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DISTRIBUTION/RANGE: Statewide (see map).
HABITAT:This species is usually encountered along forest margins, areas containing young, brushy second growth, fence rows, powerline cuts through forest, and in virtually any other open area where the primary foodplants occur.
HOSTPLANT(S):In Ohio, this species has been found and reared on black locust, honey-locust, and hog-peanut. Bales (1909) also reports wisteria.
ADULT ENERGY RESOURCES:Red clover, hop clover, blue vervain, teasel, horseweed, alfalfa, multiflora rose, redbud, tall ironweed, common milkweed, Canada thistle, field thistle, dame's rocket, black raspberry, tall bellflower, self-heal, and many garden flowers. Adults also imbibe moisture from damp soil and mud.
FLIGHT PERIOD:Two to three broods, with peaks in May, June, and August (see graph). Extreme dates range from 4 March through 8 October.
SIMILAR SPECIES:The Hoary Edge Skipper (Achalarus lyciades (Geyer)) lacks the large silvery-white patch in the center of the ventral hindwing that characterizes E. clarus.
GENERAL COMMENTS:This is the largest and one of our most common resident skippers. Statewide in occurrence, this species is best sought in clover and alfalfa fields that border stands of the hostplant.
Males perch on tree limbs and fly out to investigate almost any passing object. Because they often return to the same perch, they may be territorial. Females have a slow dipping flight when searching for oviposition sites in low underbrush. Both sexes often rest on the undersides of leaves. Because its flight is fast and powerful, it is almost impossible to observe on the wing. This species is best observed while it is visiting flowers or perching on leaves.
Categories Epargyreus clarus clarus (Cramer, 1775)
Ohio County Distribution
Flight Period (Temporal distribution)
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Matlab Basics II - Free Fall
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By Julius G. Goepp, MD
Few people are aware that about half of all cancers occur in the skin . . . far more than any other part of our body.1
While most skin cancers are curable,1 they can be disfiguring and expensive to treat.
Doctors claim that sun exposure is the leading cause.1 Yet even in geographic areas where solar ray exposure is limited, rates of certain skin cancers have more than doubled in less than a decade.2
Like virtually all cancers, aging is the primary culprit.3,4 That's because aged cells suffer an accumulation of mutations to genes that regulate their proliferation.5 Aging people are much more vulnerable to contracting skin cancers from even limited exposure to solar radiation.6
The public has been alerted to the grave dangers of melanoma, but remain largely in the dark about another deadly cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) that strikes almost four times as many Americans.7,8 Like melanoma, the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma is related to aging and sun exposure.4
Applying a topical sun-blocking agent daily makes common sense, not only to guard against skin cancer, but to also protect against premature skin aging.9,10 The unfortunate reality is that few people take the time to adequately shield their skin against damaging solar rays every day.
As you will read, an orally ingested plant extract has been discovered to confer remarkable protection against sunburn and solar ray skin cell damage.
Supported by extensive research, this new oral supplement offers convenient protection against ultraviolet light damage to the largest organ of the body . . . our skin!
Nearly half of all adults who reach age 65 will suffer from some type of skin cancer.11 This depressing statistic may soon become a historical curiosity owing to a Central American fern plant whose sun-protection benefits are proving to be nothing short of miraculous.
It is called Polypodium leucotomos and has been used for centuries to treat tumors, skin diseases (including psoriasis), and sunburn. Modern dermatological researchers have discovered that the oral ingestion of this fern may provide previously unavailable skin cancer protection by blocking dangerous ultraviolet (UV) rays in living skin.
In study after study, this Polypodium fern is proving to decrease the consequences of acute sun exposure, such as redness and sunburn-cell formation. It also helps maintain specialized immune cells in the skin that fight cancer,12 while inhibiting collagen-destroying enzymes that contribute to skin aging.13
Additional research shows that this special fern decreases the infiltration of damaging inflammatory cells in skin12,14 and increases survival of healthy skin cells.15What You Need to Know: Breakthrough in Skin Cancer Prevention
Early Research Into the Polypodium Fern
- Ultraviolet radiation from sunlight causes painful and temporary conditions like sunburn and "sun poisoning," as well as more ominous long-term effects such as skin aging and skin cancer.
- Ultraviolet radiation directly damages DNA and impairs normal skin cell functions by generating enormous bursts of free-radical activity.
- Topical sunscreens protect only the skin they cover and only work when reapplied diligently.
- A remarkable new oral supplement extracted from the Polypodium leucotomos fern has powerful, skin-targeted antioxidant effects.
- Oral Polypodium leucotomos supplements, taken in doses of 500--750 mg/day, have been shown to protect human skin from sunburn, cell death, DNA damage, and oxidant activity from both natural and artificial ultraviolet light.
- Oral Polypodium leucotomos supplements may afford long-term protection from ultraviolet light-related skin aging and even from cellular changes that can lead to skin cancers.
The medicinal properties of Polypodium fern plants have been part of the traditional culture of Native American tribes across Central and South America for centuries.
Dr. Salvador Gonzalez is a physician-researcher in dermatology and photo-medicine with ties to some of the world's most prestigious medical research institutions. Dr. Gonzalez's interest in this species of fern plant began during his doctoral work at the University of Malaga, Spain, when he was studying treatments for psoriasis (a disorder characterized by inflammatory scaly red patches of skin).
One such psoriasis therapy involves applying a light-sensitizing agent to the skin area followed by irradiation with ultraviolet A light. This treatment targets psoriasis by inflicting damage to the affected area. Unfortunately, this ultraviolet radiation therapy is associated with considerable inflammation in healthy tissues that can lead to increased rates of skin cancers over time.16
Polypodium leucotomos had been previously approved by the Health Ministry of Spain17-19 for psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. When Dr. Gonzalez gave Polypodium leucotomos extracts to patients undergoing radiation therapy for psoriasis, he noticed that without exception, the skin of these irradiated patients was in much better shape compared with untreated irradiated groups. In the patient group receiving this natural fern extract, there was no evidence of phototoxicity, redness, or burn. In fact, the skin of the fern-supplemented patients was comparable to those who never underwent high-intensity ultraviolet light therapy.
These results sparked Dr. Gonzalez's interest in photoprotection, and he extended his work during a stay at Harvard Medical School, where he and his colleagues discovered more about the impressive properties of this Native American fern plant.20 Protecting against clinically induced radiation therapy is interesting, but in the real world, most skin damage comes from sunrays. In his search to develop a more advanced form of sun protection, Dr. Gonzalez began to study the effect of Polypodium leucotomos on protecting the skin against the DNA damage we all experience through daily sun exposure.Melanoma Can Strike Other Areas of Body
A popular misconception is that melanoma occurs only on the outer skin surface. Although rare, melanomas can occur in the colon, rectum, mouth, nose, and even inside the eye.40-42 Gastrointestinal tract melanomas often represent metastasized melanoma.40
A particularly dangerous area that a melanoma lesion can form is the scalp underneath the hair.43 Since these areas are often obscured, non-surface melanomas are usually far advanced by the time they are diagnosed. Squamous cell carcinomas of the mouth and nose are even more common.44 Annual or biannual whole-body screening exams (plus colonoscopy every three to five years) can help detect these cancers at an early stage.45Multiple Protective Effects Against Solar Radiation
One of the first clinical studies sought to find out if Polypodium leucotomos extract, applied topically or ingested orally, could protect against solar radiation damage.21
An initial study was conducted on 21 volunteers, 13 of whom were pre-treated with a light-sensitizing agent. All the volunteers were exposed to solar radiation.21 The researchers recorded the following clinical effects of sunlight on the subjects' skin:
- Measures of sunburn
- Pigment changes
- Cell injury.
The study subjects then took either an oral extract of Polypodium leucotomos or applied it topically and underwent another period of sun exposure.
After repeating the same clinical measurements of sun damage, the researchers found that both topical and oral treatments were effective in protecting against the sun's rays.
Particularly impressive were findings that following treatment, the amount of sunlight that subjects could tolerate before experiencing any reddening of the skin was increased nearly three-fold.21Controlled Study Verifies Initial Findings
In fact, some subjects in the group given the light-sensitizing agent experienced nearly a seven-fold increase in the amount of light their skin could tolerate before cell damage occurred. Microscopic studies of the skin showed that vital cancer-fighting immune cells--called Langerhans' cells--were preserved by the fern treatment as well.21 Dr Gonzalez's research had created an oral form of sun protection--something that was previously thought to have been impossible.
To further assess the effectiveness of this special fern, researchers conducted a study where one group received the oral Polypodium leucotomos extracts, while the other group received no treatment.12 Study subjects were healthy, but had fair to light skin, making them more vulnerable to sun damage. The active group was administered the fern extract (7.5 mg/kg body weight), a dose that translates to 525 mg for a typical 154-pound person.
Both groups were then directly exposed to varying doses of artificial ultraviolet radiation. At 24 hours after radiation exposure, the skin-reddening reaction was assessed. The scientists also took skin biopsies for comparison of treated and untreated skin.
The results showed that treated subjects who ingested the Polypodium fern extract experienced a significant decrease in skin reddening. Microscopically, the biopsies taken from the treated subjects showed a significant decrease in the "sunburn cells" that indicate ultraviolet light-induced tissue injury, as well as a reduction in the kind of molecular damage to DNA that initiates cancer. There was also a reduction in the infiltration of cells that lead to age-related changes in the skin. Additionally, as with the other study, the vital Langerhans' cancer-patrolling immune cells were protected.12 Based on all these impressive results, the researchers concluded, "Oral administration of Polypodium leucotomos is an effective systemic chemophotoprotective agent leading to significant protection of skin against UV radiation."Oral Fern Extracts Protect Against Medical Radiation
The same research group next explored whether these special fern extracts might benefit very light-skinned patients undergoing medically induced radiation therapy to the skin.22 This is an important concern, because this treatment in fair-skinned people is often of limited use due to painful side effects and possible long-term increase in cancer risk.16
In this study, 10 fair-skinned people were first exposed to a light-sensitizing agent followed by high-intensity ultraviolet light therapy. The researchers measured the effects of this medical radiation therapy alone and also when the oral Polypodium leuco-tomos extracts were ingested.
Skin damage observed 48 to 72 hours after this radiation therapy was lower in patients who ingested Polypodium extracts. There was also significantly less skin damage four months later. As with the previous studies, there was a significant reduction in sunburn cells and a marked preservation of the Langerhans' cells.22Protecting Against "Sun-Poisoning"
In addition to sunburn, some people suffer from skin lesions (idiopathic photodermatoses) that are often referred to as "sun poisoning." In 2007, a group of Italian researchers studied oral fern extracts as photoprotectants in a group of 25 sufferers of these conditions.23
The researchers first ensured that their subjects had not used any ultraviolet light-protecting sunscreens. The subjects were then exposed to sunlight during daily oral supplementation with 480 mg of Polypodium leucotomos fern extracts. The patients' responses were compared with those they had previously experienced during ultraviolet light exposure without supplementation.
The findings showed a dramatic reduction in immune-associated skin reactions and symptoms (itching and discomfort) after taking the fern extracts. All patients, as in the other studies, tolerated the Polypodium leucotomos fern extracts without side effects of any kind.How Polypodium Fern Extracts Work
Scientists have shown that Polypodium leucotomos is a very good antioxidant that works at least partially by quenching free radicals.20,24,25 But there are plenty of potent antioxidants that have not been shown to protect the skin against radiation damage.
What is unique about this Polypodium fern is that after oral ingestion, it seems to have strong affinity for the skin compared with most standard antioxidants, a characteristic that gives it a highly selective targeted action.
Polypodium leucotomos extracts also seem to act as an ultraviolet-absorbing material that filter out or block ultraviolet radiation. In addition, these extracts have been shown to inhibit protein-destroying skin enzymes that decrease skin elasticity.13 With further study, this property may yet prove to help delay the visible skin aging effect of solar radiation exposure.
These mechanisms help explain why in study after study, Polypodium leucotomos extracts are proving to decrease the consequences of acute sun exposure such as redness, sunburn-cell formation, and suppression of cancer-fighting Langerhans' cells.12Protecting Against Skin Cancer
Intriguing research provides a rationale on how Polypodium leucotomos extracts may protect against cancer. These fern extracts reduce DNA damage in skin cells produced by the dangerous short-wavelength UVB radiation that is associated with skin cancer.12,26 Dr. Gonzalez notes, "Polypodium leucotomos probably helps reduce DNA damage indirectly by protecting the special enzymes that repair DNA from oxidative damage of their own." The significance of this finding is that this effect may allow for better DNA repair and subsequently fewer mutations that can initiate cancer.
In fact, Dr. Gonzalez recently showed that "Polypodium leucotomos inhibits the UV radiation-induced conversion of one of the skin's most powerful antioxidant molecules into a specific immune-suppressing molecule."27 Suppressing this vital first line of defense is just one of the many links in the chain in which sunlight damage can lead to skin-cancer development.Protecting Against Other Sources of Radiation
What of Polypodium leucotomos's potential in protecting against other forms of ionizing radiation, such as that used in radiation treatments for cancer? Regrettably, such studies have not been performed yet.
We do know that radiation therapy causes an enormous increase in the levels of free radicals in the skin of the exposed area, and the use of Polypodium leucotomos is likely to quench these reactive oxygen species, thereby alleviating the harsh side effects of such aggressive therapies.
It is also worth noting that Polypodium leucotomos has a boosting effect on the immune system,22 probably related to its protective effect on radiation-sensitive Langerhans' cells, which constitute the first barrier of 'cancer patrol' on the skin.
The overriding concern, however, is whether the unique effects of Polypodium leucotomos would protect cancer cells against radiation-induced destruction. Until more is known about this, cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy should probably not use Polypodium supplements.Benefits of Oral Instead of Topical Polypodium Leucotomos
Orally ingesting Polypodium leucotomos extracts provides some obvious advantages compared with topical application. It protects the entire skin surface, which would include the mucous membranes and the scalp. It cannot be rubbed off or removed by perspiring or bathing. Also, most people apply only a fraction of the amount of topical sunscreens that are truly needed for protection, and don't reapply them nearly often enough. Oral Polypodium leucotomos overcomes that limitation as well.
When encountering prolonged exposure to the sun, oral Polypodium leucotomos extracts should be used in conjunction with a sunscreen. We must emphasize that situations involving extended/intense sun exposure still require the use of both high-SPF sunscreens and oral Polypodium leucotomos extracts.
While some people are meticulous enough to apply sunscreen every day, we often feel the intensity of the sun on our face, neck, and arms and realize we neglected to apply sunscreen that day. The advantage of Polypodium leucotomos extract is that ingesting just one pill in the morning should provide considerable protection against daily solar radiation, such as when walking to and from our cars.
What is interesting is that based on the research studies, it might be possible to take just one Polypodium leucotomos extract capsule and obtain protection against age-accelerating/cancer-inducing solar rays that same day!Understanding Skin Cancer
The term skin cancer comprises at least three distinct conditions: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.28 Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma affect the keratinocytes, skin cells that distribute the melanin pigment produced by melanocytes. In contrast, melanoma is a cancer of the melanocytes.
Basal cell carcinoma is responsible for more than 90% of all skin cancers. This slow-growing cancer typically appears as small, fleshy nodules on sun-exposed areas such as the hands, neck, and head. Treatment can cure up to 95% of these cancers, although a history of basal cell carcinoma increases the risk of future skin cancers. Fair-skinned individuals are particularly at risk.11
Like basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma often affects fair-skinned persons. It is the second most common skin cancer and sometimes arises from a pre-cancerous condition called actinic keratosis (sun spots). Squamous cell cancer may appear as nodules or red scaly patches of skin, and affected areas may ulcerate, crust, or bleed. Squamous cell cancer tends to affect the face, shoulders, hands, arms, back, lips, and ear, and can also occur on areas of skin that have sustained injuries such as burns, scars, or chemical exposure. This malignancy can damage surrounding healthy skin, and delays in treatment can result in disfigurement.29 With proper treatment, most individuals survive squamous cell carcinoma, though the condition does increase the future risk of skin cancers.11
The incidence of basal and squamous cell carcinomas (together termed non-melanoma skin cancer) is on the rise; this trend has been linked with the accumulation of sun exposure with aging.30,31
Melanoma is the least common but most deadly form of skin cancer. While basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are more common in older individuals, melanoma can affect people of all ages.
Melanoma lesions typically resemble moles, with unusual size, pigmentation, borders, or symmetry. With early detection and treatment, many people survive melanoma. Melanoma can spread rapidly to other parts of the body, however, and survival rates for metastasized melanoma are poor.11Understanding Skin Cancer
Pigmented basal cell carcinoma, or rodent ulcer, on an 89-year-old woman's shin. This is the most common form of skin cancer among fair-skinned people. It mostly affects the elderly, although in recent years the average age of onset has steadily decreased. It usually appears on the face and is thought to be caused by the ultraviolet radiation in sunlight. It slowly destroys surrounding tissue, but seldom spreads to other parts of the body.
Treatments for basal cell carcinoma include radiotherapy, cryotherapy, cauterization and surgical excision.
Squamous cell carcinoma. A carcinoma is a cancer arising from epithelial tissue, such as the skin. This is one of the most common forms of skin cancer. Squamous cells, scale-like cells in the skin, may become cancerous after prolonged exposure to strong sunlight. They can be fatal if allowed to spread. If caught in the early stages, the cancerous area can be excised surgically, but radiotherapy or chemotherapy may be necessary if the extent is not known.Melanoma Can Strike Other Areas of Body
Melanoma with an uneven, ragged, border. The ABCDE test is used for detection of melanomas: A=Asymmetry, B=Border, C=Color, D=Diameter, E=Elevation/Evolution.
Melanoma cells are highly malignant, invading and destroying surrounding tissues and migrating (metastasizing) to other parts of the body, where they seed secondary tumors. Treatment is by excision, followed by radiotherapy or chemotherapy if the cancer has spread. Melanoma is a very serious form of skin cancer that begins in the melanocytes. It accounts for only 4% of all skin cancer cases. However, it is responsible for most skin cancer-related deaths and is the most common form of cancer in young adults.How Sun Damages Skin
The sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays are composed of two forms known as UVA and UVB, and both have been shown to have numerous deleterious and potentially lethal effects on human skin. So-called UVA rays, which make up nearly 90% of the injurious wavelengths,32 produce destructive reactive oxygen species (free radicals) that interact with skin cells to damage their membranes, corrupt their DNA, and interfere with the skin's DNA-repair mechanisms.33-35 The even more energetic UVB rays directly damage DNA, causing abnormalities that can trigger the first steps in skin-cancer formation.26,34,35 Ultraviolet light also destroys vital immune system cells that normally "patrol" the skin for abnormal and potentially cancerous cells.36 On first contact, UV-damaged skin rapidly develops inflammation, leading initially to the reddening and pain we associate with sunburn (dermatologists recognize specific "sunburn cells" that emerge when skin cells have suffered irreparable damage).20,28
Longer UV-light exposure leads to production of messenger molecules called cytokines that can promote cancer growth.37 Researchers believe that the recent widespread increase in skin cancer rates in older adults is related to increasing lifetime exposure to UV radiation.30,31 Finally, UV light interferes with several processes that contribute to the regeneration and maintenance of skin's normal suppleness and elasticity, hastening the course of visible aging.38 Recent discoveries have shown that there is considerable overlap between the way that UV light promotes aging and its cancer-causing effects, providing strong impetus to minimize our exposure to the effects of direct sunlight.39References
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What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger? Not always. For kids growing up in chronically stressful environments—think children living in poor housing conditions, frequently witnessing domestic violence, or suffering abuse or neglect—the experience can get under their skin and affect their behavior for a lifetime.
In the just-released issue of the Future of Children, Ross Thompson outlines the growing body of research on the neurobiological effects of chronic stress during early childhood and what it means for behavior. Since chronic stress is especially prevalent in low-income homes, we must think of neurobiology as another pathway by which disadvantage is passed from generation to generation.
How is neurobiology and behavior affected by chronic stress in early childhood?
Early experiences, even beginning in utero, signal what type of environment the individual will face, and the brain and other biological systems develop accordingly. Especially important is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis, the system that responds to threat by producing the hormone cortisol to arouse vigilance, self-defense, and emotion.
Repeated exposure to stress can alter the functioning of this axis over time, which means children who experience chronic stress often struggle to regulate their emotions, pay attention, and control their impulses. Alternatively, chronic stress can lead some children to show a shutting down of their stress system, so that they inadequately react to stress.
Additionally, constant production of stress hormones like cortisol can affect development of the prefrontal cortex (important for self-regulation), the hypothalamus (for emotion), and the hippocampus (for memory).
In short, the “wiring” of children’s biological systems to help them survive in a threatening environment hurts them in the classroom and most social scenarios.
Why does this matter for intergenerational social mobility?
Children who struggle with attention and impulse control—what many call non-cognitive skills or character strengths—are less likely to succeed in the classroom and labor market, as the Character and Opportunity project at Brookings is currently exploring. This is an intergenerational mobility problem because the chronic stress that limits the development of these strengths is most often found in homes at the bottom of the income distribution.
What can we do about it?
There is something that can soften the link between chronic stress and harmful neurobiological development: warm, responsive, and consistent caregiving. Children whose foster parents were taught to be more affectionate and better interpret and respond to infant signals showed more typical HPA activity and more moderate cortisol reactivity when faced with a threat. As with many other pathways of disadvantage, to help the child, we need to help the parents.
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The World Water Forum is the world’s biggest water-related event and is organized by the World Water Council (WWC), an international organization that brings together all those interested in the theme of water. Its mission is “to promote awareness, build political commitment and trigger action on critical water issues at all levels, to facilitate the efficient conservation, protection, development, planning, management and use of water in all its dimensions on an environmentally sustainable basis for the benefit of all life on Earth”.
Further Description / Program
The World Water Forum contributes to the dialogue of the decision-making process on water at the global level, seeking to achieve the rational and sustainable use of this resource. Given its political, technical and institutional scope, one of the Forum’s main features is the open, democratic participation of actors drawn from different sectors, making it an event of the greatest importance on the international agenda.
The World Water Council organizes the Forum every three years together with the respective host country and city. To date, there have been seven editions of the World Water Forum, in different countries, on four different continents.
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The 2014 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card revealed a D- for Canada’s Overall Physical Activity level. "Even though 84% of Canadian kids aged 3-4 are active enough to meet guidelines, this falls to only 7% of kids meeting guidelines at ages 5-11, and only 4% meeting guidelines at ages 12-17," the report card says.
According to the 2014 report, 40 percent of Canadian kids (5-17 years) get at least 60 minutes of physical activity at least three days a week, but to get the health benefits, kids need to be moving for at least an hour every day of the week.
Healthy Me Week will remind Canadians to make healthier food choices and stay physically active.
Check out Best Health’s tips for staying healthy and active:
‘ Fitness ideas for the whole family
‘ How to keep your family fit
‘ 5 tips to help your kid achieve a healthy weight
‘ 7 superfoods for kids
‘ Healthy snacks kids will love
‘ 7 ways kids can make you healthier
‘ 7 kid activities you should try as an adult
Plus, learn how chef, teacher and Best Health contributor, Paul Finkelstein, has been making a difference in school nutrition programs across Canada in his quest to stop childhood obesity.
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It’s Revenge of the Nerds all over again, but this time, they’re on bikes and riding across the country to teach the next generation of scientists. This summer, seven students from Harvard and MIT will ride across the US to promote Spokes, a project that teaches science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at libraries, schools, and camps.
The project is a collaboration with edX and Teach for America as part of an effort to rethink STEM education, the Spokes website explains. “At each school, we will teach hands-on, project-based classes based on our passions in STEM.”
“We want to break as many stereotypes about engineering as possible,” says rider Drew Bent. “By biking into the Learning Festivals and incorporating our bikes into the workshops, we show students that engineering is glamorous, and that the work is fun and creative—not like things you see on TV. The other reason why we bike is quite simple: We love biking! This combines two of our passions.” The group started the journey last week in Washington, DC, and has been sharing their exploits since then on their blog. The riders are putting in around 50 to 75 miles per day and camping most nights, though Bent adds that they’re hoping to keep it to 70-80 miles daily on average.
When the group rolls into town to teach, Bent says, “Students are excited about both the riding and learning! We include biking in our computer science workshop. We have students ‘program’ one of the teachers by reading out instructions to direct the teacher to pick up their helmet, put it on, walk towards their bike, get on the bike, and then bike away. Students usually start out with some general directions, and the teacher follows them literally. They put the helmet on backwards, walk into a wall, and such. The exercise is to introduce students to procedural learning and the idea that computers are actually quite dumb. It's the programmer that makes them smart.” And it’s the rider that makes the bike work, so maybe the students are on to something!
Watch a video about the Spokes rides:
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How to overcome depression with a holistic approach
Are exercise and diet natural antidepressants? It’s a lovely idea, and some studies have found that regular exercise may be just as effective to treat mild to moderate depression as drugs. But an analysis of 14 studies in the British Medical Journal found that much of the research was flawed, and concluded that exercise should not replace standard depression treatment – especially in severe illness.
But the report also stressed the benefit of exercise to overcome depression. This is not as contradictory as it may sound. Exercise does have other health benefits and these may have a knock-on effect on mood. A sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of depression, while depression increases the risk of a sedentary lifestyle. In turn, being a “couch potato” can increase the risk of heart disease, which can increases the risk of depression.
Thus exercise may add an additional dimension to standard treatment. The UK Department of Health recommends at least 30 minutes of physical activity for adults on five or more days a week. This should be of at least a moderate intensity – similar to brisk walking – and can be taken in 10-15 minute bouts throughout the day.
There is a widespread assumption that diet affects mood. Undoubtedly it does in that sensible eating helps create or maintain good health, without which people are more likely to suffer mood disorders. Certain dietary deficiencies – of the ‘B’ vitamins, for example, have been linked with depression, and so have both low-fat diets (below 25% fat intake) and diets containing high quantities of saturated fats (generally, those that are hard at room temperature, such as butter and other animal fats). Alcohol, sugar and caffeine may give a short-term lift, but tend in the long-term to make depression and anxiety worse rather than better.
High carbohydrate diets are sometimes recommended for people with depression, on the speculative basis that carbohydrates act on the brain in a similar way to serotonin. However, the evidence for specific “antidepressant foods” is scant. To date only one type of nutrient – omega-3 fatty acids which are found mainly in oily fish, and some nuts and seeds – has been consistently reported to help combat low mood.
Holistic approaches to treating mental disorders are starting to attract scientific study and in time, perhaps, a proven “antidepressant lifestyle” may emerge. For the moment, though, the most that can be said with certainty is that the chances of a full recovery from depression are enhanced if the person can maintain a generally healthy regime.
Eating an adequate and balanced diet: This means including all the major food groups: complex carbohydrates (staples such as rice, cereals, bread, pasta), protein (from meat, fish, nuts, poultry), fats (mainly unsaturated oils) and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables (five or more portions a day). Go easy on alcohol and caffeine, and avoid “junk food” high in sugar and saturated fat.
Sleeping sufficiently: But not too much. Most people do best on 7-8 hours sleep nightly. Bizarre as it may seem, a single short bout of sleep deprivation (3 hours or less sleep within a 24-hour period) can sometimes produce an astonishing lift of mood for a short period thereafter, and is worth trying if you know you have a couple of days when you know you will not have to drive, or operate machinery, or do anything else that requires sustained concentration. It is not a long-term solution, however, and you should not attempt to deprive yourself of sleep for more than two nights in a row.
Exercise: If the prospect of half an hour’s daily exercise seems daunting, begin with just a few minutes and slowly increase the amount you do each day. Make sure you exert yourself enough to increase your heart rate at least slightly above normal, and try to do it in the fresh air and, ideally, in varying surroundings.
Relaxation: Regular meditation, yoga, aromatherapy and massage help to promote a feeling of wellbeing and can be helpful for depression, especially if it is associated with agitation and anxiety.
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Cholesterol, a fatty substance that circulates in the blood is an important component of human cells.
It plays a major role in the production of vitamin D, bile acids that aids in digestion and absorption of the vitamins and in the formation of hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
Our body produces about 75% of cholesterol and we achieve the remaining 25% through food.
Cholesterol floats around your blood in two different forms: the Low-density lipoprotein, LDL and High-density lipoprotein, HDL cholesterol.
Everyone should know their LDL and HDL levels because they provide you a more specific estimate of the risk of developing arterial blockages. People with elevated levels of LDL are more likely suffer from heart attacks. Every 10mg increase in LDL per decilitre (dL) of blood, the risk of heart attack increases by almost 20%. Higher level of HDL, the good cholesterol, will lower the risk of cardiac events.
Your body requires some amount of cholesterol to function, but in LDL cholesterol in higher levels along with other substances can deposit as plaque within the walls of the arteries, causing these pipes get narrower and less flexible. This condition is called “atherosclerosis.” If a clot forms it will block the narrowed artery that results in a heart attack or stroke.
It is apparent that as your blood cholesterol rises, your risk for heart diseases also increases. High blood pressure, diabetes and smoking will further increase the risk.
Do you know that high cholesterol, the major risk factors of heart attack and stroke can be controlled?
Regular exercise and right type of diet will help increase the HDL cholesterol and reduce the LDL cholesterol at the same time.
Start your aerobics now and within 2 months you will see an increase in HDL by 5%. Any exercise that increase your heart rate like: brisk walking, running, cycling, swimming, dancing will help increase the HDL in the blood.
Why is HDL that very important?
HDL, the good cholesterol helps remove LDL cholesterol from the arteries. Enjoy your brisk exercise every day, 30 minutes, to reap the benefit of HDL.
Saturated foods not only high in calories but also will increase the blood LDL cholesterol.
Limit the consumption of foods high in saturated fat, trans-fat and cholesterol, like:
- Desiccated coconut, Coconut oil, palm oil, cheese, cocoa butter that are high in saturated fats
- Margarine a partially hydrogenated, is high in trans-fat that elevates the LDL cholesterol and lowers HDL cholesterol.
- Butter, animal fats (tallow (beef fat), lard (pork fat), duck fat, goose fat), beef, lamb, pork, chicken with skin, whole milk are high in saturated fats and cholesterol as well.
- Baked foods are high in saturated fats and trans-fats. Some food labels may show low in cholesterol. But they may contain more trans-fat and saturated fat. So, read the food label before you add on to your cart.
American Heart Association recommends 5-6% of calories from saturated fat. That means 13g / 120 calories from saturated for 2000 calories a day.
Swap out high saturated fats for their lower-fat counterparts, like skimmed milk, lean meat, chicken without skin, and fish. Do you know celery helps reduce the LDL cholesterol. A handful of nuts everyday, will help increase the HDL cholesterol and decrease the LDL cholesterol in the blood!
Use sunflower, safflower, olive oil for cooking. Extra virgin olive oil will help control blood glucose and cholesterol after meal. Sounds great!
The best alternatives to replace saturated fats:
- Whole grains
- Lean meat, poultry without skin, fish
- Nuts & seeds
- Fruits & vegetables
- Low-fat dairy products
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What is SHAC?
The School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) is an advisory group comprised of individuals who represent segments of the community. The group acts collectively to provide advice to the EPISD on aspects of the school district’s health program. Generally, the members of SHAC are appointed by either the Board of Trustees, PTA, or the Facilitator for Health Education.
SHAC is seeking new members for the upcoming school year. Of importance, increased parent membership is needed. Because the SHAC functions to provide a community voice regarding school health issues it critical that parents become involved. Further, through the collaboration of parents, community members, and EPISD staff SHAC strives to create healthy, safe schools.
For more information, or if you have a parent, student, or community member to recommend, call the EPISD Health Wellness and Physical Education office at (915) 230-2216.
It is important to emphasize that the SHAC provides advice to the EPISD administrative staff and the EPISD Board of Trustees.
What do they do?
The SHAC has a variety of roles addressing all components of a comprehensive school health program. The components include:
- Health instruction
- Healthful school environment
- Health services
- Physical education
- School counseling
- Health promotion for staff
- Integrated school and community programs
The local school health advisory council’s duties include recommending:
- The number of hours of instruction to be provided in health education
- Health education curriculum appropriate for specific grade levels that may include a coordinated health education program designed to prevent obesity, cardiovascular disease, and Type II diabetes
- Instruction to prevent the use of tobacco
- Appropriate grade levels and methods of instruction for human sexuality education.
Last year’s focus was approving a strategic plan for health and physical education and approving a six-week comprehensive health education program for the middle school.
This year’s focus will be to create an effective local school wellness policy which is a requirement of the 2004 Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act and to establish bylaws which comply with State law.
Tel: (915) 230-2216
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Wyoming Health Officials: Get Your Flu Shots Now
Officials with the Wyoming Department of Health are warning people who haven't gotten their flu shots to get them now as flu activity in the state is picking up.
Reggie McClinton, an epidemiologist with WDH, said Wyoming’s overall flu activity is at a relatively low level currently but reports are showing significant increases in several local areas. “With national reports of flu activity already elevated and increasing, this is not surprising,” he said. “Several states are already reporting widespread activity.”
State epidemiologist Dr. Alexia Harrist says it's important to get the shots now if you haven't already because they take about two weeks to take effect.
“Every season we see serious illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths in Wyoming due to flu,” Harrist said. “Influenza should never be overlooked or accepted as a minor problem.”
“We want nearly everyone six months or older to get a seasonal flu vaccine,” Harrist said. “Flu shots are safe and important. They can help you avoid the flu, they reduce the spread of the virus and they can also help make illnesses less severe for those who do still get sick.”
Besides getting shots, Harrist urged people to take common-sense steps to help stop the spread of influenza. Those include staying home from work when you are sick and covering your mouth and nose when you sneeze. People are also being warned to wash their hands frequently.
Doctors may recommend prescription antiviral medications to help treat influenza.
These medications may be especially helpful for persons at higher risk for flu complications such as young children, older adults, persons with chronic medical conditions, persons with challenged immune systems, pregnant women, persons less than 19 years of age who are on long-term aspirin therapy for other conditions, those who are extremely overweight, and residents of nursing homes or other chronic-care facilities.
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APPENDIX C: TALLYING, SCORING, AND INTERPRETING SCORES
Tallying and Scoring Guidelines
1.Return to Appendix B and total the “S” responses and put that number on the “S” line in the Count column of the Tally Box.
2.Repeat the same procedure for the “D,” “M,” and “C” responses, and put those totals on their respective lines in the Tally Box’s Count column.
3.Multiply the total for “S” by the Factor in the Tally Box and put the answer in the Product column on the “S” row.
4.Repeat the same procedure for the “D,” “M,” and “C” rows.
5.Add the four answers ...
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Millions of people suffer from eye diseases and disorders that diminish the vision. Some of these disorders can be surgically corrected, and some can be corrected with the use of visual aids like eyeglasses, contact lens, or medications.
Choosing a visual correction option that works best for you is a consideration that should be discussed with your eye professional. You can receive information about all of the latest innovations in corrective vision techniques, as well as those that have been tried and proven successful through the years for people who have normal refractive eye errors.
Various eye diseases requiring correction
People who have an ocular disease have specialized vision correction options available to them. Advances in modern technologies have made huge strides in vision correction. Keratoconus is an eye disease that requires patients to have a spectacular alternative that will help maximize visual performance.
Disorders like nearsightedness, presbyopia, astigmatism, and farsightedness are eye disorders that can be treated with the use of refractive aids. Some disorders are a result of other medical conditions like diabetic retinopathy which is caused by uncontrolled diabetes and can often be corrected with laser surgery, but the retina can be permanently damaged. The doctors and staff at Personal Eyes are experts at personalized eye care and assessment.
Eye disorders and treatment to correct them
The optimal outcome of refractive surgery is to eliminate the need for glasses or contact lens. This may not always be the result. Even after surgery, these aids may still be needed. Lasik surgery is the procedure that is generally used for refractive corrections, and most have been very successful. Another common form of visual impairment are cataracts which can cause vision loss and cloudiness.
Surgically replacing the intraocular lens will restore vision. Macular Degeneration is an eye disease that can very well change your life. Vision loss from this disease will cause one to lose the ability to read, drive, or recognize faces. Eyesight can be regained with specialized treatment. Glaucoma is a disease that can not be corrected or cured, but the specialized treatment offered can help manage the effects caused by the disease.
Considering these effective options
The medical staff can provide the options needed to manage any eye disorder. They even offer an online eye test that can be accessed from the comfort of home or office. The test will accurately inform you if medical attention is needed. If you have been experiencing diminished vision, but were unsure of the source, seeing an eye specialist could help save your vision from damage or loss.
Consider all of the available options for a particular disorder, and talk with the doctor to determine if it is the right option for you. Older adults are especially susceptible to many eye disorders because they often occur as a result of aging. The eyes can be corrected at any age, and the elderly, as well as children, can benefit from the various surgical methods that have become popular for treating problems with the eyes.
