) or pidgin Japanese (used as a lingua franca among islands). The next level is made up of the languages of major islands that exist as political units, such as Palauan, Yapese and Ponapean. On the lowest level are the various ethnic languages spoken mainly on solitary islands. In the Maluku Islands of Indonesia, local Malay languages such as Ambonese Malay, North Maluku Malay and Bacanese Malay, form a layer beneath the official language, Indonesian. Under them are the dominant local languages, such as Hitu, which is spoken by 15,000 people on Ambon Island, and Ternate and Tidore, which are spoken in the Halmahera region. These are important as urban languages. On the lowest level are the various vernaculars. In Papua New Guinea, standard English forms the top level, followed by Papua New Guinean English. Tok Pisin and Hiri Motu are used as common languages among the various ethnic groups. Beneath these layers are the regional or occupational common languages. For example, Hiri Motu is used as the law enforcement lingua franca in coastal areas around the Gulf of Papua, Yabem as a missionary language along the coast of the Huon Gulf, and Malay as a trade language in areas along the border with Indonesia. On the next level are the ethnic and tribal languages used on a day-to-day basis. An example of a similar pattern in Polynesia can be found in Hawaii, where English and Hawaiian English rank above Da Kine Talk or Pidgin To Da Max, which are mixtures of English and Oceanic languages and are used as common languages among the various Asian migrants who have settled in Hawaii. Beneath these are ethnic languages, including Hawaiian and the various immigrant languages, such as a common Japanese based on the Hiroshima dialect, as well as Cantonese, Korean, and Tagalog. All of the threatened languages are in danger because of their status as indigenous minority languages positioned at the lowest level of the linguistic hierarchy. Reports to date have included little discussion of the multilevel classification of linguistic strata from a formal linguistic perspective. It will be necessary in the future to examine these phenomena from the perspectives of sociolinguistics or linguistic anthropology. Barr, Donald F., and Sharon G. Barr. 1978. Index of Irian Jaya Languages. Prepublication draft. Abepura, Indonesia: Cenderawashih University and Summer Institute of Linguistics. Comrie, Bernard, Stephan Matthews, and Maria Polinsky. 1996. The Atlas of Languages. New York: Chackmark Books. Foley, William A. 1986. The Papuan Languages of New Guinea. Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press. Grimes, Barbara F., ed. 1996. Ethnologue: Languages of the World. Dallas: International Academic Bookstore. Hosokawa, Komei. 1992. The Yawuru language of West Kimberley: A meaning-based description. Ph.D. diss., Australian National University. Oda, Sachiko. 1977. The Syntax of Pulo Annian. Ph. D. diss., University of Hawaii. Osumi, Midori. 1995. Tinrin grammar. Oceanic Linguistics Special Publication, No. 25. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. Sakiyama, Osamu. 1982. The characteristics of Nguluwan from the viewpoint of language contact. In Islanders and Their Outside World.Aoyagi, Machiko, ed. Tokyo: Rikkyo University. ---. 1994. Hirimotu go no ruikei: jijun to gochishi (Affix order and postpositions in Hiri Motu: A cross-linguistic survey). Bulletin of the National Museum of Ethnology,vol. 19 no. 1: 1-17. ---. 1995. Mikuroneshia Berau no pijin ka nihongo (Pidginized Japanese in Belau, Micronesia). Shiso no kagaku, vol. 95 no. 3: 44-52. ---. 1996. Fukugouteki na gengo jokyo (Multilingual situation of the Solomon Islands). In Soromon shoto no seikatsu shi: bunka, rekishi, shakai (Life History in the Solomons: Culture, history and society). Akimichi, Tomoya et al, eds. Tokyo: Akashi shoten. Shintani, Takahiko and Yvonne Païta. 1990. Grammaire de la Langue de Païta. Nouméa, New Caledonia: Société d'études historiques de la Nouvelle-Calédonie. Taber, Mark and et al. 1996. Atlas bahasa tanah Maluku (Maluku Languages Atlas). Ambon, Indonesia: Summer Institute of Linguistics and Pusat Pengkajian dan Pengembangan Maluku, Pattimura University. Toki, Satoshi, ed. 1998. The remnants of Japanese in Micronesia. Memoirs of the Faculty of Letters, Osaka University, Vol. 38. Tsunoda, Tasaku. 1974. A grammar of the Warrungu language, North Queensland. Master's thesis, Monash University. ---. 1981. The Djaru Language of Kimberley, Western Australia. Pacific Linguistics, ser. B, No. 78. Canberra: Australian National University. Voorhoeve, C. L. 1975. Languages of Irian Jaya: Checklist, Preliminary classification, language maps, wordlists. Canberra: Australian National University. Wurm, Stephen A. 1982. Papuan Languages of Oceania. Tübingen: Gunter Narr Verlag. ---. and Shiro Hattori, eds. 1981-83. Language Atlas of the Pacific Area. Pacific Linguistics, ser. C, No. 66-67. Canberra: Australian National University. ---, Peter Mühlhäusler, and Darrel T. Tryon. 1996. Atlas of languages of intercultural communication in the Pacific, Asia, and the Americas. 3 vols. Trends in Linguistics. Documentation 13. New York: Mouton de Gruyter. *Translation of the author’s essay “Taiheiyo chiiki no kiki gengo”, Gekkan Gengo, Taishukan Publishing Co., 28(2), 102-11, 1999, with the permission of the publisher. Any comments and suggestions to firstname.lastname@example.org

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IN THIS ARTICLE Exams and Tests A bone mineral density test measures the mineral density (such as calcium) in your bones using a special X-ray or computed tomography (CT) scan. From this information, your doctor can estimate the strength of your bones. See a picture of a bone mineral density test. Routine urine and blood tests can rule out other medical conditions, such as hyperparathyroidism, hyperthyroidism, or Cushing's syndrome, that can cause bone loss. In men, blood tests to measure testosterone levels can see whether low levels are causing bone loss. If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, you may need to follow up regularly with your doctor to monitor your condition. If you or your doctor thinks you may be at risk for osteoporosis, you may have a screening test to check your bone thickness. A screening test may be advisable if you have: The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that all women age 65 and older routinely have a bone mineral density test to screen for osteoporosis. If you are at increased risk for fractures caused by osteoporosis, routine screening should start sooner.4 USPSTF recommends that you and your doctor check your fracture risk using a tool such as FRAX to help decide whether you should be screened for osteoporosis. Talk to your doctor about your risk factors and when to start bone mineral density screening. The FRAX tool was developed by the World Health Organization to help predict your risk of having a fracture related to osteoporosis in the next 10 years. You can use this tool. Go to the website at www.sheffield.ac.uk/FRAX, and click on Calculation Tool. If you have had a bone mineral density test (BMD) on your hip, you can type in your score. If you have not had that test, you can leave the score blank. Most experts recommend that the decision to screen younger women be made on an individual basis, depending on the risk for osteoporosis and whether the test results will help with treatment decisions. For help to decide whether you should be tested for osteoporosis, see: Ultrasound is sometimes offered at events such as health fairs as a quick screening for osteoporosis. Ultrasound by itself is not a reliable test for diagnosing osteoporosis. But if results of an ultrasound screening find low bone density, your doctor can help you decide whether you should have a bone mineral density test. eMedicineHealth Medical Reference from Healthwise To learn more visit Healthwise.org © 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Get tips and advances in treatment. Pill Identifier on RxList - quick, easy, Find a Local Pharmacy - including 24 hour, pharmacies

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Moderate-Intensity Aerobic Activity Aerobic fitness means increasing how well the body uses oxygen, which depends on the condition of the heart, lungs, and muscles. Experts tend to describe aerobic activity in three ways: light, moderate, and vigorous. When people do moderate-intensity activities, they notice a faster heartbeat. To get the benefits of moderate activity, a person can: The goal of aerobic fitness is to increase the amount of oxygen that goes to the heart and muscles, which allows them to work longer. Any activities, including many kinds of daily activities, that raise the heart rate and keep it up for an extended period of time can improve aerobic fitness. If the activities are done regularly and long enough, they can help improve fitness. Experts recommend that adults try to do moderate activity for at least 2½ hours a week. Or they can do vigorous activity for at least 1¼ hours a week. People can choose to do one or both types of activity. And it's fine to be active in blocks of 10 minutes or more throughout the day and week. Teens and children (starting at age 6) should do moderate to vigorous activity at least 1 hour every day. Moderate activity is safe for most people, but it's always a good idea to talk to your doctor before starting an exercise program. eMedicineHealth Medical Reference from Healthwise To learn more visit Healthwise.org Find out what women really need. Pill Identifier on RxList - quick, easy, Find a Local Pharmacy - including 24 hour, pharmacies

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Type 1 Diabetes: Living With the Disease (cont.) IN THIS ARTICLE Type 1 diabetes requires daily attention to diet, exercise, and insulin. You may have times when this job feels overwhelming, but taking good care of yourself will help you will feel better, have a better quality of life, and prevent or delay complications from diabetes. Eat well and count carbohydrate grams Follow one of these meal-planning methods to help you eat a healthful diet and spread carbohydrate through the day. This will help prevent high blood sugar levels after meals. For more information, see: Focus on the type of carbohydrate as well as the amount. This might help you stay at your target blood sugar level. Foods with a low glycemic index (GI) may help prevent spikes in blood sugar. It is not yet known if these foods help prevent complications. Low glycemic foods do not raise blood sugar as quickly as high glycemic foods. Foods with a low GI include high-fiber whole grains, lentils, and beans. High GI foods include potatoes and white bread. Using fat replacers—nonfat substances that act like fat in a food—may seem like a good idea, but talk with a registered dietitian before you do. Some people may eat more food, and therefore more calories, if they know a food contains a fat replacer. Make sure you know how to give yourself insulin. Try to do at least 2½ hours a week of moderate activity. One way to do this is to be active 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week. Be sure to exercise safely. Drink plenty of water before, during, and after you are active. This is very important when it's hot out and when you do intense exercise. It may help to keep track of your exercise on an activity log(What is a PDF document?). Monitor your blood sugar Checking your blood sugar level is a major part of controlling your blood sugar level and keeping it in a target range you set with your doctor. For more information, see the topic Continuous Glucose Monitoring or see: Handle high and low blood sugar levels Be sure you: Control your blood pressure and cholesterol Limit your alcohol intake to no more than 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women (none if you are pregnant). Discuss with your doctor whether you should drink alcohol. Ask if a daily aspirin is right for you Talk to your doctor about whether you should take low-dose aspirin. Daily low-dose aspirin (81 milligrams) may help prevent heart problems if you are at risk for heart attack or stroke. People with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely than people who don't have diabetes to die from heart and blood vessel diseases.5 Deal with your feelings A chronic illness creates major change in your life. You may need to grieve the loss of your earlier life from time to time. Also, you may feel resentful, deprived, or angry about having to pay attention to what and how much you eat. For more information, see: Protect your feet Daily foot care can prevent serious problems. Foot problems caused by diabetes are the most common cause of amputations. For more information, see: Learn more about diabetes Diabetes is a complex disease and there is a lot to learn, such as: eMedicineHealth Medical Reference from Healthwise To learn more visit Healthwise.org Find out what women really need. Pill Identifier on RxList - quick, easy, Find a Local Pharmacy - including 24 hour, pharmacies

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Originally Posted by wrtner Any LR circuit which is driven by an alternating source, will show a trough in its graph of current v. frequency. That frequency will be the most efficient, the resonant frequency; the frequency that the circuit best behaves at. What do you mean? pls elaborate... LR circuits have not resonance. Not C component present... how to attain resonance in a signal with LR circuit? And how initial signal frequency can be altered to another output frquency.?

