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This is a final project for a Progressivism/Imperialism United States History unit. It guides students through research (in both books and online) and will result in creative student projects. Some examples of these projects: newspapers, historical debates, etc. Previous instruction of both Progressivism and the Imperialism Era should occur before beginning this project with your classes. It is a final student project (completely ready to hand out to students) that will take between 2 and 3 weeks, depending on your students. Internet and library books are needed.
Here are my answers to questions about swine flu sent by readers of virology blog: Q: Am I missing something? How can a summer pandemic be unprecedented? You cited a pretty famous example of one. In fact nearly all of your examples seem to have occurred partly or mostly “out of season”. A: You are correct; it is true that there were cases of influenza over the summer of 1918, even in the northern hemisphere. These were mainly in troops; I believe this situation was anomalous due to massive troop movements. But in 1968 the seasonal pattern was clear. Q: I haven’t seen anyone address death rates for cases treated with antivirals vs. cases not treated with antivirals. For that matter, reporting of the cases in the US has been rather unclear about the extent to which confirmed and suspected cases are being treated with antivirals. Couldn’t it be that Mexico has only relatively recently started to consistently treat suspected cases with antivirals within the short window of effectiveness, and that most US cases have received treatment? This would explain a leveling off of the increase in number of deaths in Mexico and the “mild” cases we’re seeing in the U.S. If this is not made clear, the public will mistakenly believe this flu to be benign and will not take the appropriate steps to mitigate its spread. And couldn’t this turn political as countries have different incentives to shut down their economies with quarantines and bans on public gatherings given their respective antiviral stockpiles? A: I don’t have any information on the extent of use of antivirals anywhere. There are still so few confirmed cases that it would be premature to speculate, although it’s a good point. Q: How are influenza viruses classified as H1, H2, etc? I had always thought it was serological, but that would imply that the seasonal H1N1 vaccine might have some efficacy against this H1N1 “swine” virus. Is there a more modern method for classification based on nucleotide sequence? A: The subtyping (H1, H2, etc) is done by serology, using a panel of antibodies against the 17 known HA subtypes. This would imply some cross-reactivity among the H1 HAs of the swine flu strain and the previous H1N1 strain. Such cross-reactivity might confer perhaps not protection against infection but could lead to milder disease. CDC asserts that “Vaccination with seasonal influenza vaccine containing human influenza A (H1N1) would not be expected to provide protection against swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses” but it could reduce disease severity. Q: I found these statistics on the newspaper “Reforma” so I have added the population for each state (in thousands) and calculated morbidity and mortality by adding all up (deaths, proven cases and probable (maybe) cases) and it turns out that the states with the highest morbidity do not have the highest mortality… for instance Tlaxcala has the highest morbidity for such a small state and San Luis Potosi has the highest mortality with a much lower morbidity….Could be that we are dealing with two different types of H1N1 viruses? one is the California that is not too virulent and a mutated one that is highly virulent and is not spreading that much…. A: These are certainly possible scenarios. Until we have sequences from the Mexican isolates we won’t know the answers. I do think the absence of sequence information from Mexico is exacerbating the panic. Q: What are the chances of swine flu developing resistance against Tamiflu and other currently available antiviral drugs ? Do you think that the distribution of Tamiflu and other drugs over the course of the last few years have been a mistake that leaves us less well-prepared in front of the current epidemic ? A: The chance of swine flu becoming resistant to Tamiflu is very high; last season a high proportion of all circulating H1N1 viruses were resistant to the drug. Remember, the current H1N1 viruses are already resistant to adamantanes. I don’t think distribution of the drugs was a mistake; their use probably saved lives. What is a mistake is not having a deeper arsenal of antiviral drugs. We need to have at least 6 drugs for an effective antiviral approach. Q: I live in Mexico and we are very confused here about the measures the government is taking against the flu. I have heard that it is not possible in the first 7 days passing the virus person-person, but only in the moment that the symptoms are already visible. Is that true? A: Peak virus shedding occurs about a day before peak symptoms. I would not say it is not impossible to shed virus without symptoms, but in most cases, shedding is quickly followed by symptoms. Q: I read somewhere that this new strain is one that contains parts of the H5N1 virus (bird flu) and other flues, including the H1N1 strain (human), and some genetic material from swine flu, but they’re just calling it the H1N1 virus. This is all very confusing, because that would have had to be genetically engineered in a lab and then released into the general public. They (the media) is also saying that it is a rapidly mutating virus (RNA, obviously, because they are unstable). Could this be genetically engineered? If someone could explain, that would be great. A: Pigs are infected with many different influenza virus subtypes (H1N1, H3N2) and viruses with different sets of RNA segments can emerge. It does not have to be engineered in a lab to have RNAs from so many different viruses. This is not a virus anyone has seen before, and no scientist is smart enough to have made it so that it would be transmitted among humans. We receive quite a few anxious emails from Mexico. Following is an example: Q: I am living in Baja, Mèxico. This swine influenza issue is getting really scary. And I suspect authorities give one information then they give contradictory information, I think they don´t want people to panic. As we already are anyway. a) La Paz, is really hot weathered, unfortunately… and the hot weather hasn`t come yet, do you think hot weather would help to attenuate the spreading of the virus? A: Yes, hot weather should interfere with aerosol transmission. But it is possible that the virus might continue to spread through contact. b) How long do you think it would take to make a vaccine? Six months. I have read that some companies feel it can be done faster, but the vaccines we have used successfully in the past require six months. c) Now it is really difficult to find the Relenza or Tamiflu, but I have heard that some natural products sometimes help reinforced the inmunological system , like the onion, would you recommend to eat something in particular? I am not aware of natural antiviral sources, but I would caution you against using natural products that might contain other dangerous materials (not onions, of course). Q: I was reading that some countries do not have the techniques for testing if a virus is of the present H1N1 type. Which exactly is the procedure for this test and why it is so complex/expensive? A: It is true that some of the assays are complex, and several are used. One method is to isolate the virus in cell culture by inoculating a nasal swab or throat wash specimen into cultured cells. Then a panel of antibodies against the 16 known HA subtypes are used in a variety of assays, such as neutralization assays, in which the capacity of the antibody to block infection is determined. For example, if the virus is an H1 virus, only antibodies against the H1 HA would block infectivity. Other diagnostic methods include direct fluorescent antibody testing, immunoassays, real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, nucleotide sequencing, and multiplex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Some of these assays can be done directly on the nasal swab or throat wash. Viral culture is the “gold standard” for typing and subtyping of influenza viruses, but takes 3 to 7 days to culture the virus. In experienced hands they are not complex, but they must be done properly to have confidence in them. Lab personnel need to be trained in the methods because clearly a great deal depends upon a reliable test. Q: Why does the CDC recommend against face masks when the science clearly shows they are exceedingly beneficial at stopping the transmission of flu-like disease? Here’s a study I found on the CDC’s own site clearly demonstrating the efficacy of properly fitted N95 face masks during the SARS outbreak. A: I did not mean to imply that CDC advises against using face masks. My statement was based on the fact that on the CDC’s swine flu page, there are no recommendations for face masks. This is the page that most of the public will see. Face masks will work if used properly; if not used according to directions, they will not prevent transmission or infection and will convey a false sense of security.
To the west , there was the Roxbury Meeting House, near Rocky Hill, where the rebels would fire into the British lines. Just north of there lay Ruggles Hill, an elevated, fortified post of Colonial militiamen armed with a “four and 20-pounder” cannon that could just reach the redcoats. Not far away was yet another hill, “from whence ye enemy anoy ye Sentries & Officers with small Arms, but seldom do any Execution.” Look closely at the 18th-century map that’s now on display at the Boston Public Library’s main branch, and you can get a sense of a British soldier’s perspective of the battlefield in Boston at the start of the Revolutionary War. Lieutenant Richard Williams was tasked with creating the watercolor map, which he called “A Plan of Boston and its Environs,” in 1775. The meticulously drawn map provides an overhead view of the “true situation of his Majesty’s troops,” and positions of the rebel forces, during the British occupation in October of that year. “The Works shaded Green show those constructed by his Majesty’s troops,” he wrote in an explanation on the right side of the map. “The Works shaded yellow show those thrown up by the Enemies as they appear from Boston.” The map is borrowed from the British Library’s King George III Topographical Collection, and will be on display, along with other works by Williams and an array of renderings from the second half of the 18th century, at the Boston library’s Norman B. Leventhal Map Center in Copley Square through November. “It’s the original map that Richard Williams did,” said Ronald Grim, curator of the Leventhal center. “It shows what the military situation around Boston was. The British were basically confined to the city of Boston, and the American troops sort of surrounded the city in Cambridge and Roxbury and South Boston.” A version of the map was published in London in March 1776, a week before the British were forced out of Boston by Colonial troops. Grim said obtaining the Williams map was special for the center, which operates as a nonprofit organization in partnership with the library, because namesake Norman B. Leventhal used to keep a replica of it above his desk. The developer and philanthropist died in April at the age of 97. “For us, it is very significant to have the [original] on display in our collection,” Grim said. Other works by Williams include two watercolor drawings that provide panoramic views of the Boston landscape from a vantage point on Beacon Hill. According to curators, one map shows British encampments in the foreground and George Washington’s headquarters across the Charles River. The other looks across the harbor toward Charlestown. The maps and drawings are featured in “We Are One: Mapping America’s Road from Revolution to Independence,” an exhibition that has been open since May. The latest maps are replacing other items that have been on display. The Leventhal center has also borrowed a map from the Connecticut Historical Society that illustrates Concord during the first battle of the Revolutionary War. Digitized versions of the maps and landscapes can be accessed through the center’s website, www.maps.bpl.org. “It’s really significant for us that we have been able to borrow these items from the British Library and have original manuscript materials that have never been in Boston before,” said Grim.