Many people have had success with their vision issues by choosing some of the medical techniques that are used by an eye specialist. Modern medicine has provided exceptional solutions for the quest to see better. Unlike your grandmother’s eye doctor whose abilities were limited, the innovative generation has many tools to their advantage.
Eye surgery is a common practice today, and patients are seeing better because of them. Do not hesitate this method as a viable solution to your eye condition if your medical specialist makes the recommendation to do so.
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WASHINGTON — One out of four Sun-like stars in our Milky Way galaxy could host Earth-size planets, making life-bearing systems like ours possibly more common than previously thought, an astronomical study said Thursday. Dubbed the most extensive planetary census of its kind, the NASA-funded study at the University of California, Berkeley found that smaller planets rather than massive ones are prevalent in close orbit to the stars. “The data tell us that our galaxy, with its roughly 200 billion stars, has at least 46 billion Earth-size planets, and that’s not counting Earth-size planets that orbit farther away from their stars in the habitable zone,” said study co-author Geoff Marcy. The astronomers for five years used the W.M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii to search 166 sun-like stars near our solar system for planets ranging from three to 1,000 times the mass of Earth. The results showed more small planets than large ones. “We studied planets of many masses — like counting boulders, rocks and pebbles in a canyon — and found more rocks than boulders, and more pebbles than rocks,” said UC Berkeley’s Andrew Howard, lead author of the study that will be published in Friday’s issue of the journal Science. “Our ground-based technology can’t see the grains of sand, the Earth-size planets, but we can estimate their numbers,” he said. “Earth-size planets in our galaxy are like grains of sand sprinkled on a beach — they are everywhere,” he added. The study suggests that potentially habitable planets like Earth could also be common in the Milky Way. These smaller planes would orbit farther away from their stars, where temperatures could be favorable for life. A similar survey of our galaxy is being conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Kepler spacecraft, which is expected to find the first true Earth-like planets in the next few years. In the UC Berkeley survey, about 6.5 percent of stars held intermediate-mass planets, with 10 to 30 times the mass of Earth, similar to Neptune and Uranus.
Another 11.8 percent had the so-called “super-Earths,” weighing in at only three to 10 times the mass of Earth.
The astronomers extrapolated from these survey data to estimate that 23 percent of sun-like stars in our galaxy host even smaller planets, the Earth-sized ones.
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The 2011 Census is a survey of all people and households throughout the UK. It is the only source of information which covers the whole of Scotland and the UK on a consistent basis, while providing local information. A few questions asked in the census were particular to Scotland or to England and Wales.
The data lets us compare one variable against another, for example, household size by ethnic group. Such detailed information is a valuable resource for communities, businesses and public agencies. It can
- highlight issues
- provide an insight into market areas
- assist with planning services.
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- Document: Report (6.75 MB pdf)
- Appendix 1 - (1.26 MB zip) Offshore chloride concentrations [data]
- Appendix 1 - (23.3 KB xml) Offshore chloride concentrations [metadata]
- Appendix 2 - (1.46 MB zip) Isochlors for 250- and 10,000-mg/L concentrations [data]
- Appendix 2 - (23.6 KB xml) Isochlors for 250- and 10,000-mg/L concentrations [metadata]
- Related Works:
- Scientific Investigations Report 2016–5076 - Documentation of a Groundwater Flow Model Developed To Assess Groundwater Availability in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Aquifer System From Long Island, New York, to North Carolina
- Professional Paper 1829 - Assessment of Groundwater Availability in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Aquifer System From Long Island, New York, to North Carolina
- Data Series 996 - Digital Elevations and Extents of Regional Hydrogeologic Units in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Aquifer System From Long Island, New York, to North Carolina
- Fact Sheet 2016–3046 - Sustainability of Groundwater Supplies in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Aquifer System
- Data Releases:
- Project Site: USGS Water Availability and Use Science Program
- Open Access Version: Publisher Index Page
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
The aquifers of the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain are the principal source of water supply for the region’s nearly 20 million residents. Water quality and water levels in the aquifers, and maintenance of streamflow, are of concern because of the use of this natural resource for water supply and because of the possible effects of climate change and changes in land use on groundwater. The long-term sustainability of this natural resource is a concern at the local community scale, as well as at a regional scale, across state boundaries. In 2010, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a regional assessment of the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifers. An important part of this assessment is a regional interpretation of the extent of saltwater and the proximity of saltwater to fresh-groundwater resources and includes samples and published interpretations of chloride concentrations newly available since the last regional chloride assessment in 1989. This updated assessment also includes consideration of chloride samples and refined interpretations that stem from the 1994 discovery of the buried 35 million year old Chesapeake Bay impact structure that has substantially altered the understanding of the hydrogeologic framework and saltwater distribution in eastern Virginia.
In this study, the regional area of concern for the chloride samples and interpretations extends from the Fall Line in the west to the outer edge of the Continental Shelf in the east and from the eastern tip of Long Island in the north to about halfway down the North Carolina coast in the south. Discussions of chloride distribution are presented for each of the 10 regional aquifer layers of the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain, including the offshore extents. Maps of interpreted lines of equal concentration or isochlors were manually prepared for nine of the regional aquifers; a map was not prepared for the surficial regional aquifer. The isochlor interpretations include the offshore extent of the nine regional aquifers and are presented on a 1:2,000,000 scale base map. Vertically, the chloride samples and interpretations range from deepest (oldest) to shallowest (youngest)—Potomac-Patuxent, Potomac-Patapsco, Magothy, Matawan, Monmouth-Mount Laurel, Aquia, Piney Point, Lower Chesapeake, and Upper Chesapeake regional aquifers.
The approach of this study maximizes the overall density of chloride information and data by assessing relevant published interpretations, all USGS chloride samples, and all relevant offshore samples in one comprehensive interpretation. Published isochlors, where they were interpreted by regional aquifer, were used as much as possible for this regional isochlor assessment. Publication dates for the isochlors used range from 1982 to 2015, and the scales for the isochlors range from local (county or municipality) to state (sub-regional) to regional. The USGS National Water Information System database provided well sample data for the parts of aquifers that are mainly beneath the land areas and yielded 37,517 water-quality records for 1903 through 2011. Published data reports from four phases of research-related offshore coring (1976, 1993, 1997, 2009) were the main source of water-quality data for the parts of aquifers from the shoreline to the outer edge of the Continental Shelf and yielded samples from multiple depths of each of 13 cores. This study also used interpretations and offshore core data from the last regional chloride assessment (1989) which, in addition to 7 offshore cores, included water-quality data from about 500 wells, and borehole geophysics interpretations from a subset of 11 wells. All published information and data that were used in this study were considered time independent and did not assess the published interpretations or data for temporal trends. The approach used here examined only published interpretations and available chloride data, and did not directly use supplemental techniques that can provide insight into the distribution of saltwater, such as geochemical characterization, borehole geophysical information, and geochronology.
Isochlor maps for this study are limited to manual interpretations of the 250-milligram per liter (mg/L) and 10,000-mg/L boundaries developed for 9 of the 10 regional aquifers that constitute the regional hydrogeologic framework of the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain. For a given aquifer, the approach was to initially consider published isochlor interpretations, where available, then to modify the published interpretations, if necessary, to the extent indicated by the well and core samples. The final step was to interpolate isochlors to the full extent of each aquifer layer in areas with sufficient samples or cited interpretations, or to extrapolate isochlors in areas with no samples or where samples were sparse.
The principal limitation of this study is that, because of its regional extent, data and information density can vary greatly, and thus confidence in interpretations can vary widely for onshore and offshore areas across the study area. In areas of sparse data, some samples of elevated chloride could be misinterpreted as being part of a regional elevated chloride trend, and in other cases, an elevated concentration could be misinterpreted as being of only local importance. The interpretive work of this study was applied to a 1:2,000,000 scale base map. Locations of isochlors, wells, cores, political boundaries, and shorelines are meant to be considered approximate.
The isochlors presented in this study were manually interpreted for each aquifer unit as a conceptual representation of an equal concentration line approximately in the middle of an aquifer’s thickness. Differences in chloride concentration lines between the top and bottom of an aquifer could be substantial, especially for the thick parts of aquifers, but that information is not presented in this regional assessment.
Although additional offshore chloride data are available compared to 27 years ago (1989), the offshore information remains sparse, resulting in less confidence in the offshore interpretations than in the onshore interpretations. Regionally, the 250- and 10,000-mg/L isochlors tend to map progressively eastward from the deepest to the shallowest aquifers across the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system but with some exceptions. The additional data, conceptual understanding, and interpretations in the vicinity of the buried Chesapeake Bay impact structure in eastern Virginia resulted in substantial refinement of isochlors in that area. Overall, the interpretations in this study are updates of the previous regional study from 1989 but do not comprise major differences in interpretation and do not indicate regional movement of the freshwater-saltwater interface since then.
Charles, E.G., 2016, Regional chloride distribution in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system from Long Island, New York, to North Carolina: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2016–5034, 37 p., appendixes, http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20165034.
ISSN: 2328-0328 (online)
Table of Contents
- Sources and Method for Isochlor Interpretations
- Isochlor Interpretations by Regional Aquifer
- Limitations of the Study
- Summary and Conclusions
- References Cited
Additional publication details
|Publication Subtype||USGS Numbered Series|
|Title||Regional chloride distribution in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system from Long Island, New York, to North Carolina|
|Series title||Scientific Investigations Report|
|Publisher||U.S. Geological Survey|
|Publisher location||Reston, VA|
|Contributing office(s)||New Jersey Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center|
|Description||Report: v, 35 p.; Appendixes: 1 and 2; Data Releases|
|State||Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Virginia|
|Other Geospatial||Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system|
|Online Only (Y/N)||Y|
|Additional Online Files (Y/N)||Y|
|
Owen Donovan, Senedd Home
- Recognises that one in four people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the UK do not survive the disease beyond a month and three in four do not survive beyond a year, many because they were not treated quickly enough and also recognises there are around 500 new cases of pancreatic cancer in Wales every year.
- Recognises pancreatic cancer is the deadliest common cancer with a dismal prognosis that has hardly changed in the last 45 years.
- Welcomes Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and the work Pancreatic Cancer UK does to promote awareness.
- Calls on Welsh Government to take action to improve survival rates for people with pancreatic cancer through: faster treatment, by learning from fast-track surgery models in England; earlier diagnosis, by learning from Rapid Diagnostic Centres being rolled out in England and piloted by two Welsh health boards; timely dietary and nutritional support to enable patients to better tolerate treatment.
A Silent Killer
Lynne Neagle AM (Lab, Torfaen) noted that despite the rapid technological advances of the last fifty years, survival rates for pancreatic cancer have remained static in all this time.
“Pancreatic cancer is the tenth most common cancer in the UK but receives just 1% of research funding. Due to late diagnosis, seven out of 10 people with pancreatic cancer will never receive any treatment, and only one in 10 will receive surgery, which is the only curative solution. Fewer than 6% of those affected in Wales will survive for longer than five years – take a moment to reflect on that.”
– Lynne Neagle AM
Wales’ clinical lead on pancreatic cancer, Bilal Al-Sarireh, told her that while a specialist centre was set up a decade ago, he feels he’s letting patients down because they can’t access treatment quickly enough. The number of patients being offered surgery to remove the cancer has also dropped from 20% to under 15%. She asked whether the Welsh Government would consider establishing a specialist centre for liver, gall bladder and pancreatic surgery?
Several AMs noted the difficulties caused by the “silent” nature of the early symptoms. David Melding AM (Con, South Wales Central) believed there was poor public understanding and methods of identifying pancreatic cancer weren’t as advanced as for other forms of cancer.
Delyth Jewell AM (Plaid, South Wales East) spoke of her grandmother’s experiences before she died in 2005 which underlined how aggressive the cancer is. The odds were stacked against someone from the start and she supported calls from Pancreatic Cancer UK for a national diagnosis strategy and awareness-raising for the public and clinicians.
“She’d been a little off-colour at Christmas, but, like so many patients who don’t know that these symptoms are masking something deadly, she put off going to the GP. When she did go, no-one recognised the symptoms….16% of pancreatic cancer patients visit their GP seven or more times before getting a diagnosis. A few days after Christmas, she went to the GP again, and they didn’t know exactly what was wrong but they sent her straight to hospital. It was over the new year period, so the disease still wasn’t spotted for too long. My grandmother was left calling out in delirium because of the pain, and when the symptoms were finally understood and the fantastic palliative care team came on board, she died three days later.”
-Delyth Jewell AM
Caroline Jones AM (BXP, South Wales West) became aware of pancreatic cancer when a benign tumour was removed from her pancreas 30 years ago; two-thirds of adults are unaware of the symptoms. Neil McEvoy AM (Ind, South Wales Central) noted with some optimism that fast-track surgery in England was showing promise.
Minister open-minded on specialist surgical centre
Health Minister, Vaughan Gething (Lab, Cardiff S. & Penarth), quoted figures which bear out how important it is to get an early diagnosis, as one-year survival rates for Stage 1 pancreatic cancer at 60% compared to a 28% survival rate overall.
Like other AMs, he noted the importance of surgery as opposed to drugs in treating some types of cancer and he would keep the idea of a specialist surgical centre on the table subject to advice:
“On the proposal about having a specific centre, I’ve listened and I will ask the clinicians at the Wales Cancer Network to consider that further, to give me advice to go into our cancer delivery plan for Wales and the work of the implementation group to understand what that would mean and the benefit that could provide for people in Wales.”
– Health Minister, Vaughan Gething
Lowther Road, Cathays, Cardiff. Picture by Jeremy Segrott. (CC BY 2.0)
Tackling congestion key to sustaining bus services
This week’s short debate came from Mark Reckless AM (BXP, South Wales east) on the subject of bus services.
A vicious circle of congestion and fare increases
Mark Reckless noted from correspondence that the average speed of buses in Wales has fallen by 7% in the last two years and with every 10% drop in average speed, running costs increase by 8%.
“….as well as having buses that we want people to use to reduce congestion, the effect of that congestion, in turn, can be to reduce bus usage, because those buses slow down, they become more expensive to operate, and, if prices go up – and the average fare had increased by 6% in the year to March 2018, and I think went up 3.6% in the following year – that, in turn, reduces bus usage further. It’s a vicious circle.”
– Mark Reckless AM
Buses were often essential and cost-effective for certain groups and if bus services are not supported, it can lead to increased isolation. In some places, like Ebbw Vale, the frequency of bus services has more than halved.
There was some good news, with Welsh bus services still being relatively well-used despite lower overall use compared to England and Scotland. In Wales, the number of bus passengers has only declined by 0.3% over the last five years compared to 11% in Scotland and 5.2% in English shires.
He said the jury was out on a number of proposals included in the bus services white paper, particularly with regard to local authority control and bus franchising and whether some councils will have the expertise to be able to cope with it.
Buses central to improving public transport
Economy & Transport Minister, Ken Skates (Lab, Clwyd South), said bus services were well placed to respond to sudden changes in demand for public transport due to their inherent flexibility and lower cost compared to rail.
“Bus priority measures are hugely important and Mark Reckless has identified the need for bus services to operate in a timely and reliable fashion. We have found that the number one reason that determines whether somebody chooses to take a bus or their car is whether a bus is reliable and punctual and offers the ability to get to their destination in less time than their private motor vehicle. And so….we are investing very heavily indeed in dedicated bus lanes and in bus corridors and we’re piloting demand-responsive transport schemes.”
– Economy & Transport Minister, Ken Skates
The goal is to see a long-term gradual increase in the number of bus journeys and the Welsh Government’s measures have already resulted in a measure of stability – as mentioned earlier. A Bill to re-regulate bus services, stemming from the white paper, is set to be tabled in 2020.
Senedd requests further work on measures to improve lobbying transparency
The Motion (Final/Amended Version)
- Notes it’s the only national legislature in the UK without a lobbyist register.
- Calls upon the Assembly Commission to provide an update on the actions it’s taken since the publication of the Standards Committee report on lobbying in January 2018.
- Welcomes the intention of the Standards Committee to give further consideration to lobbying before the end of the fifth Assembly.
Stink of corruption?
Caroline Jones AM (BXP, South Wales West) accepted lobbying was a legitimate part of a healthy democracy and was often the main avenue for advocacy for certain causes and to properly inform decision-makers.
She went on to mention some lobbying scandals involving the UK Government in the 1990s and 2000s, which resulted in a statutory register to tackle a “revolving door” culture where politicians leave office and find work in lobbying firms.
When she claimed a previous Labour Cabinet was “available for hire by lobbyists”, former junior UK Minister, Huw Irranca-Davies AM (Lab, Ogmore), considered it an abuse of parliamentary privilege (you can say anything in the chamber without the risk of civil or criminal claims).
Andrew RT Davies AM (Con, South Wales Central) said that while he supports the principle behind the debate, he’s never come across any lobbying malpractice and nobody has ever come to him asking for a lobbying register:
“I have to say, generally, in 12 years of work in this Assembly, both in committee work and standing as an AM, and as former leader of the Welsh Conservative group, I can genuinely believe and stand here with integrity in saying that all the interactions that I’ve had with lobbyists, with constituents, have always been in the best interests of what those individuals and organisations are seeking to promote.”
– Andrew RT Davies AM
He thought it was better dealt with by the Standards Committee – of which he’s a member. Dai Lloyd AM (Plaid, South Wales West) later added that his party’s official position is in favour of a register.
An ongoing dialogue
Chair of the Standards Committee, Jayne Bryant AM (Lab, Newport West), said her committee’s report was only an interim position and part of an ongoing process. Ministerial diaries are now being published quarterly and she mentioned that a pilot scheme for AMs was in development.
Spurning the opportunity to make a case for a lobbying register, Neil McEvoy AM (Ind, South Wales Central) went on a score-settling tirade against other AMs (the full list including Carwyn Jones, Leanne Wood, Adam Price and, completely at random, Alun Davies) as well as the black heart of all that is evil in Welsh politics – Deryn. All lobbyists were “z-class bullies” and he took exception to being called a liar and a bully himself.
Deputy Minister & Chief Whip, Jane Hutt AM (Lab, Vale of Glamorgan), said the responsibility ultimately lie with the Standards Committee on how to take things forward.
The motion was carried by 41 votes to 1.
Senedd & Elections Bill scrapes through meaning votes at 16 in 2021
AMs have their own definition of what “historic” means, but there was another self-proclaimed historic moment yesterday afternoon with the final vote on the Senedd & Elections Bill – the first stage in a two-stage process of electoral reform which will likely run into the Sixth Senedd.
Strengthening the foundations of democracy
Llywydd, Elin Jones (Plaid, Ceredigion), ran through some of the key elements of the Bill, including changing the name of the legislature, lowering the voting age to 16, changes to disqualification criteria and other changes such as granting voting rights to qualifying foreign nationals. It was a vote to “strengthen the foundations of our parliamentary democracy here in Wales.”
The Conservatives took exception to one element of the Bill – extending voting rights to foreign nationals, which they believed was being forced through with little scrutiny:
“….in introducing the right for foreign nationals to vote, this Bill, in our view, becomes unsupportable. It’s a major change to a Commission Bill that the Commission did not want. And I do remind people that this novel idea is not common practice anywhere else, as far I’m aware, and it also brings with it the right to stand for this institution, and presumably hold office in it. It’s been completely unscrutinised, introduced by the Government without scrutiny, introduced at Stage 2. It’s quite a shocking thing to do on a constitutional Bill that requires….a supermajority. It’s quite insulting, frankly, to those who have genuine concerns about the lack of scrutiny.”
– David Melding AM (Con, South Wales Central)
While the Llywydd rejected the idea that it’s being forced through – as the required amendments were passed at Stage 3 – with the withdrawal of Tory support and without Brexit Party support for changes to the voting age as well, the vote was set to become a lot tighter.
Plaid Cymru remained disappointed at the bilingual name. While they would support the Bill as it was, Rhun ap Iorwerth AM (Plaid, Ynys Môn) said it was a missed opportunity to show the Welsh language belonged to everyone, like the national anthem. He blamed a lack of confidence or even fear.
A compromise between strongly held views
Responding on behalf of the government the Counsel General, Jeremy Miles (Lab, Neath), described the Bill as “a compromise between very strongly held views” – including the name issue, responsibilities concerning the Electoral Commission and the issue of foreign voting rights.
In light of Conservative complaints, he pointed to the consultation which showed that 66% of respondents supported all legal residents in Wales having full voting rights regardless of nationality or citizenship.
Under the requirements of the Wales Act 2017, the Bill needed a minimum of two-thirds of AMs (40 AMs) to vote in favour – and it happened….just.
Minister not concerned about allowing different councils to choose different electoral systems
Steel-maker confirms 1,000 UK job loses
Tata Steel’s European division has confirmed that 1,000 jobs – said to be mainly office-based – are to be cut from its UK operations by March 2021.
Steelworkers union Community said the announcement was poorly timed and called for Tata to reconsider its strategy, blaming the lack of a Plan B following its collapsed merger with Thyssenkrupp.
The Economy & Transport Minister said: “Tata Steel has previously confirmed that they intend to seek to avoid compulsory redundancies and I will be impressing on the company the importance of standing by this commitment.”
Swansea regeneration work to start
Work has begun on a £135million regeneration project in Swansea city centre, which will eventually include a new arena, housing, offices and retail space. Funding was released by the Welsh Government to build a bridge linking the arena site on the waterfront with the city centre.
A Swansea Council cabinet member told BBC Wales: “Swansea needs to reinvent itself, like all cities throughout the UK. Retailing has changed so, therefore, you’ve got to have the leisure attraction, people living and working in the city to make it a vibrant city.”
Black bag waste cut by almost a fifth in six years
The amount of domestic landfill waste produced by Welsh households has reportedly fallen by 17% since 2013 according to the latest waste management figures.
The proportion of domestic waste reused or recycled remained at 63% – the same percentage as 2018.
There were calls for more to be done to address plastic waste. Surfers Against Sewage told BBC Wales: “every time I was walking on the beach I saw the tide bring in new plastic”.
Increase in domestic violence reports
The number of reports of domestic violence in Wales has increased by 83% since 2015, with the North Wales Police area seeing the sharpest increase overall. In total there were just over 41,500 reports during 2018-19 compared to 18,960 in 2015-16.
The increase was said to be down to increased confidence in reporting domestic abuse incidents. The figures were published days after a report from the Wales Audit Office picked out weaknesses in domestic abuse services since the introduction of the Domestic Violence Act 2015.
No secret recording devices found at the Senedd
The Llywydd confirmed to BBC Wales that no secret recording devices have been found on the Assembly estate following an internal security sweep which was launched after an AM recorded the private conversations of the former Standards Commissioner and his staff.
The Assembly Commission confirmed that a police investigation was still ongoing.
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Accurate, rapid, and nondestructive leaf area estimates are critical in many plant physiological and ecological experiments. Now-ubiquitous digital scanners and cameras, in conjunction with digital image processing software, have largely replaced older methods using light obstruction to estimate leaf area. ImageJ, the most common software used for leaf area measurement, uses a threshold-based pixel count measurement to calculate leaf area (Orsini et al., 2010; Warman et al., 2011; Juneau and Tarasoff, 2012; Carins Murphy et al., 2012; Schneider et al., 2012; Easlon et al., 2014). ImageJ, however, can require significant user input and often has difficulty in distinguishing leaves from their background using thresholding alone (Davidson, 2011). Physical masking of soil using paper collars before photographing leaves or software removal of background from images (using, e.g., GNU Image Manipulation Program; Kimball and Mattis, 2012) can remove background artifacts from images before ImageJ analysis, but these approaches add considerable processing time to leaf area measurements (Campillo et al., 2008; Warman et al., 2011; Juneau and Tarasoff, 2012).
We developed Easy Leaf Area software to rapidly estimate leaf area from Arabidopsis (DC.) Heynh. images against complex backgrounds with little user input. Easy Leaf Area uses a combination of thresholding, color ratios, and connected component analysis to rapidly measure leaf area in individual images in seconds or batch process hundreds of images in minutes; results are saved to a spreadsheet-ready CSV file. Each analyzed image is also saved in lossless TIFF format to provide a visual record of leaf area measurement and to facilitate additional analyses (Figs. 1C, F; 2C, E). Easy Leaf Area was written in Python ( http://www.python.org/), a free and open-source programming language with image processing and mathematical tools, and is easy to modify to suit specific experimental requirements; e.g., a “Crop Cover” version of the program was written to facilitate measurement of projected leaf area and percent crop canopy cover.
METHODS AND RESULTS
Easy Leaf Area uses a red calibration area of known area in each image as a scale to calibrate leaf area estimates regardless of image source, eliminating the need for assessing camera distance and focal length or measuring ruler length manually (Baker et al., 1996). Total counts of green leaf pixels and red calibration pixels are used to estimate leaf area, according to: leaf area = (green pixel count) × (calibration area/red pixel count). When possible, the calibration area should be kept in the same plane as the leaves to avoid perspective distortion. Leaf area and calibration area should also be located in similar regions of the image to minimize errors from lens distortion. Errors due to camera set up and lens distortion can be quantified by analyzing area of squares in photographs of the ‘distortion sheet’ of green squares surrounding a red square of the same area (available for download at https://github.com/heaslon/Easy-Leaf-Area/blob/master/DistortionSheet.jpg). A camera phone (iPhone 4, Apple, Cupertino, California, USA) image of the ‘distortion sheet’ taken without a tripod at a camera distance of 20 cm had a mean distortion of 0.17% (standard error [SE] ± 0.006). A digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera (18–55-mm lens, 25-mm focal length =ƒ/4; EOS Rebel T2i, Canon, Melville, New York, USA) image of the ‘distortion sheet’ at a camera distance of 30 cm had a mean distortion of −2.94% (SE ± 0.008) due to significant barrel distortion. Alternatively, destructively harvested leaves can be scanned on a flatbed scanner to eliminate leaf overlap and minimize perspective and lens distortions. Scanner images (MFC-J425w, Brother International, Bridgewater, New Jersey, USA) had a mean distortion of 0.02% (SE ± 0.003). Leaf area analyses typically rely on thresholding of either grayscale images or the blue channel of RGB (red, green, and blue) images to distinguish leaf and calibration areas from their background (O'Neal et al., 2002; Bylesjo et al., 2008; Davidson, 2011). Easy Leaf Area uses thresholding combined with individual pixel RGB ratios to improve this process. For both green leaf pixel and red calibration pixel identification, two simple criteria are used. First, a minimal green or red threshold (i.e., a minimal green or red 8-bit RGB value [0–255]) is selected and any pixels with lower green or red values are not counted as leaf or calibration pixels. The second criteria uses ratios of green/red (G/R) and green/blue (G/B) or red/green and red/blue RGB values to determine which of the remaining pixels are leaf or calibration pixels. Pixel color ratios are similar to the modified excessive green index used in Lee and Lee (2011), but we found independent manipulation of G/R and G/B necessary for our Arabidopsis image set.
Easy Leaf Area uses an original algorithm based on Arabidopsis rosette images taken with a camera phone (iPhone 4, Apple) to automatically determine leaf area selection criteria without user input. This algorithm is derived from the relationship between the RGB values of the greenest leaf pixels compared to the optimal selection criteria for each image in a set of 50 Arabidopsis images of near-isogenic lines (NILs) from the NIL library described in Fletcher et al. (2013) (these NILs are based on chromosomal introgressions at quantitative trait loci for stomatal conductance or δ13C from the Kas-1 accession in a Tsu-1 accession background) and naturalized Arabidopsis growing on the University of California, Davis, campus. G/R and G/B ratios for pixels of Arabidopsis leaves photographed under a variety of lighting and background settings were extracted with a modified version of Easy Leaf Area. Optimal selection criteria were determined from the 20 lowest green (G) values, G/R values, and G/B values of leaves in each image. The greenest leaf pixels in each image were determined from initial criteria of 75 minimum green (G), 1.8 green/blue ratio (G/B), and 2.0 green/red ratio (G/R). If the above initial criteria identified less than 200 leaf pixels, G/R and G/B were iteratively reduced by 6% until more than 200 leaf pixels were identified (Fig. 1B, E). There were strong correlations among greenest leaf pixel means and optimal selection criteria means for minimum G threshold (R2 = 0.899, p < 0.001), G/R (R2 = 0.883, p < 0.001), and G/B (R2 = 0.776, p < 0.001). The algorithm uses linear regressions of these relationships to estimate optimal minimum G threshold, G/R ratio, and G/B ratio from the 200+ greenest leaf pixels in an image (Fig. 1B, E). For our Arabidopsis image set, the algorithm uses the following equations to calculate automated selection criteria:
The same process was used to automatically calculate red calibration area selection criteria. The exact equations used to calculate automated selection criteria for calibration area are available in the Python code ( https://github.com/heaslon/Easy-Leaf-Area). The accuracy of the automatic algorithm can be visually assessed for any leaf image. Pixels identified as leaf area or calibration area are recolored pure green or red for visual confirmation of leaf and calibration area identification; the background pixels can also be deleted for easier visual confirmation (Fig. 1B). For images that do not conform to the Arabidopsis automatic algorithm, manual adjustment of selection criteria using software sliders can be used to optimize selection criteria. These manual settings and the RGB values of the greenest leaf pixels can be saved to a new calibration file to calibrate the algorithm for an image set. During batch or individual image processing, pixel counts and leaf areas are output along with recolored images saved in lossless TIFF format to provide a record of leaf area measurement and to facilitate additional analyses (Figs. 1C, F; 2C, E).
The above method can result in many small groups of background pixels to be misidentified as leaves, especially in unmasked images of leaves with soil in the background (Figs. 1D, 2A), but these small groups of background pixels can be filtered prior to area calculation through connected component analysis (Figs. 1F, 2C). Connected component analysis identifies and labels connected leaf pixels as separate components. Small, nonleaf components can be filtered out if they are smaller than a user-selected minimum leaf size. Individual components can also be labeled with pixel counts if the area of multiple leaf components in a single image is desired.
A Windows executable “ela.exe” for automated leaf area measurement was built using PyInstaller ( http://www.pyinstaller.org/) and is available for download with required supporting files at https://github.com/heaslon/Easy-Leaf-Area/blob/master/EasyLeafArea.zip (click on ‘view the full file’). A Windows executable “elaCanopy.exe” for crop canopy cover and projected leaf area estimation and “elaScanner.exe” for simplified threshold-based leaf area measurement from scanned leaves are in the same link. These executables can be run without installing additional software. The Python code “ela.py” and modified versions are available for download at https://github.com/heaslon/Easy-Leaf-Area and require installation of Python 2.7 ( http://www.python.org/), Python imaging library ( http://www.pythonware.com/products/pil/), SciPy ( http://scipy.org/), and NumPy ( http://www.numpy.org/). Instructions are available for download at https://github.com/heaslon/Easy-Leaf-Area/blob/master/ELAinstructions.txt. A video demonstration of the software is available at http://goo.gl/zZaonf. Printable calibration areas and more sample Arabidopsis images are available for download at https://github.com/heaslon/Easy-Leaf-Area.
To test the accuracy of Easy Leaf Area, it was compared with a LI-COR LI-3000 area meter with transparent belt conveyer accessory (LI-COR Bio-Sciences, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA), and the commonly used image analysis software ImageJ (Schneider et al., 2012). All area estimates were compared using the traditional, weight-based, “paper doll” method. Outlines of 20 leaves, 0.5–18.5 cm2 in area, were cut out of green paper and weighed on a microgram scale. A weight conversion factor for the paper was calculated from 10 rectangular cutouts of known area with uniform grammage. Actual leaf area was calculated as: leaf area = weight of leaf tracing × conversion factor. The paper tracings were measured with the LI-3000 leaf area meter, scanned with two flatbed scanners (CanoScan LiDE 20, Canon; MFC-J425w, Brother International) at 300 pixels per inch for ImageJ analysis, and photographed with 4-cm2 red calibration area using a camera phone (iPhone 4, Apple) for analysis with Easy Leaf Area. Errors were calculated as: error = (estimated area - actual area)/actual area × 100. Easy Leaf Area estimates from iPhone images were essentially identical to weight-based estimates of leaf area, with a mean error of 1.18% (SE ± 0.62). Easy Leaf Area estimates from the DSLR camera (18–55-mm lens, 25-mm focal length = ƒ/4; EOS Rebel T2i, Canon) images had a mean error of −4.89% (SE ± 0.88) due to significant barrel distortion. CanoScan images analyzed with ImageJ had a mean error of 7.21% (SE ± 0.55). The overestimation of leaf area in CanoScan images was caused by shadows generated during scanning that can be minimized using a scanner with more diffuse lighting. MFC-J425w's diffuse lit scanner images analyzed with ImageJ had a mean error of 1.67% (SE ± 0.15). Shadows can also be removed manually using GIMP prior to ImageJ analysis (Warman et al., 2011; Juneau and Tarasoff, 2012), but this extra step is time consuming and was not taken in this comparison of streamlined methods. The LI-3000 area meter with transparent belt conveyer accessory is less suitable for small leaf areas and had a mean error of −11.56% (SE ± 2.16).
We also tested the automatic algorithm on photographs of field-grown tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and photographs and scans of detached leaves of Dendromecon harfordii Kellogg, Sequoia sempervirens (D. Don) Endl., Ribes malvaceum Sm., Pinus jeffreyi Balf., and Quercus lobata Née. The Arabidopsis algorithm identified most of the tomato and wheat leaf area, but failed to select some shaded and less-green leaves (Fig. 2B). Shading in tomato and wheat crop canopies required a low minimum G threshold and G/R and G/B near 1.0 to select all leaf area (Fig. 2C, E). Calibrating the automatic algorithm for tomato and wheat canopy images allowed the automatic algorithm to identify leaf area in all examined canopy images, but background nonleaf components were also identified. In canopy images, leaf components were much larger than background nonleaf components, making them easy to filter out using minimum leaf size (Fig. 2C). In the “Crop Cover” version of Easy Leaf Area, canopy cover is estimated using green leaf pixels and total pixels, according to: % canopy cover = 100 × (green pixel count)/(total pixel count). The Arabidopsis algorithm failed to identify leaf area in blue-green leaves in the taxa listed above (Fig. 2F). The automatic algorithm's conservative approach to sampling only samples the greenest leaf pixels. In D. harfordii, the Arabidopsis algorithm only identified light green petioles and was not able to identify blue-green blade area (Fig. 2F). Saving manual adjustment of selection criteria from three images of each of the taxa listed above to a calibration file allowed the automatic algorithm to correctly identify leaf area in similar images of these taxa (Fig. 2G–K). Scans of leaves using white backgrounds can easily be analyzed with the “Scanner” version of Easy Leaf Area, which utilizes grayscale threshold to eliminate white background pixels from leaf area analysis similar to typical ImageJ leaf area measurement, but includes red scale measurement to simplify scanner calibration (Fig. 2L).
Easy Leaf Area software provides an accurate, free, and rapid tool to estimate leaf area from digital images. This tool's ability to separate leaf pixels from various backgrounds also allows it to be used for leaf area and crop canopy measurement without masking soil or relying on infrared images to distinguish leaf area from background soil. This will significantly improve rapid screening of large plant collections. The accuracy of this software was very high even with a commonly available camera phone, but care must be taken to avoid perspective and lens distortion. Images of Arabidopsis canopies are only approximations of leaf area and do not account for leaf overlap or leaf angle. Using scans of harvested leaves eliminates leaf overlap and minimizes camera distortion errors and is recommended for improved accuracy when destructive harvests are possible. User calibrations of the automated algorithm, like those made for tomato and wheat canopy images and detached leaves of diverse taxa, can be made to improve leaf area selection in taxa other than Arabidopsis. Additional selection criteria can also be added to improve selection of other color ranges for measurement of nongreen leaf area, but would require knowledge of Python. The time required using traditional methods (flatbed scanner and ImageJ analysis) is about 5 min for capturing an image and about 3 min for analyzing leaf area (Davidson, 2011). Using a digital camera and Easy Leaf Area required less than 30 s for capturing an image and less than 5 s for analyzing leaf area.
This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (IOS-1358675). The authors thank Eli Carlisle and Madeline Perez for their feedback on early versions of Easy Leaf Area, Eli Carlisle for providing tomato images, and Nicolas Cobo for providing wheat images. We would also like to thank the editor and reviewers for their useful comments.
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For most people who study global warming only casually it is well known that the greenhouse effect acts to increase the surface temperature of the planet (currently) by about 33 K (or 60 F) above the so-called “effective temperature”; this is the temperature value that a planet would need to have in order for the infrared energy it emits to space to balance the energy it absorbs from the sun (assuming the sun is the only important source of energy, which is true enough for Earth and neighboring planets like Venus and Mars). This is simple enough, yet there are still many popular misconceptions out there concerning the relative roles of individual greenhouse gases and the total mean climatology of the greenhouse effect, and some of these confusions have admittedly not been explicitly corrected in the literature very well.
