Surgical robots developed by Vanderbilt researchers could make radical prostatectomy safer and less invasive
Feb. 10, 2021—Surgery for prostate cancer—the most prevalent cancer in men—soon could no longer require cutting through healthy tissue and nerves. Surgeons instead may work with minuscule robots developed at the Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering.
Jul. 18, 2019—Vanderbilt collaborators focused on minimally invasive prostate surgery are developing an endoscopic robotic system with two-handed dexterity at a much smaller scale than existing options. A key part of the design – telescoping, curved, concentric tubes – received U.S. patent protection in March 2019, the same month the principal investigators secured a $2.1 million R01...
May. 8, 2018—Nabil Simaan’s Advanced Robotics and Mechanism Applications Laboratory at Vanderbilt leads the way in advancing several robotics technologies for medical use, including miniature robots for single small-incision, cochlear implant and minimally invasive throat surgeries.
Oct. 28, 2016—Bioengineer Nabil Simaan is taking robotic surgical tools to the next level by making them incredibly flexible and situationally aware.
Aug. 8, 2013—Surgery to relieve the damaging pressure caused by hemorrhaging in the brain is a perfect job for a robot. That is the basic premise of a new image-guided surgical system under development at Vanderbilt University.


Goldfish have become an invasive species which have negatively impacted lakes within the United States, as well as around the world. Large goldfish have been found in lakes within the United States such as Lake Tahoe, Quemado Lake in New Mexico, and Lake St. Clair in Michigan. Experts are worried how fast goldfish can breed and alter an ecosystem.
Goldfish dumping is happening around the nation. They are common in family aquariums and backyard pools. They can easily be obtained, usually being among the least expensive fish to purchase. In addition to that, they can be brought home through other means, for instance, people can acquire a goldfish out of a game booth at a fair. When the goldfish is no longer desired, or maybe due to the necessity to move, people can think that they are being kind to their pet goldfish by setting it free in a nearby lake, rather than killing it. But while they may save their pet’s lifestyle, the goldfish may destroy a whole population of native fish.
According to an expert, Wildlife Removal Melbourne FL, who’s an ecology professor at the University of California, aquarium dumping has generated one third of the world’s worst aquatic invasive species.
Goldfish create waste, which feeds algae near the coast. Their feeding habits not only reduce water clarity, they can also ultimately bring about a decrease in water oxygen. This then increases water temperatures, which then destroys the natural habitat for young, juvenile fish. Goldfish root around in the sand, which makes the waters murky and suspends sediment.
Because Lake Tahoe is a massive tourist attraction for boating, hiking, cycling, and swimming, biologists have been employed in an attempt to maintain the waters pristine. They discovered that goldfish are becoming an invasive species. In 2011, biologists discovered a 14.2 inch goldfish weighing over three pounds. Goldfish in Lake Tahoe eat minnows, which are food for trout.
Not only are goldfish an issue to Lake Tahoe, but pollution and climate change have become problems to the Lake Tahoe ecosystem. Thus, with all the challenges to Lake Tahoe, goldfish can be a factor that may tip the balance to an entirely different type of lake composition. In 2011, Nevada passed a law making it illegal to dump goldfish and other invasive fish.
As already mentioned, another lake invaded by goldfish is Quemado Lake in New Mexico. More than five and a half tons of goldfish have been removed from this lake. There were numerous goldfish, it gave the lake an orange hue.
1 way to eliminate the invasive fish is to shock them, which stuns the fish and allows them to be gathered and removed. Few fish actually die from electric shock.
One third of the worst invasive aquatic species of the world has come from the practice of dumping aquarium goldfish and other non-native fish. Like the pythons who have invaded the Florida Keys, and are becoming a significant problem that’s eating natural species and affecting the natural habitat, goldfish are become a serious invasive problem due to aquarium owners that are dumping unwanted fish, not realizing the serious consequences of their activities.


From the Orlando Sentinel
March 28, 2019
mong all the beasts in the animal kingdom, perhaps none is more dangerous to humans than the mosquito.
The whiny insects aren’t just irritating — they can be deadly.
In fact, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reckons that mosquitoes are responsible for at least 700,000 deaths worldwide each year, thanks to their ability to transmit diseases such as malaria and yellow fever with a single bite.
That makes the bugs 50,000 times more deadly to humans than sharks, according to the CDC.
“In order to figure out how to deal with mosquitoes, we first have to understand them,” said Matt DeGennaro, a mosquito neurobiologist at Florida International University in Miami.


Hello to one and all sorts of you present, my process for today is to explain to you by what Inclusive Education is and what extrinsic & intrinsic barriers to learning and development will be. One of the many difficulties facing education in post-apartheid South Africa is realising the constitutional beliefs of equal rights, freedom via discrimination as well as the right to a education for all learners, including those who encounter barriers to learning. Under apartheid, students were not only educated separately according to race, but a separate unique education system served individuals learners with disabilities or perhaps impairments. To deal with this and bring educational practice in South Africa in line while using international trend of which includes learners, whom experience barriers to learning, in general or mainstream classes, South Africa provides enacted legal guidelines and created policy which establishes an inclusive education program.
Inclusion is definitely broadly recognized as the task by which students who recently might have been educated in a distinct special education system, as a result of barriers to learning that they experience, will now be taught in regular schools that contain taken the responsibility of changing and improving to provide the support necessary to aid access and participation. Precisely what is Inclusive Education? Inclusive education means that almost all students go to and are welcomed by their community schools in age-appropriate, regular classes and they are supported to master, contribute and participate in every aspects of the life of the college. Inclusive education is about the way we develop and design each of our schools, classes, programs and activities so that all college students learn and participate jointly.
Neighborhood colleges are the heart of our areas, and Inclusion BC feels they are essential for a quality comprehensive education program. Therefore we expect it is important to support a community education system in W. C. Addition in education is an approach to educating learners with exceptional educational needs. The Division of Simple Education can be committed towards the building of the Inclusive Education system in any way levels while outlined in Education Light Paper 6th: Building an Inclusive Education System, 2001. This kind of inclusive program will help the inclusion of susceptible learners and reduce the barriers to learning, through targeted support structures and mechanisms that may improve the retention of scholars in the education system, especially learners whom are prone to losing out. Advantages of Inclusive Education All children benefit from inclusive education.
This allows these to: Develop person strengths and gifts, with high and appropriate anticipations for each child. Work on individual goals when participating in lifespan of the classroom with other students their own era. Involve their parents in their education in addition to the activities with their local colleges.
Foster a college culture of respect and belonging. Comprehensive education gives opportunities to discover and recognize individual differences, lessening the impact of nuisance and bullying. Develop friendships with a wide variety of other kids, each with the own specific requirements and talents.
Positively influence both all their school and community to appreciate diversity and inclusion on a broader level. Why is Inclusive Education Significant? It's crucial because because South Africans, we value our various communities. These types of communities from school, exactly where all students learn to live alongside colleagues.
They master together; they play with each other; they grow and are nurtured together. Is usually inclusive education for everybody? The straightforward answer is YES. Nevertheless , individual needs may mean that several students ought to spend time out of regular class for a particular purpose. There are always conditions, but they are actually EXCEPTIONS: if perhaps needed, they are really individualized in the student's community school.
What should I expect? You can expect the school to provide a want to support educators and pupils through great inclusive methods like collaboration, team operate, innovative instructional practices, peer-strategies, and more. ************************************************************************************* We now begin the Second part of the discussion what intrinsic and extrinsic obstacles to learning and advancement are? Obstacles to learning acknowledges that educational difficulties may possibly arise by a number of sources, and may become intrinsic or extrinsic to learners. Precisely what is Intrinsic Barriers? Intrinsic barriers include physical, sensory, and neurological and developmental impairments, chronic health issues, psycho-social disruptions and differing intellectual capacity.
What is Extrinsic Barriers? Extrinsic barriers will be those elements that arise outside the learner, but impact on his or her learning. They may arise from the family and its ethnic, social and economic circumstance and include not enough parental participation in education and friends and family problems just like divorce, loss of life, and physical violence. Schools themselves may make up barriers to learning the moment learners' native language is certainly not used for educating and learning and when universities are not secure. Therefore learners will knowledge barriers in different ways depending on the category of which they are a part, the extent to which their colleges facilitate gain access to and contribution and the resources in the communities and societies in which that they live.
Support for students who encounter barriers to learning could be understood since all those actions that enhance schools' convenience of responding to selection Inclusive practice is an important element of support and refers to approaches adopted, technical support provided, buildings and types of procedures applied and actions carried out in the quest for including students who encounter barriers to learning. A focus on comprehensive practice, while not denying the importance of specially culture and policy, helps to ensure that attention is given to what is actually happening in schools, instead of wishful thinking or rhetoric about add-on. Intrinsic factors born with problem -physical/physiological impairments that may turn into disabilities in the event that society plus the system of education do not make dotacion for these students (impairments, innate factors, brain damage) -personality factors, especially types of temperament and unsatisfied mental needs Extrinsic factors problem certainly not in students self but in circumstances they will grow up in -Environment unfavourable socioeconomic circumstances, urban areas (apartments, tiny supervision), country environments (poor school attendance), prosperous areas (bored, drugs, pressure) -Education poor teaching (lack of skills, unmotivated or lazy), incomplete participation on the part of learners, improper study material, ineffective school business, crowded sessions -Language many learners taught in English (not home language), often the teachers can't speak proper English either.
That they perform inadequately due to a lack of understanding -Culture ought to accommodate diff cultures, we all learn, believe and do issues differently keep that in mind (religion, language, food, sense of humour) -Job prospects many learners leave schools but there is no jobs obtainable so that they get frustrated and discouraged = underachieve at school To conclude Schools of a number of classroom techniques that recognize the variety among scholars and separate according to individual learning suggests that these kinds of practices must be encouraged in inclusive sessions. In these techniques, schools can learn from one other and can increase their repertoire of strategies that enable support, address boundaries to learning and provide top quality education for his or her learners. Many thanks.