Here are 10 activities you can try with your 0-3 month old baby. Time needed to perform the activity: Less than 5 minutes Suitable number of Children: Best with just a single child (Parent participation required) Suitable age: birth to 3 months old. Location: At Home Items used: Boppy Pillow, Finger puppets, Keys, Paper towel roll, Safe play mirror, Soft objects, ball Developmental Milestones supported by this activity: Hearing, Interaction, Maintaining Forward Head Position, Pointing, Reaches and Grasps Object, Reaching with Both Hands, React to Toy by Moving Arms, Sensing, Tummy Time Tags: 0-3 month This activity was created by Eat Sleep and Play.
Telomeres are repeating DNA sequences at the tip ends of the chromosomes that are diverse in length and in humans can reach a length of 15,000 base pairs. The telomere serves as a bioprotective mechanism of chromosome attrition at each cell division. At a certain length, telomeres become too short to allow replication, a process that may lead to chromosome instability or cell death. Telomere length is regulated by two opposing mechanisms: attrition and elongation. Attrition occurs as each cell divides. In contrast, elongation is partially modulated by the enzyme telomerase, which adds repeating sequences to the ends of the chromosomes. In this way, telomerase could possibly reverse an aging mechanism and rejuvenates cell viability. These are crucial elements in maintaining cell life and are used to assess cellular aging. In this manuscript we will describe an accurate, short, sophisticated and cheap method to assess telomere length in multiple tissues and species. This method takes advantage of two key elements, the tandem repeat of the telomere sequence and the sensitivity of the qRT-PCR to detect differential copy numbers of tested samples. In addition, we will describe a simple assay to assess telomerase activity as a complementary backbone test for telomere length. 20 Related JoVE Articles! Collecting Saliva and Measuring Salivary Cortisol and Alpha-amylase in Frail Community Residing Older Adults via Family Caregivers Institutions: Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Arizona State University, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. Salivary measures have emerged in bio-behavioral research that are easy-to-collect, minimally invasive, and relatively inexpensive biologic markers of stress. This article we present the steps for collection and analysis of two salivary assays in research with frail, community residing older adults-salivary cortisol and salivary alpha amylase. The field of salivary bioscience is rapidly advancing and the purpose of this presentation is to provide an update on the developments for investigators interested in integrating these measures into research on aging. Strategies are presented for instructing family caregivers in collecting saliva in the home, and for conducting laboratory analyses of salivary analytes that have demonstrated feasibility, high compliance, and yield quality specimens. The protocol for sample collection includes: (1) consistent use of collection materials; (2) standardized methods that promote adherence and minimize subject burden; and (3) procedures for controlling certain confounding agents. We also provide strategies for laboratory analyses include: (1) saliva handling and processing; (2) salivary cortisol and salivary alpha amylase assay procedures; and (3) analytic considerations. Medicine, Issue 82, Saliva, Dementia, Behavioral Research, Aging, Stress, saliva, cortisol, alpha amylase, dementia, caregiving, stress Rapid Analysis of Chromosome Aberrations in Mouse B Lymphocytes by PNA-FISH Institutions: Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Defective DNA repair leads to increased genomic instability, which is the root cause of mutations that lead to tumorigenesis. Analysis of the frequency and type of chromosome aberrations in different cell types allows defects in DNA repair pathways to be elucidated. Understanding mammalian DNA repair biology has been greatly helped by the production of mice with knockouts in specific genes. The goal of this protocol is to quantify genomic instability in mouse B lymphocytes. Labeling of the telomeres using PNA-FISH probes (peptide nucleic acid - fluorescent in situ hybridization) facilitates the rapid analysis of genomic instability in metaphase chromosome spreads. B cells have specific advantages relative to fibroblasts, because they have normal ploidy and a higher mitotic index. Short-term culture of B cells therefore enables precise measurement of genomic instability in a primary cell population which is likely to have fewer secondary genetic mutations than what is typically found in transformed fibroblasts or patient cell lines. Immunology, Issue 90, genomic instability, DNA repair, mouse, metaphase spread, FISH, primary culture Low-stress Route Learning Using the Lashley III Maze in Mice Institutions: Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania State University, University of California, Los Angeles, University of California, Los Angeles. Many behavior tests designed to assess learning and memory in rodents, particularly mice, rely on visual cues, food and/or water deprivation, or other aversive stimuli to motivate task acquisition. As animals age, sensory modalities deteriorate. For example, many strains of mice develop hearing deficits or cataracts. Changes in the sensory systems required to guide mice during task acquisition present potential confounds in interpreting learning changes in aging animals. Moreover, the use of aversive stimuli to motivate animals to learn tasks is potentially confounding when comparing mice with differential sensitivities to stress. To minimize these types of confounding effects, we have implemented a modified version of the Lashley III maze. This maze relies on route learning, whereby mice learn to navigate a maze via repeated exposure under low stress conditions, e.g. dark phase, no food/water deprivation, until they navigate a path from the start location to a pseudo-home cage with 0 or 1 error(s) on two consecutive trials. We classify this as a low-stress behavior test because it does not rely on aversive stimuli to encourage exploration of the maze and learning of the task. The apparatus consists of a modular start box, a 4-arm maze body, and a goal box. At the end of the goal box is a pseudo-home cage that contains bedding similar to that found in the animal’s home cage and is specific to each animal for the duration of maze testing. It has been demonstrated previously that this pseudo-home cage provides sufficient reward to motivate mice to learn to navigate the maze1 . Here, we present the visualization of the Lashley III maze procedure in the context of evaluating age-related differences in learning and memory in mice along with a comparison of learning behavior in two different background strains of mice. We hope that other investigators interested in evaluating the effects of aging or stress vulnerability in mice will consider this maze an attractive alternative to behavioral tests that involve more stressful learning tasks and/or visual cues. Neuroscience, Issue 39, mouse, behavior testing, learning, memory, neuroscience, phenotyping, aging Measuring Frailty in HIV-infected Individuals. Identification of Frail Patients is the First Step to Amelioration and Reversal of Frailty Institutions: University of Arizona, University of Arizona. A simple, validated protocol consisting of a battery of tests is available to identify elderly patients with frailty syndrome. This syndrome of decreased reserve and resistance to stressors increases in incidence with increasing age. In the elderly, frailty may pursue a step-wise loss of function from non-frail to pre-frail to frail. We studied frailty in HIV-infected patients and found that ~20% are frail using the Fried phenotype using stringent criteria developed for the elderly1,2 . In HIV infection the syndrome occurs at a younger age. HIV patients were checked for 1) unintentional weight loss; 2) slowness as determined by walking speed; 3) weakness as measured by a grip dynamometer; 4) exhaustion by responses to a depression scale; and 5) low physical activity was determined by assessing kilocalories expended in a week's time. Pre-frailty was present with any two of five criteria and frailty was present if any three of the five criteria were abnormal. The tests take approximately 10-15 min to complete and they can be performed by medical assistants during routine clinic visits. Test results are scored by referring to standard tables. Understanding which of the five components contribute to frailty in an individual patient can allow the clinician to address relevant underlying problems, many of which are not evident in routine HIV clinic visits. Medicine, Issue 77, Infection, Virology, Infectious Diseases, Anatomy, Physiology, Molecular Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Retroviridae Infections, Body Weight Changes, Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures, Physical Examination, Muscle Strength, Behavior, Virus Diseases, Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis, Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena, HIV, HIV-1, AIDS, Frailty, Depression, Weight Loss, Weakness, Slowness, Exhaustion, Aging, clinical techniques In vitro Reconstitution of the Active T. castaneum Telomerase Institutions: University of Pennsylvania. Efforts to isolate the catalytic subunit of telomerase, TERT, in sufficient quantities for structural studies, have been met with limited success for more than a decade. Here, we present methods for the isolation of the recombinant Tribolium castaneum TERT (Tc TERT) and the reconstitution of the active T. castaneum telomerase ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex in vitro Telomerase is a specialized reverse transcriptase1 that adds short DNA repeats, called telomeres, to the 3' end of linear chromosomes2 that serve to protect them from end-to-end fusion and degradation. Following DNA replication, a short segment is lost at the end of the chromosome3 and without telomerase, cells continue dividing until eventually reaching their Hayflick Limit4 . Additionally, telomerase is dormant in most somatic cells5 in adults, but is active in cancer cells6 where it promotes cell immortality7 The minimal telomerase enzyme consists of two core components: the protein subunit (TERT), which comprises the catalytic subunit of the enzyme and an integral RNA component (TER), which contains the template TERT uses to synthesize telomeres8,9 . Prior to 2008, only structures for individual telomerase domains had been solved10,11 . A major breakthrough in this field came from the determination of the crystal structure of the active12 , catalytic subunit of T. castaneum Here, we present methods for producing large quantities of the active, soluble Tc TERT for structural and biochemical studies, and the reconstitution