A matter of curiosity from this point is to decide how much of the total greenhouse effect is partitioned between various radiatively active substances in our atmosphere. That is, how much of the natural greenhouse effect is fractionally supported by water vapor, by CO2, etc
There are a number of sources of confusion out there on this issue. For instance, this source claims that water vapor makes up 95% of the total greenhouse effect (in fact, it does so confidently that it actually says 95.000%, a good lesson in abusing significant figures and precision for lower-level science students, see Robert Grumbine’s post a couple years ago). Other secondary sources give numbers like 97 or 98%. Lindzen (1991, Quart. J. Roy. Met. Soc) gives an estimate in this range, although it is not clear where he gets his value from. Coby Beck here in a rebuttal to this claim asserts that “CO2 contributes anywhere from 9% to 30% to the overall greenhouse effect,” presumably giving the impression that there is a 21% disagreement amongst sources and experts out there. Still further, many people incorrectly extrapolate the effect of CO2 on the total greenhouse effect to deduce the forcing you’d expect with a doubling of CO2, or use similar arguments in relation to how we expect feedbacks to behave as the current climate warms.
Table 3 of the famous Kiehl and Trenberth (1997) [PDF] energy budget paper attempts to partition the various gases/clouds by percentage; RealClimate breaks down the contributions in this link while pointing out how water vapor is a feedback and not a forcing (see here for a summary). Values presented here are similar to Ramanathan and Coakley (1978).
Nonetheless, getting a clear account of all of this has remained elusive, especially as the most relevant source seems to be a 2005 blog posting. Some of the folks at NASA GISS including Gavin Schmidt and the radiative transfer guru Andy Lacis (along with Ruedy and Miller) have attempted to correct this situation, with a 2010 paper in JGR that is in press here [PDF]. I will attempt to summarize here.
Sorting this problem out is actually not very straightforward although it can be done with a radiation model. As an analogy, imagine having a large pile of laundry on the floor, with dirty shirts, towels, and pants. Suppose we’re interested in asking what fraction of the floor is covered by each individual item.
The total extent of the whole laundry pile has a rather well-defined value. However, asking about the individual contribution for each item is a tougher question, in part owing to the complex overlap between the various clothes. You can pull out all of the shirts (for example) from the pile and spread them on the floor individually and get an estimate for the area that they now cover. This would, however, dramatically overestimate the fractional contribution that the shirts originally had in the pile. Alternatively, you can pull out an item, and examine the extent of the new pile and you might come up with an underestimate for the importance that clothing article previously had.
Similar to the dirty laundry pile, greenhouse gases exhibit complex spectral overlap (primarily by water vapor and clouds, and in second by water vapor and CO2). The maximum effect would be if the greenhouse gas were acting individually, while the minimum effect would be when only that agent is removed, and these numbers can be quite different (as in the Coby Beck example). What’s more, if you removed two agents together (say water vapor + CO2) the effect would be different than if you remove CO2, put it back, remove water vapor and put it back, and then record the sum of those two effects (ignoring feedbacks such as water vapor dependence on temperature). In particular, the sum of the effect of each absorber acting separately is greater than if they act together.
The greenhouse effect is defined by the difference in upwelling radiation flux at surface and the flux at the top of the atmosphere. With no greenhouse effect, this difference is zero. In the present-day climate, this difference is about 155 W m-2; this atmospheric absorption and emission is what drives the ~33 K enhancement of surface temperatures above the no-greenhouse (and constant albedo) case. The authors define the change in this long wave flux reduction as their metric for the greenhouse effect, and add various gases individually to a greenhouse-free atmosphere or remove them individually from the modern (well, 1980) greenhouse atmosphere.
So what do they find?
First off, water vapor accounts for 39% of the net LW absorption if removed (so taking out the vapor would make the longwave absorption go down to about 60% of its present value), and 62% if acting alone; in that order, clouds make up 15 and 36% and CO2, 14 and 25%. All of the other greenhouse gases are very minor. In terms of the percent contributions after allowing for overlap effects when discussing the individual agents in the atmosphere, here are the numbers that should be cited:
Water Vapor: 50%
Other (ozone, methane, etc): 7%
For a cloud-free atmosphere, the numbers are 67%, 24% and 9% for H2O vapor, CO2, and others. These numbers are within a few percentage points of previously published estimates (or multiply by 155 to get the contribution in W m-2 flux reduction).
As one would expect, there is also variation over the globe. Water vapor for instance accounts for ~55% of the greenhouse effect in the tropics and ~40% at the poles where it is much drier.
The radiative forcing for a doubling of CO2 in this paper is about 4 W m-2, slightly above the detailed line-by-line calculations used in Myhre et al (1998) and cited in the IPCC 2001 and 2007 reports. The “forcing” for a doubling of water vapor would be about 12 W m-2, although clearly we don’t speak of water vapor as a forcing since its concentration is rapidly regulated by temperature. Indeed, the extra long wave absorption in the atmosphere is not 4 W m-2 when you double CO2, but more around 20 W m-2 illustrating the importance of positive feedbacks.
Some words of caution now. You cannot linearize about the greenhouse effect and project CO2’s percent contribution to the total greenhouse effect onto what you’d expect for a doubling of CO2.
To illustrate this, consider what happens if you remove all the CO2 from the current atmosphere. With no feedbacks operating, the planet would cool by ~7 K, as opposed to warm about 1 K if you double CO2.
Once you include feedbacks, removing CO2 from the current atmosphere in the GISS model at least cools the planet by ~35 K after water vapor and albedo kicks in, and triggers a snowball Earth where the whole planet is ice covered. This is consistent with other model studies (Voigt and Marotzke, 2009); in this case a snowball Earth is initiated by either reducing the solar insolation by 6-9% or by reducing the CO2 to 0.1% of its pre-industrial value, although for the CO2 this is a just a single run and they do not consider what other CO2 levels might also trigger a snowball. CO2 levels below, say, 100 ppm do not appear to be realistic in Earth’s history.
It should be noted following this that the canonical “33 K” temperature enhancement by the greenhouse effect is artificial, since it assumes the planetary albedo does not change when you add or remove the greenhouse effect. In reality, removing the greenhouse effect would greatly enhance the surface albedo from expanded ice cover allowing the planet to cool well below the “255 K” effective temperature.
Finally, all of this further reinforces the importance of feedbacks on climate, and that the very popular claim of “water vapor being the most important greenhouse gas” is a bit misguided, even if it is the largest source of infrared absorption in the current atmosphere.
Removing all of the water vapor from the atmosphere (and not replenishing it) would trigger a snowball Earth as well, but the non-condensable greenhouse gases (those which don’t precipitate from the atmosphere under current Earthlike temperature and pressures) such as CO2 would still be able to support a surface temperature of about 10 K higher than it otherwise would be. If you remove the CO2 and other GHG’s however, then you’d also lose a substantial part of the water vapor and cloud longwave effects, resulting in a near collapse of the terrestrial greenhouse effect. A significant water vapor greenhouse effect would not be sustainable without the “skeleton” provided by the non-condensable greenhouse gases, although it is obviously a significant amplification factor, both for the total greenhouse effect and its change in the future. It’s thus like the “skin” on a human or animal which needs the skeleton to hold it up, but provides the extra form and protection that we need to survive. This forcing-feedback distinction also makes CO2 the fundamental driver of global climate change (at least insofar as alterations to the optical characteristics of the atmosphere are concerned). See for example, Richard Alley’s AGU talk which focuses on CO2 as the largest control knob of climate change over geologic timescales. The water vapor is just dragged along with the temperature change, but then substantially amplifies any forcing to help provide the full magnitude of the temperature fluctuations; this is also a reason cold climates tend to be much drier than warmer ones.
All of this is moreso academically interesting than anything. Obviously we don’t live in a world where we are plucking out CO2 all together and then adding water vapor, or having a world where you can have clouds without water vapor, etc…but it should help to put into context the primary (water vapor, clouds, CO2) and secondary factors to the greenhouse effect, and put into perspective the important distinction between a forcing and a feedback.
Finally, claims that water vapor is 95% of the greenhouse effect in our atmosphere is just wrong, and the number cited in the Schmidt et al (2010, still in press) paper is so far the most explicit and detailed partitioning between the various gases/clouds (note that clouds on net cool the planet through albedo, although the study focuses on long wave greenhouse effects). The numbers might make the idea that CO2 is important to climate change more intuitive. For example, if the mean value is 20% of the greenhouse effect instead of just a percent or so, then you might think changing its concentration may be more meaningful…but keep in mind that sensitivity arguments must be evaluated on the basis of the change, and not the total greenhouse effect.
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We all want to make choices for ourselves. But abortion isn’t simply about the right to choose. That’s because there’s a baby involved.
She may be tiny, she may not be heard, but science shows us that she’s a human being from the moment of conception. So abortion isn’t just as simple as making a choice: because that choice can end another person’s life. And all of us, whatever our age, race, colour or creed, deserves the right to life.
Research shows that all-too-often women come under pressure to have an abortion – and abortion brings a significantly higher risk of mental health problems for women.* So much for freedom of choice. Truth is, abortion is a medieval solution to an unexpected pregnancy.
Because the new life that has begun is not just a ‘choice’: she’s a child.
We can do better for women and their babies.
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Climate Change by Dr. Craig Cogger
Climate change is a critical issue that will increasingly affect agriculture, water supplies, ecosystems, human well-being, and economic activity. Although many thousands of scientists across a broad range of disciplines are working on climate related issues, much confusion still exists among the public, media, and decision makers about the science of climate change and the future implications of a changing climate.
This is narrated slide presentation that summarizes the science of climate change and its implications for humans and ecosystems. It is peer-reviewed and written at a lay level so is easy to understand. It is divided into 10 short sections in video format to allow viewing a few minutes at a time.
♣ Climate Change: Evidence and Causes. An overview from the Royal Society and the US National Academy of Sciences.
♣ What We Know: The Reality, Risks, and Response to Climate Change. The AAAS Climate Science Panel.
♣ National Academy of Sciences Climate Change. The National Research Council video series that explains the current scientific understanding of current climate change and its causes. These are short and easy to understand.
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Magnet pictures Elizabeth I (1533-1603), queen of England and Ireland as depicted in a portrait from around 1560 by an unknown artist.
Daughter of King Henry VIII and his 2nd wife Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth was the 5th and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty. She reigned for 45 years beginning in 1558, a period known as the Golden Age.
The relatively peaceful Elizabethan era is known for a blossoming of the arts, political stability, improved prosperity and the Protestant Reformation.
Elizabeth has been beloved for over 400 years.
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File globbing refers to using the * wildcard to match files on a command line. In a makefile it might take this form:
This link command is run with a list of all objects found by creating a shell process and expanding *.o in it.
Whether or not file globbing works as desired is critically dependent on timing. As long as all required object files are present when *.o is evaluated in the example above, the command succeeds. If the evaluation is made before all objects are created, the link command has an incomplete list of input files and produces bad results. Because Electric Make (emake) runs jobs in parallel, it is possible that the rule that evaluates *.o will run before the rule(s) that create the .o files.
Electric Make reads dependencies specified in makefiles and then monitors commands as they run to observe which files they touch. The difficulty with file globbing is that if it's done at the wrong time, neither the dependency rule nor the command specification contain the necessary list of files. Emake has no way to know what is missing. Other parallel build tools will fail, too.
There are three ways to address file globbing problems.
One possibility is to run parallel builds only with a good history file created from a one-agent build. When you run a build with a maximum of one agent, all jobs run in serial order. This forces the globbing steps to occur in the desired order and allows emake to detect their dependencies. Parallel builds run with the resulting history file will run correctly.
A second solution is to eliminate globbing, replacing it with definite lists of files.
A third solution is to add dependencies to your makefiles to force the steps to happen in the proper order. These are typically simple changes, either adding a dependency to an existing rule or breaking a rule in two to enforce ordering.
- Product versions: All
- OS versions: All
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Teachers – is there something missing in how you are connecting with your students – those kids in Years 5 to 9 who sometimes seem to be in a world of their own? Do they appear to be at times fidgety, uninspired, unsure and at other times loud, challenging and emotional?
The ‘middle years’ period of development (10-15 years) is quite a unique period of growth for young people. They are navigating their way through massive physical, psychological, cognitive, social and emotional change, as well as undergoing a huge structural change in their education as they move into secondary school. As teachers of ‘middle schoolers’, we need to be aware of the needs of this group, and model our teaching practices accordingly.
We are dealing with young people who are no longer children, but not yet adults, and we are doing them a huge disservice if we fail to recognise that.
The world of today’s adolescent is vastly different to that of their teachers. Research indicates that some of the most important differences and pressures on today’s middle schoolers include:
- puberty, sexual maturity and all of the associated physical, hormonal and emotional changes occurring much earlier
- the changing nature of the ‘family network’
- increasing use of rapidly developing technology
- peer pressure, compounded by media and advertising targeting this adolescent market
- jobs, products and services for which we are ‘educating’ them, but which are not yet invented!
- the need to build personal and social resilience in the face of challenge and change
In the face of these pressures, how do we (many of us ‘baby boomer’ teachers!) tailor our teaching to not only support the needs of this group, but also inspire them, to learn?
The NSW Department of Education and Communities in its discussion paper on middle years schooling, as part of its Our Middle Years Learners – Engaged, Resilient, Successful education strategy, outline five principles essential for student engagement. These are Relationships, Relevance, Rigour, Resilience and Responsibility.
In real teaching terms, however, how can we apply these principles in the classroom to inspire the RACER in our students? Here are some ideas:
- Relationships between teachers and students are central to effective classroom management and successful teaching and learning. Teachers who are firm, fair, consistent and have a genuine personal, yet professional, interest in their students are more likely to keep their students ‘switched on’ in class. A supportive classroom environment, along with high expectations of students and their work, are also key ingredients to successful teaching and learning.
- Inspire confidence, resilience and a positive Attitude to learning by increasing the quantity and quality of student-teacher interactions. This goes a long way towards building a sense of achievement and progress. By creating opportunities for students to set goals and monitor their progress, we increase the chance of successful and engaged learning.
- Provide Challenge in tasks and assessment practices. This is critical for middle years students. Teachers should have high expectations of themselves as well as high, yet realistic and clearly stated, expectations of their students.
- Establish greater Equality in learning, through encouraging students to become self-regulating and independent learners. At the same time, we need to become partners in learning with our students by encouraging them to take ownership of, and make decisions about, their learning. Give them the opportunity to have some input!
- Make learning Real! Middle Years learners are focused on relevance – if it doesn’t connect to the real world, they are likely to switch off very quickly. Research conducted in 2003 (Krause et al) concluded that “the emotional reaction by a student to a task can determine within 30 seconds whether the student will be successful in the task or not” – that’s scary stuff! Tasks need to be challenging, authentic, creative and relevant to the student’s world beyond school – and it is the responsibility of teachers to ensure that the learning is scaffolded to ensure student success.
As teachers, we have a huge responsibility to capture the potential of this age group. Implementing strategies in the classroom that respond to the specific needs of these young adolescents will not only lead to increased academic success, but also….and just as importantly…… the blossoming of well-adjusted, confident, physically and mentally healthy young people with the potential to become RACERs and life-long learners.
ANGIE WILCOCK – Teacher, Presenter and Author of ‘The Transition Tightrope’
HIGH HOPES EDUCATIONAL SERVICES www.highhopes.com.au
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January 5 2015
dog is great exercise for both of you, and can help keep the pounds off. It
will also help him mentally and physically and is beneficial
for helping resolve other behavior problems.
Many dog owners have issues or
they don't walk them at all,
because the dog misbehaves.
Here's some dos and don'ts so you and your dog can have a
getting ready to go on a walk, call the dog to you; do not go to the dog to put
his leash/collar on. If you're walking a puppy, make sure he gets familiar with the
leash before you start using it to take him on a walk. Once the dog
approaches you, have him sit quietly before putting on his leash or collar.
Make sure you leave the door first and return through the door first. Remember,
the Leader always leads!
you set off on your walk with your dog, you need have him focus on you, not
everything else around you. Simply hold the leash by the handle. There should
be six feet of loose leash between you and your dog. Start walking. As soon as
he gets to you and begins to pull, give a slight tug on the leash and direct
him back to you by changing direction.
the walk, guide your dog heel. Your dog should walk
along side of you or in back of you. Don't let the dog decide when to heel because
once again he would be establishing himself as the leader of the pack.
with your shoulders high and your head back, establishing yourself as a
your dog daily or make sure he gets some type of exercise. An un-exercised dog can become hyper
and exhibit destructive behaviors (chewing, digging, etc.) from being bored. Remember
that dogs are walkers/travelers by instinct.
- Watch out for poisonous plants or
animals and avoid anything that could be problematic for your dog."
sure your dog has the proper identification in case he runs away.
the dog walk in front of you. It gives him the impression that he is in charge and
is leading you.
him drag you on a leash or walk you versus you walk him.
your dog mark all over the place just for the sake of marking. Cue in to
whether or not he needs to relieve himself.
a retractable leash. They make it harder for you to control the dog,
can be dangerous.
your dog off his leash unless you're in an off-leash dog area. Even then, you
need to be careful because other dogs can be unpredictable.
to the same place every day ... mix it up! Your dog will like the variety and the
new sights and smells.
Bring On a WalkDon't leave your house empty handed! Be
respectful of your neighbors and their property. Always bring:
for your dog, particularly if it's warm outside or you are jogging.
bags for when your dog relieves himself (recycle your grocery bags).
problems getting your dog to behave on a walk properly? Call your Bark Busters
dog behaviorist or check out our WaggWalker dog
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Following depression and alcoholism, social anxiety disorder is the third most common mental disorder in the United States. It is an exhausting condition that affects the lives of millions of people and their loved ones.
According to the director of the Social Anxiety Institute, Thomas A. Richards, social anxiety is defined as the fear of looking bad in the eyes of other people. This fear can lead to to debilitating feelings of inadequacy and inferiority, as well as as an overwhelming self-consciousness that makes a person more vulnerable to embarrassment and humiliation.
The symptoms of social anxiety disorder include anticipatory anxiety, worry, indecision, depression, fear, embarrassment, feelings of inferiority, and self-blame. It can be diagnosed as a specific social anxiety or as a more generalized social anxiety.
Many people who suffer from social anxiety report feeling fear, anxiousness, and nervousness when speaking in front of groups of people, in crowds, or in social situations that require interaction with strangers or seldom-seen acquaintances. Often, a person who feels anxious in social situations prefers to be alone or only with close family members and friends.
What Are the Symptoms of Social Anxiety?
Those who experience significant social anxiety often suffer from emotional distress in situations that don’t faze most people. Those situations might include:
- Meeting new people
- Facing criticism or being teased
- Finding yourself the center of attention or being observed while you are performing a task
- Meeting authority figures or other “important people”
- Being involved in social encounters, especially those that involve strangers
- Having to speak in front of small or large groups or friendships
People with social anxiety disorder or those with an avoidant personality can suffer from symptoms and behaviors that include:
- Intense fear of social situations
- Racing heart
- Turning red or blushing
- Excessive sweating
- Dry throat or mouth
- Trembling or tingling sensations
- Difficulty with swallowing
- Tense or twitching muscles
- Negative thoughts
- Substance abuse
What Causes Social Anxiety Disorder?
There can be many causes for social anxiety disorder. Like many other mental health conditions, social anxiety disorder likely arises from a complex interaction of biological and environmental factors.
Possible causes include genetics, a person’s individual brain structure, and the living or working environment. Numerous factors can contribute to the development of social anxiety disorder, including a family history of the disorder, a negative experience that reinforces the disorder, the natural temperament of the individual, and new demands from life or work.
Can Social Anxiety Be Caused by a Hormonal Imbalance?
Studies have shown that a hormonal imbalance can affect mental processing, disrupting natural reactions to stressors resulting in social anxiety and its intense symptoms of fear.
In humans, the peptide hormone oxytocin and the steroid hormone testosterone play a key role in the development and execution of social-emotional behavior, both in men and women. Depending on the social environment and its cues, these hormones act via (and interact with) neurotransmitters, the chemicals that send messages to various systems in the body and regulate how they react.
Oxytocin reduces background anxiety and appears to make social interaction more rewarding while testosterone makes it easier to enter into uncertain social situations or environments that cause social anxiety and fear in others.
To make matters more complicated, other hormones could contribute to and exacerbate social anxiety and the fear that comes with it. Adrenaline and cortisol, “stress hormones” that are released in situations where you feel out of control, full of fear, or overwhelmed, can increase your social anxiety.
Estrogen may also contribute to social anxiety, which often fluctuates during the natural menstrual cycle and menopause.
An overactive thyroid can produce excess hormones that can cause anxiety and result in uncomfortable physical symptoms such as increased sweating, an increased heart rate and quivering.
What Is the Best Treatment for Social Anxiety?
Research and clinical evidence indicate that cognitive behavioral therapy can help people overcome the intense fear and other debilitating mental conditions of social anxiety disorder.
A successful mental health therapy program for social anxiety disorder must consist of cognitive methods, strategies, and concepts that teach your brain to change. Any treatment program must first acknowledge the problem with a recognition that with the proper attention, anxiety can be alleviated or even eliminated.
Many people fail in dealing with their anxiety because they can’t follow through on a commitment to cognitive-behavioral therapy that can sometimes be repetitious and difficult. A treatment plan also includes techniques to help reduce anxiety and fear and participation in a therapy group where people talk about their anxiety and work together to overcome it.
All of us, despite how mentally strong or resilient we like to think we are, often have to face situations that can be difficult to cope with. Fortunately, there are coping skills and self-help strategies that can be a vital part of day-to-day life and can also help to address acute or chronic social anxiety.
What if Cognitive Therapy Just Isn’t Enough?
For many people, cognitive behavioral therapy is a step in the right direction, but it doesn’t address the underlying problem of a hormonal imbalance. You might be making excellent progress working with a mental health professional but still feel the symptoms of social anxiety disorder.
Pre-menopausal women and those in menopause often deal with a variety of physical, mental, and emotional symptoms that can cause stress, frustration, fear, depression, and anxiety. The hormone imbalance associated with menopause reduces the ability to manage stress and can prevent you from feeling positive about yourself, which can increase social anxiety.
A BodyLogicMD-affiliated physician can help you evaluate your previous and current medical and mental health programs to determine if they are effectively managing your individual physical conditions.
A hormonal imbalance that contributes to social anxiety could have the following indicators:
- Depressed mood (sometimes shows up as irritability)
- Loss of interest or pleasure in life (you don’t enjoy things you used to enjoy)
- Significant change in appetite (either up or down)
- Abnormal changes in your sleep pattern (too much or too little)
- Fatigue or loss of energy
- Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate, excessive guilt
- Diminished ability to think or concentrate
- Becoming indecisive or easily overwhelmed
- Thoughts of death and suicide
Depression and social anxiety are not weaknesses. In fact, it is one of a number of very common mental health disorders with a variety of triggers. Pinpointing the specific factors affecting a person’s mood, physical condition, and willingness to interact with the world, which includes hormones, provides the physician with the key to successful treatment.
In this case, consider consulting with a BodyLogicMD-affiliated physician who has been rigorously trained in how hormones affect the body’s various systems and how they interact with each other.
Can Bioidentical Hormones Help Ameliorate Social Anxiety?
Bioidentical hormones, exact replicas of the hormones that are naturally produced by the body, match the body’s natural hormones molecule by molecule.
BodyLogicMD-affiliated physicians can help determine whether you are experiencing hormonally triggered social anxiety and fear and if bioidentical hormone therapy could help you feel better.
By testing blood, saliva or urine, a BodyLogicMD physician can accurately measure your hormone levels and determine whether hormone therapy is right for you. Bioidentical hormone therapy is one of the options that might be suggested to help you balance your hormone levels, which can lead to decreased anxiety. Working one-on-one with you, your BodyLogicMD physician can also help you design a nutrition plan that might include supplements, and lifestyle changes including exercise and meditation, which can decrease or eliminate the symptoms of anxiety.
What Else Can You Do to Combat Social Anxiety?
In addition to bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, there are vitamins and supplements that may help deal with the physical, mental, and emotional symptoms of social anxiety.
Fish oil contains the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). These fatty acids provide numerous health benefits that could improve your body’s natural ability to ameliorate the symptoms of social anxiety while also helping to maintain cardiovascular health, improve mental health and overall cognitive ability, and can also aid in weight loss.
A mental health professional might also prescribe a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), which can help ease the symptoms of depression and anxiety. SSRIs ease depression by increasing the levels of the hormone serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is one of the neurotransmitters that carries signals between brain cells. SSRIs block the reabsorption (reuptake) of serotonin in the brain, making more serotonin available. Diminished levels of serotonin increase the risk of mental and substance use disorders, which can have a powerful effect on how people interact with their families, their friends, and their communities.
However, SSRIs and other medications often used to treat depression and anxiety can come with serious side effects. In many cases, finding and treating the underlying cause is the best route toward finding true relief.
This is where a physician within the BodyLogicMD network comes in. The physicians within the BodyLogicMD network are highly trained professionals who specialize in restoring health, not just treating symptoms.
Your BodyLogicMD affiliated provider might also recommend a program such as CognitivePro, which is designed to stimulate the brain and improve the cognitive abilities of adults struggling with conditions that contribute to social anxiety including:
- Brain fog
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory loss
- Brain fatigue
- Decreased clarity of thought
Brain health and body health are inextricably linked. The brain helps you make appropriate decisions that can lead to happiness and health, decisions that can keep you on a vibrant path as you age. Most of us understand how our bodies change as we age and take action to stay healthy but neglect to care for our brains. This is especially ironic because good mental health and an active lifestyle are part and parcel of the same thing. To learn more how your hormones affect your body and brain, and vice versa, contact the BodyLogicMD affiliated physician nearest you today and take your first step toward restoring your health and peace of mind.
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Click on “Download PDF” for the PDF version or on the title for the HTML version.
If you are not an ASABE member or if your employer has not arranged for access to the full-text, Click here for options.
Color Indices for Weed Identification Under Various Soil, Residue, and Lighting Conditions
Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.orgCitation: Transactions of the ASAE. 38(1): 259-269. (doi: 10.13031/2013.27838) @1995
Authors: D. M. Woebbecke, G. E. Meyer, K. Von Bargen, D. A. Mortensen
Keywords: Weeds, Optics, Color, Sprayers
Color slide images of weeds among various soils and residues were digitized and analyzed for red, green, and blue (RGB) color content. Red, green, and blue chromatic coordinates (rgb) of plants were very different from those of background soils and residue. To distinguish living plant material from a nonplant background, several indices of chromatic coordinates were studied, tested, and were successful in identifying weeds. The indices included r-g, g-b, (g-b)/ |r-g|, and 2g-r-b. A modified hue was also used to distinguish weeds from non-plant surfaces. The modified hue, 2g-r-b index, and the green chromatic coordinate distinguished weeds from a nonplant background (0.05 level of significance) better than other indices. However, the modified hue was the most computationally intense. These indices worked well for both nonshaded and shaded sunlit conditions. These indices could be used for sensor design for detecting weeds for spot spraying control.(Download PDF) (Export to EndNotes)
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We are becoming increasingly aware about the dangers of certain foods and more eager to find healthier alternatives with better nutritional profiles. Carbohydrates in particular have been demonized and low-carb diets like the Atkin’s diet have become ever more popular.
With that in mind, I was very interested to learn that Hi-maize was being lauded as a healthy starch that could actually help you to lose weight. But not only does this resistant starch possibly help keep your waist line in check, it also helps improve digestive health, keeps blood sugar under control and helps balance your energy levels during the day.
What is High-Maize?
Hi-maize is a type of resistant starch derived from high amylose corn. It contains a high level of non-digestible starch and is rich in dietary fibers. As well as potentially helping people to control their weight, it delivers several other important health benefits. According to research, Hi-maize can improve digestive health, boost energy and help manage blood sugar levels.
What are Resistant Starches?
Most types of starch get digested then absorbed in the body via the small intestine. However, some types of starch actually resist digestion at this stage passing through into your large intestine where they get digested through fermentation. This starch is known as resistant starch and is defined formally as the total starch that resists digestion within the small intestine of a healthy person.
The Importance of Resistant Starch
Studies have consistently found a link between a high intake of dietary fibers like whole grains with a reduced risk of disease. Studies indicate that high fiber diets can help prevent heart disease, diabetes and even certain types of cancer.
A study published in 2011 demonstrated that a high dietary intake of fiber was linked to a significant reduction in death from respiratory diseases, infections and heart disease. This very large scale study involved 388,000 adults aged from 50 to 70 and clearly demonstrates the importance of dietary fiber to our health. (1)
While the research is relatively new, we have long been told to eat more fiber. Unfortunately the average American gets far less fiber into their diet than they should. As we eat more and more processed foods, so our intake of resistant starch and other dietary fibers has fallen.
A study published in 2008 revealed that the average American consumes around 5 grams of healthy resistant starch each day. This is well below the recommended daily intake of 15-20 grams a day.
Sources of Resistant Starch
Resistant starch can be found in certain foods including legumes like white beans, lentils, peas and chickpeas. It is also found in certain fruit like slightly green and unripe bananas. Certain whole grains like brown rice, pearl barley and rolled oats also contain resistant starch.
Other than natural food sources, you can also increase your intake by using Hi-maize. This resistant starch is found in a number of commercial products like pasta, bread and certain snacks.
Hi-maize can also be purchased in bulk and used as an ingredient that can boost your intake of resistant starch. You can add it to smoothies, soups or baking recipes. Using Hi-maize as an ingredient is a simple way to increase your resistant starch intake. A single tablespoon will provide you with around five grams of nutritious dietary fiber and help get you closer to the recommended daily dose with little fuss.
You can buy Hi-maize from King Arthur Flour which you can substitute for up to a quarter of the regular flour you use in many recipes. The same company also sells a high-fiber flour product which is a combination of regular flour and Hi-maize that you can use as a complete substitute for your regular flour in any recipe that needs flour.
Health Benefits of Hi-Maize
Now that you know what Hi-maize is, I am sure you are interested in the specific ways that it can benefit your health and overall well-being. Over the past few decades, over 200 studies on the health benefits of resistant starch have been published with a number looking at Hi-maize in particular. The following are the main health benefits of Hi-maize according to research:
1) Blood Sugar Control
According to research, resistant starch like Hi-maize helps maintain a person’s blood sugar levels in several ways making it useful for people with diabetes or at risk of diabetes.
First if all, when used as a substitute for regular flour, resistant starch reduces the short term glycemic response of your food as well as lowering the insulin response. (2)
Resistant starch like Hi-maize also improves the body’s insulin sensitivity. According to health claims authorized by the FDA, products made with Hi-maize can now communicate the link between their product and a reduction in the risk if a person developing type 2 diabetes. Hi-maize can both improve insulin sensitivity in people with diabetes and in healthy people.
2) Energy Management
This point is linked to the way in which Hi-Maize can help control blood glucose levels. We all experience fluctuations in levels of blood sugar throughout each day. Reduced glycemic food containing resistant starch like Hi-Maize help to balance a person’s levels of energy in the hours after they have eaten a meal.
3) Digestive Health
You probably do not need to be told that maintaining proper digestive health is vital to overall physical and mental well-being. Hi- maize can help improve your digestive health in a number of ways.
One of the ways in which you can improve your digestive health is by increasing the gut’s level of beneficial bacteria while simultaneously suppressing the harmful bacteria that inhabits the intestines. Hi-maize effectively acts as a type of prebiotic fiber and can improve the balance of the gut’s microflora. (3)
Hi-maize also promotes more regular bowel movements and has very gentle laxative effects on the body. Not only can it help ease constipation but it can also help treat and ease bouts of diarrhea.
Hi-maize also helps to maintain the health of the colon’s cells by boosting the production of short-chain fatty acids especially butyrate which is known to be essential in colon health.
4) Weight Control
Is it possible that substituting your regular flour for resistant starch can help you lose some of the weight? Possibly but there is little evidence that this is the case. A tablespoon of Hi-maize contains just ten calories and as part of an overall diet plan, it may help.
But do not expect the pounds to start falling off. Unless you are using Hi-Maize as part of an overall diet plan, the weight loss effects are highly unlikely to be dramatic.
Having said that, researchers have reported that people feel fuller after eating products containing Hi-Maize. By satiating the appetite, people are less likely to eat quite as much throughout the day and over a period of time, this may result in some weight loss.
What About the Negative Side Effects?
There are no real health concerns when it comes to Hi-maize. According to research, you can safely consume large quantities -up to 45 grams each day of resistant starch each day without experiencing any adverse side effects. Hi-maize doesn’t cause many of the side effects common with other types of fiber such as bloating, flatulence, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
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The term intellectual property (IP) refers to a variety of different types of legal rights.
It can be quite confusing for business owners to know what IP rights they have, or what rights they should be seeking.
To make matters worse, terminology is often misused. It isn’t uncommon to read or hear about a company supposedly “copyrighting” a name or invention.
You might find it helpful to think of these four areas along the following lines:
trade marks are elements of branding;
patents protect inventions;
copyright protects original expression; and
design law protects the appearance of products.
Trade Marks – elements of branding
A trade mark is a sign which distinguishes the goods or services of one trader from those of other traders.
Trade marks most commonly take the form of brand names (e.g. “Nike”), logos (e.g. the Nike tick/swoosh), and slogans (e.g. “Just Do It”).
However, it is also possible for the shape of goods or their packaging, colours, moving images or even sounds to act as trade marks.
The key requirement for a trade mark to be protected is that it is distinctive, such that consumers can rely on the mark to distinguish the owner’s goods/services from those of other traders.
This generally won’t be the case where consumers are likely to perceive the sign as merely praising/promoting or describing goods/services (e.g. “delicious” for food products or “sports shoe” for trainers), or as a merely decorative feature (e.g. the colour of the packaging).
As brand recognition and loyalty is developed in a trade mark over time, it can become a very valuable asset. Obtaining appropriate protection for trade marks is important in order to protect this value and the brands the marks represent. Otherwise, third parties may be able to use the same or a similar trade mark in a manner which, for instance, confuses customers, diverts business, and/or damages the brand’s image.
In very general terms, obtaining a trade mark registration in the UK/EU provides the owner with grounds for preventing the use and registration of a later conflicting mark, where the use of the later mark would confuse consumers or (if the registered mark is well-known) would take unfair advantage of, or damage, the reputation or distinctive character of the registered mark.
Trade marks may also be protected by certain laws even if they are not registered, for instance under the law of passing off in the UK.
A trade mark registration can last forever, provided it is periodically renewed (every 10 years in the UK/EU).
Patents – inventions
Patents protect new inventions.
For instance, patents can be obtained for new chemical compositions, pharmaceuticals, antibodies, machinery and electronics.
The invention must be something that can be made or used.
The invention must be new, i.e. the details necessary to put the invention into effect must not already have been publicly available.
The invention must also involve an inventive step. This means that the invention must not have already been obvious to people skilled in the relevant technical field. Also, certain categories of subject matter are excluded from patent protection.
The owner of a patent can generally prevent others from using, making, selling or importing the invention, for a limited period of time (up to 20 years in the UK). This can be very valuable from a commercial perspective, in terms of potential licensing revenue and/or obtaining a competitive advantage.
In order to obtain a patent in any given country/region, it is necessary to file a patent application.
A patent application is typically a highly technical document, explaining the invention in detail and setting out the claims which define the invention.
Copyright – original expression
Copyright law primarily protects original expression in literary, dramatic, musical and artistic “works”.
This includes things such as novels, software, plays, films, songs, paintings, photographs and sculptures.
Certain protection is available to a copyright owner to stop others copying or adapting their work, issuing or renting or lending copies, performing or playing or showing the work in public, or otherwise communicating the work to the public (depending on the type of work).
Having control over the work in this way enables the copyright owner to monetise its use and exploitation.
Protection is only available when there has been copying of the original expression, e.g. by way of inspiration or appropriation (even if this was indirect or unconscious).
Various defences are available to allow certain permitted uses of copyright works.
Copyright law also provides protection for sound and film recordings, broadcasts, and the typographical arrangement of published editions. There are also various “related rights”, e.g. for performers.
In the UK, copyright protection arises automatically, without the need for registration, and copyright in literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works lasts for the life of its creator, plus 70 years from the end of the year in which they died.
Designs – the appearance of products
The law of registered designs protects the appearance of products (and parts of products).
This includes consumer goods and industrial articles, but also e.g. packaging and graphic symbols.
Design protection enables businesses to protect the unique appearance of their “products”.
Roughly speaking, the owner of a registered design can prevent the use of later designs which convey the same overall impression.
Registered design protection is not available for product features chosen solely for performing a technical function, nor which are necessarily in order for the product to fit or connect with another product so that either can function.
Registered design protection is obtained by filing an application in each country/region of interest, and can last up to 25 years in the UK/EU.