It is also known as ALL, acute lymphocytic leukemia, or B-Cell Acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
ALL accounts for 80 percent of childhood leukemias. It is the only leukemia more common in children under 5 years than in adults. It often affects children aged 2 to 3 years.
In the United States (U.S.) there are about 6,500 new cases of ALL annually, or 1.7 in every 100,000 people.
The American Cancer Society estimate that 2017 will see 5,970 new ALL diagnoses and 1,440 deaths from ALL.
Acute lymphocytic leukemia is the most common childhood cancer.
Symptoms of ALL usually start slowly and then escalate in severity as the number of blast cells in the blood rises.
In people with ALL, the blood and bone marrow have large numbers of early white blood cells, or lymphocytes, which become leukemia cells.
Signs and symptoms may include:
- excessive sweating
- frequent unexplained bleeding, such as nosebleeds or bleeding gums
- high fever
- painful joints and/or bones
- several infections over a short period
- swollen glands (lymph nodes)
- swollen liver
- swollen spleen
- skin bruises easily
- skin is paler than it should be
- unexplained weight loss
The affected cells can spread into the central nervous system (CNS), affecting the brain and spinal cord. If this happens, the patient may have neurological symptoms, such as dizziness, vomiting, blurred vision, fits (seizures), and headaches.
Causes and risk factors
The causes of ALL are mostly not yet known, but there are some common risk factors.
Experts say the main causes of ALL are exposure to high levels of radiation or benzene. It has also been linked to some medical conditions.
Radiation can come from air travel. Individuals who have spent over 5,000 hours in airplanes have a higher risk of developing ALL, because flying increases exposure to the sun's radiation.
Benzene is a chemical found in crude oil, petroleum and many solvents and plastics. It can also be found in cigarette smoke, which is one of the factors linking ALL and smoking.
About 1 in every 20 cases are thought to be caused by genetic disorders, such as Down's syndrome.
How does leukemia progress?
ALL occurs when there are too many immature blast cells in the blood.
Leukemia can be acute or chronic.
Chronic leukemia develops slowly, and it allows more mature, useful cells to be made, but acute leukemia progresses rapidly.
Acute leukemia crowds out the good cells more rapidly than chronic leukemia. There is a speedy accumulation of immature, useless cells in the marrow and blood.
These are called B-lymphocytes and T-lymphocytes, or B-Cells and T-Cells.
A 1999 study looked at whether early exposure to germs might protect children from developing ALL.
A significantly lower percentage of children who went to playgroups at an early age develop ALL compared to those who did not, suggesting that early exposure to a variety of microbes may offer some protection.
Treatment options will depend on the type of ALL as well as the age and general health levels of the patient
Treatment involves two stages:
- The first phase aims to destroy leukemia cells in the blood or bone marrow. This is called remission induction.
- The second phase takes place after remission is confirmed. Treatment continues to work against the recurrence, or reappearance, of ALL.
Remission is the name for the absence of leukemia cells in the blood or bone marrow.
At each stage, chemotherapy is used. Chemotherapy is given intravenously through a central line, or a central venous catheter.
Chemotherapy is the main course of treatment for ALL
Chemotherapy is used to kill cancer cells. It is often given intravenously or by mouth.
However, the chemicals may not reach the brain or a man's testes. Since leukemia can affect both of these areas, so, to reach them, an injection may be made directly into the spinal column. This is known as an intrathecal injection.
Radiotherapy is used for cases in which ALL has spread to either the brain or the CNS. In this case, more targeted treatment is needed.
A bone marrow or stem cell transplant may be used as part of intensive chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The high-dosage chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment kills the bone marrow cells, and new cells need to be generated.
A transplant normally comes from a donor, but sometimes a patient's own cells may be used. It depends on the type of leukemia.
There is a strong risk of bleeding throughout any of the treatment options. This is due to the reduced number of platelets in patients with leukemia.
Outcomes and prevention
Leukemia is curable, especially in younger patients, and a full life can be lived after treatment.
However, there are long-term considerations for patients of ALL who are in remission.
The immune systems of those who are not fully cured are very low in white blood cells. The patient becomes vulnerable to infections, some of them life-threatening.
Previous patients of ALL can go on to lead a full and happy life after recovery.
The patient will need to continue undergoing regular diagnostic tests for some years following active treatment to rule out the recurrence of the cancer.
Diagnostics will decrease in regularity and then stop once there has been sufficient progress.
The medical requirement to continue with testing depends on the type of ALL and the condition of the recovered patient.
Forty percent of adults aged 25 to 64 years will survive ALL for at least 5 years following diagnosis.
The 5-year survival rate for children under 19 years is 85 percent when given the right treatment.
New methods of diagnosis and treatment mean that there is an optimistic outlook for an increase in adult survival rates for ALL.


Lifelong Music Development Plan
Music appreciation and ability is a gift that most people enjoy. If you ask most accomplished musicians about their current musical abilities and interests, more often than not they will describe what it is they are working on and not what people think they may have mastered. The best musicians view themselves as students always learning and improving their musicianship. The following list represents my musical direction towards enriched and rewarding musical experiences:
- Be a Fan.
Your life is already improved my music if you are simply a fan of groups and individuals that make music that you like. There is something that you can learn from listening to and watching how music is performed. Tony Robbins says that the key to success is finding someone who has achieved success doing something that you would like to do and learning how to do what they do.
- Get Involved In Music.
Most human beings are blessed with amazing musical abilities that allow them to sing, play rhythms, and create music with little musical training. Joining a hobby band or community choir can offer a place to start to grow musically. As Nike says, just do it!
- Play Regularly.
If you sing or play and instrument regularly every day, you will improve and grow as a musician.
- Learn to Read Music.
Learning to read music will allow you to learn new songs, techniques, and approaches. Although there are many top pop performers who do not read music, reading is an essential skill for most musicians.
- Learn to Sight Read.
Being able to sight read well will open many doors. It allows you to play new pieces with little or no rehearsal. All orchestral and classical musicians relay on sight reading and many popular performers use local musicians when touring. A musician with good chops and good sight reading skills can fit in as though they had always been in the orchestra.
- Learn Music Fundamentals.
Learn about rhythm, scales, key signatures, modes, and harmonic theory so that you can understand and play within the structure of a song. This is essential for good composition as well.
- Develop Your Musical Ear.
Relative pitch is the ability to recognize intervals and chords. Absolute pitch is the ability to recognize individual notes heard separately. Musicians who began their musical studies early tend to have a better ear for relative pitch and sometimes absolute (or perfect) pitch with less work than people who start studying music later. Having a good ear is essential for singing or playing instruments that rely or ear and technique to play in tune, such as the violin and French horn. Developing a good ear can be very difficult for many students.
- Learn Music Styles.
Variety is the spice of life. Being comfortable with a number of different styles is interesting and can expand your playing opportunities.
- Learn Songwriting and Composition.
A song is a place where the miracles of human language and music meet to provide creative expression. Songs and instrumental arrangements are a significant part of the tapestry for television, films, stage, and radio productions. Crafting a great song is both art and science.
- Learn Arranging.
A good arrangement can breathe life into a song.
- Learn to Think Like A Producer.
A good producer looks at many aspects of a song including the artistic intention, the arrangement, the instrumentation and musicianship, technical aspects of the production, and the experience of the listener to craft the best version of a musical composition. Whether you are the composer, singer, musician, or arranger, looking at the process as a producer can be rewarding. You as a producer may make different choices than you as a composer might, so it is worth wearing different hats from time to time.
- Learn Where Music Fits In Your World.
How does music fit in your world? Do you want to explore and enjoy the work of others? Do you want to be a performer? Do you want to create original and lasting music? The opportunities are endless.
- Move Forward Every Day.
A person can spend an entire lifetime trying to master a single instrument without running out of things to learn and explore. This is both inspiring and intimidating. No one can master it all. Perhaps the best measure of success is that you are learning and improving a little each day. For some this may be a few minutes a day, for others it may be full days of study, practice, and exploration.
Where am I with my musical progress? I think I have done fairly well with points one and two. Although I have played drums professionally, as a new student of piano it may not be hard to find five-year old children that I will never catch in proficiency. Ear training is a struggle and an area where drumming is not the best foundation. Most areas have huge potential for improvement. I will strive to move forward to see how far I get :-)
— Greg Dixon


