Ticks transport and transmit microbial pathogens that infl ict malevolent diseases on domestic and wildlife animals, and humans. We reveal the fi rst-time record of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, in British Columbia (BC) and, concurrently, far western North America. We unveil the primary tick-host record of I. scapularis parasitizing a Mallard duck, Anas platyrhynchos. In our study, the most pronounced Ixodes species was I. scapularis (61%) followed by the western blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacifi cus (34%). The most frequently occurring mammalian host parasitized by I. scapularis was the eastern cottontail, Sylvilagus fl oridanus, a lagomorph of grassland habitats. Healthcare professionals must be aware that both I. pacifi cus, and I. scapularis bite humans in BC, and transmit at least six tick-borne human zoonotic pathogens that cause insidious diseases.
Birds transport ticks into Canada during northward spring migration, and some of these ticks are infected with tick-borne zoonotic pathogens. Some Amblyomma species harbour pathogens that cause debilitating diseases that can be fatal to humans, and domestic and wildlife animals.
Lyme borreliosis in pregnancy and associations with parent and offspring health outcomes: An international cross-sectional survey
Lyme disease (LD) is a complex tick-borne pathology caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato bacteria. Currently, there are limited data regarding the health outcomes of people infected during pregnancy, the potential for perinatal transmission to their fetus, and the long-term effects on these children. Therefore, the primary objective of this survey study was to investigate the impact of LD in pregnancy on both the parent and their offspring.
Molecular Detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia odocoilei, Babesia species and Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato in Songbirds
Molecular Detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia odocoilei, Babesia species and Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato in Songbirds
Tick-Borne Pathogens Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia odocoilei, and Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato
Tick-Borne Pathogens Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia odocoilei, and Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato in Blacklegged Ticks Widespread across Eastern Canada
Researchers at the Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health and Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT are distributing misleading information about human babesiosis.
The authors overlook the first report of Haemaphysalis punctata in the Western Hemisphere documented by a pioneer acarologist in 1910. The authors assume that climate change alters movement of ticks, but provide no data. The authors’ assumptions are only opinions, and must be corrected and challenged.
Human babesiosis is a life-threatening infectious disease that causes societal and economic impact worldwide. Several species of Babesia cause babesiosis in terrestrial vertebrates, including humans. A one-day clinic was held in Ontario, Canada, to see if a red blood cell parasite, which is present in blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, is present in humans.
Tick-borne zoonotic diseases have an economic and societal impact on the well-being of people worldwide. In the present study, a high frequency of Babesia odocoilei, a red blood cell parasite, was observed in the Huronia area of Ontario, Canada. Notably, 71% (15/21) blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, collected from canine and feline hosts were infected with B. odocoilei.
Detection of Babesia odocoilei in Ixodes scapularis Ticks Collected from Songbirds in Ontario and Quebec, Canada
Songbirds widely disperse ticks that carry a diversity of pathogens, some of which are pathogenic to humans. Among ticks commonly removed from songbirds, the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, can harbor any combination of nine zoonotic pathogens, including Babesia species.
Lyme disease (Lyme borreliosis) is a complex multisystem illness with varying clinical manifestations. This tick-borne zoonosis is caused by the spirochetal bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) and, worldwide, presents with at least 20 different types of rashes.
Monitoring of Nesting Songbirds Detects Established Population of Blacklegged Ticks and Associated Lyme Disease Endemic Area in Canada
This study provides a novel method of documenting established populations of bird-feeding ticks. Single populations of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, and the rabbit tick, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, were revealed in southwestern Québec, Canada. Blacklegged tick nymphs and, similarly, larval and nymphal rabbit ticks were tested for the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl), using PCR and the flagellin (flaB) gene, and 14 (42%) of 33 of blacklegged tick nymphs tested were positive. In contrast, larval and nymphal H. leporsipalustris ticks were negative for Bbsl. The occurrence of Bbsl in I. scapularis nymphs brings to light the presence of a Lyme disease endemic area at this songbird nesting locality. Because our findings denote that this area is a Lyme disease endemic area, and I. scapularis is a human-biting tick, local residents and outdoor workers must take preventive measures to avoid tick bites. Furthermore, local healthcare practitioners must include Lyme disease in their differential diagnosis.
Detection and Transstadial Passage of Babesia Species and Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato in Ticks Collected from Avian and Mammalian Hosts in Canada
Lyme disease and human babesiosis are the most common tick-borne zoonoses in the Temperate Zone of North America. The number of infected patients has continued to rise globally, and these zoonoses pose a major healthcare threat. This tick-host-pathogen study was conducted to test for infectious microbes associated with Lyme disease and human babesiosis in Canada.
Comment on Schillberg, E., et al; Distribution of Ixodes scapularis in Northwestern Ontario: Results from Active and Passive Surveillance Activities in the Northwestern Health Unit Catchment Area.
Erratum 1: Schillberg et al. report an “Amblyomma cajennense” tick in central Canada . This foreign tick species lacks specific background information, including (a) history of travel, (b) date tick collected, (c) developmental life stage, (d) tick identifier, (e) identification method (molecular, morphologic), and (f) the depository. With the exception of knowing this tick was collected from a human, no other background information is available on this Amblyomma tick. The person who identified this specimen has neither been recognized in the Material and Methods section, nor named in the Author Contributions…
Presence of Babesia odocoilei and Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Stricto in a Tick and Dual Parasitism of Amblyomma inornatum and Ixodes scapularis on a Bird in Canada
Wild birds transport ticks into Canada that harbor a diversity of zoonotic pathogens. However, medical practitioners often question how these zoonotic pathogens are present in their locality. In this study, we provide the first report of an Amblyomma inornatum tick cofeeding with a blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, which parasitized a Veery, Catharus fuscescens—a neotropical songbird.
Extensive Distribution of the Lyme Disease Bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato, in Multiple Tick Species Parasitizing Avian and Mammalian Hosts across Canada
Lyme disease, caused by the spirochetal bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl), is typically transmitted by hard-bodied ticks (Acari: Ixodidae). Whenever this tick-borne zoonosis is mentioned in medical clinics and emergency rooms, it sparks a firestorm of controversy
Far-Reaching Dispersal of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato-Infected Blacklegged Ticks by Migratory Songbirds in Canada
Lyme disease has been documented in northern areas of Canada, but the source of the etiological bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) has been in doubt. We collected 87 ticks from 44 songbirds during 2017, and 24 (39%) of 62 nymphs of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, were positive for Bbsl.
Human Babesiosis Caused by Babesia duncani Has Widespread Distribution across Canada By: John D. Scott and Catherine M. Scott
Human babesiosis caused by Babesia duncani is an emerging infectious disease in Canada. This malaria-like illness is brought about by a protozoan parasite infecting red blood cells. Currently, controversy surrounds which tick species are vectors of B. duncani. Since the availability of a serological or molecular test in Canada for B. duncani has been limited, we conducted a seven-year surveillance study (2011–2017) to ascertain the occurrence and geographic distribution of B. duncani infection country-wide.
Lyme Disease Propelled by Borrelia burgdorferi-Infected Blacklegged Ticks, Wild Birds and Public Awareness ─ Not Climate Change
The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, is of major public health importance as a vector of Borrelia burgdorferi, the causal organism of Lyme disease. Migratory songbirds are involved in short- and longdistance transport of bird-feeding ticks, and play a vital role in the wide dispersal of I. scapularis and the epidemiology of Lyme disease.
We would like to applaud the author for conducting such an important study by performing a comprehensive assessment of suicide and its association with Lyme-associated diseases (LADs).1 It is the first study of its kind, and it raises a need for further investigation on this subject. Suicide is a major health care issue in the USA, contributing to almost 42,773 deaths in the USA in 2014.2 There is no data available specific to suicide associated with LAD. Dr Bransfield inferred the possible prevalence of suicide associated with LAD by an indirect method which revealed that 414,540 patients with LAD have suicidal ideation, 31,100 attempt suicide and a total of 1,244 commit suicide in the USA per year from LAD.
Background: Recent reports indicate that more than 300,000 cases of Lyme disease are diagnosed yearly in the USA. Preliminary clinical, epidemiological and immunological studies suggest that infection with the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) could be transferred from person to person via intimate human contact without a tick vector. Detecting viable Borrelia spirochetes in vaginal and seminal secretions would provide evidence to support this hypothesis.
Congenital Tick Borne Diseases: Is This An Alternative Route of Transmission of Tick-Borne Pathogens In Mammals? (2015)
Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) have become a popular topic in many medical journals. Besides the obvious participation of ticks in the transmission of pathogens that cause TBD, little is written about alternative methods of their spread. An important role is played in this process by mammals, which serve as reservoirs…
We provide the first reported case of tick paralysis in a wildlife animal caused by the western blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus Cooley & Kohls. Six I. pacificus females and one male were collected from a feral Snowshoe Hare roaming the coastal area of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. When the hare was rescued from the forest habitat, it was unable to walk, and showed typical symptoms of tick paralysis, including ascending flaccid paralysis. At the nearby wildlife rehabilitation centre, engorged I. pacificus females were collected from the hare….
Evidence-based guidelines for the management of patients with Lyme disease were developedby the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS). The guidelines address three clinical questions – the usefulness of antibiotic prophylaxis for known tick bites, the effectiveness of erythema migrans treatment and the role of antibiotic retreatment in patients with persistent manifestations of Lyme disease. Healthcare providers who evaluate and manage patients with Lyme disease are the intended users of the new ILADS guidelines, which replace those issued in 2004 (Exp Rev Anti-infect Ther 2004;2:S1–13). These clinical practice guidelines are intended to assist clinicians by presenting evidence-based treatment recommendations, which follow the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system. ILADS guidelines are not intended to be the sole source of guidance in managing Lyme disease and they should not be viewed as a substitute for clinical judgment nor used to establish treatment protocols.
The following references for persistence of Lyme disease (Lyme borreliosis) are listed alphabetically and chronologically:
The prevalence of Borrelia miyamotoi infection, and co-infections with other Borrelia spp. in Ixodes scapularis ticks collected in Canada
Blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis are vectors of the tick-borne pathogens Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia microti. Recently, the I. scapularis-borne bacterium Borrelia miyamotoi has been linked to human illness in North America. The range of this tick is expanding in Canada which may increase the potential for human exposure to these agents.
Predicting the speed of tick invasion: an empirical model of range expansion for the Lyme disease vector Ixodes scapularis in Canada (2012)
Over the past two decades, Ixodes scapularis, the primary tick vector of the Lyme disease pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi in North America has expanded its range northward from the USA to colonize new regions in southern Canada. We have previously projected range increases for I. scapularis based on temperature suitability, but to what extent this is matched by actual tick range expansion is unknown.
Lyme Ontario Research
Detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia odocoilei, Babesia sp., Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato, and Hepatozoon canis in Ixodes scapularis Ticks Collected in Eastern Canada
Tick-borne pathogens cause infectious diseases that inflict much societal and financial hardship worldwide. Blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, are primary vectors of several epizootic and zoonotic pathogens. The aim sets forth the pathogens and their prevalence. In Ontario and Quebec, 113 I. scapularis ticks were collected from songbirds, mammals, including humans, and by flagging. PCR and DNA sequencing detected five different microorganisms: Anaplasma phagocytophilum, 1 (0.9%); Babesia odocoilei, 17 (15.3%); Babesia microti-like sp., 1 (0.9%); Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl), 29 (26.1%); and Hepatozoon canis, 1 (0.9%). Five coinfections of Bbsl and Babesia odocoilei occurred.
First record of locally acquired human babesiosis in Canada caused by Babesia duncani: a case report
August 29, 2017
Objectives: The aim of this clinical assessment was to ascertain whether a 70-year-old Canadian patient, who had no history of out-of-country travel, had contracted a Babesia infection.
Methods: The adult human male developed constitutional symptoms, which included sweats, chills, and immobilizing fatigue, and was screened for human babesiosis. Subsequent testing included a complete Babesia panel that consisted of B. microti immunoflourescent antibody IgM and IgG, B. duncani immunofluorescent antibody IgM and IgG, Babesia PCR, and Babesia fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) test.
Results: Both the IgM serology and the molecular FISH RNA probe were positive for B. duncani; all tests for B. microti were negative. Based on clinical symptoms and laboratory tests, the patient was diagnosed with human babesiosis. Interestingly, the patient’s wife also was confirmed positive using serological and molecular testing.
Conclusions: This is the first report of a locally acquired case of human babesiosis in Canada caused by Babesia duncani. The geographical distribution of B. duncani in North America is much greater than previously anticipated, especially north of the Canada-United States border. Since the patient was bitten by a blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, a carrier of multiple
zoonotic pathogens, the author suggests that this tick species is a vector of B. duncani. Health-care providers must be aware that B. duncani is present in Canada, and poses a public health risk.
Lyme Disease Bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato, Detected in Multiple Tick Species at Kenora, Ontario, Canada
March 20th, 2017
The Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), is typically transmitted to mammalian hosts, including humans, by ixodid (hard-bodied) ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) . Each tick species has its own set of suitable hosts, and Lyme disease, a zoonosis, is incidental to humans and domestic animals [2,3]. Left untreated or inadequately treated, Lyme disease can inflict a myriad of multisystemic clinical manifestations.
Detection of Lyme Disease Bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, in Blacklegged Ticks Collected in the Grand River Valley, Ontario, Canada
February 8th, 2017
We document the presence of blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, in the Grand River valley, Centre Wellington, Ontario. Overall, 15 (36%) of 42 I. scapularis adults collected from 41 mammalian hosts (dogs, cats, humans) were positive for the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.). Using real-time PCR testing and DNA sequencing of the flagellin (fla) gene, we determined that Borrelia amplicons extracted from I. scapularis adults belonged to B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), which is pathogenic to humans and certain domestic animals. Based on the distribution of I. scapularis adults within the river basin, it appears likely that migratory birds provide an annual influx of I. scapularis immatures during northward spring migration. Health-care providers need to be aware that local residents can present with Lyme disease symptoms anytime during the year.
Epizootiology of the Lyme Disease Spirochete, Borrelia Burgdorferi in Blaclegged Ticks, Ixodes Scapularis and Small Mammals at Point Pelee National Park
March 31, 2000
The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis has an established population at Point Pelee National Park (PPNP).
Established Population of Blacklegged Ticks with High Infection Prevalence for the Lyme Disease Bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato, on Corkscrew Island, Kenora District, Ontario (2016)
Published: October 27, 2016
We document an established population of blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, on Corkscrew Island, Kenora District, Ontario, Canada. Primers of the outer surface protein A (OspA) gene, the flagellin (fla) gene, and the flagellin B (flaB) gene were used in the PCR assays to detect Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), the Lyme disease bacterium. In all, 60 (73%) of 82 adult I. scapularis, were infected with B. burgdorferi s.l. As well, 6 (43%) of 14 unfed I. scapularis nymphs were positive for B. burgdorferi s.l. An I. scapularis larva was also collected from a deer mouse, and several unfed larvae were gathered by flagging leaf litter. Based on DNA sequencing of randomly selected Borrelia amplicons from six nymphal and adult I. scapularis ticks, primers for the flagellin (fla) and flagellin B (flaB) genes reveal the presence of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), a genospecies pathogenic to humans and certain domestic animals. We collected all 3 host-feeding life stages of I. scapularis in a single year, and report the northernmost established population of I. scapularis in Ontario. Corkscrew Island is hyperendemic for Lyme disease and has the highest prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. for any established population in Canada. Because of this very high infection prevalence, this population of I. scapularis has likely been established for decades. Of epidemiological significance, cottage owners, island visitors, outdoors enthusiasts, and medical professionals must be vigilant that B. burgdorferi s.l.-infected I. scapularis on Corkscrew Island pose a serious public health risk.
First Record of Ixodes affinis Tick (Acari: Ixodidae) Infected with Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Collected from a Migratory Songbird in Canada (2016)
Published: June, 2016
Migratory songbirds transport hard-bodied ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) into Canada during northward spring migration, and some of these bird-feeding ticks harbor a wide diversity of pathogenic microorganisms. In this study, we collected a nymphal Ixodes affinis Neumann from a Common Yellowthroat, Geothylypis trichas (Linnaeus), at Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, and it was infected with the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner. Using PCR on this tick extract and DNA sequencing on the borrelial amplicons, we detected B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), a genospecies that is pathogenic to people and certain domestic animals. In addition, we collected an I. affinis nymph from a Swainson’s Thrush, Catharus ustulatus (Nuttall), at Toronto, Ontario, and a co-feeding nymphal blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say, tested positive for B. burgdorferi s.s. These bird-tick findings constitute the first reports of I. affinis in Ontario and Québec and, simultaneously, the first report of a B. burgdorferi s.l.-infected I. affinis in Canada. Since Neotropical and southern temperate songbirds have a rapid flight pace, they are capable of transporting ticks infected with B. burgdorferi s.l. hundreds of kilometres to Canada. Healthcare professionals should be cognisant that migratory songbirds can transport diverse genotypes of B. burgdorferi s.l. into Canada from southern latitudes that may be missed by current Lyme disease serological tests.
Detection of Borrelia americana in the Avian Coastal Tick, Ixodes auritulus (Acari: Ixodidae), Collected from a Bird Captured in Canada (2016)
Published: July, 2016
We document the first record of Borrelia americana in Canada. This Borrelia was detected in an avian coast tick, Ixodes auritulus (Acari: Ixodidae), collected from a Varied Thrush, Ixoreus naevius, along coastal British Columbia. Using real-time PCR and DNA sequencing of the flagellin gene, we determined that the borrelial amplicon from the I. auritulus nymph was 99% homologous with B. americana type strain SCW-41. Because patients infected with B. americana can be seronegative for Lyme disease, medical professionals should be willing to pursue molecular analyses and con-ider treatment for patients with Lyme disease-like symptoms.
Published: June, 2016
Bobbi Pritt and colleagues1 reveal that Borrelia mayonii is a new member of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, and show that this spirochete is pathogenic to human beings. However, the authors err on several key points. They state B burgdorferi sensu stricto was previously the only cause of Lyme borreliosis in the USA. With the discovery of B mayonii, they take credit for describing the first non-B burgdorferi sensu stricto in patients in the USA; this assumption is not true. Girard and colleagues2 reported B bissettii in patients in California and Clark and colleagues3 documented B americana and B andersonii in human blood from resi dents in the southeastern USA. Further more, Rudenko and colleagues4 reported a B bissettiilike strain in a Florida patient. In all of these cases, patients had clinical symptoms commonly associated with Lyme borreliosis.
Prevalence of the Lyme Disease Spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, in Blacklegged Ticks, Ixodes scapularis at Hamilton-Wentworth, Ontario (2016)
Published: April 10, 2016