of the telomerase RNP complex in vitro for telomerase activity assays. An overview of the experimental methods used is shown in Figure 1. Molecular Biology, Issue 53, Telomerase, protein expression, purification, chromatography, RNA isolation, TRAP Psychophysiological Stress Assessment Using Biofeedback Institutions: Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School. In the last half century, research in biofeedback has shown the extent to which the human mind can influence the functioning of the autonomic nervous system, previously thought to be outside of conscious control. By letting people observe signals from their own bodies, biofeedback enables them to develop greater awareness of their physiological and psychological reactions, such as stress, and to learn to modify these reactions. Biofeedback practitioners can facilitate this process by assessing people s reactions to mildly stressful events and formulating a biofeedback-based treatment plan. During stress assessment the practitioner first records a baseline for physiological readings, and then presents the client with several mild stressors, such as a cognitive, physical and emotional stressor. Variety of stressors is presented in order to determine a person's stimulus-response specificity, or differences in each person's reaction to qualitatively different stimuli. This video will demonstrate the process of psychophysiological stress assessment using biofeedback and present general guidelines for treatment planning. Neuroscience, Issue 29, Stress, biofeedback, psychophysiological, assessment Functional Interrogation of Adult Hypothalamic Neurogenesis with Focal Radiological Inhibition Institutions: California Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, University Of Washington Medical Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The functional characterization of adult-born neurons remains a significant challenge. Approaches to inhibit adult neurogenesis via invasive viral delivery or transgenic animals have potential confounds that make interpretation of results from these studies difficult. New radiological tools are emerging, however, that allow one to noninvasively investigate the function of select groups of adult-born neurons through accurate and precise anatomical targeting in small animals. Focal ionizing radiation inhibits the birth and differentiation of new neurons, and allows targeting of specific neural progenitor regions. In order to illuminate the potential functional role that adult hypothalamic neurogenesis plays in the regulation of physiological processes, we developed a noninvasive focal irradiation technique to selectively inhibit the birth of adult-born neurons in the hypothalamic median eminence. We describe a method for C omputer tomography-guided f radiation (CFIR) delivery to enable precise and accurate anatomical targeting in small animals. CFIR uses three-dimensional volumetric image guidance for localization and targeting of the radiation dose, minimizes radiation exposure to nontargeted brain regions, and allows for conformal dose distribution with sharp beam boundaries. This protocol allows one to ask questions regarding the function of adult-born neurons, but also opens areas to questions in areas of radiobiology, tumor biology, and immunology. These radiological tools will facilitate the translation of discoveries at the bench to the bedside. Neuroscience, Issue 81, Neural Stem Cells (NSCs), Body Weight, Radiotherapy, Image-Guided, Metabolism, Energy Metabolism, Neurogenesis, Cell Proliferation, Neurosciences, Irradiation, Radiological treatment, Computer-tomography (CT) imaging, Hypothalamus, Hypothalamic Proliferative Zone (HPZ), Median Eminence (ME), Small Animal Radiation Research Platform (SARRP) Propagation of Homalodisca coagulata virus-01 via Homalodisca vitripennis Cell Culture Institutions: University of Texas at Tyler, USDA ARS. The glassy-winged sharpshooter (Homalodisca vitripennis ) is a highly vagile and polyphagous insect found throughout the southwestern United States. These insects are the predominant vectors of Xylella fastidiosa (X. fastidiosa), a xylem-limited bacterium that is the causal agent of Pierce's disease (PD) of grapevine. Pierce’s disease is economically damaging; thus, H. vitripennis have become a target for pathogen management strategies. A dicistrovirus identified as Homalodisca coagulata virus-01 (HoCV-01) has been associated with an increased mortality in H. vitripennis populations. Because a host cell is required for HoCV-01 replication, cell culture provides a uniform environment for targeted replication that is logistically and economically valuable for biopesticide production. In this study, a system for large-scale propagation of H. vitripennis cells via tissue culture was developed, providing a viral replication mechanism. HoCV-01 was extracted from whole body insects and used to inoculate cultured H. vitripennis cells at varying levels. The culture medium was removed every 24 hr for 168 hr, RNA extracted and analyzed with qRT-PCR. Cells were stained with trypan blue and counted to quantify cell survivability using light microscopy. Whole virus particles were extracted up to 96 hr after infection, which was the time point determined to be before total cell culture collapse occurred. Cells were also subjected to fluorescent staining and viewed using confocal microscopy to investigate viral activity on F-actin attachment and nuclei integrity. The conclusion of this study is that H. vitripennis cells are capable of being cultured and used for mass production of HoCV-01 at a suitable level to allow production of a biopesticide. Infection, Issue 91, Homalodisca vitripennis, Homalodisca coagulata virus-01, cell culture, Pierce’s disease of grapevine, Xylella fastidiosa, Dicistroviridae The Trier Social Stress Test Protocol for Inducing Psychological Stress Institutions: Northern Arizona University. This article demonstrates a psychological stress protocol for use in a laboratory setting. Protocols that allow researchers to study the biological pathways of the stress response in health and disease are fundamental to the progress of research in stress and anxiety.1 Although numerous protocols exist for inducing stress response in the laboratory, many neglect to provide a naturalistic context or to incorporate aspects of social and psychological stress. Of psychological stress protocols, meta-analysis suggests that the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) is the most useful and appropriate standardized protocol for studies of stress hormone reactivity.2 In the original description of the TSST, researchers sought to design and evaluate a procedure capable of inducing a reliable stress response in the majority of healthy volunteers.3 These researchers found elevations in heart rate, blood pressure and several endocrine stress markers in response to the TSST (a psychological stressor) compared to a saline injection (a physical stressor).3 Although the TSST has been modified to meet the needs of various research groups, it generally consists of a waiting period upon arrival, anticipatory speech preparation, speech performance, and verbal arithmetic performance periods, followed by one or more recovery periods. The TSST requires participants to prepare and deliver a speech, and verbally respond to a challenging arithmetic problem in the presence of a socially evaluative audience.3 Social evaluation and uncontrollability have been identified as key components of stress induction by the TSST.4 In use for over a decade, the goal of the TSST is to systematically induce a stress response in order to measure differences in reactivity, anxiety and activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) or sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) axis during the task.1 Researchers generally assess changes in self-reported anxiety, physiological measures (e.g. heart rate), and/or neuroendocrine indices (e.g. the stress hormone cortisol) in response to the TSST. Many investigators have adopted salivary sampling for stress markers such as cortisol and alpha-amylase (a marker of autonomic nervous system activation) as an alternative to blood sampling to reduce the confounding stress of blood-collection techniques. In addition to changes experienced by an individual completing the TSST, researchers can compare changes between different treatment groups (e.g. clinical versus healthy control samples) or the effectiveness of stress-reducing interventions.1 Medicine, Issue 56, Stress, anxiety, laboratory stressor, cortisol, physiological response, psychological stressor Measuring Oral Fatty Acid Thresholds, Fat Perception, Fatty Food Liking, and Papillae Density in Humans Institutions: Deakin University. Emerging evidence from a number of laboratories indicates that humans have the ability to identify fatty acids in the oral cavity, presumably via fatty acid receptors housed on taste cells. Previous research has shown that an individual's oral sensitivity to fatty acid, specifically oleic acid (C18:1) is associated with body mass index (BMI), dietary fat consumption, and the ability to identify fat in foods. We have developed a reliable and reproducible method to assess oral chemoreception of fatty acids, using a milk and C18:1 emulsion, together with an ascending forced choice triangle procedure. In parallel, a food matrix has been developed to assess an individual's ability to perceive fat, in addition to a simple method to assess fatty food liking. As an added measure tongue photography is used to assess papillae density, with higher density often being associated with increased taste sensitivity. Neuroscience, Issue 88, taste, overweight and obesity, dietary fat, fatty acid, diet, fatty food liking, detection threshold Cortical Source Analysis of High-Density EEG Recordings in Children Institutions: UCL Institute of Child Health, University College London. EEG is traditionally described as a neuroimaging technique with high temporal and low spatial resolution. Recent advances in biophysical modelling and signal processing make it possible to exploit information from other imaging modalities like structural MRI that provide high spatial resolution to overcome this constraint1 . This is especially useful for investigations that require high resolution in the temporal as well as spatial domain. In addition, due to the easy application and low cost of EEG recordings, EEG is often the method of choice when working with populations, such as young children, that do not tolerate functional MRI scans well. However, in order to investigate which neural substrates are involved, anatomical information from structural MRI is still needed. Most EEG analysis packages work with standard head models that are based on adult anatomy. The accuracy of these models when used for children is limited2 , because the composition and spatial configuration of head tissues changes dramatically over