By Chie Li Ee, DMD & Chrissy Boothroyd
If you are one of the 29 million Americans with diabetes, you may be surprised to find that the answer is “Yes”. You can add periodontal (gum) disease to the list of other possible complications from diabetes, such as heart disease, kidney disease, eye disease and stroke. Not only are diabetics more likely to have gum disease, but severe gum disease can also affect your blood sugar levels. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you are 3 – 4 times more likely to develop periodontal disease.
Some of the factors that are linked to increased risks of periodontal disease are as follows:
- The main cause of periodontal disease is bacterial plaque. Toxins produced by the bacteria irritate the gums and cause infection. Diabetics are generally more susceptible to infection and less able to fight germs that invade the gums.
- Excess body fat may produce chemicals that cause the gums to be more inflamed.
- Damage to blood vessels in the gums can reduce blood supply which limits the immune response.
- Wound healing is impaired, so healing of the gums is reduced.
- Uncontrolled blood sugar levels. If your A1C is greater than 8.5, your risk of periodontal disease is much greater.
Some other possible oral conditions that can occur if you have diabetes are oral thrush, dry mouth and complications after oral surgery. Although you may not be able to prevent these conditions, your dentist can help you minimize the effects. There are steps that you can take to help prevent some of the dental problems associated with diabetes; controlling your blood sugar, good home care of your teeth and gums and regular cleanings and check-ups at least every six months. Tell your dentist if you have been diagnosed with diabetes and any medications you may be taking. Your dentist may recommend more frequent cleanings and check-ups. The oral cavity is the gateway to the rest of your body and should not be over looked when evaluating one’s overall health. So the next time you think about cancelling your dental appointment or are too tired to floss, think about how you could be affecting your body. Cape May Dental Associates is welcoming new patients and always offers comprehensive and thorough dental care. Call (609) 884-5335 or visit www.capemaydental.com today for more information!


According to recent reports, India is home to seven of the ten most polluted cities in the world. Previously, this infamous title was held by cities in China which were covered in smog. However, China has made major strides in cleaning up the air.
Gurugam holds the title of most polluted city in the world with an air quality index of 135.8. This is three times the number that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) deems healthy.
When is the Air Quality The Worst
During the months of October, November, and December the air quality in Gurugam jumps up to 178.3, 197.3, and 208.2 respectively. These all reach the EPA’s “very unhealthy” level, which signifies serious health hazards for inhabitants. This is due to using more energy to heat houses. And 80% of India’s energy is produced by coal, one of the biggest air polluters in the world.
Inhabitants of places with these air conditions can expect shorter lives. An estimated 7 million premature deaths will be caused directly by poor air conditions in these cities, which will have a major impact on the economy.
What’s Causing This Level of Air Pollution
The big question is, what is actually causing these unhealthy conditions? For starters, India strongly relies on coal. Coal and other fossil fuels can be responsible for smog, which is a major health hazard. Not only is coal the problem, but there is also a large amount of transportation in these cities and the fossil fuels burned by cars are also to blame.
What makes India unique is its climate since the rest of the world also burns these substances. India sees phenomena like dust storms and climate change has made forest fires much more common. Another major factor is that two-thirds of India’s population does not reside in cities. Houses rely on burning wood and other substances for cooking and heat, which adds to the air pollution.
Lastly, but most importantly, construction in India needs to be reformed. Large amounts of dust and other particles are released from construction sites into the air. One thing is for certain. If India does not fix this crisis, air pollution will claim millions of lives every year.
How Can It Be Fixed
How can India go about fixing its air pollution problem? For starters, coal needs to go. Not only is it terrible for the air quality, but it also produces large amounts of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, which intensify global warming. Clean energy alternatives like solar and wind power are not only healthier, but they are also cheaper than coal.
Major reform is needed in construction practices in India to prevent these sites from releasing dangerous particles and dust into the air. Industry reform is also needed because exhaust from plants is responsible for a lot of air pollution.
The Transportation sector, which is the main focus of the government, actually meets most guidelines around the world. In fact, India is actually quite far ahead in this regard since cars older than 15 years are scrapped. This results in more efficient cars driven. However, it should be noted that electric vehicles are always a better option.
Of course, these solutions beg the question, will India really make changes?
Improvements Are Possible
For skeptics who say change is impossible, look no further than China. While it still has poor air quality, it has improved greatly thanks to strong government reforms. The same is completely possible for India, but this relies heavily on the government stepping in to clean up the air.
The longer the country waits, the more lives it endangers.


