Datasets:

gabrielagc

/

chunked-fineweb-edu

like 2

For decades, the United States has dominated Asian waters, with its colossal navy roaming vital waterways with impunity. The US navy has been both domineering and benign for its allies, supporting armed interventions and maintaining access to military bases across continents, as well as protecting maritime arteries of trade against state and no-state predators. With as much as 90 percent of global trade conducted through maritime routes, all countries have an interest in ensuring freedom of navigation across international waters. And for a long time, the US and its allies have served as the de facto guarantor of unimpeded access to global sea lines of communications. The Soviet Union’s earlier efforts to challenge American naval supremacy ended up bankrupting its fragile economic base, paving the way for its eventual collapse in the late 20th century. A new naval powerhouse, however, is gradually upending the US-led international maritime order. Confident about its continental borders, and equipped with a burgeoning blue-water naval capability and a wide array of asymmetrical weaponries, China has gradually restricted US naval access to the key international waterways in East Asia. From the Yellow Sea to the East and South China Seas, Chinese paramilitary and military forces have progressively challenged US naval presence in China’s adjacent waters. In the South China Sea, in particular, China has built a sprawling network of military facilities and airstrips on a whole host of artificially-created islands, which can serve as the forward deployment base for Chinese military power projection in the area. Under pressure by domestic hawks and perturbed allies, which don’t want to see the South China Sea turning into a “Chinese lake”, the Obama administration has decided to push back more aggressively against Beijing’s maritime assertiveness. But its recent deployment of surveillance vessels close to Chinese-created islands runs the risk of escalation and outright conflict. Ruling the seas In his 1897 book “The Interest of America in Sea Power”, Alfred Thayer Mahan, the pre-eminent 19th-century naval strategist argued that the control of the sea, whether through maritime commerce and/or naval muscle, will translate into “predominant influence in the world; because, however great the wealth product of the land, nothing facilitates the necessary

<urn:uuid:b531bdc8-b960-4420-b0c8-0c2e5b9624e3>

For decades, the United States has dominated Asian waters, with its colossal navy roaming vital [...] exchanges as does the sea.” For Mahan, to become a great power, a country should first dominate its adjacent waters in order to create a zone of deference and keep away external powers from its peripheries. Today, China seems to be following Mahan’s doctrine, aiming to dominate adjacent waters. In the past few years, China has stepped up its efforts to reassert its territorial claims in the Yellow Sea (against South Korea), in the East China Sea (against Japan), and the South China Sea (against the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei). China has also repeatedly sought to restrict the US naval deployment and reconnaissance operations in the area, culminating in a collision between a Chinese jet fighter and a US EP-3 signals intelligence aircraft in the South China Sea back in 2001. More recently, Chinese jet fighters and paramilitary forces have harassed US aircraft and vessels in the area. In the East China Sea, where China and Japan are locked in a bitter dispute over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands, Beijing has imposed an “Air Defense Identification Zone” (ADIZ), which compels other countries to seek its permission before passing through. In the South China Sea, the past two years have seen China reclaiming 1,170 hectares of artificial land, transforming low-tide elevations, atolls, and rocks into full-fledged islands. China’s activities don’t only violate international law, which proscribes the permanent alteration of disputed features, but they also pose a serious threat to other claimant states and freedom of navigation in the area, especially as Beijing further militarises the disputes by deploying an ever-larger armada of conventional and paramilitary forces to the area. Taking on the dragon Unlike Western maritime powers, such as the Netherlands in the past and the United States more recently, China is not only seeking to dominate adjacent waters, but it is also treating them as an extension of its continental territory – its “blue soil“. China to host ASEAN Summit amid regional tensions In clear contravention of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which doesn’t accord

<urn:uuid:b531bdc8-b960-4420-b0c8-0c2e5b9624e3>

For decades, the United States has dominated Asian waters, with its colossal navy roaming vital [...] coastal states a claim over international waters, China is claiming “inherent” and “indisputable” sovereignty over much of the South China Sea under its notorious “nine-dash line” doctrine. Determined to hold onto its naval supremacy, and prevent the emergence of a Chinese “lake” in the area, the US has upgraded its security alliances with its Asian allies, negotiated greater rotational military access in the area, and enlisted the support of Japan and Australia for joint patrols against China. During a mid-October meeting with their Australian counterparts, Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced that the US will effectively challenge China’s sovereignty claims in the area by conducting “freedom of navigation” operations within the 12-nautical-mile radius of China’s artificially-created islands. By late-October, the US began deploying USS Lassen (a missile-guided destroyer) to conduct the freedom of navigation operations. Washington and its allies argue that since most of those land features were artificially carved out of low-tide elevations, they can’t, based on the UNCLOS, generate any maritime entitlements of their own. China has lashed back, warning: “There is no way for us to condone infringement of China’s territorial sea and airspace,” raising the risk of military escalation in the area. Much will depend on how regularly and aggressively the US will challenge China’s sovereignty claims. With the global media zooming in on the impending Sino-American maritime showdown, China’s nationalist leaders are also under tremendous pressure to display resolve and defiance. Asia is at a critical juncture. Richard Javad Heydarian is a specialist in Asian geopolitical/economic affairs and author of “How Capitalism Failed the Arab World: The Economic Roots and Precarious Future of the Middle East Uprisings.” The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial policy.

<urn:uuid:b531bdc8-b960-4420-b0c8-0c2e5b9624e3>

Nonfarm Animal Caretakers Core Tasks Include: - Feed and water animals according to schedules and feeding instructions. - Answer telephones and schedule appointments. - Examine and observe animals to detect signs of illness, disease, or injury. - Respond to questions from patrons, and provide information about animals, such as behavior, habitat, breeding habits, or facility activities. - Provide treatment to sick or injured animals, or contact veterinarians to secure treatment. - Perform animal grooming duties, such as washing, brushing, clipping, and trimming coats, cutting nails, and cleaning ears. - Order, unload, and store feed and supplies. - Mix food, liquid formulas, medications, or food supplements according to instructions, prescriptions, and knowledge of animal species. - Do facility laundry and clean, organize, maintain, and disinfect animal quarters, such as pens and stables, and equipment, such as saddles and bridles. Supplemental Tasks Include: - Collect and record animal information, such as weight, size, physical condition, treatments received, medications given, and food intake. - Exercise animals to maintain their physical and mental health. - Clean and disinfect surgical equipment. - Discuss with clients their pets' grooming needs. - Observe and caution children petting and feeding animals in designated areas to ensure the safety of humans and animals. - Find homes for stray or unwanted animals. - Adjust controls to regulate specified temperature and humidity of animal quarters, nurseries, or exhibit areas. - Anesthetize and inoculate animals, according to instructions. - Transfer animals between enclosures to facilitate breeding, birthing, shipping, or rearrangement of exhibits. - Install, maintain, and repair animal care facility equipment, such as infrared lights, feeding devices, and cages. - Train animals to perform certain tasks. - Sell pet food and supplies. The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™.

<urn:uuid:73f465b3-3ca0-4cd4-a9fb-5beafade0b1b>

Here are some expressions commonly used in discussing the body - head and shoulders matters. cheek - the fleshy side of the face below the eye and above and to the side of the mouth chin - the lower part of the face lying below the lower lip ear - the sense organ for hearing eye - the organ of sight eyebrow - the arch of hair above each eye eyelash - any of the short curved hairs that grow from the edges of the eyelids forehead - the part of the face above the eyes hair - the coating of hairs on a human head head - the upper part of the human body jaw - the part of the skull of a vertebrate that frames the mouth and holds the teeth lip - either of two fleshy folds that surround the mouth and are the organs of human speech mouth - the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge neck - the part of an organism that connects the head to the rest of the body nose - the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract nostril - either one of the two external openings to the nasal cavity in the nose shoulder - the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm throat - the passage to the stomach and lungs; in the front part of the neck below the chin and above the collarbone tongue - a fleshy movable process of the floor of the mouths of most vertebrates that bears sensory end organs and small glands and functions especially in taking and swallowing food and in humans as a speech organ tooth - hard bonelike structures in the jaws of vertebrates; used for biting and chewing Now we put new vocabulary into context, so you can see how you might use these terms yourself. The expressions are in boldface in the text. Chin up! Cheek kissing is a ritual or social gesture to indicate friendship, perform a greeting , to confer congratulations, to comfort. Our make-up range includes mascara, eye shadow, false eyelashes, eyelash glue, liquid eyeliner, eyeliner, eyebrow pencil, and detailed makeup tips on using them. Donīt be down in the mouth! Donīt look a gift horse in the mouth. She pokes her nose into everything. Most cases of shoulder pain only last for a short while and are not caused by arthritis. An

<urn:uuid:162dda30-630d-451b-bfbe-efd92f88f843>

WASHINGTON — (BUSINESS WIRE) — May 5, 2011 — Plants that digest toxic waste, parks built from old building materials, trees that lower utility bills and many other sustainable concepts are part of a new free educational resource from the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). The resource is available at www.asla.org/animations. From the ASLA animation series, this residential green roof on the house's exterior can help save utility bills on the inside. (Photo: ASLA) “Few outside of the landscape architecture profession fully understand the benefits of sustainable landscape design, and even less know how these design techniques actually work,” said ASLA President Jonathan Mueller, FASLA. ”This new resource will serve as Sustainable Design 101 for students and teachers alike by explaining complex environmental systems in a clear, understandable format.” Made possible by a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts, the site includes six animations to view at home or in the classroom; more than 60 different classroom activities, videos, games, and lesson plans that cover grades K-12; plus 20 examples of real-world projects from around the world. ASLA developed the animations with author and Google SketchUp expert Daniel Tal, ASLA. The six animations include Building a Park out of Waste, Energy Efficient Home Landscapes, Designing for Active Living, From Industrial Waste to Community Park, Leveraging the Landscape to Manage Water and Revitalizing Communities with Parks. Each animation includes an accompanying educational resource with classroom activities and interactive case studies. Four more animations and educational resource guides are planned for 2011. In addition to the animations, the resource now includes 20 case studies of sustainable projects of all sizes, including master plans, university campuses, urban farms, green roofs and backyards. Each case study lists the project’s environmental benefits and includes a slideshow with images and descriptions, project facts and a downloadable one-page brief. View this release online at http://www.asla.org/NewsReleaseDetails.aspx?id=31630 Founded in 1899, ASLA is the national professional association for landscape architects, representing more than 15,000 members

<urn:uuid:3e5b8b3c-372e-4b50-a7f3-07ad134fa229>

There’s been a huge shift in architecture and construction. When 3D printing first became available, architects saw the potential. They needed a cheaper, faster way to develop models of the homes and other buildings they were designing. The 3D printing industry delivered. Printing the models, though, was not enough. We wanted to see if it was possible to print entire full-scale structures. After all, the construction industry hasn’t changed much in the past few decades – structures are getting bigger, but they’re not necessarily getting better. And for good reason. No one wants their house to collapse in the middle of the night because the long-term durability of the house’s materials and structure were never tested. But 3D printing buildings has been embraced openly by some, such as governments in Singapore and Dubai. Singapore just got started on their plans to build housing a year ago, but the world’s first 3D printed office building (where even the interior décor was 3D printed) in Dubai has been completed. There are those in the construction industry who are optimistic 3D printing will one day see mainstream use. Building Radar says, “3D printing is not likely to bring about immediate radical change throughout the industry, but rather experience slow and incremental incorporation.” Benefits of 3D Printing in Construction Many involved in the development of these new 3D printing and construction technologies are excited by the benefits they make possible: - Reducing time to construct new buildings – this Chinese company claims to have printed ten small houses in 24 hours - Decreasing the costs associated with construction through the invention of less expensive materials and use of fewer laborers - Allowing us to create materials out of local soils or locally sourced cement mixtures - Permitting architects to utilize curved, yet hollow designs for stronger, lighter structures - Building affordable housing for impoverished regions - Allowing more customization in building without the custom price tag Problems Faced by the Construction Industry Like all other industries looking to scale their use of 3D printing, the construction industry is facing a few obstacles. - Several companies have developed 3D printers capable of producing buildings or 3D printed parts for buildings, but none of these printers are available to construction companies for purchase - “3D printing is not going to solve the

<urn:uuid:7d333b18-6cdd-4835-945b-cf6a31273e31>

There’s been a huge shift in architecture and construction. When 3D printing first became [...] construction industry’s skilled worker shortage, recruit up and coming talent, or remove human error in planning construction projects,” website The Balance points out - Depending on the exact concrete mix being used, buildings may still require support structures (however, many of the concrete mixtures used now are thicker than standard concrete mixes and so are self-supporting) - Not all building technologies have been tested for safety and strength against hurricanes, earthquakes, etc. - Wiring, plumbing, and other conduits must be installed traditionally Current 3D Printing Construction Technology Singapore, China, and Dubai are not the only places to have seen 3D printing technology in use. These are a few other intriguing uses of 3D printing we’ve found: - A Dutch company named Pixelstone has developed a way to 3D print small (very small) bricks into building facades - Dr. Behrokh Khoshnevis of the University of Southern California runs Contour Crafting with the goal of creating a construction method that 3D prints the entire house, including utility pipes and wiring - The PolyBrick is a ceramic wall-building material that replaces brick and doesn’t require mortar You can find more examples of how 3D printing has been used in construction, along with the technologies used to create these structures, in these articles written by 3D Printing Industry and 3ders.org. The Printers Used Several 3D printers have been developed specifically for printing buildings. Some (very large) printers allow for printing onsite, while others print the parts in a factory. After manufacture, the parts are shipped to the site and assembled. Even among these printers there are differences. Some printers look like those we expect to see in a factory (just on a much more massive scale) while others have extruder heads affixed to robotic arms. Cement is by far the most popular material used for 3D printing in the construction industry. But it’s not the only material. We’ve also seen: - Plastics (including new bioplastics) Lessening the Impact of Construction on the Environment In addition to the benefits in terms of building

<urn:uuid:7d333b18-6cdd-4835-945b-cf6a31273e31>

I was quite fascinated when i read this poem -The Prophet by Khalil Gibran “ On Marriage. It reads like this. “But let there be spaces in your togetherness, And let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another, but make not a bond of love. Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls…… Even as the strings of a lute are alone Though they quiver with the same music. …. And stand together, yet not too near together. For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress Grow not in each other’s shadow.” T.N.Krishnan – Violin 01 – Mahaganapathim-Nata-Adi- Muthuswamy Deekshithar 02 – Marivere-Anandabhairavi-Miscrachappu-Syama Sasthri 03 – Raghuvamsasudha-Kadanakuthuhalam-Adi-Pattanam Subramoniaiyer Darbari Kanada, or simply Darbari/Durvari/Durbari Kanada, is a Hindustani raga in the Kanada family, which is thought to have originated in Carnatic music and brought into North Indian music. “Kanada” suggests an association with South Indian music, and the raga is believed to be adapted from the south, and presented to Emperor Akbar by his court singer, Tansen. This tradition is reflected in the name itself; Darbar is the Persian derived word in Hindi meaning “court.” The raga comes across as a musical entity with controlled power, philosophical depth, emotional richness and regality(badge of royalty). Darbari Kanada, due its gravity, is rightly called the raga of the kings (or their durbar) or the king of ragas. Listen to the Divine Music of Chottanikkara Amma 1. Amme Narayana Devi Narayana 2. Chottanikkara Amme Jagadambike 01-Paal Vadiyum Mugam-Nattaikurinji-Adi One of the unique characteristics of Indian music is the assignment of defin

<urn:uuid:86397401-e7c5-4410-a712-0044e361631e>

New songs are good for your perspective – they can keep you feeling inspired and eager to learn more. Often, you can chop up a new song and reuse new licks you’ve learned elsewhere. They can also help you refine and polish your playing. But learning new material can also be a balance. You want to make sure you’ve mastered new material; don’t take on too much at once. On the other hand, you also want to keep from getting in a rut just playing the same stuff over and over; always be striving for at least one new song. After a student learns the basics of rolls and chords plus a few standard licks, I like for them to always have at least one new song to be working on. When it comes time to introduce new material, here are a few points I try to remember. Some songs have a very interesting background to them that isn’t obvious in their title or words. Plus, if you’re only learning an instrumental break, you might not even get exposed to the words. So if a song has a bit of history behind it, I like to make it known. Medium Speed to Help Get a Feel I play the song through the whole way, so the student can get an idea of what it sounds like. I’ll play it fast enough that it has the proper feel to it, something that is lost if you only hear a song at a very slow pace (like the pace that you usually learn it at). Next up is going over the chords to the song. Learning the chords might not be as critical to learning the melody and / or a break to the song, but it helps get a feel for the song nevertheless. Tab – Slow it Down Here is the bulk of the effort, whether I’m teaching the song from tablature or from example. I always slow it way down. That might seem very obvious, but actually that’s easier to forget about as an instructor than you might imagine. After all, you can play it fast, why can’t everyone else play it just as fast? 🙂 Last but not least is learning how to play back up to the new song. Have you ever played a break at a jam session, only to remember that you never took the time to learn the chords? If it’s a simple song, you may be able to work them out, but not always.

<urn:uuid:9fdbb2cb-d1f9-4139-8d07-f6ec3f51537d>

If you like it, save it! Save and organize all of the stuff you love in one place.Got it! If you like something… Click the heart, it's called favoriting. Favorite the stuff you like.Got it! It's hard to believe that changing the food system can start in your kitchen. But it's true. If you're cooking, you're likely to be eating more healthfully and to be more connected with your food. And the more you know about your food, the more likely you are to eat sustainably. Of course, as is the case with many decisions in life, what it means to eat sustainably is complicated. We don't only eat locally grown foods (the only way we're giving up our coffee beans is if you pry them from our cold, dead hands), and we don't always shop at the farmers market (but boy do we have fun when we do). We do when we can, and we try to make conscientious decisions that fit into our everyday lives. And that's because we know that every time we make a purchase it's like a vote for what we want to see more of. A label can’t tell you everything there is to know about your food—there is a wide range of farming practices that can all play a part in helping you to be a responsible eater—but they can help us to make a decision when there are a multitude of options. One way to sort through the noise is with the Environmental Working Group’s annual list of the 12 types of produce with the highest concentrations of pesticides relative to other types of produce, dubbed the Dirty Dozen™. For the past few years, they’ve started highlighting two additional foods that frequently contain insecticides considered to be hazardous, bringing the list up to 14. So if you consume large quantities of any of the types of produce on this list, you might want to consider buying the organic option. Even better, strike up a conversation with a farmer the next time you're at the farmers market and get to know more about how your food is grown (it's okay if you still don't want learn the name of your chicken). - Strawberries and 2. Apples 3. Nectarines and 4. Peaches 5. Celery and 6

<urn:uuid:3a02d69b-fa1f-41fa-b193-deecdb6a8f59>

Wine has a long, rich history as a cooking liquid. One of the early “cookbooks,” compiled in the first century, “De re Coquinaria” (“On Cooking”), included dozens of recipes that used wine. Since the beginning of recorded history, wine has been considered one of the essential ingredients in cooking. The ancient Greeks used wine and there are numerous references to its use in their meal preparation. When the Romans came along, they spread the practice of cooking with wine throughout Europe and developed special varietals, such as Marsala. The Romans also prepared a concentrate of grape must (unfermented grape juice) called defrutum, which was kept around the hearth and used both to color and sweeten foods. In the East, centuries of Japanese and Chinese cooks have made wine from fruits or rice and used these liquids in cooking. Italians take wine very seriously and, just as they eat regionally, Italians drink regionally. Go to Tuscany where you will find Chianti, Vernaccia di San Gimignano and Brunello di Montalcino. Head to Abruzzo and you will find Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo or Trebbiano d’Abruzzo on the table. The characteristics of a given wine are reflective of the culture in which it is made. Each of Italy’s 20 wine-producing regions proudly claim their own sub-cultures and cuisines, leading to many variations of wine. Piedmont and Tuscany are the Italian leaders in quality wines. Italy is respected as a wine-producing country and no other country can boast as many varieties. They use their 350+ varieties of domestic grapes, along with international varieties to produce wines in a class of their own. Approximately one-fifth of the world’s wine comes directly from Italy’s vineyards and there are over one million throughout the entire country. The Major Types of Italian Red Wines Amarone is made from air-dried Corvina grapes and is produced in the northern Veneto region near Venice, using the “recioto” method. This technique involves picking the grapes that grow on the outside of a cluster and have the most exposure to the sun. The result is a full-bodied

<urn:uuid:c414b051-5ad7-4cc4-bb6d-effa10801a49>

Wine has a long, rich history as a cooking liquid. One of the early “cookbooks [...] wine in a style more common to warm growing areas. Amarones are aged for five years or more before bottling. Some, but not all, are aged in oak barrels. Amarone (the name means big, bitter one) has a powerful, concentrated, almost Port-like texture with hints of mocha. Amarone is ideal with roasted beef or pork and also with cheese. Barolo is a powerful and full-bodied wine with a complex mixture of tastes and textures – wild strawberry, tobacco, chocolate and vanilla. Barolo gets better with age and is frequently referred to as “the king of wines”. Barolo requires many years (three years minimum by law) of aging to soften it and it is improved by decanting. Barolo is made in the Langhe Hills region of Piedmont, entirely of Nebbiolo grapes. Nebbiolo is a difficult grape to grow well. It thrives in the region’s clay, limestone and sandy soil, preferring to be planted on sunny, south-facing hillsides. Barolo is a perfect accompaniment to meat, rich pastas and creamy risottos. Chianti has come a long way from its image of wicker-wrapped bottles with candle drippings alongside a plate of spaghetti. Today’s Chiantis are produced in Tuscany, in central Italy near Florence and Chianti has a government-controlled wine designation. That means all of the wine called Chianti has to be made within the Chianti area. Chianti is produced from primarily Sangiovese grapes, sometimes combined with Cabernet Franc, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. It has high acidity with hints of plum and wild cherry. Chianti and any tomato-based sauce are a classic wine and food pairing, but Chianti also goes well with steak or other grilled meat. Barbaresco is also produced from Nebbiolo grapes, but tends to be a more softer wine than Barolo. There are just three, small growing regions for Barbaresco compared to Barolo’s eleven regions, so there is less Barbaresco available each year. Barbares