development3 In the present paper, we provide an overview of our recent work in utilizing head models based on individual structural MRI scans or age specific head models to reconstruct the cortical generators of high density EEG. This article describes how EEG recordings are acquired, processed, and analyzed with pediatric populations at the London Baby Lab, including laboratory setup, task design, EEG preprocessing, MRI processing, and EEG channel level and source analysis. Behavior, Issue 88, EEG, electroencephalogram, development, source analysis, pediatric, minimum-norm estimation, cognitive neuroscience, event-related potentials Fundus Photography as a Convenient Tool to Study Microvascular Responses to Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Epidemiological Studies Institutions: Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Hasselt University, Hasselt University, Leuven University. The microcirculation consists of blood vessels with diameters less than 150 µm. It makes up a large part of the circulatory system and plays an important role in maintaining cardiovascular health. The retina is a tissue that lines the interior of the eye and it is the only tissue that allows for a non-invasive analysis of the microvasculature. Nowadays, high-quality fundus images can be acquired using digital cameras. Retinal images can be collected in 5 min or less, even without dilatation of the pupils. This unobtrusive and fast procedure for visualizing the microcirculation is attractive to apply in epidemiological studies and to monitor cardiovascular health from early age up to old age. Systemic diseases that affect the circulation can result in progressive morphological changes in the retinal vasculature. For example, changes in the vessel calibers of retinal arteries and veins have been associated with hypertension, atherosclerosis, and increased risk of stroke and myocardial infarction. The vessel widths are derived using image analysis software and the width of the six largest arteries and veins are summarized in the Central Retinal Arteriolar Equivalent (CRAE) and the Central Retinal Venular Equivalent (CRVE). The latter features have been shown useful to study the impact of modifiable lifestyle and environmental cardiovascular disease risk factors. The procedures to acquire fundus images and the analysis steps to obtain CRAE and CRVE are described. Coefficients of variation of repeated measures of CRAE and CRVE are less than 2% and within-rater reliability is very high. Using a panel study, the rapid response of the retinal vessel calibers to short-term changes in particulate air pollution, a known risk factor for cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, is reported. In conclusion, retinal imaging is proposed as a convenient and instrumental tool for epidemiological studies to study microvascular responses to cardiovascular disease risk factors. Medicine, Issue 92, retina, microvasculature, image analysis, Central Retinal Arteriolar Equivalent, Central Retinal Venular Equivalent, air pollution, particulate matter, black carbon A Restriction Enzyme Based Cloning Method to Assess the In vitro Replication Capacity of HIV-1 Subtype C Gag-MJ4 Chimeric Viruses Institutions: Emory University, Emory University. The protective effect of many HLA class I alleles on HIV-1 pathogenesis and disease progression is, in part, attributed to their ability to target conserved portions of the HIV-1 genome that escape with difficulty. Sequence changes attributed to cellular immune pressure arise across the genome during infection, and if found within conserved regions of the genome such as Gag, can affect the ability of the virus to replicate in vitro . Transmission of HLA-linked polymorphisms in Gag to HLA-mismatched recipients has been associated with reduced set point viral loads. We hypothesized this may be due to a reduced replication capacity of the virus. Here we present a novel method for assessing the in vitro replication of HIV-1 as influenced by the gag gene isolated from acute time points from subtype C infected Zambians. This method uses restriction enzyme based cloning to insert the gag gene into a common subtype C HIV-1 proviral backbone, MJ4. This makes it more appropriate to the study of subtype C sequences than previous recombination based methods that have assessed the in vitro replication of chronically derived gag-pro sequences. Nevertheless, the protocol could be readily modified for studies of viruses from other subtypes. Moreover, this protocol details a robust and reproducible method for assessing the replication capacity of the Gag-MJ4 chimeric viruses on a CEM-based T cell line. This method was utilized for the study of Gag-MJ4 chimeric viruses derived from 149 subtype C acutely infected Zambians, and has allowed for the identification of residues in Gag that affect replication. More importantly, the implementation of this technique has facilitated a deeper understanding of how viral replication defines parameters of early HIV-1 pathogenesis such as set point viral load and longitudinal CD4+ T cell decline. Infectious Diseases, Issue 90, HIV-1, Gag, viral replication, replication capacity, viral fitness, MJ4, CEM, GXR25 Community-based Adapted Tango Dancing for Individuals with Parkinson's Disease and Older Adults Institutions: Emory University School of Medicine, Brigham and Woman‘s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. Adapted tango dancing improves mobility and balance in older adults and additional populations with balance impairments. It is composed of very simple step elements. Adapted tango involves movement initiation and cessation, multi-directional perturbations, varied speeds and rhythms. Focus on foot placement, whole body coordination, and attention to partner, path of movement, and aesthetics likely underlie adapted tango’s demonstrated efficacy for improving mobility and balance. In this paper, we describe the methodology to disseminate the adapted tango teaching methods to dance instructor trainees and to implement the adapted tango by the trainees in the community for older adults and individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Efficacy in improving mobility (measured with the Timed Up and Go, Tandem stance, Berg Balance Scale, Gait Speed and 30 sec chair stand), safety and fidelity of the program is maximized through targeted instructor and volunteer training and a structured detailed syllabus outlining class practices and progression. Behavior, Issue 94, Dance, tango, balance, pedagogy, dissemination, exercise, older adults, Parkinson's Disease, mobility impairments, falls Combining Magnetic Sorting of Mother Cells and Fluctuation Tests to Analyze Genome Instability During Mitotic Cell Aging in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Institutions: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. has been an excellent model system for examining mechanisms and consequences of genome instability. Information gained from this yeast model is relevant to many organisms, including humans, since DNA repair and DNA damage response factors are well conserved across diverse species. However, S. cerevisiae has not yet been used to fully address whether the rate of accumulating mutations changes with increasing replicative (mitotic) age due to technical constraints. For instance, measurements of yeast replicative lifespan through micromanipulation involve very small populations of cells, which prohibit detection of rare mutations. Genetic methods to enrich for mother cells in populations by inducing death of daughter cells have been developed, but population sizes are still limited by the frequency with which random mutations that compromise the selection systems occur. The current protocol takes advantage of magnetic sorting of surface-labeled yeast mother cells to obtain large enough populations of aging mother cells to quantify rare mutations through phenotypic selections. Mutation rates, measured through fluctuation tests, and mutation frequencies are first established for young cells and used to predict the frequency of mutations in mother cells of various replicative ages. Mutation frequencies are then determined for sorted mother cells, and the age of the mother cells is determined using flow cytometry by staining with a fluorescent reagent that detects bud scars formed on their cell surfaces during cell division. Comparison of predicted mutation frequencies based on the number of cell divisions to the frequencies experimentally observed for mother cells of a given replicative age can then identify whether there are age-related changes in the rate of accumulating mutations. Variations of this basic protocol provide the means to investigate the influence of alterations in specific gene functions or specific environmental conditions on mutation accumulation to address mechanisms underlying genome instability during replicative aging. Microbiology, Issue 92, Aging, mutations, genome instability, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, fluctuation test, magnetic sorting, mother cell, replicative aging Ultrasound Assessment of Endothelial-Dependent Flow-Mediated Vasodilation of the Brachial Artery in Clinical Research Institutions: University of California, San Francisco, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco. The vascular endothelium is a monolayer of cells that cover the interior of blood vessels and provide both structural and functional roles. The endothelium acts as a barrier, preventing leukocyte adhesion and aggregation, as well as controlling permeability to plasma components. Functionally, the endothelium affects vessel tone. Endothelial dysfunction is an imbalance between the chemical species which regulate vessel tone, thombroresistance, cellular proliferation and mitosis. It is the first step in atherosclerosis and is associated with coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, heart failure, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. The first demonstration of endothelial dysfunction involved direct infusion of acetylcholine and quantitative coronary angiography. Acetylcholine binds to muscarinic receptors on the endothelial cell surface, leading to an increase of intracellular calcium and increased nitric oxide (NO) production. In subjects with an intact endothelium, vasodilation was observed while subjects with endothelial damage experienced paradoxical vasoconstriction. There exists a non-invasive, in vivo method for measuring endothelial function in peripheral arteries using high-resolution B-mode ultrasound. The endothelial function of peripheral arteries is closely related to coronary artery function. This technique measures the percent diameter change in the brachial artery during a period of reactive hyperemia following limb ischemia. This technique, known as endothelium-dependent, flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) has value in clinical research settings. However, a