Manufacturing, Ripening, Process Control and Grading
This chapter describes the principal steps involved in cheese manufacture. Figures 14.1 and 14.2 at the end of the unit are sample process (make) and quality sheets.
1. Ripening the Milk
This term is a little confusing because it is also used to describe the ripening or aging of cheese. Here, ripening refers to the practice of giving the culture time to begin acid production before the rennet is added. This is done for two reasons:
- To ensure the culture is active before the milk is renneted. It is impossible to inoculate after the milk is set. Normally, 45 – 60 min is sufficient to increase TA (titratable acidity) by 0.005 – 0.01%.
- Development of acidity aids the coagulation process, especially the secondary stage.
In many varieties such as Brine Brick and Swiss, low amounts of culture are used and renneting proceeds with little or no prior production of lactic acid.
2. Setting the Vat
- Repeatable performance depends on accurate measurement. For most varieties, the quantity of rennet is selected to set the milk to a firm coagulum in 30 – 40 min, corresponding to about 50 IMCU per liter. Measure the rennet accurately and monitor to ensure that coagulation rate is uniform from day to day.
- Rennet must be diluted (about 20 times) in water and well mixed when added to ensure uniform distribution.
- Watch out for chlorine. It is imperative that the dilution water contains no chlorine. Two ppm of chlorine will destroy 40% of rennet activity in 3 minutes. Similarly, do not sanitize the container used for the rennet with chlorine.
- Another water quality issue is pH. Typically, if the water is hard, it also has pH greater than 7.0, which also decreases rennet activity.
- Finally, dilute the rennet not more than 30 minutes before adding to the vat. After the brined rennet is diluted in water, its activity declines.
Optimizing Setting Parameters
- Milk preparation was discussed in Parts 10 and 11. Here are the principal considerations:
- Pasteurization temperature: higher temperatures increase yield by increased recovery of whey proteins, but a suggested maximum with respect to curd quality is 75ºC, 16 s.
- Temperature history: if the milk is pasteurized and immediately sent to the setting vat, it will be necessary to adjust the mineral balance by adding calcium chloride.
- The jury on selection of coagulant always seems to be out. If microbial coagulants are to be used for high temperature varieties, ensure that the supplier certifies that the heat treatment in the cheese making process is sufficient to substantially reduce the activity of the enzyme. For other varieties, the caution is to ensure that yield and flavour development are not compromised. Given the decreasing availability of calf rennet (the technical name for calf rennet is chymosin), recombinant rennet is the preferred enzyme provided that customers are not spooked by the genetic technology.
- The amount of rennet must be carefully determined. Because rennet is costly, it is desirable to minimize its use, but this can be false economy if curd properties or cheese quality are compromised. Poor setting means increased losses of both fat and protein as fines. And, don’t forget that the coagulant is also a ripening agent.
- Temperature control must be accurate and uniform throughout the vat because both the enzyme activity and the subsequent process of micelle aggregation are extremely temperature sensitive. Inaccurate or non-uniform temperature during setting will result in local areas of under or over set curd, which in turn cause loss of fines during cutting.
- Soft curd results from:
- Over heat treatment
- Low setting temperature
- Colostrum or mastitic milk
- Firm curd results from:
- High calcium
- Low pH
- Standardization to high protein content
3. Cutting the Curd
Proper cutting is important to both quality and yield. Improper cutting and handling the curd results in the loss of fines; that is, small curd particles which are not recovered in the cheese. Unlike whey fat, fat trapped in fines is not recovered by whey cream separation. Therefore, both fat and protein losses occur when shattered curd results in fines too small to be recovered in the cheese.
Determination of Curd Cutting Time
Both early cutting when the curd is fragile and late cutting when the curd is brittle cause losses of fines. Several means are used to determine cutting time.
- Manual testing. The curd is ready to cut if it breaks cleanly when a flat blade is inserted at a 45º angle to the surface and then raised slowly.
- Several mechanical devices based on oscillating viscometry, thermal conductance, or sonication have been tested experimentally and some are used in commercial practice.
- Some plants cut by the clock. This may be OK as long as all conditions are uniform from day to day (is that ever true?) and adjustments are made for any change in milk composition or properties.
- If setting temperature is high, as for some Swiss recipes, the curd firms rapidly and cutting must begin early when curd is still somewhat soft to prevent over setting. Agitation should begin immediately to prevent .
Curd size has a great influence on moisture retention.
- High temperature and low moisture varieties such as Italian hard cheese require the smallest curd. Cutting continues until the curd is the size of rice grains.
- Medium moisture cheeses like most washed varieties and Cheddar are cut to ½ cm cubes.
- High moisture varieties like soft ripened cheese are cut with 2 cm knives or the curd is simply broken sufficiently to be dipped into forms.
Small curd size will result in greater fat and NFS recovery because large curds tend to get crushed, resulting in the loss of “fines.” Smaller curds will also dry out faster and, therefore, other factors such as cooking temperature and stirring out may have to be adjusted according to curd size.
Manual cutting is done with cutting harps, made by stretching stainless steel or nylon wire over a stainless steel frame. Total cutting time should not exceed 10 minutes (preferably less than 5 minutes) because the curd is continually changing (becoming overset) during cutting. The knives should be pulled quickly through the curd so they cut the curd cleanly, rather than push it around the vat.
With mechanical knives, the curd size is determined by the design of the vat and agitators, the speed of cutting (rpm) and the duration of cutting. In Double ‘O’ vats for Cheddar and American varieties, cutting is normally at a speed of about 4 rpm for 7 – 13 minutes, corresponding to a total of 30 – 50 revolutions. It is important that the knives are sharp, so they cut the curd cleanly rather than partially mashing the curd or missing some pieces altogether.
There is evidence that curd particle size at draining in mechanized Cheddar cheese is influenced by cutting time, cutting speed, and subsequent agitation such that:
- Short cutting times and low rpm result in small particle size at draining and more loss of fines.
- With increasing cutting time (more total revolutions), curd particle size at draining reaches a maximum which corresponds to a maximum in fat recovery.
- Further increased cutting time causes decreased curd size at draining with little effect on fat recovery.
The exterior of the freshly cut curd is fragile, so some time is needed for the surfaces to close up (heal) and prevent the loss of fat and protein in the whey. Fresh cut curd also has a tendency to aggregate, which is undesirable. So, agitation after cutting should be minimal to give the curd some time to heal, but sufficient to prevent the curd from matting.
An Index of Cutting Quality
The loss of fines is best monitored by accurate analysis of whey fat content. Whey fat for cheese with 50% FDM should be < 0.3%. Efficient operations may achieve levels near 0.2%.
The combination of heat and the developing acidity (decreasing pH) causes syneresis with resulting expulsion of moisture, lactose, acid, soluble minerals and salts, and whey proteins. It is important to follow the cooking schedule. Cooking too quickly forms a tough exterior on the curd particles which prevents moisture release and hinders development of a smooth texture during pressing.
The whey pH at draining or dipping is less than 5.0 for predominantly acid coagulated varieties and 6.1 – 6.4 for many predominantly rennet coagulated varieties. The exceptions are varieties with no or little culture (see Chapter 2). Draining time should be uniform at about 20 min to prevent variation from vat to vat. Cheddar types may be stirred out 1 – 3 times as required to obtain required curd moisture.
Lactose content can be adjusted by moisture removal (syneresis), fermentation, or leaching with water (washing). Washing to remove lactose makes it possible to make a high moisture cheese and still achieve a final pH of about 5.0 – 5.2. Most cultured varieties with final moisture higher than 40% and minimum pH greater than 5.0 are washed. Temperature of the wash water will determine the moisture content of the curd. Sometimes relatively hot water (e.g., Gouda) is used to dry the curd and develop its texture.
Traditionally, washing was accomplished by removing 50 to 65% of the whey, replacing it with water, and agitating for about 15 min. This process results in the dilution of large amounts of whey that must be concentrated or dumped. It also creates problems where curd tables have less capacity than setting vats. The solution is to remove more whey before washing and reduce the amount of wash water. In American style varieties such as Colby and Monterey Jack, the whey is removed almost completely and washing is accomplished by spraying water on the curd while agitating the curd with forking agitators.
7. Curd handling
Procedures applied during and after draining are many and varied. However, most post draining procedures are similar to one of the following.
Dipping: Dipping is often used as another term for draining, but it applies in particular to cheese varieties for which curd and whey are “dipped” into forms. There may be a “pre-draw” to drain some whey from the curd before the remaining whey is dipped with the curd into the forms. Whey drainage takes place in the forms, which are turned frequently to enhance drainage and ensure uniform shape and smooth surfaces. Soft ripened varieties and most smear (washed rind) varieties are dipped. In modern practice, the curd is partially drained and then pumped into the forms with positive lobed pumps, which do not crush or otherwise damage the curds.
The process of dipping encourages formation of mechanical openings. Mechanical openings result when whey trapped inside the curd is absorbed into the cheese and leaving irregularly shaped holes behind. Much of the open structure in Havarti, for example, is due to mechanical openings.
Consolidated or Pressed Under The Whey: Cheese with small eyes (Dutch varieties), larger eyes (Swiss and related types), and cooked Italian varieties are consolidated under the whey or even pressed under the whey. For example, for traditional Swiss types, French Comté, and Parmigiano, the curd is gathered together under the whey in a large cloth and transferred directly to the forms prior to pressing.
For Gouda and more mechanized versions of Swiss types, it is common to press the curd under the whey using “curd tables” or “press vats” designed for that purpose. Allowing the curd to fuse under the hot whey prevents mechanical openings and helps develop smooth elastic texture, which is ideal for eye formation. The curd is then transferred into hoops for pressing.
Vat Salted Varieties: Cheshire and Cheddar and their cousins and derivatives are handled in different ways after draining, but have this in common that salt is added before the cheese is formed and pressed. The resulting structure of the cheese is coarser (less fused) relative to cheese that is consolidated under the whey and less open than cheese that is dipped into the forms.
Most Latin American rennet coagulated fresh cheese varieties such as Panela, are also salted before pressing (see Chapter 2).
Pasta Filata Varieties (Italy) and similar stretched cheeses incorporate a curd ripening step similar to Cheddar followed by milling to form small curds that are fused together and kneaded and stretched in hot water to create a fibrous structure. In mechanical operations the curd is kneaded by augers and forced up a rectangular tube of decreasing size. This causes the curd to stretch and fuse together creating typical fibrous structure.
Pressing varies from little or none for soft cheese up to 1.5 kg/cm2 (21.3 p.s.i) for firm or hard cheeses. Warmer curd or curd with higher fat requires less pressure. Pressing also depends on the size and shape of the form. For example in a large mould, the force (numerator) of the press is distributed over a larger area (denominator). Mechanical openings may be reduced by vacuum treatment before, during, or after pressing.
Almost all cheese is salted by one of three methods: before pressing, as in Cheddar and American varieties, surface salting after pressing, or brine salting.
Purposes of Salting
- Promote further syneresis
- Slow acid development
- Check spoilage bacteria. LAB are more salt tolerant than many pathogenic and spoilage bacteria.
- Promote controlled ripening and flavour development.
- Salty flavour
Salt concentration in cheese brines is in the range of 16 – 25% NaCl, but typically 20 – 23%. At brining temperatures (less than 10°C), the saturation point for salt in water is about 26%.
New brine should be treated with about 0.1% of CaCl2 to prevent conversion of calcium and hydrogen caseinate to sodium caseinate. The latter has high water holding capacity, so the cheese takes up water from the brine and the cheese surface becomes soft and slimy. Also, brine pH should be adjusted to the pH of the cheese. Normally a pH of 5.2 – 5.6 is adequate. If the pH is too high, ion exchange causing sodium caseinate is encouraged. If the pH is too low, there is insufficient Ca/Na exchange and the cheese surface becomes hard. A suggested recipe  for 100 Kg of brine is:
- 30 Kg salt
- 80 Kg water
- 170 mL of 30% Calcium chloride solution.
- 50 mL of vinegar (5% acetic acid) or 10 mL of lactic acid.
Brining time is dependent on the shape and weight of the cheese. A rule of thumb suggested by Kindstedt (2005) is:
1 h per 0.9 Kg per cm OR 1 h per pound per inch.
For example, a 1 Kg cheese made in a Kadova mold such as we have in the Guelph pilot plant is about 7.5 cm thick. So, the estimated brining time is 0.9 x 7.5 = 6.7 h. It is important to monitor the brine with a salometer and adjust as necessary to maintain the target brine concentration. Also, monitor salt concentration in the cheese to ensure that it’s consistent and close to the target level.
Brine must be continuously agitated to prevent density fractionation (lower concentration brine on top) and dilution of the brine around the cheese. Brine must also be cleaned regularly by micro- or nanofiltration. Nanofiltration has the advantage that in addition to removing bacteria and proteins, it also removes smaller molecules such as residual sugars, but it does not remove salt. Sometimes UV sterilization is combined with filtration to further reduce the chance of contamination.
If cheese is floated rather than immersed in the brine, the exposed surface of the cheese should be dry salted.
- For vat salted cheese, uniform salt content depends on accurate estimate of the weight of unsalted curd, accurate weighing of salt, and consistent processing conditions
- Salt uptake is:
- Increased by increased acidity (lower pH) at salting
- Decreased by increased time between milling and salting due to healing of the cut surfaces on the curd particles
- Increased by increased curd moisture content
- Decreased for larger curds
- For Cheddar and American varieties, the salt content as a percent of moisture (SM) should be greater than 3.6%
The act of cheese curds sticking together after cutting the curd.