<urn:uuid:c414b051-5ad7-4cc4-bb6d-effa10801a49>

Wine has a long, rich history as a cooking liquid. One of the early “cookbooks [...] co, too, requires aging – a minimum of two years and up to twenty years – to meet its full potential. It also pairs well with red meat and the rich food of Piedmont. Bardolino is a light, fruit-filled wine made in the Veneto region of Italy. Named after the town of Bardolino on Lake Garda, this wine has faint cherry flavors with a hint of spiciness. Like Amarone, Bardolino is crafted, primarily from Corvina grapes. Sometimes made into a dry, rose or sparkling wine called “chiaretto,” Bardolino is best served chilled and goes nicely with fish, seafood, light meat entrees, pasta and pizza. Montalcino is Tuscany’s second most famous wine zone, after Chianti. Montalcino is a small, medieval town just outside of Siena. The wine district there is a warm, sunny, hilly area with few extremes in temperature. The cool evenings insure high acidity. Brunello di Montalcino is created entirely from Sangiovese grapes. By Italian wine law, Brunello must be aged longer than any other wine – a minimum of four years. Brunello is subtle with overtones of blackberry, black cherry, chocolate and sweet vanilla. Drink it with the hearty dishes of Tuscany. Cooking with Wine Using wine in cooking is so natural, it probably would have occurred anywhere grapes could be grown and turned into wine. Wine can accent, enhance and intensify the flavors and aromas of food. The ways of using wine in cooking are numerous: marinate, saute, poach, boil, braise, stew or deglaze. Some cooks use wine for stir-fries, steaming or blanching. A splash of it straight out of the bottle is an added flavor in vinaigrettes or sauces. Cooks use wine instead of water because wine adds flavor. But just as the four vinegars made from cider, sherry, red wine or white wine differ from each other, so do wines differ in what they add to a recipe. “Wine adds acidity to sau

<urn:uuid:c414b051-5ad7-4cc4-bb6d-effa10801a49>

Wine has a long, rich history as a cooking liquid. One of the early “cookbooks [...] ces,” says Jeff Mosher, chef for the Robert Mondavi Winery. “Food that has a level of acidity goes better with wine than food that is flat.” A careful cook, however, needs to consider the cooking preparation when utilizing wine. For example, wine could concentrate and become too tart after boiling down a marinade into a sauce. So, likewise, would any sweetness in wine; too much can be cloying. “It’s best to use red wines that don’t have huge tannins,” says Mosher. “When reduced, they leave a bitter flavor. I usually cook with merlot or pinot noir … never all cabernet sauvignon. Avoid wines labeled “cooking wine.” Not only are such wines often oxidized, but they are also packed with salt. Finally, it isn’t necessary, as the old adage has it, to cook with the same wine that you will serve. According to Mosher, the flavor compounds and nuances of a very fine wine simply don’t survive the heat of most cooking. For example, preparing boeuf bourguignon or coq au vin doesn’t require an expensive red Burgundy. For these dishes, any of well-made, balanced, medium- to full-bodied red wine will do. Red Wine Bagna Cauda - One 750-milliliter bottle Italian dry red wine, such as Nebbiolo - 1/4 cup marinated anchovy fillets, drained and chopped - 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained and chopped - 3 garlic cloves, chopped - Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon - 1 1/2 cups good quality extra-virgin olive oil - Salt and freshly ground pepper - Assorted crudités, such as carrots, radishes, fennel and bell peppers, for serving In a large saucepan, boil the wine over high heat until reduced to 1 cup, about 20 minutes. Let cool. In a blender, combine the reduced wine with the anchovies, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice and blend until smooth. With

<urn:uuid:c414b051-5ad7-4cc4-bb6d-effa10801a49>

Wine has a long, rich history as a cooking liquid. One of the early “cookbooks [...] the machine running, add the olive oil in a thin stream. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the bagna cauda to a medium saucepan and rewarm over low heat. Pour into a serving bowl and serve with the crudités. Red Wine Glazed Meatloaf - 2 slices of sandwich bread, torn into pieces - 1/2 cup milk - 1 large egg - 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley - 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped sage - 1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme - 1 teaspoon kosher salt - Pinch of freshly ground black pepper - Pinch of cayenne pepper - 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese - 1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs - 2 tablespoons olive oil - 1 medium onion, finely diced - 4 garlic cloves, minced - 1 pound lean ground beef - 1 pound lean ground pork - 1 cup dry red wine - 2 tablespoons honey - 1 tomato, finely chopped - 1 teaspoon molasses - Chopped basil for garnish Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush a medium oval baking dish with oil. In a large bowl, combine the bread pieces with the milk and mash to a paste. Add the egg, chopped parsley, sage, thyme, salt, black pepper and cayenne and stir until smooth. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and dry bread crumbs and stir until thoroughly combined. In a medium skillet, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, 1 minute longer. Let cool, then transfer to the bowl with the bread mixture. Add the meat and knead in until evenly combined. Transfer the meat loaf mixture to the prepared baking dish and pat it into a 4-by-12-inch oval loaf. Bake for about 50 minutes

<urn:uuid:c414b051-5ad7-4cc4-bb6d-effa10801a49>

Wine has a long, rich history as a cooking liquid. One of the early “cookbooks [...] or until firm but not quite cooked through. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the red wine with the honey, chopped tomato and molasses and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the all the ingredients. Boil until the glaze is thick and syrupy, about 10-12 minutes. Brush half of the glaze over the parially cooked meat loaf. Continue baking for about 20 minutes longer until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 150°F; brush once more with the remaining glaze. Let the meatloaf rest for 15 minutes, garnish with chopped basil, slice and serve. Red Wine Risotto with Mushrooms - 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided - Salt and freshly ground pepper - 1/4 pound fresh porcini or cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick - 5 cups chicken stock - 1 small onion, finely chopped - 1 cup arborio rice (6 ounces) - 1/2 cup dry red wine, such as Amarone - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter - One 2-ounce piece Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for shaving - 2 teaspoons chopped mixed herbs, such as basil, chives, parsley, etc. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the mushrooms; season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring, until browned. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate. In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a simmer; cover and keep warm over low heat. In the skillet, heat the remaining olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until almost evaporated. Pour in 1 cup of the hot stock, or enough to cover the rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until the stock has been absorbed, about

<urn:uuid:c414b051-5ad7-4cc4-bb6d-effa10801a49>

Wine has a long, rich history as a cooking liquid. One of the early “cookbooks [...] 5 minutes. Repeat, adding 1 cup of stock at a time and stirring until all of the stock has been absorbed. The risotto is done when the rice is cooked al dente, about 25 minutes. Stir in the butter and mushrooms and heat until the butter is melted and the mushrooms are heated. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Spoon the risotto into serving bowls and shred Parmigiano-Reggiano over the risotto, sprinkle with herbs and serve. Chicken Parmesan with Red-Wine Pasta Sauce - 4 ounces uncooked linguine - 1/2 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning - 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts - 1 large egg, lightly beaten - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided - 1/4 teaspoon salt - 2 tablespoons olive oil - Large pich of crushed red pepper - 1/2 cup dry red wine - 2 cups homemade or store bought pasta sauce - 4 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese - 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese - Chopped Basil, optional Sprinkle chicken breasts with 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and the salt. Combine bread crumbs and Italian seasoning in a shallow dish. Dip chicken in egg and dredge in breadcrumbs. Heat oil in a large skillet with a cover over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Add wine to the pan and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and red pepper, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook 1 minute. Add pasta sauce; cook 1 minute or until bubbly. Combine the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Arrange chicken over sauce; top each breast with a portion of the cheese and a spoonful of sauce. Cover the pan, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until

<urn:uuid:c414b051-5ad7-4cc4-bb6d-effa10801a49>

Wine has a long, rich history as a cooking liquid. One of the early “cookbooks [...] chicken is cooked and cheese has melted. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Serve chicken and sauce over pasta. Garnish with basil, if desired. Chocolate-Red Wine Cake - 2 cups all-purpose flour - 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process) - 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda - 1/2 teaspoon salt - 2 sticks unsalted butter or butter alternative, softened - 1 3/4 cups sugar or the equivalent of a sugar alternative - 2 large eggs - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract - 1 1/4 cups Italian dry red wine - Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 12-cup bundt pan. In a bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy, 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat for 2 minutes longer. Working in two batches, alternately fold in the dry ingredients and the wine, just until incorporated. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack; let cool completely. Dust the cake with confectioner’s sugar and serve. - The Deeper Meaning of Italian Wine: An Interview with Leonardo LoCascio (selectitaly.com) - Amarone: From Novelty to Tradition in 55 Years (ubriaco.wordpress.com) - Hello Barbaresco (chezsirene.wordpress.com)

<urn:uuid:c414b051-5ad7-4cc4-bb6d-effa10801a49>

Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics; I assure you that mine are greater. Albert Einstein I hated every minute of training, but I said, don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion. Muhammad Ali Learning mathematics takes a special kind of courage and enthusiasm for the subject, and to be successful in it, one needs effective teachers. Effective teachers prevent failures while poor teaching may create them. Mathematics is a major hurdle for many elementary school students, particularly when teachers rely on drilling and memorization. Failures in early mathematics can develop into full-fledged anxiety and may result in avoidance of mathematics and more failure. For a significant number people, young and adult, the failure to feel successful and consistent lowered achievement in mathematics turn into mathematics anxiety, ranging from mild to severe. Math anxiety is the strongest predictor of both applied and basic math performance. Math anxiety may continue at the work place and in higher education. In addition to socio-cultural (e.g., educational) factors, differences in students’ mathematics achievement are also due to attitude, motivation, language and intellectual abilities (e.g., executive function skills). Learning difficulties, disorders, and mathematics disabilities, like dyscalculia, often arise as a result of issues with cognitive and executive functioning. However, some students experience failure in mathematics due to environmental/social factors only (e.g., inefficient teaching, lowered expectations). A pertinent question related to mathematics anxiety is whether mathematics anxiety causes poor mathematics performance, or whether poor mathematics performance elicits mathematics anxiety. Numerical skills are important for success with meaningful problem solving, higher order thinking and higher mathematics, but other cognitive factors and executive skills (domain-specific and domain-general) also play an important role. Some of these critical skills include: (a) Working memory—holding and manipulating information in one’s mind, (b) Inhibition—ability to suppress distracting information and unwanted responses, selecting effective strategies/procedures, and using overlearned strategies wisely, and (c) Shifting—the ability to flexibly switch attention between different tasks—language, multiple concepts, strategies and multiple procedures involved have also been implicated in mathematics achievement. Executive function skills are critical at every stage of mathematics learning: from language processing for decision-

<urn:uuid:1422eab6-0bed-4dcb-94a9-0e3bdd1a2c33>

Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics; I assure you that mine are greater. Albert Einstein [...] making, monitoring, and controlling emotions, thought, and action—and then these abilities are required for planning and assessing one’s actions (What mathematical operation to choose in this problem? e.g., long division or prime factorization, etc.), attention (What is the role of these symbols and words here? What is the relationship between them?), and self-control and perseverance (What do I know here? What else can I do here?). These processes allow us to respond flexibly to a mathematics problem or concept and to engage in deliberate, goal-directed, thought and action. Executive functions also affect processing skills. The term processing disorder is an umbrella term covering a continuum from auditory processing to language processing—from acoustic/central auditory processing, to linguistic-phonemic, to decoding, to meaning within language. An auditory processing disorder will impact language processing and therefore language related aspects of mathematics such as: conceptualization (e.g., 2 × 3 can be read as (i) 2 groups of 3, (ii) 2 repeatedly added 3 times, (iii) a 2 by 3 array, and (iv) area of a 2 by 3 rectangle; ⅔×¾ is read as ⅔ of ¾, and the fraction, ¾ can be read as: (i) three-fourth/three-fourths, (ii) 3 out of 4 equal parts, (iii) 3 divided by 4, (iv) the ratio of 3 is to 4, (v) 3 groups of ¼, or (vi) ¼ repeated 4 times), of and problem solving. A child may have language processing difficulty in varying degrees of severity. Such a demand of language in mathematics creates difficulties, and with math anxiety the language processing is further compromised. Math anxiety compromises executive functions, contributing to difficulty in learning mathematics, thereby lowered achievement, and more mathematics anxiety. Math anxiety affects students’ intellectual factors such as learning styles, persistence, working memory, and organization. Brain research shows that anxiety makes learning harder because it activates the amygdala and the limbic system and pulls processing away from the pre-

<urn:uuid:1422eab6-0bed-4dcb-94a9-0e3bdd1a2c33>

Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics; I assure you that mine are greater. Albert Einstein [...] frontal cortex. If a student who makes a mistake stays calm, his brain will stay in a mode to learn, whereas if a student freaks out with a stress response at each mistake or unfamiliar answer, his brain will be less able to process the incoming information or make connections between different pieces of information both new and old. This can create a spiral: General anxiety —> making errors or lack of understanding —> math anxiety —> more mistakes or less understanding—> greater anxiety —> poor performance —> math anxiety. Mathematics anxiety is a state of discomfort and helplessness around the performance of mathematical tasks, and is generally measured using self-report trait anxiety questionnaires or can be observed by mathematics educators. On one hand, there is broad consensus that presence of mathematics anxiety is linked to poor math performance. On the other, poor mathematics performance is the result of math anxiety. Thus, debilitating emotional reaction to mathematics activity is either the cause of or an outcome of underachievement in mathematics. Mathematics anxiety is a child’s emotional reaction to negative mathematics experiences, an intense feeling of helplessness about quantity. This is a global phenomenon. Even in countries where students on the average do better than most countries, there are students who are anxious about mathematics. Math anxiety is present in many students poorly performing in mathematics, but even many high performing students exhibit math anxiety. In cases of high-performing students, math anxiety makes a major impact on their performance. High achieving students are more fearful of poor performance, and this may translate into math anxiety. But, it is the feeling of helplessness about mathematics that grips a large percent of students from elementary school to adulthood. Math anxiety is a serious and pervasive problem, especially in the middle and high school and college setting. In the earlier stage, math anxiety may indicate something is not right in a child’s mathematics learning. At this stage a child may not have internalized the mathematics anxiety. However, once math anxiety begins to be internalized, it undermines child’s self-esteem, and then it is a causative factor for poor mathematics achievement. Early math anxiety, if not treated, may lead to a cycle in which fear of math interferes with learning math that exerts an

<urn:uuid:1422eab6-0bed-4dcb-94a9-0e3bdd1a2c33>

Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics; I assure you that mine are greater. Albert Einstein [...] increasing cost to math achievement by changed attitude and motivation towards math, curtailing aspirations, increasing math avoidance, and ultimately reducing math competence. This may lead students to delay or stop taking math courses, limiting their educational opportunities. Students experience math anxiety in many forms and degrees, from a feeling of mild tension and anxiety that interferes with the manipulation of numbers and solving mathematical problems in ordinary life and academic situations to freezing up during a math exam/test and avoiding anything having to do with quantity. Symptoms may be physical or psychological and may include: - Physical: Nausea, shortness-of-breath, sweating, heart palpitations, increased blood pressure, fidgeting, lack of attention, avoiding direct eye contact, etc. - Psychological: Short-term memory loss, feeling of panic, paralysis of thought, mental disorganization, loss of self-confidence, negative self-talk, helplessness, math task avoidance, isolation (thinking you are the only one who feels this way), etc. In many cases, math anxiety is a unique kind of anxiety; for example, there is increased heart rate when people are tested on math but not on other academic areas. However, math anxiety is not restricted to tests or classroom settings, people develop severe avoidance of situations involving quantitative facts and/or reasoning and formal mathematics. They may not choose careers involving application of mathematics even if cognitively they are capable. There is overlap between math anxiety and other general types of anxiety, especially related to test taking. Math anxiety has a variety of sources. Its development is tied to social factors such as a teachers’ and parents’ anxiety about their own math ability and cognitive skills or individual factors such as students’ own quantitative and spatial competencies. All those factors that have a negative influence on mathematics achievement are potential factors for the development of math anxiety. Students can develop mathematics anxiety by the presence of teacher anxiety, societal, educational or environmental factors, innate characteristics of mathematics, failure and the influence of early-school experiences of mathematics. Types Of Math Anxiety Three types of math anxiety are identified by the factors that may cause them or by the nature of their manifestations. They are: - Math type (Specific Math Anxiety)

<urn:uuid:1422eab6-0bed-4dcb-94a9-0e3bdd1a2c33>

Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics; I assure you that mine are greater. Albert Einstein [...] is caused by mental blocks in the process of learning math and related to specific mathematics language, concept, or procedure. Generally, it relates to a difficulty or negative experience with one of the key developmental milestones—number concept, number relationships (arithmetic facts), place value, fractions, integers, algebraic or spatial thinking. - Socio-cultural type (Global Math Anxiety) is the result of socio-cultural factors. It relates to socio-cultural conditions that may influence a learner in forming negative attitudes about and aversion towards mathematics once they experience difficulties in executing mathematics tasks. - Handicap type is caused by some physical or mental handicaps. These types are generalizations of cases. Sometimes one finds the presence of each, and other times the math anxiety may be because of the integration of more than one. To illustrate the three types of math anxieties, below one example of each reflects general principles of a type of math anxiety. Example of Math Type (Specific Math Anxiety). Ms. Gamble had a master’s degree in humanities from a university and had an excellent academic record. After graduating she worked for an insurance company, taught at a school and finally decided to become a lawyer, so she wanted to take the law board examinations. She asked a friend, a professor of mathematics at the university to help her with the math/quantitative reasoning portion of the law board exams. They had one or two sessions a week for tutorials. Most of these sessions were successful, but at times, she became irrational about math tasks. She would throw down her pencil and say things like, “You just don’t understand me. I can’t stand these things any more. It does not make any sense.” She would become visibly angry and upset. She would become quite anxious. The professor started exploring the reasons behind her unpredictable behavior about mathematics. The professor ruled out any socio-cultural factor because she was very independent, assertive and knew what she was doing. She had not accepted female conditioning to the point of dependence, non-assertion and helplessness. She was intelligent, well educated and handled most of the math she was learning quite well. Finally, it became clear to him that anytime he

<urn:uuid:1422eab6-0bed-4dcb-94a9-0e3bdd1a2c33>

Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics; I assure you that mine are greater. Albert Einstein [...] tried to make her do problems involving the radical sign “√” and exponents, she had fits of math anxiety. Otherwise, she was quite comfortable with math and learned well. Somehow, she was uncomfortable with square roots and the radical sign. The radical sign and related concepts had become a mental block in her efforts to learn math. She had difficulty understanding how one could have an exponent less than a whole number, and she had difficulty conceptualizing the concept. Example of Socio-Cultural Type (Global Math Anxiety). Ms. Cook needed to pass a required math course to graduate with a liberal arts degree. She put the math course off till her last semester at the university. She finally decided on taking an elementary course called Topics in Mathematics, designed especially for liberal arts majors. Soon she had problems in the course. She claimed: “Nothing made sense, I did not understand anything.” She dreaded coming to class and always felt inadequate—“stupid.” She did not take the first quiz, avoided the class and avoided the teacher. One day, the teacher saw her in the university cafeteria and asked her what was wrong, why did she not take the quiz. Rather hesitantly, she said, “Math makes me sick, I don’t need math, people are right math is not for girls. I cannot do math.” Then, with tears in her eyes, she told the professor how her elementary school teacher used to tell her “You need to work hard. You should get help from your father every night to review the material and do the homework.” Anytime she had difficulty in arithmetic, the teacher would say: “Did you ask your dad?” She did not have a dad around. She lived with her mother—a single parent. When she asked her mother for help, her mother got angry with her and the teacher, and her mother told the teacher, “Why are you doing this to my daughter and me? I never learned this stuff in school. You know as well as I do that math is not for girls. She will be fine without it.” Since then Ms. Cook avoided math with the belief that math was not for girls. Example of Handicap Type. John, a bright young man, was crippled in a car accident. He registered in a linear algebra course at the

<urn:uuid:1422eab6-0bed-4dcb-94a9-0e3bdd1a2c33>

Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics; I assure you that mine are greater. Albert Einstein [...] university. John read the first test and thought, “This looks like a fair and easy test. I am going to do well.” But after about half an hour, his face became red, he began to perspire profusely as he tried one problem after another, and he looked sick. The professor asked if he was well and informed him that he could arrange a make-up test. John said he was all right and just made some mistakes somewhere and the answers he was getting were not checking out. The professor knew that even though John was confined to the wheelchair, he had enjoyed being in the class and worked hard. When the professor corrected the test, he noticed that John had poor handwriting—a clear case of dysgraphia. He had difficulty rounding up letters and numbers like O, 0, 9, and 6. His writing showed that words, sentences, and expressions were a mixture of upper and lower case letters. Numbers were mixed and illegible; it was not possible to distinguish whether John was writing 6 or 0. Later in his office, the professor pointed this out to John and suggested that he should do his test on a computer. With this arrangement John did well in the course. Handicaps may be of two types: physical handicaps and cognitive handicaps. Not every handicapping condition results in poor math performance or math anxiety. But, in some situations they may cause learning disabilities/difficulties in learning mathematics. Learning disabilities and some physical handicaps, generally, may affect some of the prerequisite skills necessary for mathematics learning. These prerequisite skills are: (a) the ability to follow sequential directions, (b) pattern analysis—pattern recognition, extension, creation and usage, (c) spatial orientation/space organization, (d) visualization, (e) estimation, (e) deductive reasoning, and (f) inductive reasoning. The absence of any or more of these skills affects mathematics achievement, and the lowered achievement may create math anxiety. Today, the law requires that we do everything possible to facilitate the physically handicapped and learning disabled to provide access to a quality learning experience by providing appropriate accommodations and a least restrictive learning environment without compromising the standards of mastery and competence. To comply