Lyme disease has emerged as a major health concern in Canada, where the etiological agent, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), a spirochetal bacterium, is typically spread by the bite of certain ticks. This study explores the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l. in blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, collected at Dundas, Ontario (a locality within the region of Hamilton-Wentworth). Using passive surveillance, veterinarians and pet groomers were asked to collect blacklegged ticks from dogs and cats with no history of travel. Additionally, I. scapularis specimens were submitted from local residents and collected by flagging. Overall, 12 (41%) of 29 blacklegged ticks were infected with B. burgdorferi s.l. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing, two borrelial amplicons were characterized as B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), a genospecies pathogenic to humans and certain domestic animals. Notably, three different vertebrate hosts each had two engorged I. scapularis females removed on the same day and, likewise, one cat had three repeat occurrences of this tick species. These multiple infestations suggest that a population of I. scapularis may be established in this area. The local public health unit has been underreporting the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l.-infected I. scapularis in the area encompassing Dundas. Our findings raise concerns about the need to erect tick warning signs in parkland areas. Veterinarians, medical professionals, public health officials, and the general public must be vigilant that Lyme disease-carrying blacklegged ticks pose a public health risk in the Dundas area and the surrounding Hamilton-Wentworth region.
Ticks parasitizing gallinaceous birds in Canada and first record of Borrelia burgdorferi-infected Ixodes pacificus (Acari: Ixodidae) from California Quail (2016)
Published: January 16, 2016
In far-western Canada, gallinaceous birds are hosts of hard ticks (Ixodida: Ixodidae) that can carry zoonotic pathogens. In this study, we collected the avian coastal tick, Ixodes auritulus Neumann, the western blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus Cooley & Kohls, and Ixodes spinipalpis Hadwen & Nuttall, from gallinaceous birds on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Notably, we provide the first records of these three tick species on California Quail, Callipepla californica (Shaw), in Canada. We document the first records of I. auritulus parasitizing Sooty Grouse, Dendragapus fulginosis (Ridway). Moreover, we furnish the first report of I. spinipalpis on a quail. An I. pacificus nymph was collected from a California Quail, and it was positive for the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner. Using PCR on the nymphal extract and DNA sequencing on the borrelial amplicon, we specifically detected B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), a genospecies pathogenic to humans and certain domestic animals. Since some ground-dwelling birds are involved in the enzootic maintenance of Lyme disease, veterinarians, wildlife rehabilitators, hunters, and health-care providers should be vigilant that gallinaceous birds may play a role in the enzootic transmission of B. burgdorferi s.l. in Canada.
Published: November 30, 2015
We document Amblyomma dissimile Koch (Acari: Ixodidae) parasitizing a bird in Canada. A partially engorged A. dissimile nymph was collected from a Veery, Catharus fuscescens (Stephens) (Passeriformes: Turdidae), in Toronto, Ontario during spring migration. This constitutes the first authentic host record of A. dissimile on a bird in North America and, likewise, on a Veery, plus a new distributional record in Canada. Veeries could theoretically transport A. dissimile from as far south as southeastern Brazil, a distance of over 7,500 km. Experimentally, A. dissimile can transmit Ehrlichia ruminantium (Ricksettiales), which causes heartwater, a severe disease of cattle and other ungulates. Since a fully engorged A. dissimile nymph could likely molt during the summer in northern latitudes, this tick species could potentially parasitize local reptiles, people or ungulates, and cause autochtonous disease. Because A. dissimile is known to harbor rickettsiae in South America and is a laboratory vector of E. ruminantium, the medical and veterinary profession must be vigilant that A. dissimile may pose a health risk.
First record of Amblyomma rotundatum tick (Acari: Ixodidae) parasitizing a bird collected in Canada (2015)
Published: February 27, 2015
Migratory birds disperse engorged ticks across Canada during northward spring migration. During our tick-host study, we collected a nymphal Amblyomma rotundatum Koch, from a Veery, Catharus fuscescens (Stephens) (Passeriformes: Turdidae), at Long Point, Ontario, Canada. In the laboratory, this nymph molted to a female in 44 d. The infestation of A. rotundatum on a Veery constitutes a first tick-host record, and a new distributional record in Canada. Notably, this novel collection is the northernmost record of A. rotundatum and the first record of this species on a bird anywhere. We provide formidable evidence that migratory songbirds can carry A. rotundatum thousands of kilometers during northward spring migration. From an epidemiological perspective, A. rotundatum is known to harbor bacteria that are pathogenic to humans. Health-care providers should take note that migratory songbirds can transport A. rotundatum into Canada, and be alert that this tick species signifies an unforeseen public health risk to humans.
New records of the Lyme disease bacterium in ticks collected from songbirds in central and eastern Canada (2015)
Published: May 5, 2015
This study highlights the collection of ticks from wild-caught birds in central and eastern Canada. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), 32 (33%) of 98 Ixodes species ticks tested were positive for the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt, and Brenner (hereafter B. burgdorferi). Immature blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say, which are competent vectors of B. burgdorferi, constituted the predominant Ixodes species tick collected from parasitized songbirds; specifically, 31(35%) of 89 I. scapularis nymphs were positive for B. burgdorferi. Notably, we report the first B. burgdorferi-positive I. scapularis (nymph) on a migratory passerine in Prince Edward Island; this is the first record of a tick on a bird in this maritime province.
Infection Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in Ticks Collected from Songbirds in Far-Western Canada (2015)
Published: May 28, 2015
Worldwide, wild birds play a vital role in the dispersal of ticks that harbour tick-borne pathogens, including Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease bacterium. Using PCR testing, we found 124 (31%) of 405 ticks (4 species), which were collected from 21 species of birds in far-western Canada, to be infected with B. burgdorferi. Transstadial transmission of B. burgdorferi occurred from larva to nymph, plus nymph to adult, in the avian coastal tick, Ixodes auritulus, collected from songbirds in British Columbia (B.C). Collectively, all 3 motile life stages (larva, nymph, adult) of this tick had an infection prevalence of 31% for B. burgdorferi, which suggests vector competency. A Pacific Wren was highly infested with I. auritulus immatures, and 20 (44%) of 45 ticks (2 nymphs, 43 larvae) were infected with B. burgdorferi. This heavy infestation shows the high potential to initiate a new population of ticks and to disseminate Lyme spirochetes. Epidemiologically, B. burgdorferi-in- fected I. auritulus larvae collected from the Spotted Towhee, Swainson’s Thrush, Pacific Wren, and Fox Sparrow suggest that these avian hosts act as reservoirs for B. burgdorferi. In this study, the western blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus, and Ixodes spinipalpis played a limited role in the enzo- otic transmission cycle of B. burgdorferi along coastal B.C. We document the first record of I. spinipalpis on a bird in Alberta. Because songbirds widely disperse Lyme disease vector ticks, primary health providers and the general public must be vigilant that outdoors people may be bitten by B. burgdorferi-infected ticks throughout far-western Canada.
Published: January 30, 2014
This 2-year study implicates migratory songbirds in the initiation of an inland Lyme disease endemic area in southeastern Ontario. The spirochetal bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner, which causes Lyme disease, was detected in blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say, collected by flagging. Based on PCR amplification, 19 (33.3%) of 57 I. scapularis adults (males, females) were infected with B. burgdorferi. Since transovarial transmission of B. burgdorferi is nil in I. scapularis and white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus Zimmermann, are not reservoircompetent hosts, we suggest that songbirds are the mode of introduction of B. burgdorferi-infected I. scapularis. All of the natural abiotic and biotic attributes are present to establish a Lyme disease endemic area. Blacklegged ticks survived the winter successfully at the epicentre. We provide substantial evidence that migratory songbirds initially introduced Lyme disease vector ticks and B. burgdorferi spirochetes to this remote woodland habitat and initiated an established population of blacklegged ticks.
First Detection of Lyme Disease Spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi in Ticks Collected from a Raptor in Canada (2013)
During a pan-Canadian tick-host study, we detected the spirochetal bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, which causes Lyme disease, in ticks collected from a raptor. Lyme disease is one of a number of zoonotic, tick-borne diseases causing morbidity and mortality worldwide. Larvae of the avian coastal tick, Ixodes auritulus, were collected by wildlife rehabilitators from a Cooper’s hawk, Accipiter ooperii, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Using PCR amplification of the linear plasmid ospA gene of B. burgdorferi, 4 (18%) of 22 larvae were positive. Since these engorged I. auritulus larvae had not had a previous blood meal and B. burgdorferi is rarely transmitted from infected female ticks to their progeny, we propose that Cooper’s Hawks are reservoir-competent hosts of B. burgdorferi. Our tick-host discovery provides the first report of bird-feeding ticks on a Cooper’s Hawk, and exhibits the premiere record of B. burgdorferi-positive ticks on a raptor. Not only are passerine (perching) and gallinaceous (chicken-like) birds involved in the wide dispersal of Lyme disease vector ticks, raptors are now also implicated in the dissemination of B. burgdorferiinfected ticks. Although I. auritulus does not bite humans, this tick species plays an integral role in the 4-tick enzootic cycle of B. burgdorferi along the West Coast of North America. In essence, raptors and I. auritulus ticks may help to amplify this infectious agent in nature, and increase the likelihood of people contracting Lyme disease, especially in coastal areas.
Widespread Dispersal of Borrelia Burgdorferi-Infected Ticks Collected from Songbirds Across Canada (2012)
Millions of Lyme disease vector ticks are dispersed annually by songbirds across Canada, but often overlooked as the source of infection. For clarity on vector distribution, we sampled 481 ticks (12 species and 3 undetermined ticks) from 211 songbirds (42 species/subspecies) nationwide. Using PCR, 52 (29.5%) of 176 Ixodes ticks tested were positive for the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferis.l. Immature blacklegged ticks,Ixodes scapularis, collected from infested songbirds had a B. burgdorferi infection prevalence of 36% (larvae, 48%; nymphs, 31%). Notably, Ixodes affinis is reported in Canada for the first time and, similarly, Ixodes auritulus for the initial time in the Yukon. Firsts for bird-parasitizing ticks include I. scapularis in Quebec and Saskatchewan. We provide the first records of 3 tick species cofeeding on passerines (song sparrow, Swainson’s thrush). New host records reveal I. scapularis on the blackpoll warbler and Nashville warbler. We furnish the following first Canadian reports of B. burgdorferi–positive ticks: I. scapularis on chipping sparrow, house wren, indigo bunting; I. auritulus on Bewick’s wren; and I. spinipalpis on a Bewick’s wren and song sparrow. First records of B. burgdorferi–infected ticks on songbirds include the following: the rabbit-associated tick, Ixodes dentatus, in western Canada; I. scapularis in Quebec, Saskatchewan, northern New Brunswick, northern Ontario; and Ixodes spinipalpis(collected in British Columbia). The presence ofB. burgdorferi in Ixodeslarvae suggests reservoir competency in 9 passerines (Bewick’s wren, common yellowthroat, dark-eyed junco, Oregon junco, red-winged blackbird, song sparrow, Swainson’s thrush, swamp sparrow, and white-throated sparrow). We report transstadial transmission (larva to nymph) of B. burgdorferi in I. auritulus. Data suggest a possible 4-tick, i.e.,I. angustus,I. auritulus,I. pacificus, and I. spinipalpis, enzootic cycle ofB. burgdorferi on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Our results suggest that songbirds infested with B. burgdorferi–infected ticks have the potential to start new tick populations endemic for Lyme disease. Because songbirds disperse B. burgdorferi–infected ticks outside their anticipated range, health-care providers are advised that people can contract Lyme disease locally without any history of travel.
Lyme disease is reported across Canada, but pinpointing the source of infection has been problematic. In this three-year, bird-tick-pathogen study (2004-2006), 366 ticks representing 12 species were collected from 151 songbirds (31 passerine species/subspecies) at 16 locations Canada-wide. Of the 167 ticks/pools tested, 19 (11.4%) were infected with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.). Sequencing of the rrf-rrl intergenic spacer gene revealed four Borrelia genotypes: B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) and three novel genotypes (BC genotype 1, BC genotype 2, BC genotype 3). All four genotypes were detected in spirochete-infected Ixodes auritulus (females, nymphs, larvae) suggesting this tick species is a vector for B. burgdorferi s.l. We provide first-time records for: ticks in the Yukon (north of 60° latitude), northernmost collection of Amblyomma americanum in North America, and Amblyomma imitator in Canada. First reports of bird-derived ticks infected with B. burgdorferi s.l. include: live culture of spirochetes from Ixodes pacificus (nymph) plus detection in I. auritulus nymphs, Ixodes scapularis in New Brunswick, and an I. scapularis larva in Canada. We provide the first account of B. burgdorferi s. l. in an Ixodes muris tick collected from a songbird anywhere. Congruent with previous data for the American Robin, we suggest that the Common Yellowthroat, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Song Sparrow, and Swainson’s Thrush are reservoir-competent hosts. Song Sparrows, the predominant hosts, were parasitized by I. auritulus harboring all four Borrelia genotypes. Our results show that songbirds import B. burgdorferi s.l.-infected ticks into Canada. Bird-feeding I. scapularis subadults were infected with Lyme spirochetes during both spring and fall migration in eastern Canada. Because songbirds disperse millions of infected ticks across Canada, people and domestic animals contract Lyme disease outside of the known and expected range.
First Isolation of Lyme Disease Spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, from Ticks Collected from Songbirds in Ontario, Canada (2009)
This study documents the first isolation of the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, from ticks attached to songbirds in Ontario. Viable spirochetes were cultured from a nymph of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say, detached from a Hermit Thrush, Catharus guttatus. Similarly, B. burgdorferi isolates were obtained from I. Scapularis nymphs collected from a House Wren, Troglodytes aedon. These B. burgdorferi isolates show divergent heterogeneity indicating that some strains originated from nearby locales and others from southern latitudes. Lyme disease vector ticks are transported by northward-migrating songbirds, and dispersed widely across southern Canada. Importantly, B. burgdorferi-infected I. scapularis ticks pose a public health risk to people and domestic animals wherever they are released.
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) was isolated from questing adult Ixodes scapularis Say ticks collected from Turkey Point Provincial Park (TPPP), Ontario, Canada during 2005-2006. DNA from ten (67%) of 15 pools of ticks was confirmed positive for B. burgdorferi s.s. using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by targeting the rrf (5S)-rrl (23S) intergenic spacer region and OspA genes. This significant infection rate indicates an accelerated development of B. burgdorferi s.s. in TPPP, because this pathogen was not detected five years previously during sampling of the three motile life stages of I.
scapularis. Our study provides the initial report of the presence of B. burgdorferi s.s. in TPPP, which is now endemic for Lyme disease. Ultimately, people and domestic animals are at risk of contracting Lyme disease when they frequent this park.
The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae), has a wide geographical distribution in Ontario, Canada, with a detected range extending at least as far north as the 50th parallel. Our data of 591 adult I. scapularis submissions collected from domestic animals (canines, felines, and equines) and humans during a 10-yr period (1993-2002) discloses a monthly questing activity in Ontario that peaks in May and October. The Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson, Schmidt, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner was detected in 12.9% of I. scapularis adults collected from domestic hosts with no history of out-of-province travel or exposure at a Lyme disease endemic area. Fifty-three isolates of B. burgdorferi were confirmed positive with polymerase chaim reaction by targeting the rrf (5S)-rrl (23S) gene. Using DNA sequencing of the ribosomal species-specific rrf (5S)-rrl (23S) intergenic spacer region, all isolates belong to the pathogenic genospecies B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.). Nucleotide sequence analyses of a 218- to 220-bp amplicon fragment exhibits six cluster patterns and, collectively, these isolates branch into four phylogenetic cluster groups for both untraveled, mammalian hosts and those with travel to the northeastern United States (New Jersey and New York). Four of five geographic regions in Ontario had strain variants consisting of three different genomic cluster groups. Overall our molecular characterization of B. burgdorferi s.s. shows genetic heterogeneity within Ontario and displays and connecting link to common strains from Lyme disease endemic areas in the northeastern United States. Moreover, our findings of B. burgdorferi in I. scapularis reveal that people and domestic animals may be exposed to Lyme disease vector ticks, which have wide-ranging distribution in eastern and central Canada.
During a 3-yr comprehensive study, 196 ixodid ticks (9 species) were collected from 89 passerine birds (32 species) from 25 localities across Canada to determine the distribution of avian-associated tick species and endogenous Lyme disease spirochetes, Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt, and Brenner. We report the following first records of tick parasitism on avian hosts: the rabbit-associated tick, Ixodes dentatus Marx, from Manitoba and Ontario; the mouse tick, Ixodes muris Bishopp and Smith, from British Columbia; and the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say, from New Brunswick. Moreover, we provide the first record of the Neotropical tick, Amblyomma huinerale Koch (1 nymph), in Canada and its parasitism of any bird. This tick was compared morphologically with nymphs of other Neotropical Amblyomma spp., and genetically, using a 344-bp fragment of the 12S rDNA sequence of 41 New World Amblyomma species. The first collections of the western blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus Cooley and Kohls, from passerine species in Alberta and British Columbia, are also reported. Notably, we further report the first isolation of B. burgdorferi from the bird tick, Ixodes auritulus Neumann, collected from an American robin, Turdus migratorius L., on Vancouver Island. Furthermore, B. burgdorferi-positive 1. auritulus larvae were collected from a reservoir-competent fox sparrow, Passerella iliaca (Merrem). Our findings indicate that ground-dwelling pas-serines, in particular, are parasitized by certain ixodid ticks and play an important role across Canada in the wide dispersal of B. burgdorferi-infected ticks and increased risk of Lyme disease exposure.
The Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdcnferi Johnson, Schmidt, Hyde, Steigerwalt, and Brenner was discovered in blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say at Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. During this 2-yr study, spirochetes were found in B. burgdolferi-positive I. scapularis larvae attached to B. burgdoiferi-infected white-footed mice, Peromyscus leucopus Rafinesque. Isolates of B. burgdorferi were cultured from blacklegged tick adults, and confirmed positive with polymerase chain reaction by targeting OspA and rif (55)-rrl (23S) genes. These findings show an endemic area for B. burgdorferi within an established population of I. scapularis at Rondeau Provincial Park.
A total of 152 ixodid ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) consisting of nine species was collected from 82 passerine birds (33 species) in 14 locations in Canada from 1996 to 2000. The Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson, Schmidt, Hyde, Steigerwaldt & Brenner was cultured from the nymph of a blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say, that had been removed from a common yellowthroat, Geothlypis triehas L., from Bon Portage Island, Nova Scotia. As a result of bird movement, a nymphal I. scapulas-is removed from a Swainson’s thrush, Catharus ustulatus imams (Godfrey), at Slave Lake, Alberta, during spring migration becomes the new, most western and northern record of this tick species in Canada. Amblyomma longirostre Koch, Amblyomma sob anerae Stoll, and Ixodes baergi Cooley & Kohls are reported for the first time in Canada. Similarly, Amblyomma americanum L., Amblyomma maculatum Koch, and Ixodes muris Bishopp & Smith are reported for the first time on birds in Canada. After removal of an I. muris gravid female from a song sparrow, Melospiza melodia Wilson, at St. Andrews, New Brunswick, eggs were laid, which developed into larvae, and this new tick-host record demonstrates that birds have the potential to start a new tick population. We conclude that passerine birds disperse several species of ixodid ticks in Canada, and during spring migration translocate ticks from the United States, and Central and South America, some of which are infected with B. burgdorferi.
The Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, has been isolated from blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, collected at Rondeau Provincial Park. The Park is a peninsula located on the north shore of Lake Erie, in Chatham-Kent, and consists of Carolinian hardwood forest. This 3,254 hectare cuspate sandspit was formed by water currents depositing sand over several thousand years. The Park attracts high numbers of birds in the spring.
Lyme disease, the most common tick-borne disease in North America, is a multisystemic illness of humans and domestic animals caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdolferi sensu lato (“in the broad sense”). Small mammals are the main reservoir hosts for this bacterium, and Ixodes scapularis (blacklegged tick) and Ixodes pacificus (western blacklegged tick) found in British Columbia are the principal vectors in Canada.
The Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, has been isolated from a blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, removed from a songbird in Canada. On 28 May 1999, this engorged blacklegged tick nymph was removed from a common yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas, collected during bird banding on Bon Portage Island, Nova Scotia.
The Lyme disease (LD) spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, has been isolated from a black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis (northern pop-ulations formerly considered I. dammini). This is the first time that a live culture of B. burgdorferi has been isolated in the Thunder Bay District.
Borrelia burgdorferi, the causal organism of Lyme disease, has been isolated from a black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis, that was removed from a dog at Kenora, Ontario. This is the first time that B. burgdorferi spirochetes have been isolated from a black-legged tick on mainland Ontario.