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the energy [r]evolution The climate change imperative demands nothing short of an Energy [R]evolution. The expert consensus is that this fundamental shift must begin immediately and be well underway within the next ten years in order to avert the worst impacts. What is needed is a complete transformation of the way we produce, consume and distribute energy, while at the same time maintaining economic growth. Nothing short of such a revolution will enable us to limit global warming to less than a rise in temperature of 2° Celsius, above which the impacts become devastating. Current electricity generation relies mainly on burning fossil fuels, with their associated CO2 emissions, in very large power stations which waste much of their primary input energy. More energy is lost as the power is moved around the electricity grid network and converted from high transmission voltage down to a supply suitable for domestic or commercial consumers. The system is innately vulnerable to disruption: localised technical, weather-related or even deliberately caused faults can quickly cascade, resulting in widespread blackouts. Whichever technology is used to generate electricity within this old fashioned configuration, it will inevitably be subject to some, or all, of these problems. At the core of the Energy [R]evolution there therefore needs to be a change in the way that energy is both produced and distributed. 4.1 key principles the energy [r]evolution can be achieved by adhering to five key principles: 1.respect natural limits – phase out fossil fuels by the end of this century We must learn to respect natural limits. There is only so much carbon that the atmosphere can absorb. Each year humans emit over 25 billion tonnes of carbon equivalent; we are literally filling up the sky. Geological resources of coal could provide several hundred years of fuel, but we cannot burn them and keep within safe limits. Oil and coal development must be ended. The global Energy [R]evolution scenario has a target to reduce energy related CO2 emissions to a maximum of 10 Gigatonnes (Gt) by 2050 and phase out fossil fuels by 2085. 2.equity and fairness As long as there are natural limits there needs to be a fair distribution of benefits and costs within societies, between nations and between present and future generations. At one extreme, a third of the world’s population has no access to electricity, whilst the most industrialised countries consume much more than their fair share. The effects of climate change on the poorest communities are exacerbated by massive global energy inequality. If we are to address climate change, one of the core principles must be equity and fairness, so that the benefits of energy services – such as light, heat, power and transport – are available for all: north and south, rich and poor. Only in this way can we create true energy security, as well as the conditions for genuine human wellbeing. The Advanced Energy [R]evolution scenario has a target to achieve energy equity as soon as technically possible. By 2050 the average per capita emission should be between 1 and 2 tonnes of CO2. 3.implement clean, renewable solutions and decentralise energy systems. There is no energy shortage. All we need to do is use existing technologies to harness energy effectively and efficiently. Renewable energy and energy efficiency measures are ready, viable and increasingly competitive. Wind, solar and other renewable energy technologies have experienced double digit market growth for the past decade. Just as climate change is real, so is the renewable energy sector. Sustainable decentralised energy systems produce less carbon emissions, are cheaper and involve less dependence on imported fuel. They create more jobs and empower local communities. Decentralised systems are more secure and more efficient. This is what the Energy [R]evolution must aim to create. To stop the earth’s climate spinning out of control, most of the world’s fossil fuel reserves – coal, oil and gas – must remain in the ground. Our goal is for humans to live within the natural limits of our small planet. 4.decouple growth from fossil fuel use Starting in the developed countries, economic growth must be fully decoupled from fossil fuel usage. It is a fallacy to suggest that economic growth must be predicated on their increased combustion. We need to use the energy we produce much more efficiently, and we need to make the transition to renewable energy and away from fossil fuels quickly in order to enable clean and sustainable growth. 5.phase out dirty, unsustainable energyWe need to phase out coal and nuclear power. We cannot continue to build coal plants at a time when emissions pose a real and present danger to both ecosystems and people. And we cannot continue to fuel the myriad nuclear threats by pretending nuclear power can in any way help to combat climate change. There is no role for nuclear power in the Energy [R]evolution.

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Located above the surface of our planet is a complex mixture of gases and suspended liquid and solid particles known as the atmosphere. Operating within the atmosphere is a variety of processes we call weather. Some measurable variables associated with weather include air temperature, air pressure, humidity, wind, and precipitation. The atmosphere also contains organized phenomena that include things like tornadoes, thunderstorms, mid-latitude cyclones, hurricanes, and monsoons. Climate refers to the general pattern of weather for a region over specific period of time. Scientists have discovered that human activities can influence Earth’s climate and weather producing problems like global warming, ozone depletion, and acid precipitation. Widespread urban development alters weather patterns Research focusing on the Houston area suggests that widespread urban development alters weather patterns in a way that ... Laptev SeaLast Updated on 2013-05-14 at 14:23 The Laptev Sea is a saline water body, lodged between the Kara Sea and East Siberian Sea. The chief land boundary of this marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean is the Siberian... More » East Siberian SeaLast Updated on 2013-05-14 at 14:09 The East Siberian Sea is a saline marine body, which is a southern marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean. To the east is found the Chukchi Sea and to the west beyond the New... More » Baffin BayLast Updated on 2013-05-14 at 12:11 Baffin Bay is a margibnal sea of the North Atlantic Ocean located between the Canada's Baffin, Devon and Ellesmere islands and Greenland. To the south the Davis Strait... More » Andaman SeaLast Updated on 2013-05-13 at 23:06 The Andaman Sea is a body of marine water in the northeastern corner of the Indian Ocean that lies to the west of the Malay Peninsula, the north of Sumatra, the east of the... More » Molucca SeaLast Updated on 2013-05-13 at 23:02 The Molucca Sea (also Molukka Sea) is a semi-enclosed sea, surrounded by a variety of islands belonging to Indonesia, most significantly the island of Sulawesi (Celebes)... More » Levantine SeaLast Updated on 2013-05-13 at 22:31 The Levantine Sea is most eastern unit of the Mediterranean Sea, and also the most saline portion of the Mediterranean Basin. The Levantine Sea, also known as the Levant... More »

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Traffic barricades can be used to redirect or restrict traffic in areas of highway construction or repair. They are typically made from wood, steel, plastic, fiberglass, or a combination of these materials. Many manufacturers have switched to the use of recycled materials in both the supporting frame and rails of the barricades. EPA's designation covers only Types I and II traffic barricades. EPA's Recovered Materials Advisory Notice (RMAN) recommends recycled-content levels for purchasing traffic barricades as shown in the table below. EPA's Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for Traffic Barricades (Types I and II) ¹ |Material||Postconsumer Content (%)||Total Recovered Materials Content (%)| (HDPE, LDPE, PET) 1The recommended materials content levels for steel in this table reflect the fact that the designated items can be made from steel manufactured in either a Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) or an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF). Steel from the BDF process contains 25-30% total recovered materials, of which 16% is postconsumer steel. Steel from the EAF process contains a total of 100% recovered steel, of which 67% is postconsumer. of Manufacturers and Suppliers This database identifies manufacturers and suppliers of traffic barricades containing recovered materials. Buy-Recycled Series: Transportation Products (PDF) (7 pp, 89K, About PDF) This fact sheet highlights the transportation products designated in the CPG, including traffic barricades, and includes case studies, recommended recovered-content levels, and a list of resources. Technical Background Documents These background documents include EPA's product research on recovered-content traffic barricades as well as a more detailed overview of the history and regulatory requirements of the CPG process.

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University of Michigan (U-M) scientists have made an important step toward what could become the first vaccine in the U.S. to prevent urinary tract infections, if the robust immunity achieved in mice can be reproduced in humans. The findings are published September 18 in the open-access journal PLoS Pathogens. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) affect 53 percent of women and 14 percent of men at least once in their lives. These infections lead to lost work time and 6.8 million medical provider's office visits, 1.3 million emergency room visits and 245,000 hospitalizations a year, with an annual cost of $2.4 billion in the United States. To help combat this common health issue, the U-M scientists used a novel systematic approach, combining bioinformatics, genomics and proteomics, to look for key parts of the bacterium, Escherichia coli, that could be used in a vaccine to elicit an effective immune response. The team, led by Dr. Harry L.T. Mobley, Ph.D., screened 5,379 possible bacterial proteins and identified three strong candidates to use in a vaccine to prime the body to fight E. coli, the cause of most uncomplicated urinary tract infections. The vaccine prevented infection and produced key types of immunity when tested in mice. Scientists have attempted to develop a vaccine for UTIs over the past two decades. This latest potential vaccine has features that may better its chances of success. It alerts the immune system to iron receptors on the surface of bacteria that perform a critical function allowing infection to spread. Administered in the nose, it induces an immune response in the body's mucosa, a first line of defense against invading pathogens. The response, also produced in mucosal tissue in the urinary tract, should help the body fight infection where it starts. Mobley's team is currently testing more strains of E. coli obtained from women treated at U-M. Most of the strains produce the same iron-related proteins that cthe vaccine targets, an encouraging sign that the vaccine could work against many urinary tract infections. Mobley is seeking partners in clinical research to move the vaccine forward into a phase 1 trial in humans. If successful, this vaccine would take several more years to reach the market. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: This work has been funded by Public Health Service Grant AI043363 from the National Institutes of Health. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. COMPETING INTERESTS: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. PLEASE ADD THIS LINK TO THE PUBLISHED ARTICLE IN ONLINE VERSIONS OF YOUR REPORT: http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1000586 (link will go live upon embargo lift) CITATION: Alteri CJ, Hagan EC, Sivick KE, Smith SN, Mobley HLT (2009) Mucosal Immunization with Iron Receptor Antigens Protects against Urinary Tract Infection. PLoS Pathog 5(9): e1000586. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1000586 Anne Rueter, firstname.lastname@example.org Nicole Fawcett, email@example.com This press release refers to an upcoming article in PLoS Pathogens. The release is provided by the article authors and their institution. Any opinions expressed in these releases or articles are the personal views of the journal staff and/or article contributors, and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of PLoS. PLoS expressly disclaims any and all warranties and liability in connection with the information found in the releases and articles and your use of such information. About PLoS Pathogens PLoS Pathogens (www.plospathogens.org) publishes outstanding original articles that significantly advance the understanding of pathogens and how they interact with their host organisms. All works published in PLoS Pathogens are open access. Everything is immediately available subject only to the condition that the original authorship and source are properly attributed. Copyright is retained by the authors. The Public Library of Science uses the Creative Commons Attribution License. About the Public Library of Science The Public Library of Science (PLoS) is a non-profit organization of scientists and physicians committed to making the world's scientific and medical literature a freely available public resource. For more information, visit http://www.plos.org. AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

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The Warrior Diet exercise and nutrition program, created by Ori Hofmekler, hinges on a somewhat controversial diet based on a daily cycle of “undereating” during the day and “overeating” at night. The rationale is that the historic “warrior”, in order to succeed in the environment of the time, had a primal need to cycle between undereating during the day (when physical activity and danger were always present), and overeating at night (when able to rest and eat a good daily meal). Modern humans in a changed environment can therefore restore health and fitness, by returning to that cycle with the Warrior Diet. Warrior Diet grounding The nervous system is the primary focus here, specifically that part called the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Body organs such as the heart, stomach and intestines (viscera), and muscles within these organs and other areas like blood vessels, skin, and eyes, as well as the glands of the body, are regulated by the ANS. We are mostly unaware of its workings; for example, when blood vessels change size or when our heart beats faster, these functions are involuntary and reflexive in nature. The ANS has 3 parts - - The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) which kicks in when emergencies occur, causing stress and requiring us to “fight” or take “flight” (flee) - The parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) which operates in normal or nonemergency times, allowing us to “rest” and “digest” - The enteric nervous system (ENS), present in all vertebrates, which regulates the normal digestive activity of the digestive system and prepares it for whatever is coming, whether a meal or a frantic energy-sapping physical activity The undereating phase of the Warrior Diet is supposed to prepare and alert the SNS to potential stress, resulting in the generation of energy and ultimately the burning of fat. While undereating, the body is forced to use fat storage as a source of fuel for maximum metabolic efficiency – thus promoting weight-loss. The overeating phase of the Warrior Diet recognizes the role of the PSNS in regulating digestion, elimination and other metabolic activities that slow you down. Eating during the day stops this process and blocks the body’s ability to remove toxins and waste from the body. Since detoxification is imperative for health and to delay aging, eating occurs mainly at night. Warrior Diet program The program involves a Fat Loss Program and exercise and nutrition regimes. Fat Loss Program The Fat Loss program is specifically designed to - Force the body to detoxify - Improve utilization of fat as fuel - Improve utilization of carb as fuel This process helps to boost overall metabolic rate, thereby enhancing the body’s capacity to maximize fat loss. Exercise and Nutrition Programs Exercise and nutrition programs provide short, intense strength and aerobic exercises, along with pre-workout and post-workout meals. This approach intends to reduce fat while maintaining or improving muscle tone. The emphasis of the Warrior Diet program is on having large evening meals on the one hand, and shedding the “calorie counting” common to most diets on the other. The Warrior Diet by Ori Hofmekler.