A design will only be validly registered in the UK/EU if it is sufficiently different to earlier designs, and provided it has not already been publicly disclosed. However, once you have disclosed your own design to the public, there is a grace period of one year for filing a design application.
Equivalent unregistered protection is available in the EU for a period of three years from disclosure of a design, where there has been copying of the design.
In the UK, another form of unregistered design protection is also available for up to 15 years, in relation to copying of the original shape and/or configuration of an article (or part of an article).
If you require advice or assistance in relation to obtaining or enforcing IP rights, contact a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney or Chartered Patent Attorney.
This article first appeared on the CITMA website. The original can be found here.
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Games have always been stuck in an endless debate about whether they are a blessing or a curse. Whether they can be a tool to help us ascend to a higher level of awareness or condemn us to mindless violence and asocial behaviour.
The last few years more and more people have started to pick up the fight against the old stereotypes, showing that games can also really serve a public purpose and be of use beyond mere entertainment. Ronald Meeus published an article on HLN.be a fortnight ago to highlight five reasons why games can be good for you. Better yet, the author says that playing games should even be encouraged!
The five major benefits are:
- Eye-brain-hand coordination
You need to see, think and act all in the fraction of a second, training your coordination skills. This is also the case for non-puzzle games, even FPS titles train your reflexes.
- Management skills
An American pedagogue (James Paul Gee) discovered this over ten years ago: youngsters who spend their time on so called ‘useless games’ such as SimCity and other city/amusement park/restaurant/etc… management type games are actually managing a large amount of variables such as satisfaction, security, financial balance and more. All of these are mostly issues which they are not being taught how to deal with at school.
Games are (sometimes) challenging and force you to fall down and get back up several times before you succeed. Gaming is a perfect – and safe – way for you to explore different approaches and find out what works best.
- Study your surroundings and get to know the world
There are games who force you to look around and learn how the environment works. Games such as Civilization V show you how a civilization grows and what terrain can be used for different purposes. Another popular title is the Assassin’s Creed series in which you get a detailed – and historically correct – depiction of Rome, Firenze and other cities.
- Get social
More and more games are turning to the World Wide Web (most of us have dabbled with games such as World of Warcraft and Guild Wars) in which the players form a tight social network with friends and kindred spirits.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
It is more important to spend public money on promoting a healthy lifestyle in order to prevent illness than to spend it on treatment of people who are already ill. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
The world health care system has been facing an enormous pressure due to frequent outbreaks of diseases. It is argued that the state should increase their spending on raising the citizens’ awareness of a healthy way of living rather on providing timely treatments when the diseases have occurred.
Without question, “prevention is better than cure”, therefore government should have policies in making its people adopt a healthy lifestyle. Through national and local awareness enhancement campaigns, people can be better informed of potential health risks associated with their bad habits. For example, instead of consuming too much fast food on a daily basis, teenagers or busy workers will therefore choose more nutritious foods or try to cook by themselves, which can prevent the high incidence of obesity, diabetes and other fatal diseases.
In addition to their long-term positive effects on people’s frame of mind, such campaigns are cost-effective. What needed is budget on conveying messages on the mass media like television, newspapers or conducting various workshops to share advice and experience to the public. By contrast, the medical treatment fees for a single patient with cancer disease like liver or lung cancer can amount to dozens of millions or billions, meaning a huge financial burden to the state and the family.
However, government cannot ignore its obligation in improving their medical system as well as assisting the already ill patients to cover their medical fees. The hospital fees are so expensive in some countries that only the rich can afford, so government’s role in offering aid for treatment of the sick is a moral duty. As well as this, constructing more hospitals and buying modern equipment should also be put into consideration as it is more effective in the short run.
In conclusion, raising the level of public awareness is more important, but government cannot neglect its concern on the supply of medical treatment for those currently being ill.
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Dental sealants; invisible teeth coatings resistant to decay
The most likely location for a cavity to develop in your child's mouth is on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. Run your tongue over this area in your mouth, and you will feel the reason why: These surfaces are not smooth, as other areas of your teeth are. Instead, they are filled with tiny grooves referred to as “pits and fissures,” which trap bacteria and food particles. The bristles on a toothbrush can't always reach all the way into these dark, moist little crevices. This creates the perfect conditions for tooth decay.
What's more, a child's newly erupted permanent teeth are not as resistant to decay as adult teeth are. The hard enamel coating that protects the teeth changes as it ages to become stronger. Fluoride, which is found in toothpaste and some drinking water — and in treatments we use here at the dental office — can strengthen enamel, but, again, it's hard to get fluoride into those pits and fissures on a regular basis. Fortunately, there is a good solution to this problem: dental sealants.
Dental sealants are invisible plastic resin coatings that smooth out the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, making them resistant to decay. A sealed tooth is far less likely to develop a cavity, require more expensive dental treatment later on, or, most importantly, cause your child pain.
Who needs dental sealants?
The chewing surfaces of the molar and premolar teeth have grooves — "fissures" — that make them vulnerable to decay. These fissures can be deep, are difficult to clean, and can be narrower than even a single bristle of a toothbrush. Plaque accumulates in these areas, and the acid from bacteria in the plaque attacks the enamel and cavities can develop. Fluoride helps prevent decay and helps protect all the surfaces of the teeth, dental sealants provide extra protection for the grooved and pitted areas by providing a smooth surface covering over the fissured area.
Dental sealants are primarily used for children aged 6-14 to protect their permanent teeth from developing cavities early on. In some cases, dental sealants may also be recommended for younger children in order to protect their baby teeth from being lost too soon. However, dental sealants can only be applied to the teeth once the chewing surface has completely eroded past the gum line.
How Sealants Are Placed
You can think of a sealant as a mini plastic filling, though please reassure your child that it doesn't “count” as having a cavity filled. Because tooth enamel does not contain any nerves, placing a sealant is painless and does not routinely require numbing shots. First we will examine the tooth or teeth to be sealed, and if any minimal decay is found, it will be gently removed. The tooth will then be cleaned and dried. Then we will apply a solution that will slightly roughen or “etch” the surface, to make the sealing material adhere better. The tooth is then rinsed and dried again. The sealant is then painted on the tooth in liquid form and hardens in about a minute, sometimes with the help of a special curing light. That's all there is to it!
Taking Care of Sealants
Sealed teeth require the same conscientious dental hygiene as unsealed teeth. Your child should continue to brush and floss his or her teeth daily and visit us for regular professional cleanings. This will give us a chance to check for wear and tear on the sealants, which should last for up to 10 years. During this time, your child will benefit from a preventive treatment proven to reduce decay by more than 70 percent.
What are dental sealants made of?
Dental sealants are made from an invisible plastic resin or glass ionomer coating. Glass ionomer is rarely used for dental sealants unless the tooth requires more moisture control, and the majority of dental sealants use plastic resin. Dental sealants made from plastic resin can contain a very tiny amount of BPA derivatives, which are different from pure BPA. However, the amount of BPA derivatives used in dental sealants is so minimal that it will not cause any harm to your child.
What do dental sealants look like?
There are different variations of dental sealants that appear clear, white, or slightly tinted to match a certain tooth color. Most dentists opt for the clear dental sealant because it does not alter the appearance of the teeth in any way and simply provides an invisible protective shield.
Can dental sealants be removed?
Dental sealants can be removed, however they are generally only removed if they are showing signs of excessive wear or if they have become damaged in some way. The removal of a dental sealant is usually followed by a replacement of that dental sealant.
Can dental sealants be placed over cavities?
Yes, dental sealants can be placed over cavities to prevent further damage from occurring. In fact, dental sealants are less expensive, less painful, and easier to apply than fillings. However, there may be cases when this is not always the case. Dentists will help you to decide what the best option is for your child.
Do dental sealants taste bad?
During the application process and immediately after, your child may notice a bad taste in their mouth. Experiencing a bad taste is a common occurrence with resin-based dental sealants and should fade with a few rinses. After about an hour following the placement of a dental sealant, the bad taste should fade and the dental sealant should become tasteless.
Do dental sealants hurt?
Dental sealants only need to be brushed onto the teeth and do not cause pain. The only discomfort that may be felt while getting dental sealants is your child having to hold their mouth open for a few minutes. Once the procedure is complete, your child may be vaguely aware that there is an extra layer on their teeth, but they will quickly get used to it and it should cause no issues.
How long do dental sealants last?
Dental sealants can last up to ten years, however they will need to be regularly checked for signs of wear. If extensive wear is found, the dental sealant may need to be replaced. It is important to regularly have your dentists check your child’s dental sealants to make sure the sealant is working as intended. When dental sealants wear down, they can chip or break and bacteria can get caught underneath them, causing decay. Regular dental checkups(link with dental checkups) allow your dentists to prevent this from occurring or from escalating.
Are Dental Sealants Just for Children?
Since children may not always brush their teeth properly, they may be more likely to get cavities. For this reason, dental sealants are often recommended for children. Generally, sealants are applied to a child’s adult molars as soon as they come in around age six. In some cases, dentists may even recommend sealants for baby teeth if the child is prone to decay.
But adults may be candidates for dental sealants too. Some people are more cavity-prone than others, so sealants may be an option worth considering. No matter what the age, it is good to know the pros and cons of sealants.
Are Dental Sealants Safe?
Especially when considering a procedure for children, safety is always a concern. When talking about the pros and cons of sealants, the subject of BPA is sometimes raised. BPA is a synthetic compound found in many plastics. Studies have shown that exposure to large amounts can be harmful.
Since sealants are made of plastic and may contain trace amounts of BPA, they are sometimes thought to be unsafe. But the amounts of BPA in sealants are tiny. Research by The American Dental Association shows that the amounts are well below anything that could be harmful. In fact, people are exposed to more BPA in their day-to-day lives than they are through sealants.
Are Sealants the Right Choice?
Before deciding if dental sealants are right for you or your child, you will want to weigh these pros and cons.
If someone is at low risk of tooth decay, they may not have a need for sealants. This would include people with good diets and exceptional oral hygiene. And some people have relatively smooth teeth, with shallow grooves. Food particles are easily brushed away and they’re not prone to cavities.
For many, though, the minimal cost and discomfort is an effective alternative to the possibility of cavities down the road.
Do I still need to use fluoride if I have dental sealants?
Yes. Dental sealants only protect the surface area that they are placed on. Fluoride helps protect all the surfaces of the tooth from decay and cavities.
Are dental sealants only placed on the chewing surface of molar and
premolar permanent teeth?
Dental sealants are usually placed on the chewing surfaces of these teeth because these are the areas and teeth that typically have deep fissures. Dental sealants are sometimes also used on other permanent teeth if they have grooves or pits, to help protect these surfaces. In some children, the molars in the primary dentition (baby teeth) also have grooves that could benefit from dental sealants and in this situation your dentist or hygienist may recommend dental sealants on the chewing surfaces of these primary teeth.
Are Sealants Expensive?
Cost is another important issue when deciding on the pros and cons of sealants. Some dental insurance plans cover them for children. Even if you are paying out of pocket, getting dental sealants is usually less expensive than getting a filling. And if you have multiple cavities over time, those costs can add up. You may decide that a one-time application of a sealant is more cost-effective alternative.
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In order to supply a scientific basis for uniting the normal reference value standard of hemoglobin of Chinese older boys. Methods: A research is made about the relationship between the normal reference value of 14751 examples of hemoglobin of older boys and five geographical factors in 92 areas in China, which are determined by the hemoglobincyanide method. Results: It is found that the correlation of geographical factors and the normal reference value of hemoglobin of older boys are quite significant (F = 9.68). By using the method of multiple linear regression analysis, one regression equation is inferred:
Ŷ = 108.0 + 0.003633X1 + 0.003945X2 + 0.1680X3 − 0.6310X4 + 0.005518X5 ± 8.3
Conclusion: If geographical values are obtained in some areas, the normal reference value of hemoglobin of older boys of this area can be reckoned by using the regression equation. Furthermore, the depending on the geographical factors, China can be divided into six districts: Qingzang, Southwest, Northwest, Southeast, North and Northeast district.
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Peaceful and inspiring, Mirogoj is an unique graveyard with specific artistic and architectural value and historic significance - one of the most attractive places in Zagreb! Mirogoj is the biggest achievement of Croatian sepulcher architecture and considered one of the most beautiful European cemeteries.
Cemeteries of early Zagreb
Before Mirogoj cemetery was opened, dead were buried on other cemeteries in Zagreb, depending on the place of residence, religion or class. During the 1860's, according to newspapers, small cemeteries were overcrowded and a new cemetery was necessary. In 1876. Zagreb had 24.000 citizens and 10 cemeteries - over 2.000 citizens on one cemetery. The most important cemetery before Mirogoj was Jurjevsko cemetery on Upper Town, where burials were held between 1622. and 1876.
City council and archdiocese agreed in 1872. that cemeteries of Saint Roch, Saint Thomas and Saint George (Jurjevsko) should be closed. The same agreement declared that chapels of St Roch and St George should "give all their cash of 17.318 forints so a parcel for new cemetery could be bought, and city council should in return build a nice chapel for their services."
The history of Mirogoj
But the story of Mirogoj cemetery actually started almost 20 years earlier when Ljudevit Gaj, a Croatian reformer, poet and Illyrian Movement leader bought a small forest and vineyard Heresinec on the hill north-east of Zagreb. During the following years, Gaj bough several neighbouring plots and expanded his property. He had the land levelled, filled in all the ditches and gullies and cleared the part of the vineyard and forest, had a road constructed and built a beautiful garden. This part of the land, where he spent the final years of his life, he named "Mirogoj", after former owner of part of the land Miroslav Herkul Mirogojski. Unfortunately, the cost of the project left Gaj in substantial debt, so it was arranged that his land should be auctioned after his death.
After Gaj's death in 1872. the city council of Zagreb purchased the whole property on an auction,kept its name Mirogoj, and respected Gaj's wish that gardens should be preserved. Additionally, along the roads the city council decided to plant chestnuts, limes, maples, spruces and other kind of trees.
The Mirogoj cemetery was officially opened on November 6th, 1876, it was divided according to religion, and to three different classes. Mirogoj was to serve as "joint cemetery", a burial site for all regions, which was pretty advanced for the period! Each of the religions received a specific area, depending on the number of followers and shared equal rights. Most space was designated for the Catholics, then for Orthodox, Jewish and Protestants, and was guaranteed "full and unlimited performance of religious burial rituals at the funeral of the deceased".
As mostly everything new in Zagreb, new cemetery got its own share of debates. For some it was “inappropriate” and for others it was "awfully distant from the town centre" (Mirogoj was initially visited on foot, while those wealthy used a carriage). Both statements weren't true and Mirogoj soon became the most beautiful cemetery in Croatia.
The first funeral was held on November 7th 1876 and it was magnificent! Not because the deceased, the fencing instructor and gym teacher Miroslav Singer was a well respected man, but due to the grandness of the occasion.
Mirogoj arcades, the most recognizable part of the cemetery, were constructed according to the plans of German architect Herman Bollé, who worked on many large projects in Zagreb. From 1879. to 1917. he raised the North and South arcade, in 1886. built the morgue (on the spot where Gaj's summer mansion was), and in 1920. he made plans for the central dome that would connect the arcades, but he didn't live to see it constructed. Central part of the arcades, the portal and the chapel were built in 1929.
The final result is beyond impressive - 500 meter long neo-renaissance arcades with 20 domes and one of the greatest projects of European historicism overall that survived the earthquake in 1880. completely intact. Just as a reference, more than 1700 houses in Zagreb were heavily damaged while the arcades were close to the epicentre.
Art gallery in the open
Many Croatian sculptors recognised the importance of the new cemetery and decided to contribute to the architectural marvel to give it artistic value. The work of Ivan Rendic, the founder of modern Croatian sculpture, is considered the first artistic stamp of the new cemetery. Other significant sculptors that contributed to Mirogoj were Robert Franges-Mihanovic, Rudolf Valdec, Ivan Mestrovic, Antun Augustincic, Frano Krsinić, Vanja Radaus, Grga Antunac and Zelimir Janes.
The expansion of Mirogoj
By the time the arcades were completed, 100.000 bodies were buried on Mirogoj and a need to expand it became reality. Cemetery started expanding to the north, but in irregular shapes, because expansion was determined by surrounding properties. Mirogoj hasn't expanded more until recently.
Maintenance of Mirogoj
Until 1962. Mirogoj didn't witness much maintenance and inside walls of the arcades were almost completely destroyed by rain. Luckily, plans for maintaining and repairing the cemetery were brought and by 1971 the roofs and walls, 77 large and 69 small arcades, 12 domes on the big arcades and 5 on the small ones, parks, roads, paths, water supply and the sewage were completely repaired, adapted and renewed.
It even got its own music ensemble in 1967!
Mirogoj was opened in the year when Milan opened the first crematorium in Europe. Zagreb intended to open the crematorium on Mirogoj in the first part of 20th century, but due to lack of funds, this idea wasn't realised until 1985. That year, the Grove of Urns was opened also. Since then, Mirogoj hasn't changed much.
Pantheon of Croatian history
Mirogoj is a resting place of many famous names in Croatian history. Of men and women who shaped modern Croatia, made it recognizable in the world and left their heritage for a better tomorrow. You may recognize some of them:
Dr. Franjo Tudman, Ljudevit Gaj, Milka Trnina, Vatroslav Lisinski, Anton Gustav Matos, August Senoa, Ivan Mazuranic, Miroslav Krleza, Marija Juric Zagorka, Dusan Dzamonja, Herman Bolle, Tin Ujevic, Eduard Slavoljub Penkala, Ivana Brlić-Mazuranic, Dragutin Tadijanovic, Ante Topic Mimara, Drazen Petrovic, Ena Begovic, Edo Murtic, Vladimir Nazor and many more.
You may hear an expression "mirogojcek" if someone ask you out for a drink, but don't get your hopes up. "Mirogojcek" is an other name for a wine of quality so bad "that will put you to Mirogoj in no time". It may be used for any other bad quality strong alcoholic drink, but it is most common when talking about Badel's Prima Brand brandy.All photos: Marko Vrdoljak for Zagreb Tourist Board & Convention Bureau
Address & contact details
- Street: Aleja Hermanna Bollea 27
- Postcode: 10000
- City: zagreb
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Agdal and Menara Gardens, MOROCCO
- Site: Historic Gardens of Marrakesh: Agdal and Menara Gardens
- Keywords: Morocco, Cultural Landscape, Agdal, Menara, Historic gardens, Arab design, Almohad, Alawi, Caliph 'Abd al-Mu'min, palmeraie, Marrakesh, Medina.
1. OFFICIAL CLASSIFICATIONS AND CATEGORIES
1.1 National and International Classification Lists
The Agdal and Menara Gardens were listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, as a part of the Médina of Marrakesh, criteria: (i)(ii)(iv)(v), property: 1,107 ha, and ef: 331. The Agdal Gardens has been recognized internationally by the “Premio Internazionale Carlo Scapa per il Giardino” (Fondazione Benetton Studi Ricerche, 2000).
- World heritage list of UNESCO
1.2. Cultural Landscape Category/Tipology
A landscape designed and created intentionally by human being
Organically evolved landscapesRelict (or fossil) landscape
1.3. Description and Justification by Med-O-Med
The Historic Gardens of Marrakesh, comprising the Agdal Garden and The Menara Garden, compose together a Cultural Landscape in category 1: “A landscape designed and created by human being”. Both gardens are part of the Medina of Marrakesh, recognized by UNESCO (World Heritage List, 1985). -Agdal Gardens: The Agdal Gardens in Marrakesh are the origin of a fundamental garden type, the Islamic agdal garden. The gardens were constructed in 1157 by Almohad Caliph ‘Abd al-Mu’min bin ‘Ali al-Kumi (reg. 1130-63) at the same time as the nearby Menara Gardens. ‘Abd al-Mu’min was the founder of the Almohad capital in Marrakech, and he undertook many significant building projects in the city between 1147 and his death in 1163. The Agdal Gardens were established directly adjacent to the southern edge of the Médina, and they functioned both as productive orchards and private pleasure gardens for the caliph. Much larger than the nearby Menara Gardens, the Agdal Gardens and their reservoirs directly served the medina and its residents. The word “agdal” is a Berber term which means “meadow enclosed by a stone wall.” It is said that the Agdal Gardens in Marrakech were so named because visiting Berber Tribes from the Atlas mountains associated their native panoramas of green meadows framed by tall mountains with the walled landscape of the urban gardens. The Agdal Gardens are essentially rectangular in shape, with a relatively small rectangular section removed at their northwest corner. The gardens are 3.1 kilometers long and between 1.2 and 1.4 kilometers wide. The vast majority of the land within the Agdal Gardens is given over to productive orchards. Various trees and bushes are planted in grids whose rows range between five and ten meters wide, depending on the type of tree or plant. The entire site is subdivided by a network of paths into a patchwork of smaller gardens, within which one species of plant is cultivated, this strict rationalism in organization is typical of the Hispano-Mauresque productive garden. -Menara Gardens: The Menara gardens are located to the west of the city, at the gates of the Atlas mountains. They were built around 1130 by the Almohad ruler Abd al-Mu’min. The name menara derives from the pavilion with its small green pyramid roof (menzeh). The pavilion was built during the 16th century Saadi dynasty and renovated in 1869 by sultan Abderrahmane of Morocco, who used to stay here in summertime. The pavilion and a nearby artificial lake are surrounded by orchards and olive groves. The lake was created to irrigate the surrounding gardens and orchards using a sophisticated system of underground channels called a qanat. The basin is supplied with water through an old hydraulic system which conveys water from the mountains located approximately 30 kilometres away from Marrakech. There is also a small amphitheater and a symmetrical pool.
2. NAME / LOCATION / ACCESSIBILITY
- Current denomination Agdal, Menara.
- Current denomination Agdal, Menara.
- Original denomination Agdal, Menara.
- Popular denomination Agdal, Menara.
- Address: Medina of Marrakesh.
- Geographical coordinates: Medina of Marrakesh: N31 37 53.004, W7 59 12.012.
- Area, boundaries and surroundings: Located to the north of the foothills of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains, by road Marrakesh is located 580 km southwest of Tangier, 327 km southwest of the Moroccan capital of Rabat, 239 km southwest of Casablanca, and 246 km northeast of Agadir.
- Access and transport facilities: Today the Agdal Gardens are accessible to the public for several hours each Friday and Sunday, as long as the royal family is not in residence at the Dar el-Beida. When the Dar el-Beida is in use, the whole of the Agdal Gardens are reserved for the pleasure of the sovereign and his guests. The Menara Gardens are accessible to the public and they continue to serve as a relaxing and picturesque oasis outside of the crowded Médina.
3. LEGAL ISSUES
- Owner: Moroccan Government.
- Body responsible for the maintenance: Moroccan Government.
- Public or private organizations working in the site: FUNCI (Spain) is currently (2013) developoing the "Project de Réhabilitation Integrale de L'Agdal de Marrakech", together with the AECID (Spanish Government) and the Moroccan Government.
-Marrakesh. General Overview: The capital of the Almoravids and the Almohads played a decisive role in the development of medieval planning. Marrakesh (which gave its name to the Moroccan Empire) is the textbook example of a large Islamic capital in the Western world. With its maze of narrow streets, houses, souks (markets), traditional crafts and trade activities, and its medina, this ancient settlement is an outstanding example of a vibrant historic city. Marrakesh was founded in 1071-72 by Youssef ben Tachfin on the site of the camp where Abou Bekr had left him in charge. From that point forward, Marrakesh was no longer an occasional stopping place for the Almoravids. It became the true capital of these conquering nomads who succeeded in stretching their empire from the Sahara to the Ebro and from the Atlantic to Kabylia. The original layout of the medina dates back to the Almoravid period from which there still remain various monumental vestiges (ruins of the so-called Abou Bekr Kasbah, Youssef ben Tachfin Mosque and Ali ben Youssef Palace, not far from the Koutoubia, the pool and the ‘Koubba’ of Ali ben Youssef Mosque which were discovered in 1955, Bab Aylan gate, etc.). In essence it is an adaptation of the older urban model of Marrakesh. The walls of the medina were built in 1126-27 following the order given by Ali ben Youssef. The planting of the palm groves, which at the present still cover a surface area of roughly 13,000 ha to the east of the city, has also been credited to the Almoravids. When in 1147 this dynasty bowed to the attacks of the Almohads led by Abdel Mou’men, the task of purification that was carried out did not spare the monuments which, for the most part, were destroyed by the victors. Nevertheless Marrakesh remained the capital. Under the Almohad rulers (1147-1269), Marrakesh experienced new and unprecedented prosperity. Between 1147 and 1158, Abd el Mou’men had the Koutoubia Mosque built upon the ruins of the Almoravid foundations. Its incomparable minaret, key monument of Muslim architecture, is one of the major features of the cityscape and is the actual symbol of the city. The ruler’s successors, Abou Yacoub Youssef and especially Yacoub el Mansour, were the ones who truly renovated the capital. They built new quarters, extended the city wall, fortified the Kasbah (1185-90) which was a prolongation of the city to the south with its own ramparts and gates (Bab Agnaou, Bab Robb), its mosque, palace, market, hospital, parade-ground and gardens. These leaders strengthened their control over their domains by planting crops (Menara to the west) and by civil engineering achievements, the best known of which are the Tensift Bridge and the kettara network in the palm groves. Under the reign of the Alawite dynasty, Marrakesh, the temporary capital, was graced with a new mosque, madrasas, palaces and residences harmoniously integrated into the homogeneous unit of the old town, which was surrounded by 10 km of clay and lime and beaten-cob ramparts. Beyond the walls were the great traditional areas of greenery: the palm groves, the Menara and, to the south, the Agdal gardens that were redesigned by Moulay Abd er Rahman (1822-59). -The Agdal Gardens: The gardens were constructed in 1157 by Almohad Caliph ‘Abd al-Mu’min bin ‘Ali al-Kumi (reg. 1130-63) at the same time as the nearby Menara Gardens. ‘Abd al-Mu’min was the founder of the Almohad capital in Marrakech, and he undertook many significant building projects in the city betw by Almohad Caliph ‘Abd al-Mu’min bin ‘Ali al-Kumi (reg. 1130-63). The Agdal Gardens were established directly adjacent to the southern edge of the Médina, and they functioned both as productive orchards and private pleasure gardens for the caliph. Much larger than the nearby Menara Gardens, the Agdal Gardens and their reservoirs directly served the medina and its residents. -The Menara Gardens: The Menara Gardens in Marrakech were constructed during the early years of the Almohad dynasty. In 1147, Almohad forces under Caliph ‘Abd al-Mu’min (reg. 1130-1163) conquered the Almoravid capital of Marrakech. Between 1147 and his death in 1163, ‘Abd al-Mu’min undertook several large building projects in the city, which became the capital of his empire. The Menara Gardens and its large central reservoir were built during this period to serve as both productive orchards and personal pleasure gardens for the caliph. The gardens were maintained during the centuries after Almohad rule by the Marinids and the Sa’did Sharifs, and a pavilion structure originally erected by the Sa’dis was rebuilt by ‘Alawid Sharif Moulay Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Rahman (reg. 1859-1873) in the late nineteenth century.
- Oldest initial date /building and inauguration date: The gardens were constructed in 1157.
- Original and successive owners: See point 4.1.
- Authors: The gardens were created as an orchard by Abd al-Mu'min of the Almohad dynasty in the 12th century.
- Dates of successive recycling to the original layout: Renovated by the Saadi dynasty and then enlarged and enclosed by Moulay Abderrahmane (19th).
- Historical and/or outstanding personalities involved: See previous points.
5. GENERAL DESCRIPTION
5.1. Natural heritage
- Heritage: Pleasure
- Geography: High Mountain
- Site topography: Natural
- Climate and environmental conditions: A hot semi-arid climate predominates at Marrakesh, with mild damp winters and hot dry summers. Average temperatures range from 12 degrees celsius in the winter to 28-29 degrees celsius in the summer. The relatively wet winter/dry summer precipitation pattern of Marrakesh mirrors precipitation patterns found in Mediterranean climates. However the city receives less rain than is typically found in a Mediterranean climate, hence the semi-arid climate classification. Between 1961 and 1990 the city averaged 281.3 millimetres of rain annually.
- Geological and Geographical characteristics: Marrakesh is located to the north of the foothills of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains. The snow covered High Atlas (generally at an elevation of above 3,000 metres and mostly made up of Jurassic limestones in Morocco lies along the coast of the Atlantic. It rises to the east of Agadir and extends into Algeria in a northeast direction and then finally disappears in Tunisia.
The city’s gardens feature numerous native plants alongside other species that have been imported over the course of the centuries, including giant bamboos, yuccas, papyrus, palm trees, banana trees, cypress, philodendrons, rose bushes, bougainvilleas, pines and various kinds of cactus plants. -Agdal Gardens (inventory): Malva sp., Asparagus albus, Chenopodium sp., Pistacia atlantica, Rubre peregrina, Poaceas, Conovolvulus sp., Gallium sp., Bryonia dioica, Lonicera biflora, Atriplex, Celtis australis, Ephedra fragilis, Euphorbia sp., Ficus carica, Olea europaea, Oxalis pes-capre, Rubus ulmifolius. -Menara Gardens: Mostly occupied by orchards of olive, cypress, and fruit trees. The trees in the orchards are planted on a ten-meter grid, imposing a strict regularity on the landscape.
Land uses and economical activities:Agriculture. Tourism. Research.
Agricultural issues or other traditional productions and their effect on the landscape:Beyond the hectares of greenery and the palm trees of its Palmeraie, Marrakesh is an oasis of great and rich plant variety. Throughout the seasons, fragrant orange, fig, pomegranate and olive trees display their color and fruits in the gardens of the city such as Agdal Garden and Menara Garden.
Summary of Landscapes values and characteristics:
The gardens are located in the Medina of Marrakesh. Theay are both interesting because of their design, their beauty and the historic and cultural significance associated to them. The Agdal Gardens are 3.1 kilometers long and between 1.2 and 1.4 kilometers wide. The vast majority of the land within the Agdal Gardens is given over to productive orchards. Various trees and bushes are planted in grids whose rows range between five and ten meters wide, depending on the type of tree or plant. The entire site is subdivided by a network of paths into a patchwork of smaller gardens, within which one species of plant is cultivated, this strict rationalism in organization is typical of the Hispano-Mauresque productive garden. The Menara Gardens are specially famous because of its pavilion and its small green pyramid roof (menzeh). The pavilion and a nearby artificial lake are surrounded by orchards and olive groves. There is also a small amphitheater and a symmetrical pool.
5.2. Cultural Heritage
A) Related to current constructions, buildings and art pieces in general
Architectonical elements /Sculptures:
AGDAL GARDENS The Agdal Gardens are essentially rectangular in shape, with a relatively small rectangular section removed at their northwest corner. The longitudinal axis of the site is its north-south axis, rotated counter-clockwise from the north-south meridian. The gardens are 3.1 kilometers long and between 1.2 and 1.4 kilometers wide. The rectangular area that is cutout from the northwest corner of the rectangular parcel measures 620 meters long and 450 meters wide. The vast majority of the land within the Agdal Gardens is given over to productive orchards. Various trees and bushes are planted in grids whose rows range between five and ten meters wide, depending on the type of tree or plant. The entire site is subdivided by a network of paths into a patchwork of smaller gardens, within which one species of plant is cultivated, this strict rationalism in organization is typical of the Hispano-Mauresque productive garden. All paths within the garden are lined by a single row of olive trees planted ten meters on center. Beyond this edge of olive trees are orchards of lemon, cypress, olive, and orange trees. Another notable work of architecture within the Agdal Gardens is the Dar el-Beida. This palace is reserved for use by the ‘Alawi royal family when they are in residence in Marrakech. The palace is relatively modest in scale but has been richly decorated and well-maintained due to its continuing use as a royal residence. The rectangular plan of the Dar el-Beida is 120 meters wide and 142 meters long. The west wall of the palace is located 330 meters east of the western edge of the gardens, and the north wall of the palace is located 870 meters south of the northern boundary of the gardens. This places the Dar el-Beida in the northwest quadrant of the garden grounds. The palace was built centuries later than the rest of the gardens by ‘Alawi Sharif Moulay ‘Abd al-Rahman bin Hisham (reg. 1822-1859). The palace and the other pavilions in the Agdal Garden were subsequently renovated by his successor Sidi Muhammad IV bin ‘Abd al-Rahman (reg. 1859-1873). The gardens are irrigated using a number of pools and ditches. A network of underground channels and ditches, known as khettera, bring water down from the High Atlas mountains many kilometres away, via Aghmat in the Ourika Valley to the south. The Dar El Hana, a small pavilion or minzah, stands beside the largest pool, the Sahraj el-Hana (Tank of Health), which was used to train troops to swim. Sultan Mohammed IV died in the pool when his steam launch capsized there in 1873. His successor, Sultan Moulay Hassan, housed his harem in another pavilion in the gardens, the Dar al Baida. MENARA The pavilion and basin (an artificial lake) are surrounded by orchards and olive groves. The intention of the basin was to irrigate the surrounding gardens and orchards using a sophisticated system of underground channels called a qanat. The basin is supplied with water thanks to an old hydraulic system which conveys water from the mountains located 30 km approximately away from Marrakech. The Menara Gardens are approximately 720 meters wide east to west and 1.25 kilometers long north to south. The longitudinal axis of the gardens is rotated twenty-seven degrees counter-clockwise from the north-south meridian. While the gardens are within the city limits of present-day Marrakech, at the time of their construction they were located two kilometers outside of the city walls. To allow ‘Abd al-Mu’min convenient access from his home inside the city walls, the garden gate was connected by a direct road to Bab al-Mahzan (1126-1147), the city gate that opened directly into the caliphal palace in the Medina. The Bab al-Mahzan, the road, and the Almohad palace to which it led were destroyed after the fall of the Almohad empire in the thirteenth century. Today the gardens are connected to the Médina by the Avenue de la Menara. The main feature of the Menara Gardens is the large reservoir located in its center. The reservoir is 160 meters wide east to west and 195 meters long north to south, its long axis rotated from the north-south meridian to align with the grid of the gardens. In order to provide irrigation to the surrounding orchards without the need for constant pumping, the reservoir was constructed entirely above ground. A complex network of underground irrigation channels relies on gravity to drain water from the main reservoir through the channels and distribute it evenly through the gardens. The elevated reservoir is surrounded by a five meter wide terrace along its perimeter. Several narrow stairways, each 2.5 meters wide, are spaced at irregular intervals around the perimeter of the basin to provide access to the terrace from the ground level of the garden. The edge of the stone basin and terrace are extremely sober in their articulation, with clean rectangular forms and almost no ornamentation. The austerity of the architectural detailing reinforces the character of the Menara Gardens as a working landscape. The only exception to the strict geometric framework of the garden grid is the principal entry road, which leads from the main gate on the eastern edge of the garden to a handsome pavilion at the center of the south side of the Menara basin. The nineteen-meter-wide pedestrian path was constructed or reconstructed under the ‘Alawid dynasty, centuries later than the other dirt paths between the trees. Within the enclosure is a small square pavilion, measuring twelve meters to a side in plan. The two-story pavilion is approximately fourteen meters tall. A rectangular loggia measuring twelve meters wide and four meters long projects from the north elevation of the otherwise square structure. Three arched openings on the ground floor of the north elevation of the loggia lead to a platform raised approximately 0.5 meters above the main promenade around the reservoir. The second level and balcony are located approximately four meters above the ground level of the pavilion. Passage through the pavilion along its north-south axis allows entry to the raised basin terrace from the small garden enclosure to the south. The pavilion is decorated plainly, to match the simplicity of the rest of the architecture of the basin and gardens. The two-story pavilion was built in pisé, or rammed earth, with decorative brick quoins at the corners and cornices. The structure possesses the reddish hue characteristic of pisé work in Marrakesh, where the red dirt of the region colors many earthwork structures. The upper cornice directly below the roofline of the pavilion features bands of geometric tilework. The pyramidal roof is covered in green ceramic tiles, a roofing material typical among royal and institutional buildings in Marrakesh. While its proportions and composition are harmonious, the north elevation of the pavilion, including the loggia and balcony, is almost completely unadorned. Much more attention was paid to the decoration of the south elevation. The threshold on the south elevation of the pavilion is defined by a round arch in pisé that was subsequently painted to appear as if it were constructed of brick. The spandrel between the arch and a raised rectangular pisé enclosure is adorned with painted geometric motifs and Arabic inscriptions. Three rectangular windows on the upper part of the south elevation are similarly framed by raised pisé borders. These borders are painted with a series of Rub el Hizb, eight-pointed stars traditionally used as an ordering symbol in the Koran. The casement windows contain leaded glass panes in wood sashes, with operable wood shutters that open to the exterior. These wood shutters are painted in blue, green, white, and red tones with multicolored geometric motifs at their centers. Each of the three windows is capped by a simple, two-tiered rectangular cornice moulding and decorative pisé relief panels with concave-arc profiles. The interior of the structure features several examples of fine multicolored stucco work, primarily defining the undersides and spandrels of pointed-arched openings in the thick interior walls. The multicolored patterns of the sculpted stucco sharply contrast with the otherwise starkly white painted walls. The floors inside the pavilion are covered by large tiles in either monochrome or checkered patterns. A set of carved and painted ornamental wooden doors border the archway that provides access to the interior stairway leading to the balcony.