Early NC emission controls save millions
North Carolina finds itself well positioned to meet future Environmental Protection Agency regulations since the state’s Clean Smokestacks Act has already addressed certain emissions.
A study by Duke University found that the sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrous oxide (NO2) reductions required by the Clean Smokestacks Act have given NC a head start on meeting two potential EPA rules on mercury and interstate air pollution.
States that have not been accounting for their emissions will likely have to retrofit their operations to comply with the new EPA guidelines.
The study, conducted by Duke’s Nicholas School for Environmental Policy Solutions, showed that while other states rush to get their facilities up to code, NC will save nearly $600 million by preemptively upgrading its facilities.
Out-of-state power plants have a shorter window to adjust and electricity rates for consumers could increase.


+ Lk 11: 29-32
While still more people gathered in the crowd, he said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.
The New American Bible
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
THE DEFINITION OF SIN
1849 Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity. It has been defined as “an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law.”
1850 Sin is an offense against God: “Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight.” Sin sets itself against God’s love for us and turns our hearts away from it. Like the first sin, it is disobedience, a revolt against God through the will to become “like gods,”123 knowing and determining good and evil. Sin is thus “love of oneself even to contempt of God.”124 In this proud self- exaltation, sin is diametrically opposed to the obedience of Jesus, which achieves our salvation.
1851 It is precisely in the Passion, when the mercy of Christ is about to vanquish it, that sin most clearly manifests its violence and its many forms: unbelief, murderous hatred, shunning and mockery by the leaders and the people, Pilate’s cowardice and the cruelty of the soldiers, Judas’ betrayal – so bitter to Jesus, Peter’s denial and the disciples’ flight. However, at the very hour of darkness, the hour of the prince of this world, the sacrifice of Christ secretly becomes the source from which the forgiveness of our sins will pour forth inexhaustibly.
St John of God
John of God, O.H. (March 8, 1495 – March 8, 1550) (Spanish: Juan de Dios and Portuguese: João de Deus) was a Portuguese-born soldier turned health-care worker in Spain, whose followers later formed the Brothers Hospitallers of Saint John of God, a worldwide Catholic religious institute dedicated to the care of the poor, sick, and those suffering from mental disorders. He has been canonized by the Catholic Church, and is considered one of Spain’s leading religious figures.
Cidade experienced a major religious conversion on Saint Sebastian’s Day (January 20) of 1537, while listening to a sermon by John of Ávila, a leading preacher of the day who was later to become his spiritual director and would encourage him in his quest to improve the life of the poor. At the age of 42 he had what was perceived at the time as an acute mental breakdown. Moved by the sermon, he soon engaged in a public beating of himself, begging mercy and wildly repenting for his past life. He was incarcerated in the area of the Royal Hospital reserved for the mentally ill and received the treatment of the day, which was to be segregated, chained, flogged, and starved. Cidade was visited by John of Avila, who advised him to be more actively involved in tending to the needs of others rather than in enduring personal hardships. John gained peace of heart, and shortly after left the hospital to begin work among the poor.
Around this time, he made a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Extremadura, where it is said he experienced a vision of Mary, who encouraged him to work with the poor. Cidade expended all his energy in caring for the neediest people of the city. He established a house where he wisely tended to the needs of the sick poor, at first doing his own begging. When John began to put into effect his dream, because of the stigma attached to mental illness, he found himself misunderstood and rejected. For some time he was alone in his charitable work, soliciting by night the needed medical supplies, and by day attending to the needs of his patients and the hospital; but he soon received the cooperation of charitable priests and physicians. Many stories are related of the heavenly guests who visited him during the early days of his immense tasks, which were lightened at times by the archangel St. Raphael in person. To put a stop to his custom of exchanging his cloak with any beggar he chanced to meet, Sebastian Ramirez, Bishop of Tui, had a religious habit made for him, which was later adopted in all its essentials as the religious garb of his followers, and the bishop imposed on him for all time the name given him by the Infant Jesus, John of God.