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Add comment December 10th, 2012 Headsman On this date in 1900, John Filip Nordlund was beheaded with Albert Dahlman‘s axe at Sweden’s Västerås County Jail. The second-last person executed in Sweden (English Wikipedia entry | Swedish) was the author of an infamously fiendish murder spree aboard a ferry steamer crossing Lake Mälaren for Stockholm on the evening of May 16, 1900: shortly after the Prins Carl‘s departure from Arboga, Nordlund, armed with two revolvers and two blades, went on a rampage through the boat (Swedish link), shooting or stabbing everyone he saw. The spree left five dead, including the ship’s captain, and several others wounded. Then Nordlund lowered a lifeboat into the water and rowed away with about 800 stolen kronor … and the opprobrium of the nation. Nordlund stalks the Prins Carl, from this verse pdf (Swedish). Police were able to track him from the descriptions of witnesses to a train station and arrest him the very next day. Their maniac would turn out to be a 25-year-old career thief, only released the month before from his latest prison stint. Although captured trying to flee, Nordlund from the first projected resignation — even relief, writing his parents that he would be well rid of a society he had never felt part of. Certainly the sentence was in little doubt given the infamy of the crime (Nordlund was almost lynched after arrest), and the man made no attempt to defend himself or mitigate his actions in court, nor to seek mercy after conviction. Nordlund was the third person executed in Sweden in 1900 alone, but there would be no more patients for Dahlman for a decade … until 1910, when Sweden conducted its first and only guillotining. The country has not carried out a death sentence since. Besides being the penultimate executee in Swedish history, John Filip Nordlund is also the last man in Europe beheaded manually (rather than with Dr. Guillotin’s device) other than in Germany. Also on this date - 1852: Jose Forni, the first legal hanging in California - 1718: Stede Bonnet, gentleman pirate - 1541: Thomas Culpeper and Francis Dereham, the Queen's lovers - 1796: Jose Leonardo Chirino, Venezuelan slave revolt leader - 1937: Teido Kunizaki

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Rutledge, Edward, 1749–1800, political leader in the American Revolution, signer of the Declaration of Independence, b. Charleston, S.C.; brother of John Rutledge. He studied law at the Middle Temple, London, and was admitted (1772) to the English bar. He returned to America and was (1774–77) a member of the Continental Congress. He later held official posts at both the national and state level. He was captured (1780) by the British at the fall of Charleston. He was governor of South Carolina from 1798 to 1800. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History: Biographies

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Second of two parts. In the previous column, we toured the present-day East Cemetery on the Old Post Road. But in looking at its origin in 1830 by a town body called the First Located School Society, we found ourselves wandering back to 17th-century England, when the king granted his Connecticut colony a hefty slice of North America. We then jumped ahead a century to see Connecticut give almost all of it away to cancel Revolutionary War debts and settle a shooting war with Pennsylvania. Connecticut's consolation prize was an isolated fragment of its former colonial real estate holdings, more than five hundred miles west of Hartford. You've probably heard of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, but you probably didn't know that it's named after the above-noted remnant of Connecticut's legacy from Charles II, which became known as the Western Reserve. Three million acres all told, it extended south to the 41st parallel from the shores of Lake Erie and west from the newly drawn western border of Pennsylvania. You know it today as northern Ohio. Yep, Connecticut lost a bunch of land but still owned a big piece of Ohio. Impressive! But what about the First Located School Society and the East Cemetery? Bear with me. After the Revolutionary War, a few Connecticut settlers tried to make a go of it in the Western Reserve, but severe weather, lack of supply and agricultural routes, and less-than-welcoming Indians made things very difficult. Connecticut, perhaps for lack of a better idea for the Western Reserve, decided to sell it. In 1795, a group of private investors picked it up for $1.2 million, or about 40 cents an acre. The investors sent a guy named Moses Cleaveland to survey the area, and he got to have the city, with a slight spelling change, named after him. Connecticut relinquished its legal authority over the Western Reserve a few years later, and it was absorbed into the Northwest Territory. Hey, we could have owned Cleveland! This is where the First Located School Society comes in. But first, let me explain why there's one county and several townships in Ohio named after Fairfield. As the 19th century approached, the Indian threat passed, and supply routes improved. More and more Connecticut families emigrated to the Western Reserve to get cheap, fertile land and live alongside like-minded New Englanders. The settlers naturally named their new towns after their old ones, so Fairfield and other Connecticut towns are well represented in Ohio. The westernmost 500,000 acres of the Western Reserve, known as the Firelands, had long ago been set aside for residents of eight Connecticut towns, including Fairfield, who suffered the loss of their homes to the British in the Revolutionary War. Affected families were to receive individual land grants, but bureaucracy, Indians, and the War of 1812 killed the well-intentioned project. Finally, we can finish the story of the East Cemetery. What did Connecticut do with that $1.2 million windfall from the 1795 sale of the Western Reserve? The legislature nobly created a Perpetual School Fund, to be administered by the towns through civil authorities called school societies, now extinct as public education evolved. The inaugural meeting of the First Located School Society of Fairfield took place on Oct. 27, 1796, "In order to form and Organize themselves in a School Society according to one Statute Law of this State." The Society immediately laid out six school districts. Here is how the first district was described, exactly as recorded in the original record book: "Voted and Agreed that the first District for a School in this Society -- to begin at Black Rock a little Easterly of John Wheeler's house, and to run Northwardly of David Wheeler's house -- and from thence to run down to the River Eastward to Grovers hill point -- and from thence running up the Harbour as far as to the place first Set out, -- all the Inhabitants contained within said Limits to be one District for a School in said Society, and to be called by the name of the Black Rock District." Five more districts were similarly defined, with boundaries that worked well for 1796 Fairfielders, but might be a little shaky these days. In 1830, in concert with other Connecticut school societies, the First Located School Society took on the task of establishing a burial ground, for the "better accommodation of the Inhabitants ..." It seems that this was an obligation legislated by the state, but why cemeteries would fall to the school societies is a mystery. A committee identified a plot of land in the center of town owned by Mrs. Sarah Taylor, bought it for $600, dubbed it the East Cemetery, and launched itself into the cemetery business. Business must have been good. Within the year, the School Society opened the West Cemetery on the Post Road, complete with sections for "Strangers" and "Colored People." So, it all comes together: King Charles II made Connecticut a very big North American landholder. But then, Revolutionary War debt and the Yankee-Pennamite Wars took most of it away but begat the Western Reserve, which begat the Perpetual School Fund, which begat the First Located School Society of Fairfield, which begat the East Cemetery on the Old Post Road. Ron Blumenfeld is a Fairfield writer and retired pediatrician. His "Moving Forward, Looking Back" appears every other Wednesday. He can be reached at email@example.com.

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H5N1 in cats 8 March 2006 At the end of February 2006 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), caused by the H5N1 virus was detected in a domestic cat found dead on the northern island of Ruegen, Germany. Since mid-February, over 100 birds have died on this island and tests confirmed H5N1 infection. Also in Asia, cats and other felidae have been occasionally found to be infected with H5N1 since the start of the poultry epidemic in 2003. Experimental studies have shown that the domestic cat can become infected with the virus and that cat to cat transmission is possible in principle. The virus causes respiratory disease which can lead to death in all cat species. Serological studies in several Asian countries suggest that dogs may also contract the H5N1 infection. Countries in Europe have advised owners of pets living near H5N1 wild bird foci to keep cats indoors and dogs on a leash when taken for a walk. These recent events lead to many questions by the public and pet owners to which the veterinary profession has to respond. In addition, there may be exposure of pet owners and veterinarians. For example, when animals infected with H5N1 (eg birds, dogs and cats) are brought to the veterinary clinic. Important are also the contribution veterinary practitioners can make in the surveillance of the disease for the presence of the H5N1 infection. This section provides information for the general public and professionals about the risk of cats contracting H5N1 virus and the role of cats in the spread of avian influenza H5N1. During a H5N1 outbreak in poultry in 1997 in Hong Kong, the first clinical human cases of this sub-type were reported with several fatalities. From the end of 2003 to date (March 2006) 173 people have been confirmed infected with the H5N1 virus of which 93 have died. Except for 1 case, human-to-human transmission has probably not occurred. Although H5N1 is relatively common to wild birds and poultry, humans and other mammals are also at risk of HPAI infection. Highly pathogenic avian influenza in poultry is of growing concern due to the current geographic extent comprising Asia, Africa and Europe showing potential for pandemic spread. The virus is highly contagious and already over 200 million domestic birds have either been culled or died of the disease. Table 1 shows the timeline for avian influenza in cats and other felidae. |Timeline of (H5N1) avian influenza in cats and other felidae (and civets) |1970s & 1980s ||Research revealed that infection of domestic cats with influenza A subtypes H3N2 from humans, H7N3 from a turkey, and H7N7 from a harbor seal (Phoc vitulina) produces transient virus excretion and a temporary increase in body temperature but did not induce any other clinical signs of disease. ||Two leopards and two tigers died at a zoo in Thailand after feeding on chicken carcasses. Investigation confirmed H5N1 in tissue samples from all 4 animals. This was the first report of influenza causing disease and death in big cats. ||Research shows that domestic cats experimentally infected with H5N1 develop severe disease and can spread infection to other cats. ||A H5N1 outbreak in zoo tigers in Thailand reportedly fed on chicken carcasses. Eventually, 147 out of the population of 441 tigers died or had to euthanized for animal welfare reasons. ||Tests on three civets that died late June 2005 in Viet Nam revealed H5N1, marking the first infection of this species with the virus. These endangered Owston’s palm civets were raised in captivity; source of infection is still unknown. October 05 February 06 ||FAO field veterinarians report unusual high cat mortality in Iraq and Indonesia in the vicinity of H5N1 outbreaks 28 February 2006 ||H5N1 confirmed in a cat on the Baltic Sea island of Ruegen (Germany). Over 100 wild birds had been found dead on the island during previous weeks. Role of cats in virus transmission Research has shown that domestic cats may die from H5N1 virus. Also horizontal transmission has been proven. However, it is unlikely that cats play a role in the natural transmission cycle of H5N1 viruses. Cat infections occasionally occur in association with H5N1 outbreaks in domestic or wild birds, e.g. when cats feed on infected birds. Experimental/infected cats shed the virus via the respiratory and intestinal tract, and may therefore transmit the virus to other cats. Naturally infected cats are thus in theory, able to spread the virus. In areas where H5N1 Infected wild birds are reported it can not be excluded that cats become infected. Although most wild birds infected are waterfowl, not normally the species cats interact with, H5N1 is potentially infectious to numerous other bird species and it can not be ruled out that passerines or pigeons which do interact with cats get infected. In areas where poultry is infected with H5N1 there is a risk that cats become infected with H5N1 through contact with infected poultry or their faeces. Anecdotal reports support the notion that contact with infected poultry (faeces and eating infected carcasses) forms a source of infection for cats. Cats probably have little or no contribution to the spread of the disease because the number of infected poultry is much higher than the number of infected cats; poultry shed much more virus than cats. Nevertheless, cats may play a role in the spread of the virus to other animals. Report to the local veterinary authority any evidence of significant animal mortality both wild and domestic. Theoretically there is a possibility that cats transmit infection to humans. However, given the risk that cats become infected with HPAI is low, the risk to human infection is therefore limited. The role of stray cats Due to their greater mobility, stray cats could spread the disease into new areas. If infected, stray cats may become a source of contamination to poultry and mammals, including humans. The role of other mammals The ability of catching the H5N1 virus is not restricted to cats. Reports show infection in tigers, leopards and civets. Also dogs and pigs may become infected with the virus. Given the broad host spectrum of the H5N1virus, the possibility that also other wild or domesticated mammals including seals, mustelidae or furbearing animals, become infected by contacting infected animals is present. All carnivores could become infected through eating infected poultry or infected wild birds. Areas where H5N1 HPAI has been diagnosed or is suspected in poultry or wild birds: - Report to the local veterinary authority any evidence of significant bird mortality both wild and domestic. - Be especially vigilant for any dead or sick cats and report such findings to the local veterinarian. - Make sure contact between cats and wild birds or poultry (or their faeces) is avoided and/or keep cats inside. - If cats bring a sick or dead bird inside the house, put on plastic gloves and dispense of the bird in plastic bags for collection by local veterinary animal handlers. - Keep stray cats outside the house and avoid contact with them. - If cats show breathing problems or nasal discharge, a veterinarian should be consulted. - Do not touch or handle any sick-looking or dead cat (or other animal) and report to the authorities. - Wash hands with water and soap regularly and especially after handling animals and cleaning their litter boxes or coming in contact with faeces or saliva. - Dogs can only be taken outside the premises if kept restraint. - Do not feed any water birds. - Disinfect (e.g. with bleach 2-3 %) cages or other hardware in which sick animals have been transported or been in contact. - Wash animal blankets with soap or any other commercial detergent.