number of physiological and technical issues can affect the accuracy of the results and appropriate guidelines for the technique have been published. Despite the guidelines, FMD remains heavily operator dependent and presents a steep learning curve. This article presents a standardized method for measuring FMD in the brachial artery on the upper arm and offers suggestions to reduce intra-operator variability. Medicine, Issue 92, endothelial function, endothelial dysfunction, brachial artery, peripheral artery disease, ultrasound, vascular, endothelium, cardiovascular disease. Getting to Compliance in Forced Exercise in Rodents: A Critical Standard to Evaluate Exercise Impact in Aging-related Disorders and Disease Institutions: Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. There is a major increase in the awareness of the positive impact of exercise on improving several disease states with neurobiological basis; these include improving cognitive function and physical performance. As a result, there is an increase in the number of animal studies employing exercise. It is argued that one intrinsic value of forced exercise is that the investigator has control over the factors that can influence the impact of exercise on behavioral outcomes, notably exercise frequency, duration, and intensity of the exercise regimen. However, compliance in forced exercise regimens may be an issue, particularly if potential confounds of employing foot-shock are to be avoided. It is also important to consider that since most cognitive and locomotor impairments strike in the aged individual, determining impact of exercise on these impairments should consider using aged rodents with a highest possible level of compliance to ensure minimal need for test subjects. Here, the pertinent steps and considerations necessary to achieve nearly 100% compliance to treadmill exercise in an aged rodent model will be presented and discussed. Notwithstanding the particular exercise regimen being employed by the investigator, our protocol should be of use to investigators that are particularly interested in the potential impact of forced exercise on aging-related impairments, including aging-related Parkinsonism and Parkinson’s disease. Behavior, Issue 90, Exercise, locomotor, Parkinson’s disease, aging, treadmill, bradykinesia, Parkinsonism Examination of the Telomere G-overhang Structure in Trypanosoma brucei Institutions: Cleveland State University. The telomere G-overhang structure has been identified in many eukaryotes including yeast, vertebrates, and Trypanosoma brucei . It serves as the substrate for telomerase for de novo telomere DNA synthesis and is therefore important for telomere maintenance. T. brucei is a protozoan parasite that causes sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in cattle. Once infected mammalian host, T. brucei cell regularly switches its surface antigen to evade the host's immune attack. We have recently demonstrated that the T. brucei telomere structure plays an essential role in regulation of surface antigen gene expression, which is critical for T. brucei pathogenesis. However, T. brucei telomere structure has not been extensively studied due to the limitation of methods for analysis of this specialized structure. We have now successfully adopted the native in-gel hybridization and ligation-mediated primer extension methods for examination of the telomere G-overhang structure and an adaptor ligation method for determination of the telomere terminal nucleotide in T. brucei cells. Here, we will describe the protocols in detail and compare their different advantages and limitations. Immunology, Issue 47, Telomeres, telomeric G-overhang structure, native in-gel hybridization, ligation-mediated primer extension, Trypanosoma brucei Training Synesthetic Letter-color Associations by Reading in Color Institutions: University of Amsterdam. Synesthesia is a rare condition in which a stimulus from one modality automatically and consistently triggers unusual sensations in the same and/or other modalities. A relatively common and well-studied type is grapheme-color synesthesia, defined as the consistent experience of color when viewing, hearing and thinking about letters, words and numbers. We describe our method for investigating to what extent synesthetic associations between letters and colors can be learned by reading in color in nonsynesthetes. Reading in color is a special method for training associations in the sense that the associations are learned implicitly while the reader reads text as he or she normally would and it does not require explicit computer-directed training methods. In this protocol, participants are given specially prepared books to read in which four high-frequency letters are paired with four high-frequency colors. Participants receive unique sets of letter-color pairs based on their pre-existing preferences for colored letters. A modified Stroop task is administered before and after reading in order to test for learned letter-color associations and changes in brain activation. In addition to objective testing, a reading experience questionnaire is administered that is designed to probe for differences in subjective experience. A subset of questions may predict how well an individual learned the associations from reading in color. Importantly, we are not claiming that this method will cause each individual to develop grapheme-color synesthesia, only that it is possible for certain individuals to form letter-color associations by reading in color and these associations are similar in some aspects to those seen in developmental grapheme-color synesthetes. The method is quite flexible and can be used to investigate different aspects and outcomes of training synesthetic associations, including learning-induced changes in brain function and structure. Behavior, Issue 84, synesthesia, training, learning, reading, vision, memory, cognition Analysis of Translation Initiation During Stress Conditions by Polysome Profiling Institutions: Laval University, CHU de Quebec Research Center. Precise control of mRNA translation is fundamental for eukaryotic cell homeostasis, particularly in response to physiological and pathological stress. Alterations of this program can lead to the growth of damaged cells, a hallmark of cancer development, or to premature cell death such as seen in neurodegenerative diseases. Much of what is known concerning the molecular basis for translational control has been obtained from polysome analysis using a density gradient fractionation system. This technique relies on ultracentrifugation of cytoplasmic extracts on a linear sucrose gradient. Once the spin is completed, the system allows fractionation and quantification of centrifuged zones corresponding to different translating ribosomes populations, thus resulting in a polysome profile. Changes in the polysome profile are indicative of changes or defects in translation initiation that occur in response to various types of stress. This technique also allows to assess the role of specific proteins on translation initiation, and to measure translational activity of specific mRNAs. Here we describe our protocol to perform polysome profiles in order to assess translation initiation of eukaryotic cells and tissues under either normal or stress growth conditions. Cellular Biology, Issue 87, Translation initiation, polysome profile, sucrose gradient, protein and RNA isolation, stress conditions
This article is part of the Blender Guide series: - Blender 3D Basics: The Getting Started Guide - Blender 3D Materials and Textures Basics - Blender 3D Lighting and Rendering Basics - Blender 3D Advanced Modelling - Blender 3D Animation Basics - Mastering 3D Rendering in Blender - Mastering 3D Lighting in Blender - Master HDR Environment Lighting in Blender 3D - Mastering Blender 3D Textures with UV Mapping - Mastering Depth of Focus in Blender 3D for Realism - Building a Custom Ring in Blender for 3D Printing - Mastering Blender 3D Digital Cinematography - Blender 3D Building Virtual Video Screens - Mastering Blender 3D for Lathed Objects - Building Complex Camera Rigs in Blender 3D In this article we discuss how to design a ring object in Blender and output it to print on an online printing service like Shapeways so you can actually wear it on your finger. While it’s relatively easy to do and get right, to be honest, it’s not as simple as you would think. You have to not only master the ways of Blender but also get the model past the 3D print shop’s automatic evaluation tools. Measuring the donor ring Making the ring is relatively simple. If you are making a model of an existing ring, then you need to take precise measurements. We used a cheap digital vernier caliper that we bought online for about $3 from China. Using this, we measured the outer diameter. then the inner diameter … and the thickness … (Note: this one is tricky because the inside is curved, meaning the top and bottom are about 1mm while the middle is about 2mm.) and finally the height of the ring and made careful notes of the measurements so we could refer to them later. Making the Ring Make a circle by pressing “Shift A -> Circle.” Go to the Scene properties on the properties bar on the right, and choose Metric as your units in your Units panel. To make the basic profile of the ring, we need to extrude the circle inwards. We do this by pressing “E” for Extrude, then before moving the mouse, pressing “S” to make it scale and extrude. That is to say it will extrude the circle but not in the X, Y or Z axis. Instead it will extrude the points and edges inwards or outwards, as if you were scaling the circle. Push it to about 0.97 which will give you about 1mm proportional to the size of the circle. Now press “A” to deselect all, then press “A” again to select all. Extrude the ring upwards in the Z axis to about 90cm. (The true height of the original ring was 9mm.) Now here comes the fun part. You need to make a loop cut on the inner and outer faces of the ring to bulge them out. Press “A” to deselect everything. Now make a loop cut by pressing the button (located on the Mesh Tools panel of the left hand Toolshelf) or by pressing “Control + R.” Locate the outer faces of the ring and wait until the loop cut cursor shows itself in purple in the centre of the faces. Press the left mouse button twice without moving the mouse. This puts the cut bang in the middle. Repeat the above process with the inner faces. Now select the outside loop cut (in edge mode and with Alt key held down), and scale it outwards by pressing S and moving the mouse. Draw it out to about 1.5 to twice the width of the edge. Scale the inner loop cut in the same way. Come out of edit mode by pressing Tab, and go to the Modifiers properties. Add a subdivision surface to the ring. Crank the subdivisions up to 3 and 6 for Preview and Final respectively. Rotate the ring and look at it. You will see that the edge of the curve is sharp. That’s not going to