On the Road
Truck Driving Presents Unique Ergonomic Challenges
Ergonomics—the science of fitting the job to the worker, rather than the other way around— has become an important topic for many jobs that require hard physical labor. Construction and manufacturing were two industries where ergonomic principles were first pioneered— and where substantial savings were found as injuries and workers’ comp claims declined in numbers.
But in recent years, leaders in other industries have come to understand the economic and health benefits of a good ergonomic strategy.
Long-haul trucking is one of these industries. As part of an industry with unique physical and mental challenges, trucking companies have to deal with risks and expenses that many industries never see. But as they have begun engaging on ergonomic issues, trucking companies have realized that better ergonomic strategies can save money and make their employees safer.
Trucking - A Job Like No Other
Trucking is a uniquely challenging profession. The risks of injury and death due to road accidents are relatively high—but those are not the only health risks that truckers face. At a time when some ergonomics experts have adopted the phrase “sitting is the new smoking” to emphasize the health risk of sedentary lifestyles, truckers must necessarily sit for hours in order to do their jobs.
According to the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD), physical inactivity has been linked to higher rates of cancer, diabetes, cognitive decline, loss of bone mass, and obesity. Truckers are also reporting high rates of other health issues, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, deep vein thrombosis, and back pain.
Truckers are required to go from sitting for hours to conducting hard physical labor, especially if they are responsible for unloading or loading their trucks. If truckers are required to pull a fifth-wheel pin on their rig, the torque and stress to the body of that task can also cause injury. Shoulder, elbow, and wrist injuries are associated with this task, and these can be very painful.
Even getting out of trucks can cause injuries, if drivers don’t use three points of contact when climbing up and down from their cabs. Jumping out of a cab, putting tarp over a load, opening and closing panels, even fueling and washing windows—all can cause injury if a trucker is careless in transitioning from sitting to sudden, strenuous physical activity.
Bad Vibrations - Another Area of Physical Stress
Among the many ergonomic issues that drivers deal with, vibration is one of the most serious. According to Eckardt Johanning, MD, an occupational health specialist, whole-body vibration of the type that truckers experience can lead to serous back and spine issues.
“Whole-body vibration stemming from engines and vehicles has been identified as an important mechanical stressor causing early and accelerated degenerative spine diseases, leading to back pain and spine disorders such as prolapsed discs,” Eckardt wrote in a 2015 paper. “Poor body posture, inadequate seat support and muscle fatigue are likely co-factors in the pathogenesis of musculoskeletal disorders of the spine in operators/drivers. High prevalence of back pain, early degenerative changes of the spine and herniated lumbar disc problems have been consistently reported among vibration exposed occupational groups: tractor drivers, truckers and interstate bus drivers.”
This concern about serious spine issues has led ergonomics experts to highly recommend air-ride cabs for truckers, or additional padding in seats. A variety of seat products have been linked to reductions in back pain and fatigue among truck drivers. These innovations can cost money to implement, but compared to the loss of productivity and high workers’ comp claims that are associated with back and spinal issues, the changes are well worth the investment.
An Egronomic Checklist
Follow these recommendations to make the driver’s job more ergonomically correct—and ultimately safer.
- Use an ergonomically correct seat; add extra padding if needed. The more the seat padding absorbs the truck’s vibration, the better for the driver.
- Adjust the seat and steering wheel so that the driver can comfortably and completely manipulate the pedals without moving his or her back off the back of the seat.
- Position the steering wheel to keep elbows as close to the driver’s sides as possible.
- Tilt the seat 110 degrees from a driver’s legs to minimize pressure on spinal discs.
- Position mirrors so the driver does not have to twist or move to see necessary fields of view.
- Roll up a towel or cushion for extra back support, if needed.
- When going on long trips, tilt the seat a notch or two every 20 minutes. This effectively changes the direction of the vibration on the body.
- Take a 5 minute break every hour. Rest and stretch during each break.
- Regularly change seating positions while driving to avoid poor blood circulation.
- After ending a stretch of driving, rest for a while before doing any strenuous activity. Stretching is also recommended.
Fitness Makes a Better Driver
Companies should encourage healthy lifestyle and wellness activities in general—the physical stresses of driving are challenging, so a healthy lifestyle is all the more important. Encouraging healthy eating and exercise habits or providing resources such as gym memberships can be helpful and show that you are invested in your workers. Training on ergonomics is another wise investment.
Many resources are now available for companies of all types and sizes to help put an effective ergonomic process in place. Your broker can provide education for drivers; the latest information on technology innovations and ergonomic best practices; and systems for analyzing claims data to better understand what issues are of particular interest to your company and your drivers.