Whisky or Whiskey
Below is an excerpt from the Standard Encyclopedia of the Alcohol Problem regarding the production of whiskey.
An alcoholic beverage obtained by distillation. The term is derived from the Gaelic uisge-beatha, later shortened to usquebaugh, and meaning, like the Latin aqua vitae and the French eau devie, "water of life."
Stanford, cited by Dr. B. W. Richardson, says aqua vitae "was used as a drink as early as the year 1260 of our present era," and that the Arabians taught the use of it to the Spaniards, and the Spaniards to the monks of Ireland. In Ireland, he adds, the drink is sometimes called "potheen or poteen," from the poitin, or still, from which the liquor was distilled.
Whisky is obtained from the fermented mash of varieties of grain, the name given it in medicine being Spiritus frumenti ("Spirits of grain"). The classification of the different varieties is based upon the grains used; thus corn whisky, chiefly from corn or maize; rye whiskey, chiefly from rye, etc. Corn whisky, produced mainly in Kentucky, was often called Bourbon, from the county in which it was manufactured. The "New International Encyclopedia" says:
But, while the chief constituent of whisky is alcohol, and a large quantity of factitious liquor is sold under this name, which is simply rectified alcohol, colored and flavored to resemble whisky, yet genuine whisky is very far from being merely a 50 per cent mixture of alcohol and water. The Pharmacopoeia definition is: "An alcoholic liquor obtained by the distillation of the mash of fermented grain (usually a mixture of corn, wheat, and rye), and at least four years old."Whisky is obtained from potatoes also.
The whiskies distilled in different countries have distinctive characteristics as to quality and flavor. Scotch whisky, usually made from barley, is peat-cured and has a smoky flavor; Irish whisky is sweet and has a full bouquet; American whisky has a more pungent flavor and greater body than either Scotch or Irish. The better varieties of British whisky are carefully selected blends.
As whisky is obtained largely from starchy products, such as cereals and potatoes, a preliminary process is required to transform the starch into sugar; the saccharin substance is then fermented, and the resulting product distilled. The diastase from malt, especially barley malt, is the agent usually employed in the process of transforming the starch into sugar, which is called "mashing." In the manufacture of whisky this is accomplished at a lower temperature than in the manufacture of beer. The resulting infusion, called"wort,"is treated with yeast, which induces fermentation and converts the saccharin matter into alcohol. There are two different methods of fermentation, which produce sweet- and sour-mash whiskies. The period of fermentation for sweet-mash whisky is usually 72 hours; for sour-mash, 96 hours. The process of souring the mash frequently prevents the development of unfavorable bacteria. The alcoholic mixture obtained from fermentation, now called the "wash," is ready for the still. This is a copper vessel, provided with a close head terminating in a bent tube which passes, in the form of a spiral called the "worm," through a refrigerating chamber filled with cold water. Heat is applied, the spirit beginning to vaporize at about 176'. The vapor, passing through the worm, is condensed by the cold and drops into a receiver. Redistillation is required to produce strength and purity. Rectification and filtration through bone charcoal or wood are frequently employed. Modern manufacturing apparatus includes complicated pot- and patent-stills, which produce whiskies of different strengths and characteristics.
The process of aging is important, as newly distilled whisky is fiery and unpalatable. This is accomplished by casking the raw whisky and storing in cellars, where atmospheric conditions play an important part in determining the quality and character of the ultimate product. Seasoned oak casks, charred casks, or those impregnated with sherry are most frequently used. The period required is from four to twelve years.
Due to the length of time required before marketing, expense of suitable apparatus, and difficulty of detection, the practises of adulterating and misbranding whisky have been frequent and flagrant, particularly in the United States, where the evil reached such proportions as to become the subject of stringent legislation in the Pure Foods and Drugs Act of 1906. This Act was especially concerned with the transportation as an article of commerce of mislabeled whisky, composed of compounds, imitations, and blends. A lengthy controversy over misbranding, inaugurated by the distillers, centered around a definition of the terms "whisky,' "neutral spirits" and "like substances," as employed in the Act.
In February, 1910, the United States Department of Agriculture, in Food Inspection Decision No. 113, superseding all previous decisions, ruled with regard to the classification and labeling of whiskies:
Under the Food and Drugs Act of June 30, 1906, all unmixed distilled spirits from grain, colored and flavored with harmless color and flavor, in the customary ways, either by the charred barrel process, or by the addition of caramel and harmless flavor, if of potable strength and not less than 80' proof, are entitled to the name whisky without qualification. If the proof be less than 80', i.e., if more water be added, the actual proof must be stated upon the label and this requirement applies as well to blends and compounds of whisky.
Whiskies of the same or different kinds, i.e., straight whisky, rectified whisky, redistilled whisky and neutral spirits whisky or like substances and mixtures of such whiskies, with or without harmless color or flavor used for purposes of coloring and flavoring only, are blends under the law and must be so labeled. In labeling blends the Act requires two things to be stated upon the label to bring the blended product within the exception provided by the statute: First, the blend must be labeled, branded or tagged so as to plainly indicate that it is a blend, in other words that it is composed of two or more like substances, which in the case of whisky must each be of itself a whisky, and Second, the word "blend" must be plainly stated upon the package in which the mixture is offered for sale. A mixture of whiskies, therefore, with or without harmless coloring or flavoring, used for coloring and flavoring only, is correctly labeled "Kerwan Whisky. A Blend of Whiskies.
With reference to mixtures of whisky with potable alcoholic distillates from sources other than grain, such as cane, fruit, or vegetables, the decision states that they are required to be labeled as compounds, as, for example, "Kerwan Whisky. A compound of whisky and cane distillate." When essence or oil is added to one variety of whisky with intent to simulate another, the imitation must be indicated, as for example, if rye essence were added to a highly rectified distillate of corn, the mixture would not be misbranded if labeled "Whisky-Imitation Rye."
Appeal was made from this interpretation, but in Decision No. 118, issued in May, 1910, the Department declined to modify its position. The Decision read:
At the instance of certain parties in interest we have considered the suggestion for a modification of the rules embodied in Food Inspection Decision No. 113. The suggestion was that mixtures of whiskey with a potable alcohol distillate from sources other than grain, such as cane, fruit, or vegetables, are not misbranded if labeled "a blend of whiskey and neutral spirit." After exhaustive consideration we have concluded that such a change would be in conflict with the controlling reason of the rule itself. It has also been suggested that the term "blend" might be employed under the circumstances given if the neutral spirit disclosed its origin by the designation "neutral molasses spirit," or other like terms. While a modification in that form might protect the public against deception or misunderstanding, we are nevertheless of the opinion that such a modification would still be in conflict with the fundamental principle adopted in the President's opinion and in Food Inspection Decision No. 113. In our opinion such a combination, if it is to be designated according to the terms of the law, would be a compound, and not a blend, and if either term is to be employed, the former is the only one that is permissible.
Our conclusion accordingly is that we must decline to modify the decision heretofore adopted in this respect.
The opinion of the President (Taft) referred to, held:
After an examination of all the evidence it seems to me overwhelmingly established that for a hundred years the term "whisky" in the trade and among the customers has included all potable liquor distilled from grain; that the straight whisky is, as compared with the whisky made by rectification or redistillation and flavoring and coloring matter, a subsequent improvement, and that therefore it is a perversion of the pure-food act to attempt now to limit the meaning of the term "whisky" to that which modern manufacture and taste have made the most desirable variety.
It is undoubtedly true that the liquor trade has been disgracefully full of frauds upon the public by false labels, but these frauds did not consist in palming off something which was not whisky as whisky, but in palming off one kind of whisky as another and better kind of whisky. 'Whisky made of rectified redistilled or neutral spirits and given a color and flavor by burnt sugar, made in a few days, was often branded as Bourbon or rye straight whisky. The way to remedy this evil Is not to attempt to change the meaning and scope of the term "whisky," accorded to it for one hundred years, and narrow it to include only straight whisky; and there is nothing in the pure-food law that warrants the inference of such an intention by Congress.
In the case of an established product sold under a trade name, but composed of a mixture of two separate and distinct distillates of grain, such as "Canadian Club whisky," upon which the Department of Agriculture asked the opinion of Attorney-general Wickersham, the latter, in a Decision of Oct. 19, 1010, after a resume of the case, declared:
. . . it appears to me clear that the name "Canadian Club whisky" is a distinctive name, so arbitrary and so fanciful as to clearly distinguish it from all other kinds of whisky or other things, and a name which, by common use, has come to mean a substance clearly distinguishable by the public from anything else... In my opinion, therefore, it is not necessary that the label under which "Canadian Club whisky" is sold shall state that it is "a blend of whiskies."
The accompanying Tables I and II give the production of whisky in the United States in gallons, according to the reports of the Internal Revenue Department, from 1878 to 1920. Prior to July 1, 1877, no returns were made for spirits other than fruit brandy. A new classification of spirits from 1909 and 1910 combined the statistics on Bourbon and Rye whiskies.
Entry from the Standard Encyclopedia of the Alcohol Problem
About the League
Mon - Sat: 9am - 6pm
Closed on Saturday: 1-2pm
Closed on Sunday
Past "Glory": Black Civil War Veterans (1865-1918)Mar 24th | 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Great Decisions Discussion Group: Westerville Senior CenterMar 27th | 1:00pm - 2:00pmWesterville Senior Center
Creating Ukrainian Easter EggsApr 4th | 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Remembering the HolocaustApr 10th | 6:30pm - 8:00pm