be comfortable to wear. The way to fix this is to add loop cuts to sharpen the edges leading to the top and bottom of the ring, and make the edge flat like the original ring. Go back into edit mode and add a loop cut to the top half of the ring on the inside. Click the left mouse button, and slide it all the way to the top and click again. Do the same on the outside. If the bottom edge is sharp, do the same procedure there, too. Now your edges should look more like the original ring. Now, once you’re happy with the shape, you need to make the geometry you see on the screen real. What we mean by that is that subdivision surfaces effectively cheat; they give the appearance of many smooth polygons where there are actually very few. If you print it now, you will get the basic polygon shape you originally created, not the smooth subdivided shape you see now. We need to apply these computed polygons to the shape as real polygons. This is very simple. Come back out of Edit Mode and with the object selected go to the Modifiers properties. You will see an Apply button. Press it. This adds geometry to make the curves real. And the polygon count goes up to make it smooth and lovely. Finally, we want the proportions to be as similar as possible to those we measured on the original ring. In the Dimensions panel on the right hand Toolshelf, change the X and Y dimensions from whatever it is to 2.55m, or whatever size you need, making sure Z is at 90cm. Note: obviously if the toolshelf is not open, you can slide out the 3D view Toolshelf by clicking the tiny plus symbol on the top right of the 3D view. Why do we make it in meters? The measured size of the actual ring is 25.5mm, so is that massively too large? Well, in short, to make a ring exactly the right size in the Blender interface would make it too small to see or work with. You can change the scale of the interface, but to keep this short we’ll ignore that for now. And thankfully, we don’t have to, either, because we can rescale the item when we upload it to the 3D printing service. More on that later. The most important thing is that the ring is in proportion. Prepping for Print Once the model is to your liking, then you can prep it for print. If you are lucky, you only have to do this one step. Go into edit mode on the ring one last time. Got to the bottom of the Toolshelf on the left, and you will see a button marked Remove Doubles. This will delete any vertices which occupy the same space which happens during the course of making a model. Doubled up vertices create havoc in a 3D printer and add a little size to the object too. Note: if the model is complicated, then you may have to thicken any really narrow areas to make them printable, but more about that later. The last step is to save the object for printing, and a wise choice is STL, but you can also use DAE if you wish. Uploading and Checking (Shapeways) For this example, we used the popular Shapeways online 3D print service, as it’s popular, accessible worldwide and fairly inexpensive. The first part is very easy; you just upload the STL file you exported in the last step. Then the trouble begins. Because you didn’t set the object to be a specific scale size in Blender, you have to wait until it loads and see what size it is. In this case, it was almost 7cm wide instead of 2.59cm, but you can rescale it in the interface of the web site. Once the object is loaded and processed (which may take some time), look for the SCALE button and press it. Here you can resize the object to the correct scale. Once you’ve done that you should look at the various materials down the page and see if it’s passed all the tests. There are physical limitations on how thin something can be and still be printable, and this varies between materials. For example, objects which are destined for printing in metal need to be a touch thicker than those designed for plastic. If there are any problems with the thickness of your piece there is the option to automatically fix it, and this plumps up the mesh of your object in the problem areas. It’s by no means ideal, but it worked well sometimes and can save you a lot of time reworking your model and uploading it again. Obviously you should order a cheap plastic print to check the print for size and then make any adjustments you have to make before ordering a metal ring in Rhodium plate, silver or even gold because that’s a potentially expensive mistake. Making jewellery in Blender and 3D printing is a very rewarding, if a little time-consuming, pastime. If you have any questions about 3D printing or Blender, please don’t hesitate to ask us below in the comments.
Be sure that you have an application to open this file type before downloading and/or purchasing. 101 KB\|6 pages This poster features the process of writing: pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing and publishing. Print out the file and attach to create a large pencil poster for the classroom to guide students during the writing process.
African American culture can be regarded as each element of, and distinct from American culture. From the days of the slave trade, Africans and African Americans have contributed by means of literature, art, agricultural abilities, foods, music, and language to American culture. Even just before the abolition of slavery, African Americans had been identified for their cultural ingenuity. Even though in numerous situations they had been literally forced to adopt and mimic the traditions of their slave masters, African American slaves would nonetheless clandestinely practice their beliefs. These days, possibly the most definitive form of African American culture can be noticed via their expression of the musical art form. The types of music that finest typify African American culture are those of Hip Hop, Rap, Blues, R&B and Gospel. Numerous people shrug off these forms of music as noisy garbage nonetheless, they are in truth an expression of political, social or class discrimination of some form. This form of expression dates as far back as the slavery days when African Americans also utilised song composition as a automobile of social relief. They would compose songs in their native languages that described their emotions with regards to the scenario they were subjected to, their slave masters and the evolution of their lives. If one particular has the signifies to study these musical genres which define African American culture today, it will turn out to be really evident that these songs serve as a reminder that the past and the present are clearly linked when it comes to understanding the meanings of African American music. Discover more about thumbnail by going to our majestic essay. To compare more, consider looking at: visit multi button gaming mouse. The emphasis on language clearly illustrates how African-American communities have defined themselves and their relations to the dominant white culture in America. In fact several of the lyrics in African American music seek to investigate the relationships the white community has shared with African Americans for several generations until these days. African American music is perhaps a single of the most pervasive African American cultural influences in America nowadays and is among the most dominant in mainstream popular music. Music genres such as Hip hop, R&B, funk, soul, techno and a number of other modern American musical forms found its origins in black communities. Identify supplementary information on mouse for computer by browsing our fresh paper. Therefore due to its reputation and maybe even its character, a lot of African Americans use musical genres to define their personal individuality.. To learn additional info, people should check-out: tour optical gaming mouse.
London, Dec 11 (ANI): A new study has suggested that large and distant ocean worlds could provide a last refuge for life around Sun-like stars, long after the heat of the stars' red giant phase sterilizes closer-in, Earth-like planets. According to a report in New Scientist, the study was led by Werner von Bloh of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany. Stars similar in mass to the Sun swell to become red giants at the end of their lives, engulfing their inner planets and roasting slightly more distant ones. The Sun itself is scheduled to enter this phase around 5 billion years from now, which should bake to death any remaining life here even before the planet is swallowed up altogether. But, new calculations suggest that life could naturally hang on in more remote locales around red giants, reinforcing similar results from an earlier but less detailed study. The new study focuses on the conditions needed for photosynthesis, including an atmosphere with enough carbon dioxide to support the process, and a temperature that would allow liquid water to exist on the planet's surface. The team argues that life on planets the size of Earth would die off before the red giant phase begins. That's because the planet's cooling core would stop the volcanic activity needed to replenish atmospheric carbon dioxide, which is gradually removed by the formation of carbon-containing rocks. Plants would thus run out of CO2 needed for photosynthesis. But, the cores of bigger planets, called super-Earths, would stay warm for longer, allowing CO2 to persist in their atmospheres. Those that start out farther from their parent star than Earth might be frozen during the star's youth and middle-age. But, they would thaw out later, as the star's habitable zone, where temperatures are right for liquid water, moves outwards as the red giant phase progresses and the star's size and brightness grow. As for the question that where would a planet have to lie to enjoy habitable conditions for the longest amount of time during this process, the team said the 'sweet spot' would lie a little beyond the orbit of Mars, at around twice the Earth-Sun distance. An ocean-dominated super-Earth would be best, because it would be best able to hold onto its CO2 atmosphere, the team added. (ANI)