The second law of thermodynamics leads to the definition of a new property called entropy, which is a quantitative measure of microscopic disorder for a system. The definition of entropy is based on the Clausius inequality, given by
where the equality holds for internally or totally reversible processes and the inequality for irreversible processes. Any quantity whose cyclic integral is zero is a property, and entropy is defined as
where Sgen is the entropy generated during the process. Entropy change is caused by heat transfer, mass flow, and irreversibilities. Heat transfer to a system increases the entropy, and heat transfer from a system decreases it. The effect of irreversibili- ties is always to increase the entropy.
Entropy is a property, and it can be expressed in terms of more familiar properties through the T ds relations, expressed as
These two relations have many uses in thermodynamics and serve as the starting point in developing entropy-change relations for processes. The successful use of T ds relations de- pends on the availability of property relations. Such relations do not exist for a general pure substance but are available for incompressible substances (solids, liquids) and ideal gases.
The entropy-change and isentropic relations for a process can be summarized as follows:
The work done during a steady-flow process is proportional to the specific volume. Therefore, u should be kept as small as possible during a compression process to minimize the work input and as large as possible during an expansion process to maximize the work output.
The reversible work inputs to a compressor compressing an ideal gas from T1, P1 to P2 in an isentropic (Puk = constant), polytropic (Pun = constant), or isothermal (Pu = constant) manner, are determined by integration for each case with the following results:
The work input to a compressor can be reduced by using multistage compression with intercooling. For maximum savings from the work input, the pressure ratio across each stage of the compressor must be the same.