<urn:uuid:1422eab6-0bed-4dcb-94a9-0e3bdd1a2c33>

Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics; I assure you that mine are greater. Albert Einstein [...] with the law, it is therefore important to recognize and address math anxiety. Global Math Anxiety Caused by Socio-Cultural Factors Math anxiety of the type experienced by Ms. Cook is caused by socio-cultural factors. This type of math anxiety is not about any specific or particular concept or procedure in mathematics. There is a global negative emotional reaction to any thing mathematical. Such a student may have general anxiety to start with—may have an overall anxious personality, worrying about things in general. But, the anxiety is exacerbated and manifested more profoundly in mathematics classrooms if the teaching is not appropriate and other sociological factors come into play. Some of these individuals may experience failure in mathematics and also in other academic areas, but they admit to having anxiety only in mathematics because in mathematics students feel they are required (student perception) to give exact answers. This perceptual demand brings out the underlying anxiety to the forefront and converts into math anxiety. The anxiety is triggered whenever a student is asked to respond to specific information—facts, formulas. The subject could be grammar, a foreign language, etc. But, it happens more often in mathematics classes, particularly because mathematics teaching is driven by executing procedures and based on memorization. It happens when the teaching is compartmentalized and no connections are made. Some students have the belief that mathematics problems always have exact answers; therefore, they may feel especially pressured (e.g., many students get upset when they are solving an equation and get a fraction answer). To these students mathematics is “solving.” The only instruction they know is “solve.” When he/she makes mistakes, a person with general anxiety is much more susceptible to socio-cultural factors related to mathematics learning and performance. They search for a rationale for their negative reactions and socio-cultural factors come into play. Common causes of this type of anxiety are: - distrust of one’s intuition, especially as applied to math - illusion that math practices are an exact science - common myths about mathematical ability - the myth that boys naturally do better in math than girls - the female fear of competing on man’s turf - negative experiences of people one trusts and respects,

<urn:uuid:1422eab6-0bed-4dcb-94a9-0e3bdd1a2c33>

Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics; I assure you that mine are greater. Albert Einstein [...] in school, at home or society in general When exposed to any one or more of these negative experiences consistently, individuals may develop a negative attitude towards mathematics and perform poorly, reinforcing the anxiety. People with this type of anxiety have difficulty in most aspects of mathematics, so their response to mathematics is more global in nature and more intense. Their self-diagnosis is: “I am just very bad in mathematics. Mathematics is beyond me.” Therefore, we call this kind of anxiety global mathematics anxiety. When referred to my Center for evaluation or remediation, even before we begin the evaluation process, persons with global math anxiety volunteer comments about their incompetence in mathematics and their feelings about it. They are apt to say: - “I’m not smart enough to learn mathematics.” - “I can’t do math.” - “I just don’t understand math.” - “Math makes me sick.” - “Complete blackout when I see a math problem.” - “So and so is super bright, he is really good in math.” - “You would not believe it, but math makes me throw up.” - “I will always stay away from math. I hate math.” Key phrases used by these people are “I Hate Math”; “Math Makes Me Sick.” Such a person is likely to show irrational behavior towards math or mathematicians. Much of the anxious, blocking, fear-stricken behavior, and helplessness that many students experience and exhibit in mathematics often is not primary to mathematics as a subject but is caused by other factors. People experiencing this type of anxiety will usually talk about their moment of disinterest in math, about friends and relatives who are good in math and about tricks they played on math teachers whom they hated. There is usually a moment of “sudden death syndrome” when they felt that as far as math was concerned, they were through. These math anxious people stay away from mathematicians and anybody who is good at math. For his reason, it is almost impossible to get them to talk to a math teacher or to take them near a math building. Persons with global math anxiety are less willing to deal with their math deficiencies because they are not aware of what they are. They spend

<urn:uuid:1422eab6-0bed-4dcb-94a9-0e3bdd1a2c33>

In our image-centric society, graphic narratives are more popular than ever, but for all of their technical advancements the core of the medium remains unchanged, human-drawn stories about primary-colored heroes. The tradition even predates comics. Illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages featured brightly colored stories of saints in the margins for those who couldn’t read. In Ancient Greece, structures like the Parthenon featured stories of Greek heroes facing Amazons, centaurs, and giants in brightly painted metopes (sequential panels that ran along the top of the structure). Even in the prehistoric cave art of Lascaux and Altamira we find colorful depictions of humans overcoming physical obstacles of nature. Beyond the story and the idea of a hero, the visual appeal is partly in the artificial nature of a drawn image. When we read about a person in words, we picture a real person. A false representation such as a drawing evokes the uncanny, a sense of familiarity beyond the familiar. The effect is increased over a series of linked panels that suggest movement without actually showing it. Readers are immersed in a new universe. They have an understanding of its occurrences but lack the moment to moment actualization of its time and place. The result is a subconscious sense of allure and probability just outside the reach of the logical mind. The rest of the visual appeal comes from textual materiality, which is a scholarly phrase for the physical nature of the medium. Cave paintings were created on the uneven surface of rocks and painted in the brightest pigments available to show up in dancing, shadow-producing torchlight. The experience would have been different than looking at images on Google. Similar observations can be made for Greek sculpture and illuminated manuscripts. And comic books have their own distinct appeal through their unique materiality. Bright primary colors were used when comics began for both ease of printing and to catch a reader’s eye. Consider the psychological effect of the colors seen on the first superhero, Superman. The blue suit causes a reader’s body to produce calming chemicals, inducing trust in the hero. The red cape, however, added to simulate movement, stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing. And the effect of color doesn’t stop there. Virtually all color printing is done with yellow, cy

<urn:uuid:dbc7e7a6-585f-46f8-ad85-afd5242c2944>

- Best Essential Oils For Healing Bronchitis Naturally Infographic - Is There A Correlation Between Creativity And Not Socializing? - 3 Excellent ‘Because’ To Why Sprouted Grains Are Good For You - 7 Healthy And Easy To Make Salads For Each Day Of Your Week Video - The Science Of Alcohol Addiction - Hunger Scale And Guide To Mindful Eating Infographic - Bountiful Year: What To Eat, When To Eat It Infographic A Million Ways That Lemons Can Save Your Life America has known about lemons since at least the 16th century, when Christopher Columbus brought them to what is now Florida. Lemons (and limes) were very valuable at the time for the protection they offered against scurvy. During the Gold Rush in California, lemons were so popular and in such unbelievably high demand that people were willing to pay the unheard price of $1 each. This would be expensive even for today, but imagine that in the 1800’s! Although high levels of vitamin C and alkalizing effects on the body are no doubt among the great reasons to always keep lemons around (or to plant your own tree) these sour fruits have a type of antioxidant known as flavonoids that can fight inflammation, heart disease, and cancer, according to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The Ancient Egyptians thought that drinking the juice or eating lemons would protect you from poison. Although there are many health benefits to lemons and their juice, protection from poison might not be one of them, but they will certainly help to protect you from disease and infection, which can save your life. They are also powerful cleaning and beauty agents, which are almost as important, right?! Well, although we might not have quite a million things listed here, it might seem like it. This list contains valuable information about how you can use lemons for your health, for cleaning, for beauty treatments, and more! Keep reading to find out just how valuable lemons actually are and why people would pay a buck a piece for one! 1. Add lemon juice to your humidifier for instant room deodorizing. 2. Freeze slices of lemon with a bit of vinegar in an ice cube tray, and then

<urn:uuid:9ff91741-56b7-4a93-b68f-87050fe34c14>

The accomplishment that landed American physician and former NASA astronaut Mae Carol Jemison (pictured) in to the annals of history is quite an inspiring feat: On September 12, 1999, Jemison fulfilled a lifelong dream she held ever since she was a small girl in Chicago by becoming the first African-American woman to fly in to space. Although she was born in Decatur, Ala., her parents moved to Chicago to give their daughter the best educational opportunity. Even back then, Jemison dreamed of going in to space, “I always assumed I’d go in to space,” she said to a group of Denison University students in 2004. “I thought, by now, we’d be going in to space like you were going to work.” Jemison’s chance to take to the skies didn’t happen immediately. She took up dance at the age of 9, and has held a lifelong adoration of the art along with her enthusiasm for the sciences. A prodigious high school student, she graduated at age 16 and entered Stanford University in 1973. Graduating in 1977 with a dual degree in chemical engineering and African-American Studies, Jemison faced racism from professors as a Black woman taking up engineering. She fought through the blockades in her career, however, undaunted by the professors who didn’t appreciate her. Jemison later obtained a Doctor of Medicine in 1981 from Cornell University and travelled to third world and developing countries to provide primary care. While at Cornell, she took dance classes at the legendary Alvin Ailey school; this would later lead to her building a studio at her home and producing dance shows. The ambitious Jemison then joined the Peace Corps, serving as a lead medical officer between 1983 and 1985. It was during this time Jemison felt it was her chance to go to the stars. The NASA program had begun taking applications after Sally Ride’s historic flight around Earth. Initially denied for entry, Jemison was accepted by the program in 1987 and began working on the technical side of shuttle operations at the Kennedy Space Center. Much later, Jemison would make history. Jemison’s first and

<urn:uuid:f8c9f7b5-9047-4a25-94a5-e7f38e2f5872>

First of all, what is light cream? It's a term unfamiliar to many Americans, though it's common in Europe, where it's often used in coffee and tea and for making sauces and gravies. But it makes sense; after all, we have heavy cream, right? Light cream is basically just whole milk with some cream added in, typically having between 18 and 30 percent butterfat. And when trying to select a light cream substitute, the best way is to go by the butterfat content. In most recipes, you can substitute half-and-half for light cream. Half-and-half has less butterfat – only between 10.5 and 18 percent – so sauces and gravies will be a bit lighter; but if it's used in baking or as a casserole or side dish ingredient, the difference is negligible. Make your own half-and-half by combining equal parts of whole milk and heavy or whipping cream that has butterfat content between 30 and 36 percent. Evaporated Milk Alternate Evaporated milk is sold in cans. It's whole milk that has half its water content removed. When mixed with equal parts water, it replaces whole milk in recipes. Regular evaporated milk is a good alternate for light cream, too. However, since it has only 8 percent butterfat, it won't thicken as well as light cream. To compensate, blend a little flour or cornstarch into evaporated milk to increase its thickening power before adding it to other ingredients. Whole Milk Replacement If all you have on hand is whole milk, you can increase its butterfat content and use it in place of light cream. Add 3 tablespoons of butter to 7/8 cup of whole milk to replicate 1 cup of light cream. Cottage Cheese-Milk Stand-In For each cup of light cream called for, blend or process 1/2 cup each of whole milk and cottage cheese. The butterfat in the cottage cheese replaces the butter added to the whole milk substitute. Cream Cooking Tips Whatever type of cream or cream substitute you use, always heat it over very low heat, and don't leave it unattended, as it scorches quickly and easily, giving the recipe

<urn:uuid:2de930ba-a262-41ce-816a-55fde1087aa4>

Impact on Self-Concepts The Impact of Reading Recovery on Students’ Self-Concepts Rumbaugh, W., & Brown, C. (2000). Reading Psychology, 21, 13-30. Rumbaugh and Brown studied the effects of Reading Recovery participation on students’ self-concept. The treatment group was comprised of 57 students from nine elementary schools who were selected for Reading Recovery instruction in the first week of school. The 46 students in the control group had diverse reading and writing abilities and were not enrolled in any reading intervention or in special education. The control group came from a single elementary school. All participants were administered the Joseph Pre-School and Primary Self-Concept Screening Test in early September prior to the treatment and again in mid-December. There were statistically significant differences between Reading Recovery students and control students on the Global Self-Concept and Significance domain scores. Hence, the authors concluded: - Reading Recovery participation does affect positively students’ Global Self Concept scores. - The meaningful effect of Reading Recovery participation on students’ self-concept is related to the additional attention, or Significance domain, that students receive during several months of Reading Recovery. - The initial positive effect on students’ self-concept cannot be attributed to increased growth in independence or cognitive factors. Based on their results, Rumbaugh and Brown concluded: School districts that choose to implement and maintain a Reading Recovery program would reap considerable benefits. One of the systemic advantages could be that the districts gain students who experience improved self-concepts due to enhanced feelings of significance. Not only will the Reading Recovery participants most likely become independent readers, they will also most likely become more confident, positive, self-accepting, proud, adaptable, and eager to complete tasks. (p. 28) This abstract first appeared in What Evidence Says About Reading Recovery (2002). Columbus, OH: Reading Recovery Council of North America. - Overall effectiveness - Learning of at-risk children - Comparing instructional models - Helping at-risk children - Phonological processing skills - Experimental evaluation - Meta-analysis of U.S. schools - Children’s achievement - English language learners -

<urn:uuid:63ac6709-c8e9-4487-9a18-b22cc63dd027>

Space agency NASA launched MESSENGER (an acronym of MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) in August 2004 to study Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun. The robotic spacecraft successfully entered Mercury’s orbit on March 17, 2011. Since then, it has been studying the planet’s chemical composition, geology, and magnetic field. And now, it’s been reported that MESSENGER is going closer to Mercury than ever before to study the planet more deeply. MESSENGER has already explored vast chemical diversity on the planet’s surface. MESSENGER has also found new evidence for water ice at Mercury’s poles. Besides, until now MESSENGER has captured more than 200,000 images of Mercury. MESSENGER has done this all from being a safe distance. But on July 25, MESSENGER moved closer to Mercury than any spacecraft has before, dropping to an altitude at closest approach of only 100 kilometers (62 miles) above the planet’s surface. The latest observational campaign includes closer looks at polar ice deposits, unusual geological features, and the planet’s gravity and magnetic fields “in ways that have never been possible“. Such closeness of MESSENGER to Mercury is allowing the NASA scientists “see Mercury up close and personal for the first time.” MESSENGER Mission Design Lead Engineer Jim McAdams has confirmed that because of progressive changes to the orbit over time, MESSENGER’s minimum altitude will continue to decrease. On August 19, the minimum altitude will be cut in half, to 50 kilometers. Closest approach will be halved again to 25 kilometers on September 12. McAdams said, “Soon after reaching 25 kilometers above Mercury, an orbit-correction maneuver (OCM-10) will raise this minimum altitude to about 94 kilometers. Two more maneuvers, on October 24 and January 21, 2015, will raise the minimum altitude sufficiently to delay the inevitable – impact onto Mercury’s surface – until March 2015.”

<urn:uuid:1e346a0c-a806-474d-87c2-f71db504c4b6>

Rory Lewandowski, OSU Extension Educator, Wayne County Grazing management during the months of September and October directly impacts the vigor and growth of pasture in the spring. For the perennial grass plant, the fall season is a time of laying the foundation for next year’s growth. Although seed production is one way that a perennial plant can survive from year to year, in pastures the more important way that plants survive is through re-growth from buds located at the crown of the plant. It is during the short day, long night periods in the fall of the year that flower buds are formed/initiated on the crown of the plant. The plant leaf tissue dies during the winter, but the buds and roots of the plant remain as living tissues over the winter and continue to respire and burn energy. If root reserves are insufficient the plant may die over the winter. If the plant survives but root reserves are low, spring re-growth and vigor of the plant is reduced. From a plant health standpoint, overgrazing during the fall is more detrimental to the plant compared to overgrazing followed by rest in the early part of the growing season. Here is the reason why. Early in the growing season environmental conditions are generally favorable for rapid growth. If a plant is overgrazed, carbohydrate reserves are mobilized to start new leaf growth. The long day lengths, warm air temperatures, cool soil temperatures and good soil moisture all combine to help the plant grow leaf area quickly. New leaf growth allows the plant to once again capture energy from the sun through photosynthesis. The plant rapidly achieves a positive energy balance. Photosynthesis replaces the carbohydrate reserves and continues to provide energy needed for further leaf growth. In the fall of the year environmental conditions are not as favorable for rapid leaf growth. We can’t count upon an overgrazed plant being able to recover and generate a lot of leaf growth. Physiologically the plant growth response or the ability to put out new leaf material is more sensitive to low temperature than the rate of photosynthesis. In other words, even when plant growth might be very slow, if there is leaf area present, photosynthesis is not slowed down. On a practical level this means that since the plant growth rate is slowed the carbohydrates produced by photosynthesis

<urn:uuid:76a50843-ac0b-4882-8ca4-12aa76a377f9>

Rory Lewandowski, OSU Extension Educator, Wayne County Grazing management during [...] during this time period accumulate in plant storage organs. This is exactly what the plant needs to survive the winter and produce new growth next spring. We sometimes use the term carbohydrate root reserves to make a distinction between carbohydrates used for growth and those used for storage. Technically, our cool season grasses store the majority of carbohydrate reserves in stem and tiller bases, some in rhizomes and only a little in roots. Regardless of the technicality, root vigor and volume is linked to leaf growth and vice versa. However, this technicality does help us to understand some management aspects of pasture grass and fall carbohydrate storage. For example, orchardgrass stores carbohydrates in the lower 3-4 inches of stem bases and tillers. Tall fescue and bluegrass both maintain carbohydrate storage at the base of tillers as well as rhizomes. Tall fescue and bluegrass can both tolerate lower grazing/clipping heights than orchardgrass. Once we reach the fall period it is critical that grass plants be managed to insure that adequate leaf area is left after a grazing pass. Photosynthesis will provide the carbohydrates needed for winter storage, provided there is adequate leaf area. Since leaf growth will be slow, this means leaving a typical grazing residual plus some extra. For orchardgrass this probably means 4-5 inches at a minimum. Tall fescue and bluegrass should probably be managed to leave a 3-4 inch residual. What is the consequence of not maintaining enough leaf area in the fall and overgrazing the plant? The 2012 drought provided us with the perfect example as quite a few pastures ended up being overgrazed through the fall period. This spring I saw pastures that were overgrazed in the fall were very slow to green up and start growth in the spring. I saw overgrazed pastures exhibit lower growth rates. Some pastures never got back to pre-drought productivity. I sometimes get asked at what point in the fall grasses can be grazed to soil level without harming the plant. This has to be once top growth

<urn:uuid:76a50843-ac0b-4882-8ca4-12aa76a377f9>

Ask most people about sweet potatoes and they’ll tell you they are just like potatoes. Or even worse, they’ll call them yams. The truth is, they’re sort of in class of their own in the vegetable garden. To plant them in the garden, you’ll need slips, or little transplants, to plant. You can buy them in bundles at some garden centers late in the spring, but they are getting harder to find — plus you usually get more than most small gardens can handle. Unlike white potatoes which are tubers, you don’t cut the potatoes into pieces and plant them. You’ll need to start out with transplants. That’s where the DIY attitude comes in. You can start your own sweet potato slips. It is a relatively simple process. You can either start your sweet potato slips indoors or by using a cold frame outdoors. If you are starting them indoors, you’ll need a container that can hold a few inches of sand or potting media, yet is wide enough to hold all of your potatoes. I think something like a disposable aluminum roasting pan would work (with holes in the bottom for drainage). To start, select healthy looking sweet potatoes that are around 1½ inches in diameter. If you grow sweet potatoes and have saved some from last year, those will work great. You may also be able to find some seed sweet potatoes. While it may not be the best, you can also try it out using store-bought sweet potatoes. Put a few inches of moist sand, vermiculite or very light potting mix in the bottom of the container (or cold frame). Lay the seed potatoes horizontally in the media, making sure not to crowd them too much. Cover with more media until the roots are about 1 inch deep. Be sure to keep the sand or medium moist to get the best growth. Place the tray in an area that is 75 to 80 degrees during the day. You may need to have a heat source, such as a heating mat, to get it to work. Once the slips are 4 to 6 inches tall, you can twist them off of the potato. The potato may continue to produce new slips. Before you plant the slips in the garden, you’ll want to put them in a glass of water or pot them

<urn:uuid:e6bdb670-1b06-4667-82dc-0754e96773a2>

Comparative law is the study of the relationship between legal systems. It involves studying similarities and differences between laws of different nations. It analyses different law cultures such as common law, civil law, Islamic law, and Jewish law. It helps us to understand foreign law systems and to harmonize between local law and internal law. The goal of comparative law is to have a deeper understanding of law itself. It also strives to perfect the law systems already in place. The ultimate goal of comparative law is to try and unify all the legal systems. Comparative law formally originated from Europe in the 18th century. Montesquieu is largely referred to as a formative founding father of comparative law. Evidence of this can be found in chapter 3 of his book 1 of his masterpiece, De l’esprit des lois (1748). He makes reference to suitability of political and civil laws to the members of a nation as paramount. The modern founder of comparative law is Sir Henry Maine. Source: en.wikipedia.org In his 1861 work Ancient Law: Its Connection with the Early History of Society, and Its Relation to Modern Ideas. He makes reference to comparative studies between occidental and oriental legal traditions. Sujit Choudhry is Michael Heyman Professor of Law at Berkeley. He is an international authority is comparative law. He has been an advisor to the constitution making processes in a host of countries. He has advised in South Africa, Nepal, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Libya, Jordan, Tunisia and Ukraine. Before being appointed to Berkeley, he was Cecelia Goetz Professor of Law at the New York University School of Law. He was also previously Scholl Chair at the School of Law, University of Toronto. He has law degrees from the prestigious Oxford, Toronto and Harvard Law Schools.Professor Choudhry is one of the founders of the Center for Constitutional Transactions in his capacity as Director. This is an organization that brings together comparative law experts to do research projects that offer solutions based on evidence. He has done some work himself. He has not only written research papers but also books. His books include Constitutional Design for Divided Societies: Integration or Accommodation?, Constitution Making (Constitutional Law Series, #2) and The Migration of Constitutional Ideas. It