A growing body of research has shown the connection between our emotional well-being and physical health. Among the latest findings: Schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and major depressive and anxiety disorders can greatly increase a person’s risk of heart disease and stroke. In a study presented at this year’s Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in Vancouver, Canada, researchers examined connections between mental-health conditions, use of psychiatric medication, and heart health using data from the Canadian Community Health Survey. Medical News Today reports: They found that patients who had a mental illness at any point in their life were twice as likely to have had a stroke or experienced heart disease than the general population, while patients who had not experienced heart disease or stroke had a higher long-term risk of cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, patients who used psychiatric medications for their mental illness were twice as likely to have heart disease and three times as likely to have had a stroke than those who did not use such medications. “This population is at high risk,” says [Katie Goldie, PhD, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto], “and it’s even greater for people with multiple mental health issues.” Goldie and colleague said that there are three main factors that contribute to mental-health patients’ increase cardiovascular risk. They are: lifestyle behaviors, such as tobacco and alcohol use, poor diet and physical inactivity; psychiatric medications, which can induce weight gain and inhibit the body from breaking down fats; and inadequate access to health care. The findings are significant in light of statistics (.pdf) from the National Alliance of Mental Health showing that 1 in 4 adults in the United States experience a mental health disorder in annually and that serious mental illness costs the nation $193.2 billion in lost earnings per year. Previously: Examining how mental stress on the heart affects men and women differently, Study shows link between traffic noise, heart attack and Study offers insights into how depression may harm the heart Photo by Holly Lay
Aristotle was interested in the Final Causes of things The purpose of something is to fulfill this final cause The final cause for people (according to Aristotle) is Eudemonia Eudemonia is ultimate happiness He believed this as when we do anything it is always in the aim of happiness Whether it is eating, walking, reading or even procrastinating Aquinas followed on from Arsitotle He believed that the final cause (telos) of someone was to be in union with God The Synderesis Rule: Good is to be pursued and evil to be avoided Absolute laws need to come from an objective place unaffected by opinion As nature is a direct link to God and has no opinion he used it as his source So Aquinas believed that the naturally intended purpose of something was the moral thing to do For Example: The naturally intended purpose of sex is reproduction so contraception is immoral Laws and their Heirarchy Aquinas said there was a Heirarchy of Laws: Eternal Law: Is the law of God which humans cannot percve or understand (the most important law) Divine Law: This is the law of God revealed through the bible Natural Law: Rules of nature 'Good is to be pursued and evil is to be avoided' Human Law: Rules made by people e.g. don't chew gum these are least important rules as they are open to faulty reasoning To further explain the Synderesis Rule Aquinas made 5 primary precepts which must always be followed: - The preservation of life - The nurture/education of young - Living peacfully in society - To worship God From these rules we can decide the secondary precepts These are rules which are derived from the primary precepts (note they are open to faulty reasoning) - Preservation of life - do not murder, no euthenasia - Nurture/education of young - compulsory school attendance - Reproduction - do not use contraception, no abortion - Live peacefully in society - respect the law - To worship God - Go to church Effectively the primary precepts are too general to apply to real life applications. The secondary precepts are rules which can be made that still apply to the moral primary precepts. However certain proplems occcur such as: You should never use contraception because it goes against the primary precept of reproduction. However by not using contraception STI's and AID's spreads thus breaking the precept of the preservation of life. So what do you do? The Double Effect Doctrine attempts to solve such problems Double Effect Doctrine In some scenarios there cannot be a good outcome there are just better and there are worse outcomes. For example a pregnant mother will die if her child is not aborted. Abortion goes against the the primary precept reproduction. However by letting the mother die not only do you break the primary precept of the preservation of life but the baby also will die anyway. So as long as the abortion is done in the aim of saving the mother the action is valid It can be related to most people and cultures Easy to condemn people's actions Easy to understand as a moral code Primary precepts apply to most cultures Focuses on human character rather than right or wrong Shows morality is the fulfilment of happiness Don't have to believe in God Doesn't consider circumstance or cultural differences The primary precepts don't apply to ALL people and cultures It isn't concerned with the motive or coutcome of an action It is hard to relate to complex situations i.e.should more money be spent on education or health care It can be argued that happiness is unnatural and so it cannot be defined by nature Nature can be seen as more complex than what Aquinas thought
The strategic components of area-based development in the Smart Cities Mission are city improvement (retrofitting), city renewal (redevelopment) and city extension (greenfield development) plus a Pan-city initiative in which Smart Solutions are applied covering larger parts of the city. Below are given the descriptions of the three models of Area-based smart city development: - Retrofitting will introduce planning in an existing built-up area to achieve smart city objectives, along with other objectives, to make the existing area more efficient and liveable. In retrofitting, an area consisting of more than 500 acres will be identified by the city in consultation with citizens. Depending on the existing level of infrastructure services in the identified area and the vision of the residents, the cities will prepare a strategy to become smart. Since existing structures are largely to remain intact in this model, it is expected that more intensive infrastructure service levels and a large number of smart applications will be packed into the retrofitted smart city. This strategy may also be completed in a shorter time frame, leading to its replication in another part of the city. - Redevelopment will effect a replacement of the existing built-up environment and enable co-creation of a new layout with enhanced infrastructure using mixed land use and increased density. Redevelopment envisages an area of more than 50 acres, identified by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in consultation with citizens. For instance, a new layout plan of the identified area will be prepared with mixed landuse, higher FSI and high ground coverage. Two examples of the redevelopment model are the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Project in Mumbai (also called the Bhendi Bazaar Project) and the redevelopment of East Kidwai Nagar in New Delhi being undertaken by the National Building Construction Corporation. - Greenfield development will introduce most of the Smart Solutions in a previously vacant area (more than 250 acres) using innovative planning, plan financing and plan implementation tools (e.g. land pooling/ land reconstitution) with provision for affordable housing, especially for the poor. Greenfield developments are required around cities in order to address the needs of the expanding population. One well known example is the GIFT City in Gujarat. Unlike retrofitting and redevelopment, greenfield developments could be located either within the limits of the ULB or within the limits of the local Urban Development Authority (UDA). - Pan-city development envisages application of selected Smart Solutions to the existing city-wide infrastructure. Application of Smart Solutions will involve the use of technology, information and data to make infrastructure and services better. For example, applying Smart Solutions in the transport sector (intelligent traffic management system) and reducing average commute time or cost of citizens will have positive effects on productivity and quality of life of citizens. Another example can be waste water recycling and smart metering which can make a huge contribution to better water management in the city. The smart city proposal of each shortlisted city is expected to encapsulate either a retrofitting or redevelopment or greenfield development model, or a mix thereof and a Pan-city feature with Smart Solution(s). It is important to note that pan-city is an additional feature to be provided. Since smart city is taking a compact area approach, it is necessary that all the city residents feel there is something in it for them also. Therefore, the additional requirement of some (at least one) city-wide smart solution has been put in the scheme to make it inclusive. For North Eastern and Himalayan States, the area proposed to be developed will be one-half of what is prescribed for any of the alternative models - retrofitting, redevelopment or greenfield development.
By: Josh West Japanese carpentry is distinguished by its advanced joinery and its finely planed wood surfaces by using several different methods. Among all of the different tools they have used, the Japanese saw, plane, chisel and gimlet were the most popular. Almost everywhere, you can see their impressive woodworking skills from chairs and tables to their largest buildings. All Japanese carpenters have shared the practice of this special talent from generation to generation. A carpenter will usually identify with one of the four distinct carpentry profession; Shrines and temples, residential, furniture and interior finishing carpentry. All of these professions show the elaborate wooden joints and how they relate to their wooden structure or building. As it is not uncommon, most of the Japanese carpenters will work with multiple professions. The most important thing to a Japanese carpenter is his tools. They are found within a multitude of variations and specializations geared toward certain tasks. The Japanese saw, one of the most used tools, cuts on the pull stroke, unlike the usual European style push stroke. This gives the carpenter a more precise cut and allows the blades to be quite thin. The next tool is the Japanese plane; which is the most commonly a wooden block. This is similar in respect to the archaic type of European wooden plane, in which the blade is fixed in place by tapping down upon a wooden wedge. Next is the Japanese chisel. These come in a larger variety of types and gradations than a normal chisel. There are bench chisels, paring chisels, striking chisels, heavy timber chisels and slicks, and steel construction. Like the planes, the blades are of laminated hard steel/soft steel construction. Bevel angle varies from 20 to 35 degrees typically, with mortising and heavy chisels featuring steep angles. Lastly is the Japanese gimlet. The gimlet is used for boring circular holes in a timber, often as the first stage in the hollowing out of a mortise. Though it may seem easy to use, the gimlet is considered one of the most difficult tool to learn. Some other tools that are not used as much are the Japanese axe, hammer and a bamboo pen used for marking and measuring.