Carbon dioxide levels in atmosphere breach threshold
Levels of CO2 in the atmosphere have surged past the 400 parts per million breaching an important threshold.
The benchmark was broken globally for the first time in recorded history in 2015 but according to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), 2016 will likely be the first full year to exceed the mark. The levels are unlikely to dip below the benchmark for “many generation.”
While human emissions of CO2 remained fairly static between 2014 and 2015, the onset of a strong El Niño weather phenomenon caused a spike in levels of the gas in the atmosphere.
El Niño created drought conditions in tropical regions and vegetation was less able to absorb CO2.
While the El Niño factor has now disappeared, the human impact on climate change has not, the WMO warns. There were also extra emissions from fires, sparked by the drier conditions.
All these conditions helped push the growth in the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere above the average for the last ten years the World Meteorological Organisation says in it’s annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin.
The high threshold breaking levels were recorded at the atmospheric monitoring station in Mauna Loa, Hawaii.
The last time CO2 was regularly above 400ppm was three to five million years ago, say experts. Prior to 1800 atmospheric levels were around 280ppm, according to the US National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration (Noaa).
“The year 2015 ushered in a new era of optimism and climate action with the Paris climate change agreement,” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.
“But it will also make history as marking a new era of climate change reality with record high greenhouse gas concentrations.”
The report also details the growth in other greenhouse gases, including methane and nitrous oxide.
In 2015, levels of methane were 2.5 times greater than in the pre-industrial era, while nitrous oxide was 1.2 times above the historic measure. The study also points to the impact of these increased concentrations of warming gases on the world’s climate.
Between 1990 and 2015 there was a 37% increase in radiative forcing or warming effect, caused by a build up of these substances, from industrial, agricultural and domestic activities.
The WMO welcomes new initiatives like the global agreement to phase out HFC gases agreed recently in Rwanda, but argues that nations must retain their focus on cutting CO2.
“Without tackling CO2 emissions, we cannot tackle climate change and keep temperature increases to below 2 degrees C above the pre-industrial era,” said Petteri Taalas.
“It is therefore of the utmost importance that the Paris Agreement does indeed enter into force well ahead of schedule on 4 November and that we fast-track its implementation.”
Around 200 nations who signed the Paris climate agreement will meet in Morocco in November to decide on the next steps forward.


Using your knowledge of electronegativity, tell whether each of the following bonds will be ionic.
Bonds are ionic when there is a large difference in electronegativities of the bonded atoms. Only c, e, and f are ionic.
For each pair, indicate which bond will be stronger.
a. C-H, Li-F
b. Li-F, Mg-O
c. Li-F, Cs-I
a. Li-F is stronger because it is an ionic bond while C-H is a covalent bond.
b. Mg-O is stronger because Mg is charged 2+ and O is charged 2- while each ion in Li-F has only a charge of magnitude 1. Ions with higher charges are more strongly bound.
c. Li-F is stronger than Cs-I because the Li-F bond is far shorter than the Cs-I bond. By Coulomb's law, shorter ionic bonds should be stronger.
Two ions of with charges +1 and -1 are separated by a distance of 1.0 angstroms. By what factor is the potential energy increased when those ions are moved to 4.0 angstroms away?
According to Coulomb's law, the energy should increase by a factor of 4.


A mother can transmit HIV to her baby, but she can lower the risk by taking medicine when she is pregnant. A mother with HIV should not breastfeed her baby. HIV can be passed through breast milk. Women now are offered HIV tests when they are pregnant. By knowing if they are infected with HIV, moms can make the best choices for the health of themselves and their baby.


There's a story behind every caseback inscription, but the timeliness and significance of the inscription on a Patek Philippe pocket watch manufactured in 1905 up for auction at Heritage Auctions in Texas are particularly haunting in the context of 2020. The City of San Francisco gave this specific pocket watch to Dr. Rupert Blue in 1908 for his outstanding achievements in ridding San Francisco of the bubonic plague. Dr. Blue was a leading physician of the era and eventually went on to become the Surgeon General and the president of the American Medical Association.
His efforts against the bubonic plague in San Francisco came early in his career. Hearing the phrase, "bubonic plague" conjures up images of beaked masks and black robes typically associated with the 14th-century outbreak called Black Death, but the bacterium Yersinia pestis, and the deadly havoc it wreaks, isn't limited to medieval history. In fact, there was a massive outbreak in San Francisco in February of 1903, and then again in 1907 after an earthquake had allowed rats and their fleas, the actual carriers of the plague, to proliferate among the damage. Dr. Blue was the man on the front lines using science to combat the spreading plague during both instances and received this Patek Philippe pocket watch specifically for those efforts. (Although history does have a tendency to repeat itself, I have a hunch that Dr. Anthony Fauci won't ditch his Timex for a Patek Philippe any time soon.)
According to the archival extract ordered from Patek Philippe in 2017, the pocket watch gifted to Dr. Blue uses a movement listed as 16‴, minute repeater, split seconds chronograph-register; lever escapement. The 45mm case is fashioned from 18K yellow gold, the dial from enamel, signed with "Shreve & Co." The jeweler, incorporated in 1894, is one of the oldest commercial establishments in San Francisco. Pocket watches from as early as 1882 have been documented bearing the Shreve & Co signed dial. Patek Philippe pocket watches from prior to 1894 were distributed by Shreve & Co.'s predecessor, the Shreve Jewelry Company, from the same family behind Shreve, Crump & Low in Boston.
According to John Reardon, a Patek expert, "During the first part of the 20th century, it was common for watches to be given as presentation gifts to honored citizens, doctors, businessmen, etc. Typically, we see presentations for retirements and commemorative events." John is the founder of Collectability.com, and to demonstrate the common practice of gifting timepieces for folks who have served the public, he highlights a pocket watch he now has that was given to another medical hero, Dr. Walter B. Coffey, for his groundbreaking work on cancer research, also from San Francisco. Like the watch gifted to Dr. Blue, this one was purchased from Shreve & Co. as well. That pocket watch is cased in platinum, whereas Dr. Blue's watch is cased in 18K gold.
The inscription on the pocket watch gifted to Blue reads:
To Rupert Blue P.A. Surgeon, U.S.P.H. and M.H.S. from the citizens of San Francisco. In grateful recognition of services rendered the city while in command of the Sanitation Campaign of 1908
By 1908, Dr. Blue already had a number of accolades to his name. In the above inscription, U.S.P.H. and M.H.S denote his service to the U.S. Public Health Service and its successor, the Marine Hospital Service, where he was commissioned as a surgeon. In San Francisco, he was a saving grace and loved by many. In addition to his extraordinary efforts using science in the pursuit of accurate data, he fought to reverse the popular opinion that the plague had originated in Chinatown, when in fact, it was spread by rats.
Although Dr. Blue was known locally for his achievements eradicating San Francisco of the plague, he wouldn't become a household name in America until a decade later, and by that time, he had worked his way up to acting Surgeon General of the United States of America.
In 1918, the Spanish Flu stopped the United States of America in its tracks. The virus brought the economy to a halt and forced the entire nation to wear masks and shelter in place, much like today. The loss of life was shocking: Roughly 675,000 Americans had succumbed to the virus that year, and 20 million to 50 million worldwide. It's hard to imagine, but the cost of life could have been much higher during the Spanish Flu pandemic if it weren't for the work of Dr. Blue as the acting Surgeon General at the time.
Even with the complex demands of wartime, Dr. Blue managed to expand the role of the Public Health Service and mobilize the Volunteer Medical Service Corps. On October 5, 1918, Dr. Blue gave an order that had a dramatic impact on the spread of the Spanish Flu: He ordered that all schools, theaters, saloons, restaurants, and any place of public gathering shut down. This was at a time when science wasn't at all what it is today. It was a bold move. As the pandemic wound down, Dr. Blue wrote in a letter to fellow medical professional and Colonel of the Officers’ Reserve Corps Dr. William Welch, "The present epidemic has demonstrated the imperative need of a permanent organization, within the Public Health Service, available with each emergency." Unfortunately, his plea did little to increase research and preparedness, as the country was still reeling from the suffering endured during World War I.
Outside of medical circles, the work of Dr. Blue is not widely known, but through a Patek Philippe pocket watch, we're able to peer into a world where comparisons can easily be made to our own current reality. After the pandemic passes, certain public officials will indeed receive recognition for their role in the fight against COVID-19. But, for better or worse, at some point over the last century, the tradition of the public gifting of a Patek Philippe has gone away. Even with another zero on the end, a single stimulus check wouldn't cover the purchase of a modern Patek Philippe timepiece.
The current bid on Lot #54052 is at $22,000 at the time of writing. The auction can be viewed here, and ends on June 9. Images courtesy of Heritage Auctions.