<urn:uuid:9dcc7d42-f629-42f5-8ed3-d75b20cecf5c>

Vitamins naturally occur in food and are needed in very small amounts for various bodily functions such as energy production and making red blood cells. There are 13 vitamins that our body needs, eight of which make up the B-group (or B-complex) vitamins. The B-group vitamins do not provide the body with fuel for energy, even though supplement advertisements often claim they do. It is true though that without B-group vitamins the body lacks energy. The body uses energy-yielding nutrients such as carbohydrates, fat and protein for fuel. The B-group vitamins help the body to use that fuel. Other B-group vitamins play necessary roles such as helping cells to multiply by making new DNA. Vitamin B in food Even though the B-group vitamins are found in many foods, they are water soluble and delicate. They are easily destroyed, particularly by alcohol and cooking. Food processing can also reduce the amount of B-group vitamins in foods, making white flours, breads and rice less nutritious than their wholegrain counterparts. The body has a limited capacity to store most of the B-group vitamins (except B12 and folate, which are stored in the liver). A person who has a poor diet for a few months may end up with B-group vitamins deficiency. For this reason, it is important that adequate amounts of these vitamins be eaten regularly as part of a well-balanced, nutritious diet. Vitamin B supplements Taking B-group vitamin supplements can sometimes mask deficiencies of other vitamins. It is also important not to self-diagnose a vitamin deficiency because some vitamins can be toxic if taken incorrectly. See your doctor or dietitian for advice. Types of vitamin B There are eight types of vitamin B: - thiamin (B1) - pantothenic acid - vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) - folate (called folic acid when included in supplements) - vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin). Thiamin is also known as vitamin B1 and helps to convert glucose into energy and has a role in nerve function. More

<urn:uuid:a0fc8353-c26f-4111-8d3b-3b286dc311de>

Vitamins naturally occur in food and are needed in very small amounts for various bodily functions such [...] information about thiamin includes: - Good sources of thiamin – include wholemeal cereal grains, seeds (especially sesame seeds), legumes, wheatgerm, nuts, yeast and pork. In Australia, it is mandatory that white and wholemeal flour used for bread is fortified with thiamin. - Thiamin deficiency – is generally found in countries where the dietary staple is white rice. Deficiencies in the Western world are generally caused by excessive alcohol intake and/or a very poor diet. Symptoms include confusion, irritability, poor arm or leg (or both) coordination, lethargy, fatigue and muscle weakness. - ‘Wet’ and ‘dry’ beriberi – this is caused by thiamin deficiency and affects the cardiovascular, muscular, gastrointestinal and nervous systems. As well as the above symptoms, a person with ‘dry’ beriberi suffers from a damaged nervous system due to the thiamin deficiency and may have nerve degeneration, nervous tingling throughout the body, poor arm and leg coordination, and deep pain in the calf muscles. Symptoms of ‘wet’ beriberi relate to the cardiovascular system and include an enlarged heart, heart failure and severe oedema (swelling). - Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (also called ‘wet brain’) – this is a thiamin-deficiency disease linked to alcohol excess and a thiamin-deficient diet. Alcohol reduces thiamin absorption in the gut and increases its excretion from the kidneys. Symptoms of the disease include involuntary movement of the eyeball, paralysis of the eye muscle, staggering and mental confusion. Riboflavin is primarily involved in energy production and helps vision and skin health. More information about riboflavin includes: - Good sources of riboflavin – include milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese, wholegrain breads and cereals, egg white, leafy green vegetables, meat, yeast, liver and kidney. - Riboflavin deficiency (ariboflavinosis) – is rare and is usually

<urn:uuid:a0fc8353-c26f-4111-8d3b-3b286dc311de>

Vitamins naturally occur in food and are needed in very small amounts for various bodily functions such [...] seen along with other B-group vitamin deficiencies. People at risk include those who consume excessive amounts of alcohol and those who do not consume milk or milk products. Symptoms include an inflamed tongue (painful, smooth, purple-red tongue), cracks and redness in the tongue and corners of the mouth, anxiety, inflamed eyelids and sensitivity to light, hair loss, reddening of the cornea and skin rash. Niacin is essential for the body to convert carbohydrates, fat and alcohol into energy. It helps maintain skin health and supports the nervous and digestive systems. Unlike other B-group vitamins, niacin is very heat stable and little is lost in cooking. More information about niacin includes: - Good sources of niacin – include meats, fish, poultry, milk, eggs, wholegrain breads and cereals, nuts, mushrooms and all protein-containing foods. - Excessive intake – large doses of niacin produce a drug-like effect on the nervous system and on blood fats. While favourable changes in blood fats are seen, side effects include flushing, itching, nausea and potential liver damage. - Niacin deficiency (pellagra) – people who drink excessive amounts of alcohol or live on a diet almost exclusively based on corn are at risk of pellagra. Others causes are associated with digestive problems where the body does not absorb niacin efficiently. The main symptoms of pellagra are commonly referred to as the three Ds – dementia, diarrhoea and dermatitis. Other symptoms include an inflamed and swollen tongue, irritability, loss of appetite, mental confusion, weakness and dizziness. This disease can lead to death if not treated. Pantothenic acid (B5) Pantothenic acid is needed to metabolise carbohydrates, proteins, fats and alcohol as well as produce red blood cells and steroid hormones. Good sources of pantothenic acid are widespread and found in a range of foods, but some good sources include liver, meats, milk, kidneys, eggs, yeast, peanuts and legumes.

<urn:uuid:a0fc8353-c26f-4111-8d3b-3b286dc311de>

Vitamins naturally occur in food and are needed in very small amounts for various bodily functions such [...] Pantothenic acid deficiency is extremely rare. Symptoms include loss of appetite, fatigue and insomnia, constipation, vomiting and intestinal distress. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) Pyridoxine is needed for protein and carbohydrate metabolism, the formation of red blood cells and certain brain chemicals. It influences brain processes and development, immune function and steroid hormone activity. Some facts about vitamin B6 include: - Good sources of pyridoxine – include cereal grains and legumes, green and leafy vegetables, fish and shellfish, meat and poultry, nuts, liver and fruit. - Excessive intake of pyridoxine – mostly due to supplementation, can lead to harmful levels in the body that can damage nerves. Symptoms include walking difficulties and numbness in the hands and feet. Large doses of B6 taken over a long period can lead to irreversible nerve damage. - Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and carpal tunnel syndrome – there is some evidence that vitamin B6 may be useful in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome and PMS. Seek advice from a doctor before using large doses of this supplement (above 100 mg per day) because of the danger of overdose and nerve damage. - Pyridoxine deficiency – people who drink excessive alcohol, women (especially those on the contraceptive pill), the elderly and people with thyroid disease are at particular risk of deficiency. Symptoms include insomnia, depression, anaemia, smooth tongue and cracked corners of the mouth, irritability, muscle twitching, convulsions, confusion and dermatitis. Biotin (B7) is needed for energy metabolism, fat synthesis, amino acid metabolism and glycogen synthesis. High biotin intake can contribute to raised blood cholesterol levels. Good sources of biotin include cauliflower, egg yolks, peanuts, liver, chicken, yeast and mushrooms. Biotin deficiency is very rare because biotin is widely distributed in foods and is only required in small amounts

<urn:uuid:a0fc8353-c26f-4111-8d3b-3b286dc311de>

Vitamins naturally occur in food and are needed in very small amounts for various bodily functions such [...] . Over-consumption of raw egg whites over periods of several months by bodybuilders, for example, can induce deficiency because a protein in the egg white inhibits biotin absorption. Symptoms include pale or grey skin, cracked sore tongue, depression, hallucinations, abnormal heart actions, loss of appetite, nausea, dry skin and scaly dermatitis, hair loss, muscle pain, and weakness and fatigue. Folic acid (folate or B9) Folate is needed to form red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body. It helps the development of the foetal nervous system, as well as DNA synthesis and cell growth. Women of child-bearing age need a diet rich in folate. If planning a pregnancy, you should consider taking supplements or eating fortified foods (vitamins added to processed food). This is important to reduce risks such as spina bifida in the baby. Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate and is used extensively in dietary supplements and food fortification. Some facts about folate include: - Good sources of folate – these include green leafy vegetables, legumes, seeds, liver, poultry, eggs, cereals and citrus fruits. From September 2009, all flour used in bread making (except for flour to be used in breads listed as ‘organic’) has been fortified with folic acid. - Excessive intake – folate is generally considered non-toxic, although excessive intakes above 1,000 mg per day over a period of time can lead to malaise, irritability and intestinal dysfunction. The main risk with excessive folate intake is that it can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency, so it is best to consume these two vitamins within the recommended amounts. - Folate deficiency – the symptoms include weight loss, tiredness, fatigue and weakness, folate-deficiency anaemia (megaloblastic anaemia) and (during pregnancy) an increased risk of a neural tube defects such as spina bifida for the baby. Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) V

<urn:uuid:a0fc8353-c26f-4111-8d3b-3b286dc311de>

- About half of the world's turtle species face possible extinction -- due in large part to a growing demand for turtles as a popular dining delicacy and a source of traditional medicines. Sixty of the world's leading experts on freshwater turtles reached that conclusion at a special gathering in Nevada this month. The phenomenon described as a "turtle survival crisis" was the most urgent topic at a prestigious international conference held in Laughlin, Nev., August 13-15. The Powdermill IV conference (named after the site of their first gathering in Pennsylvania in 1980), also discussed freshwater turtle ecology, behavior, systematics and conservation. "We are on the brink of losing a group of animals that has managed to survive the upheavals of the last 200 million years, including the great extinction episode that eliminated the dinosaurs," said Dr. Russell Mittermeier, President of Conservation International and an expert on turtles. "Turtles are apparently at comparable risk as the world's declining amphibians yet they have not received the same level of attention," said Dr. Jeffrey Lovich, spokesperson for the researchers, co-organizer of the workshop, and a scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey. "Nearly half of all known species of turtles are considered to be at risk," he said. "We have done a good job of educating the public about the plight of amphibians, but like them, reptiles such as turtles, need protection too," said Dr. Whit Gibbons of the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. "Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) has begun to address this whole class of threatened animals. If turtles are to be saved, it will have to be through cooperative efforts, such as PARC." "While many people are aware that sea turtles are endangered, few realize that many freshwater turtles and tortoises, several with very restricted geographic ranges, face an even more critical situation," said Dr. Peter Pritchard, Director of the Chelonian Research Institute and Vice Chairman of World Conservation Union (IUCN) Freshwater Turtle and Tortoise Specialist Group.

<urn:uuid:c3aef41e-8b31-4378-86e9-e3a9c1d98374>

- About half of the world's turtle species face possible extinction -- due in large [...] "Many giant tortoises on oceanic islands have already been driven to extinction over the last three centuries because of human exploitation. So far, freshwater turtles have come through this century with the documented extinction of just one subspecies -- a small mud turtle from Mexico. However, all sea turtles, most remaining tortoises, and many freshwater turtles are endangered or threatened and require urgent conservation action. Some 12 turtle species are considered critically endangered, facing a high risk of imminent extinction unless long-term population trends are reversed," said Dr. Anders Rhodin, Director of Chelonian Research Foundation and co-sponsor of the conference. "Turtles are threatened in the United States as well. About 55 species of turtles, or approximately 20 percent of the world's total turtle diversity, are in the United States. Of these, 25 species (45 percent) require conservation action, and 21 species (38 percent) are protected, or are candidates for protection," said Lovich. The turtle researchers found a striking contrast between the "declining amphibian phenomenon" and the "turtle survival crisis." The main causes of declines in amphibians are associated with ecological change. The turtle decline seems first and foremost to be driven by human consumption. The wealthy eat turtles as a luxury food item especially in Southeast Asia. In places like Madagascar and Mexico, they are eaten by the very poor, for subsistence. Some 50 percent of the total number of threatened turtles are at risk due to this type of exploitation. The Southeast Asian trade is driven by an enormous and growing demand from China, where age-old traditions of consuming turtles for food and as medicine are growing dramatically with increased affluence and the recent convertibility of Chinese currency. Some of the most desired species fetch as much as $1,000 in Southeast Asian markets. Scientists often discover turtles that are rarely seen in the wild in open markets and restaurants. "Although much of this is being done in the name of tradition, it now threatens the survival of a globally

<urn:uuid:c3aef41e-8b31-4378-86e9-e3a9c1d98374>

- About half of the world's turtle species face possible extinction -- due in large [...] important group of animals. In light of the severity of the problem, this use of turtles should be stopped," said Mittermeier. This trade has hit already depleted turtle populations in Southeast Asian countries particularly hard. China's own turtles are already decimated. Several Chinese species only discovered in the last two decades are possibly extinct due to high demand. Vietnam, Bangladesh and Indonesia are exporting large numbers of turtles to China and this unsustainable trade now seems to be extending to other countries as well. Indeed, well over 7 million turtles of several species are exported every year from the United States, as pets or food products. Turtle species in the United States often receive little or no protection. In all, nearly 50 species of turtles worldwide are affected by this trade. "Of particular concern are some of the large, slow-growing river turtles, with large females being among the most impacted," said Pritchard. "Many turtle species are unlikely survive the onslaught of human exploitation and habitat loss if current trends continue. As we enter the next millennium, there is a great risk that a number of turtles will become extinct, particularly in Southeast Asia." The scientists called for the following measures to address the turtle survival crisis: - Existing conservation trade laws and regulations must be enforced to ensure thorough and ongoing monitoring of the turtle trade, including numbers of animals, origins, and destinations. - Dialogues should open among international scientists and policy makers with Chinese authorities and other exporting nations to encourage much more effective national trade controls. - U.S. regulatory agencies should substantially increase import and export regulations and enforcement related to the international trade of freshwater turtles. Non-governmental conservation organizations should develop turtle conservation strategies. - Captive breeding should be undertaken for some of the most endangered species, while the underlying problems that caused the declines are being addressed. Slide photographs are available upon request through USGS and The Chelonian Research Institute. Slide photographs are available upon request through USGS and The Chelonian Research Institute. Spokespeople for Powdermill IV include: Dr. Jeffrey Lovich,

<urn:uuid:c3aef41e-8b31-4378-86e9-e3a9c1d98374>

The following is a transcript of the audio. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which effectively nullified legal discrimination on the basis of race, and put an end to the Jim Crow laws that had mandated segregation for so long. Pastor John, you grew up in South Carolina in those tumultuous days — the 1950s and 60s. Now you’re 68 years old. What has changed in these past 50 years? How different is the racial landscape in America today? Not everything has changed. Human nature is still what it is. Not everything has changed relationally, but there have been stunning changes, many for good, some for ill. And as I gave thought to this question I have written down, just jotted notes here on 10 things. Let me see if I can just bullet them for people to think and pray about and celebrate when appropriate. Number one has to be the president of the United States is black. If you had told plantation owners 150 years ago or members of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s or white southerners I grew up with including me that this would, none would have believed it. It is astonishing and wonderful in itself, quite apart from any moral or philosophical differences we may have with President Obama. The President of the United States is black and he couldn’t even drink out of the same fountain with me in 1959 at Kress’ Five and 10. Number two. Dejure segregation is over. Racism has been successfully stigmatized. It is against the law to require segregation. It was not when I was growing up. In fact, the laws enforced segregation. Couldn’t go to the same restaurants. Couldn't stay in the same motel room. Couldn’t go to the same schools. Couldn’t drink from the same fountain. It was appallingly demeaning. And, just as significantly as the overturning of the laws, these Jim Crow laws is the fact that today publicly you can’t celebrate Racism with incurring almost universal disapproval. You could when I was a kid. Now this doesn’t mean it is gone, but it does mean that God in his prov

<urn:uuid:c892ab60-602a-42db-8fda-518e97cc2165>

The following is a transcript of the audio. This year marks the 50th anniversary [...] idence has willed to erect this cultural dam against the river of human pride and hate, to hinder its public expression and, in the process, even make many millions of people feel that it is reprehensible. That is an amazing, not only legal turnaround, but attitudinal and cultural turn around. Number three. Educationally, economically, vocationally, medically, politically the gains have been great. And for blacks. And the remaining gaps are great. Seventy-five percent of blacks adults, for example, had not completed high school 50 years ago. Today it is 15-percent. Three point five times as many blacks age 18 to 24 are enrolled in college today as 50 years ago. Five times as many black adults hold a college degree today as did 50 years ago. But on average blacks remain twice as likely as whites to be unemployed and earn less than two thirds the income of whites. There are many kinds of gaps that still exist that are all out of proportion to the population percentages. Fourth. Family stability has gone backward across the board, whites and blacks. One indicator in all our communities of this is that the out of wedlock births have sky rocketed in the last 50 years. This has led to astonishing and painful and disruptive fatherlessness in many of our communities. For all the gains, few things can make up for the loss of solid home life, whatever the race. And it is more broken, more fragile today than it has ever been in American life across the ethnic spectrum. Fifth, the Democratic Party where most African Americans feel at home, have felt at home for decades is now so morally compromised with the approval of homosexual intercourse and child killing that blacks with a biblical morality are put in a crisis of conscience they never had before. It has been maddening to many blacks that political and media leaders have tried to make the approval of homosexual intercourse equivalent to the approval of black civil rights. It is a turn of affairs that would have been inconceivable 30 years ago. And how that is going to shake out ethnically and politically I do not know, but it is a remarkable and regrettable turn of affairs. Number six, another

<urn:uuid:c892ab60-602a-42db-8fda-518e97cc2165>

The following is a transcript of the audio. This year marks the 50th anniversary [...] remarkable development over the last 50 years has been the emergence of global multiculturalism along with the multiplication of black cultures in America. In other words, less and less should we think in binary ways, like black and white, those two. And there are two reasons for that. One is that the whole world with its endless array of cultures and ethnicities is at our doorstep and the world is vastly more diverse than we ever thought it was. And the other reason is because of the proliferation of black sub cultures in America today, so that you get people like Touré writing a book Who is Afraid of Post Blackness saying: There is no such thing as black anymore. There is only multiple black cultures so that the united front that you could think of pretty much in the 60s is no more politically or socio-economically according to these writers. Seventh, which leads to the recognition that there is still deep and persistent Racism that hates this kind of diversity and hates this kind of multiculturalism in America. White supremacists are still here. Just last week we had one of them go on a rampage and try to kill three Jewish people and wound up killing three white Christians. But he was a Ku Klux Klan chapter founder and that is 2014 we are talking about, not 1914. And so there is now, there always will be, I presume, evil in the human heart, breaking out in these kinds of expressions. Number eight. There are wonderful outcroppings of theological and spiritual and church renewal in all of the ethnicities including some remarkable expressions of it in black cultural like Christian hip hop or Reformed African American Network or the front porch. These are the kinds of things that I am most excited about and that would not have been really imaginable 50 years ago. Nine. Thousands of churches, black and white, remain ambivalent about what to do about multi ethnicity. They don’t even know if it is worth addressing. They don’t know if it matters. They are uncertain. A lot of pastors are just uncertain what to do about it. Is it a central biblical issue? If so, what should I say about it? What should we do about it?

<urn:uuid:c892ab60-602a-42db-8fda-518e97cc2165>

The following is a transcript of the audio. This year marks the 50th anniversary [...] And given where we live it doesn’t seem to have the same cloud as it does in Memphis. And there is just a lot of uncertainty and a lot of pastors are paralyzed by these questions. But I hope and I pray that that is going to turn around, because it is a major issue and I think we are seeing a wonderful movement, like the movement we have talked about where both black and white and other ethnicities are encouraging themselves to be multi ethnic. One more. John Piper was once blind and now I see. That is the one that comes closest to home to me. The 1960 14 year old John Piper and the 2014 68 year old John Piper are not the same person racially. The self absorbed teenager who was more concerned about his complexion than segregation and Racism has been shown mercy and today has repented and turned to walk in the light of Revelation 5:9 and celebrate what God is doing in the kind of triumphs that have come in the last 50 years for the sake of racial and ethnic diversity. God is kind. Yes, God is very kind. There’s a lot in this podcast to follow up on, and I’ll mention just a couple of things. Speaking of gay rights and civil rights, there’s a piece written by Voddie Baucham that is not to be missed over at The Gospel Coalition website. His blog post is titled: “Gay Is Not the New Black” (http://dsr.gd/1hTLyVr). Check that out by Googling the title. And you can follow the work of our friends, Thabiti, Louis Love, and Tony Carter over at The Front Porch website, at http://thefrontporch.org/. Finally, Bloodlines is book on race by Pastor John, which can be downloaded entirely, free of charge, at desiringGod.org. We will be back with an all new episode tomorrow. Until then, I’m your host, Tony Reinke. Thanks for listening to the Ask Pastor John podcast.

<urn:uuid:c892ab60-602a-42db-8fda-518e97cc2165>

Bodies Of Water Students will be able to identify the major bodies of water and describe examples of the major bodies of water. Introduction (10 minutes) - Write the following words on the board: "ocean," "gulf," "bay," "inlet," "river," and "lakes." - Ask your students if they know what those words mean. Explicit Instruction/Teacher Modeling (30 minutes) - Go over the Bodies Of Water slideshow presentation with your students. - Explain each slide with examples. Guided Practice/Interactive Modeling (50 minutes) - Ask your students to create a Bodies Of Water book using white paper. - Tell your students to use the slides to get information. - Tell your students that the book should be seven pages. There should be a page for each type of body of water and a title page. - Each page about a body of water should contain a description of the body of water as well as a 3D picture of the body of water that sticks out. - The pictures should be created using construction paper. Independent Working Time (20 minutes) - Ask your students to create a flow chart for each body of water. - Tell your students that the top rectangle should name the body of water. - Tell your students that there should be four rectangles connected to each top rectangle. The bottom rectangles should contain examples for each body of water. - Tell your students to use the slides, maps, or their textbook to find names of various rivers, oceans, bays, gulfs, inlets, and lakes. - Enrichment: Ask your students to create a poster about any body of water. Their poster should have the title, examples, and pictures of at least four examples along with three facts about each example. - Support: Get a world map. Point to the various rivers, lakes, oceans, inlets, gulfs, and bays. Show your students the area covered by each. Assessment (20 minutes) - Have your students complete the Bodies of Water worksheet. Review and Closing (10 minutes) - Go around the class and ask your students to state a fact about any body of water.