In the case of gardens: original and current style:Agdal and Menara Gardens: Style/Period: Alawi, Almohad
Man-made elements related to water management:
Roads, paths, trails, walking/mechanical ways:
AGDAL: The entire site is subdivided by a network of paths into a patchwork of smaller gardens, within which one species of plant is cultivated, this strict rationalism in organization is typical of the Hispano-Mauresque productive garden. All paths within the garden are lined by a single row of olive trees planted ten meters on center. Beyond this edge of olive trees are orchards of lemon, cypress, olive, and orange trees. MENARA: Pathways through the garden fit into the logic of the grid, as ten-meter wide dirt paths fit between rows of trees to divide the field into approximately twenty-five rectangular parcels of varying sizes and orientations. The nineteen-meter-wide pedestrian path was constructed or reconstructed under the ‘Alawid dynasty, centuries later than the other dirt paths between the trees. The entry path terminates at the eastern edge of a small enclosed garden measuring thirty-eight meters wide east to west and fifty-two meters long north to south. This enclosure is aligned with the main grid of the gardens, and its north edge borders the south edge of the elevated reservoir, just slightly to the west of the basin’s center. The small sub-garden, lushly planted with a wide variety of trees and flowering plants, functions as a physical and conceptual threshold between the city behind and the water beyond.
B) Related to ancient remains
C) Related to intangible, social and spiritual values
- Lifestyle, believing, cults, traditional rites: It is said that the Agdal Gardens in Marrakech were so named because visiting Berber Tribes from the Atlas mountains associated their native panoramas of green meadows framed by tall mountains with the walled landscape of the urban gardens.
Condition: environmental/ cultural heritage degradation:Most of the hydraulic infraestructures of Agdal Gardens are useless and damaged. Also walls, basins and pavilions need restoration.
Perspectives/Views/ Points of interest/Setting:
-Agdal Garddens. -Menara Gardens.
Authenticity:Both gardens are included in the Medida of Marrakesh contributing to the Outstanding Universal Value of the property. The Historic Gardens of Marrakesh represent a way of relation betẃeen human-being and nature, keeping the traditional islamic rules.
Universality:Due to its still protected, original and well conserved conception, its construction materials and decoration in constant use, and its natural environment (notably the Gardens of Aguedal, Ménara and the Palm Grove (Palmeraie) the plantation of which is attributed to the Almoravids), the Medina of Marrakesh possesses all its initial components both cultural and natural that illustrate its Outstanding Universal Value. Med-O-Med describes the universality of the gardens according to UNESCO criteria: i) Both gardens represent a masterpiece of human creative genius. The creation of Agdal and Menara Garden was made possible due to intelligent and innovative engineering solutions and a sophisticated water-management system, as well as the appropriate choice of flora and its location in the garden layout. Indeed, the Islamic Garden has been associated with the idea of earthly Paradise, forming a stark contrast to its desert setting. ii) The Agdal and Menara gardens exhibits an important interchange of human values, having been the principal reference for the development of garden design, mainly in Morocco and Spain. It is the geometry and symmetry of the architecture, together with the complex water management system, that seem to have influenced design in all these gardens. iii) The Agdal and Menara Gardens bear exceptional, and even unique, testimony to the cultural traditions that have evolved in Iran and the Middle East over some two and a half millennia. The Agdal Gardens in Marrakech were so named because visiting Berber Tribes from the Atlas mountains associated their native panoramas of green meadows framed by tall mountains with the walled landscape of the urban gardens. iv) These gardens are an outstanding example of a type of garden design achieved by utilising natural and human elements and integrating significant achievements of Arabic culture into a physical and symbolic-artistic expression in harmony with nature.
Values linked to the Islamic culture and civilisation:These gardens are an outstanding example of a type of garden design achieved by utilising natural and human elements and integrating significant achievements of Arabic culture into a physical and symbolic-artistic expression in harmony with nature.
Historical and graphical data (drawings, paintings, engravings, photographs, literary items…):
Historic Gardens of Marrakesh: Agdal and Menara Gardens” is one of all of the cultural landscapes of Morocco which is included in The Cultural Landscape inventory runned by Med-O-Med.
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/331 http://whc.unesco.org/en/activities/21/ http://whc.unesco.org/venice2002 http://www.funci.org/ http://medomed.org/es/ http://medomed.org/es/category/projects/current/ http://medomed.org/es/2011/project-of-agdal-in-marrakech-presentation/ http://medomed.org/2011/funci-visits-the-gardens-of-agdal-with-the-technic-team/ http://www.mincom.gov.ma/english/reg_cit/cities/marrakes/marrakes.html http://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=4466 http://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=4468 http://www.oxford-islamicart.com/entry?entry=t276.e568 http://www.marrakech.costasur.com http://www.worldcat.org/title/agdal-di-marrakech-premio-internazionale-carlo-scarpa-per-il-giardino-undicesima-edizione/oclc/504103875 http://www.fbsr.it/fbsr.php/il_paesaggio/Premio_Carlo_Scarpa/luoghi_premiati/L_Agdal_di_Marrakech -Bhachem-Benkirane, N. et al. (1990). Marrakech: Demeures et Jardins Secrets. Paris: ACR Edition, pp. 24-26. -Blair, S. et al. (1995). The Art and Architecture of Islam 1250-1800. New Haven: Yale University Press, 123. -Bosworth, C.E. (1996). The New Islamic Dynasties. New York: Columbia University Press, 41-42. -Dickie, J. (1968). The Hispano-Arab Garden: Its Philosophy and Function. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London 31 (2): 237-248. -El Faiz, M. (2007). The Garden Strategy of the Almohad Sultans and Their Successors (1157-1900). Trans. Maryrica Ortiz Lottman. In Middle East garden traditions: unity and diversity questions, methods and resources in a multicultural perspective, ed. Michael Conan, 95-111. Washington D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Spacemaker Press, and Harvard University Press. -FUNCI. (2013). Project de Réhabilitation Integrale de L’Agdal de Marrakech. Med-O-Med Program. -Grube, E. et al. (1978). Architecture of the Islamic World. Repr., London: Thames and Hudson, 1996, 218. -UNESCO. (2001). Convention concerning the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage. World Heritage Committee. 25 session. Helsinki, Finland. -UNESCO. (2002). Cultural Landscapes: the Challenges of Conservation. Associated Workshops, World Heritage. Ferrara, Italy.
Compiler Data: Sara Martínez Frías.
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Sometimes a picture says it all.
Consider the 1963 picture of fire hoses and snarling police dogs in Birmingham, Ala., used against African-American students protesting racial segregation. Surely not our civil servants at their best.
Or the 1972 picture of the little girl in North Vietnam running terrified and naked with burning skin after South Vietnamese planes accidentally dropped napalm on Trang Bang, which had been occupied by North Vietnamese troops. The world then saw how war could hurt children.
Now, in 2014, we see citizens of Murrieta, Calif., turning back buses of women and children headed for a federal processing center, a day after Mayor Alan Long told them to let the government know they opposed its decision to move recent undocumented immigrants to the local Border Patrol station.
The first two images helped turn the tide when they awakened U.S. citizens to a shameful tragedy. We know the aftermath. The U.S. Congress 50 years ago passed civil rights legislation to guarantee basic human and equal rights for minorities that civil rights workers fought (and some died) for. We pulled out of Vietnam, a war we could not win.
We now await a moral conscience moment in the welcoming of children and others escaping the violence in such countries as Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. Parents and children from these countries have made the difficult decision to leave their homes and have endured dangerous journeys to cross the U.S.-Mexican border. They risk it because the possible horrors of the treacherous migration, such as trafficking, abuse and even death in the desert, still look better than possible death by gang violence at home.
Some hopes exist already. Contrast the mob in Murrieta, with the people of Brownsville and McAllen, Texas. There Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley offers welcome centers at Sacred Heart Church in McAllen and Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Brownsville. The youngest guest: a 1-day-old baby girl. The baby and others are being helped by a host of volunteers.
Heroes are emerging. First might be Sr. Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley. She is convening the local faith communities to address the problem and organizing the local populace to collect food, medicine, children's sweaters and hoodies, men's sneakers, and women's socks and underwear. The city of McAllen is collaborating by providing portable shower facilities and tents for overnight stays.
Another is Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville. On his social media blog, he notes: "What we are seeing unfold in front of our eyes is a humanitarian and refugee reality, not an immigration problem." He adds that "the church must respond in the best way we can to the human need'' and says "at the same time we ask our government to act responsibly to address the reality of migrant refugees. A hemispheric response is needed, not a simple border response. And we ask the government to protect the church's freedom to serve people.''
Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas, spoke before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee in late June. He called the number of children crossing the U.S.-Mexico border "a test of the moral character" of our nation. "We must not fail this test,'' he said.
Right now, the welcoming community of Brownsville and surrounding communities are acing the test. In Murrieta, the mayor and the citizens who drove back the buses need to study more. President Obama looks for ways to return the children to their perilous homeland. The U.S. Congress sits on its hands. To prepare for the test of moral character, protesters in Murrieta, the president and the Congress, might hit the books, especially the New Testament. A place to start is Matthew 25, where Jesus states: "Whatever you do for these, the least of my brethren, you do also for me.''
[Sr. Mary Ann Walsh is director of media relations for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.]
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AI is a hot topic for financial innovators, but few can keep up with the technical terms. Don’t drown in the alphabet soup of jargon. Here are the most used AI terms in plain English.
AI: Artificial Intelligence. A computer that can understand natural language and develop learning skills. More sophisticated than automation, AI enables computers to make complex, judgment-driven decisions that mirror the human process, and then learn from the outcome of those decisions.
Analogical Reasoning: The ability to solve a new problem by comparing the outcomes of past experiences. Humans do it all of the time, computers are just learning.
ANN: Artificial Neural Networks. Machine learning models that seek to imitate the structure of the brain’s neural network.
API: Application programming interface. A set of protocols that allows two (or more) systems to interact with each other. When you choose “log in with Facebook,” on a third party website, an API to connects the two systems. Internal APIs enable connectivity across financial institutions. External APIs connect third-party developers to those institutions’ systems.
Chatbot: A computer program that simulates human conversation through artificial intelligence. Some predict the chatbot will replace the bank teller.
Deep Learning: A subset of machine learning that uses multiple processing layers to make decisions.
NLP: Natural language processing. A computer’s ability to derive meaning from human language through machine interpretation of text and speech recognition.
Robo Advisor: Wealth Management of the Future. A digital financial advisor that assesses your goals and risk tolerance to build an algorithmically managed investment portfolio with little or no human interaction. Soon to be powered by AI.
SDK: Software development kit. A set of development tools that makes it easy to implement an API. SDKs can contain pre-built screens, or a designated workflow to help developers communicate with APIs.
Weak AI: Artificial intelligence that uses few layers of processing, and focuses on a small set of tasks. Most AI in use today is weak AI.
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ramé-hart instrument co.
November 2013 Newsletter
This past month we set out to discover the
exciting realm of electrowetting. Our quest began about a month ago when
a pair of our customers began using our instruments to measure the
effects of electrowetting on different materials they are developing. At
that point we decided we needed to better understand the phenomenon.
We began by attempting to create a simple electrowetting experiment in our own lab. To be honest, our original intention and hope was to be able to replicate something like the experiment shown in the video below - with vivid differences between the wetting and dewetting cycles. However, I must confess that our own experiment fell somewhat short of this.
We first obtained some Kapton tape made from polyimide which was a recommended material due to its hydrophobic and dielectric properties. We used this tape to cover our specimen stage in order to insulate it from any electrical charge. Next, we placed a piece of steel material on top of the tape and then used a single layer of Kapton tape to tape the steel down to the stage. We used banana clips to apply the ground to the plate and then the positive charge to the needle which we left in the drop to act as an electrode. We applied a current and watched. Nothing happened. We checked our voltage and also we checked all of our connections. Everything was set up correctly, but no wetting or dewetting was occurring.
In theory, what we expected to happen when voltage is applied to the droplet phase is the drop should wet out resulting in a lower contact angle as illustrated in the above diagram. The simplest way to understand this behavior is in terms of the forces that are introduced by the electrical field - the drop is pulled down to the surface by the energy stored in capacitor form between the electrode and the drop.
After doing some troubleshooting, we determined that our power source was set to a DC current of about 24V which is not enough to make a significant charge. We also determined that our Kapton tape was too thick (1 mil). So, we made some changes to our system, switched to AC and greatly increased the voltage. At this point we were now able to use electrowetting to reduce the contact angle by just over 20°. See the illustration above. However, in our case, when we removed the electrical charge, the drop did not dewet and return to its original state - rather, it stayed at 71°. We believe that this is due to a somewhat large contact angle hysteresis. More on that in last month's newsletter. To achieve the wetting and dewetting behavior shown in the video, a hydrophobic surface with a low hysteresis would work better. Amorphous fluoropolymers work best such as Teflon AF, Cytop, or FluoroPel - these materials have been designed and optimized for electrowetting applications. A higher voltage may also help. In any case, we were successful in demonstrating the effect of electrowetting. In case we did not mention it, the external phase is air. The contact angle in the above analysis was measured using a ramé-hart Model 400. However, any ramé-hart goniometer or goniometer / tensiometer could be used for this application.
With any new technology, the full range of potential applications is not fully discovered. However, early work in the field has explored adjustable lenses, electronic displays (such as those used in tablet e-readers), oil spill cleanup technology, and for use in microfluidic applications. Researchers at the University of Akron are developing a method for picking up micro objects that uses electrowetting.1 They are also using a ramé-hart goniometer to measure the contact angle in their studies.
|Eighth International Conference on Materials Technologies and Modeling|
We are pleased to announce MMT-2014 which
will be held the last week of July, 2014 at Ariel University in Israel.
Ariel University, which is hosting the conference and Ben Gurion
University, which is a contributor, are both ramé-hart customers. What's
most exciting about this conference is that they will have a
special section on wetting phenomena headed by Dr. Edward Bormashenko. This section will cover, but is
not limited to these topics: fundamentals of wettability, experimental
techniques intended for investigation of wetting, contact angle
hysteresis: experiment and theory, the phenomenon of
superhydrophobicity: experiment, theory, applications,
superoleophobicity, wetting of re-entrant structures, dynamic wetting,
anisotropic wetting, electrowetting, superhydrophilicity,
icephobicity, wetting transitions, surfaces with a tunable wettability,
and liquid marbles. For more details and registration information,
please proceed to:
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Disease is a very hot topic these days
Television ads abound with descriptions of scary symptoms, the 6 o’clock news rings out with warnings about the latest epidemic, and every corner pharmacy and the grocery store is offering flu shots, shingles, and pneumonia vaccines with added incentives of 20% off your purchase.
We can always take a pill for suppressing or a shot in hopes avoiding the uncomfortable symptoms, but is that the most beneficial choice? We should learn all we can about each disease and weigh the risks versus the benefits of each.
Health is “adaptation,” and this process reflects adaptation by getting sick and getting well, getting sick and getting well, again and again, each time maturing the developing immune system.
In comparison, a dysregulated immune system easily gets stuck. Just like a car with its wheels stuck in the snow, the system spins and spins, unable to move through these stages easily within a few days. Dysregulation of immunity looks like chronic ear infections, persistent sore throats or colds that drag on for months, or chronic symptoms like eczema, asthma or allergies. These can be the beginning of deeper chronic pathologies if symptoms continue to be ignored or further suppressed.
An Informed choice about your health is your birthright. Knowledge is power. Learn all you can to make informed choices. Visit our website for more details about acute disease vs. chronic disease.
About the Author: Get your answers to your vaccination questions Cilla is a sought-after speaker and instructor. She holds a B.A. degree from Arizona State University, a diploma from the four-year professional program at Northwestern Academy of Homeopathy, Minneapolis, MN and a PhD. from Kingdom College. She served as a member of the research faculty at The American Medical College of Homeopathy and currently an instructor at Normandale Community College. She is the co-founder of Free and Healthy Children International, a 501c3 for the education of homeopathic practitioners in homeoprophylaxis.
She has presented locally, nationally and internationally. For more information about topics available and fees or if you have questions about Worldwide Choice you can send an email to [email protected]
The information on this site is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, and information contained on or available through this web site is for general information purposes only. Worldwide Choice (WWC) states that the information herein is true and complete to the best of our knowledge, and such information is subject to change without notice. You are encouraged to confirm any information obtained from or through this website with other sources and review all information regarding any medical condition or treatment with your healthcare provider.
NEVER DISREGARD PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL TREATMENT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ OR ACCESSED THROUGH THIS SITE. WWC IS NOT RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY ADVICE, COURSE OF TREATMENT, DIAGNOSIS OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION, SERVICES OR PRODUCTS THAT YOU OBTAIN THROUGH THIS WEB SITE.
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|1921 Imperial Conference|
|Host country||United Kingdom|
|Chair||David Lloyd George|
|Follows||Imperial War Conferences|
|Precedes||1923 Imperial Conference|
The Imperial Conference of 1921 met in London from 20 June to 5 August 1921. It was chaired by British prime minister David Lloyd George.
The Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom and the Dominions met at the 1921 Imperial Conference to determine a unified international policy, particularly the relationship with the United States and Japan. The most urgent issue was that of whether or not to renew the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, which was due to expire on 13 July 1921. On one side were the Prime Minister of Australia, Billy Hughes, and the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Bill Massey, who strongly favoured its renewal. Neither wanted their countries to be caught up in a war between the United States and Japan, and contrasted the generous assistance that Japan rendered during the First World War with the United States' disengagement from international affairs in its aftermath. "The British Empire", declared Hughes, "must have a reliable friend in the Pacific". They were opposed by the Prime Minister of Canada, Arthur Meighen, on the grounds that the alliance would adversely affect the relationship with the United States, which Canada depended upon for its security. As a result, no decision to renew was reached, and the alliance was allowed to expire.
This was the first Imperial Conference to which the colony of India was invited, though it was still a colony and not a dominion. However, it was primarily represented by the British cabinet minister responsible for the subcontinent.
|United Kingdom||David Lloyd George||Prime Minister (Chairman)|
|Austen Chamberlain||Lord Privy Seal|
|Arthur Balfour||Lord President of the Council|
|George Curzon||Foreign Secretary|
|Winston Churchill||Secretary of State for the Colonies|
|Australia||William Hughes||Prime Minister|
|Canada||Arthur Meighen||Prime Minister|
|Charles Ballantyne||Minister of Naval Service|
|India||Edwin Samuel Montagu||Secretary of State for India|
|Khengarji III||Maharao of Cutch|
|V. S. Srinivasa Sastri||Member of the Council of State of India|
|New Zealand||William Massey||Prime Minister|
|South Africa||Jan Smuts||Prime Minister|
|Sir Thomas Smartt||Minister of Agriculture|
|Hendrik Mentz||Minister of Defence|
|This history article is a stub. You can help popflock.com resource by .|
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OINAMIKA HARlAN HASIL TANGKAPAN RAJUNGAN (Portunnus pelagicus) KAITANNYA OENGAN FASE BULAN OI PERAIRAN BONDET,OREBON (The Daily Catch Dinamic ofBlue Flying Crab (Portunnus pewgicus) with its in Rewtionship to the Moon's Cycle in Bondet Waters, Cirebon)
In arder to have better understanding about small scale fisheries characteristic, the study about reliltionship between moon's cycle and daily dynamic ofblue swimming crab (Portunnus pelilgicus) has conducted in Bandet, Cirebon. The study has carried out by following fishermen fishing activity during 28 days moon's cycle. The result shows that the catch of blue swimming crab (in number) is highest during full moon's cycles than others. However, individual weight of blue swimming crab is highest during new
moon's cycles than others. The other result also sJwws that sex-ratio of blue swimming crab is lowest during dark moon's cycles than others.
Keywords: blue flying crab, daily catch dynamic, moon's cycle.
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Should we care?
There are certainly enough reasons not to be bothered. It’s another global plan – the kind that is great on paper and really difficult to implement on the ground.
Well, it turns out we should, and for more reasons than you might think.
This is the mother of all international strategies. It’s the one that looks at all the pieces and asks “how are we going to get survive?”
These are goals for a better world. It links environmental sustainability with basic human rights and aspirations. Quality of life is a cornerstone of sustainable development
What does it mean for us, here in Canada?
Well, for starters, it’s an opportunity to get our own house in order. We used to be leaders in tackling issues of sustainability. Let’s aim high!
Apply the UN goals to Canada
Imagine a national strategy built around the 17 international goals. The social, economic, and environmental components of the UN agenda provide an unparalleled opportunity to unite for a better future.
Help /other Countries
As a country of immigrants, Canada has strong cultural ties around the world, especially with countries that are struggling to raise their standard of living. Focus our efforts on aid, not trade – and on helping other countries achieve their own goals for sustainable development.
For more information on the UN Sustainability Goals, including the full list of fifteen year targets, go here:
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January 28th, 2014
[responsivevoice voice=”UK English Male” buttontext=”Listen”]
In 2013 Panathlon ran 50 sports competitions across the country involving over 3,500 disabled young people with a range of impairments but it became clear that two impairment groups – students with visual impairments, and hearing impaired or deaf children – had fewer opportunities to compete than others.
A pilot scheme was set up last year after consultation with key deaf and VI impairment focussed schools in London and discussions with agencies including British Blind Sport, Deaf Sport UK, National Children’s Deaf Society, National Schools Deaf Sports Association and Interactive. Panathlon then designed appropriate events to meet the demand for sports identified to grow these participation opportunities.
For visually impaired children, in 2013 Panathlon delivered:
In 2014, Panathlon is building on last year’s work, providing the following for some 30 visually impaired children:
Janine Edwards, a teacher at Whitmore High School, says: “Using the VI boccia grid was a real highlight for me and the students. It’s a fantastic piece of equipment and I look forward to working on it with the students over the coming months. It’s obviously so important to involve our visually impaired students who can sometimes struggle to take part in mainstream activity.”
As far as deaf activity is concerned, in 2013 Panathlon delivered:
In 2014 Panathlon is increasing the amount of activity, including:
Reports from Frank Barnes School suggest Panathlon is providing real benefits, encouraging children to learn and develop independent sport skills within a safe and friendly environment, and giving children the chance to enjoy the experience of sport as it should be.
Martine Monksfield from Blanche Neville School has similar feedback. She says: “Since the majority of deaf children are mainstreamed, there is little opportunity for them to discover deaf sports like the Deaf Olympics, GB Deaf swimming, GB Tennis etc, and Panathlon is instrumental in being able to deliver this awareness and enable deaf children to participate in deaf sports with each other.
They are not always able to understand or follow instructions or strategies, nor feel comfortable to participate using the best of their ability in mainstream sport so they have a specific activity and competition with their peers, this has given them confidence now to also use in mainstream sport because they understand it better and are able to perform to the best of their ability (so much that we found we had to deal with competitive behaviour and introduce sportsmanship!)
Meanwhile, Vhaire Stewart, a teacher at Norwood Green Junior School, says: “The children really enjoy the lessons and it’s good for us to see their skills develop from one session to the next. We’d love to have more sessions in the future and we’ll be sure to attend the competition next summer!”
It is clear that demand has outstripped supply, shown by the fact that schools outside the London region have expressed interest in joining in the competition calendar due to a lack of opportunities for their schools. Through Panathlon, the resurrection of the impairment school sport for the Deaf and VI students has created once more a community environment of learning through sport and has given these children a real 2012 Games legacy.
Catering for these niche groups has proved beyond doubt that Panathlon is benefitting specific impairment groups and the work is having a major impact.
Thanks must go to various organisations that have helped fund this area of work over the last two years including; the Jack Petchey Foundation, The Ovingdean Hall Foundation, The Birkdale Trust, Dan Maskell Tennis Foundation and Blatchington Court.
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Terrestrial wildlife is being hunted for consumption by humans in the tropics at an unprecedented rate, and the often unsustainable nature of this harvest has profound implications not only for biodiversity and ecosystem function, but also for human livelihoods. Whilst the nature and impacts of this practice have been studied in numerous contexts and localities, a comprehensive treatment of the social, economic, and environmental determinants of both hunter decision-making and hunting outcomes has been lacking. In this review we discuss influences of hunting methods and effort on the types of animals caught, the efficiency of harvest, and the implications of these factors for sustainability. We highlight gaps in current understanding, and identify the most important data requirements. Our approach provides a framework for the design of future studies into wild meat hunting and its impacts, promoting the efficient targeting of priority areas of research.
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All my students will find it helpful to know why the golf ball flies as it does. Whether the shot slices, hooks, doesn’t get off the ground, pops up or has no distance. These ball flights are laws and are based on the principles of physics.
Club head speedLet me simplify what the club causes at impact to produce these effects. There are five causes that effect the pattern to your golf balls flight.
Club head path
Angle of approach
Centerness of hit
Club head speed:
Or the speed to which the club head is traveling during impact. A no brainer, the faster the club head goes through impact the more velocity or speed the golf ball will have, providing you make contact (sorry, I couldn’t help it). If I throw a baseball with fast moving hands the baseball will have more velocity or speed. We call that a "fastball." If I toss the baseball underhand with slow moving hands, well, we usually reference that to “slow pitch softball”. So, more club head speed (cause) the more golf ball velocity (effect) which produces a shot that goes farther.
Our first goal: To end up with a long ball flight by generating more club head speed. However, long can be wrong, let’s move on to the next law of ball flight.
Club head path:
This is the path of the club’s head traveling through the impact zone. Now, let’s make an imaginary ball to target line by getting back behind the ball, straddle that imaginary ball to target line with our feet and look straight down that line towards our target with the right foot on the outside or to the right and the left foot on the inside or to the left of that imaginary ball/target line. So, if the shot starts to the left (a pull effect) the clubs head was traveling along a path from the outside to the inside (cause) in respect to our imaginary line during impact. The opposite holds true for a shot that starts right (a push) of the imaginary ball to target line. The clubs head traveled from inside to outside with respect to the target line. That doesn’t mean that if the ball started right or left that it will stay right or left, that is determined by the spin of the golf ball.
Our second goal: To end up with a long ball flight by generating more club head speed with a shot that started straight by producing a club head path that was down the line at impact. Now you cringe and utter, “Geeeezz, well it started straight, why the heck did it turn to the right!” Well, let’s move on to the curve of the ball.
There are three face angles. Open, square and closed. Two of them (open and closed) to various degrees. Really open, really closed, just a little open or just a little closed. Square is square. But it’s the position of the clubs face angle in respect to the club heads path that is going to determine the spin or shall I say “the curve of the golf balls flight”. For a right handed golfer, an open clubface (cause) produces a curve to the right (slice effect) and a closed clubface (cause) produces a shot that curves to the left (hook effect). Just a little open or closed with respect to the club heads path would impart less spin to the right (fade) or left (draw).
Our third goal: To end up with a long straight ball flight by generating more club head speed, producing a club head path that was down the line and achieving a square face at impact. “Yeah baby, that’s 300 yards straight down the middle!” “No that was only 200 yards down the middle.” “You may have gotten 300 yards had you got the ball up in the air.” Lets move on to getting it airborne.
Angle of approach:
Another term for this law is “angle of attack”. There are three angles the clubs head will approach impact. Descending down into the ball, ascending up into the ball or level through the ball. One way to think about this is to draw a circle. The circle represents your club head arc. If you were to draw a line straight down from the center of that circle you would intersect the lowest point of the circle. That represents the lowest point of your swing arc. If the ball is just behind or left of that lowest point the club would descend. If the ball was directly at the bottom of the arc, your clubs head would approach the ball on a level arc. And if the ball was just in front of that lowest point or to the right the clubs head would approach the ball ascending up into the ball. You want your clubs head approaching down or descending into the ball with wedges and irons to create backspin so the ball stops on the green. You want your putter ascending up into the ball to create top or forward spin so it will roll to the hole. When you swing the driver, which has less loft than wedges and irons, your ball rests on a tee 1-3 inches off the ground which is placed just in front of your bottom most portion of your swing arc. That way the driver swings through impact at a level approach to slightly ascending so you create less backspin than an iron or a wedge. So with the driver, when the ball lands it can reverse its spin and tumble over to create roll.
Our fourth goal: To end up with a high long straight ball flight by generating more club head speed, producing a club head path that was down the line and achieving a square face at impact. Remember create backspin by hitting down on the ball rather than scooping or trying to get the club under the ball to try and lift it up in the air. This is probably the most important issue regarding ball flight law for the beginner. “You mean I’ve gotta hit down on the ball to get it up in the air?”, my students ask. “Yep, golf’s a game of opposites, lowest score wins”. Lets move on to efficiency.
Centerness of hit:
You can contact the ball on the toe of the clubface (the farthest part of the clubs face from the golfer) inducing a hook shot. Or, contact can be on the heel (the closest part of the clubs face to the golfer) inducing a slice. God forbid you hit it on the housel (where the shaft is inserted into the head of the club) inducing a …, well I won’t even completely spell it much less say it. It’s golf’s dirtiest word, starts with sh___, but has three letters, not two. You could whiff it. Which still counts as a stroke, but one stroke better than long and wrong into OB (out of bounds) territory. I think most readers of this article understand it’s better making contact in the middle of the clubs face (sweet spot) than anywhere else on the club. The golfer will get a more dynamic efficient strike on the ball by making contact on the sweet spot of the clubface. This does take practice. Lots of good practice.
Our fifth goal: Causing a flight of the ball that was long (club head speed) in respect to which club is being used, started straight (club head path), then stayed straight with no hooking or slicing from side spine (face angle), getting it airborne (angle of approach) with an efficient strike (center-ness of hit). “IT’S IN THE HOLE!”
In summary, it’s very helpful to first know what your club is telling the ball what to do. If you don’t know what the clubs doing to the ball, how do you know what to do to the club? These five laws of flight are set in stone. They’re based on physics, or the natural order of things. Call it what you will, but you can’t descend down into the back of the golf ball and give it topspin, it’s law. It won’t happen. You can’t throw a baseball forward and have it travel backwards.
You can, however, tee it up with your driver. Swing out of your shoes. Make contact directly under the ball with the top of the driver because it was teed up too high. By doing so, you’ll impart backspin on the ball sending it straight up in the air. When it lands around the same spot it started from, your net result will be a drive that went a negative yard. I’ve seen it. Number 2 tee box, Torrey North. He was a friend of mine more than a student. We were laughing so hard after he created that shot, I said “I’ll give you $100 if you can do that again”. Well he tried, but we would have been there all day.
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Technically speaking it is still spring, but the temperature is already rising in the greater Philadelphia area. The warm weather means people are getting outside with their dogs more and letting their cats play in the garden, and that’s great. Exercise is wonderful for cats and dogs, especially outdoor exercise while supervised by their owner. With the nice weather and warmer temperatures comes increased risk of heat stroke in pets, a condition that could send you and your pet to an emergency care veterinarian in the Philadelphia area. Last summer, Philadelphia had a number of heat waves and heat wave warnings from the National Weather Service. After a warm winter and warm spring, this year is looking as if it will be just as hot if not hotter—and along with the humidity in our area, we’ll very likely have days with a heat index well over 100 degrees. Heat like that isn’t just uncomfortable—it’s dangerous, especially for your pets who can’t ask for water, and who rely on human assistance to get the shade and other heat relief they need.
Learning the signs of heat stroke will help you protect your pets, but first it’s good to understand exactly what heat stroke really is. Heat stroke is a condition that can happen to both humans and their pets. It’s caused by the body overheating due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures and physical exertion. Dogs and cats are especially at risk as they can’t shed their furry coats when they start to feel warm.
That’s why when you’re outside with your pets—or when you let them back into the house—you should look for symptoms of heat stroke. Panting and excessive thirst, two of the most common symptoms, are difficult to isolate, so really be on the lookout for staggering, weakness, glazed eyes, lethargy, and signs of discomfort. More severe cases of heatstroke can cause vomiting or diarrhea, and animals may show signs of disorientation, lose consciousness, or have a seizure. These are all signs that your pet needs immediate care or even medical attention.
If you fear the worst, seek out an emergency care veterinarian in the Philadelphia area as quickly as possible. Heatstroke in pets can cause real and lasting damage to the heart, brain, and nervous system. There is also a risk of death.
If you feel your pet is just mildly overheated and it’s not an emergency situation, you can treat your pet in a few ways. The first step is, of course, to immediately get your pet out of the heat. Put them in a cool location, and then put on a fan to help them cool down their body. You can also help by placing cool (not cold) wet towels around the base of their neck, under their armpits, and under their body. Dogs can also be helped by bathing their earflaps and paws in cool water. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, of course—so please, contact a 24/7 vet for help if you think your pet needs it.
VRC is a specialty veterinary healthcare hospital that serves the Philadelphia area. Summer or winter, we are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
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The joyous nature of the Purim celebration often carries a serious message behind the smile. The Purim Spiel often takes a look at world politics with various world leaders playing the roles of heroes and villains. By offering a mocking commentary, the Purim Spiel presents a Jewish version of political justice in the world.
Despite the relatively minor nature of the festival of Purim, it has assumed far greater proportions and significance in popular Jewish culture. It is often celebrated as if it were a major Jewish holiday. On the surface of it, the events of Purim — recounted in the biblical Book of Esther — are about a near catastrophe in ancient Persia. The Jews, about to be attacked, end up turning the tables on their enemies and end up the victors. Therefore, the date of Purim became an opportunity for celebration of this miraculous turn of events.
Early on, the Talmud records that Purim was a date of celebrations and riotous parties. In the Talmudic tractate entitled Megillah (megillah means “scroll,” referring to the scroll of Esther) the ancient Rabbis passed along a longstanding tradition that in order to celebrate the victory of Purim, everyone is supposed to drink alcohol and reach the point where they are unable to differentiate between the phrases “Bless Mordecai” and “Curse Haman”(Megillah 7a). While the dictum of consuming alcohol may not be palatable to everyone today, drinking (at least for the adults!) and merriment remain a traditional aspect of Purim celebrations.
Even though Purim is a religious opportunity for young and old to celebrate together, the celebration of Purim has been commonly relegated to a children’s event. Many synagogues today celebrate Purim by holding a Purim fair or carnival. This is an opportunity to set up booths with games, give prizes, and serve holiday foods. And the highlight of any Purim celebration is the Purim Spiel.
The Purim Spiel
Spiel is a Yiddish word meaning a “play” or “skit.” A Purim spiel is actually a dramatic presentation of the events outlined in the Book of Esther. Featuring the main characters, such as King Ahasuerus, Mordecai, Esther, and the wicked Haman, the Purim spiel was a folk-inspired custom providing an opportunity for crowds to cheer the heroes (Mordecai and Esther) and boo the villains (Haman). It is a staple of many modern synagogue Purim celebrations for children to attend the ritual chanting of the Book of Esther and Purim carnivals dressed in costumes depicting these main characters.
Often, a synagogue religious school will hold a costume contest and organize a parade of all the costumed children. While it is traditional to masquerade as characters from the story of Esther, many Jewish families celebrate Purim as an alternative to Halloween, with children dressing in non-traditional costumes and masks. There is no “right” or “wrong” costume for Purim.
In relatively modern times, the popularity of these Purim shpiel plays and the boisterous audience reaction they engendered, spilled over into the actual synagogue celebration of Purim when the scroll of Esther is chanted in Hebrew. There is an ancient tradition derived from the Torah that one is supposed to “blot out” the mention of Haman as a form of enduring spiritual punishment and ignominy for his actions. Therefore, synagogue attendees attempting to “blot out” Haman’s name will literally shout, catcall, boo and swing noisemakers, called graggers, to drown out the name of Haman as it is read.
Many synagogues hold special family or children’s services on Purim, or make a point of including families in the chanting of the Book of Esther so that the children will be able to not only attend in costume, but shake their noisemakers and contribute to the merriment through making lots of noise. In fact, a growing custom is to hold an arts-and-crafts session for the children in advance of the Purim festivities so that children can make their own graggers and masks to wear.
Purim shpiels have evolved over time into the presentation of humorous skits not just about the story of Purim, but also about leaders and well-known people in the community. In synagogues, members may write and act in funny skits gently mocking the rabbis, cantor, president, and other people. In Jewish religious day schools, no teacher ever escapes the mocking attention of their students in such Purim shpiels.
Purim spiels also include popular songs sung with new, creative funny lyrics lampooning community leaders. Some congregations go to elaborate lengths in producing spiels, sometimes writing mini-musical plays, or with some people renting expensive outrageous costumes. It is also traditional for religious leaders to deliver “Purim Torahs,” which are farcical, sometimes nonsensical, sermons about ridiculous topics. Often, the synagogue bulletin for Purim will be a special joke edition with many funny, ludicrous articles.