Issue Date: August 20, 2012
Turning The Right Cheek, Sand Castle Building Tips
Most people strike a pose and smile when they hear, “Say cheese.” When chemistry professors hear the phrase, it turns out they also do those things, but they frequently show the right side of their faces to the camera, according to researchers in Australia (PLoS One, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0038940).
To come to that conclusion, the research team first turned to the Times Higher Education rankings of the world’s top 200 universities, says postdoc and team member Owen Churches of the University of South Australia, in Adelaide. Then, they randomly selected 30 schools from the list and visited each faculty member’s website, he adds. Of the 5,829 profile photos collected, 2,661 showed professors not favoring a particular side of the face. “We looked carefully,” Churches recalls.
From regression analysis, the team found that chemists and mathematicians more often show the same cheek as engineers do—the right one. “Everything was compared against the engineers,” Churches explains, because they are the largest discipline. English and psychology academics do not face the same way as engineers; they frequently show their left side instead.
Scientists have in the past determined that the right side of the human face is less emotionally expressive than the left side, Churches tells Newscripts. So the team decided to test the theory on academic profile pictures.
“There is a bias,” says Churches, who normally investigates how the hemispheres of the brain work, especially in people with a variety of psychological conditions. This new study was carried out, Churches says with delight, to pass the time while his group was settling into a new lab.
Professors in scientific fields tend to put photos on their academic websites that show their right cheek, the team concludes, because scientists want to be seen as “nonemotional rationalists.” So next time you’re in front of a camera, show off the cheek that expresses you best.
Lots of people are full of smiles while they’re at the beach. And now beachgoers have another reason to smile: A research team has scientifically determined how to make the perfect sand castle (Sci. Rep., DOI: 10.1038/srep00549).
The scientists, led by physics professor Daniel Bonn, found that sand is at its tower-building best when mixed with exactly 1% water by volume.
Architects have been building tall structures for centuries, says Bonn, a physics professor at the University of Amsterdam and a researcher at École de Chimie, in Paris. But sand has an important property that deviates from the norm: Without water, it behaves like a liquid (think sand in a hourglass). “You need water to make a good sand castle, all children know that,” Bonn says.
When water is added to sand, Bonn explains, “it forms little liquid bridges that glue the sand together.” Water’s high surface tension causes the “joining” of the granules.
The more water bridges formed, the stronger the material. Add too much water, Bonn adds, and the bridges begin to merge with each other, compromising the stability of the solid structure.
With the newly discovered optimum of 1% water and 99% sand, Bonn and his team were able to make sand structures according to an architect’s equations for constructing buildings, where the maximum height is dependent on the radius of the base.
According to Bonn, “Sand castle builders should also prefer the smaller sand from dunes to the granular sand from the sea.” Smaller grains, he explains, lead to a greater sand surface area, enabling more water bridges to form.
“The handling of granular materials consumes roughly 10% of the world’s energy consumption,” the researchers report. So this study might not benefit only beachgoers, it could lead to more efficient transport of materials.
- Chemical & Engineering News
- ISSN 0009-2347
- Copyright © American Chemical Society


Grant round winners 2008
At least one in every eight people with epilepsy also has depression. Depression contributes to poor quality of life for people with epilepsy, yet epilepsy services at all levels (GPs, hospitals and specialist consultants) seem to rarely detect it. They tend to focus instead on seizure control and drug side effects.
However, there is some evidence that links having depression with having poor seizure control: the depression may increase a person’s likelihood of having seizures. This means that people with epilepsy who are also depressed may stand a better chance of becoming seizure-free if their depression is also detected and treated.
In a pilot study Identifying depression in people with epilepsy attending their general practitioners, Professor Mike Kerr, of the Welsh Centre for Learning Disabilities at Cardiff University, will investigate whether two short and specific questionnaires could help GPs and their teams detect depression in people with epilepsy. The study will test whether the questionnaires are quick and easy enough to be used as part of the normal appointment with a GP, and also whether they can accurately identify depression in a person with epilepsy. Epilepsy Research UK is providing £74,268 funding for the work over 24 months.
If the questionnaires work then screening for depression could become part of the standard services GPs provide for people with epilepsy in the NHS. Screening for depression is already part of standard treatment for diabetes and coronary heart disease in the UK.


You’re probably already aware of the risks posed by warm weather and leaving pets in hot cars, but did you know that cold weather also poses serious threats to your pets’ health?
The ASPCA offers these guidelines on how to help keep your pets safe this winter:
- Keep your cat inside. During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine or honk your horn to give the cat a chance to escape.
- Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm, dogs can easily become lost. Make sure your dog always wears ID tags.
- Thoroughly wipe off your dog’s legs and stomach when he comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt, antifreeze, or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws, and his paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice.
- Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter. When you bathe your dog in the colder months, be sure to completely dry him before taking him out for a walk.
- Consider getting dogs with short coats a sweater or coat with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly. For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear.
- Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather.
- Puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs, and may be difficult to housebreak during the winter. If your puppy appears to be sensitive to the weather, you may opt to paper-train him inside. If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, take him outdoors only to relieve himself.
Some pets thrive in the cold weather. Or, for others it can be a time of discomfort and even danger. With some proper planning, your pet will not have to suffer through the cold. If in doubt, discuss specific cold weather needs for your pet with your veterinarian.


The Namtap has a bushy tale like a squirrel, a fairly short muzzle (the part of the Dormouse's head which includes the nose, mouth and jaws), small ears and soft fur. Its face has white and grey marks, with dark rings (like spectacles) around its eyes. Its cheeks, underparts and the upper surfaces of its paws are white. Its tail is usually has a white tip.
It is only found in western South Africa. It can usually be found in rocky habitats, as well as in trees and outbuildings. It is nocturnal and it is good at climbing. It mainly eats seeds, other plant material and invertebrates.
References[change | change source]
- Stuart, Chris; Stuart, Tilde (2001). Field Guide to Mammals of Southern Africa. Struik. p. 92. ISBN 978-1-86872-537-3.
- Coetzee, N., Griffin, M. & Grubb, P. 2004. Graphiurus ocularis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 29 July 2007.
- Holden, M. E.. 2005. Family Gliridae. Pp. 819-841 in Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.


Equations and Functions
This chapter covers evaluating algebraic expressions, order of operations, using verbal models to write equations, solving problems using equations, inequalities, identifying the domain and range of a function, and graphs of functions.
This chapter covers graphing and comparing integers, finding absolute values, ordering rational numbers, performing basic operations with rational numbers, and applying the commutative, associative, and distributive properties.
Equations of Lines
This chapter covers solving one-step equations, solving two-step and multi-step equations, using ratios and proportions, solving problems using scale drawings, using similar figures to measure, and finding the percent of a number.
Graphs of Equations and Functions
This chapter covers plotting points in a coordinate plane, graphing functions given a table or rule, graphing linear equations, graphing using intercepts and slope-intercept form, and solving real-world problems using direct variation.
Writing Linear Equations
This chapter covers linear equations in slope-intercept form and point-slope form, standard form for linear equations, equations of parallel and perpendicular lines, and problem solving using linear models.
This chapter covers solving and graphing linear inequalities, identifying the number of solutions of an inequality, solving compound inequalities, and solving absolute value equations & inequalities.
Solving Systems of Equations and Inequalities
This chapter introduces students to linear systems of equations and inequalities as well as probability and combinations. Operations on linear systems are covered, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
This chapter covers exponent properties involving products and quotients, expressions with zero, negative & fractional exponents, scientific notation, and geometric sequences.
This chapter covers addition & subtraction of polynomials, multiplication of polynomials, special products of polynomials, solving simple polynomial equations by factoring, and factoring quadratic expressions.
Quadratic Equations and Quadratic Functions
This chapter covers graphing quadratic functions, indentifying the number of solutions of quadratic equations, solving quadratic equations using the quadratic formula, and finding the discriminant of a quadratic equation.
Algebra and Geometry Connections
This chapter covers graphing and comparing square root functions, solving radical equations, using the Pythagorean theorem and its converse, using the distance formula, and making & interpreting stem-and-leaf plots & histograms.
Rational Equations and Functions
This chapter covers inverse variation models, graphing rational functions, division of polynomials, multiplication, division, addition & subtraction of rational expressions, solving rational equations, and designing & conducting a survey.
Probability and Statistics
An introduction to theoretical probability and data organization including events, conditions, random variables, and graphs/tables.


The Hindu Succession Act, 1956, is a law & preamble of the Act signifies that an Act to amend and codify the law relating to intestate succession among Hindus. The Act lays down a uniform and comprehensive system of succession whereas attempt has been made to ensure equality inheritance rights between sons and daughters. It applies to all Hindus including Buddhists Jains and Sikhs. The Hindu Succession Act, 1956 preserves the dual mode of devolution of property under the Mitakshara School. The joint family still devolves by Survivorship with this important exception that if a Mitakshara Coparcener dies leaving behind mother, widow, daughter, daughter’s daughter, son’s daughter, son’s son’s daughter, son’s widow, son’s son’s widow, or daughter’s son his interest in the joint family property will devolve by succession.
Succession to the property of a Hindu Male under The Hindu Succession Act, 1956 deals with the inheritance to: a) The separate properties of a Mitakshara male, b) The separate and coparceners properties of a Dayabhaga male, and c) The undivided interest in the joint family property of a Mitakshara Coparcener. The Act does not apply to the property of a Hindu who is married under the Special Marriage Act to a non -Hindu. Heirs of a Hindu Male The heirs of Hindu male fall under the following categories:- 1) Class I heirs 2) Class II heirs 3) Agnates 4) Cognates, and 5) Government Class I heirs:- The property of a Hindu Male dying intestate would be given first to heirs within Class I are basically Widow, Son, Daughter & mother
They are: Mother, Widow, Daughter, Son, Widow of a predeceased son, Son of a predeceased son, Daughter of a predeceased son, Widow of a predeceased son of a predeceased son, Daughter of a predeceased son of a predeceased son, Son of a predeceased son of a predeceased son, Daughter of a predeceased daughter, and Son of a predeceased daughter. Some new heirs are added by Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005. They are: Son of a predeceased daughter of a predeceased daughter, Daughter of a predeceased daughter of a predeceased daughter, Daughter of a predeceased son of a predeceased daughter, and Daughter of a predeceased daughter of a predeceased son. Shares of Class I heirs:
Section 10, Hindu Succession Act deals with the distribution of the property of the Hindu Male, among class I heirs equally. If Son has died then only his share goes to all his class 1 hairs.
All these heirs inherit simultaneously and to the exclusion of other heirs. In the absence of any of the heirs in this category,
The Hindu Succession Act, 1956, is the statute which comprehensively covers all matters relating to the intestate and unwilled succession of Hindus. This act has undergone a number of amendments in recent years- including daughters to become coparceners, giving them a right to a share in the joint family property and abolition of a number of out-dated doctrines. These are certainly indicative steps towards gender equality, but there still remain many aspects of Hindu succession law that are patriarchal and are in pressing need of amendment.
Class 2 heirs include:
Father, Sons daughter’s son, Sons daughter’s daughter, Brother, Sister, Daughters son’s son, Daughters son’s daughter, Daughters daughter’s son, Daughters Daughter’s daughter, Brothers son, Sisters son, Brothers daughter, Sisters daughter, Fathers father, Fathers mother, Fathers widow, Brothers widow, Fathers brother, Fathers sister, Mothers father, Mothers mother, Mothers brother & Mothers sister
The devolution in Class II heirs is made in the absence of any heir in Class I and in such a manner that heirs specified in a particular entry share equally. For this purpose if more than one heir is specified in a single entry, they share the property simultaneously and equally to the exclusion of those specified in subsequent entries.
A person is said to be an agnate of another if the two are related by blood or adoption wholly through males. Agnate relationship does not extend to relationship by marriage and is restricted to relationship by blood. Also, agnate does not include widows of lineal descendants of the intestate.
If a Hindu male passes away without a Will and has no class 1 or class 2 heirs or agnates, then the succession would be through cognates. Cognates are ones who are related to the intestate by blood or adoption but not wholly, through males. Thus mother’s brother’s son and brother’s daughter’s son are cognates, eligible for heirship.
The law laid down by this is quite simple; in the absence of any son or daughter, property inherited from the parents shall pass to the heirs of the father, and property inherited from the matrimonial relations will pass to the heirs of the husband. Therefore, the property reverts to the same line or family from which it came.
Family Arrangement/Family Settlement can be executed to avoid all future disputes.
Please refer to separate article on Family Arrangement