<urn:uuid:a6c664c3-bbac-402b-a5ae-5aacc6bd92f9>

Researchers at Rice University have created a synthetic material that gets stronger from repeated stress much like the body strengthens bones and muscles after repeated workouts. Work by the Rice lab of Pulickel Ajayan, professor in mechanical engineering and materials science and of chemistry, shows the potential of stiffening polymer-based nanocomposites with carbon nanotube fillers. The team reported its discovery this month in the journal ACS Nano. The trick, it seems, lies in the complex, dynamic interface between nanostructures and polymers in carefully engineered nanocomposite materials. Brent Carey, a graduate student in Ajayan's lab, found the interesting property while testing the high-cycle fatigue properties of a composite he made by infiltrating a forest of vertically aligned, multiwalled nanotubes with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), an inert, rubbery polymer. To his great surprise, repeatedly loading the material didn't seem to damage it at all. In fact, the stress made it stiffer. Carey, whose research is sponsored by a NASA fellowship, used dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) to test their material. He found that after an astounding 3.5 million compressions (five per second) over about a week's time, the stiffness of the composite had increased by 12 percent and showed the potential for even further improvement. "It took a bit of tweaking to get the instrument to do this," Carey said. "DMA generally assumes that your material isn't changing in any permanent way. In the early tests, the software kept telling me, 'I've damaged the sample!' as the stiffness increased. I also had to trick it with an unsolvable program loop to achieve the high number of cycles." Materials scientists know that metals can strain-harden during repeated deformation, a result of the creation and jamming of defects -- known as dislocations -- in their crystalline lattice. Polymers, which are made of long, repeating chains of atoms, don't behave the same way. The team is not sure precisely why their synthetic material behaves as it does. "We were able to rule out further cross-linking in the polymer as an explanation," Carey said. "The data shows that there's very little chemical interaction,

<urn:uuid:da4430b0-e7a1-4a35-9ec9-07c3c644f5a9>

Researchers at Rice University have created a synthetic material that gets stronger from repeated stress much like the body [...] if any, between the polymer and the nanotubes, and it seems that this fluid interface is evolving during stressing." "The use of nanomaterials as a filler increases this interfacial area tremendously for the same amount of filler material added," Ajayan said. "Hence, the resulting interfacial effects are amplified as compared with conventional composites. "For engineered materials, people would love to have a composite like this," he said. "This work shows how nanomaterials in composites can be creatively used." They also found one other truth about this unique phenomenon: Simply compressing the material didn't change its properties; only dynamic stress -- deforming it again and again -- made it stiffer. Carey drew an analogy between their material and bones. "As long as you're regularly stressing a bone in the body, it will remain strong," he said. "For example, the bones in the racket arm of a tennis player are denser. Essentially, this is an adaptive effect our body uses to withstand the loads applied to it. "Our material is similar in the sense that a static load on our composite doesn't cause a change. You have to dynamically stress it in order to improve it." Cartilage may be a better comparison -- and possibly even a future candidate for nanocomposite replacement. "We can envision this response being attractive for developing artificial cartilage that can respond to the forces being applied to it but remains pliable in areas that are not being stressed," Carey said. Both researchers noted this is the kind of basic research that asks more questions than it answers. While they can easily measure the material's bulk properties, it's an entirely different story to understand how the polymer and nanotubes interact at the nanoscale. "People have been trying to address the question of how the polymer layer around a nanoparticle behaves," Ajayan said. "It's a very complicated problem. But fundamentally, it's important if you're an engineer of nanocomposites. "From that perspective, I think this is a beautiful result. It tells us that it's feasible to engineer interfaces that make the material do un

<urn:uuid:da4430b0-e7a1-4a35-9ec9-07c3c644f5a9>

Researchers at Rice University have created a synthetic material that gets stronger from repeated stress much like the body [...] conventional things." Co-authors of the paper are former Rice postdoctoral researcher Lijie Ci; Prabir Patra, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Bridgeport; and Glaura Goulart Silva, associate professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Rice University and the NASA Graduate Student Researchers Program funded the research. Read the abstract at http://pubs. Artwork is available for download at A small block of nanocomposite material proved its ability to stiffen under strain at a Rice University laboratory. (Credit Ajayan Lab/Rice University) Rice University graduate student Brent Carey positions a piece of nanocomposite material in the dynamic mechanical analysis device. He used the device to compress the material 3.5 million times over about a week, proving that the nanocomposite stiffens under strain. The research is the subject of a new paper in the journal ACS Nano. (Credit Jeff Fitlow/Rice University) Located on a 285-acre forested campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is known for its "unconventional wisdom." With 3,485 undergraduates and 2,275 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is less than 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice has been ranked No. 1 for best quality of life multiple times by the Princeton Review and No. 4 for "best value" among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. To read "What they're saying about Rice," go to http://futureowls.

<urn:uuid:da4430b0-e7a1-4a35-9ec9-07c3c644f5a9>

5 BIG Reasons to Love Whey Protein Sep 27, 2017 Whey is a natural byproduct of the cheese making process. Cow’s milk has about 6.25% protein. Of that protein, 80% is casein (another type of protein) and the remaining 20% is whey. When cheese is made, it uses the casein molecules leaving the whey behind. Whey protein is made via filtering off the other components of whey such as lactose, fats, and minerals. Whey protein is a soluble, easy to digest, and is efficiently absorbed into the body. When taken prior to a meal, it improves blood sugar control. 1. Protein Quality Whey protein has the highest biological value of all proteins. In order to assess the quality of a protein, scientists measure the proportion of the amino acids that are absorbed, retained, and used in the body to determine the protein’s biological value (BV). Whey protein is a complete protein in that it contains all essential and nonessential amino acids. One of the key reasons why the BV of whey protein is so high is that it has the highest concentrations of glutamine and branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) found in nature. Glutamine and branched chain amino acids are critical to cellular health, muscle growth, and protein synthesis. 2. Its Rich in Glutamine Glutamine, the most abundant amino acid in the body, is involved in more metabolic processes than any other amino acid. Glutamine is important as a source of fuel for white blood cells, and for cells that divide rapidly, such as those that line the intestine. Supplementation with glutamine has been shown to heal peptic ulcers, enhance energy levels, boost immune function, and fight infections. Although bodybuilders and athletes use whey protein to increase their protein intake, almost everyone can gain benefit by adding whey protein to their diet. Whey protein is especially important as an aid for weight loss, nutritional support for recovery from surgery, and to offset some of the negative effects of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Research has shown that individuals who exercise benefit from diets high in the essential amino acid

<urn:uuid:c76a1774-0d88-4526-ab3a-6bd74daebca2>

5 BIG Reasons to Love Whey Protein Sep 27, 2 [...] leucine and have more lean muscle tissue and less body fat, compared to those whose diets contain lower levels of leucine. Whey protein concentrates have approximately 50% more leucine than soy protein isolate. 3. Whey Protein Boosts Glutathione Levels Whey protein has been shown to boost immune function by raising the levels of the important antioxidant glutathione that is found in all cells including white blood cells. Sufficient glutathione levels are critical to proper immune functioning. In immune cells, glutathione stimulates antibody production and the ability of white blood cells to engulf and destroy invading organisms. Glutathione is also involved in the body’s detoxification reactions and is able to bind to fat-soluble toxins such as heavy metals, solvents, and pesticides, transforming them into a water-soluble form, allowing for more efficient excretion via the kidneys. Eating additional whey protein is one of the best ways to raise glutathione levels in the body and assist in effective detoxification. 4. Whey Promote is a Dieter’s Friend Whey protein ingestion has been shown to reduce feelings of hunger and promote satiety making it a valuable aid in weight loss programs. It contains bioactive components that help stimulate the release of three appetite-suppressing gut hormones: cholecystokinin (CCK), peptide tyrosine-tyrosine (PYY), and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). One of the best strategies for utilizing whey protein is taking it before or between meals. Studies have shown that consumption of whey protein in small amounts prior to a meal, improves after-meal blood sugar control and also leads to greater satiety and appetite control. Many of these benefits are the result of bioactive components in whey that stimulate the release of three appetite-suppressing hormones found in the gut: cholecystokinin (CCK), peptide tyrosine-tyrosine (PYY), and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). By stabilizing

<urn:uuid:c76a1774-0d88-4526-ab3a-6bd74daebca2>

5 BIG Reasons to Love Whey Protein Sep 27, 2 [...] blood sugar levels and reducing hunger, dieting is easier and success more likely. Vegan sources of protein do not seem to be able to duplicate these weight loss benefits. In a study conducted at University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, 40 overweight men and women completed a 14-day calorie restricted diet and were randomly assigned, double blind, to receive twice-daily supplements of isolated whey (27g) or soy (26g), or maltodextrin (25g). Using a blood measurement for muscle fiber synthesis, results indicated that muscle breakdown was significantly less in the whey protein group than that seen in the soy and maltodextrin groups. In fact, soy protein had no effect on reducing muscle loss. These results indicate that whey protein supplementation can help preserve muscle mass during weight loss. 5. Whey Protein Fights Aging One of the most preventable changes associated with aging is the loss of muscle mass and strength, which is called sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is to muscle mass what osteoporosis is to bones. While osteoporosis gets all the media attention, sarcopenia is a more significant factor. The degree of sarcopenia is the major predictor of physical disability and is linked to decreased vitality, poor balance, walking speed, falls, and fractures, especially with elderly people. Just like building strong bones when young is important in preventing osteoporosis later in life, building and maintaining muscle mass is essential for avoiding sarcopenia. Muscle mass increases throughout childhood and peaks during the late teens through the mid-to late 20s. After that, a slow decline in muscle mass begins. From the age of 25 to 50 the decline in muscle mass is roughly 10%. In our 50’s the rate of decline is slightly accelerated, but the real decline usually begins at 60 years. By the time a person reaches 80 his or her muscle mass is a little more than half of what it was in their twenties. Taking whey protein and engaging in weight bearing exercises and lifting weights can help preserve muscle mass and can even help those with sarcopenia rebuild. How to Get More

<urn:uuid:c76a1774-0d88-4526-ab3a-6bd74daebca2>

The Bazaruto Archipelago National Park is protected as a conservation area and national park (declared in 1971), including the coral reefs surrounding the islands, making it one of the five official marine protected areas in Mozambique. The park is a crucial achievement in global marine conservation, being Mozambique’s first declared marine protected area and one of the large marine parks in the Indian Ocean. The archipelago has earned its reputation as the 'Pearl of the Indian Ocean' and its beautiful beaches and reefs attract substantial visitor numbers to the Park. The Archipelago has a wide variety of terrestrial and marine habitats including coastal sand dunes, rocky and sandy shores, coral reefs, mangrove forests, and seagrass meadows. It boasts among its wildlife, 180 species of birds, 45 species of reptiles, endemic butterflies, suni antelope and freshwater crocodiles. Around 2000 species of fish have been recorded for the area, including reef fish such as surgeon, moorish idols, parrot, angel and butterfly fish to name but a few. Marine turtles, game fish and devil rays are regularly seen. The Bazaruto Archipelago is also home to the largest population of dugongs along the eastern coastline of Africa, south of the Red Sea. The Archipelago’s seagrass environment constitutes an area of Globally Outstanding status within the East African Marine Ecoregion. The Archipelago itself supports a resident population of about 4,000 people located in seven communities. More than 70% of the population is directly dependant on fishing and fishing-related industries as a primary livelihood and base for economic and social development. Size and location The Bazaruto Archipelago consists of five idyllic islands: Bazaruto, Benguerra, Magaruque, Santa Carolina and Bangue. The three larger islands (Bazaruto, Benguerra, Magaruque) were part of an extensive sand-spit peninsula, once attached to the mainland, but since separated as the continent dipped into the Indian Ocean over millions of years. Only Santa Carolina is a true Rock Island. The Bazaruto Archipelago

<urn:uuid:1f91ff59-ee79-4192-b711-2f68da6cac07>

The Bazaruto Archipelago National Park is protected as a conservation area and national park ( [...] is located around 15 km off the coast of Mozambique opposite the town of Vilanculos on the coastline of Inhambane Province. Bazaruto Island is the largest at around 12 000 ha. Next are Benguerra at 2 500ha, Margaruque and Santa Carolina at 208 ha and 59 ha respectively and then the tiny island of Bangue at 5ha. Flora and fauna This protected area is home to whale sharks, manta rays, dolphins and whales (hump back) as well as the mysterious and rare dugong. Five species of Indian Ocean turtle breed on the beaches, while offshore, sailfish and marlin living in deeper waters surrounding the park, provide spectacular game fishing opportunities. Globally dugongs are ranked as vulnerable (IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014). However, in the Western Indian Ocean, numbers are very low. Recent population estimates indicate that the area in and around the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park (BANP) in Mozambique retain a dugong (Dugong dugon) population of no more than 250 individuals. These dugongs represent the Western Indian Ocean’s single remaining viable population. Dugongs occur in shallow tropical and subtropical coastal and island waters of the Indo-Pacific. The sirenians are seagrass specialists and frequent shallow coastal bays, mangrove channels, and the lee of large inshore islands. The dugong’s fecundity is highly sensitive to the availability of adequate seagrass forage. Challenges and opportunities Due to limited alternative income opportunities provided in the Archipelago, the resident population and ensuing anthropogenic pressures have over the years exerted extreme pressure on the area’s marine, coastal, and terrestrial resources. The heavy utilization of the ocean’s resources by a population of around 4,000 people resulted in bycatch and seagrass destruction. The reefs are under pressure too, suffering anchor damage and being over-fished by illegal means. The main threats to the dugong population as

<urn:uuid:1f91ff59-ee79-4192-b711-2f68da6cac07>

Team Charters: What are they and what’s their purpose? A team charter is a document that is developed in a group setting that clarifies team direction while establishing boundaries. It is developed early during the forming of the team. The charter should be developed in a group session to encourage understanding and buy-in. The team charter has two purposes. First, it serves as a source for the team members to illustrate the focus and direction of the team. Second, it educates others (for example the organizational leaders and other work groups), illustrating the direction of the team. Investing the required time to develop a charter reduces confusion about the group’s objectives. The charter also provides the information needed to reduce the risk of rework, enabling the team to get it right the first time. Team Charter Sections: Team Purpose – This answers two questions: What’s the value of drawing these people together? What problem are they facing and what would be an acceptable outcome? Duration and Time Commitment – The amount of time the team will be working together needs to be documented (for example is this a six month time frame?). Depending on proposed solutions, the duration of implementing these recommendations may require time beyond the team’s meeting schedule. Another aspect to be considered is the estimated amount of time that will be dedicated weekly / monthly. Scope (in scope / out of scope) – Thinking though the scope helps to define the beginning and end of the spectrum. It may list departments included or excluded. The scope, while setting parameters, also helps the team leader(s) easily identify tasks that are outside of the scope, minimizing scope creep. Members – Team leader and members should be listed individually. This provides recognition and enhances commitment. Alternate members can also be listed. The team sponsor from the leadership group needs to be assigned and listed after the team members. Desired End Result – This provides an opportunity to begin with the end in mind. This is where the sponsor can establish goals for the team to achieve. The goals need to be clearly defined. By defining the desired end result, the magnitude of the change becomes evident. Supporting Resources – The supporting resources almost always include other people that were not assigned as team members but still add value toward the overall purpose. Other resources are dependent on the team activities (blue prints, meeting rooms, travel budgets, corporate authority, software, etc.)

<urn:uuid:597ecb3c-a7de-48d6-8a58-3bb0c4e0811c>

Listen to any TV commercial for a new drug and you'll hear a litany of bizarre side effects — amnesia, hallucinations, nightmares, blue urine and a furry-feeling tongue, just to name a few. But few of these lists include obesity, and overdosing on antibiotics, according to an article published in the magazine New Scientist, could be a major trigger for obesity. People who overuse antibiotics have lower levels of good bacteria in their guts, and those good bacteria have been found to help prevent everything from cancer to obesity. A number of studies on mice have found that mice fed antibiotics at levels comparable to those given to farm animals are much heavier than mice fed no antibiotics at all — which isn't surprising, considering that antibiotics are often used to speed growth and fatten up animals for slaughter. But what is concerning are the studies of antibiotics fed to mice at levels similar to what children receive when they get infections. In one study, microbiologist Martin Blaser, of New York University, fed mice short courses of antibiotics similar to those that children receive. Compared to the non-drugged mice, the antibiotic-fed mice had lower levels of T-cells, which regulate the body's immune response. Obesity has been associated with low levels of these T-cells. In a separate observational study, published in the April 2011 issue of the International Journal of Obesity, researchers from Denmark followed the development of 28,000 babies, and for seven years, monitored the children's weight and development. Babies who were given antibiotics within six months of birth were more likely to be overweight by age 7 than children who hadn't received such early doses of the drugs, regardless of how trim or obese their mothers were. All these studies are too preliminary, the authors write, to suggest that use of the antibiotics be stopped altogether, but they do advise that the drugs be used more prudently. Often, people go to the doctor expecting to receive antibiotics to treat a condition, even if antibiotics won't do anything to treat that problem, such as asking for antibiotics to treat sinus infections, which are often caused by

<urn:uuid:f30ae390-7f16-4c80-9efe-adeea60a93bc>

Author: Jay Joshi Unfortunately, central sensitization is one of those conditions that's really not very well understood by most practitioners. It's not something that's taught in medical schools, it's not even been something that's been focused on in residency or fellowship programs. So, what's central sensitization? Well, to put it very simply, central sensitization is what happens when your brain is exposed to certain experiences or certain memories. It's life. It's being a human. This is something that happens to the neurophysiology of your brain. It forms memory. That's the same thing that happens with pain. When you have a chronic pain stimulus, usually one of the first things that happens is your brain says, "Hey, don't do that again." But what happens when that signal doesn't stop, and the brain keeps amplifying the pain? That's really the pathogenesis of what central sensitization is. When that process keeps occurring and that problem keeps worsening, that's when we see central sensitization disorders. Anxiety, depression, fibromyalgia, CRPS, or complex regional pain syndrome, RSD, PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, sometimes phantom limb syndrome, something else called opiate induced hyperalgesia. These are all forms of central sensitization. Ketamine infusions have been around for many years. But for some reason, it's not very well understood by primary care physicians, or by pain management doctors. When you look at ketamine as a molecule, it's binding to a major receptor called the NMDA receptor, the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor. That receptor is incredibly complex. It has many sub receptors, and there are many products that can bind to the NMDA receptor. So, ketamine can bind to this NMDA receptor and act as an antagonist, preventing it from firing. When it fires, in many situations, it's firing things like glutamate or glycine, which are excitatory compounds. When it keeps firing those excitatory compounds, that's when you start seeing this wind-up phenomenon occurring, where the body doesn't stop. So we want to try to bind that,

<urn:uuid:8bf75715-0f8b-4ee6-a6cd-fc3bf7be2634>

By their nature, scientific experiments require us to push the boundaries of existing knowledge to understand and improve our world. As shown by history, however, those carrying out the experiments can sometimes step beyond what most people would consider acceptable boundaries. And yet, science has saved billions of lives. Some scientific experiments have been great. For example, Richard Lewisohn, whose work perfected the science behind blood transfusions, is estimated to have saved over a billion lives on his own. Yet even the most successful scientific discoveries have caused some controversy. One such case is of Edward Jenner, the father of vaccination, who decided to infect a perfectly healthy boy in order to prove his theories. Of course, he was working back in the 18th century, when no one really gave ethics on science a second thought! For all those lives that have been saved, however, scientific discoveries have also killed… in huge numbers. Robert Oppenheimer and his fellow scientists working on the Manhattan Project–the U.S. bid to develop nuclear weapons–all expressed their feelings of guilt after the Air Force dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The experiments in the list below are among the worst ever conducted in the name of science. Which do you find the most disturbing? 15. Glow-In-The-Dark Pigs In 2013, scientists from the South China Agricultural University announced that they had managed to create piglets that glow in the dark, after their embryos were injected with the DNA of a jellyfish. They claimed that the unusual party trick wouldn’t affect the health of the piglets and that they could expect to live just as long as any ordinary pig. Well, that’s apart from the fact that they were destined to spend their lives as luminescent lab rats, of course. The scientists believed that the glow-in-the-dark pigs would make it easier to test new drugs, leading to cheaper medications for human consumption. 14. Dr. Mengele’s Sadistic Experiments On Twins When it comes to disturbing science experiments, the Nazis could almost produce an entire list of their own. Probably the most disturbing, however, was Dr. Josef Mengele’s infamous work on twins. Mengele worked at the Auschwitz concentration camps and carried out a number of scientific experiments on inmates. His favorite