Blowing Off Steam
Dr. Jeffrey Rubenstein, a professor of religion at New York University writes that Purim is a holiday characterized by “liminality,” that is, a day in which traditional social boundaries and rules of etiquette are deliberately blurred. Purim is a day for a community to “blow off steam” by celebrating this ancient escape from destruction. Therefore, it is a day of topsy-turvy antics, especially in the Purim shpiel. In addition to drinking more alcohol than usual, well-respected leaders are lampooned, children dress up as adults and, especially in Israel, men often dress up as women and vice versa. It is a day in which society as we know it is turned upside down.
But the celebrations of Purim are ultimately for a religious purpose — to celebrate the unseen presence of God who saved the Jewish community in Persia thousands of years ago. While Purim shpiels and graggers may seem to diminish the spiritual importance of the holiday, they are part of an ongoing celebration of good over evil, and a festival celebrating God’s presence in Jewish history.
Pronounced: PUR-im, the Feast of Lots, Origin: Hebrew, a joyous holiday that recounts the saving of the Jews from a threatened massacre during the Persian period.
Pronounced: TALL-mud, Origin: Hebrew, the set of teachings and commentaries on the Torah that form the basis for Jewish law. Comprised of the Mishnah and the Gemara, it contains the opinions of thousands of rabbis from different periods in Jewish history.
Pronunced: TORE-uh, Origin: Hebrew, the Five Books of Moses.
Pronounced: SHPEEL, Origin: Yiddish, literally “play” or “skit.” A Purim shpiel is a humorous and dramatic presentation of the events outlined in the Book of Esther, often performed on Purim eve. Also used to mean story or explanation not necessarily on Purim.
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Like other animals living on the ground, birds also suffer from a variety of diseases. Newcastle disease is one of the common diseases of birds that is widely seen among them. This viral disease affects the respiratory, digestive and nerve systems of birds. Newcastle was first identified in 1926 in Newcastle, England, and in Iran in 1929.
This viral disease is particularly visible amongst industrially and densely birdy birds. They must be vaccinated to avoid Newcastle disease broiler chickens.
Like other animals living on the ground, birds also suffer from a variety of diseases. Newcastle is a common disease of birds that is widely observed among them. This viral disease affects the respiratory, digestive and nerve systems of birds. Newcastle was first identified in 1926 in Newcastle, England, and in Iran in 1929.
Newcastle is among the birds with various respiratory, digestive and nervous symptoms. These symptoms vary depending on the age, species and health of the birds.
Respiratory effects: Newcastle disease with breathing difficulties and coughing affects the respiratory system.
Nervous effects: Newcastle disease has a depressed state and is unconscious. Falling wings and dizzying head and neck are other signs of Newcastle. The bird suffering from this disease suffers from other effects such as swirling around, trembling and swelling of the eyes and throat.
Gastrointestinal effects: Newcastle disease causes the bird to become watery and green diarrhea. It also reduces egg laying of laying birds.
The Newcastle disease virus is transmitted through food poisoning and is not likely to be transmitted through air breathing or aerosols. This disease does not have any cure and supportive methods such as vaccination are used to treat it.
Newcastle is a common disease between birds and humans. It can be transmitted directly from the bird to humans, or through products like bird meat.
The disease in humans has symptoms such as eye tears, insomnia and dizziness. It's interesting to know that some Newcastle Virus is used to kill cancer cells and make anti-cancer drugs. In the following article, we will refer to methods for the treatment and treatment of Newcastle disease in poultry.
comments that contain insults or defamation to persons, ethnicities, opinions of others, or conflicts with the laws of the country and religious groups will not be published - please write your comments in Farsi.
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Safe havens for coral reefs will be almost non-existent at 1.5°C of global warming – new study
Coral reefs have long been regarded as one of the earliest and most significant ecological casualties of global warming. In new research published in the journal PLOS Climate, we found that the future of these tropical ecosystems – thought to harbour more species than any other – is probably worse than anticipated.
Climate change is causing more frequent marine heatwaves worldwide. Corals have adapted to live in a specific temperature range, so when ocean temperatures are too hot for a prolonged period, corals can bleach – losing the colourful algae that live within their tissue and nourish them via photosynthesis – and may eventually die.
Across the tropics, mass bleaching and die-offs have gone from being rare to a somewhat regular occurrence as the climate has warmed. More frequent heatwaves mean that the time corals have to recover is getting shorter.
In a 2018 report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicted that 1.5°C of global warming would cause between 70 and 90% of the world’s coral reefs to disappear. Now, with models capable of examining temperature differences between coral reefs one kilometre apart, our team found that at 1.5°C of warming, which the world is predicted to reach in the early 2030s without drastic action to limit greenhouse gas emissions, 99% of the world’s reefs will experience heatwaves that are too frequent for them to recover.
That would spell catastrophe for the thousands of species that depend on coral reefs, as well as the roughly one billion people whose livelihoods and food supply benefits from coral reef biodiversity.
The thermal stress of a heatwave can affect corals over a huge geographic area, like the entire northern Great Barrier Reef or archipelagos like the Maldives. A marine heatwave in 2015-16 caused widespread bleaching in each of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Corals are small polyp-like animals that form colonies of thousands by secreting a calcium carbonate skeleton that builds a reef. Corals grow slowly, so their recovery following bleaching and die-offs can take a long time and can be hampered by pollution and overfishing. Some species grow faster and are more capable of recovering quicker.
Scientists hope that local conditions on some reef tracts will ensure suitable temperatures for corals in the future, even when surrounding areas warm. These conditions may be possible due to upwelling, where cooler water is brought to the surface, or strong ocean currents. Reef managers can prioritise these so-called refugia, which offer corals a greater chance of survival.
Finding these refugia is difficult, though, as they are likely to be small and the resolution of climate projections that model changes in ocean temperatures over time tend to be too coarse. Our team increased the resolution of climate model projections by downscaling them with historical data from satellite observations to find out where refugia are likely to persist in the future.
We found that, from 1986 to 2019, 84% of the world’s reefs offered sufficient thermal refuge. This meant corals had enough time to recover in between bleaching events. With 1.5°C of global warming above pre-industrial levels, only 0.2% of these refugia remain. At 2°C of warming, safe havens from heat for coral reefs will no longer exist.
Preliminary findings from another study (yet to complete the peer-review process) would seem to confirm the catastrophic effects of 1.5°C of global warming on coral reefs. This research was carried out independently by scientists in the US using a different method but the same climate models and spatial resolutions.
The future of coral reefs
Global warming of 1.5°C is the lower limit that world leaders aspired to maintain when they signed the Paris agreement in 2015. This target is moving further out of reach. For coral reefs, there is no safe limit to global warming. Given the rate at which the global average temperature is increasing, marine heatwaves are likely to become so frequent that most of the world’s coral reefs will experience intolerable heat stress regularly. Most reefs have already experienced at least one such event this decade.
Not all regions are stressed at the same time as heatwaves are not global, nor do all corals bleach. Some coral species are more capable of coping with extreme temperatures than others due to their growth form or the type of algae within their tissue. Still, the magnitude and frequency of heatwaves predicted in this study will probably affect even resistant coral species, suggesting the world will lose most of its reef biodiversity. Coral reefs of the future are likely to look very different to the colourful and diverse ecosystems we know today.
Climate change is already degrading coral reefs globally. Now we know that protecting the last remaining temperature refuges will not work on its own. Slashing greenhouse gas emissions this decade is the best hope for saving what remains.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 10,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.
Adele Dixon receives funding from NERC (UKRI).
Maria Beger receives funding from NERC (UKRI).
Peter Kalmus receives funding from NASA.
Scott F. Heron receives funding from the Australian Research Council and NASA ROSES Ecological Forecasting.
source: The Conversation: Safe havens for coral reefs will be almost non-existent at 1.5°C of global warming – new study
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|Publisher:||University of North Carolina Press|
At its peak, between 1910 and 1917, pageantry blended elements of the historical oration and the carnival parade and served as a vehicle for local boosterism, patriotic moralizing, and popular entertainment. Many of its promoters, immersed in the world of progressive reform movements, also viewed pageantry as a dramatic public ritual that could bring about social and political transformation. But embedded within the pageant form was a glorification of a distant past at the expense of the present, a facet of American culture that would later become even more prominent.
By the mid-twentieth century, Glassberg shows, public imagery had begun to depict the past as something without ongoing significance for either the present or the future. At the same time, narratives of local community developmentt had given way to an emphasis on national unity, and the popularity of pageantry as a way of representing history in civic celebrations waned.
By 1937, when Paul Green's The Lost Colony opened in Manteo, North Carolina, the historical pageant had become primarily a professionally produced drama depicting a particular period of the past frozen in time for tourists rather than the reenactment of a larger sweep of town history by and for its residents.
Illustrated with more than 100 black-and-white photographs, this portrait of pageantry's development and decline makes public historical celebrations come alive once again.
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Direct your Attitude to attract better things
Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference – Winston Churchill. In psychology, an attitude is an expression of favour or disfavour toward a person, place, thing, or event.
It seems perfectly natural to experience disfavour toward a person, place, thing or event sometimes and sometimes it surely must be exactly the correct attitude to take.
I suspect though, that often we jump on the negative without good reason and almost unconsciously expect bad things before the good. Ruby Wax talks about this in her 2013 book, Sane New World. There are very good evolutionary reasons for the human brain to actually react faster to negative vibes than to positive ones – it’s all about being primed for danger and reacting appropriately for survival.
The trouble is that it is the same ancient stress response designed for fight or flight in the presence of a sabre-toothed tiger, working when we feel a bit anxious about a presentation to a few people or getting wound up in a traffic jam. Same brain chemicals as our prehistoric ancestors, flooding our bodies at the sign of something dangerous, like someone queue jumping in the supermarket.
Clearly there are good reasons to react quickly and decisively in a negative situation, when danger and potential harm is present, but it does not always serve us to be on a constant danger vigil, as our ancestors had to.
Even if you tend to be pessimistic, you can learn to think positively and bring about better outcomes in life. Here are some pointers:
Listen to your Self-Talk – Probably the first thing to do is to realise that some (or much) of your thinking is not serving you. Become conscious of not just your spoken language but the language of your thoughts and especially what you tell yourself about yourself. Make it a habit to notice the form of internal dialogue rather than have it being mostly unconscious.
Adjust your Self-Talk – The next stage is to consciously adjust that internal dialogue. Once you get into the habit of noticing your own self-talk, you start to realise how much of it is negative and also, how much of it is simply untrue, it is just a bad habit of self-criticism which works on itself in a downward spiral.
Creating some positive words and phrases (aka affirmations) about yourself, actually writing them down to read over again, will serve to adjust that attitude and start to attract the things that people with a good attitude get. And this is not a slow process. A few self-directed positive phrases in the morning can make a huge difference straight away that day.
Know that change is possible, know that change is inevitable – As Tony Robbins says, you don’t have to worry about change, change is inevitable whatever you do. What motivates people is progress. It is the kind of change you create that is important.
So you have to know that the change that is going on all the time can and is adjusted and directed by everything we do, all the time. Even slight adjustments in attitude and behaviour bring about changed circumstances and outcomes. We all have the power to make differences, positive and negative.
Identify what change is needed – Most people have aspects of their lives that they would like to change. Actually sitting down and noting these and creating a plan to change things is a step further though.
As Freud would say, it brings your darkness into the light. Bring those niggling issues to the surface, analyse and get to know them. Then you can work on a self-talk plan (see above) to begin making attitude adjustments for each change you want to see.
Check who you are hanging out with – I’m not sure who it was but somebody said we become the average of our 5 closest acquaintances (why it’s 5 I’m not sure. I guess it could be 4 or 7 or 10 aswell). The point is though, that we can actively adjust who we are spending time with and therefore change our influences, attitudes and outcomes.
Choose good role models – Modeling is a term in the field of personal development that basically means “if you want to do/be something, find somebody who is doing/being it or done it already and model what they do”. The chances of getting a better attitude toward something is immeasurably increased by following or getting to know role models who have already achieved or are achieving the desired goal. Aswell as the wisdom that can be passed, their success in a given area will mould your attitude and motivate.
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PI: Lindsey DeVries, PhD and Co-PI: Caitlin Middleton, PhD
Youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience challenges navigating puberty, sexuality, and relationship changes that take place in adolescence. Parents of preteens and teens with ASD frequently feel ill-equipped to provide proactive teaching and support to their child around puberty, caring for changing bodies, sexuality, and relationships.
To date, there are very few interventions and supports that provide specific information and resources for parents in supporting their autistic children through puberty and adolescence. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the feasibility and initial efficacy of the Birds and Bees Program, a parent-mediated sexual and reproductive health program for youth with ASD.
Interested parents can call 720-777-6630 to get on the list for Birds and Bees.
This project is funded by the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P). The project is working on COMIRB approval. Birds & Bees Flyer
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Wednesday, October 7, 2020, 6 p.m., Online
Artist Abelardo Morell's work has quite literally been a reflection of nature, often using glass, lenses, and mirrors to make abstractions of his subject matter. Perhaps best known for his use of a camera obscura, he layers landscapes, surfaces, and architecture to create disorienting photographs that are in fact recordings of what was in front of (or in) the camera. Join us for the start of our Wish You Were Here series as Morell discusses a range of his projects throughout his extensive career, including After Constable, which is featured in our current exhibition Gathering Clouds: Photographs from the Nineteenth Century and Today.
Wish You Were Here is generously sponsored by museum member Dr. Thomas N. Tischer.
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|Size:||Length: 1 to 14 inches (2.5 to 36 cm), depending on the species|
|Diet:||Plankton and brine shrimp|
|Distribution:||Atlantic coasts of Europe and Africa, Atlantic & Pacific coasts of North America|
|Young:||50 to 1,500 sea ponies|
|Animal Predators:||Crab, tuna, cod, sea perch, skates, rays|
|IUCN Status:||Vulnerable to Endangered|
|Terms:||Young: Sea pony|
|Lifespan:||An average of four years in the wild|
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Sea horses need a high intake of food to survive.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Their eyes can move independently of each other.
<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>The scientific name is derived from Greek, meaning hippo—horse, campos—sea monster.
· <![endif]>Sea horses resemble the horse-shaped chess piece (knight).
· The coronet, a structure on the top of the sea horse’s head, is nearly as unique as a human thumbprint.
· The sea horse’s dorsal fin can flap up to 35 times a second.
The name for these fish comes from their head’s similarity to that of a horse. Sea horses can change colour as camouflage to match their surroundings or even to match their mate. Sea horses have a tubular snout that they use like a straw, sucking in food and water. Their body consists of bony plates that form body armour arranged in rings around the body and tail, making this fish not a favourite with predators, due to the amount of bones. Males are easily distinguished from females, because of the males’ abdominal pouch.
<![if !supportEmptyParas]>Sea horses are found off the coasts of Europe, Africa and North America in shallow, warm water close to land.
Sea horses wrap their tails around plant stems to hold themselves in place while eating or when water currents threaten to sweep them away. They feed on plankton, sucking it in through their snouts. Sea ponies may feed for up to 10 hours each day.
The male seahorse offers his breeding pouch to the female, opening the pouch wide. The female moves her body to the pouch opening and fills it with up to 1,500 orange eggs. He then carries and incubates the fertilized eggs until they hatch, about 40 or 50 days later, depending on the species. The sea ponies are born live, taking from less than one hour to up to two days for all of the eggs to hatch. When it is time for the incubated young to be born, the father holds fast to a plant stem or some other object with his tail. He bends rapidly backward and forward until the pouch opens and a baby seahorse pops out. The infant seahorses emerge headfirst and are swimming, independent miniatures of their parents. If any of the babies are stillborn and remain in the pouch, the male may die within days from a bacterial infection. Sexual maturity is reached at four months of age.
These friendly, loyal fish are monogamous and will hold tails while courting, forming a “V” with their bodies. Each morning sea horses greets their mate warmly, doing what appears to be a dance. If a sea horse’s mate dies or disappears, it is slow to find a new mate. All sea horses use their pelvic and pectoral fins for steering. They swim slowly in an upright position and take frequent breaks. Juveniles often form groups by holding onto each other’s tails.
Sea horse populations are reported to have dropped by 50 percent in the last few years, mainly due to loss of habitat and demands in Asian markets for their use in medicinal products. The Knysna Seahorse (Hippocampus capensis) is listed as Endangered on the IUCN’s Red List and 30 more sea horse species are listed as Vulnerable.
Sea Horse Wildlife Fact File, IM Pub, US
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Getting Less Than 6 Hours of Sleep a Night After 50 Raises Dementia Risk 30%
How did you sleep last night? If not so well, then you may want to prioritize that aspect of your health, according to a new study that was just published, linking sleep to dementia risk. The study found if you sleep less than six hours a night, after 50, it increases your risk of dementia by 30 percent. The New York Times reported on the findings and people repeated it to me all day long. Our family is known for not needing or getting much sleep, and my mom (the most energetic of all) couldn't tell you what day it was for the last years of her life. For anyone who is used to boasting that they don't need sleep, this study was a wake-up call to make sleep as much of a priority as hitting the gym or the salad bar.
People often are so focused on other aspects of their health, like eating a plant-based diet or getting daily exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight, that they neglect the importance of sleep. Instead of insisting "I don't need much sleep," tell yourself your brain may not operate as well on less sleep. Say: "I do need sleep, I just don't know it yet."
The study looked at sleep data from nearly 8,000 participants and found that those who slept less than six hours in their 50s and 60s had a 30 percent higher rate of dementia than those who slept the "normal 7 hours." What this study didn't do was look at sleep patterns in earlier life, so it may be safe to assume that getting enough sleep is a good idea, at any age.
The study followed people for 30 years to measure whether significant changes in sleep patterns were related to increased cases of dementia and found that sleeping less or more than normal is also associated with the brain disorder: "Observational studies show both short and long sleep duration to be associated with the increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia," the study said.
Alzheimer’s is known to begin 15 or more years before someone sees symptoms of memory loss, executive function loss, or irrational thoughts, so the authors of the study said that erratic sleep patterns during that time could be even bee considered an early effect of the disease.
But their biggest takeaway is: "Persistent short sleep duration was associated with an increased risk of dementia." So sleep should be considered a health priority, along with diet.
So how do you get to sleep? Diet plays a role
The role of diet and quality sleep has been studied and reported on. Lack of adequate sleep has been linked to a variety of causes, including ill health, aging, and stress, according to Columbia University’s Neurology Department. But it also has to do with what we eat.
The nutrients in plant-based foods such as green leafy vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds can help you get better quality sleep, including iron, zinc, and magnesium. A 2020 study in Sleep Medicine Reviews linked iron deficiency to restless leg syndrome, which can disrupt sleep. Not getting enough magnesium has been linked to sleep in a study in Nutrients. Magnesium is found in nuts and seeds. Zinc is known to help your brain's circadian rhythms which regulate your sleep cycles, according to studies. Zinc is plentiful in beans, peas, nuts such as cashews and almonds, and chickpeas.
Bottom Line: to be brain healthier, gt more sleep. For 5 Key Nutrients For A Good Night's Sleep, check out The Beet's recommendations for what to eat.
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Teflon sleeves are designed for flexible connection of various units of machinery and equipment, working in conditions of high vibration, hammer and pressure pulsations of the working fluid.
The design feature of PTFE pipes (PTFE hoses) is a flexible inner chamber in the form of a tube of PTFE (Teflon), which sequentially deposited layers of spiral and mesh stainless steel braiding.
Teflon sleeve have a low hydraulic resistance as compared with the classic hose, high purity of the working surface, protected against electrostatic charges transported to any inert liquids and gases, including particularly aggressive (solvents).
Today, such products as Teflon sleeve may be required if you need flexible connection of the units of various mechanisms, where there is high pressure, temperature, chemically aggressive environment. High pressure hoses are designed for use in almost all hazardous environments.
PTFE, which can still be called Teflon sleeves - it's an inner tube to be coated stainless steel 1 or 2 layers. Such sleeves get connected by means of special valves.
Teflon tubing, usually with smooth walls. If there is a need to improve the indicators of flexibility, the tube may have a corrugated wall, but this figure significantly increases and the cost of PTFE sleeves. As well as the sleeve with a corrugated pipe in contrast to a smooth-characterized by less pressure.
To fluoroplastic tube had various mechanical protection against damage, and also to increase its strength braid used which consists of stainless steel. Teflon hoses are used for higher pressures, can have multiple layers of the braid.
|The inner diameter, mm||from 3,6 to 50|
|Operating pressure, Mpa||from 0,2 to 100,0|
|Length (armature), mm||from 150 to 40000|
|Operating temperature range, С||from -60 to +260|
|The level of vibration frequencies||to 10 to 2000 Hz with accelerations up to 30G|
|Pulsating pressure working fluids||± 5% of the operating pressure|
|Water hammer pressure working fluids||from 5 atm to 1.5 atm, the operating pressure|
In agreement with the customer, there is a possibility to manufactur connections fittings of the following types: straight, angular, with a nut, fitting with external thread, weld, or other configurations, one-piece fitting with male thread, cylindrical metric or pipe thread.
There is a possibility to purchase a two-braided hoses.
Basic dimensions of the tubes and hoses are always on stock in Riga, Latvia!
For more information about the product you can get from our managers by phones specified in section How to find us.
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Zip nucleic acids (ZNAs) are oligonucleotides conjugated with a cationic spermine tail that increases the affinity of the oligonucleotide for its target by decreasing the electrostatic repulsions between the negative anionic charges of the ssDNA improving its hybridization, increasing and accelerating the recognition of the target . The ability to modulate the global charge of conjugated ZNAs based on the number of spermines connected to the nucleic acid oligomer is the key to easily predicting the Melting Temperature (Tm) of ZNA-DNA / ZNA-RNA hybrids. The Tm increases linearly with the length of the oligonucleotide. They are a good alternative for Minor Groove Binder (MGB) and LockedNucleic Acid (LNA).
What are they for:
... so they can be used in:
A very low Tm for oligonucleotides or very short probes is a problem that can be circumvented by adding to these oligos non-specific sub-units (as in the ZNA) that increase the Tm without losing specificity and overcoming restrictions due to very specific sequences. p>
The increase in Tm is naturally higher on oligos or shorter probes, which is why Bio-Fab has extended the length range starting from 8mers for oligos and 10mers for Dual-labeled probes.
The Tm of the ZNAs can be roughly calculated using this formula:
Tm (ZNA) = Tm (DNA) + 36z/(N-3.2)
z: number of cationic units
N: number of nucleotides
ATATATAT 8mer Tm sequence (DNA) = 16°C
ZNA-2 building block
Tm(ZNA) = 16 + 36*2/(8-3.2) = 31°C
Bio-Fab synthesizes ZNA by adding 2 or 3 “building blocks” (ZNA-2, ZNA-3) both to the primers (length between 8 and 15mers) and to the dual-labeled probes (from 10 to 17mers). ZNA-4 and ZNA-5 can be added to 16mers (ZNA-4) and 20mers (ZNA-5) primers: while for dual-labeled probes the minimum length is 18mers (ZNA-4) and 22mers ( ZNA-5).
The maximum length of the ZNA, according to our experience, is 40mers with 5 building blocks. Further modifications of the primers or probes, without changing their specificity, concern the incorporation of analogues of bases such as:
C-5-propinil dC (PDC) which raises the Tm by ~ 2.8 ° C by substitution
and / or
C-5 propinil-Du (PDU) which raises the Tm by ~ 1.7 ° C by substitution.
Please note: ZNA blocks can only be added to the 3'or 5 '.
All oligo ZNA will be delivered dissolved in H2O (pH 7-9) at the concentration of 100 µM
HOW TO ORDER
PRICE LIST ZNA OLIGO AND PROBE
To order ZNA (specify the type of delivery / collection directly in the email)
DOWNLOAD FORM ZNA SUMMARY
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Social organization of the Western Pueblos
University of Chicago Press • Chicago • Published In 1973 • Pages:
By: Eggan, Frederick Russell.
AbstractThis detailed study of the Hopi social organization is an excerpt from a larger comparative study of the social organization of the Western Pueblos. Data from different villages, notably from First, Second, and Third Mesas comprize an overall picture of integrated Hopi patterns including archaeological and historical material. The nature of the integrations of major organizations such as: kinship, kin groups, community, extended family household, kiva groupings, and ceremonial organization, is structurally examined. The source presents associated theoretical problems and hypotheses on social and cultural change.
- HRAF PubDate
- North America
- Sub Region
- Southwest and Basin
- Document Type
- book chapter
- Dubravka Schmalzbauer ; 1975
- Coverage Date
- 1931-ca. 1940
- Coverage Place
- Pueblos of First, Second, and Third Mesas, northeastern Arizona, United States
- Fred Eggan
- ceremonial adaptation Artificial Kin Relationships (608); ceremonial parents Artificial Kin Relationships (608); Kiva groupings Sodalities (575); smoking piñon gum Recreational and Non-therapeutic Drugs (276).
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 325-333) and index
- Only pp. i-xvii, 1-138, 325-347, and 369-393 are included
- Hopi Indians
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Last week, Jeffrey Lieberman M.D., chairman of the psychiatry department at Columbia University, was suspended for his tone-deaf comments regarding a black model.
“Whether a work of art or a freak of nature, she’s a beautiful sight to behold,” he wrote on Twitter.
The model he was referring to was Nyakim Gatwech, an American model of South Sudanese descent. Gatwech is a popular model whose fans refer to her as the “Queen of the Dark.”
Soon afterward, Lieberman issued an apology stating that he used language that was “racist and sexist.” He further stated that he was “deeply ashamed” of his “prejudices and stereotypical assumptions.”
Lieberman, who according to The New York Times is considered one of the leading psychiatrists in the nation, was removed from his position as psychiatrist-in-chief at Columbia University Irving Medical Center/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.
He also resigned from his role as executive director of the New York State Psychiatric Institute.
The esteemed physician had quite a dramatic week due to his awkward comments, which were completely tone-deaf, regardless of his intentions. What could possibly be complimentary about being referred to as a “freak” of anything?
Lieberman’s commentary was even more unsettling given the fact that he directed them toward a black person. Not surprisingly, many black folk and folk of other ethnic groups chided him about his wayward and undisciplined mouth.
Truth be told, referring to black Americans and people of African descent as physically abnormal — often associated with monkeys, apes and other primates — has long, deeply etched roots in our society.
From the time of our arrival to this nation, black people were immediately and routinely characterized as subhuman species.
A correlation between Africans and apes without tails was a common myth and legend propagated by the British in the early 17th century. Equating black people with animals was commonplace.
Throughout much of the 1800s and well beyond, a number of writers did not hesitate to imply that Africans were the descendants of apes or unknown African beasts, or vice versa.
Here on American shores, similar regressive ideas were commonplace as well. President Thomas Jefferson, a founding father, wrote without any degree of hesitation in Notes on the State of Virginia that black men were a lower species who lusted after white women.
He also expressed his deep misgivings about interracial relationships despite producing a number of children with one of his slaves, Sally Hemings. Such a level of rank hypocrisy speaks for itself.
It was due to such vile and negative rhetoric of equating black people (in particular, males) to animalistic, savage beasts that resulted in centuries of degradation, denigration and downright humiliation for people of African descent.
Such mistreatment manifested itself in the form of Jim Crow laws, chattel slavery, lynching, wanton violence and other abominable forms of marginalization.
The abominable 1915 film, The Birth of a Nation, produced by D.W. Griffith, assisted in propagating this horrendous, intellectually dishonest mythology by portraying blacks as uncivilized and animal-like.
The undeniable fact is that the black person as a “freak of nature” trope is very problematic. Such regressive commentary has had a devastating impact on black people, in particular, younger black people.
Such rhetoric, regardless of intent, propagates the false message that black people are not fully human. It especially cannot be allowed to continue in a nation that is becoming more diverse on a daily basis.
— Elwood Watson Ph.D. is a professor of history, black studies, and gender and sexuality studies at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee. He is also an author and public speaker, and his column is syndicated through Cagle Cartoons. Click here for previous columns. Follow him on Twitter: @bleachbred. The opinions expressed are his own.
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Ever heard of the Child Mortality Rate? It’s the number of children, per 1000, who die before the age of 5. This includes Neonatal Mortality and Infant Mortality, but it doesn’t include Fetal Mortality and therefore doesn’t include Perinatal Mortality. Confused? Here’s a refresher (each rate is reported per 1,000):
- Fetal Mortality: Fetal deaths which occur beyond 20 weeks of gestation.
- Some countries report deaths beyond 22 weeks (likely due to continuing confusion between gestational age and menstrual age).
- A second metric (Fetal Mortality 2) includes deaths beyond 28 weeks only.
- Variation exists in local reporting practices around the world. Should a child with Apgar scores of 1 and 0 at 22 weeks be considered a fetal death or neonatal death? It depends on the country and the local customs.
- Terminations are not included in the Fetal Mortality definition. So, a fetus terminated with T13 at 23 weeks wouldn’t count, but if it died in utero and was then delivered, it would count.
- Perinatal Mortality:
- Definition 1: The number of fetal death after 28 weeks (Fetal Mortality 2) plus the number of neonatal deaths in the first week of life (Early Neonatal Mortality). This definition is most useful for monitoring quality of perinatal care because it focuses on the losses where interventions exist which might be helpful.
- Definition 2: The number of all fetal deaths beyond 20 weeks (Fetal Mortality 1) plus the number of total neonatal deaths (both Early and Late Neonatal Mortality). The definition is more commonly used internationally.
- Neonatal Mortality: This should include deaths occurring anytime after birth until 28 days of life (days 0-27).
- Early Neonatal Mortality is any death from 0-7 days.
- Late Neonatal Mortality is any death from 8-27 days.
- Postneonatal Mortality is any death after 28 days until one year.
- Infant Mortality: All deaths occurring in the first year of life (and therefore includes all neonatal and postneonatal deaths but not Fetal Mortality).
- Child Mortality: The proportion of children who die before the age of 5 per 1,000 children in the population.
When you hear about how horrible the United States healthcare system is, it is usually related to our dismal infant mortality rates. Look at this hit piece in the Washington Post, for example, headlined: “Our infant mortality rate is a national embarrassment.” We are told over and over again that we are the worst among the wealthy nations, just 27th in the world, for infant mortality. We even lag behind economically-depressed Slovakia!
So what gives?
More importantly, how can we have such horrible Infant Mortality but very good Child Mortality? Notice the graph above: the United States has a Child Mortality rate that is bettered only by Australia. Yet, at the same time, we are told that our Infant Mortality rate is double that of most European nations, even though they lag behind the US in Child Mortality. How can this be?
To understand the problem, you have to think a little bit about how each metric can be manipulated.
- To lower Fetal Mortality:
- Encourage termination of anomalous pregnancies. If a pregnancy with trisomy 13 or 18 or Potter’s sequence is born alive, its eventual death will count against Neonatal, Infant, and Child Mortality rates. If it dies in utero, and is then induced, it will count against Fetal Mortality and perhaps Perinatal Mortality. But if it is terminated electively, it counts against none of those. So countries and states with higher rates of abortion and selective termination for anomalies have lower rates of all Fetal, Neonatal, Infant, and Child Mortalities (but not necessarily better total outcomes).
- Induce women earlier. Fetal deaths beyond a given gestational age, say 39 weeks, can all be avoided if those pregnancies are induced at 39 weeks. The problem is that this may just shift mortality from the fetal to the neonatal period. We are currently having this debate in the United States. But countries with lower rates of induction of labor will have slightly higher Fetal Mortality and lower Neonatal Mortality.
- So, lots of terminations and lots of earlier inductions lead to lower Fetal Mortality rates.
- To lower the Neonatal Mortality rate:
- Shift some early neonatal deaths to the fetal period (for example, calling a 22 week delivery of baby with a slow heart rate that dies in a few minutes a fetal demise rather than a neonatal demise).
- Don’t count any delivery before “viability” as a neonatal demise (again, shifting to the fetal period).
- Encourage abortion of anomalous pregnancies that are likely to die in the neonatal period.
- Shift some late neonatal deaths into the post-neonatal period either through false categorization (calling a 28 day demise a 29 day demise, for example) or through technology (maintaining the life of a hopeless neonate with life-support until it makes it into the post-neonatal period).
- To lower Perinatal Mortality:
- Use the more narrow definition of Perinatal Mortality, counting only late fetal and early neonatal deaths.
- Lower the Fetal Mortality rate (with lots of terminations and more inductions).
- Lower the Neonatal Mortality rate with any of the tricks above (more terminations, inappropriate categorization).
- To lower Infant Mortality:
- There are two opportunities to do this: at the very beginning and at the very end of the infant period.
- At the beginning of the infant period, you need lower Neonatal Mortality (by termination of anomalous babies or not counting previable losses as live-born, etc.). This results in a higher fetal-to-neonatal death ratio, which is seen in many countries with low Infant Mortality rates.
- At the end of the infant period, you need to shift 12 month deaths to 13 months either through false categorization or life-support. This will result in a higher child-to-infant mortality ratio as deaths are pushed past one year. This is common in many modernized Asian countries where public health officials are incentivized to have low Infant Mortality.
If you think none of these things happen, you’re wrong. Infant Mortality and Perinatal Mortality have become such important markers of public health and funding and the resources that go along with it that countries around the world play games with these data.
For example, Japan has the lowest Infant Mortality rate in the world. How have they accomplished this? If you look casually, you will see claims of universal access to care and how wonderful and efficient their healthcare system is (though, in reality, it is heavily discriminatory against the poor). But what do they really do? Well, in Japan and Hong Kong, if a child is born alive but dies within the first 24 hours of life, it is considered a stillbirth, not a neonatal loss. This lowers the Neonatal, Infant, and Child Mortality rate, and does so dramatically since such a large fraction of children die in that window of time. Also, abortion is huge in Japan. The birth control pill was only introduced in Japan in 1999 and condoms and abortion have been the main methods of birth control for decades (abortion has been legal since 1949 and completely culturally accepted). This means that most fetuses with suspected anomalies are terminated in Japan (this is not the case in the US), leading again to fewer deaths across all the metrics since a large portion of fetal, neonatal, infant, and child deaths come from congenital anomalies: aneuploidy, heart defects, renal defects, etc.
Most developed countries don’t count very low birth weight babies against their Neonatal or Infant Mortality rates (considering them miscarriages instead). For example, Germany, Austria, and Canada ignore infants born weighing less than 500 grams, but we do not in the US. Mortality in this group of small babies approaches 90%. Switzerland some other European countries don’t count births of babies under 30 cm (or about 12 inches) in the Neonatal Mortality category; these types of inconsistencies, poor data collection, and under-reporting abound all over the world and conspire to make even Russia look like it has better Infant Mortality than the United States. Walker Ray summarizes some of these points in this piece.
What causes of death contribute to our “high” Infant Mortality rate? The leading causes of death for infants in the US are:
- Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities
- Disorders related to short gestation and low birthweight, not elsewhere classified
- Sudden infant death syndrome
- Newborn affected by maternal complications of pregnancy
- Newborn affected by complications of placenta, cord and membranes
- Accidents (unintentional injuries); Respiratory distress of newborn
- Bacterial sepsis of newborn
- Neonatal hemorrhage
- Necrotizing enterocolitis of newborn.
The leading cause of infant death are congenital anomalies for which the only intervention to lower the Infant Mortality rate is more elective terminations. Most of the other causes (those in bold) are related to extreme prematurity, with the highest mortality in a group of very low birth weight infants that the rest of the world doesn’t even count.
So, how does the US really compare to the rest of the world in terms of Infant Mortality? Are we really worse than Slovakia? No. The truth is, we cannot answer the question precisely because of the differences in reporting and the other games played by countries around the world to give themselves bragging rights. What is clear is that we should not even consider international comparisons until there is consistent reporting based on clear-cut definitions, and reporting that focuses on specific causes of death, so that we don’t get hammered because US women are less likely to terminate a pregnancy than Japanese women, for example.
The graphic above shows how confusing the various mortality definitions are as well as the risk of death by gestational/neonatal age in the US compared to rest of the world. Notice that the highest rate of mortality in the US is in the neonatal period and more specifically in the first week of life. For the rest of the world on average, this is the lowest time period of death. How can this be? Because early neonatal deaths are transferred to the fetal period but kept in the neonatal period in the US. This has the effect of making the Neonatal, Infant, and Child Mortality rates all higher.
Notice in the above graph that the United States leads other low Infant Mortality countries in everything except Early Neonatal Mortality. This dramatic difference, all from the first 7 days of life, is the only reason why the US doesn’t lead the world. These regional variation in what counts as a neonatal death versus a miscarriage or fetal death, combined with high rates of elective termination of anomalous pregnancies, is the difference.