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If farmers are to increase food production and food security, they need better access to agricultural support systems, such as credit, technology, extension services and agricultural education, as well as to the rural organizations that often channel other services. Both men and women smallholders and poor farmers have frequently been cut off from these essential agricultural support systems, which seldom take into account the different responsibilities and needs of men and women farmers. In spite of their enormous potential and their crucial roles in agricultural production, women in particular have insufficient access to production inputs and support services. This trend underlines the need to implement measures aimed at enhancing the access of small farmers, especially women, to production inputs - particularly since the working environment of development organizations has changed as a result of market liberalization and a reduced role for the state worldwide. National agricultural extension systems are no exception to this rule, and must respond by making internal and external adjustments. Great attention is required so that the adjustments do not become detrimental to women and men small farmers. For example, FAO's field experiences over the last decade have pointed to the need for extension programmes that are more strategically planned, needs-based, participatory and problem solving. Women's access to and use of agricultural support systems is also severely limited by the heavy burden on time and energy that results from their triple responsibilities - productive activities (such as work in the fields), reproductive activities (such as child rearing, cooking and household chores) and community management. In order to improve production, farmers need access to financial capital. Buying seeds, fertilizer and other agricultural inputs often requires short-term loans, which are repaid when the crops are harvested. Installing major improvements, such as irrigation pumps, or acquiring new technology that increases future yields is impossible without access to long-term credit. Smallholders, particularly women, often face difficulties in obtaining credit. This is a direct consequence of their lacking access to land, participation in development projects and extension programmes and membership in rural organizations, all of which are important channels for obtaining loans and credit information. In several countries of sub-Saharan Africa, where women and men farmers are roughly equal in number, it is estimated that women farmers receive only 10 percent of the loans granted to smallholders and less than 1 percent of the total credit advanced to the agriculture sector. Credit delivery can be improved by setting up microfinance institutions in rural areas and reorienting the banking system to cater to the needs of small farmers, especially women. The Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, which first pioneered the microcredit approach in 1976, currently reaches more than 2 million people. Since it was founded, the bank has lent more than US$2.1 billion, most of it in the form of loans of a few hundred dollars for small agriculture, distribution, crafts and trading enterprises. Numerous studies have shown that women are generally more reliable and punctual in repaying their loans than men are. A programme providing credit and nutrition for women significantly improved both the participating women's incomes and their children's nutritional status. This is the conclusion of a study that examined the impact of a credit and education programme run by the NGO Freedom from Hunger. Men and women smallholders also suffer financially from limited access to the marketing services that would allow them to turn surplus produce into cash income. Women face particular difficulties because marketing infrastructure and organizations are rarely geared towards either small-scale producers or the crops that women grow. Although women all over the world are active as traders, hawkers and street and market vendors, little has been done to improve transport and market facilities to support this vital economic sector. Even where rural women play an important role in wholesale trade, their full membership in marketing service institutions is still difficult because they may be illiterate or lack independent legal status. Planning for action The FAO Gender and Development Plan of Action includes commitments by different Divisions of FAO to increasing the equality of access to a wide range of agricultural support systems, including markets, credit, technology, extension and training. Rural finance and marketing services Rural groups and organizations Agricultural research and technology Agricultural education and extension Microcredit and education boost incomes and nutrition Astudy examined the impact of a microcredit and educational programme implemented by the NGO Freedom from Hunger. In Ghanaian villages, women who participated in the programme used microcredit loans to launch income-generating activities such as preparing and selling palm oil, fish and cooked foods. They increased their non-farm income by $36 per month, twice as much as the women who had not taken part in the programme. Through the programme's educational component, participating women also gained valuable knowledge about their children's nutrition and heath needs. Membership of cooperatives, farmers' organizations, trade unions and other organizations represents one of the best ways for rural men and women to gain access to resources, opportunities and decision-making. Cooperatives and farmers' associations generally make it possible for farmers to share the costs and rewards of services that they could not afford on their own. They can be an invaluable channel for obtaining technology, information, training and credit. They can also give smallholders a much louder voice in local and national decision-making. By instituting common food processing, storage and marketing activities, organizations can increase the exchange of goods and services and the access to national and regional markets. Participation in such organizations can be especially important to smallholders and poor farmers, both men and women. But women are frequently deterred from joining because membership is often restricted to recognized landowners or heads of household. Even when women are responsible for the day-to-day management of both households and holdings, their husbands or other male relatives are often considered the official heads. In many regions, women farmers' membership of these organizations is restricted by custom. Where they are able to belong to rural organizations, women often do not share equally in either the decision-making or the benefits, and are excluded from leadership positions. Furthermore, their many household chores may make it impossible for them to attend meetings and devote the time that is necessary for full participation. Investment in labour-saving technologies to relieve the burden of women's unpaid productive and reproductive tasks is needed in order to given them more free time. In recent years there has been some success in reducing the obstacles to women's participation in rural organizations. At the same time, the use and establishment of traditional and new women's groups to promote women's participation in rural development has grown rapidly. However, experience has shown that women's empowerment often requires a step-by-step process to remove the barriers to their membership in organizations that are traditionally dominated by men. Furthermore, it is necessary to give them support, individually or collectively, to enable them to gain the knowledge and self-confidence needed to make choices and take greater control of their lives. In all regions of the developing world, women typically work far longer hours than men do. Studies in Asia and Africa show that women work as much as 13 extra hours a week. As a result, they may have little available time to seek out support services, and very different priorities for the kind of support required. Overall, the agricultural research agenda has neglected the needs of smallholders, especially women farmers, and failed to take advantage of their invaluable knowledge about traditional farming methods, indigenous plant and animal varieties and coping techniques for local conditions. Such knowledge could hold the key to developing sustainable approaches that combine modern science with the fruits of centuries of experimentation and adaptation by men and women farmers. Most research has focused on increasing the yields of commercial crops and staple grains on high-input farms, where high-yielding varieties can be cultivated under optimal conditions. Smallholders can rarely afford these technology «packages», which are also generally ill suited to the climatic and soil conditions in areas where most of the rural poor live. The crops that farmers in such areas rely on and the conditions that they face have not featured prominently in agricultural research. Sorghum and millet, for example, have received very little research attention and funding, despite their high nutritional value and ability to tolerate difficult conditions. Similarly, relatively little research has been devoted to the secondary crops grown by women, which often provide most of their family's nutritional needs. In addition, agricultural tools and implements are also rarely designed to fit women's physical capabilities or work, so they do not meet women's needs. The impact of new technologies is seldom evaluated from a gender perspective. The introduction of harvesting, threshing and milling machinery, for example, has very little direct effect on yields but eliminates thousands of hours of paid labour. According to one study, if all the farmers in Punjab, India, who cultivate more than 4 ha were to use combine harvesters, they would lose more than 40 million paid working days, without any increase in farm production or cropping intensity. Most of the lost labour and income would be women's. «Schools where men and women farmers learn how to increase yields and reduce their reliance on pesticides by relying on natural predators.» Developing technology to meet women's specific needs can yield major gains in food production and food security. In Ghana, for example, technology was introduced to improve the irrigation of women's off-season crops. Larger and more reliable harvests increased both food and economic security during the periods between major crops. In El Salvador, where women play an extremely important role in agriculture, it is estimated that as many as 60 percent of households are headed by women. One of the major goals of this country's agriculture sector reform was to improve research and extension activities by focusing on the role of women smallholders. To address women farmers' needs, the project promoted women's participation to help guide the research programme at National Agricultural Technology Centre farms. Farmer field schools in Cambodia In fields across Cambodia, men and women farmers gather every week to go to school. They are among the 30 000 Cambodian farmers - more than one-third of them women - who have taken part in FAO-supported farmer field schools (FFS). In the schools, farmers observe how crops develop and monitor pests throughout the growing season. They also learn how natural predators, such as wasps and spiders, can help control pests and how the heavy use of pesticides often kills them off, leaving crops even more vulnerable. These schools emphasize the active participation and empowerment of both men and women farmers. In at least six provinces in Cambodia, farmers have formed integrated pest management (IPM) groups after completing their training, and are carrying out further field studies and experiments. More than 300 farmers have completed additional training and are now organizing farmer field schools in their own areas. «;I always knew pesticides were bad for my health,» one participant said, «but now I know for sure.» After completing the school, farmers rely more on cultural practices and natural enemies to control pests, and experience fewer cases of poisoning. Agricultural extension programmes provide farmers with a lifeline of information about new technologies, plant varieties and market opportunities. In almost all countries, however, the agricultural extension system fails to reach women farmers effectively. Among other reasons, this is because they are excluded from rural organizations. An FAO survey showed that, worldwide, female farmers receive only 5 percent of all agricultural extension services and only 15 percent of agricultural extension agents are women. In Egypt, where women make up more than half of the agricultural labour force, only 1 percent of extension officers are female. «An FAO extension project in Honduras that focused on woman-to-woman training boosted both subsistence production and household food security.» This reflects the lack of information and understanding about the important role played by women. Extension services usually focus on commercial rather than subsistence crops, which are grown mainly by women and which are often the key to household food security. Available data rarely reflect women's responsibility for much of the day-to-day work and decision-making on the family farm. Nor do they recognize the many other important food production and food processing activities that women commonly perform, such as home gardening, tending livestock, gathering fuel or carrying water. Extension programmes can be tailored to address women's priority needs only when men and women farmers are listened to at the village level and when such methods as participatory rural appraisal are employed. In recent years, a number of countries have launched determined efforts to make their extension services more responsive to women's needs. In the Gambia, for example, the proportion of female agricultural extension workers has increased from 5 percent in 1989 to more than 60 percent today. Growth in the number of female extension workers has been matched by increased attention to women's involvement and priorities. A special effort has been made to encourage women's participation in small ruminant and poultry extension services. In Nicaragua, efforts to ensure that extension services match client needs - including giving more attention to the diverse needs of men and women farmers - led to increased use of those services, by 600 percent for women and 400 percent for men. Extension programmes that fail to take women into account also fail to address the improved technology and methods that might yield major gains in productivity and food security. Furthermore, they often schedule training times and locations that make it impossible for women to participate, in addition to existing socio-cultural reasons. Recommended new approaches include the Strategic Extension Campaign (SEC), which was developed by FAO and introduced in Africa, the Near East, Asia and Latin America. This methodology emphasizes how important it is for field extension workers and small farmers to participate in the strategic planning, systematic management and field implementation of agricultural extension and training programmes. Its extension strategies and messages are specifically developed and tailored to the results of a participatory problem identification and needs assessment. Training Programme for Women's Incorporation in Rural Development Several hundred peasant women in Honduras were trained to serve as «food production liaisons». After receiving their training, the liaisons worked with grassroots women's groups. They focused on impoverished rural areas where chronic malnutrition is widespread and 70 percent of all breastfeeding mothers suffer from vitamin A deficiency. Women involved with the project increased the subsistence production of nutritious foods. Credits to develop poultry production proved an effective way of increasing motivation, nutritional levels and incomes. Some of the grassroots women's groups involved with the project sought credit through extension agencies or from the Rotating Fund for Peasant Women. The credit was used to initiate other social and productive projects, including purchasing a motorized maize mill and planting soybeans for milk.

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Resistant myzus persicae aphid threatens virus yellows control COLD weather and widespread use of neonicotinoid seed treatments combined to limit virus yellows infection in the sugar beet crop in 2011 to the extent that just 0.5 per cent of the crop was affected. Concern, however, is increasing over the developing risk of resistance to neonicotinoid insecticides used to control myzus persicae aphids, the virus yellows vector. Resistance has been identified in France, Italy and Spain, in myzus persicae populations associated mainly with peach and nectarine trees, where topical applications of neonicotinoids are used for aphid control, said Dr Mark Stevens. “If those aphids start moving north and adapt to colder climes then I worry because there is very little chemistry coming on stream to control them,” he said. Rothamsted Research work had shown these aphids were also carrying MACE and kdr resistance mechanisms, conferring resistance to pirimicarb and pyrethoids. “We have little in the can to actually control them,” said Dr Stevens. “There are no resistant varieties coming on stream in the immediate future and the problem we are faced with is we are not looking at one virus but a complex of up to four different viruses, making it a very difficult target to hit with a resistance gene,” he said. He told sugar beet growers at the conference the situation was ‘one we need to keep an eye on’.