The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday said that only food products containing less than 20 parts per million of gluten can be labeled "gluten free."
The new guideline is intended to provide uniformity in the labeling of food products and provide confidence to about 3 million Americans who suffer from celiac disease and must eat a gluten-free diet, the agency said.
“Adherence to a gluten-free diet is the key to treating celiac disease, which can be very disruptive to everyday life,” said FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg. “The FDA’s new ‘gluten-free’ definition will help people with this condition make food choices with confidence and allow them to better manage their health.”
The FDA's rule also requires foods with the claims “no gluten,” “free of gluten” and “without gluten” to meet the definition for “gluten free.”
Food manufacturers will have a year after the rule is in effect, which begins 30 days after it is published in the Federal Register, to adhere to the new requirements, the agency said.
The term "gluten" refers to proteins that occur naturally in wheat, rye, barley and cross-bred hybrids of these grains.
People with celiac disease who eat foods that contain gluten trigger production of antibodies that attack the lining of the small intestine. That leads to problems such as nutritional deficiencies because they are unable to absorb nutrients.
Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times


Date of this Version
Over the past 20 years, the United States’ use of power has increased about 25 percent. Couple this with the fact that Americans are looking for more clean energy choices, and it is easy to see the incentive for energy generation and use from alternative energy sources. Agriculture can provide the potential for clean, alternative energy sources.
Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) require that affected electricity providers include a specified amount of renewable energy as part of their portfolio of generating fuels. There are many varieties of RPS; of the twenty-six states that adopted RPS, no two states have enacted exactly the same provisions. Out of the four states included in the collaborative efforts to present the Range Beef Cow Symposium, Colorado is the only one that has adopted such standards.
There are several sources that are considered alternative energy. As reported by the Energy Information Administration, the 2006 profile of renewable energy sources includes biomass, geothermal energy, hydroelectric conventional, solar/pv energy, and wind energy. Preliminary data from the report shows that total wind generation increased by 45 percent from 2005 to 2006.


A calculator, or a computer?
Industrial designer and San Francisco native Roy Ozaki was integral to the design of the HP9100A desktop calculator, shown here in a 1967 photograph of the device’s first clay model. Ozaki was interned with his family at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in Wyoming during World War II, but after the war he enlisted in the US Army as a Japanese interpreter for the Civil Affairs Team and then served in the Military Intelligence Service unit interrogating Japanese POWs returning from Soviet prison camps. After graduating from the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena with an industrial design degree, he worked for IBM, Whirlpool, and Goodyear before joining HP. The HP9100A was described as a “powerful computing genie” that was the first personal computer and the catalyst for the personal computing revolution.
Bill Hewlett himself took an active interest in its development, using much of his free time to monitor it after a skiing accident landed him in a hospital. But even though the HP9100A was essentially a desktop computer (weighing in at 40 pounds and costing $4,900), it was never marketed as one. Hewlett explained: “If we had called it a computer, it would have been rejected by our customers’ computer gurus because it didn’t look like an IBM [computer]. We, therefore, decided to call it a calculator, and all such nonsense disappeared.” – Andrea Bell-Matthews
Fit for a queen
During her historic 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II witnessed many technological advances, from the evolution of the television to the home computer to smartphones. But long before she could tour the heart of Silicon Valley to see their origins firsthand, she, too, had her own ties to service during WWII.
She enlisted in the Auxiliary Territorial Service in 1945 and trained to become a military truck driver and mechanic. The first female member of the royal family to serve in the armed forces, she was promoted to honorary junior commander, the equivalent of an army captain, after completing five months of training. The war ended before she could be assigned to active duty.