What is an example of 1960's slang words used in the first five chapters of The Outsiders?
1 Answer | Add Yours
Slang is youth-speak, or specialized speech used by a cultural group.
An example of 1960’s slang is used by Ponyboy in the beginning of the book. Of course, some of these words are still used today, and some are regional and used in different parts of the country.
The words “lone it” mean to go alone somewhere.
I had a long walk home and no company, but I usually lone it anyway, for no reason except that I like to watch movies undisturbed so I can get into them and live them with the actors. (ch 1)
Another example is “digs” as in chapter 1.
And nobody in our gang digs movies and books the way I do. (ch 1)
This means to enjoy something. To “get jumped” means to be attacked and beaten up. A “pop bottle” is a soda bottle.
It’s important to note that “gang” refers to a group of friends more than a criminal organization. In this book, gangs are based on social class, and the lower class gang is called “Greasers” while the rich gang is called “Socs.” They do occasionally get into trouble, but are not the hard-core drug-dealing crime gangs we know today.
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A 5- or 6-year-old requires a glove that is 10 to 10 1/2 inches. A 7- or 8-year-old needs a glove that is 10 1/2 to 11 inches. A 9- to 12-year-old needs a glove that is 11 to 11 1/2 inches. A high school-aged child normally wears a glove between 10 1/2 to 11 1/2 inches.
How do you measure a baseball glove for kids?
Properly Size the Glove: T-ball and baseball gloves are measured from the heel of the glove (just below the palm) to the top of the glove (just above the index finger). Gloves range in size from 8 to 15 inches.
How do you size a youth baseball glove?
The first step in choosing the right baseball or softball glove is to determine what size glove is right for the player based on age and hand size. A comfortable range where any beginner should be able to find a comfortable, easy-to-use glove is between 10.75 and 12” depending on age.
How do you determine baseball glove size?
Every baseball mitt has the size etched in the leather on the thumb or pinky finger of the glove. Manufacturers measure their creations from the top of the index finger and move down along the glove until it reaches the center of the heel. That length is how the glove’s size is determined.
What is the best baseball glove for a 9 year old?
So, what is the right size baseball glove for a 9-year old? A glove between 10.25 and 12.25 inches is recommended. The range depends on what position on the baseball field the child will be playing most of the time. For example, for infield players, the glove should be between 10.25 and 11.5 inches.
Is a 14 inch baseball glove too big?
Shortstops and second basemen generally use gloves anywhere in the 11-inch range, and outfielders will use gloves as big as 14 inches. Softball players probably won’t use any glove smaller than 12 inches. Anything smaller than that, and the glove will have trouble handling the softball.
What size winter gloves does an 8 year old wear?
Kids’ US Gloves Size Chart:
|Age Yrs||Hand Width, in||Glove Size|
|6 – 7||5.5 – 6||Child/Youth S|
|8 – 9||6 – 6.5||Child/Youth M|
|10 – 11||6.5 – 7||Child/Youth L|
|12 –||7 –||Adult sizes|
Is 12.75 glove too big?
Determining Your Glove Type
Outfield Glove – Usually sized at 12.5 to 12.75 inches for adults, about 11 inches for children. A deeper pocket to handle balls hit high in the air. Longer length to give as much reach as possible.
What size glove should an 8 year old use for softball?
Pre-T-ball players under age 5: 9-inch glove. T-ball, ages 5 to 7: 9- to 11-inch glove. Youth baseball, ages 8 to 12: 10- to 12-inch glove. Youth softball, 8 to 12: 10.5- to 13-inch.
How do you break in a baseball glove?
How To Break-In A Baseball Or Softball Glove
Who makes Marucci gloves?
|Founder||Jack Marucci,Kurt Ainsworth, Kurt Ainsworth|
|Headquarters||Baton Rouge, Louisiana , United States|
|Parent||Compass Diversified Holdings|
What size are youth gloves?
The best way to learn the fundamentals of fielding and catching is by wearing a glove that fits well. Kids 12 and Under: No larger than 12 inches. Kids 8 and older should try gloves in the 11s, while younger kids (especially if they are smaller) should consider gloves in 9 to 11 inch range.
What size glove does a 9 year old need for softball?
Select a glove that is 9-12 inches for infield positions and 11-12 inches for outfield positions if the child is between the ages of 9 and 13. If your child is in high school, look for glove sizes between 10-1/2 and 11-1/2 inches for infield and 12 to 12-1/2 inches for outfield positions.
What size bat does a 9 year old need?
Bat Size Chart for 9-Year-Old
The right bat size for a 9-year-old, as determined by actual usage, is a 28 or 29-inch drop 10 bat. The drop is the numerical difference between the length of the bat in inches and the weight in ounces.
Does baseball glove size matter?
It all depends on what you like. Some like having that extra half inch to get to baseballs, some players like less glove so they can get rid of the ball a little quicker on throws to bases. Also most outfielders will stick their pinky and ring finger of their glove hand into the last hole which was made for the pinky.
What is the standard size baseball glove?
The standard size for a baseball infield glove is 11.25 to 12 inches, and 11.5 to 12.5 inches for softball.
What is a medium glove size?
|Actual Hand Measurement||Alpha Glove Size|
How do you get a 9 year old baseball glove?
Most players in the 9-10 year old age group will do well with an 11 to 11.5 inch for infield players to 11.5 to 11.75 inch glove for outfield players. Some smaller players will be more comfortable with an 11-inch infield model or an 11.5-inch outfield model.
What size catchers mitt does a 9 year old need?
Baseball Catcher’s Mitt Sizing
|Under 7||29.5 – 30 “|
|8 – 10||30 – 31″|
|11 – 13||30 – 34.5″|
|14 +||32 – 34.5″|
What drop bat should a 10 year old use?
Generally speaking, for the average 10-year-old, we’d recommend a 30-inch big barrel bat with a drop 8, 9, or 10. (The drop is the numerical difference between the bat’s length in inches and its weight in ounces).
Is 11.25 glove too small?
11.25” inches is a great size for the middle infield. It allows for the middle infielder’s dream shallow pocket. The perfect weight for fielding ground balls and reacting to bad hops.
What size gloves did Derek Jeter use?
Its an 11.5″ glove and Jeter’s unique touch is the old school basket web.
Can a baseball glove be too big?
“The biggest trend among parents buying gloves for their kids is to get them a size or two too big,” said Hermie Carmichael, now in his fourth year of retail baseball sales at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Northway Mall. “They try to save money by getting an extra year out of the glove.”
How do you measure your hand for a glove without a tape measure?
How to measure your hand for gloves
- If you don’t have a flexible measuring tape, wrap a piece of string around your dominant hand at its widest point between the knuckles and the thumb, and mark where the ends meet.
- Lay the string flat on a ruler and measure the length (the circumference of your hand) to find your size.
How do you size a youth softball glove?
Because the softball is 11″, you will typically see fastpitch infielder gloves ranging between 10″ and 11.5″ for youth players and roughly 11.5″ and 12.5″ for players ages 13 and older. If you play slow pitch softball, your glove size will be bigger because the ball is 12″.
What size is 8 in goalkeeper gloves?
Goalkeeper glove sizes
|6||10-11 YEARS||6.8IN (17.2CM)|
|7||LARGE YOUTH||7.2IN (18.2CM)|
|8||SMALL ADULT||7.6IN (19.4CM)|
|9||MEDIUM ADULT||8IN (20.4CM)|
Is 11.5 a good glove size?
A lot of adult size gloves are simply too big for youth players and will have a negative effect on how they play. Above all, young players should focus on getting a glove that they can handle and move with. For example, a third baseman at the high school level will normally use an 11.5” or 11.75” glove.
What size glove does Buster Posey use?
What is the size to this glove? The Rawlings Heart of the Hide Game Day Series (PROCM43BP28) is a 34.00″ pattern.
What size glove does Aaron judge use?
|Color||Aaron Judge Model|
|Age Range (Description)||Youth|