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Food Safety for Moms to Be: Highlights - Entertaining All Year |A year-round food safety guide to help keep yourself and your guests safe while entertaining. Also available in Spanish > En español > Whether you're hosting or attending a shower, pot-luck dinner, birthday party, school fair, or other social event - they all involve food! Enjoy these events while keeping your unborn baby safe from foodborne bacteria. Use these tips to help you select, prepare, and handle food safely year-round! Preventing foodborne illness is easy as... |1. Clean||Wash hands and surfaces often.| |2. Separate||Don't cross-contaminate.| |3. Cook||Cook to proper temperatures.| |4. Chill||Refrigerate promptly.| For more information about the 4 Simple Steps to Food Safety, see Lifelong Food Safety. First Things First Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before and after handling food. Safe Food Handling for Social Events Make food safety the center of your entertaining activities during your pregnancy and beyond! 4 Steps to Safe Food Shopping - Separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood from other foods in your grocery shopping cart and your grocery bags. Raw juices from these foods can contain harmful bacteria, which can spread to other foods. Consider placing these raw foods inside plastic bags to keep the juices contained. - Don't purchase foods if the "sell by" date has passed. - Transport food home right away and refrigerate perishables immediately to prevent any bacteria from rapidly growing in the food. - When the weather's hot, place groceries in the air-conditioned passenger compartment of your car rather than the hot trunk. Bacteria can multiply rapidly at high temperatures. |Take Note, Moms-to-Be! Don't include these foods on your shopping list. They're not safe for you or your unborn baby. |A Note About Listeria This bacterium that can be particularly harmful to you and your unborn baby and can be found in these foods: 3 Ways to Safely Defrost Frozen Foods - In the refrigerator. Cold temperatures keep most harmful bacteria from multiplying. - In cold water. Change the water every half-hour to keep the water cold. - Using the microwave, but cook the food immediately after it's defrosted. Note: Don't defrost foods at room temperature. Bacteria can grow in the "danger zone," the range of temperatures usually between 40° and 140°F (4° and 60°C). Be creative and tempt your party guests with an array of fun platters, but keep food selections safe. Here's how: - Heating foods to the right temperature for the proper amount of time kills harmful bacteria, so cook meat, poultry, fish, and eggs thoroughly. For the recommended cooking temperatures, see Cook. - Some raw eggs can contain harmful bacteria. Some of your favorite homemade recipes may call for raw or lightly-cooked eggs. These may include recipes for Caesar salad dressing, ice cream, custards, chocolate mousse, and some sauces. Here are safe ways to make your favorite egg-containing foods: - Add the eggs to the amount of liquid called for in the recipe, then heat the mixture thoroughly. - Use store-bought products of the foods listed above, which are often already cooked or pasteurized. - Purchase pasteurized eggs. These eggs can be found in some supermarkets and are labeled "pasteurized." Here are several types consumers can buy: - Fresh, pasteurized eggs in the shell (found in the refrigerator section). - Liquid, pasteurized egg products (found in the refrigerator section). - Frozen, pasteurized egg products (found in the frozen food section). - Powdered egg whites (found in the baking section). Refrigerate all perishables (foods that can spoil or become contaminated by bacteria if unrefrigerated) up until serving time. These foods include: - Finger sandwiches - Cheese chunks - Fruit salad - Foods that contain dairy products Plan a bacteria-free buffet with these helpful tips: If you're planning a buffet at home and are not sure how quickly the food will be eaten, keep buffet portions small. Prepare a number of small platters and dishes ahead of time. Store cold back-up dishes in the refrigerator or keep hot dishes in the oven set at 200° F to 250° F (-73° C to -23° C) prior to serving. This way, your late-arriving guests can enjoy the same appetizing arrangements as the early arrivals. Hot foods should be kept at an internal temperature of 140° F (60° C) or warmer. Use a food thermometer to check. Serve or keep food hot in chafing dishes, crock pots, and warming trays. Note: Some warmers only hold food at 110° F to 120° F (-163° C to -153° C), so check the product label to make sure your warmer has the capability to hold foods at 140° F or warmer. Cold foods should be kept at 40° F (4 ° C) or colder. Keep cold foods refrigerated until serving time. If food is going to stay out on the buffet table longer than two hours, place plates of cold food on ice to retain the chill. Keep It Fresh Don't add new food to an already-filled serving dish. Instead, replace nearly-empty serving dishes with freshly-filled ones. Bacteria from people's hands may have contaminated the food. Plus, bacteria may have started to multiply at room temperature. Watch the Clock Remember the 2-Hour Rule: Discard any perishables left out at room temperature for more than two hours, unless you're keeping it hot or cold. If the buffet is held in a place where the temperature is above 90°F, the safe-holding time is reduced to one hour. Leaving with Leftovers? Be sure to refrigerate leftovers immediately after you arrive home.

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London, July 27 (IANS) Personal computers are fast taking over the place of human beings’ long time best friend, the family dog, a British study has found. Researchers have found just six percent of us believe that “most people rely more on their dog than they do on their PC,” while 67 percent think the opposite to be true. Even 38 percent of dog owners confessed to relying more on their PC than on their dog, although 36 percent disagreed. And 71 percent of 18 to 24-year-old dog owners said they relied more on their computer, Daily Mail reported. According to Paul Allen, editor of Computeractive magazine, which carried out the poll with the Royal Society For The Protection Of Cruelty to Animals, said: “These days you can even take your PC for a walk, provided you have a laptop or tablet. “It’s only a matter of time until the first PC that fetches your slippers.” Researchers talked to 2,000 British adults to find out about the change modern technology has brought to their home life. They found that male dog owners are almost twice as likely as female owners to rely on their computer than a canine companion. Allen said: “With broadband bringing them global news and newspaper sales falling, the family dog even misses out on the pleasure of taking the paper to his owner.” But it’s not all bad news for obedient dogs. “The family PC has given dog owners access to a wealth of resources and information that can help with the long-term care that a dog needs,” Allen said. “From finding the best vets to researching great new walks that all the family can enjoy, the web enables the PC to become a dog’s best friend.”

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Due to the nature of the sport, concussions can occur in water polo. In the injury research study conducted in Athens during the Olympic Games comparing injury incidence in all team sports, it was found that water polo was one of the safest of the team sports with a relative low injury rate. Head injury was the most common injury suffered in water polo. As mentioned in the article by Dr. Drum, there are Guidelines available for the diagnosis and management of concussion (Prague Consensus on Concussion 2004). In answer to your question, any athlete who has symptoms of concussion should not be training or competing. All athletes with concussion symptoms should seek medical attention. Read the full article 'Water Polo: Doctor on Deck'

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Bali Climate conference has a message for rural community The world leaders recognised that 20% of the global emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) can be contained by forestation. The programme, Reducing Emissions From Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) aims to compensate the developing countries in the tropical region to maintain their forests and discourages deforestation. It allows developing countries to sell carbon offsets to rich countries in return for not burning their tropical forests from 2013. REDD initiative is the need of the hour when largescale deforestation is taking place across the world for urbanisation, oil palm, soyabean and bio-fuel crop plantation. The Bali conference also stressed upon the urgent need to cut carbon and methane emissions from tropical forests. The Bali conference also adopted a resolution on adaptation fund to help poor nations to cope with damage from climate change impact like droughts, extreme weather conditions or rising seas. The Adaptation Fund now comprises only about $36 million but might rise to $1-$5 billion a year by 2030, if investments in green technology in developing nations surges. The fund distinguished the responsibilities of the Global Environment Facility and the World Bank. The fund would have a 16-member board largely from developing countries and would start operating from 2008. Senior researchers of the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) had urged the developed countries to urgently discuss adaptation funds as the key to solution of the problems. The Lead author of the recent UNDP report, Kevin Watkins said that as per estimate $86 billion annually. "The figure looks large, but actually it is only 0.2% of the rich countries GDP," he said and added that adaptation fund sourced from multilateral funding in the last two years was only $26 million—the amount spent by UK alone on flood control for a week. A group of small island communities led by Biotani Indonesia Foundation has urged that the adaptation fund should include a special corpus to cover their initiatives. The Bali conference succeeded in adopting a resolution on technology tranfer and also Its monitoring. It, however, failed address the vital issue of cut in GHG emissions and deferred it till 2009. It also postponed until next year any consideration of a plan to fund an untested technology which captures and buries the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, emitted from power plants that burn fossil fuels. It also failed to agree whether or not to allow companies to sell carbon offsets from destroying new production of powerful greenhouse gases called hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Benefiting factories have been the biggest winners under a UN scheme to reward companies which cut greenhouse gas emissions. Be the first to comment.

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Let’s start with the understanding that the Federal Trade Commission states that if scrap generated in the manufacturing process is reused for manufacturing new product, it can not be calculated as post-industrial recycled content, as this reuse of scrap is a part of the typical manufacturing process. So your first question when receiving post-industrial recycled content data should be, “How did you make this calculation, and where did the recycled waste come from?” Stakeholder demand for recycled content in building products has been largely driven by the LEED® rating system, and the points gained by contributing to the recycled content credit. Now, since scrap reused in the manufacturing process can not be calculated, many manufactures play a form of the “shell game”. If a manufacturer has multiple facilities making products that generate scrap which can be reused in all the manufacturing processes then, to calculate post-industrial recycled content, the scrap is just moved between facilities. Now the scrap is claimed to be diverted from landfill and calculated as recycled content. Please understand that for a recycling program to work, a manufacturer needs a continuous feedstock of waste material, so some of this moving around of scrap is legitimate. If the manufacturer is playing the shell game just “for the points,” then all that is being done is increased energy use and CO2 emissions... how sustainable is that?

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The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has warned computer users that e-mails from scam artists pretending to be FBI agents are spreading a computer virus. The e-mails tell recipients that the FBI's Internet Fraud Complaint Center has monitored their Internet use and found they have accessed illegal Web sites. The e-mails then direct recipients to open an attachment and complete a questionnaire. This is a bogus message. The attachment contains a computer virus. DO NOT OPEN OR LAUNCH THE ATTACHMENT. You should DELETE the e-mail immediately. As a general rule, if you receive an e-mail that you are not expecting, even if you know the sender, DO NOT OPEN IT OR LAUNCH the attachment and DO NOT FORWARD the message. If you are not sure, contact the sender to verify the e-mail. Otherwise, DELETE the e-mail. The Information and Network Security team has put in place appropriate protections to prevent the virus from spreading. Current anti-virus definitions detect and block this virus.

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Nearly half of about 67 million Americans with high blood pressure are not effectively treating their condition and face a high risk of a heart attack or stroke, a U.S. health official said on Tuesday. About 36 million people have uncontrolled high blood pressure, a condition caused when too much force is exerted by blood as it is pumped through the body and moves against vessel walls, according to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Tuesday. "The bottom line is ... most of those in this country who have (high blood pressure) don't have their numbers under control, and because of that we have a very high burden of disease," said Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC. High blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, contributes to nearly 1,000 deaths a day and $131 billion in annual direct healthcare costs, Frieden said. The condition is the second most serious public health issue. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the country, according to the CDC. Frieden said patients with high blood pressure are either not receiving a correct combination or dosage of medication or are not keeping up with their medication. Some doctors are not warning patients who have had multiple readings of high-blood pressure, a problem Frieden said could be solved by better systems to track patients. Of the 36 million Americans with uncontrolled hypertension, about 14 million were not aware of their condition and about 22 million either chose not to take medication or were on inadequate treatment, according to the report, which surveyed adults between 2003 and 2010. "I think there's clearly a lot of room for improvement," Frieden said, noting that controlling blood pressure often means taking multiple medications daily for the rest of one's life. High blood pressure can be prevented through diet, exercise and taking drugs such as beta blockers and ACE inhibitors -- which widen arteries. Lowering blood pressure can cut the risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failure and other conditions. Risk factors include obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, and chronic difficulties such as diabetes, kidney disease and high cholesterol.