<urn:uuid:56f21f94-7455-4ba0-bd13-8b27971a2340>

By their nature, scientific experiments require us to push the boundaries of existing knowledge to understand and improve our [...] test subject was twins. He would inject one with a disease to see how he/she and his/her twin would react. He even tried to create conjoined twins by sewing their bodies and blood supplies together. If one twin died, the other would be killed simply to compare the differences between them on the autopsy table. 13. CIA Brainwashing If the Nazis could have a list of their own disturbing biological experiments, the CIA wouldn’t be far behind when it comes to their ethically-questionable psychological research, especially during the Cold War years. Project QK-HILLTOP was the code name given to the CIA’s work in 1954 on brainwashing, using techniques from Communist China to break down a person’s entire belief system before training him/her to believe in something else entirely. Dr. Harold Wolff, the man behind QK-HILLTOP, experimented on live subjects, using drugs, torture techniques, and hypnosis among other methods to establish which were successful in brainwashing his victims. 12. Artificial Blood Fans of vampire TV show True Blood will be familiar with the concept of artificial blood, which is used by vampires who have assimilated into society to stop them from feeding on humans. However, when Northfield Laboratories introduced their artificial blood in 2004, it was much less successful. Patients at several hospitals around the U.S. were given the artificial substitute, PolyHeme, instead of blood without their consent and knowledge in a series of live subject trials. Many of these subjects died, as PolyHeme was found to narrow blood vessels, leading to increased numbers of deaths from heart attacks and aneurysms. 11. Harlow’s Monkeys, An Experiment On Attachment Theory American psychologist Harry Harlow wanted to research attachment theory, the idea that young mammals form bonds with their parents and other adults when they are very young. Now, even in the 1950’s, Harlow knew that it wouldn’t be acceptable to experiment on children so he carried out his disturbing experiment using rhesus monkeys instead. He placed one group of monkeys with a surrogate mother made of cloth and noted that the baby seemed

<urn:uuid:56f21f94-7455-4ba0-bd13-8b27971a2340>

By their nature, scientific experiments require us to push the boundaries of existing knowledge to understand and improve our [...] to form the kind of attachments he expected. In order to prove that the bond had been formed, he then took away these surrogate mothers, leaving the poor babies bereft at the loss of their parent. 10. Prisoners Were Used For Experiments On Skin Conditions And Medications Prisoners have been used in lots of experiments. After all, you have a population that is going to stay in one place for the duration of the research, and they will happily sign up to anything that nets them a few extra dollars. When Dr. Albert Kligman arrived at Holmesburg Prison in Philadelphia in 1951, he immediately saw the opportunities for his own research into skin conditions and medications. For 20 years, he conducted experiments on the prisoners, paying them a few dollars to undergo procedures that were often painful and which exposed them to potentially dangerous chemicals, all in the name of science. 9. Japanese Scientists Grew Human Ear On Rat’s Back In 2016, Japanese scientists combined to work on a project that could lead to replacement human ears being grown from scratch, instead of being rebuilt from rib cartilage as currently happens. However, the method they chose caused some controversy when images emerged of a live rat with a human ear apparently growing on its back. If their technique proves successful, new ears could be grown for people with genetic abnormalities or who have suffered injuries in just a few months, although for some, the sight of a human ear on the back of a rat was a little too much to take. 8. Electroshock Therapy Used To Treat Very Young Children Electroshock therapy was widely used in the treatment of physical and psychological conditions well into the 20th century. However, once physician, Dr. Loretta Bender, took things a step further than most in the 1940’s when she started using electroshock therapy to treat very young children who had exhibited some mild behavioral problems. She reported that children who had undergone electroshock treatment were less excitable and less anxious in the classroom, which is hardly surprising, considering that their brains had just been fried. Perhaps the really shocking part is that advocates of electroshock therapy are still supporting its use in treating children with aut

<urn:uuid:56f21f94-7455-4ba0-bd13-8b27971a2340>

By their nature, scientific experiments require us to push the boundaries of existing knowledge to understand and improve our [...] ism and other brain disorders today. 7. Prisoners Used In An Experiment Into The Effect Of Radiation On Reproductive System In the 1960’s and 1970’s, scientists were carrying out a series of experiments looking into the effect of radiation on the reproductive system. Given that most men would run a mile rather than risk anything happening to their testicles, those in charge of the experiment turned to that reliable source of scientific test subjects instead—the U.S. prison system. Prisoners signed up to the study to earn the $25 fee and because they were assured that it was safe. Instead, those exposed to the radiation have experienced higher than usual rates of testicular cancer, and many have since died because of the experiment. 6. The Stanford Prison Experiment That Went Haywire Despite the name, the famous Stanford Prison Experiment did not take place in a conventional jail. It was instead a fake jail, one which had been set up by researchers to investigate the psychological effects of being a prisoner or prison guard under controlled circumstances. However, this experiment soon got dangerously out of control, with those who had been assigned to act as guards taking their role way too seriously, imposing physical punishments on the prisoners and withholding essentials such as food and water. The prisoners responded by rebelling against authority and even concocting an escape plan. 5. CIA Mind Control Another one from the CIA vaults now. Their mind control program, known as Project MKUltra, was active between 1953 and 1964. It looked into how biological and chemical agents could be used to control the minds and, therefore, the actions of hundreds of U.S. citizens. Although no one really knew what the long-term physical or psychological effects of this experiment would be, the main reason why it was disturbing was that the CIA didn’t ask for the participants’ consent or even bothered to tell them that they were taking part in an experiment at all! They carried out experiments on military personnel, prisoners, and even terminally-ill patients, using drugs like LSD to test their theories. 4. Guatemalan Military Deliberately Infected With Syphilis During World War II, s

<urn:uuid:56f21f94-7455-4ba0-bd13-8b27971a2340>

By their nature, scientific experiments require us to push the boundaries of existing knowledge to understand and improve our [...] *xually transmitted diseases became a huge problem for the U.S. military and for their wives back home. The U.S. government decided that it needed to do more research into conditions such as syphilis and gonorrhea in order to establish what medications were most effective. Rather than experiment on animals or on U.S. soldiers already infected, doctors headed down to South America, where they deliberately infected thousands of people in the Guatemalan military, as well as prisoners and mental patients, with the diseases. Many never even knew they had been infected, passing the diseases onto their children or suffering pain and other symptoms for the rest of their lives. 3. Experiments To Bring Back Extinct Animals, Jurassic Park-Style You would think that modern scientists would view Jurassic Park as a cautionary tale and not use the basic scientific premise to try and bring extinct animals back to life for real. While there is nothing wrong with bringing back species that have recently gone extinct, as scientists managed in 2013 when a clone of the last ever bucardo was born, there are many people who are concerned by plans to use the DNA of prehistoric animals to try and bring them back—a kind of de-extinction. Aside from the risk to other animals on the planet–including man–no one really knows what impact these species would have on our already fragile ecosystems. 2. Scientist Created A Two-Headed Dog In 1959, Soviet scientist Vladimir Demikhov managed to create the impossible. He created a living, breathing two-headed dog. He took two dogs from the local pound and basically stitched the smaller dog to the larger, connecting their blood vessels to ensure that oxygen and nutrients made it to the smaller dog’s body. Amazingly, despite the abomination he created, the two-headed beast did live for four days after surgery. And while the experiment was undoubtedly cruel and more than a little unethical, Demikhov’s work paved way for the first successful heart and lung transplants. Without his butchered canines, medical progress might not have been made quite so quickly. 1. Stanley Milgram Experimented With ‘Electric Shock’ To See How Far People Would Go

<urn:uuid:56f21f94-7455-4ba0-bd13-8b27971a2340>

Cavities are structural damage to our teeth caused usually by tooth decay. It is a very common disorder that occurs in people of all ages and causes tooth loss especially in children. Bacteria present in our mouth combines with saliva, food debris and acid to form plaque. Plaque is sticky and holds fast to teeth. When it is not regularly removed it dissolves tooth enamel and causes cavities. These start off as small holes which grow bigger and become painful when they affect a nerve. Symptoms include pain after consuming hot, cold or sweet food and beverages. Treatment depends on the size of the cavity and could involve fillings, crowns or root canals. Treating cavities early prevents tooth loss. Oral hygiene can prevent cavities. This includes brushing teeth at least twice and after eating sticky foods and gargling. Cinnamon Oil For Cavities Cinnamon is got from the evergreen cinnamon plant. The bark or powder is commonly used as spice to flavor foods. Cinnamon oil which is derived from the bark or leaves is used in aromatherapy. The two most commonly used cinnamon varieties are Ceylon cinnamon or true cinnamon and Cassia or Chinese cinnamon. There are several beneficial chemicals found in cinnamon bark, like volatile oils – cinnamaldehyde, trans-cinnamic acid and eugenol. Our grandmothers and their ancestors probably used a toothpick soaked in cinnamon or clove oil to treat any kinds of aches and pains including a toothache. It is thought that regularly consuming cinnamon tea can soothe sore joints, prevent acid reflux by aiding digestion, reduce the chance of developing cavities, help maintain healthy gums and improve symptoms of a cold, flu, arthritis, rheumatism etc. Cinnamon essential oil can be used like clove oil to kill bacteria that cause periodontal disease and ease a toothache. Historical recordings show that dentists used cinnamon oil in cavity treatment since it was tasty. They used to clean out a cavity of all debris and then pack it with a paste made from cinnamon or clove oil, carbolic acid and morphine. Modern dental practices do not use these methods. Eugenol contained

<urn:uuid:dfa13446-70b5-4265-ad15-f9eda384829e>

Cavities are structural damage to our teeth caused usually by tooth decay. It is a very common disorder [...] in cinnamon has medicinal properties. Studies have been conducted which found that certain bacteria were sensitive in their reaction to eugenol and clove oil. Hence these two oils are used to make pastes due to their antibacterial properties. In one study, the antimicrobial activity of cinnamon oils – cinnamaldehyde, benzaldehyde and cinnamyl acetate were examined. They were studied to find out their effect against 4 Candida species and 21 strains of bacteria. Cinnamon essential oils demonstrated strong antimicrobial activity on all the microorganisms. This study demonstrates that cinnamon oil can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat infections and diseases caused by such bacteria. Since cavities are caused by plaque which is caused by bacteria, cinnamon could be used to treat cavities too. Using cinnamon oil toothpaste or gargling with diluted cinnamon oil could kill harmful cavity-causing bacteria. It has been suggested that cinnamon leaf oil may provide quicker relief from pain due to inflammation caused by cavities rather than cinnamon bark oil. This is because it has antiseptic qualities and can dull pain. For a simple home remedy for cavities, try this mouthwash. Combine together 1 tbsp vodka; ¾ cup distilled water and one drop each of cinnamon, clove and myrrh essential oil. After brushing your teeth, rinse your mouth with just one tablespoon of this mixture which has a very distinctive flavor. It will leave your mouth feeling fresh and free from bacteria. This mixture can be stored for up to six weeks in room temperature. Since cinnamon oil is used externally for cavities, there is no dosage. Always dilute cinnamon oil when using it for gargling. Excess use of cinnamon oil – toothpaste, mouthwash or chewing gum-based products – could cause inflammation and irritation of the mucous membranes of the mouth, tongue and lips. If you wish to use cinnamon oil for gargling, always dilute it. If inflammation persists, then dis

<urn:uuid:dfa13446-70b5-4265-ad15-f9eda384829e>

Apparently there are only 30 great myths about Shakespeare. It doesn’t seem that many for a great man. A great man ought to have a great number of myths, and 30 is not a great number. In fact 30 is not even a good number. On reaching 21, a friend of mine shuddered and said: “Next stop 30.” That was many years ago. He is 60 now. That’s how bad a number 30 is. It’s halfway to 60. And who wants to be 60? Shakespeare didn’t. He checked out at 52. Or so he thought. In fact he remains imprisoned in the publishing industry and blown with restless violence round about the pedant academy. Did you know that Hamlet generates one scholarly article or book a week? That is one of the facts in the book of great myths about Shakespeare. There are lots of facts in this book; indeed, there are more facts than myths. Perhaps it should have been called Lots of Facts About Shakespeare, but that’s not a very catchy title. Was Shakespeare any good at titles? They were more functional than fanciful. King Lear. The Merchant of Venice. Twelfth Night. I have seen titles of academic papers that were more eye-catching than these. How about this one for an article on D.H. Lawrence: “Is fighting with your girlfriend like fighting the Germans?” If a mere lecturer can come up with that sort of thing, then why can’t Shakespeare? Because he wasn’t any good at titles, that’s why. How come that myth is not in the book? It would have increased the number to 31. If we all pitch in, I am sure we can get up to at least a hundred myths by Shakespeare’s birthday on 23 April, although the exact date may be a bit of a myth. Did you know that Hamlet generates one scholarly article or book a week? That is one of the facts in the book of great myths Which prompts the question, what is a myth? Luckily for us, Laurie Maguire and Emma Smith are on hand to answer. Myths “are not historically accurate”, they tell us. Well, you never know; someone might have thought they were. “Myths

<urn:uuid:3aa0fea4-5605-41ef-98cd-d89612565bc9>

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? This is a common phrase we often use when we do not know which event preceded the other. In terms of anorexia nervosa (AN) and various psychiatric illnesses, this phrase is highly applicable. A recent study showed that patients with AN and a mental or psychiatric illness (such as depression, substance abuse, etc.) were almost two times more likely to die than those without another condition. Is this surprising? Well, I suppose it comes as no surprise that having more than one illness increases your risk for death. Nor is it shocking that a psychiatric illness in particular increases this risk. After all, we are all well aware of the effects that mood and emotions can have on our functioning, views of the world and future, and overall health. But on another note, the fact that the risk increases this much is a bit shocking. But to be honest, the numbers aren't the important thing here. What IS important is what we do with this information. Like the chicken and egg situation, we don't always know whether, for example, the depression came before the eating disorder, or occurred because/alongside the AN. HOWEVER, what we DO know is that depression + AN = bad outcomes. So, what are the implications? Clearly, early identification and treatment of both the ED and any other co-morbid illnesses is essential. The sooner treatment can begin, the more likely it is to be successful, and the patient will experience less disability or negative consequences. It is also crucial to note that we ought to screen for mental illnesses more often than we should; indeed, screening for mental illnesses is often overlooked in the physician's office, and this can lead to prolonged and unidentified health issues (P.S. stay tuned for an upcoming post about mental health screening!). One take-away home message? It isn't necessarily important whether, for example, someone with ED (or any health condition) was depressed (or had any other mental health issue) before or after their primary illness. Of course, knowing the time course can help us with many things, including treatment duration and regime, intensity, and so forth. But wasting time trying to future out which came first only delays treatment and prolongs recovery. Instead, we ought to focus on the HERE AND NOW. What problems does this patient have, and how we

<urn:uuid:3b0614b5-3425-4ecb-8290-f94dc7703213>

Comparative Analysis of Laplace Transform and Finite Difference Modeling and Simulation of Solute Transport in Soil. (Case Study: Nitrate Solute Transport in Homogeneous Soil) Analytical Laplace transform and numerical finite difference methods were used to solve solute transport model (conversion dispersion equation) for a simplified homogeneous soil and simulation of the transport were done using Matlab programming language. Nitrate solute was used for the study. The study compared the simulation results that were generated by both the Laplace transform and the finite difference methods. Spatial and Temporal simulation of nitrate transport comparing both analytical and numerical solutions were presented. The errors in the spatial and temporal numerical solution were simulated. A three dimensional simulation of the nitrate concentration, depth and time for both the Laplace transform and the finite difference method were also presented. The results showed that finite difference numerical method gave a good approximation of the Laplace transform analytical method which provide exact solution. Although there were errors associated with the numerical solution, the output of the numerical solution do not sharply deviate from that of the analytical solution. The errors associated with the finite difference numerical solution were mainly as a result of truncation of the Taylor series expression. Finite difference numerical method can be used to model solute transport in heterogeneous soil which is a more complex process that cannot be accomplished with analytical method with a reasonable level of accuracy. Modeling of solute transport in soil is essential for management of nutrients supply to plants and water resource. Ann McCauley and Clain Jones (2005), Water and Solute Transport in Soils, Soil & Water Management, Module 4, pp. 1, Montana State University-Bozema. Pimentel, D., H. Acquay, M. Biltonen, P. Rice, M. Silva, J. Nelson, V. Lipner, S. Giordano, A. Horowitz, M. D’Amore (1992), Environmental and economic costs of pesticide use. BioScience. 42:750-760. Pampolino M. F. (2000), Measurement of nutrient availability and solute transport in soils with ion exchange resin capsules, Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Vol. 70

<urn:uuid:bb9f33fc-a65d-4efa-b83e-09607e1f46c0>

Comparative Analysis of Laplace Transform and Finite Difference Modeling and Simulation of S [...] , Part. I, pp. 41-88. Marshall T. J. and Holmes J. W. (1988), Soil Physics, 2 Abramowitz, M. and Stegun, I. A. (Eds.) (1972), "Laplace Transforms." Ch. 29 in Handbook of Mathematical Functions with Formulas, Graphs, and Mathematical Tables, 9th Printing, pp. 1019-1030, New York: Dover. Contaminant Transport in the Unsaturated Zone Theory and Modeling (http//:www.pc-progress.com/Documents/Jirka/Handbook_of_GE_P Or D. and Jon M. Wraith (2002), Unsaturated Flow and Transport, Course Notes, Utah State University (Logan), Montana State University (Bozeman). Wexler E. J. (1992), Review of analytical solution for one, two, and three dimensional solute transport in groundwater systems with uniform flow, Techniques of Water Resources Investigations of the United States Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado, USA. Lal R. and Shukla M. K. (2004), Principles of Soil Physics, Ohio State University, Marcel Dekker, Inc, New York, USA. Jury, W.A. and D. R. Nielson. (1989), Nitrate transport and leaching mechanisms. In R.F. Follett (ed.), Nitrogen Management and Ground Water Protection (pp. 139-157). Elsevier Sci. Pubs. Amsterdam. Kumar A. Kumar D., Kumar N. (2009), Analytical modeling of one-dimensional advection diffusion equation with variable coefficients in a finite domain, Journal of Earth System Science, Vol. 118, No. 5, pp. 539-549. Toride, N. Leij F. J. and van Genuchten M., Th. (1995), The CXTFIT

<urn:uuid:bb9f33fc-a65d-4efa-b83e-09607e1f46c0>

Scientists from the Institute of Clinical Research at Duke University (North Carolina, USA) have conducted a study involving more than 100 adult diabetic patients. The results showed that the blood glucose levels of the patients significantly decreased after learning and applying techniques to manage their anxiety. This levels reduction was surprisingly so great as that obtained in patients taking medication to lower their glycemia. What is anxiety? Anxiety is a physiological response to an ambiguous or indefinite situation, where the threat is assumed or sensed, but is not well known. Usually it causes an internal conflict in the individual that is added to that diffuse apprehension which characterizes anxiety. Anxiety must be distinguished from fear which is an unpleasant or disturbing feeling caused by the presence or imminence of concrete threat. Fear is an acute, short and fleeting sensation, which vanishes when the threat disappears. Anxiety is a normal human emotion often accompanied by psychophysiological symptoms such as palpitations, sweating, tightness at the chest, trembling, feeling of choking, restlessness, a dry mouth and, many other phycosomatic symptoms. Anxiety is a normal and healthy reaction - Anxiety makes us alert to threats and specific dangers, and prepares the body for action. - Anxiety helps us respond to crisis and prepares us to face new challenges. - Anxiety prompts us to plan, look for alternatives, rehearse our actions and prepare for negative results. Normal Anxiety is usually controllable and does not normally affect the behavior of a person, but sometimes it can be so intense and lasting that it alters their perception of reality (we fear things that are not real). It can affect our ability of thinking, concentration, memory or alter our relationship with others. Usually these changes are temporary and resolve once the individual faces the conflict situation. But how do you know if your anxiety is healthy and normal? The three main signs of excessive anxiety are: - Persistent and unrealistic worry, far from commensurate with the actual danger. - Anxiety interferes with work, leisure and relationships. - Anxiety undermines the affective resolution of problems. The treatment for anxiety is focused on three areas: - Cognitive Ther

<urn:uuid:bef64a05-3586-4cd8-8f6e-9acef8b26bb4>

School violence is the number one concern of parents of school age children. Rightfully so, the news is saturated in recent years of stories that tell us that anything and everything is imaginable at school. School administrators and state government officials have set in place many changes that include more harsh punishments for those that attempt to bring guns or other weapons to school or who try to execute bomb threats (real or not). They are also working on prevention of these incidents. Statistics currently show that homeschooling is the fastest growing “school” in our country in the past few years. When parents who chose this option were asked what their top reasons were a large majority were concerned about public school safety and how it would affect their children. - Police presence at schools. In today’s world there are rarely schools (other than elementary schools) anywhere that can be found without a police officer roaming the halls. - Metal detectors. While many school districts do not feel the need for such items or have the money for such expense there are those that are using them and they do seem to lesson violent events. - Teacher and administrator training. The school leaders are more trained than ever to watch out for depression in students, bullying, declining grades and more signs that trouble could be brewing in a student. If these things are identified and helped early on then there are a lot of things that can be done to keep a student from wanting to go to such great lengths as to harm someone. There has always been at least one child who would tease or torment others in the class room or on the playground. Years ago bullying in schools meant someone was calling names, teasing, and on occassion someone would picking a fight. These fights were usually few and far between and were quickly put to a stop and punishment ensued. Today, school violence has taken on a whole new meaning. Statistics on teen violence indicate it is continuing to become a greater issue all the time. These statistic also show that about 6% of kids will cut classes or not attend school because they are insecure about being there. Kids no longer fear being called names because they have much harsher terms of bullying to worry about. Simple name calling has turned into out right verbal abuse, emotional abuse, and often physical abuse. Amongst some of the many reasons we are seeing more and more abuse within our schools is because the number of teen gangs continue to grow and our