Child Mortality is, perhaps, a slightly more honest comparison. Because it accounts for all deaths before age 5, then any attempts to move deaths into different categories won’t affect the numbers. Northern American, as a region, is second only to Australia in most years when this metric is used. Child Mortality is still affected by incorrect counting of neonatal deaths (that is, shifting newborn deaths to fetal deaths). Correction for these reporting differences and controlling for differences in rates of women terminating anomalous fetuses would likely show the US to have the lowest Child Mortality Rate in the world. Even a metric that combined Fetal Mortality with Child Mortality would be problematic due to abortions and low reporting rates of miscarriages and terminations. A pregnancy ended in Japan for a diagnosis of trisomy-13 by cell-free DNA testing at 12 weeks might not have been terminated in the US and therefore would count towards such a combined metric.
One might argue that a good prenatal care system would emphasize detection of anomalous fetuses and early termination. But this is a value statement, not a scientific one. When we compare Infant and Child Mortality to other countries, what we mean to focus on are things like quality of obstetric care and delivery, neonatal resuscitation, penetrance of vaccination, access to emergency care and prevention of accidents, availability of clean water and food, and other public health measures.
International comparisons are unfair at best and dangerous at worst. They are used to inform fallacious policy decisions and typically manipulated for political purposes. Even comparisons among the US states is difficult due to some of the same factors that make international data collection problematic. The data is useful, but only as a sign of progress on state or regional level.
Remember this next time someone criticizes the US infant mortality rate. Later, we should talk about preterm birth rates and maternal mortality rates, because that’s a bit of a mess too.
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Development and implementation of Taiwan's child health literacy test
journal contributionposted on 2014-06-01, 00:00 authored by C-H Liu, L-L Liao, S-F Shih, T-C Chang, H-Y Chi, Richard Osborne
Objectives: The aims of this study were to develop Taiwan's Child Health Literacy Test and to undertake a nation-wide survey in order to determine the current status of Taiwanese sixth graders' health literacy, and to understand the association between health literacy, healthy behavior, and health status. absp Methods: Taiwan's Child Health Literacy Test was developed through the process of concept clarification, a qualitative pilot, a development pilot, and a field test. In the field test, 162,609 sixth graders (56.9%) from 2,235 schools (83.3%) nationwide completed the questionnaire. We also collected the students' dates of birth, BMIs, self-reported health and healthy behaviors. absp Results: The final test consisted of 32 questions with item discrimination of 0.55-1.89 and item difficulty of-1.7-0.41 according to IRT; Cronbach's a was 0.87. Based on this information, the test was deemed appropriate for basic health literacy screening among children. Nation-wide, the average score for sixth graders' health literacy was 23.97 points (total score 32 points), with a correct rate of 74.9%. Those who were "good" in self-reported health scored highest in health literacy (M = 24.29). Health literacy was significantly positively related to healthy behavior (r = .25, p< .05), and negatively to risky behavior (r =-.28, p< .05). absp Conclusions: This study was the first curriculum-based child health literacy test developed from the viewpoints of both teachers and pupils in Taiwan through a rigorous procedure. The nationwide survey results may serve as a reference for decision-makers at the national health education level.
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Black Aging Matters, Too
Old. Chronically ill. Black.
People who fit this description are more likely to die from COVID-19 than any other group in the country.
They are perishing quietly, out of sight, in homes and apartment buildings, senior housing complexes, nursing homes and hospitals, disproportionately poor, frail and ill, after enduring a lifetime of racism and its attendant adverse health effects.
Yet, older Black Americans have received little attention as protesters proclaim that Black Lives Matter and experts churn out studies about the coronavirus.
“People are talking about the race disparity in COVID deaths, they’re talking about the age disparity, but they’re not talking about how race and age disparities interact: They’re not talking about older Black adults,” said Robert Joseph Taylor, director of the Program for Research on Black Americans at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research.
A KHN analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention underscores the extent of their vulnerability. It found that African Americans ages 65 to 74 died of COVID-19 five times as often as whites. In the 75-to-84 group, the death rate for Blacks was 3.5 times greater. Among those 85 and older, Blacks died twice as often. In all three age groups, death rates for Hispanics were higher than for whites but lower than for Blacks.
(The gap between Blacks and whites narrows over time because advanced age, itself, becomes an increasingly important, shared risk. Altogether, 80 percent of COVID-19 deaths are among people 65 and older.)
The data comes from the week that ended February 1 through August 8. Although breakdowns by race and age were not consistently reported, it is the best information available.
Mistrustful of Outsiders
Social and economic disadvantage, reinforced by racism, plays a significant part in unequal outcomes. Throughout their lives, Blacks have poorer access to health care and receive services of lower quality than does the general population. Starting in middle age, the toll becomes evident: more chronic medical conditions, which worsen over time, and earlier deaths.
Several conditions—diabetes, chronic kidney disease, obesity, heart failure and pulmonary hypertension, among others—put older Blacks at heightened risk of becoming seriously ill and dying from COVID-19.
Yet many vulnerable Black seniors are deeply distrustful of government and health care institutions, complicating efforts to mitigate the pandemic’s impact.
The infamous Tuskegee syphilis study—in which African American participants in Alabama were not treated for their disease—remains a shocking, indelible example of racist medical experimentation. Just as important, the lifelong experience of racism in health care settings—symptoms discounted, needed treatments not given—leaves psychic scars.
In Seattle, Catholic Community Services sponsors the African American Elders Program, which serves nearly 400 frail homebound seniors each year.
“A lot of Black elders in this area migrated from the South a long time ago and were victims of a lot of racist practices growing up,” said Margaret Boddie, 77, who directs the program. “With the pandemic, they’re fearful of outsiders coming in and trying to tell them how to think and how to be. They think they’re being targeted. There’s a lot of paranoia.”
“They won’t open the door to people they don’t know, even to talk,” complicating efforts to send in social workers or nurses to provide assistance, Boddie said.
In Los Angeles, Karen Lincoln directs Advocates for African American Elders and is an associate professor of social work at the University of Southern California.
“Health literacy is a big issue in the older African American population because of how people were educated when they were young,” she said. “My maternal grandmother, she had a third-grade education. My grandfather, he made it to the fifth grade. For many people, understanding the information that’s put out, especially when it changes so often and people don’t really understand why, is a challenge.”
What this population needs, Lincoln suggested, is “help from people who they can relate to”—ideally, a cadre of African American community health workers.
With suspicion running high, older Blacks are keeping to themselves and avoiding health care providers.
“Testing? I know only of maybe two people who’ve been tested,” said Mardell Reed, 80, who lives in Pasadena, California, and volunteers with Lincoln’s program. “Taking a vaccine [for the coronavirus]? That is just not going to happen with most of the people I know. They don’t trust it and I don’t trust it.”
Reed has high blood pressure, anemia, arthritis and thyroid and kidney disease, all fairly well controlled. She rarely goes outside because of COVID-19. “I’m just afraid of being around people,” she admitted.
Other factors contribute to the heightened risk for older Blacks during the pandemic. They have fewer financial resources to draw upon and fewer community assets (such as grocery stores, pharmacies, transportation, community organizations that provide aging services) to rely on in times of adversity. And housing circumstances can contribute to the risk of infection.
In Chicago, Gilbert James, 78, lives in a 27-floor senior housing building, with 10 apartments on each floor. But only two of the building’s three elevators are operational at any time. Despite a “two-person-per-elevator policy,” people crowd onto the elevators, making it difficult to maintain social distance.
“The building doesn’t keep us updated on how they’re keeping things clean or whether people have gotten sick or died” of COVID-19, James said. Nationally, there are no efforts to track COVID-19 in low-income senior housing and little guidance about necessary infection control.
Large numbers of older Blacks also live in intergenerational households, where other adults, many of them essential workers, come and go for work, risking exposure to the coronavirus. As children return to school, they, too, are potential vectors of infection.
‘Striving Yet Never Arriving’
In recent years, the American Psychological Association has called attention to the impact of racism-related stress in older African Americans—yet another source of vulnerability.
This toxic stress, revived each time racism becomes manifest, has deleterious consequences to physical and mental health. Even racist acts committed against others can be a significant stressor.
“This older generation went through the civil rights movement. Desegregation. Their kids went through busing. They grew up with a knee on their neck, as it were,” said Keith Whitfield, provost at Wayne State University and an expert on aging in African Americans. “For them, it was an ongoing battle, striving yet never arriving. But there’s also a lot of resilience that we shouldn’t underestimate.”
This year, for some elders, violence against Blacks and COVID-19’s heavy toll on African American communities have been painful triggers. “The level of stress has definitely increased,” Lincoln said.
During ordinary times, families and churches are essential supports, providing practical assistance and emotional nurturing. But during the pandemic, many older Blacks have been isolated.
In her capacity as a volunteer, Reed has been phoning Los Angeles seniors. “For some of them, I’m the first person they’ve talked to in two to three days. They talk about how they don’t have anyone. I never knew there were so many African American elders who never married and don’t have children,” she said.
Meanwhile, social networks that keep elders feeling connected to other people are weakening.
“What is especially difficult for elders is the disruption of extended support networks, such as neighbors or the people they see at church,” said Taylor, of the University of Michigan. “Those are the ‘Hey, how are you doing? How are your kids? Anything you need?’ interactions. That type of caring is very comforting and it’s now missing.”
In Brooklyn, New York, Barbara Apparicio, 77, has been having Bible discussions with a group of church friends on the phone each weekend. Apparicio is a breast cancer survivor who had a stroke in 2012 and walks with a cane. Her son and his family live in an upstairs apartment, but she does not see him much.
“The hardest part for me [during this pandemic] has been not being able to go out to do the things I like to do and see people I normally see,” she said.
In Atlanta, Celestine Bray Bottoms, 83, who lives on her own in an affordable senior housing community, is relying on her faith to pull her through what has been a very difficult time. Bottoms was hospitalized with chest pains this month—a problem that persists. She receives dialysis three times a week and has survived leukemia.
“I don’t like the way the world is going. Right now, it’s awful,” she said. “But every morning when I wake up, the first thing I do is thank the Lord for another day. I have a strong faith and I feel blessed because I’m still alive. And I’m doing everything I can not to get this virus because I want to be here a while longer.”
From Kaiser Health News
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In this process, the waste acid is thermally split into sulfur dioxide and water in a sulfuric acid incinerator.
The process temperature required for this is up to 1,600 °C. Here, too, the critical boundary conditions result from the highly corrosive atmosphere (SO2), possible temperatures under dew point, continuous / discontinuous operation as well as temperature cycling. Furthermore, increased slag formation is to be expected due to impurities in the waste acid (metal salts).
The selection of suitable refractory materials with low open porosity, alkali-resistant raw materials and the use of chemical bonding components are essential here.
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As colonialism expanded, anthropologists were tasked with studying “cultural difference”, particularly in relation to European contexts. From this period onwards, much of the discipline has been entrenched in racist assumptions and reproducing Eurocentric power structures. An empirical analysis of historical accounts from leading anthropologists such as Edward Tyler and Franz Boas reveals both explicitly and implicitly how notions of white supremacy have been embedded into the discipline almost from its inception.
Tyler’s influential 1871 publication Primitive Culture explicitly endorsed hierarchical arrangements based on skin color and featured a classification system that placed “white” races at the top. Tyler stressed his preference for Western individuals over their non-Western counterparts while denying them autonomy or any sense of social equality; thus evidencing a clear reliance upon racist ideologies which are at odds with contemporary understandings of anthropology as an evidence-based scientific discipline.
Boas is often heralded by mainstream scholars as something of a revolutionary within the study of anthropology due to his abiding belief in cultural relativism as opposed to racial hierarchy. However, careful examination of his writing suggests that he was not immune to reproducing white supremacist tropes himself; indeed he regularly touted notions of white advancement through modernization within largely non-white societies. He also downplayed indigenous injustices, advocated for segregation between minority populations and ignored evidence contradicting his theories concerning racial differences - thus betraying an ideological allegiance to certain key components associated with the broader system of white supremacy.
Overall then, anthropology cannot escape its association with techniques traditionally utilized by colonial forces in order to maintain power and control over territories under their domain: namely those pertaining to racial classification, strategic representation of material culture and propagandist accounting on the part of disciplined scholars such as Tyler and Boas who felt compelled by their fieldwork to reproduce white supremacist beliefs despite personal reservations. In light its involvement in perpetuating prejudicial notions about race for centuries we can conclude that anthropology is rightly linked with ideas regarding white supremacy both historically speaking and today.
We are seeking funding. Help us expose how Western culture is rooted in White Supremacy.
Fait avec amour pour Lulu et un Monde Nouveau Courageux
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The 'Slavery Connection' project researched Bexley’s links with the transatlantic slave trade through the London borough's residents and buildings. The exhibition, which included objects from Bexley Museum, aimed to raise the level of understanding in local communities about the history of the slave trade, by highlighting numerous local connections - such as Danson House, once home to the sugar merchant and slave trader Sir John Boyd, while archives of the East Wickham estate reveal evidence of a West African coachman called Scipio. Over a two year period, the travelling exhibition was displayed at 14 sites, including local African Caribbean groups, youth centres, libraries and churches. The launch event at the Bexley African Caribbean Community Association was accompanied by displays of African dancing, drumming and drama. An educational handling box and teachers’ pack were created for use in local schools.
In the Recovered Histories online resource, Anti-Slavery International digitised and made accessible for the first time a collection of over 800 pamphlets dating from the 18th and 19th centuries relating to the transatlantic slave trade. The resource captured the narratives of the enslaved, the enslavers, slave ship surgeons, abolitionists, parliamentarians, clergy, planters and rebels. An accompanying touring historical exhibition and an education pack featured testimonies and pictures from Africans subjected to slavery, those participating in the enslavement and those who fought against it. An outreach and resources programme included a series of free regional seminars in April and May 2008, which encouraged dialogue about the transatlantic slave trade and its legacies by bringing together a wide range of groups and organisations who worked on these issues. The workshops were held in Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds, London and Manchester. A series of short stories were published, inspired by the Recovered Histories resource.
'House Slave - Field Slave: A Portrait of Contemporary Slavery' by Nicola Green was first exhibited at the Dulwich Picture Gallery in October 2007. It was then exhibited as part of Haringey's Black History Month at Bruce Castle Museum in October - December 2010. Nicola's triptych is now in the permanent collection at the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool.
Nicola Green's portrait of contemporary slavery 'House Slave - Field Slave' was made for and in collaboration with Anti-Slavery International to commemorate the anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade in 2007. The exhibition consists of a large 'altarpiece' scale triptych with preparatory studies. These are set alongside artefacts of contemporary slavery from the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool and the extraordinary photos and text from Anti-Slavery International, which inspired this work. The painting tells the story of contemporary slavery. There are an estimated 12 million people in the world today who are still enslaved - even though the British slave trade was abolished 200 years ago.
'Freedom and Culture' was a year-long nationwide programme to mark the bicentenary, conceived by Baroness Lola Young of Cultural Brokers (London) and Dr Nima Poowaya-Smith of Alchemy (based in Leeds). In partnership with artists, activists and cultural commentators, the programme explored the dimensions of oppression and freedom around the bicentenary, culminating in a weekend 'celebrating creativity and the African Diaspora' at the Southbank Centre in November 2007. One of several exhibitions that took place as part of the initiative was ‘Crossing the Waters’ at Cartwright Hall in Bradford, which took its central metaphor from the transatlantic slave trade. Almost all the works shown – from Sonia Boyce, Yinka Shonibare and others – were drawn from the permanent collections of Bradford Museums, Galleries and Heritage. The exhibition later toured to the City Gallery, Leicester in 2008.
The Lifeline Expedition began in 2000 as a reconciliation journey linking the European and African nations. The March of the Abolitionists was organised for 2007, aiming to bring an apology for the slave trade (especially the role of the church); to promote understanding of slavery and abolition by engaging with schools and the media; and to remember black and white abolitionists of the past, and of current campaigns. For the first stage in March 2007 (the Meridian Walk), a group of walkers included Africans and descendants of enslaved Africans, while white people from the former slave trading nations wore yokes and chains on their 250-mile journey from Hull to London. In the capital they joined the Walk of Witness at Westminster, led by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. The second stage of the march (the Sankofa Walk) linked the former slave ports of London, Liverpool and Bristol in June and July 2007.
This project was the Church of England’s official response to the bicentenary, as CMEAC (established by the Archbishops’ Council) explored the Church’s multi-faceted role in the history of slavery in Britain. Making our Mark focused on connections with local communities, opening access to heritage, and raising awareness of the legacies of slavery. The project had two main strands. The first was a set of regional dialogues – the Bicentenary Hearings – which represented local opportunities for discussion about experiences of slavery, as a way to make new connections between past and present, education and action. The Hearings took place in Liverpool, London, Birmingham, Hull and Southwark in February and March 2007. The second strand was the Walk of Witness, a heritage trail through London on 24 March 2007. Participants included government representatives, leaders in the Church of England, social justice organisations, ecumenical and multi-faith partners, and schools. A pack was produced for schools, including a DVD with footage from the Walk and Hearings.
A replica of the nineteenth-century slave ship Amistad visited Liverpool, Bristol and London as part of the Atlantic Freedom Tour in 2007-2008. The ship set sail from its home port of New Haven, Connecticut, on a 16-month 14,000 mile transatlantic voyage to retrace the slave industry triangle. The ship stopped at more than a dozen Atlantic ports, including Freetown in Sierra Leone. Students from the UK had the opportunity to join the crew of the schooner – a replica of the original ship commandeered by 53 of its African captives in 1839 – on one of its legs, and transmitted text, images and videos back to the classroom. At each UK port, the ship was open for guided tours. There were also accompanying lectures.
Written by Ghanaian playwright Ama Ata Aidoo, The Dilemma of a Ghost deals with colliding cultures in 21st century Africa. An African-American woman accompanies her Ghanaian husband as he returns home, but the couple are haunted by ghosts of the inheritance of the slave trade. A collaboration between London theatre company Border Crossings and the National Theatre of Ghana, the production used music and dance to celebrate 50 years of Ghana’s independence and 200 years since the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. The play was performed in Birmingham, Hull, Leeds, Leicester, London, Plymouth and Slough. The production was was accompanied by a new book from Border Crossings, working in collaboration with Anti-Slavery International. ‘Theatre and Slavery: Ghosts at the Crossroads’ explored the ways in which world theatre responds to key issues in modern society and politics, including the issue of contemporary slavery.
A play by Lonne Elder, 'Splendid Mummer' looks at the life of Ira Aldridge (1807-1867), the goundbreaking 19th century actor. Aldridge overcame racism and prejudice in European theatres to break away from stereotypical comedy roles and become one of the first Black Shakespearean actors. In 2007, the play was presented by CETTIE (a London charity working with schools, libraries, theatres, and community venues), directed by Malcolm Frederick, and starred Shango Baku. It was performed in various venues in London and at The Drum in Birmingham, and was accompanied by a feature exhibition on Aldridge by Positive Steps. 'Splendid Mummer' was produced in collaboration with the Ira Aldridge Bicentenary Project.
Kenwood House in North London is closely connected to the history of the slave trade through the lives of two of its former inhabitants. Lord Chief Justice Lord Mansfield made a milestone ruling in 1772 towards abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. Dido Elizabeth Belle - born to an enslaved mother - is believed to have been Lord Mansfield's illegitimate great-niece. This exhibition by English Heritage, and sponsored by the Friends of Kenwood, explored their relationship, and the social dimensions of the British slave trade intertwined with the history of Kenwood. Visitors to the exhibition were invited to leave a creative literary response. The Wall of Words, a literary mural in the form of a poem inspired by the recorded responses, was created by Beyonder, a multimedia artist and educator.
The Buxton Memorial Fountain was built by Charles Buxton to celebrate the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 and the achievement of his father, the abolitionist Thomas Fowell Buxton, and his associates who led the parliamentary campaign to abolish slavery. The memorial fountain was built in Parliament Square in 1865-6, and re-erected in Victoria Tower Gardens, Westminster, in 1957. Following extensive restoration by The Royal Parks, the memorial was unveiled on 27 March 2007, to mark the bicentenary. The listed monument was also upgraded from Grade II to II* in 2007.
Historian Simon Schama's true story of a plantation slave (Thomas Peters) and a British naval officer (John Clarkson) and their search for freedom at the time of the American War of Independence. Schama's account was adapted for the stage by Caryl Phillips, directed by Rupert Goold and produced by the Headlong Theatre Company. It explores ideas of racial identity, home and freedom, as former slaves who fought for the British army are led across the Atlantic to the newly-created province of Sierra Leone. The play toured West Yorkshire Playhouse, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Liverpool Everyman and Lyric Hammersmith.
The In Stitches project was led by the African Families Foundation (TAFF) and brought together British, African and African-Caribbean women's quilting groups meeting in London, Liverpool, Bristol, Manchester and Birmingham. The In Stitches Quilt, designed by Janice Gunner, included 60 squares of embroidered images, texts and symbols, depicting historic figures, scenes and artefacts associated with the transatlantic slave trade and its abolition. The Quilt used several of the Adinkra symbols from Africa, originally printed on fabrics worn at funerals by the Akan peoples of Ghana. The accompanying work pack was designed to support learning about slavery based on the four themes of the Quilt: Capture, the Middle Passage, Life in the 'New World', and Proscription of Slavery. The Quilt was unveiled at City Hall in London, and then toured to the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum (Bristol), Central Library (Liverpool), Soho House (Birmingham), the International Quilt Festival (Birmingham) and Central Library (Manchester).
The exhibition at the Library and Museum of Freemasonry to mark the bicentenary arose from a project to catalogue their historical collections relating to Masonic history in the West Indies and America between 1760 and 1900. This period covers the establishment of African Lodge, the first Masonic lodge for African-Americans. Its first Master was Prince Hall, a freed slave and respected Boston resident who had fought for the British. From 1847 his name has been synonymous with Prince Hall Masonry, the first major Black Masonic organisation in the world. The library holds eleven letters written by or for Prince Hall. The exhibition and cataloguing of this correspondence enabled the library to start compiling details of early Black and Asian Freemasons in its collections. The exhibition also looked at members in the 18th and 19th century who were both slave owners and abolitionists, and the establishment of lodges in the Caribbean.
London Borough of Newham Council led “The Wickedest of Cargoes…”, an exhibition at Stratford Town Hall, which used local museum and archive collections to explore the history of the slave trade and abolition. It looked at the history of slavery through different societies and cultures, and especially the Barbary pirates who enslaved seamen and passengers from ships on the west coast of North Africa. The exhibition explored the transatlantic slave trade and its abolition from a local perspective, focusing on the large Quaker community in West Ham and, in particular, John Fothergill and Samuel Gurney. Newham has many residents from an African Caribbean background, who were consulted in the development of the exhibition. Addressing the legacies of slavery, the exhibition looked at the rising Black population of the borough through history and the importance of the Coloured Men’s Institute in Canning Town, set up as a place where Black families could meet.
An exhibition at Bruce Castle Museum (in partnership with Euroart Studios) explored the transatlantic slave trade, Haringey's heritage relating to the trade and its legacy, and the historic Black presence in the borough from the 16th century onwards. There was a particular focus on the painting of Lucius and Montague Hare, sons of Lord Coleraine (former owner of Bruce Castle), with their African servant. The exhibition also looked at the extra-parliamentary popular movement against the trade by local Quakers such as Priscilla Wakefield and others. Contemporary dance workshops for secondary schools were led by dance company Movement Angol.
The Links and Liberty exhibition included 'Stolen', a life-size installation by artists at Euroart Studios (John Fowler, Lorraine Clarke and Nigel Young) of a section of a slave ship. School pupils were encouraged to climb inside to imagine conditions on board.
An exhibition by the City of Westminster Archives Centre focused on the impact of the transatlantic slave trade and its abolition in Westminster, which drew on the Centre's archives and local studies collections. Links explored included the parish of St Anne's Westminster with St John's Antigua, and the large circle of planters living in Marylebone in the 18th and 19th centuries. The exhibition also documented the lives of the African residents of Westminster during the age of the slave trade. Some of the individuals looked at in the exhibition included James Somerset, Granville Sharp, Ignatius Sancho, Ottobah Cugoano, Olaudah Equiano, and the African activists who styled themselves 'Sons of Africa'.
In 2007 Westminster City Council supported a programme of events in the libraries, galleries and archives of the area, including films, walks and exhibitions, designed to provide opportunities to learn about the culture of Westminster's communities. Highlights included guided heritage walks with historian S. I. Martin, exhibitions of images from the Royal Geographical Society in Paddington Library, Maida Vale Library and Westminster Reference Library, and film screenings (in partnership with 100 Black Men of London). A partnership between the City of Westminster Archives Centre, Tate Britain, Parliamentary Archives, National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery produced a heritage trail 'On the Road to Abolition: Ending the British Slave Trade', which takes in key sites, events and individuals in Westminster relating to the slave trade, between Trafalgar Square and Pimlico. In celebration of Black History Month, Westminster City Council produced a booklet, 'Black History in Westminster', detailing some of the borough's influential Black residents.
The industrialist Sir Henry Tate was the early benefactor of the Tate Collection, rooted in the art of the 18th and 19th centuries. Tate's fortune - much of which was spent on philanthropic initiatives in Britain - was founded on the importation and refining of sugar, a commodity inextricably linked to slave labour in the Caribbean. There were a number of initiatives across the Tate galleries to explore these connections. 'Tracks of Slavery' at Tate Britain displayed a selection of images from the Tate's collections which provided a commentary on the relationship of British society with slavery. Displays at Tate Modern included a selection of new acquisitions linked by their treatment of issues arising from slavery and oppression. Tate Liverpool exhibited paintings by Ellen Gallagher. Special events included Freedom Songs at Tate Britain (workshops to create poetry and music by exploring themes of slavery and freedom) and a discussion at Tate St Ives looking at the links between Cornish maritime traditions, the slave trade and the Caribbean.
A programme of events and activities for Black History Month 2007 from Yaa Asantewaa Arts and Community Centre had a particular focus on the bicentenary. The programme included theatre, youth projects and family days. Calypso Fuh So performed special Calypsos to mark the bicentenary, and YAA/Carnival Village organised a commemorative walk to remember ancestors who died in slavery, and the Black presence in Britain. Ritual Theatre Arts created a film celebrating thirty years of African dance in Britain and International Word Power featured performances of poetry, storytelling and song.
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Ear mites are a common parasite found in dogs and cats. Ear mites are usually invisible to the naked eye. However, these are the infectious organism that makes your dog’s life miserable. This is why it is highly recommended to seek the help of a veterinarian once your pooch starts showing the symptoms of ear mite infection.
Ear mites are highly contagious and usually found in stray cats. Your dog is vulnerable to ear mite infection whenever he is interacting with other dogs at indoor or outdoor. Listed below are a few insights into the symptoms and treatment for ear mite infection in dogs.
Common symptoms of dog ear mites
Ear mite infections are characterized by constant ear scratching. Therefore, when your pooch indulges in relentless ear scratching, look for further signs that can give away any underlying serious concern. For instance, surplus brown discharge from your dog’s ears, in addition to constant ear scratching, signifies infection.
Some of the other common ear mite symptoms include:
- Inner ear inflammation
- Unpleasant odor
- Head shaking
- Bumpy skin in the ear canal
- Bleeding ears
Keep an eye out for any kind of secretions from your dog’s ears especially in the form of coffee brown color which can even block the ear canal.
Dog ear mite treatment options
A veterinarian, after a detailed examination, can provide you with the right treatment options to get rid of ear mites.
Your veterinarian can prescribe ointments that can be directly applied to your pooch’s ears. On some occasions, the flea control can also help to alleviate the concerns of ear mites. This is why some veterinarians recommend parasite medication which can be applied to your dog’s skin.
On some occasions, veterinarians also prescribe anti-inflammatory or antibiotic to treat ear mites in dogs.
You should note that the treatment options can vary with respect to different factors like your dog’s breed, age and more. It is also highly recommended that you finish the course of medicine even if your dog starts showing signs of recovery after the treatment begins.
Ear mite prevention
Preventing ear mites in dogs is something that requires dedication and time. As a pet parent, you should indulge in some routine tasks to ensure that your canine is safe and sound when the concern under consideration is ear mites.
Follow the below-given strategy to prevent ear mite infections in dogs:
- Clean your dog’s ears at least once a month.
- Ensure that you clean your dog’s ears soon after he has interacted with other dogs or cats.
- If your pet is undergoing ear mite treatment, ensure that he completes the course and all the other pets in the house are treated to eradicate the issue completely.
- Once your pooch has recovered from ear mite infection, see that you change his bedding, his stuffed toy or any other things that he uses which can be a potential hiding place for ear mites.
Ear mite infection in dogs can be a big headache for the respective pet parents. Unfortunately, no dogs are immune to ear mites and as a pet parent, it is your duty to ensure that your pet is safe from ear mites so that you can save both money and time.
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Music has an indescribable power. It can evoke emotions within a moment, stir a memory with the strike of one chord and bring countless hours of enjoyment, love, laughter and tears.
That is why many people have a desire to learn a musical instrument, yet hold back because of one simple reason; age!
It is not just the upper age limit that can present presumed problems, many parents are keen for their children to start along their musical path, but wonder whether they are too young to get started.
As an experienced music teacher I am keen to share my knowledge and expertise with you as we focus on our burning question; is there an upper or a lower age limit to learning a musical instrument? Let’s take those age limits one at a time.
Is There A Lower Age Limit To Learning A Musical Instrument?
Absolutely not! Did you know that you can help your child to take its first steps along its musical journey while it is still in the womb? It is strongly believed that playing music to an unborn child can have a positive impact, in fact, classical music is thought to even improve the intellectual ability of a growing baby, quite a thought!
Once your little bundle of fun has arrived, you will be keen to help that musical journey continue. Evidence suggests that until your child reaches nine years of age, there is a promising window for introducing a musical instrument. Many teachers will not take students until they are at least five years of age. However, this does not mean that your child cannot start to learn before that.
The best way you can help your child to start learning music before he or she reaches an age when they can attend professional music lessons is to expose them to as much music as possible. The aim at this age, is not to introduce them to instruments so that they will master them, but rather to help them develop a relationship and love of music. Even a toddler can fall in love with music!
While a traditional music teacher for a specific instrument may not take students that are very young, you may be able to find a general music class for babies and toddlers. The aim will normally be to help your youngster focus on the music being played, perhaps by swaying to the music, dancing with your baby in your arms or singing or playing music.
As the child grows, perhaps by the age of three, they may be able to attend more formal music lessons, again with a focus on music, rather than a specific instrument.
Once your child is five, they will now have developed a sub-conscious understanding of music, as well as a relationship with it. At this point, you will be in the perfect position to decide which specific instrument your child would enjoy learning. Giving music to your child is certainly one of the finest gifts you could bestow as a parent.
Is There An Upper Age Limit To Learning A Musical Instrument?
So we understand that there isn’t a lower age limit to learning music, but what about the upper age limit? I am going to give you the same clear answer as before; absolutely not!
Music is a gift, and anyone who is blessed with the ability to be alive should feel more than welcome to make use of it. That being said, you should be aware of a couple of crucial things you are going to need if you want to start your musical journey later in life.
Patience is a virtue! For youngsters, having youth on their side tends to speed up the learning process. Also, many have a natural musical talent which can be tapped into very well at a young age. Unfortunately, as the years creep up on us, so does the need for extra patience when embarking on a new venture. So long as you are willing to enjoy each step of the journey, you are going to do just fine!
Learning a musical instrument at an older age also requires a commitment to practice. When youngsters learn an instrument, they tend to be already in a learning system. Many are students at school or kindergarten and may also attend other extracurricular lessons. This means their brain is naturally in learning mode. For older music students, it is time to engage the learning part of your brain and give it enough opportunities to practice that progress will become satisfying.
Indeed being able to play a musical instrument is one of the life’s most enchanting pleasures. Remember, age is only a number, and should never be a roadblock in your quest to become a musician, why you can even use it to your advantage!
I started to learn to play the clarinet almost two years ago — when I was 64 years old. Yep, started to play at 64 years old. I had absolutely no musical experience of any kind. Now I’m 66. I practice every day. I love it. And I get better all the time.
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Key to Subverting the Violence of Faction: America’s Founding Design of the United States Constitution Against Disunion
In his First Inaugural Address, Abraham Lincoln argued that “the Union is much older than the Constitution.” What did Lincoln mean when he spoke of the Union? The Declaration of Independence explains that the Americans were “one people” because they were providentially, philosophically, and hence politically united. In addition to referring to the Americans as one people, it also references the American people using the collective “We.” Furthermore, the document calls itself a “unanimous” declaration of the “united” States of America. The authors saw the separate colonies as previously united, and unanimity implied that they were “of one mind.” In short, the Declaration expressed that the Americans were one people capable of governing themselves. Because the Americans were united as one people and were arbitrarily ruled by another, the Declaration asserts that they have a duty to assert their independence by appealing to their Creator and natural laws of justice. Therefore, the principle of union, the rallying cry of Abraham Lincoln, Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, and George Washington, is one of the bedrock principles of the American founding.
Whereas the Declaration expresses the existence of unity at the time of the founding, many of the Federalist Papers contemplate the importance of a strong or firm union. For example, Federalist 9 asserts in its first line that “A FIRM Union will be of the utmost moment to the peace and liberty of the States, as a barrier against domestic faction and insurrection.” Additionally, Federalist 10 asserts that “Among the numerous advantages promised by a well-constructed union, none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of faction.” In other words, at the time of ratification, one of the most salutary effects of the United States Constitution was that it bolstered the existing unity between the American people and thereby combated faction and disunion. As discussed in previous essays, in Federalist 9 and 10, Publius argued that the particular kind of union created by the Constitution was the key to subverting the violence of faction, the primary vice of the political system under the Articles of Confederation.
But union was not only an important principle at the time of the signing of the Declaration and the ratification of the Constitution. The Declaration sets forth “self-evident truths” that are meant to guide the American people through time. The principles explicitly enumerated are “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” However, in Washington’s Farewell Address he emphasized the principle of “union” as that which secured the principles of the Declaration. In the Farewell Address, Washington counseled the American people: “The unity of government which constitutes you one people is also now dear to you. It is justly so; for it is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence, the support of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad, of your safety, of your prosperity, of that very liberty which you so highly prize.” He told the people that “it is of infinite moment that you should properly estimate the immense value of your national Union to your collective and individual happiness; that you should cherish a cordial, habitual, and immovable attachment to it; accustoming yourselves to think and speak of it as of the palladium of your political safety and prosperity; watching for its preservation with jealous anxiety; discountenancing whatever may suggest even a suspicion that it can in any event be abandoned; and indignantly frowning upon the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest, or to enfeeble the sacred ties which now link together the various parts.” In other words, Washington argued that union was the principle that secured the self-evident truths for which the Americans had fought in the Revolutionary War. According to Washington, the principle of union was necessary to secure the rights to life and liberty as well as the freedom to pursue happiness. Washington believed that if union failed, then the American experiment failed, and if the American experiment failed, then the prospect of liberty and self-government everywhere was in danger. Therefore, he urged the people to cherish the principle of union.
But why cherish union? Washington believed that patriotism and a dedication to union were necessary to preserve the blessings of the Revolution. For example, when he wrote to a society of Quakers who refused to defend the country in war, he told them that religious liberty was contingent upon the maintenance of the union. He wrote, “We have Reason to rejoice in the prospect that the present National Government, which by the favor of Divine Providence, was formed by the common Counsels, and peaceably established with the common consent of the People, will prove a blessing to every denomination of them. To render it such, my best endeavours shall not be wanting.” In the Farewell Address, Washington argued that the people ought to remain dedicated to the principle of union because “Citizens by birth or choice of a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections.” In other words, Washington argued that America was the common country of North, South, East coast, and unsettled West. Patriotism was a necessary virtue for men of all sections and all religious sects. Washington worried the rights for which men fought and died in the Revolution may be short lived without the virtue of patriotism and self-sacrifice for the principle of union.
Furthermore, Publius argued that the Americans were destined to become united. In Federalist 2, Publius argued that “Nothing is more certain than the indispensable necessity of Government.” But what kind of government was necessary? Publius argued that “It is well worthy of consideration therefore, whether it would conduce more to the interests of the people of America, that they should, to all general purposes, be one nation, under one federal government, than that they should divide themselves into separate confederacies, and give to each the head of each, the same kind of powers which they are advised to place in one national Government.” Publius believed that if the Constitution and the principle of union was rejected, then they would become like the “petty republics of Greece and Italy… kept in a state of perpetual vibration, between the extremes of tyranny and anarchy.” Publius foresaw that unless the Constitution be ratified and the principle of union secured, the country would become a loose confederacy like the European Union instead of a firm band of friends. Instead of creating a system of petty republics on the basis of confederacy, Publius argued that the Constitution would create a great republic on the basis of union. The Federalists argued that the constitutional union was fitting because the Americans had a common destiny, a common philosophy, and a common goal.