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Register New Player Welcome to our world of fun trivia quizzes and quiz games: Weather Occurrences of "Biblical" Proportions "This quiz will deal with the usually normal subject of weather. But weather can take on miraculous traits when dealing with God and the Bible. Here are ten events listed in the Bible that involve weather. (King James Version used)" 15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit According to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus Christ was involved in some weather a few times in his lifetime. One occurred when he was approaching the disciples. The disciples were attempting to fish in a storm when they saw Jesus walking on the water toward them. When he reached and boarded the boat, the storm subsided. What body of water did this miracle occur on? Sea of Galilee Probably the best known event involving weather in the Bible is the Great Flood. Through studying the Bible, theologians have determined the length of time that Noah, his family, and the animals were on the ark. What is the time frame in days that scholars tend to agree on as the length of Noah's captivity on the ark? Weather happenings were prevalent during the ten plagues of Egypt. One of the plagues featured a horrendous hailstorm, accompanied by fire. Of the ten plagues, which number plague was this? God and Moses also used the weather to actually END one of the plagues, as it is stated they used a "mighty wind" to drive out this particular plague's results. What was it that the mighty wind was getting rid of? Blood on the Water In Exodus 19, Moses had another occurrence with Biblical weather when he went up the mountain to receive God's Ten Commandments. What mountain was surrounded by "thunder and lightning" and a "veil of clouds" during Moses' climb upward? Mount of Olives This person experienced some dangerous sea storms upon his attempted fleeing from God's request to go to Nineveh and try and convert the people there. Who was this reluctant evangelist who had a whale of a time surviving the sea storm? Two people are documented in the Bible as never dying. One was Enoch, who was taken up to Heaven in Genesis 5. The other was this prophet, who according to II Kings 2, "went up by a whirlwind into Heaven". Who was this servant of God who was whisked to Heaven on a chariot of fire by way of a whirlwind? According to Joshua 10, while Joshua was holding camp in the large city of Gibeon, five kings of surrounding areas banded together to wage war upon Joshua's people. This would prove disheartening to them, as God was with Joshua's men and they were forced to flee after losing the battle. But the weather played a part afterwards. Before they had made the complete retreat back home, the armies were nearly wiped out by what weather phenomenon brought on by God? According to the book of the same name, this man of God had a vision that featured some unique weather. From the opening verses of the first chapter: "And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire." The vision gets even more intense after that. Who was this godly man? In the King James Version, along with several other translations, "Peace, be still" are famous words used to stop a storm while riding on a boat. What transpired previous to those words frightened all the passengers on the boat, as the strong wind was threatening to capsize the boat. Who was it that ended this weather malady with three simple words? John the Baptist Copyright, FunTrivia.com. All Rights Reserved. Legal / Conditions of Use Compiled Nov 12 12

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Catholic and Protestant reformers in the 16th century occasionally spoke scornfully of Anabaptists as "new monks," referring to Anabaptist insistence on holy living and intense spiritual life (e.g., TA Elsaß 1, 110-13). Anabaptists occasionally accepted the comparison (Klassen, William and Walter Klaassen, eds. and trans. The Writings of Pilgram Marpeck, Classics of the Radical Reformation, vol. 2. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1978: 217) but more frequently rejected it (Klassen & Klaassen: 215-16; Menno, Writings, 369, 401), in part because monks often came from the socially privileged classes. Several scholars have used monastic history as an aid to interpret Anabaptism (Troeltsch, Ritschl, Davis, Snyder, Martin). Many Anabaptists and Mennonites, beginning with the Hutterite chronicle, pointed to quasi-monastic sectarian medieval movements, especially Waldenses, as forerunners of Anabaptism (these theories are promulgated or discussed by Keller, Gratz, Verduin, Durnbaugh). One of the most extensive efforts to relate monasticism and Anabaptism drew on both monastic and quasi-monastic traditions (Davis). Most scholars have carefully limited their interpretations to pointing out "intellectual parallels" or general similarities; some have argued for direct continuity and influence. The crucial interpretive question revolves around the nature of monasticism: is it a nonconforming sectarian development critical of the institutional church (Workman) or an intensified institutional core of the ecclesiastical establishment? Or, did monasticism begin as a charismatic, lay, "sectarian" movement in the 4th century but become fully integrated into the sacramental, ecclesial, institutional church by the early Middle Ages (Rousseau, Martin)? How central the critical, separatist aspect of early monasticism is to monastic identity is disputed, even by those within the monastic community (Eoin de Bhaldraithe). Particularly significant in this regard is the distinction between contemplative monastic orders (Benedictine, Cistercian, Carthusian) and more lay-oriented, urban mendicant orders and houses of regular canons of the late Middle Ages (Franciscans, Dominicans, Augustinian Friars, Praemonstratensians, Augustinian Canons). The latter orders were associated with the middle class and were visibly and pastorally active; the former were often but not always associated with the nobility and lived in secluded and rural areas. Most Anabaptist links to "monks" appear to have been with the mendicants and canons regular. Michael Sattler is the main exception to this generalization. Most interpreters agree that Anabaptists rejected the sacramental and institutional "culture-church" of the Middle Ages in favor of a voluntary, non-institutionalized, even anti-clerical church of the faithful few, in effect, reducing the church to a devout "monastic" core. At issue among scholars is whether the label "monastic" should properly be applied to a sectarian, pure church vision such as that held by Anabaptists, since most monks did not believe that the church was made up solely of monastics, rather, they believed that monks and nuns were part, perhaps the most important part, of the church. The qualities and virtues prized by Anabaptists and Mennonites (hospitality, humility, community, Gelassenheit, obedience, repentance, nonresistance, etc.) were also prime monastic virtues, although all medieval Catholics were exhorted to practice these same virtues. Significant parallels to monastic spirituality are found in the Mennonite period of post-Anabaptist history in which Anabaptist first-generation identity was transformed into a sacramental, ecclesial, institutional, cultural (ethnic) faith, even though Mennonites, Amish, and Hutterites avoided the language of sacramental and institutional Christianity (Cronk, Martin). During the 1980s growing Mennonite concern about the role of single adults in the church has not yet taken account of the traditional Christian monastic theology, with its implications for both marriage and singleness. Recent scholarship on monasticism emphasizes the social role of celibate communities, which enhanced the role of marriage while creating a sphere of activity for those remaining unmarried (Brown, Leclercq). Further research is needed in all these areas of Anabaptist and Mennonite history and culture. Cronk, Sandra. "Gelassenheit: The Rites of the Redemptive Process in the Old Order Amish and Old Order Mennonite Communities." PhD dissertation, U. of Chicago, 1977. See also Mennonite Quarterly Review 65 (1981): 5-44. For Ritschl, Gratz, Verduin, Keller, and others: see Davis, Kenneth R. Anabaptism and Asceticism: A Study in Intellectual Origins. Scottdale, 1974: 27-31. de Bhaldraithe, Eion. "Michael Sattler, Benedictine and Anabaptist." Downside Review 105 (April 1987): 111-131. Durnbaugh, Donald F. "Theories of Free Church Origins." Mennonite Quarterly Review 41 (1968): 83-95. Martin, Dennis D. "Monks, Mendicants and Anabaptists: Michael Sattler and the Benedictines Reconsidered." Mennonite Quarterly Review 60 (1986): 139-64. Reply by Snyder, C. Arnold. "Michael Sattler, Benedictine: Dennis Martin's Objections Reconsidered." Mennonite Quarterly Review 61 (1987): 251-79. Martin, Dennis D. "Catholic Spirituality and Mennonite Discipleship." Mennonite Quarterly Review 62 (1988): 5-25. Martin, Dennis D. "Nothing New under the Sun? Mennonites and History." Conrad Grebel Review 5 (1987): 1-27. Snyder, C. Arnold. "The Monastic Origins of Swiss Anabaptist Sectarianism." Mennonite Quarterly Review 57 (1983): 5-26. Snyder, C. Arnold. The Life and Thought of Michael Sattler. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1984. Troeltsch, Ernst. The Social Teachings of the Christian Churches. Translator: Olive Wyon. New York: Harper and Row, 1960: 239-46, 332-33. For general information on monastic history, see: Brown, Peter R. L. "The Notion of Virginity in the Early Church." Christian Spirituality: Origins to the 12th C. Editor:Bernard McGinn and John Meyendorff. New York: Crossroad (1985): 427-43. Gründler, Otto. "Devotio Moderna." Christian Spirituality: High Middle Ages and Reformation. Editor: Jill Raitt. New York: Crossroad (1987): 176-93. Knowles, David. Christian Monasticism. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1969. Leclercq, Jean. Monks and Love in 12th-C. France. Oxford: Clarendon, 1979. Novak, Michael. "The Free Churches and the Roman Church." Journal of Ecumenical Studies, 2 (1965): 426-47. Rousseau, Phillip. Ascetics, Authority, and the Church in the Age of Jerome and Cassian. New York; Oxford, 1980. Workman, Herbert B. The Evolution of the Monastic Ideal from the Earliest Times to the Coming of the Friars. 2nd edition. London, 1927, reprinted with introduction by David Knowles. Boston: Beacon, 1962. Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, pp. 601-602. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website. ©1996-2013 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved. MLA style: Martin, Dennis D. "Monasticism." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1987. Web. 18 May 2013. http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/M653.html. APA style: Martin, Dennis D. (1987). Monasticism. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 18 May 2013, from http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/M653.html.

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Young People's Conference Young People's Conference was a youth movement in the Mennonite Church (MC) which flourished for a short time between 1920-23, and led in part to the creation of the Young People's Problems Committee. It had its origin in a "General Conference of Mennonites in France in Reconstruction Work" held at Clermont-en-Argonne, Meuse, France, 20-22 June 1919. This conference was organized on an intended permanent basis with a constitution whose name was tentatively chosen as "Mennonite Young People's Movement," and which was to meet annually. Its clearly stated purpose was constructive and progressive, and its three annual conference programs represented in effect a Christian Life Conference with accent on the problems of youth. The movement also represented dissatisfaction with the rather slow-moving general church leadership and program, and also a determination to work out a larger and more influential place for the more mature young people in the work and leadership of the church. Since much of the older leadership of the church reacted with skepticism and even suspicion to the new movement, opposition and tension developed. Differences were sorted out in the end and the movement got started in America, changing its name to the Young People's Conference. Three annual meetings were held: West Liberty, Ohio, 28-30 August 1920; Sterling, IL, 15-18 June 1922; Middlebury, IN (Forks church), 14-17 June 1923. General tensions in the church at this time, resulting in the closing of Goshen College for the year 1923-24 and divisions in a number of congregations in Indiana, Ohio, Ontario, and Eastern Pennsylvania, led to confusion in the ranks of the leadership of the Young People's Conference, and ultimately to the discontinuance of the annual meetings. The committee in charge for the 1923 conference listed Harold S. Bender, chairman; Walter E. Yoder, secretary; John L. Yoder, treasurer; Payson Miller, and Vernon Smucker. Some of the energies of this group were channeled into a biweekly periodical, The Christian Exponent, established on 4 January 1924, and discontinued on 11 September 1928, edited by Vernon Smucker. Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 1009. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website. ©1996-2013 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved. MLA style: Bender, Harold S. "Young People's Conference." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1959. Web. 18 May 2013. http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/Y6873ME.htm. APA style: Bender, Harold S. (1959). Young People's Conference. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 18 May 2013, from http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/Y6873ME.htm.

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Historical Newspaper Archives Search Tips Newspaper Archives Last & First Name Search - Using both name search fields returns newspaper articles in which the surname is automatically "near2" the first name. - This means the newspaper archive search engine automatically finds occurrences of the first and last names within two words of each other. - This helps to find occurrences of middle names or initials in the newspaper articles, without having to enter or remember them. - The "near2" search command is not order specific—meaning your newspaper search will retrieve the person's name no matter in what order it is mentioned: the first name then last name or the last name then first name. - This search default is intended to bring you the most occurrences of the name you are searching for in the online newspaper archives. - However, if the person's name is popular, like Smith, try using some of the available search options such as location, date range, and keyword, in order to narrow your search to the specific Smith you are looking for (see below). Using Advanced Search in the Newspaper Archive Database - There are two keyword search boxes to narrow your search for newspaper articles: "Include keywords" box and "Exclude keywords" box (see below). - Use the Date search box to enter a specific date or date range of the newspaper content you want to search online. Using Keywords & Quotation Marks to Search Newspapers - All the searches for historical newspaper articles are full-text keyword searches against OCR-generated ASCII text. - By using the "Include keywords" box and/or "Exclude keywords" box, you can narrow or expand your online newspaper article search. - Put phrases in quotes like "John Adams" in the "Include" keyword box to limit the newspaper article search to that exact name—versus using the last/first name search that brings back results matching John near2 Adams. - If you find too many names in the newspaper archive search results, narrow your search even more by typing names or places you do NOT want in your search in the "Exclude" box. Using Boolean Operators to Search Newspaper Archives - Use AND, OR, ADJx (order specific), NEARx (order non-specific) and Wildcards, such as "?" and "*") Broaden or narrow newspaper search queries - by emptying filled-in fields to broaden your search, or filling in empty fields to narrow your search. Display newspaper search results in different ways, such as: - Best matches (this is the newspaper search default) - Oldest items (based on newspaper publication dates) - Newest items (based on newspaper publication dates) - Once changed, the selection will remain the default until you change it again. Search Newspapers by Date Range - If you know the date of the newspaper content you are seeking, then use the "Date" search box. - Enter a specific date or a date range—a variety of date formats are accepted. - Examples: June 2, 1804, or 1804 - 1849, or June 1804 - August 1949. Using Colonial English Variant Spellings to Search Old Newspapers - Many of the newspapers in the historical newspaper archives are very old, and the searches must deal with Colonial English. - The long "s" character was almost identical to the "f" in many texts. - When searching old newspaper articles on words containing the letter "s," use the "?" wildcard in place of the "s." - Note: this can occur whether it is the first letter, a letter within a word, or at the end of a word. - The double "s" is in words like Massachusetts needs to be replaced with two wildcards in historical newspaper searches. Examples of Searching for Old Newspaper Articles with Colonial English |Modern Spelling||Colonial Spellings||Suggested Search| - In addition, type was set by hand for early American newspapers and printers did not always have enough pieces of type to include all of the letters in a word. This resulted in letters being omitted, or sometimes letters that looked similar were used as substitutions. - Much of this historic newspaper material did not use standard spellings. - Examples of some conventions that were common in old newspapers: - Use of name variants - Smith or Smythe - Use of "e" in word endings - Chesapeake or Chesapeak - Dropping the letter "h" - Philadelphia or Philadelpia - Examples of irregular vowel usage: - clerk - cleark - color - colour - Delaware - Deleware - Elijah - Elifha - Israel - Ifreal - Ifral - Jehovah - Javovah - Examples of letter e to word endings - Brown - Browne - Chesapeake - Chefopeak or Chefopeake - Clark - Clarke - highways - highwayes - Examples of interchanging use of the letters "i" and "y" - adjoining - adjoyning - Pennsylvania - Pensilvania or Penfilvania - rails - rayls Colonial Newspaper Search Notes - If in doubt, use wildcards such as the question mark "?" or the asterisk "*" in your colonial newspaper search. - A question mark is a single-character wildcard and an asterisk multi-character (allows for up to 5 characters) wildcard.