<urn:uuid:629a1477-4bae-4eb0-b53a-95bd36ca5871>

Response: The Role Of Arts Education In Schools This week's question is: What role should arts education have in an overall school curriculum? There's certainly been a lot of interest in this topic, and I've included many readers' comments in this post. In addition, I'm featuring guest responses from three educators -- Virginia McEnerney, David Booth and Heather Wolpert-Gawron. You can also listen to a ten minute conversation I had with Virginia and David on my BAM! Radio Show. I'm compiled additional related resources at The Best Resources Discussing The Importance Of Art In Education, and you can watch a number of videos and read about how I work closely with a talented teacher at our school to use art as a language-learning activity. Response From Virginia McEnerney Virginia McEnerney is the Executive Director of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the nonprofit administrator of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards which recognizes and provides scholarship opportunities for creative teens: In order to create change, students must first learn to create. Just like adults and perhaps even more so because they are still developing their own identities, young people turn to and respond to the arts to help them communicate and understand ideas, viewpoints and emotions. In this way, the arts cultivate creative thinking which leads to other supplemental skills such as problem-solving which ultimately can benefit students across disciplines. Arts education should play an essential role in affirming and developing creative abilities among students of all skill levels, without limiting it to those who aspire to be professional artists or writers. It's just as likely that a biologist who developed creative thinking in middle or high school arts classes could think of a new way of looking at cancer research as it is that an artist can develop new forms and media for artistic expression. In fact, I've seen this among the past winners of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Our contemporary economy depends and thrives on innovation and new ways of thinking about and seeing the world. This is exactly what arts education nurtures - young people who, through creative practice, develop the skill to imagine the world differently. Studies such as Reinvesting in Arts Education: Winning America's Future Through Creative Schools from the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, display the powerful role that arts education can play

<urn:uuid:026f216a-e3ab-4d6d-b3f1-f5f88258c506>

Response: The Role Of Arts Education In Schools This week's question is: What role [...] in increasing student engagement, closing the achievement gap, and nurturing the skills that will ultimately change our world. If young people have an inherent pull to create, which we believe, then the arts must be integral to students' education, rather than viewed as separate. Response From David Booth David Booth is Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto. For more than 25 years he has worked with teachers in creating, applying, and evaluating approaches to how children learn to read and write. His latest book is I've Got Something to Say: How Student Voices Inform Our Teaching: As caring and concerned members of our home and school communities, we want our children to grow into adulthood with arts-enhanced lives, engaging fully in the world's activities with their aesthetic, cognitive, physical, and emotional strengths, and entwining all these processes as often as possible. We need to "feel our thoughts," and we need to "think about our feelings." Knowing that emotion is a powerful component of life's intellectual responses, we require opportunities to grow as whole beings, to fill our personal worlds with events and experiences that reveal as many shades of color as possible, that widen the possibilities inherent in everything we see and do. What if our schools opened up the repertoire of artful choices that children could encounter each day, so that as their knowledge expands, their senses grow, and their feelings find form, their responses to life's situations could become more mindful and thoughtful? That is the real role of the arts in school--to help youngsters construct their worlds in wonderful and meaningful ways and, at the same time, gain satisfaction from their expanded understanding of how to accomplish this lifelong process. The arts are an imperative. In the concentration camps in World War II, some children drew and wrote poems; you can read their poems and find their drawings in the book I Never Saw Another Butterfly. After the disaster of 9/11 in New York City, parents and schools were at a loss about what to tell vulnerable and shocked youngsters. What followed in New York is a metaphor for arts education, as thousands of schoolchildren turned to creating paintings and drawings and poems and stories and letters to somehow give form to their feelings and to share in the sadness

<urn:uuid:026f216a-e3ab-4d6d-b3f1-f5f88258c506>

Response: The Role Of Arts Education In Schools This week's question is: What role [...] that had enveloped their communities. As they engaged in arts responses, they revealed so much more than they could articulate in talk. They were able to imagine hope beyond the destruction. They were able to find catharsis, to seek out ways of demonstrating their compassion and anger. They were able to use art to construct a present reality and to recognize a better future. As parents and teachers and friends, we view their pictures and read their words in the book Messages to Ground Zero, and recognize the depth of their feelings and the connections they have made to the human family. We were better able to cope because of their artistic efforts. The arts are a way of learning, of exploring, of responding, of revealing and demonstrating, of imagining, depicting, and making meaning. They belong in the school curriculum, as they belong in the minds and hearts of all lifelong learners. Response From Heather Wolpert-Gawron Heather Wolpert-Gawron is an award-winning middle school teacher. She has authored workbooks on teaching Internet Literacy, Project Based Writing, and Nonfiction Reading Strategies for the Common Core. She is the author of ˜Tween Crayons and Curfews: Tips for Middle School Teachers and Writing Behind Every Door: Teaching Common Core Writing Across the Content Areas. Heather blogs for The George Lucas Educational Foundation's Edutopia.org as well as her own www.tweenteacher.com: This country is going crazy for STEM. STEM, STEM, STEM. But the fact is that if we don't focus on the arts, on writing, on speaking, we're neglecting how to communicate that which we find so important. You can't get funding for your inventions without writing. You can design a building based on green technologies without some level of art. You can't be selected from an interview of you can't speak with confidence. Incorporating the arts into your curriculum is about developing kids that are well rounded, that are exposed to things other than simply the CORE subjects. Think about our innovators, or simply about those people in your life you respect the most. They have elements about them that are diversified. Additionally, it's vital

<urn:uuid:026f216a-e3ab-4d6d-b3f1-f5f88258c506>

Response: The Role Of Arts Education In Schools This week's question is: What role [...] that we expose students to things in life that are NOT in their nature, which may NOT be what they believe to be interesting or important. We are meant to expand their knowledge and make their world bigger. So we can't limit them by focusing solely on one subject group or the other. Our subjects need to be interconnected. Our subjects need to weave more than ever before. Besides, going to school is like going to the gym. We can't only work out our biceps while neglecting our glutes. We'd be off-balance, or we wouldn't function at the level we could have had we focused our attention on all of the important muscles. Art is a muscle. Math is a muscle. Writing is a muscle. So are history, and PE, and Theater. By shutting off one or by cutting funding to an entire outlet, we've stunted our students' growth and learning. Teaching sequencing from one variable to another? Try having the kids create hand drawn or digital storyboards. Assigning persuasive writing? Have the kids write a speech to the United Nations asking for them to support a researched solution to an international problem. Having students observe a cow's eye? Have them pair their note taking with labeled sketches and drawings. The opportunities are there to incorporate the arts no matter what subject you teach. It's critical that we develop those STEM muscles, yes. But it's more critical that we focus on STEAM. Responses From Readers Arts are incredibly important for all schools and all types of students to think and act creatively as well as innovative way for student to problem solve. The beauty of the Arts is that they are incredibly broad and should be kept as so. Art is not simply a 2D drawing course and Pottery. They include music, theatre, sculpture, drawing, creative writing, design, woodshop, and many, many more courses. The Arts must absolutely be integrated into students' education in order liberate them from the overtly oppressive nature of a school, despite teachers' beliefs. The Arts cannot be quantified unfortunately for those desiring data and numbers for every single class; this is not possible, but the Arts are still as important as ever. Curriculum

<urn:uuid:026f216a-e3ab-4d6d-b3f1-f5f88258c506>

Response: The Role Of Arts Education In Schools This week's question is: What role [...] should not define Art nor assign specific values to other forms of Art. Curriculum should provide many different paths for students to freely follow in order for self-expression and realization. Without being educated necessarily in other forms of Arts education such as theatre and digital or media arts, I can say that these forms of learning are important to help students express what they are learning in a contemporary and innovative way. If students are asked to record videos, to utilize social media or blogs, this enables them to produce their own sense of voice in the twenty-first century. By adding these strategies or methods into contemporary curricula, we get students engaged and thinking about how they can be effective learners and workers in the future. Starting students off with this sort of curricula at an early age, will ensure that they are crafty and intelligent workers, who can collaborate with peers and colleagues in their future. Thus, Arts education is essential to the modern curricula, if we are to encourage all students, who are interested in all disciplines to adequately support their ideas, to be able to debate, and to produce an effective rhetoric that will prepare them for college work, and ultimately for the workforce. This will eventually contribute to our country's economy and well being. Performing and visual arts must be a part of school curriculum. I am passionate about this. Students discover gifts and abilities, they feel a part of the school when involved in the arts, and it motivates them to further their education. Students can learn a life long skill in such classes. These classes blend many subjects - math, history, science, English. A play is set in a time period, lines are memorized and presented, themes analyzed, sets and stage have dimension and balance, programs are formatted. Music and art is historically and mathematically grounded. It makes everything personal and practical. Students produce something they are proud of, often in a group, and on a deeper, personal level. I could go on and on... Readers sent many comments via Twitter, and I've used Storify to collect them: Thanks to Virginia, Paul and Heather, and to readers, for their contributions! Please feel free to leave a comment your reactions to the topic or directly to anything that has been said in this post. Consider contributing a question to be answered in a

<urn:uuid:026f216a-e3ab-4d6d-b3f1-f5f88258c506>

Can Testing Save Art Education? The Hechinger Report’s “Can Testing Save Arts Education?” implies for the reader that arts administrators (from state and city/boards of education, external arts providers, and consultants) and some classroom arts educators themselves are demanding some kind of standardized testing format for the arts. The current emphasis on standardized arts testing ignores a basic tenet of assessment, which is that assessment is impactful on teaching and learning when it is designed or comes from the individual teacher for her/his individual classroom and particular group of students (sometimes termed local assessment). Standardized tests are not about the individual student; standardized tests are short-term audits for sorting purposes towards large, general inferences. If those same arts education administrators want standardized arts testing, they must clearly articulate why they want a temporal audit for what sorting purposes towards what kind of large inference–and, again, why do they want or need this inference. I have yet to see that argument be made. Arguing for arts testing as a way to demonstrate art is equal in importance to math is not a valid or thought-out reason that has anything to do with teaching or learning. It’s only a marketing strategy. The article comes from the viewpoint that the arts have nothing to contribute to assessment, but instead can only take or borrow from a kind of vague idea about standardized tests. This is false as a supposition, beginning first with the notion of standardized testing for individual arts classrooms. Standardized tests are simply not an effective model for in-classroom assessment, and, in fact, do not purport to be such a model for specific classrooms. As Grant Wiggins writes, “…traditional large-scale testing causes teachers to mimic locally the format of test items, even though such mimicry turns validity on its head and lowers intellectual standards over time.” In addition, standardized tests have no greater proof of accuracy; as James Popham observes, “although it is widely believed that large-scale educational tests are remarkably accurate, they are much less precise than what is thought.” (I would also like to add here that many arts administrators are putting forward a lot of fantastical notions about what math and science educators believe and do as regards assessment. I find this striking when I attend meetings with math or science educators, and hear them put forward progressive

<urn:uuid:7db93aec-561d-4d0e-823b-039c6c06b665>

Can Testing Save Art Education? The Hechinger Report’s “Can Testing Save [...] and innovative ideas about assessment that would seem radical to these same arts administrators.) The arts, instead, have much potential to contribute to the discussion of the role of local, or individual, assessment via such approaches as portfolios, performance tasks, interviews, observations, and critique. Such approaches get at areas of student development of meta-cognition, or non-cognitive factors. This is what should be fought for, not hand-wringing over trying to make a compromised, pseudo-standardized assessment, based on needs extraneous to teaching and learning. The emphasis here in the article, which is common, is on summative testing, or summative assessment, for arts learning. To discuss only summative assessment misleads the reader as to the questions and issues around how arts learning is developed and articulated, both for the learner and the instructor. Formative assessment, which is not looked at in the article or in these testing debates, often shows to be more effective on impacting instructional strategies and on students’ positively changing their approach to whatever it is they are working on. Good formative assessment is almost always very individual to the classroom. Good formative assessment also clearly serves the learner as well, an important aspect of assessment that is rarely discussed in conversations around standardized arts testing. The shadow of No Child Left Behind still looms over this debate about testing and assessment. NCLB discouraged local assessments and created an illusion that standardized testing could be used as a classroom-based assessment. NCLB also helped engender a dynamic where any challenge voiced from the arts contrary to these notions around standardized testing is viewed as weak, or “anti-rigor.” We must reject this closure to contrary viewpoints. Instead, we should engage in conversations that draw on the expertise of classroom-based arts teachers, university-based arts education instructors, and independent artists, where they share their current approaches to assessment and envision new possibilities.

<urn:uuid:7db93aec-561d-4d0e-823b-039c6c06b665>

Eating Disorders: It’s Not All About Food Our strive to be thin, fit, pretty, and forever young is not only portrayed in our personal lives through our strict “no carb diets”, excessive workouts, or our cosmetic products and procedures in which we choose to actively adopt, but this strive for perfectionism is also strongly expressed in society through social media, magazines, the fashion world, television, movies and modeling agencies. We often think if we lose those ten pounds, gain muscle or adopt that healthy skin glow then we will feel better about ourselves to only soon realize that our deeply rooted self-esteem issues are still present; we still feel we are not good enough or don’t look a certain way and therefore we continue to lose more weight or gain more muscle to look better. So then what? Often times we will adopt even stricter diets, weighing every ounce of food we consume; exercising even more excessively or seeking cosmetic procedures until we are knee deep in a vicious cycle of chasing our self-esteem and reaching for the impossible, until the impossible leads us down a road of self-harm behaviors such as laxative abuse, self-induced vomiting, body shaming, obsessions with the scale, and fascinations with our body image. Our friends may tell us our behaviors are unhealthy and our parents may try to sit us down to have an intervention, but let’s be honest; we must come to realize we have a problem before we can actively seek help. Approximately 20 million women and 10 million men suffer from an eating disorder in the United States and anorexia nervosa is the number one killer of all mental health disorders so if food doesn’t necessarily cause our eating disorder then what does? So what causes eating disorders? The most well-known eating disorders in The Diagnostic & Statistical Manual (DSM-V) are anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and bulimia nervosa. The two other disorders in the DSM are known as avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) and Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder (OSFED). Although each of these disorders may differ by their signs, symptoms, and presentations, they all have one thing is common: similar underlying triggers. The American Psychological Association (APA

<urn:uuid:1264d886-df0b-4261-9ad8-ba34a3196ae2>

Eating Disorders: It’s Not All About Food Our strive to be thin, [...] ) has shown that past abuse or trauma, low-self esteem, bullying, poor parental relationships, borderline personality disorder, substance abuse, non-suicidal self-injury disorder (NSSI), a perfectionistic personality, difficulty communicating negative emotions, difficulty resolving conflict, and genetics are known underlying triggers that contribute to the development of an eating disorder. In fact, approximately 30% of individuals who engage in self-harm behaviors such as cutting will engage in binging and purging behaviors. Maternal psychopathology such as negative expressed emotion, the thrive for perfectionism, and maternal encouragement of weight loss can lead to the development of eating disorders in children and teenagers. The relationship between trauma and the development of eating disorders Trauma, known as a deeply distressing or disturbing experience, comes in all forms such as emotional trauma, physical trauma, and sexual trauma. Whether an individual was physically assaulted, verbally abused, sexually assaulted, endured a very unhealthy romantic relationship, was bounced around foster homes as a child, or grew up in an unstable home; these past traumas result in underlying triggers that are carried out into mental health disorders, including eating disorders. The individual tries to gain a sense of self-control through food and exercise since this is the one and only aspect of their life they are actually able to control. Choosing to engage in binging, extreme dieting, purging and other obsessive behaviors relating to body image and weight loss are attempts to “self-treat” their lack of control in other aspects of their life where they have no control. The obsessions of binging and purging are brought on by low-self esteem, fear and anxiety and therefore an individual will binge, purge or exercise excessively to only be relieved of these unhealthy emotions and feelings temporarily until feelings of self-blame and guilt follow. This vicious cycle of fear and anxiety followed by temporary feelings of relief and calmness are soon replaced by feelings of self-guilt and this cycle of emotions repeats itself over and over again until the eating disorder becomes so self-destructive that either the individual realizes they need help or a serious medical complication occurs. Unfortunately, suicide is the answer for

<urn:uuid:1264d886-df0b-4261-9ad8-ba34a3196ae2>

Cold War HistoryBACK TO LANDING PAGE Le Duc Tho Le Duc Tho served as Special Adviser to the North Vietnamese Delegation at the Paris Peace Conference from 1968-1973. TABLE OF CONTENTS b. Oct. 14, 1911 - d. Oct. 13, 1990 Le Duc Tho served as Special Adviser to the North Vietnamese Delegation at the Paris Peace Conference from 1968-1973. He was awarded but declined the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973. Co-founder, Indochinese Communist Party, 1930; Member, Politburo of the Vietnam Workers’ Party, 1955-1986; Special Adviser to the North Vietnamese Delegation, Paris Peace Conference, 1968-1973; Le Duc Tho was a Vietnamese politician and co-recipient, with Henry Kissinger, of the 1973 Nobel Prize for Peace, which he declined. Le Duc Tho was one of the founders of the Indochinese Communist Party in 1930. For his political activities he was imprisoned by the French in 1930-36 and 1939-44. Ten years of imprisonment by the French did not lessen Tho’s commitment to the Vietminh, or Vietnamese independence movement. After his second release he returned to Hanoi in 1945 and helped lead the Viet Minh, the Vietnamese independence organization, as well as a revived communist party called the Vietnam Workers’ Party. He was the senior Viet Minh official in southern Vietnam until the Geneva Accords of 1954. From 1955 he was a member of the Politburo of the Vietnam Workers’ Party, or the Communist Party of Vietnam, as it was renamed in 1976. During the Vietnam War, 1955-75, Tho oversaw the Viet Cong insurgency that began against the South Vietnamese government in the late 1950s. He carried out most of his duties during the war while in hiding in South Vietnam.

<urn:uuid:4cd16594-3a84-45e5-9d2e-52fc2e90a22b>

There were about 2,000 bridges in the epicentral region of the Northridge quake. As in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the implementation of hinge and joint restrainers is credited with preventing the collapse of many of the bridges in the epicentral region. The literature provides a number of empirical relationships that model the intensity decay in varied regions of the world as a function of epicentral or hypocentral distance. Mathematically, the attenuation of intensity is written as the difference between epicentral and site intensity. The most simple energy attenuation model for spherically expanding waves is an inverse relationship based on the square of the epicentral In the epicentral region, team geoscientists mapped portions of the 80 kilometer surface rupture of the earthquake-generating reverse fault, and investigated sites experiencing vertical uplifts of up to 8 meters, numerous landslides (several with displacements of up to 100 meters), and other spectacular ground failures. Geological Survey (USGS) installed a simple warning system that detected aftershocks in the epicentral region and radioed a warning to Oakland, providing 12 to 20 seconds of warning for people working on the collapsed 1-880 highway overpass. In the epicentral region, the earthquake generated a fault rupture of 110 kilometers and ground shaking intensities of VIII to X on the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale. These measures may have an impact provided they are implemented immediately," Episkopou, the CEO of Epicentral The local magnitude of some shallow earthquakes was calculated using shocks with epicentral distances ranging between 10km and 300km as well as the magnitudes of some deep earthquakes with hypocentral distances ranging between 100km and 600km. Comparing the two epicentral regions, Ellsworth says, "instead of 125,000 living in the immediate area where the ground shaking was hardest, there will be 1. It took a full 25 seconds for the strongest seismic waves from the Loma Prieta earthquake last October to reach San Francisco and

<urn:uuid:c2db2cba-5792-4e02-86b3-7697f5407b78>

Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia. a malformation of plant stems by which the stems become flat, ribbonlike, or ribbed. Fasciation is caused by infection by specific viruses, mycoplasmas, bacteria, microscopic fungi, or phytohelminths. The disorder can also be caused by mites or insects or by the effects of ionizing radiation, chemical mutagens, growth stimulators, pesticides, or fertilizers. Other causes are mechanical trauma and the disruption of moisture, light, temperature, or other regimens. Fasciation is associated with the fusing of stems to one another or of lateral branches with the main shoot, the fusing of several growing points, or the proliferation of a single growing point. The malformation results in deformation and twisting of the stems and abnormal branching of the stems’ apical portion. The time of formation and the distribution of leaves, flowers, and inflorescences are altered. Other effects of fasciation are extreme branching of the inflorescences, an increase in the number of flowers, deformation of the flower owing to an increase in the number of organs that form it, development of a multilocular gynoecium, proliferation of fruits, and a shift in the rhythm of cell division and differentiation. The physiological and biochemical principles behind fasciation have not been established. Fasciation that affects flowers, inflorescences, and fruits is often beneficial, inasmuch as it is used in the selection of certain agricultural plants, for example, large-grain diploid varieties of buckwheat. The study of fasciation is of considerable value in determining the structural and hormonal principles of plant morphogenesis. REFERENCESDanilova, M. F. “O prirode fastsiatsii u rastenii.” Botanicheskii zhurnal, 1961, vol. 46, no. 10. Slepian, E. I. Patologicheskie novoobrazovaniia i ikh vozbuditeli u rastenii. Leningrad, 1973. E. I. SLEPIAN

<urn:uuid:a629a4d4-e2a7-49e4-9fa1-0e988aaef293>

Boosting the Diversity Pipeline for Agriculture Jobs Before Charles E. Stewart, Jr., entered the eighth grade at Meredith Middle School in Des Moines, Iowa, he had no idea he would study agriculture, science, technology, engineering or mathematics courses. But that year, Stewart became part of the very first group of young people to participate in a project called Science Bound, which encourages and supports ethnically and racially diverse Iowa youth to pursue STEM-related careers. Stewart, now an associate scientist in the Office of Biotechnology at Iowa State University (ISU), graduated with a major in agricultural biochemistry in 2000. Stewart remembers his freshman year internship at Iowa State doing fieldwork, experimenting with weed control in corn and soybean fields. “That’s when I broke a lot of stereotypes for myself about farmers,” Stewart, now 38, recalls. Indeed, the diversity of students graduating with degrees that lead to careers in agriculture and related fields has been steadily growing in recent years. But while the absolute numbers may be growing, the proportion of minorities in STEM-related fields is about the same today as it was in 2001, according to Change the Equation, a Washington, D.C., non-profit that tracks minorities in STEM programs. The figures are backed up by research. Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce found in a 2011 report that more than seven in 10 STEM workers are white, compared with 65 percent in the workforce as a whole. Asian-Americans are represented in higher proportions, accounting for 16 percent of the STEM workforce, but only 5 percent of the workforce as a whole. The opposite is true for Latinos and African-Americans; each group comprises 6 percent of the STEM workforce, while African-Americans make up 12 percent of the workforce as a whole and Latinos account for 16 percent. The Agriculture Bright Spot There are bright spots. For instance, the number of minority farm owners. — while still a relatively small proportion of the total population of growers — is starting to increase, after decades of decline. According to the US Department of Agriculture’s 2012 Census of