They look small and harmless. But, 26-year-old Andrea Dole will tell you ticks can create some real chaos.
The Collins woman has been living with Lyme Disease for almost 14 years. She travels to Pennsylvania several times a year for treatment and forced to take nearly 20 pills to stay healthy.
“I lost my independence. There was a time for a while I needed a cane and an oxygen tank just to leave the house,” Dole said.
Lyme Disease is caused by tick bites. It can cause the same harm to pets as it does to people.
Dr. Linsday Vanvolkinburg is a veterinarian at Brighton-Eggert Animal Clinic in the Town of Tonawanda. She said typically the bugs come out of hibernation when it starts getting warm. The clinic is already starting to see pets come in.
“There will be some ticks that are carrying these diseases and there will be some ticks that are not carrying these diseases,” Dr. Vanvolkinburg.
There are several meds and even collars to keep ticks and fleas away. Pet owners can even take precaution as well, by checking their pets for ticks, avoid tall grass or wooded areas, wear insect repellant with deet, and keep the legs of your pants tucked in to your socks.
“You don't want one little bug bite to ruin the rest of your life,” Dole said.
Dole is part of a group called Lyme Western New York. The group is planning several events in May to bring awareness to the tick problem. The City of Buffalo and Niagara Falls are set to light up green on May 19th to bring awareness as well. To learn more about Lyme Western New York click www.lymewny.com


If you are at high risk of osteoporosis your doctor may refer you for a bone density test.
A bone density test can help diagnose osteoporosis. It is a short, painless scan that measures the density (strength) of your bones, usually at the hip and spine. One of the results from this test is called a 'T-score'. It measures your bone mineral density (BMD) and compares it to the bone density of a healthy young adult..
A T-score of:
- above -1 is normal
- between -1 and -2.5 is classed as 'osteopenia' (where bone density is lower than average but not low enough to be classed as 'osteoporosis')
- below -2.5 is classed as 'osteoporosis'.
A bone density test can help diagnose osteoporosis, but your BMD result is not the only factor that determines your risk of fracturing a bone.
Your doctor will also consider your age, sex and any previous fractures before deciding whether you need treatment for osteoporosis.
Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.
Last reviewed: September 2017


20 students in 6th grade and up.
A mandala is a sacred circle. This symbol is found in all cultures throughout time for insight, healing, and self-expression. It's also linked to geometry, psychology, and art in architecture, as well as in the pattern of everyday objects. Come make your own mandala.


Australia-based Dyesol has been awarded a $449,000 grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to commercialize an innovative, very high efficiency perovskite solar cell. ARENA has stated that the funding would enable Dyesol to create a roadmap setting out the steps needed to take its perovskite solar cell technology from the lab to a commercially available product. Dyesol will map out the techniques and requirements for working towards scalable manufacturing of high-quality, uniform perovskite cells that achieve efficiency, durability and stability targets. As declared, Dyesol is initially aiming for a delivery cost benchmark of US 10 cents per kWh, putting perovskite solar PV cells on par with current benchmarks achieved by silicon solar PV. This would be a considerable achievement given silicon PV’s maturity as a technology, and provides…
Researchers at ETH Zurich have built a perovskite-based memristor just 5 nanometres thick. The component has three stable resistive states, and as a result, it can not only store the 0 or 1 of a standard bit, but can also be used for information encoded by three states â the 0, 1 and 2 of a âtritâ. This component could, therefore, be useful for a new type of IT that is not based on binary logic, but on a logic that provides for information located âbetween’ the 0 and 1, with interesting implications for what is referred to as fuzzy logic, which seeks to incorporate a form of uncertainty into the processing of digital information.
Another potential application is neuromorphic computing, which aims to use electronic components to reproduce the way in which neurons in the brain process information. The scientists explain that the properties of a memristor at a given point in time depend on what has happened before, and this mimics the behavior of neurons, which only transmit information once a specific activation threshold has been reached.
The researchers have characterized the ways in which the component works by conducting electro-chemical studies. They were able to identify the carriers of electrical charge and understand their relationship with the three stable states, which is important knowledge for materials science which will be useful in refining the way the storage operates and in improving its efficiency.
Memristors (or RRAM memory cells) are much sought-after electronic components that could one day replace flash memory (DRAM) used in USB memory sticks, SD cards and SSD hard drives. They require less energy since they work at lower voltages and can be made much smaller than today’s memory modules. They therefore offer much greater density, which means that they can store more megabytes of information per square millimetre. Memristors are currently, however, only at the prototype stage.
AZO NanoPerovskite applicationsMemory devicesTechnical / research
Above are Will perovskite-based memristors someday replace Flash storage? web publication,Hope can help you.
Researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) developed a process for coating perovskite layers with graphene for the first time, so that the graphene acts as a front contact. A traditional silicon absorber converts the red portion of the solar spectrum very effectively into electrical energy, whereas the blue portions are partially lost as heat. To reduce this loss, the silicon cell can be combined with an additional solar cell that primarily converts the blue portions and a particularly effective complement to conventional silicon is perovskite. However, it is normally very difficult to provide the perovskite layer with a transparent front contact. While sputter deposition of indium tin oxide (ITO) is common practice for inorganic silicon solar cells, this technique destroys the organic components of a perovskite cell. The HZB scientists…


Now is the right time to begin exploring the many health benefits of meditation. For those of you who may be new to it, those of you who are experiencing chronic illnesses or other health conditions or want to strengthen your body and mind, the benefits of meditation should not be overlooked. For those of you who have just started meditating, it is important to know that each person learns their style and the benefits of meditation. For those of you who have been meditating for some time, there are many benefits of meditation to share with you.
The Body Response
The body responds to the health benefits of meditation in different ways. It can either increase your awareness of your body, lower your blood pressure and reduce your stress levels or even change the way you think and behave. For those of you who are new to meditating, you will notice that you experience all three of these through your daily routine. Through mindfulness meditation, you will be able to observe yourself and your thoughts and, in turn, change the way you respond to them.
When Did You Realize?
Many people who suffer from depression are not aware that they are suffering until it reaches an extreme state. If you are familiar with the symptoms of clinical depression, you will note that they include lack of appetite, fatigue, insomnia, constant thoughts about death and suicide, and irritability. While clinical depression can lead to suicide, it is not the only thing that can lead to it. Several other conditions can cause similar symptoms, including bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. For those who suffer from depression, it is important to note that the symptoms of depression, including the inability to focus and concentration, and the increase of negative thoughts, can all be associated with one another and be related to a particular condition, like clinical depression.
Change In Mind And Body
When you start meditating, you will immediately see how the mind and body can change for the better when you can calm your thoughts and focus your attention. It is also very helpful to practice meditation when under stress because stress is very common in our daily lives. When you meditate, you are allowing your mind to slow down and remain calm. This is great for relieving the stress that people deal with daily.
Regularly Practice Meditation
One review concluded that a person who regularly practices meditation has a greater chance of being depressed. However, another review concluded that the results were mixed. Some people were able to benefit from meditation. One review concluded that “There is no scientific evidence that meditation will necessarily cure depression.” A different review, conducted by the University of Toronto affiliate school of Medicine, concluded a “lack of consistent evidence in support of the effectiveness of meditation for treating or preventing depression.” Many health benefits of meditation should be explored to find the one that works best for you. According to one review, “meditation may include relaxation of the muscles, relaxation of the mind, breathing exercises, and stretching.” Another review stated, “The purpose of practicing meditation is to achieve enlightenment.”
Beneficial For Adults And Children
Studies on the health benefits of meditation have been done both in adults and children. In adults, a meta-analysis found, “Meditative techniques were effective in reducing stress and enhancing immune function.” In a pediatric study, “effects of meditation on psychological and behavioral disorders were noted.” The effects of meditation on reducing stress and anxiety were shown in both adults and children.
In addition to the health benefits of meditation, several studies have shown the anti-inflammatory properties of certain natural oils and supplements. These oils have been proven to fight the symptoms of arthritis. A meta-analysis showed that oil supplements are effective in reducing the number of inflammatory chemicals called cytokines. This is because inflammatory chemicals are one of the major causes of pain.


Nurses in South Carolina work for the health of their patients. However, these workers may want to consider their own safety while on the job. Some of the biggest risks for health care workers are sharps-related injuries, workplace violence and contact with allergens and toxic substances.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, needlesticks and other sharps-related injuries are a major risk to nurses. A needlestick injury can expose a worker to dangerous pathogens. Laws protect workers by mandating safe practices for needles. However, workers are advised to be aware of the requirements and make sure that their employers comply with them.
Latex gloves are another cause for workplace injuries at health care facilities. These gloves, which are worn to prevent contact with toxins, often contain powder that can lead to rashes or allergic reactions in some people. It is recommended that workers wash their hands immediately after removing latex gloves and avoid using oil-based lotions that can break down the latex.
Nurses are also at high risk for workplace violence. The majority of violence against nurses is committed by patients, and the risk is highest for workers in mental health care. There are no federal laws to protect nurses from workplace violence; although, many states have regulations to curb the problem. Nurses are advised to be aware of their patients’ histories and stay alert when working with individuals who have a history of violence.
Workplace accidents for nurses and other health care workers could result in serious illnesses if an accident exposes a worker to a blood-borne pathogen. The result could cause financial hardship, with medical bills compounded by lost income if the worker is unable to work due to the accident. Any worker who is injured or becomes ill due to something that happens at work has a legal right to file a workers’ compensation claim if their employer provides coverage.