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A genome-wide association study appearing in PLOS Genetics that involved thousands of individuals of European ancestry identified five genetic loci that appear to be associated with facial features. Among them: variants in and around genes implicated in prior studies of conditions that are characterized by face and/or skull malformations. The researchers behind the study, members of the International Visible Trait Genetics, or VisiGen, Consortium, argue that the new findings could contribute to what's known about facial evolution and development in humans, while at once laying the foundation for forensic tools for predicting facial features based on DNA alone. For more on this study, see this story from our sister publication GenomeWeb Daily News. Investigators from the Cleveland Clinic and elsewhere used post-mortem brain samples to look at the epigenetic and transcriptional profiles associated with autism spectrum disorder. As they reported in PLOS One, the researchers relied on arrays and bisulfite sequencing to assess genome-wide gene expression and DNA methylation profiles in two brain regions — the cerebellar hemisphere cortex and the Brodmann area 19 occipital cortex — in samples from nine males with idiopathic cases of autism spectrum disorder and nine unaffected male controls in the same age range. Overall brain expression patterns varied from one individual with ASD to the next. But the team did uncover some shared features within the ASD samples, including lower-than-usual expression of genes in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and protein production pathways in the brain samples from individuals with autism and shifts in the expression of certain brain-related genes. A PLOS Pathogens study of dengue virus by French researchers explores the basis for the pronounced conservation that's been noted in nucleotides found at the ends of the virus' RNA-based genome. Using chemical synthesis experiments, assays, and other analyses, the group determined that the virus, a representative of the Flavivirus genus, relies on an RNA end-repair process that involves the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase produced by a dengue virus gene called NS5. "Our findings provide a direct demonstration of the implication of a viral RNA polymerase in the conservation and repair of genome ends," the study's authors wrote. "Other polymerases from other RNA virus families are likely to employ similar mechanisms."

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Killing Emacs means ending the execution of the Emacs process. If you started Emacs from a terminal, the parent process normally resumes control. The low-level primitive for killing Emacs is This command calls the hook kill-emacs-hook, then exits the Emacs process and kills it. If exit-data is an integer, that is used as the exit status of the Emacs process. (This is useful primarily in batch operation; see Batch Mode.) If exit-data is a string, its contents are stuffed into the terminal input buffer so that the shell (or whatever program next reads input) can read them. kill-emacs function is normally called via the higher-level command C-x C-c save-buffers-kill-terminal). See Exiting. It is also called automatically if Emacs receives a SIGHUP operating system signal (e.g., when the controlling terminal is disconnected), or if it receives a SIGINT signal while running in batch mode (see Batch Mode). This normal hook is run by kill-emacs, before it kills Emacs. kill-emacscan be called in situations where user interaction is impossible (e.g., when the terminal is disconnected), functions on this hook should not attempt to interact with the user. If you want to interact with the user when Emacs is shutting down, use kill-emacs-query-functions, described below. When Emacs is killed, all the information in the Emacs process, aside from files that have been saved, is lost. Because killing Emacs inadvertently can lose a lot of work, the save-buffers-kill-terminal command queries for confirmation if you have buffers that need saving or subprocesses that are running. It also runs the abnormal hook save-buffers-kill-terminalis killing Emacs, it calls the functions in this hook, after asking the standard questions and before calling kill-emacs. The functions are called in order of appearance, with no arguments. Each function can ask for additional confirmation from the user. If any of them returns save-buffers-kill-emacsdoes not kill Emacs, and does not run the remaining functions in this hook. Calling kill-emacsdirectly does not run this hook.