<urn:uuid:a106613f-d3d0-4429-a915-fd555806ba73>

Boosting the Diversity Pipeline for Agriculture Jobs Before Charles E. Stewart [...] Agriculture, the largest growth has been amongst Asian-American (22 percent growth) and Hispanic farmers (21 percent). The Georgetown report cites a lack of both mentors and peer support among the contributing factors leading to a lower proportion of minorities in STEM-related fields. That’s precisely what programs such as Science Bound strive to address. These programs are specifically designed to boost interest in STEM or business fields relating to agriculture, ranging from data scientists to agronomists to financial analysts. “As our national demographics are changing, we need to be sure that all young people are integrally involved in learning and are empowered to learn in these areas, particularly the agricultural sciences,” says Connie Hargrave, the director of the ISU program. Science Bound is a nine-year commitment between the student, his or her eventual university, and the student’s family. Students, like Stewart in that first year, enter the Science Bound program in the eighth grade and leave the program once they graduate college. The program not only exposes students to jobs, but also provides academic training and mentoring beyond the classroom. Students visit facilities at sponsoring companies, including the DuPont Pioneer Johnston Innovation Center in Iowa. “The primary purpose is to expose students of color to careers in agriculture,” says Pioneer academic outreach manager, Robin Greubel. “Most won’t be farmers, but many will be scientists.” Apart from ACES in Illinois and Science Bound in Iowa, Pioneer is also heavily involved with the Purdue Agribusiness Science Academy (PASA). All such programs focus on providing help for students from the university itself, as well as from parents and mentors. In one recent study, nearly three-quarters of PASA participants who had not yet entered university said that they would consider working in an agriculture-related discipline. Of course, Pioneer and other players in the industry support broad-based youth-in-agriculture initiatives with their sponsorships of the FFA’s New Century Farmer conference, to be held in Des Moines this year. And the overall focus on minority training and recruitment goes beyond specific programs. Pioneer, for instance, encourages participation in

<urn:uuid:a106613f-d3d0-4429-a915-fd555806ba73>

Background Basic lexical skills are hypothesised to be relatively preserved in mild dementia, but clinical studies have reported inconsistent results. Methods More than 400 older Catholic nuns, priests and brothers recruited from groups across the USA completed annual evaluations for up to 15 years, died and underwent brain autopsy. Each clinical evaluation included administration of a 20-item word reading test and a 15-item vocabulary test, which were combined to form a composite measure of word knowledge. In a uniform neuropathological examination, Alzheimer's disease pathology was quantified with a composite index of plaques and tangles, and the presence of gross and microscopic cerebral infarctions and Lewy bodies was recorded. Results The post-mortem level of Alzheimer's disease neuropathology was linearly related to rate of decline in word knowledge. Decline was nearly fourfold faster at a relatively high level of pathology (75th percentile) compared with a relatively low level (25th percentile). Neocortical (but not nigral or limbic) Lewy bodies and gross (but not microscopic) cerebral infarction were also associated with a more rapid decline in word knowledge. Effects for word reading and vocabulary were similar, except that gross cerebral infarction was associated with accelerated decline in vocabulary, but not in word reading. Conclusion Common neuropathological changes associated with late-life dementia impair word knowledge in old age, calling into question the use of word knowledge tests to estimate premorbid cognitive ability. - Alzheimer's disease - Lewy bodies - cerebrovascular disease - post mortem Statistics from Altmetric.com Word knowledge is thought to be relatively well maintained in late life,1 2 especially when assessed with methods that minimise demands on other cognitive abilities.3 4 Word knowledge tests of this sort, most notably the National Adult Reading Test,5 are also hypothesised to be performed normally by persons with mild dementia5 6 and therefore to provide an index of cognitive ability prior to dementia onset. Research examining this hypothesis has been inconclusive, however. One problem is that most longitudinal studies have had few subjects (ie, less than 1007–13) who

<urn:uuid:c8407378-abae-408d-b20f-46ca05f367d2>

Background Basic lexical skills are hypothesised to be relatively preserved in mild dementia, but [...] have been tested on relatively few occasions (ie, two or three per subject7 11–13), making it difficult to characterise change in performance over time. In addition, the definition of mild dementia has varied from study to study. The present study examines the relation of dementia to change in word knowledge. It differs from previous research, however, in that the outcome is defined by neuropathological rather than clinical manifestations. Participants were older Catholic nuns, priests and brothers from the Rush Religious Orders Study who had undergone annual testing of word knowledge and brain autopsy. In a uniform neuropathological examination, summary measures of plaques and tangles, gross and microscopic cerebral infarction, and Lewy bodies were obtained. We used mixed-effects models to characterise change in word knowledge and to test the hypothesis that decline in word knowledge is due in part to common brain lesions associated with late-life dementia. The subjects were older Catholic nuns, priests and brothers participating in the Rush Religious Orders Study.14 They all agreed to annual clinical evaluations and brain autopsy at death. The study began data collection in 1994 and is ongoing. It was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Rush University Medical Center. Eligibility for analyses required a brain autopsy plus longitudinal data on word knowledge. At the time of these analyses, 495 study participants had died, and 463 (93.5%) had undergone a brain autopsy, the results of which were pending in 14. Of the remaining 449 individuals, 34 died with only one valid word knowledge score, leaving 415 with pathological data and longitudinal clinical data. They had a mean age at baseline of 79.6 (SD=6.9) and a mean age at death of 87.1 (SD=7.0). They had a mean of 17.9 years of education (SD=3.4), and 61.7% were woman. They died a mean of 6.4 months after the last assessment of word knowledge (SD=3.9) with a mean post-m

<urn:uuid:c8407378-abae-408d-b20f-46ca05f367d2>

Background Basic lexical skills are hypothesised to be relatively preserved in mild dementia, but [...] ortem interval of 7.9 h (SD=8.0). All 415 had data on AD pathology, 395 had data on Lewy bodies, and 383 had data on cerebral infarction. Assessment of word knowledge At each annual clinical evaluation, two measures of word knowledge were administered. A 20-item reading test with items from the National Adult Reading test5 and subsequent modifications15 16 required reading aloud words with atypical spelling–sound correspondence (eg, epitome, impugn). A 15-item version17 of Extended Range Vocabulary18 required selecting the best synonym for each target word from five alternatives. Because the two tests loaded on a common factor in a previous factor analysis,17 we used a composite measure based on both of them as the primary outcome to minimise floor and ceiling artefacts and other forms of measurement error. Raw scores on each test were converted to z scores, using the baseline mean and SD from the entire cohort, and averaged to yield the composite. Further information on each test and the derivation of the composite measure of word knowledge is published elsewhere.17 A standard protocol was followed for brain removal (at Rush and 11 predetermined sites across the USA), tissue sectioning and preservation, and quantification of pathological findings, as described in more detail elsewhere.19 20 AD pathology was summarised in a composite measure based on counts of neuritic plaques, diffuse plaques and neurofibrillar tangles in four brain regions (entorhinal cortex, midfrontal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, inferior parietal gyrus) using a modified Bielschowsky silver stain. For each type of AD pathology, raw counts in each region were standardised and averaged to form composite measures. The mean of the three composites measure was used as an overall index of AD pathology, as previously described.21 Lewy bodies in six brain regions (substantia nigra, cingulate cortex, entorhinal cortex, midfrontal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, inferior parietal gyrus) were

<urn:uuid:c8407378-abae-408d-b20f-46ca05f367d2>

Background Basic lexical skills are hypothesised to be relatively preserved in mild dementia, but [...] identified with antibodies to alpha-synuclein. In analyses, persons with no Lewy bodies were contrasted with two subgroups: those with Lewy bodies in neocortex and those with Lewy bodies confined to nigral or limbic regions. All cerebral infarctions visible to the naked eye were noted, and the age of each was estimated. The presence of chronic microscopic infarcts was determined using H&E stain. Gross and microscopic infarctions were each treated as present or absent in analyses. We used mixed-effects models22 to characterise change in lexical knowledge and to test the relation of each pathological index to rate of change. The primary outcome was a composite measure of word knowledge. The first and all subsequent models included terms for time (in years since baseline) and for the potentially confounding factors of age (at death), sex and education plus their interactions with time. The term for time indicates the mean change per year in word knowledge. In a second model, we added terms for AD pathology and its interaction with time to test the association of AD pathology with level of and rate of change in word knowledge. We repeated this analysis, first excluding those with dementia at baseline and then using individual tests as outcomes instead of the composite measure of word knowledge. We conducted similar analyses of the relation of Lewy bodies and cerebral infarction to change in the three measures of word knowledge. A final series of analyses included all pathological measures in the same model. To better understand the relationship of AD pathology to change in word knowledge, each person's annual rate of change in word knowledge (estimated from the model without pathology) was plotted against AD pathological burden score (excluding one subject with an extreme burden score) and fitted with a function that uses robust locally linear fits.23 Change in word knowledge At baseline, scores on the composite measure of word knowledge ranged from a low of −3.17 to a high of 1.43 (mean=−0.09, SD=0.97, skewness=−0.76). A higher word knowledge score was associated with younger age (r=−0.12, p=0.

<urn:uuid:c8407378-abae-408d-b20f-46ca05f367d2>

Background Basic lexical skills are hypothesised to be relatively preserved in mild dementia, but [...] 018), more education (r=0.47, p<0.001) and female gender (t (413)=5.6, p<0.001).Word knowledge was assessed annually from study entry to death, with up to 16 observations per individual (mean=7.2, SD=3.3). To assess change in word knowledge, we constructed a series of mixed-effects models. The initial analysis included terms to control for the potentially confounding effects of age at death, sex and education (as did all subsequent models) but did not include neuropathological variables. In this analysis (based on 415 subjects), there was a mean loss of 0.067 unit per year (SE=0.009, p<0.001) in the composite measure of word knowledge. Alzheimer's disease pathology To test the hypothesis that neuropathological lesions contribute to loss of word knowledge, we repeated the analysis of change in the word knowledge measure with terms added for neuropathological measures and their interaction with time. We began with the composite measure of AD pathological lesions which had a somewhat skewed distribution, with scores ranging from a low of 0 to a high of 4.38 (mean=0.62, SD=0.56, skewness=1.48). In the analysis (based on 415 subjects), word knowledge did not decline in the absence of post-mortem evidence of AD, as shown by the term for time (table 1). AD pathological burden was not related to level of word knowledge, but it was related to change. For each point on the composite measure of AD pathological burden, the annual decline in word knowledge score increased by 0.082 unit. To visually examine these results, we used the model to predict 7-year paths of change in word knowledge in participants who had different levels of AD pathology but were otherwise typical. As shown in figure 1, the decline in word knowledge was nearly four times faster in those with relatively high AD pathological burden (75th percentile, score=0.92, dashed line) compared with those with a relatively low burden (25th

<urn:uuid:c8407378-abae-408d-b20f-46ca05f367d2>

Background Basic lexical skills are hypothesised to be relatively preserved in mild dementia, but [...] percentile, score=0.13, solid line). To further examine the contribution of AD to decline in word knowledge, we plotted the model-based estimate of each person's annual rate of change in word knowledge (ie, slope) against AD pathological burden fitted with a locally reweighted linear smooth function (figure 2). The figure suggests an approximately linear relationship of AD pathological burden with rate of decline in word knowledge. At baseline, 55 subjects met criteria for dementia. Exclusion of these individuals did not substantially affect results (estimate of interaction of time with AD pathology=−0.060, SE=0.011, p<0.001). To see if differences between the components of the word knowledge measure affected results, we repeated the analysis, first with the word reading test (based on 409 subjects) and then with the vocabulary test (based on 414 subjects). A higher level of AD neuropathology was associated with a more rapid decline in both word reading and vocabulary, as shown by the interaction terms in each model in table 1. Other forms of neuropathology Data on Lewy bodies were available in 395 persons: Lewy bodies were present in neocortex in 40 (10.1%) and confined to nigral or limbic regions in 44 (11.1%). As shown in table 1, neocortical Lewy bodies were associated with an approximate threefold increase in rate of word knowledge decline with no effect for nigral-limbic Lewy bodies. Infarction data were available in 383 persons: 140 (36.6%) had one or more gross cerebral infarctions, and 118 (30.8%) had one or more microscopic infarctions. Gross cerebral infarction was associated with an 81% increase in rate of decline in word knowledge with no effect for microscopic infarction (table 1). When all pathological measures were included in a single model (based on 383 subjects), results were similar. In this analysis, AD pathology (estimate for interaction with time=

<urn:uuid:c8407378-abae-408d-b20f-46ca05f367d2>

Background Basic lexical skills are hypothesised to be relatively preserved in mild dementia, but [...] −0.094, SE=0.013, p<0.001), neocortical Lewy bodies (estimate for interaction with time=−0.112, SE=0.023, p<0.001) and gross cerebral infarction (estimate for interaction with time=−0.039, SE=0.014, p=0.007) were each associated with more rapid decline in word knowledge. In the absence of these lesions, there was no change in word knowledge (estimate for time=0.020, SE=0.014, p=0.141). We repeated these mixed-effects analyses using individual tests as outcomes in place of the composite measure of word knowledge. Neocortical Lewy bodies were associated with decline in both reading (based on 390 subjects) and vocabulary (based on 394 subjects), whereas gross infarction was related to decline in vocabulary (based on 382 subjects) but not reading (based on 379 subjects) (table 1). When pathological measures were simultaneously analysed, results were comparable, and in the absence of these lesions, reading score increased (estimate for time=0.132, SE=0.058, p=0.023) and vocabulary score did not change (estimate for time=0.000, SE=0.051, p=0.996). For up to 15 years, word knowledge was assessed annually in more than 400 older persons who subsequently died and underwent brain autopsy. Post-mortem measures of plaques, tangles, cerebral infarction and Lewy bodies were robustly related to the rate of decline in word knowledge during the observation period. The results indicate that word knowledge declines in old age largely due to common neuropathological lesions associated with late-life dementia. The fate of lexical knowledge in old age and mild dementia has been difficult to establish. Word knowledge tests that minimise response demands have not been widely used in epidemiological studies of older

<urn:uuid:c8407378-abae-408d-b20f-46ca05f367d2>

Background Basic lexical skills are hypothesised to be relatively preserved in mild dementia, but [...] people without dementia.17 24 Case–control studies of the effect of dementia on word knowledge are hard to interpret because lower premorbid cognitive ability is a risk factor for late-life dementia.25 Longitudinal studies of persons with clinically diagnosed dementia have, with some exceptions,7 13 suggested that word reading does decline in affected individuals,8–12 although the change has been minimal in some cases.8 11 The present study differs from prior research in using pathological rather than clinical measures of disease. We found that neuropathological measures of the lesions traditionally associated with late-life dementia were robustly related to rate of decline in word knowledge. Because basic lexical knowledge is widely believed to be relatively impervious to advancing age and mild dementia, word-knowledge assessment has long been used to estimate premorbid cognitive ability in persons suspected of cognitive decline.5 26 Contrary to this assumption, however, decline in word knowledge in the present study was linearly related to level of AD pathology, indicating that the accumulation of common dementia-related neuropathology impairs word knowledge. Therefore, there is little justification for using performance on tests of word knowledge such as the National Adult Reading Test to estimate the premorbid level of cognitive ability in older persons. Determination of decline in cognitive ability is best based on repeated assessment of cognitive function over time or, when this is not feasible, on indicators of premorbid cognitive ability, such as the level of educational attainment, that are unaffected by dementia.27–29 Results were consistent across two measures of lexical knowledge with one exception. Gross cerebral infarction was associated with decline in vocabulary but not in word reading, suggesting that the response demands of the former (choosing synonym from five options) may exceed those of the latter (reading words aloud). This study has several notable strengths. We used previously established neuropathological and psychometric measures in analyses. The availability of a mean of more than 7 years of evenly spaced observations enhanced our ability to reliably capture individual differences in change in word knowledge. The high participation in follow-up and brain autopsy

<urn:uuid:c8407378-abae-408d-b20f-46ca05f367d2>

International support necessary to restore order, provide humanitarian aid and democracy The widespread violence in southern Kyrgyzstan – with hundreds killed and tens of thousands fleeing – highlights the need for more international involvement in the country. Western countries’ lack of interest in and understanding of the desperate situation democratic forces in Kyrgyzstan have found themselves in for a number of years have allowed cynical politicians to act in their private interest and instigate unrest. The international community must learn to see Kyrgyzstan not only as a transit point in the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan. Situated in a region hosting some of the world’s most oppressive regimes, efforts in Kyrgyzstan towards democratic developments have met both internal and external obstacles. Such efforts cannot be successful without strong support from the international community. International support necessary (Oslo 17 June 2010) The widespread violence in southern Kyrgyzstan – with hundreds killed and tens of thousands fleeing – highlights the need for more international involvement in the country. Western countries’ lack of interest in and understanding of the desperate situation democratic forces in Kyrgyzstan have found themselves in for a number of years have allowed cynical politicians to act in their private interest and instigate unrest. The killings, burning of houses and other violence unfolding in the southern cities of Osh and Jalalabad are not primary the result of long-standing ethnic tensions between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks. This misinformed version of the events is often prevailing in Western media. Although tensions along ethnic lines have been present in the region, they were never likely to cause violence on this scale. The Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC) believes that there are strong indications that the violence has been orchestrated and that it is a direct result of the ongoing political struggle in the country since former president Kurmanbek Bakiev was ousted in April 2010. However, after violence had been started, it escalated along ethnic lines. Indications suggesting that the local population could be used in another attempt at power were clear already in May 2010, when recordings of what appears to be phone conversations between the former president’s son and brother were published on the internet. These conversations focus on plans to instigate violence and unrest in order to take back power from the current Inter

<urn:uuid:e7c7003c-9ab0-4bca-bb5b-893674d25950>

International support necessary to restore order, provide humanitarian aid and democracy The widespread violence in southern K [...] im government under President Roza Otunbaeva. The NHC does not know who specifically is behind the violence in southern Kyrgyzstan – certainly, criminals inside the country have served as the direct instigators, killing indiscriminately and using all means to spread panic, fear and hatred among a mixed ethnic population with an ancient history of co-existence. However, there are numerous indications that forces outside and inside the country are willing to go to great lengths to ensure their grip on power. The international community must learn to see Kyrgyzstan not only as a transit point in the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan. Situated in a region hosting some of the world’s most oppressive regimes (in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan), efforts in Kyrgyzstan towards democratic developments have met both internal and external obstacles. Such efforts cannot be successful without strong support from the international community. The Russian Federation, the US and the EU have particular important roles to play in ensuring sufficient international support and involvement to solve the crisis. Kazakhstan, as the current chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), also bears responsibility in contributing to solving the crisis. Western countries should provide humanitarian aid and increase support to the long-term goal of developing democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights in the country. Both Kyrgyz authorities and the international community should make clear that they will make every effort to ensure accountability for those instigating the violence and for those taking part in it. There should be international support for compensating losses due to the violence. The NHC recommends that in the current situation and as short term measures, - the Interim government should be resolutely supported in restoring order and rule of law in Southern Kyrgyzstan, - sufficient humanitarian aid should be provided both to the remaining population in South Kyrgyzstan and to those who have fled to neighboring Uzbekistan - the UN Security Council should as a priority, and in close consultation with the Interim government, consider mandating international peacekeeping in Southern Kyrgyzstan - there should be an international investigation into the unfolding of the crisis, seeking to detect those responsible and to unravel the chain of events

<urn:uuid:e7c7003c-9ab0-4bca-bb5b-893674d25950>

International support necessary to restore order, provide humanitarian aid and democracy The widespread violence in southern K [...] that led to the rapid escalation of violence, as well as the roles of different actors, including authorities in Kyrgyzstan and neighboring countries After independence in 1991, Kyrgyzstan was led by President Askar Akayev, seen by many observers as more liberal and pro-democracy than leaders in neighbouring countries in Central Asia. However, due to increasing nepotism, corruption and widespread poverty in the country, Akayev was forced to resign in 2005 by massive popular protest against his regime. After elections in July 2005, Kurmanbek Bakiyev came to power, promising democratic and economic reforms. However, soon his leadership became target of criticism for similar patterns of abuses as his predecessor. Several members of his government deflected, criticising his leadership. President Bakiyev was toppled in a popular uprising in April 2010. An Interim government under the leadership of Roza Otunbaeva replaced him. Her government struggled to impose control in Osh, Jalalabad and other cities in southern Kyrgyzstan. It accuses Mr Bakiyev's family of instigating the violence in South Kyrgyzstan to halt a 27 June 2010 referendum on a new constitution. In spite of the unrest, the Interim government plans to go ahead with the referendum. Ousted President Bakiyev has denied any ties to the violence, however recorded telephone conversations between his son Maxim Bakiyev and other family members suggest otherwise. Maxim Bakiyev is currently in custody in the UK. The southern city of Osh is a regional centre situated in a fertile plain known as the Ferghana Valley. The Valley was divided among the three Soviet Republics Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. After the fall of the Soviet Union, they became independent republics, with minority populations and enclaves in separate countries with international border crossings. The last serious outbreak of ethnic disturbance was put down by Soviet troops in 1990. Since then, the Kyrgyz part of the Ferghana Valley has become a magnet for increasing trade with neighbouring

<urn:uuid:e7c7003c-9ab0-4bca-bb5b-893674d25950>