Levänluhta – Iron Age water burial site of 100 humans
Markku Oinonen, docent, laboratory manager & Laura Arppe, post doctoral researcher
In 1674 Alftanus, reverend of Isonkyrö-village wrote that humans bones have risen up from the Levänluhta spring “throughout the ages”. Archaeological investigations on the site, situated near the Kyronjoki River, were conducted in 1886, 1912 and 1982–1984. Among the object discovered from the Levänluhta spring area were jewellery, wooden stakes, a bronze kettle – and the skeletal remains of ca. 100 individual humans. The site is unique in Northern Europe. The iron-rich red water foaming up through the groud in the springtime adds to the mysterical nature of the site.
The Laboratory of Chronology takes part in a multidisciplinary research effort, coordinated by archaeologists form the University of Helsinki, and funded by the Eemil Aaltonen foundation, where the mysteries of the Levänluhta water burial site are investigated using archaeological and natural scientific methods . Radiocarbon datings will provide the timeline for interpretations of the people’s diet and subsistence patterns which will be studied based on stable isotope analyses of the bones.
The period of use of the Levänluhta burial site coincides with a climatic anomaly that took place 1500 years ago. According to written sources, mostly from the Mediterranean realm, the sun was dimmed for 18 months during the AD 530’s - a phenomenon observable in tree-ring records as very low growth and frost damage across the northern hemisphere. The project takes advantage of tree-ring isotopic analyses performed (in the CARATE-project), to better understand the impacts of the calimte anomaly to the lives of the Iron Age people in the Levänluhta region of Western Finland.
Wessmann A et al. (2011) The Levänluhta site – Multidisciplinary research into a unique mystery in Northern European prehistory. Funding decision by Emil Aaltonen foundation for 3-year project 2012–2014.
Oinonen M et al. (2012) Levänluhta water burial in the light of bone collagen isotopic ratios. Talk at the 18th Annual Meeting of European Association of Archaeologists, August-September 2012, Helsinki, Finland.


Starting in the late 1950's, Florence, Kentucky went through a housing boom. Many people moved to the area to work in factories in Cincinnati and thought Boone County was a great place to live. Because there weren't as many houses as families moving to the area, subdivisions were developed around the main town of Florence.
According to the U.S. Census, 5,837 people lived in Florence in 1960. That is a 340.5% increase over the 1950 population of 1,325! By the time the 1960's were over, Florence's population doubled to 11,661. 1)2) Most of the population lived in the new subdivisions.


Los Angeles has been known for years for having an unsustainable lifestyle; the water the city requires to live is brought by aqueduct from over 200 miles away, a triumph of engineering, but an ecological abomination. Will the mayors ambitious new plan save the day?
Antonio Villaraigosa, who is in his third year overseeing the affairs of the city of angels, is planning to aggressively campaign in favor of a water reclamation technology that Angelenos passed over ten years ago, but that would serve to dramatically lower the risks of living so far from their water supply. Los Angeles is, like all of California, going through a drought right now, and that natural event has turned many Angelenos into water conscious consumers the way they weren’t ready to be when this proposal was first floated in 2000.
That proposal, which opponents successfully labeled toilet to tap was highlighted by the approaching 2001 mayoral election, for which none of the candidates were in favor of the measure, a play towards the San Fernando Valley, site of the project both then and now. In 2000, however, the valley was also beginning to put steam behind an effort to secede from the cityfurther crippling the movement towards a more sustainable infrastructure.
How Does This Work, Anyway?
Purifying water that comes out of waste systems isn’t all that hard anymore, and its being used in several other communities nationwide, most notably Californias own Orange County. The water is first returned to the Tillman treatment plant in the San Fernando Valley, where its purified to a drinkable quality via a series of chemical treatments and filtration, including reverse osmosis that’s not terribly unlike that used in desalination plants. From there it travels to what are known as spreading grounds where the water is allowed to seep through layers of soil (more filtering) en route to the underground aquifer that L.A. must be able to draw from more effectively if it is to wean itself from the viaduct. It will, models predict, spend 2-3 years mixing with the water in the aquifer before the first recycled water comes back to public use in heavily diluted form and goes straight to you got it a purification plant.
How Is This Eco-Friendly?
While 2007 in the life of Atlanta should be enough to scare any major city into ensuring it has complete control over its water supply, there are several ecological benefits to recycling your waste water. Chief among them is that people readily forget that the water you’re drinking was almost certainly supposed to be somewhere else maybe in an underground aquifer, or maybe in a fragile wetland. If L.A. was ever able to take care of L.A., then the surplus would be a boon to the ecosystems of the Owens River, the current source of drinking water to the stars. Not a fan of wetlands? Recycled water also cuts down on the amount of wastewater discharge that treatment plants place into the environment, to potentially catastrophic effect.


21 October, 2013
Keep your weight – don't miss breakfast
Here is the perception: skipping breakfast increases hunger throughout the day, making people overeat and seek out snacks to compensate for missing that first – and some would say most important – meal of the day. This belief is based on many studies and was not challenged until recently, when Brown and colleagues published their findings .
Basically, what the authors were pointing out was that sometimes science-related beliefs are presumed true even though insufficient evidence exists to support or refute them. They searched various sources of information in regard to the effect of eating breakfast on obesity, and focused on one meta-analysis and three systematic reviews, which included data from 92 relevant articles. They noted that there were only a few relevant randomized controlled trials, which gave a variety of results and were inconsistent in their conclusions.
As for the observational evidence, there was a clear association between breakfast omission and excess weight on the one hand, but this association did not show causation on the other hand. Several methodological flaws were detected in the database as well, such as biased interpretation of one’s own results, improper use of causal language in describing the results, or misleadingly citing others’ results.
To summarize, Brown and colleagues suggested that careful analysis of the data dictates caution, since the belief in the association between eating breakfast and better management of obesity exceeds the strength of scientific evidence.
People may believe that by omitting breakfast they are reducing their total calorie intake and thereby helping their efforts at weight control. But, in fact, many studies support an opposite view, namely that eating breakfast is important especially as part of weight reduction programs. A typical study that demonstrated the benefits of not missing breakfast examined 52 moderately obese adult women, who were stratified according to their baseline breakfast-eating habits and were randomly assigned to a weight-loss program .
The no-breakfast group ate two meals per day and the breakfast group ate three meals per day. The energy contents of the two weight-loss programs were identical. After the 12-week treatment, baseline breakfast eaters lost 8.9 kg in the no-breakfast treatment and 6.2 kg in the breakfast treatment. Baseline breakfast skippers lost 7.7 kg in the breakfast treatment and 6.0 kg in the no-breakfast treatment.
Analyses of behavioral data suggested that eating breakfast helped to reduce dietary fat and minimize impulsive snacking and therefore could be part of a weight-reduction program.
A comprehensive article in the New England Journal of Medicine published earlier this year discussed several obesity-related myths and mis-perceptions, including the issue of eating regular breakfasts . One of the addressed presumptions was that 'Regularly eating (vs. skipping) breakfast is protective against obesity. Skipping breakfast purportedly leads to overeating later in the day'. But, according to the NEJM paper, the true fact is that 'Eating breakfast daily is likely to help only if it is accompanied by an overall reduction in energy intake'.
The take-home message is very clear: in modern times we are exposed to vast quantities of all sorts of information, sometimes leading to creation of 'accepted perceptions'. The above issue is a good example: the importance of having regular breakfasts as part of the strategies to reduce weight has been repeatedly and favorably addressed by the lay-media, scientific, and (USA) government sources. Perhaps this seemingly clear-cut association is not so accurate and deserves further testing.
Department of Medicine ‘T’, Ichilov Hospital, Tel-Aviv, Israel
1. Brown AW, Bohan Brown MM, Allison DB. Belief beyond the evidence: using the proposed effect of breakfast on obesity to show 2 practices that distort scientific evidence. Am J Clin Nutr 2013 Sep 4. Epub ahead of print
2. Schlundt DG, Hill JO, Sbrocco T, Pope-Cordle J, Sharp T. The role of breakfast in the treatment of obesity: a randomized clinical trial. Am J Clin Nutr 1992;55:645-51.
3. Casazza K, Fontaine KR, Astrup A, et al. Myths, presumptions, and facts about obesity. N Engl J Med 2013;368:446-54.