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US 4884575 A A cardiac pacemaker pulse generator is adapted to .generate electrical stimuli at a first pacing rate, and to selectively increase the rate to a second higher pacing rate. A timer triggers the rate increase to establish the higher rate as an exercise rate folloing the passage of a preset period of time after the timer is enabled. An external magnet controlled by the patient activates a reed switch to enable the timer to commence timing. The pulse generator is further adapted to respond to a second pass of the magnet over the reed switch after enabling of the timer to thereupon disable the timer before the preset period of time has expired. If the second pass of the magnet occurs after the exercise rate has begun, the element for increasing the rate is disabled to return the pulse generator to the lower pacing rate. The change in pacing rates is made in steps. 1. In combination with an implantable cardiac pacemaker for delivering electrical stimuli to the heart of a patient to pace the heart rate, said pacemaker comprising: pulse generator means for selectively producing said electrical stimuli at a fixed resting rate and at a higher exercise rate, lead means associated with said pulse generator for delivering said stimuli to a selected chamber of the heart, and timer means for stepping-up said pulse generator means from said resting rate to said exercise rate after an adjustable preset delay following activation of said timer means, said preset delay being of a duration perceptible by the patient; and external control means for patient initiation of a first command to said pacemaker to activate said timer means. 2. In combination with an implantable cardiac pacemaker for delivering electrical stimuli to the heart of a patient to pace the heart rate, said pacemaker comprising: pulse generator means for selectively producing said electrical stimuli at a fixed resting rate and a higher exercise rate, lead means associated with said pulse generator for delivering said stimuli to a selected chamber of the heart, and delay means for stepping-up said pulse generator means from said resting rate to said exercise rate after an adjustable preset delay following activation of said delay means, means associated with said pulse generator means and said delay means for maintaining said exercise rate for a predetermined time interval following said preset delay and then returning said pulse generator means to said resting rate; and an external control means for patient-initiation of a command to said pacemaker to activate said delay means. 3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said delay means is responsive to a second command initiated by the patient from said external control means at any time after receipt of the first said command and before the expiration of said predetermined time interval, to cancel the activation of said delay means. 4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein the stepping up and returning of said rates at which said stimuli are produced by said pulse generator means is effected gradually. 5. An implantable pulse generator unit for a cardiac pacemaker for use with an external magnet to permit patient-initiated adjustment of pacing rate from a resting rate to an exercise rate and vice versa, said unit comprising: generator means for generating electrical stimuli at said resting rate, control means associated with said generator means responsive, when enabled, for controllably increasing the rate at which electrical stimuli are generated from said generator means from said resting rate to said exercise rate, and timer means responsive to positioning of said external magnet in proximity to said pulse generator unit for enabling said control means an adjustable preset delay period after said positioning, said preset delay period being of a duration perceptible to the patient. 6. An implantable pulse generator unit for a cardiac pacemaker for use with an external magnet to permit patient-initiated adjustment of pacing rate from a resting rate to an exercise rate and vice versa, said unit comprising: generator means for generating electrical stimuli at said resting rate, control means associated with said generator means responsive, when enabled, for controllably increasing the rate at which electrical stimuli are generated by said generator means from said resting rate to said exercise rate, said control means including timing means for maintaining the rate at which electrical stimuli are generated by said generator means at said exercise rate for a predetermined time interval; and delay means responsive to positioning of said external magnet in proximity to said pulse generator unit for enabling said control means an adjustable preset delay period thereafter. 7. The pulse generator unit of claim 6, wherein said control means automatically returns said generator means to said resting rate following the expiration of said predetermined time interval. 8. The pulse generator unit of claim 7, wherein said control means gradually increases the rate at which electrical stimuli are generated by said generator means from said resting rate to said exercise rate, and gradually returns said generator means to said resting rate following the expiration of said predetermined time interval. 9. The pulse generator unit of claim 6, wherein said delay means is responsive to a repositioning of said external magnet in proximity to said pulse generator unit after said control means has been enabled, for disabling said control means. 10. A cardiac pacemaker pulse generator for generating electrical stimuli to be delivered to the heart of a patient to pace the heart rate, said generator comprising: means for generating said electrical stimuli at a first pacing rate, means electrically connected to said stimuli generating means for selectively increasing the rate at which said stimuli are generated to a second higher pacing rate, timing means for triggering said rate increasing means to increase said first pacing rate to a second higher pacing rate upon passage of an adjustable preselected period of time after said timing means is enabled, said preselected period of time being of a duration perceptible by the patient, means responsive to a command signal from a patient-activated external device for enabling said timing means to commence timing. 11. The pulse generator according to claim 10, wherein said enabling means is further responsive to a second command signal after said timing means is enabled, to disable said timing means prior to passage of said preselected period of time. 12. The pulse generator according to claim 10, further including means responsive to a second command signal while said stimuli are being generated at said second higher pacing rate, for disabling said rate increasing means and thereby returning the rate at which said stimuli are generated by said stimuli generating means to said first pacing rate. 13. The pulse generator according to claim 12, wherein said rate increasing means is responsive, when disabled, to decrementally reduce the rate at which said stimuli are generated by said stimuli generating means. 14. The pulse generator according to claim 10, wherein said rate increasing means is responsive to said timing means reaching preset time intervals toward passage of said preselected period of time, for incrementally increasing the rate at which said stimuli are generated by said stimuli generating means in steps as each preset time interval is reached. 15. The method of pacing a pacemaker patient's heart rate using a magnet-controlled implantable pulse generator to adjust the stimulation rate from a resting rate to an exercise rate and vice versa, comprising the steps of maintaining the stimulation rate of said pulse generator at said resting rate, initiating a command signal to reset the stimulation rate of said pulse generator to said exercise rate after an adjustable programmed delay period following said command signal, and returning the stimulation rate of said pulse generator to said resting rate in increments following a predetermined interval of time at said exercise rate. The present invention relates generally to medical devices, and more particularly to implantable artificial cardiac pacemakers adapted to provide patient-variable stimulation rates appropriate to a condition of exercise by the patient. The resting heart rate of sinus rhythm, that is, the rate determined by the spontaneously rhythmic electrophysiologic property of the heart's natural pacemaker, the sinus node, is typically in the range from about 65 to about 85 beats per minute (bpm) for adults. Disruption of the natural cardiac pacing and propagation system may occur with advanced age and/or cardiac disease, and is often treated by implanting an artificial cardiac pacemaker in the patient to restore and maintain the resting heart rate to the proper range. In its simplest form, an implantable pacemaker for treatment of bradycardia (abnormally low resting rate, typically below 60 beats per minute (bpm)) includes an electrical pulse generator powered by a self-contained battery pack, and a catheter lead including at the distal end a stimulating cathodic electrode electrically coupled to the pulse generator. The lead is implanted intravenously to position the cathodic electrode in stimulating relation to excitable myocardial tissue in the selected chamber on the right side of the patient's heart. The pulse generator unit is surgically implanted in a subcutaneous pouch in the patient's chest, and has an integral electrical connector to receive a mating connector at the proximal end of the lead. In operation of the pacemaker, the electrical pulses are delivered (typically, on demand) via the lead/electrode system, including an anodic electrode such as a ring behind the tip for bipolar stimulation or a portion of the pulse generator case for unipolar stimulation, and the body tissue and fluid, to stimulate the excitable myocardial tissue. Pacemakers may operate in different response modes, such as asynchronous (fixed rate), inhibited (stimulus generated in absence of specified cardiac activity), or triggered (stimulus delivered in presence of specified cardiac activity). Further, present-day pacers range from the simple fixed rate device that offers pacing with no sensing (of cardiac activity) function, to fully automatic dual chamber pacing and sensing functions (so-called DDD pacemakers) which may provide a degree of physiologic pacing by at least a slight adjustment of heart rate according to varying metabolic conditions in a manner akin to the natural pacing of the heart. Thus, some DDD pacemaker patients experience an increased pacing rate with physical exertion, with concomitantly higher cardiac output, and thereby, an ability to handle low levels of exercise. Unfortunately, a significant percentage of the pacemaker patient population, who suffer from atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation or sick-sinus syndrome, for example, cannot obtain the benefit of exercise-responsive pacing with conventional atrial-triggered pacemakers. Moreover, the DDD-type pacemakers are complex and costly to manufacture, which is reflected in a higher price to the patient. It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive pacemaker which provides pacing at a desired resting rate, and which is subject to limited control by the patient to provide a desired exercise rate for a preset period of time following which the pacemaker returns to the resting rate. Various types of rate responsive pacemakers have been proposed which would sense a physiological parameter that varies as a consequence of physical stress, such as respiration, blood oxygen saturation or blood temperature, or merely detect physical movement, and correspondingly adjust the pacing rate. Many of these rate responsive pacemakers may also be relatively complex, and therefore expensive to the patient. The present invention is directed toward a low cost pacemaker which can be adjusted at will by the patient, subject to the limited amount of control programmed into the device by the physician for that patient. According to the invention, patient control is manifested by bringing an external magnet into proximity with an implanted reed switch associated with the pacemaker. Of course, limited magnet control has been afforded to the patient in the past for some purposes, such as to enable transtelephonic monitoring of the pacemaker functions. Also, techniques are presently available which permit external adjustment of the stimulation rate of the pacemaker after implantation, as by means of a programming unit available to the physician. For obvious reasons, it is undesirable to give the patient the same latitude to control his pacemaker. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,623,486, Berkovits disclosed a pacemaker adapted to operate at either of two stimulation rates, and switchable from one to the other by the physician using an external magnet. In this manner, the physician would be able to control the pacer mode and rate according to the needs of the particular patient. The purpose, in part, was to provide a pacemaker which had some adaptability to the patient's requirements. However, once set by the physician, the selected resting rate was maintained for that patient by the implanted pacer. Another technique for external adjustment of pacing rate by the physician is found in the disclosures of U.S. Pat. No. 3,198.195 to Chardack, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,369 to Adams et al. In each, rate control is exercised by inserting a needle through a pacemaker aperture beneath the patient's skin to adjust a mechanism. In the Adams et al. disclosure, the needle is used to change the position of a magnet within the paper to actuate a rate-controlling reed switch. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,766,928, Goldberg et al. describe an arrangement for continuous adjustment of rate by a physician using an external magnet that cooperates with a magnet attached to the shaft of a rate potentiometer in the implanted pacemaker, to provide the initial setting of pacing rate desirable for the particular patient. More recent proposals offer the patient limited control over the pacing rate. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,633, Loughman et al. disclose a pacemaker programmer which is conditioned by the physician to give the patient the capability to select any of three distinct rates: for sleep, for an awake resting state, and for exercise. The programmer generates a pulsating electromagnetic field, and allows the patient to select any of those three modes with an abrupt change in rate when the coil pod of the programmer is positioned over the implanted pacemaker. It is, of course, necessary to have the programmer at hand in order to change the stimulation rate, and the use of the device in public can be a source of extreme embarassment to the patient. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,380, Schroeppel describes a technique for manual adjustment of rate control contrasted with the activity sensing, automatic rate control disclosed by Dahl in U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,132. According to the Schroeppel patent, a piezoelectric sensor and associated circuitry are combined with the implanted pulse generator of the pacemaker to allow the patient to change from a resting rate to a higher rate by sharp taps on his chest near the site of the piezoelectric sensor. Such an arrangement requires that the sensor be sufficiently sensitive to respond to the patient's sharp taps, and yet be insensitive to the everyday occurrences the patient encounters while undergoing normal activities and which could otherwise result in false triggerings. These include presence in the vicinity of loud noise such as is generated by street traffic, being jostled in a crowd, experiencing bumps and vibrations while riding in a vehicle, and the like. Further, even when controlled in the manner described, this type of switching results in an abrupt, non-physiological change of rate. Accordingly, it is another object of the present invention to provide a pacemaker which is capable of being controlled externally by the patient to assume exercise and non-exercise rate modes, in a manner that allows discreet and yet reliable control. Yet another object of the invention is to provide a cardiac pacemaker whose stimulation rate is controllable by and according to a schedule selected by the patient. Briefly, according to the present invention a cardiac pacemaker is manually controllable by the patient to preset time intervals of operation at a relatively high (exercise) rate and lower (resting) rate according to the patient's own predetermined schedule of exercise and rest. An important aspect of the invention is that the pulse generator may be implemented to undergo an adjustment of stimulation rate from a fixed resting rate of, say, 75 bpm, to a preselected exercise rate of, say, 120 bpm, following a predetermined period of time after activation by the patient using an external magnet, that is, after a predetermined delay following a patient-initiated command signal, and to remain at the higher rate for a preselected time interval. Thus, the patient may effectively "set a clock" in his pacemaker to elevate his heart rate at the time and for the duration of a scheduled exercise session, such as a game of tennis. Moreover, he may activate the pacemaker in this manner in the privacy of his own home well in advance of the exercise session. According to another aspect of the invention, the pulse generator is implemented to return automatically to the resting rate at the expiration of the preselected exercise rate time interval. Hence, the patient need not carry his magnet with him to readjust the pacer to the resting rate at the completion of the scheduled exercise session. According to this aspect, after operating at the elevated stimulation rate for a time interval preselected to be suitable for the exercise session, say, one hour, the generator resets itself to return to the initial resting rate. According to another feature of the invention, the rate is incremented and decremented in steps from one rate setting to the other to avoid abrupt changes, and therefore to provide a more physiological rate control than has heretofore been available in manually controlled pacemakers. A further feature of the invention is that the pulse generator may be activated to disable the exercise rate command at any time after it has been given, including that to produce an early conclusion to an already-commenced exercise session. For example, if a scheduled tennis game or bicycling run is called off by the patient's partner after the patient has programmed in the higher rate, he need merely apply the magnet in proximity to the implanted pulse generator again to cancel the previous command and maintain the fixed resting rate. Similarly, if the exercise session is shortened, the rate may be returned to the resting rate by simply applying the magnet over the pulse generator. The above and still further objects, aspects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the field to which the invention applies from a consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram of a pulse generator unit of a cardiac pacemaker according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. Referring now to FIG. 1, an implantable pulse generator unit 10 includes a pulse generator 12 and batteries 15 housed in a biocompatible metal case 17. Pulse generator 12 is implemented to be rate limited to generate output pulses at rates up to either of two low/high limit rates--for example, 75 pulses per minute (ppm) and 120 ppm, respectively--and to be incremented from the lower rate to the higher rate and decremented from the higher rate to the lower rate under the control of an up/down counter 18 associated with the pulse generator 12 in unit 10. Counter 18 may be set by application of a voltage level to its "up" input to commence counting toward the higher rate, and thereby to incrementally step the pulse repetition frequency up to that rate, and may be reset by application of a voltage level to its "down" input to commence counting toward the lower rate, and thereby decrementally step the pulse repetition frequency down to that rate. This is accomplished under the control of set and reset output voltage levels generated by a flip-flop circuit 21 also housed in case 17. The pulse generator unit 10 also includes a reed switch 25 which is actuable by placement of a magnet 27, external to the skin of the patient in whom the unit 10 is implanted, in proximity to case 17. Reed switch 25, when actuated, serves to enable a delay timer 29 in unit 10. The delay timer responds to the enabling input to commence timing of its preset time delay interval. At the end of the delay interval, delay timer 29 produces a pulse for application to the flip-flop 21. Subsequent actuation of the reed switch before the timer 29 has timed out serves to disable the timer and reset it in preparation for a subsequent enabling signal from the reed switch. If timer 29 has already timed out before the reed switch is again actuated, the timer will respond to the disabling input, when the reed switch is actuated, to produce another pulse for application to the flip-flop 21. The flip-flop is thereupon reset and produces its reset output voltage level. The set and reset output voltage levels of flip-flop 21 are also applied respectively to "set" and "reset" inputs of an interval timer 30. Upon being set, the interval timer commences timing out a predetermined time interval, and, at the expiration of that interval, generates a pulse for application to flip-flop 21. Upon being reset, the interval timer 30 is returned to the start of the predetermined time interval in preparation for initiating the timing of that interval on receipt at its "set" input of the next set output voltage level from the flip-flop. The preset time period of delay timer 29 and the predetermined time interval of interval timer 30 are programmable by the physician according to the desires and needs of the particular patient. If, for example, the patient has a regularly scheduled early morning brisk walking session of one hour with friends, and resides near the starting point of the walk, the time period of the delay timer 29 may be programmed to be fifteen minutes. The time interval of the interval timer 30 is programmed to be one hour in length. In operation, the pulse generator produces output pulses at the resting rate prescribed (and programmed) by the physician for the particular patient--in this exemplary embodiment, a resting rate of 75 bpm. The pulses are delivered to the stimulating cathodic electrode 35 in the right ventricle of the heart 40 via a lead 42, the reference electrode (anode) and the body tissue and fluids, according to the mode in which the pacemaker is designed to operate. In the preferred embodiment, the pacemaker continues to operate at that rate unless and until the patient elects to initiate the exercise rate cycle. To do so, the patient places the magnet 27 in proximity to the implanted pulse generator unit 10 at about fifteen minutes prior to the appointed time for the exercise session, as a command to actuate reed switch 25. The patient may then choose to leave the magnet at home or take it along in the glove compartment of his car, since actuation of the reed switch has enabled the delay timer 29 and nothing more need be done by the patient to enable the pacemaker to commence the exercise rate at the expiration of the preset delay period. Before the end of that period the patient has arrived at the starting point for the exercise session, and at the end of the delay period, the delay timer applies a pulse to flip-flop 21 which responds by generating a set output voltage level. The set voltage is applied to both the "up" input of counter 18 and the "set" input of interval timer 30. Accordingly, the counter commences its count, preferably at a relatively slow rate of, say, ten counts per minute, and correspondingly incrementally steps the pulse generator 12 output rate up to the upper rate limit of 120 ppm, and thereby gradually increases the patient's heart rate from 75 bpm to 120 bpm as the patient commences to exercise. Hence, the patient's heart rate and cardiac output are now at levels adequate for the patient to carry out the exercise session. The pulse generator continues to supply pulses at the upper rate limit until interval timer 30, which commenced its predetermined time interval with the application of the set input voltage, times out, whereupon the interval timer produces an output pulse which is applied to flip-flop 21 to reset the latter. The flip-flop responds by providing a reset output voltage level for application to the "down" input of counter 18 and the "reset" input of the interval timer. Accordingly, the counter decrementally steps the pulse repetition frequency of the pulse generator down, preferably at the ten pulses per minute rate, to the lower rate limit of 75 ppm corresponding to a heart rate of 75 bpm. In this manner, the patient's heart rate is reduced gradually from the exercise rate to the resting rate at a time commensurate with the end of the exercise session. Also, the resetting of the interval timer by the set output voltage level of the flip-flop assures that the timer is ready to commence timing its predetermined interval on receipt of the next "set" input. In the event that the exercise session is called off at any time after the delay timer 29 has been enabled and before the interval timer has timed out, the patient need merely place the magnet 27 once again in proximity to the implanted pulse generator unit. If the delay timer has not yet timed out, it is disabled by the actuation of the reed switch, and hence, flip-flop 21 remains reset, interval timer 30 remains reset, counter 18 is at its low count, and pulse generator 12 is at its lower rate limit. If the delay timer has timed out, it produces an output pulse in reponse to the disabling input from the reed switch, thereby resetting the flip-flop, resetting the interval timer, returning counter 18 toward its low count and pulse generator 12 toward its lower rate limit. To that end, delay timer 29 is provided with an internal clock such that, once enabled to time out the delay interval, it cannot be again enabled to do so until the passage of a preselected time interval, which is one hour and fifteen minutes in the present example, unless it has first been disabled during that overall interval. Of course, to cancel the exercise rate, the patient must have the magnet available to issue the second command but, as previously noted, once the delay timer is enabled through actuation of the reed switch the magnet may be kept in a convenient location, such as the glove compartment of the patient's car, to allow cancellation of the exercise rate in private. Although a presently preferred embodiment has been described herein, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications of the preferred embodiment may be carried out without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the present invention shall be limited only to the extent required by the appended claims and the applicable rules of law.

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