But why should the sections, which had different and contradictory economic interests, agree to subject themselves to a common government which would wield power? Isn’t it true that one section would, upon election, sometimes be given the opportunity to abuse their fellow country-men in different quarters, comprising different interests? Publius dealt with this problem in two ways. First, he argued that the American people were more similar than different. Second, the principle of federalism allowed the states to embrace their particular interests through state law, while allowing the federal government to legislate according to the “great and aggregate interests” of the country.
Publius argued that among the sections, the people were homogenous in their principles and character, even if they embraced different economic interests across the sections. He argued that Providence had prepared the American people for union. He wrote, “It has often given me pleasure to observe that Independent America was not composed of detached and distant territories, but that one connected, fertile, wide, spreading country was the portion of our western sons of liberty. Providence has in a particular manner blessed it with a wide variety of soils and productions, and watered it with innumerable streams for the delight and accommodation of its inhabitants.” Publius also remarked that “Providence has been pleased to give this one connected country, to one united people, a people descended from the same ancestors, speaking the same language, professing the same religion, attached to the same principles of government, very similar in their manners and customs, and who, by their joint counsels, arms and efforts, fighting side by side throughout a long and bloody war, have nobly established their general Liberty and Independence.” In short, Publius argued that “This country and this people seem to have been made for each other.” In Federalist 2, Publius admitted that among the sections there were “slight shades of difference.” However, he argued that the common character and principles of the Americans trumped the consequential differences of economic interest across the sections. Furthermore, Publius and the Federalists believed that the American people would triumph over their differences through their common councils, given enough time.
However, Publius argued that the principle of federalism allowed for harmony in cases where the diversity of state interests clashed; by limiting the federal government to specific and enumerated purposes, the Constitution embraces the “slight shades of difference” among the states. For example, in Federalist 10, Publius makes a distinction between “local circumstances” and “national objects.” He argued that the representative must balance his attention to the local concerns of constituents and the “permanent and aggregate interests of the community.” He remarked that “the federal Constitution forms a happy combination in this respect; the great and aggregate interests being referred to the national, the local and the particular, to the state legislatures.” In other words, Publius believed that a limited government, embracing the principle of federalism, could unite American citizens in common matters while allowing the citizens of states to legislate according to their particular circumstances, habits, and interests.
But what was the alternative to union? One unpopular alternative among the Anti-federalists was the creation of a confederacy consisting of equal powers for each section of the union. In Federalist 5, Publius argued that the creation of a sectional confederacy was both impracticable and unwise. He predicted that the different sections would become jealous of the most powerful, and would scheme against their neighbors. Rather than cooperation, there would be competition between the sections. Rather than trust, there would be skepticism. Publius writes, “Distrust naturally creates distrust, and by nothing is good will and kind conduct more speedily changed, than by invidious jealousies and uncandid imputations.”
So, what was Publius’ solution to the different passions and interests that tended toward disunion? Publius’ most famous solution is the creation of the extended republic wherein the factions are multiplied, dispersed, and allowed to drown one another out. But also important is the way in which power is divided. The division of power is best explained in Federalist 51, where Publius explains that in the Constitutional system “ambition must be made to counteract ambition.” Publius first sought to quell factious differences by diminishing them through the extended sphere, but then sought to vent factious passions through the system of representation. The Constitution controls the violence of faction in a number of ways (the most important of which is the creation of an enlarged sphere, or a large republic), but here are four general ways the Constitutional system intended to deal with the difficulty of sectional faction by allowing “ambition to counteract ambition”:
- First, the Constitution divides power between the state and federal government which allows local interests to pursue their ends without interfering with the self-government of other localities. The federal government and local government, each jealous of their powers, will compete for sovereignty through the courts and public forums.
- Second, when federal legislative power is exercised, it is divided. This means majority factions cannot easily exact their designs because a bill must pass both houses.
- Third, the Senate’s mode of election and representation are meant to balance the power of more populous states in the House.
- Fourth, Publius imagined that representatives would “enlarge and refine public opinion” meaning that the representative would be less susceptible to the passions of local or sectional factions.
The Constitutional system successfully combated sectional faction under the pressures of the slavery question and Congress proved capable of balancing factious interests until states from the south rejected the Constitutional system and seceded from the union. In the next essay, I will consider how the Constitution and the Congress successfully combated the tendency toward disunion throughout the Antebellum period.
Samuel Postell serves as Executive Director of The Center for Liberty and Learning at the Founders Classical Academy of Lewisville, Texas. Mr. Postell graduated from Ashland University with undergraduate degrees in Politics and English. He earned his master’s degree in Political Thought from the University of Dallas and is working on his dissertation to complete his Ph.D. Mr. Postell is writing a book on Henry Clay and legislative statesmanship, a subject about which he frequently writes and publishes. He has also conducted studies for Ballotpedia and has frequently contributed to Law and Liberty and Constituting America. At Founders Classical Academy he teaches courses on Government and Economics, and has taught courses on American Literature and Rhetoric.
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Last week, the Marlinton Volunteer Fire Department responded to a fire in the Riverside area. It was a stark reminder of basic rules that can save lives and prevent property damage. Please make a mental note and analyze your own home surroundings and that of your community, wherever that is. First – do you have a plan? Good housekeeping is a good start and is an important part of reducing fire risk. Next, have a place for your family members and everyone in the house to meet in the event of a house fire.
Now, consider this, the reason for this article: In the event of a house fire or a fire near your house, make sure your exit path is free of debris and clutter. Furthermore, accumulations of combustible scrap materials and trash can provide the main ingredient for a fire. Any additional fuel source can contribute to major fire development in a matter of minutes.
Additionally, accumulations of old clothes, wood and trash can be trip hazards with a house full of smoke. Flammable materials, sometimes even dust, can increase the likelihood of a flash fire or secondary explosion after the original ignition.
Basic housekeeping procedures should be established. Make sure exits are free of trash! Now, consider the firemen and other first responders showing up at your burning property – often during nighttime hours and/or the worst of weather conditions. Secondary dangers can, at best, slow response time, and, at worst, result in cuts, falls or broken bones for volunteers rushing to save lives and property. Getting in position to fight fire is a must. Searching properties afterward is another issue. A foot of snow on the ground only makes the exit or entry more dangerous. Think – and be safe.
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Dental Crowns in Alexandria,VA - Alexandria Smiles Dentistry
What are crowns and bridges?
Crowns slide over teeth, strengthening them and concealing cosmetic issues. They're made of a variety of durable materials, including porcelain, porcelain-fused-to-metal, nickel, gold, ceramic, and resin. Crowns must be tough because they're subjected to very strong forces when you bite.
Bridges consist of two crowns that anchor one or more false teeth, called pontics They're used to replace missing teeth. Bridges are usually made of porcelain or porcelain-fused-to-metal.
How can crowns and bridges help me?
A missing tooth not only affects your appearance but also makes it more difficult to bite and chew. If several teeth are missing on one side, it can be particularly hard to chew foods. Unfortunately, if you don't chew foods thoroughly before swallowing them, you can experience an upset stomach. When you receive your new bridge, you'll be able to enjoy your favorite foods again without a problem.
Crowns are very versatile restorations and are used for a variety of purposes, including:
- Strengthening Damaged or Weakened Teeth: Crowns provide stability to cracked or chipped teeth in danger of breaking and restore teeth that are already broken.
- Providing Stability After Dental Procedures: Large fillings and root canal therapy are very effective treatments used to treat and repair tooth decay or inflammation and infection, but they can weaken teeth and make them more likely to break if they're not protected with crowns.
- Correcting Cosmetic Issues: Crowns conceal discolorations and chips, lengthen short teeth and change the appearance of crooked or oddly shaped teeth.
How do I receive crowns and bridges?
Teeth that will receive crowns must be reduced in size in order to accommodate the crowns. After the teeth are reduced, an impression of your mouth is made. A dental laboratory uses the impression to create crowns or bridges that will fit your mouth perfectly. You'll leave your dentist's office with temporary crowns or bridges and will return two or three weeks later when your permanent restoration is ready.
How Long Do Dental Crowns Last?
Crowns are designed to be durable and withstand the everyday strains and pressure that we experience with natural teeth, like biting, chewing, and habits like teeth grinding during sleep. The lifespan of a crown will vary from person to person, but the general range is anywhere between 5 - 15 years. Some can last much longer, while others may need maintenance after just a few years.
Are you looking to restore your natural smile? Call our Alexandria, VA office (also serving Alexandria West, Shirlington, & Bailey's Crossroads, VA) at (703) 671-0626 for more info!
Porcelain Crowns & Veneers Dear Doctor magazine examines two innovative strategies for improving your smile. In many instances, these two restorative techniques can produce nearly identical aesthetic results, even though they are designed differently for handling different structural problems... Read Article
Value Of Quality Care Are all crowns created equal? And why are some crowns more expensive than others? Crown fabrication costs depend upon the materials used and the time needed to create them, among other factors. Dear Doctor magazine examines these variables... Read Article
Fixed vs. Removable Bridgework For those patients who have lost all their teeth, but have not lost significant bone, a fixed bridge (permanent non-removable teeth) may be the treatment of choice. For those who have severe bone loss, an implant-supported overdenture offers significant advantages... Read Article
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Sorbfloc® is a biodegradable flocculant for cleaning wastewater. It replaces toxic chemicals and promotes a greener wastewater treatment industry.
Globally, 80 per cent of wastewater flows back into the ecosystem without being treated or reused, causing harm to aquatic animals and disease in humans who use polluted water as a drinking source. The remaining 20 per cent is normally treated with synthetic polymers that are potentially harmful to the environment.
One of these is polyacrylamide (PAM), a persistent, water-soluble polymer often regarded as more eco-friendly than insoluble polymers. Recent research suggests, though, that PAMs may be nanoplastics that can bioaccumulate in organisms and pollute natural water resources.
Sorbfloc® is an eco-friendly flocculent for wastewater treatment made of biopolymers – non-toxic, biodegradable compounds that can replace harmful PAMs. The biopolymers capture organic and inorganic particles in the wastewater, forming them into larger masses that are easily removed in the treatment process.
Sorbfloc® must be combined with a very small, non-toxic amount of a cross binder. Sorbwater Technology provides aluminium and iron as a cross binder and can provide assistance with mixing and dosing
Sorbfloc® has a wide range of treatment areas – from municipal wastewater and grey water and to tank wash water and industrial wastewater. One promising area is land-based aquaculture, where Sorbfloc® can be used in existing filtration systems, and the treated water can be released into the ocean without harm to marine life.
Wastewater treatment plants currently using PAMS or other synthetic polymers can easily switch to Sorbfloc® without investing in a new system or additional hardware. This keeps the cost low for treatment plants seeking greener alternatives.
Moreover, because Sorbfloc® is non-toxic, the sludge produced during wastewater treatment can be upcycled into other products such fertiliser and animal feed, which promotes the circular economy.
The wastewater treatment chemicals market size is currently valued at USD 22 billion and is estimated to reach USD 35 billion by 2023.
Sustainable water treatment solutions are more sought-after than ever due to increasing environmental concerns, a greater focus on public health and more stringent government regulations.
Sorbfloc® is currently being used in wastewater treatment in the Netherlands, Norway, the UK and the US. The company plans to expand into other European countries as well as the Middle East and South America.
Biodegradable, non-toxic solution
Reduces use of harmful chemicals in wastewater treatment
Easy to use, promotes healthy aquatic ecosystems, enables sludge upcycling
Sorbfloc® promotes sustainable water treatment to meet the world’s growing demand for clean water.
Sorbfloc® uses biodegradable compounds, reduces the use of harmful chemicals and enables sludge upcycling, which contributes to the circular economy.
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We use words to express so many different things: from basic things like “I’m hungry” to deeper things like “I love you.” Words have power to do good, but it is easy to forget how much harm we can do with them. We often think that our words cannot be hurtful if the person we are speaking about is not around. But with the prevalence of e-mail, texting, and twitter, seldom do our words end when we first express them. It is safe to assume that any words we say will be heard again.
In this week’s Torah portion, Va-Yera, Sarah’s words would be hurtful to Abraham. Thinking he cannot hear, she laughs about her aged husband’s ability to father a child in his old age. Imagine how Abraham would feel if he had heard Sarah’s laughter. Later in speaking to Abraham, God rephrases Sarah’s words so as not to hurt Abraham’s feelings. The Torah is teaching us to avoid hurtful speech.
How often do we speak carelessly and hurt those we love? Sarah shows us how easy this is to do. This lesson shows us how to communicate when we are upset. We learn from them that being in a relationship means using our words to heal, not only after we have been hurt but also after we have hurt someone else. Pausing to take a deep breath and counting to ten helps us to rephrase or avoid hurtful words. Shalom bayit, peace in the house, is the responsibility of each family member.
TALK TO YOUR KIDS about being careful with their words.
CONNECT TO THEIR LIVES:
- What can you do to avoid speech that hurts others?
- What are words that you can say after you have hurt someone?
- What is a good way to express your feelings when you have been hurt by someone else’s words?
- When is it hard to forgive? What makes it easier?
By Rabbi Judith Greenberg
Values & Ethics—Through a Jewish Lens is created by Fred and Joyce Claar to bring the wisdom of Judaism into family discussions.
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving
The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative seeks to support community-based nonprofit organizations (CBOs) in to collaborate and partner with other stakeholders (e.g., local businesses and industry, local government, medical service providers, academia, etc.) to develop solutions that will significantly address environmental and/or public health issue(s) in communities disproportionately burdened by environmental harms and risks.
The objective is to support projects that use the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model. Collaborative problem-solving is defined as an effort to bring together groups and resources by three or more stakeholders to solve a set of problems that any single entity cannot solve individually. To provide a systematic approach towards collaborative problem-solving, OEJECR has developed a Collaborative Problem-Solving Model (Model). Such a Model is intended to assist vulnerable and underserved communities in developing proactive, strategic, and visionary approaches to address their environmental justice issues and achieve community health and sustainability.
Collaborative problem-solving also involves developing a strategic plan with a built-in evaluation component to measure and achieve results on local environmental and/or public health issues and to sustain the partnerships. OEJECR’s CPS Model and its seven elements can be viewed as a “toolbox” filled with different tools that can be used as needed. The seven elements are as follows: 1. Issue Identification, Visioning, and Strategic Goal-Setting; 2. Community Capacity-Building and Leadership Development; 3. Development of Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships and Leveraging of Resources; 4. Consensus Building and Dispute Resolution; 5. Constructive Engagement with Other Stakeholders; 6. Sound Management and Implementation; and 7. Evaluation
Eligible project categories: Applications must address one of the following five broad categories: • Community-led air and other pollution monitoring, prevention, and remediation, and investments in low-and zero-emission and resilient technologies and related infrastructure and workforce development that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants; • Mitigating climate and health risks from urban heat islands, extreme heat, wood heater emissions, and wildfire events; • Climate resiliency and adaptation; • Reducing indoor toxics and indoor air pollution; or • Facilitating engagement of disadvantaged communities in Local, State and Federal public processes, such as advisory groups, workshops, and rulemakings
• $25,000,000 for CBOs proposing projects for up to $500,000 each. Approximately 50 awards for up $500,000 each are anticipated under this track. • $5,000,000 for qualifying small CBOs with 5 or fewer full-time employees proposing projects for up to $150,000 each. See more details under Section II.C. (Small Community-based Nonprofit Set Aside Track). Approximately 33 awards for up to $150,000 each are anticipated under this track.
Eligibility: Community-based nonprofit organizations. A “community-based nonprofit organization” (CBO) as a public or private nonprofit organization that supports and/or represents a community and/or certain populations within a community through engagement, education, and other related services provided to individual community residents and community stakeholders.
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Over the years, a number of studies have been conducted on the mental and emotional health risks of loneliness and social isolation. Many have shown that these are associated with an increased risk of mortality and morbidity. They are also associated with an increased risk of faster cognitive decline, along with developing health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and depression.
Loneliness can have a negative impact on memory, especially in older adults. A study of more than 8,000 adults over the age of 65 found that those who reported feeling lonely had a faster rate of cognitive decline.
The study found that having regular contact with friends and family motivated older adults to be more physically active, which helps them to reach their exercise goals. Although loneliness increases our risk of mortality, it doesn’t mean we should be worried about it all the time.
As a society, we are increasingly disconnected from one another. We spend most of our time alone in our homes and our mobile devices, leaving little time for social interaction. The negative impacts of social isolation have been well-studied, but the benefits have been much less investigated.
What can you do?
Staying connected with others may help boost your mood and improve your overall well-being. Stay in touch with family and friends in person or over the phone. Scheduling time each day to connect with others can help you maintain connections. Meet new people by taking a class to learn something new or hone a skill you already have.
The growing body of research on the health benefits of connectedness provides an opportunity to connect with others in a new way and experience the numerous health benefits that come with it.
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It depends on the amount of time you invest in your home. Some people are more than willing to spend the next 300 hours in their lives and others have time to spend doing things, things, and things. Why? Because in addition to the time spent doing what they’re doing, they’re also more likely to do the things they’re doing.
A common misconception is that the term “time spent doing things” is equal to “time spent doing things.” In reality it depends on the type of things that you do. If you are doing things for money, for example, you spend some time doing money making tasks such as trading. If youre doing things for pleasure, you spend some time doing things such as watching movies, or doing things like reading novels or playing video games.
Most people will never actually remember the exact amount of time they spent doing something, but the fact remains that the average person spends their day at the table or at the movies just because they want to. They spend a lot of time at the table and watch movies and play video games, and that’s pretty hard to do.
Your job will be to keep tabs on your work, and your work will be to get your job done. If you work for a living you may not even see your workers. You’ll never see the same workers in each of your work days, but you will see them every day.
What is the difference between a “work” and a “work place?” Your job will be to do your job, and that will take time.
A work place is a place where you work. A work place is a place where you are not allowed to do your job.
The point is that you can do the same job as your coworkers at your work place, and even get paid for doing the same job. But that doesn’t mean it’s a good job. If you are not performing your job well, you will not be treated like a human being. If you don’t have your work done the first day, you’ll be reassigned to someone who does.
The problem is that a lot of people do not do their jobs well and get replaced by someone who does. It happens time and time again. The problem is often not that they are not doing their job, but just that they are not performing it the way they should. It is an easy fix to say, “just do it better,” or “do it right.” But that doesn’t really fix the problem.
The problem is that the people who are performing their jobs the best and in the most efficient way are often the ones who get replaced. It happens for a variety of reasons, but the one thing that is often not addressed is the fact that we dont always want to be replaced.
If you think about it, it is really the people who are performing their jobs the best and in the most efficient way who are the people who tend to keep getting replaced. And sometimes we are just lazy. We just want to be told what to do, and dont want to have to be told what to do by anyone.
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3D Printing: What Is It And How Is It Used
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard the term 3D printing. This technological concept has existed for decades, but it now specifically refers to the use of a machine to construct a three-dimensional object layer by layer.
The popularity of 3D printing machines has risen significantly as their prices dropped over time. It is now cheap enough that people from all walks of life are buying their own machines and getting creative. Many post videos of their 3D printing machines on social media websites as a source of income. Using SocialGreg to gain followers, people are having fun with their 3D creations and earning from ad revenue shares.
What Exactly Is 3D?
Before the term 3D Printing, the technology was known as additive manufacturing. This patented term was used to describe bonding a material layer by layer to create a final three-dimensional shape. A three-dimensional design is first created using a computer program, and fed into a machine to ‘print’ the designed object. In the past, the technology was only applicable to metalworking. Scientists developed ways to spray layers of metal in the manufacturing process to automate the manufacture of a final solid object. The older methods for 3D printing involved using a binding powder to fuse the different layers together. Newer methods use a thermoplastic material that can be heated in order to shape it and left to cool (and harden).
Several techniques have been developed for 3D printing, Inkjet head 3D printing, SLS (Selective Laser Sintering), and FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling), and MultiJet Fusion are only a few of many currently used 3D printing technologies There are many applications for this technology, and it is used in many industries.
FDM vs SLS
The most popular (and affordable) method of 3D printing is FDM, alternatively known as Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). These are the smaller machines that many users on social media are filming the use of. Simply explained, a filament (of a chosen thermoplastic material) is heated and extruded at the same time, and deposited as a layer, according to a given design. These machines range from very small, to larger and more complex. They can even be used as an educational tool, giving students a means to creatively model and experiment with engineering principles. Inexpensive prototypes can be made within hours, allowing for a better understanding of engineering, molecular chemistry, and biology, among other subjects.
Although it has its relevant applications, models printed using FDM are less accurate and weaker than those using SLS. The latter uses a carbon dioxide laser to fuse together a powder made of a thermoplastic polymer. In simple terms, the laser is used to heat up specific parts of a powder, allowing the particles to fuse together forming a layer of solid material. SLS is more expensive than FDM but relatively cheaper and faster than traditional methods of manufacture. Additionally, the quality of manufactured products is very high, allowing for its use on an industrial scale.
How is 3D Printing Useful?
Although widely popular videos on TikTok make it seem like a toy, there are many useful applications for 3D Printing.
- Concept Models
In industrial situations where a small number of prototypes need to be made, 3D printing allows for a smaller structurally sound model to be made in a shorter period of time. This is particularly useful in making custom tools to fix a particular problem during any manufacturing process.
- Car Manufacturing
For decades, vehicle manufacturers have used 3D printing to construct various parts. Other methods to manufacture these parts can be too difficult or produce less sturdy results. By using 3D printing, automotive part manufacturers can speed up their production cycles in addition to providing more creative freedom when designing parts. The use of 3D printing allows for more customization in all levels of automotive manufacturing, and 33% of companies surveyed say that the technology allows for faster, customized production.
Complex buildings can be made faster using 3D Concrete, allowing for expansive construction to be cheaply made, with more structural integrity. A larger 3D printer is used to construct a building based on an architectural design, without human assistance. This also makes for a less expensive project. For example, a Chinese company states that they can print an apartment block (5 levels) for under $200,000. It is worth noting that this method of construction is often zero-waste, and thus makes it more environmentally friendly.
- Prosthetics and Implants
The prosthetics industry has come a long way from wooden legs that look, feel, and function unrealistically. With the technological and medical advantages, nowadays prosthetics can be made a perfect fit for the recipient. The same can be said for implants such as titanium hips etc. Additionally, the lower cost of production makes prosthetics affordable for more patients.
Medical scientists developed a method to use living cells and other biological materials as the 3D printing material, creating the opportunity to make tissues for various testing purposes. Experts project that this industry’s market size will grow 4 to 5 times in the coming years.
- Art and Jewelry
As this technology gives artists complete creative freedom, the options are endless. Artists are using affordable 3D printers to design and create artistic pieces, as well as jewelry. Custom-made jewelry is also easier to make by this process.
There is no doubt that there are still more advances in 3D printing technology to come. With an industry worth over $50 billion, it’s a safe bet that more uses for the technology will be developed. NASA is even thinking of ways to create zero waste food by 3D printing it. As 3D printers become increasingly more affordable, more hobbyists will be able to experiment with them. Naturally, this will lead to advances in the technology, and further development of old and new methods for 3D printing. The education of younger students on the methods of 3D printing will give rise to a generation of scientists that can further develop this amazing technology.
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HLT 312V Week 2 & Week 3 Complete Latest
HLT-312v Week 2 Discussion 1
Analyze the health care status of a specific minority group. Choose a particular minority group that is represented in the United States and compare its health status to the national average. What is the current health status of this minority group? What barriers to treatment and health care exist? How does race, socioeconomic status, or gender determine the quality of health care in the United States?
HLT-312v Week 2 Discussion 2
What is HIPAA and how has this affected health care? What rights to privacy should patients have?
HLT-312v Week 3 Discussion 1
Discuss the pros and cons of having “designer babies.” In what ways might this become a social, economic, class, racial, or prejudicial system? Will it truly improve society? How does the issue of cloning impact the future of reproduction?
HLT-312v Week 3 Discussion 2
What ethical issues surround embryonic stem-cell research? Should the president have limited federal stem-cell research? Are other alternatives such as adult stem cell and placenta as effective? Why or why not?
HLT-312v Week 3 Assignment – Patient Advocacy and Autonomy
Read “The Belmont Report: Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research” (1979): http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/belmont.html
Write a 1,250-1,500 word paper that addresses the significance of autonomy, patient advocacy, and informed consent. Your paper should include:
1. A description of the concepts of autonomy, patient advocacy, and informed consent.
2. A discussion of the Nuremberg Code and the Declaration of Helsinki and a summary of the events that led up to the development of ethical guidelines for conducting human clinical trials, including Institutional Review Boards (IRB).
3. Three examples of ways “The Belmont Report: Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research” works to protect special populations (e.g., minors, prisoners, persons with mental illness).
A minimum of three references are required.
Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.
Find out more here: HLT 312V Week 4 Complete Latest.
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“One man is ten-thousand, if he is the best.” (Kahn, 63; cp. S, R, DK 49, L&M D12)
Various translations personalize this statement. Laks and Mott do so, noting: “One man, for me, is ten-thousand, if he is the best” (D12). Here, they follow Cicero. Based on the fact that the personalization of this is not found in the earliest sources, but only by the time of Cicero, Kahn argues that it is best not to personalize the statement. Heraclitus, in any case, generally isn’t proposing personal views but is making more general truth claims.
The use of the term myrioi (translated ten-thousand here) was characteristically used to mean “innumerable” or “countless” (see Kahn, p. p. 177). But who are the best men, and what differentiates them from the multitude? Bias of Piene, discussed in Fragment 62 is one example of the best. Hermodorus, discussed in Fragment 64, is another. Such rare individuals, as we see in reference to Bias, have better accounts than others. Their views, unlike the ten-thousand, reflect logos.
Robinson mentions the unsavory prospect of interpreting Heraclitus as affirming the status of the aristocracy as superior to that of the masses. Yet that turns on the use of aristos in the text in an unusual manner, as a substantive indicating “noble,” which Robinson notes “is not parallel in the language” and thus not probable (Robinson, p. 112). The main emphasis we have seen in the fragments so far is on the superior thinking of the superior men. This is reflecting the Pre-Socratic focus on theoretical reasoning. We shall later examine the extent to which the superior man will also have a moral superiority.
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All images on this page courtesy of Charlie Gair Photographic Collection
Farming and livestock (location 30)
After the marshy land in the parish had been drained and improved from the late 18th century, much of the parish was increasingly cultivated. Holme Farm near Lentran was also known for its raspberries in the second half of the 1900s. A number of farmhouses and large steadings still survive in the parish. Even bull’s houses survive at Lentran, now converted to housing. The Charlie Gair Photographic Collection illustrates farming activity from the 20th century.
ARCH Kirkhill Heritage Project Home Page
Panel 1 – Mesolithic to Chalcolthic & Bronze Age (c8000BC – c800BC)
Panel 2 – Iron Age to Norse/Medieval (c800BC – 1560AD)
Panel 3 – Reformation to Industrial Revolution (c1560 – Present day)
Panel 4 – Reformation to Industrial Revolution (c1560 – Present day) cont.
Panel 5 – Charlie Gair Photographic Collection – People
Panel 7 – Charlie Gair Photographic Collection – Forestry
Map with references to featured assets on above Panels.
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As we inch towards this year’s Union Budget that is to be held on the 1st of February we are here to present the budget in a digestible and simple way. Last week we decoded the structure of the budget and what it entails and this week we aim to demystify and dive deep into how the budget of India of India has grown with the country and what have been the various processes around it. This will also help you understand what trends are considered while making the budget and help you gauge what Budget 2022 should and could contain.
The first budget of Independent India was presented on the 26th of November 1947, just a few months after we gained independence. This was historic in many ways, as the practice to have a Union Budget was set into place. The priority of the Budget was to handle the disruption and instability caused due to the partition of the country. The highest spending was towards food grain production, strengthening the defense forces followed by civil expenditure. This made sense as there was a lot of refugee relief and rehabilitation that needed to be done.
There were still post partition factors plaguing the country and with floods in Bihar, cyclones in Mumbai and famines on the western coast, the Government of India introduced a budget which sought more control on food grains and imports while operations in Kashmir meant that there was also an increased spending on defense.
The first budget after India turned into a republic included the famous planning commission which had 5 year plans and targets for the country. Agriculture also was given priority along with defense expenditure in the budget. The maximum income tax chargeable was also reduced from 30 percent to 25 percent with incomes above 1,21,000 attracting a super-tax of 8.5 aanaas per rupee.
These years saw increased demand of indigenous goods made of jute and cotton. Import regulations were also relaxed to cater to the increased demands of consumer goods and medicines.
Focus on the agricultural sector as the government receives record revenue to spend from Income Tax, Customs, Excise duties and money made by the post and telegraph department of over Rs. 400 crores.
The main focus was Industrial development as the government wanted to cater to the growing consumer demand domestically. Along with industrial development, a major share of the budget went to education and scholarships. As always defense expenditure featured in the top 3.
The government imposed severe restrictions on imports with excise duties as high as 400% to protect and promote Indian goods. With the budget, a differentiation was made between active incomes which included salaries and business income and passive income which included income from rent and interest.
As industrial production continued to grow and imports decreased and exports blossomed. This was a time when the budget catered to agriculture and materials production like iron, steel and aluminum to aid a rapidly developing country.
The early 60s saw the nation grow and the government wanted to improve the life of the common man and hence improved the savings rate. But due to unfavorable climate conditions, the agriculture sector took a hit and a shortage arose in the availability of food grains. But railways and industry saw a lot of foreign investment.
Food supply chain was given priority as industrial production grew. The government of India pushed for more people to join industries. Budgets also had provisions for aid to countries like Nepal and Bhutan. While self-assessment tax was introduced for all manufacturers.
The budget aimed to increase employment by financing industries while focusing on urban development. General insurance companies, coal mines, copper companies were nationalized for greater government control. While the effects of the green revolution also started to kick in as the budget had provisions for fertilizers, better seeds and water table care.
The next 10 years the budgets focused on raising the socio-economic condition of the population that was below the poverty line with special focus towards North East and electrification. With reforms being brought in the banking industry and India entering a new millennium, license raj was abolished by the budget.
It was the decade when economic liberalization kicked in. The import-export policy was refurbished and customs duty fell as service tax was introduced. The budget also introduced VDIS (voluntary disclosure of income scheme) and eventually the income tax collected by the government increased to about 19,000 crore rupees.
As India became one of the software hubs of the world, a lot of support was provided to the IT industry and services sector. As the economy grew by record numbers, increasing prices of food and other commodities became a cause of concern as inflation increased and there were fingers pointed towards the inefficiency and inadequacy of the budget in controlling them.
A lot of focus was given on controlling the economy after the financial crisis of last decade. Rural development was given a big share of the budget as India looked to bounce back.
The last 5 years have been a rollercoaster ride for the budget as it had to deal with a worsening GDP, the covid pandemic and increased tensions on both the north west and north east borders. As the government revenues increase exponentially, expenditure on infrastructure and defense has continuously grown. Medical framework of the country was also supported with MSMEs in the post pandemic budgets.
The budget that is to come, join us as we decode and demystify what the budget will include this year. Budgets can almost tell the story of India, what will the story be this year?
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2.5 Online fraud
So far you have learned how social engineering can be a useful tool for those who wish to distribute malware. However, it can also be used to gain access to personal information, which may allow unauthorised individuals to access accounts, facilitating photo hacking. However, perhaps the most familiar form of social engineering used by cybercriminals is the phishing email, which is normally used to gain information that can be used to commit online fraud. This phishing email often appears to be from a legitimate business or bank and asks for an immediate response from the recipient in order to prevent serious consequences (for example, the account being frozen). When the recipient clicks on the link in the email, they are taken to a fake website and asked to enter their account details. By doing so, they provide fraudsters with the information needed to access their genuine account and steal money. As in the previous examples, by manipulating human behaviour, cybercriminals can gain access to private accounts without being skilled in hacking.
Advance fee fraud is another online scam with which you might be familiar with. There are many variants, but the basic format is the same. The fraudster sends an email in which they claim to need help in moving a large amount of money from one country to another and are prevented from doing so due to some unfortunate set of circumstances. The recipient of the email is asked to assist by sending a small amount of money and is offered a share of the large sum of money as their reward (Action Fraud, 2020). Of course, the large sum of money does not exist, and anyone who sends money will never see it again. Online dating romance scam (Buchanan and Whitty, 2014; Whitty and Buchanan, 2012; 2016) is a subtype of advance fee fraud, in which the scammer or scammers pose as someone interested in forming a relationship with their victim. They use photographs of attractive people to create fake profiles and make contact with their victims via social networking sites or online dating sites (e.g. Aransiola and Asindemade, 2011; Rege, 2009; Whitty and Buchanan, 2012). This is sometimes termed ‘catfishing’. The focus in this type of crime is on building a relationship with the victim so that they will then comply with requests for money.
Activity 5 Why does online dating scam succeed?
Watch the video of FBI Special Agent Christine Beining describing romance scams. As you watch the video, note down any information related to the victims’ likely characteristics and techniques used to gain trust and obtain the desired result.
Christine Beining explained that:
- Scammers usually target vulnerable women (though men can be targeted but less so than women) , using the internet, with money and willing to give it. More specifically, they target people not in existing relationships and looking for love (divorced or widowed)
- they will use information available on the internet to find common grounds and use information to manipulate victims and get their trust. The relationships become intense very quickly. So, they can start asking for money using different excuses and promising to repay back the money.
- Scammers are usually part of criminal organisations and data about victims are recorded in ‘sucker lists’, which make them even more vulnerable and easily targeted to repeat victimisations (Button et al., 2009).
Buchanan and Whitty (2014) also found that higher scores on ‘idealisation’ of romantic partners were associated with an increased likelihood of being a romance scam victim, but the other factors they investigated – including extraversion, agreeableness, sensation-seeking, neuroticism, and loneliness – were not associated with the likelihood that someone would become a romance scam victim.
You can read about the many different types of online fraud at the Action Fraud website [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] .
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Researchers have found a brand new type of insulin-producing cell hiding in plain sight within the pancreas, and they offer new hope for better understanding - and one day even treating - type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes occurs when a person's own immune system kills off most of their insulin-producing beta cells. And seeing as insulin is the hormone that regulates our blood sugar, type 1 diabetics are left reliant on injecting themselves with insulin regularly.
While the condition can usually be managed effectively, in order to properly treat it, researchers would need to find a way to regenerate a patient's beta cells and prevent them from being attacked in future - something we're getting better at, but ultimately has eluded scientists so far.
The discovery of these previously unnoticed cells in the pancreas - which the team are calling 'virgin beta cells' - could offer a new route for regrowing healthy, mature beta cells - and also provides insight into the basic mechanisms behind the disease.
"We've seen phenomenal advances in the management of diabetes, but we cannot cure it," said lead researcher Mark Huising from the University of California, Davis.
"If you want to cure the disease, you have to understand how it works in the normal situation."
To get a better insight into exactly what happens in type 1 diabetes, the researchers studied both mice and human tissue.
Huising and his team were looking at regions inside the pancreas known as the islets of Langerhans, which in healthy humans and mice are the regions that contain the beta cells that detect blood sugar levels around the body and produce insulin in response.
Researchers also know that the islets contain cells called alpha cells, which produce glucagon, a hormone that raises blood sugar. These alpha cells, combined with the blood sugar-lowering beta cells, are how the body regulates blood sugar levels.
But in patients with type 1 diabetes, two things go wrong: the beta cells are killed off by the body's own immune system, and then they fail to regenerate.
In order to treat the disease, we need to find a way to overcome both of those problems.
For decades, scientists have been trying to do this, and they had long assumed that there was one main way for beta cells to be produced - through other adult beta cells dividing.
But after using new microscope techniques to study islet tissue in the lab, Huising and his team found a new type of cell scattered around the edges of the islets that no one had noticed before - and they looked a lot like immature beta cells, suggesting that maybe there was actually another way beta cells were being made.
Further study revealed that these new virgin beta cells could make insulin, but they didn't have the receptors to detect glucose, so couldn't function as mature beta cells.
But that wasn't all the researchers found. They also observed some mature beta cells in the islets transitioning into alpha cells - representing a completely unexpected alpha cell generation pathway.
"There's much more plasticity in the system than was thought," said Huising.
It's still very early days, and these new cells now need to be confirmed in live humans and animals - not just tissue in the lab. But the fact that we now have evidence that they exist opens up a whole avenue of research on type 1 diabetes and potential treatments.
According to Huising, there are three main reasons to get excited about the result: firstly, it represents a new beta cell population in both humans and mice that we had no idea about before, and secondly, it also provides a potential new source of beta cells that could be used to treat diabetics.
"Finally, understanding how these cells mature into functioning beta cells could help in developing stem cell therapies for diabetes," a press release explains.
The research could also have benefits for type 2 diabetes, which occurs when beta cells become inactive and stop releasing or secreting insulin.
The results have been published in Cell Metabolism.
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