The island nation of Sri Lanka is separated from southeastern India by the Palk Strait, a 40-mile-wide stretch of sea named for Robert Palk, a governor of Madras in British India. But look closer on a map: The two countries are more closely connected than you might think. A chain of coral islands and sandy shoals twists across the strait between India's Pamban Island and Sri Lanka's Mannar Island. It's called Adam's Bridge, and as recently as 500 years ago, you could walk across it. Until the 15th century, Sri Lanka was a peninsula, not an island. By India's official count, Adam's Bridge consists of 103 tiny reefs and sandbanks that curve gracefully toward the northwestern tip of Sri Lanka. At low tide, many emerge from the waves, and the annals of a nearby temple say that the chain was an unbroken causeway until it was breached by a fierce tropical storm in 1480. For Muslims, Adam's Bridge is a giant's causeway. The bridge took its name from an Islamic tradition that the Garden of Eden was located in Sri Lanka. Sri Pada, a Sri Lankan mountain with a footprint-shaped mark at its peak, is often called Adam's Peak, and is identified with the place where the first man fell to Earth after his expulsion from Eden. (In several Muslim hadiths, Adam is described as standing 60 cubits tall—over 90 feet!—which explains his giant footprint.) Adam's Bridge, then, was the path he took as he journeyed to mainland Asia. For Hindus, the bridge was built by a monkey army. Scientists aren't sure what formed this unusual ribbon of shoals. Is it a ridge formed by a thinning of the earth's crust in the Palk Strait? A "tombolo" of sand deposited by ocean currents? Remnants of an ancient coral shoreline from before Sri Lanka separated from India? One ancient Sanskrit epic poem provides a more colorful answer. In the sixth book of the Ramayana, the god Rama and his monkey companions engineer a floating bridge to the kingdom of Lanka, so Rama can rescue his beloved Sita from the demon-king Ravana. As a result, Indians call Adam's Bridge "Rama Sethu"—Rama's Bridge. The Indian end of Rama Sethu, near the town of Rameswaram, is one of the holiest places in Hinduism and a popular pilgrimage site. Five hundred years later, Adam's Bridge could become a real bridge again. The Indian sand spit where Adam's Bridge begins was once the thriving port city of Dhanushkhodi, but it's been a ghost town since a devastating 1964 storm that killed 1,800 people in the region. But Dhanushkhodi could rise again: In June, India revived a centuries-old project to build a road bridge across the Palk Strait at Adam's Bridge. Some in Sri Lanka are wary of the plan, though. Indian political influence is one worry, but so is malaria. The deadly disease has been virtually eliminated in Sri Lanka, but India still has more than a million cases a year, and Sri Lanka doesn't want them crossing the strait as easily as Rama or Adam did. Explore the world's oddities every week with Ken Jennings, and check out his book Maphead for more geography trivia.
This morning Year 2 were set the challenge of making numbers in different ways. They really rose to this challenge! They used lots of different equipment including Numicon, bead strings, cuisenaire rods, Base 10 equipment and rulers to show the different ways they could make numbers. They then looked at how they could represent these different ways using pictures and writing. I was so impressed at their creativity and growth mindsets when thinking about all the numbers! This is a very simple activity that the children could do at home too - maybe you could ask them how many different ways they can make 27p using different coins!
In Tennessee and around the country, tooth decay is one of the most omnipresent childhood troubles, yet tooth decay also affects adults. Jim Erpenbach DDS, your dentist in Knoxville TN, helps his patients fight tooth decay. Blame it on Bacteria The cause of tooth decay is bacteria. Bacteria live in your mouth and merge with plaque and acids to weaken the enamel coating on your teeth. The breakdown of your tooth enamel can often bring about the development of small holes in your teeth which are known as cavities. Tooth decay is typically a result of diet and oral hygiene choices. When sticky foods are consumed and allowed to sit on the teeth, or foods full of sugars and starches are consumed throughout the day, cavities can develop. Foods to bypass include soda and sugary chewing gum; these foods tend to create an environment where bacteria prosper. To help prohibit dental caries, simply limit sugary and starchy foods between meals. Also, brushing at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, flossing at least once a day, and visiting your dentist for regular check-ups and cleanings will help prevent tooth decay. Contact Jim Erpenbach DDS: Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
Every time you buy a home appliance, tune up your heating system, or replace a burned-out light bulb, you’re making a decision that affects the environment. You are probably already aware that most of our biggest environmental problems are directly associated with energy production and use: global warming, urban smog, oil spills, and mercury deposition, to mention a few. You also probably know that driving your car less is one of the best ways to reduce your environmental impact. But you may not realize just how big a difference each of us can make by taking energy use into account in our household purchasing and maintenance decisions. For example, did you know that every kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity you avoid using saves over a pound of carbon dioxide (CO2) that would otherwise be pumped into the atmosphere? If you replace a typical 20-cubic-foot refrigerator purchased in 2000 with an energy-efficient 2017 model, you’ll save almost 300 kWh and 400 pounds of CO2 emissions per year!! Energy Conservation and CO2 Savings CO2 is the number one contributor to global warming, a process that scientists say could raise the Earth’s temperatures by 3–7°F over the next hundred years. Worldwide, we pump some 31.6 billion metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere each year — about four and a half tons for every man, woman, and child on Earth. The United States is responsible for more than 17% of that, or close to 5.5 billion tons per year. On a per capita basis, that comes to more than 15 tons for each American, though some of us produce a lot more than others. Reducing CO2 emissions by a few tons per year may not seem like a lot, but the collective actions of many will have a dramatic effect. Carbon dioxide is only one of the environmentally harmful gases resulting from energy use. Others, such as sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone, have much more direct effects — effects that can be seen and smelled in every major urban area of the country. There are numerous energy-saving products and improvements around the home that can help the environment. The table Energy Efficiency and CO2 Savings in the Home shows the reductions in CO2 emissions achieved from a few energy improvements. With some of these, you’ll notice different CO2 savings depending on the type of fuel used. That’s because some fuels give off less CO2 than others. Reducing Your Carbon Footprint If you are interested in reducing your carbon footprint, the table CO2 Emissions from Different Fuel Sources provides a comparison of the CO2 emissions from common household energy sources. With this information, it’s easy to calculate just how much CO2 you are introducing into the atmosphere through your energy use. Simply look at your energy bills to find out how much fuel you are using: gallons of oil, therms of natural gas, kilowatt-hours of electricity, etc. Multiply that value by the quantity of CO2 produced per unit of fuel in as indicated in the table. You may notice that CO2 emissions per unit of energy are much higher for electricity. That difference stems from inefficiencies in the process of converting fuel to electricity and distributing the power through the grid to end-users in their homes and workplaces. Electricity often travels great distances from the power plant to the buildings where it is used. Despite this drawback, electricity remains vital to our way of life and our economy, and it offers a number of benefits over other fuels for many end-uses. To minimize the negative impacts, we must learn to get the most out of every kWh by using energy as efficiently as possible and looking for new opportunities to support renewable power sources and onsite or local power production. The federal government and many state governments have recognized the importance of energy efficiency to our nation’s security and economic prosperity. Appliance efficiency standards that took effect in the early 1990s saved more than 88 billion kWh in 2000 — about 28 million tons of CO2. Updates to these standards will save more than 250 billion kWh in 2010. Despite these impressive gains, standards only eliminate the lowest-efficiency products from the market. It is up to consumers to do the rest and demand more from the marketplace. If the roughly 40 million households in climates with large heating needs boosted their furnace or boiler efficiencies to 90% or higher, some 45 million tons of CO2 emissions would be eliminated each year. Substituting LED lamps for the ten most frequently used incandescent lamps in every house in the country would reduce CO2 emissions by about the same amount! To get a sense of just how effective energy efficiency can be, take a look at the 1970s and 1980s. From 1973 to 1986, the U.S. gross national product grew 36% with no increase in energy use at all. Had efficiencies remained at 1973 levels, we would be spending an extra $150 billion in energy bills each year and pumping 1 1⁄2 times more CO2 into the atmosphere! We are already saving the equivalent of 13 million barrels of oil each day — half of the OPEC output — and, compared with 1973 projections, we’re getting by with 250 fewer large power plants than would have otherwise been required.
Concrete has certain advantages over other building materials because of its inherent fire-resistive properties. However, it is still important to use a protective fire barrier on concrete to negate the effects of heat produced by a fire. Concrete must still be able to withstand loads without collapse even though the rise in temperature causes a decrease in the strength and amount of elasticity for concrete and steel reinforcement. Fully developed fires cause expansion of structural components such as rebar. Another risk is that the rise in temperature causes the free water in concrete to change from a liquid to highly pressurized steam. Essentially, the water trapped inside acts like millions of tiny kernels of popcorn that can explode with enormous energy. This change in state causes changes in the rate with which heat is transmitted from the surface into the interior of the concrete wall or concrete column. This can result in “spalling” or fractures in the material, triggering a collapse. In addition, the rate at which the strength decreases depends on the rate of increase in the temperature of the fire and the insulating properties of concrete. This is why it is necessary to use Contego Firebarrier Intumescent Paint. By applying this protective barrier, Contego controls the rise in temperature, thus protecting the structure from the rapid shift in temperature, which causes spalling and possible collapse. In the event of a fire, concrete protected by Contego is much more likely to retain its structural integrity, thus saving the expense of having to demolish and start from scratch. View Concrete Test Data Request Info Kit
In this tutorial, we are going to look at one of the coolest applications of LSTMs: Seq2Seq models. The canonical example of Seq2Seq is translation, and in fact Seq2Seq models are what Google Translate uses. We are going to build a Seq2Seq model that takes in strings of arithmetic equations (e.g. “10 + 12”) and returns the answer to that equation (“22”). What makes this really amazing is that the model knows nothing about arithmetic - it is ‘translating’ the strings. How does Seq2Seq work Let’s go through how the LSTM works on our simple “10 + 12” = “22” model. Firstly, we take the digits (and arithmetic operators e.g. +) and character encode them into a one-hot encoding. Next, we feed that list of arrays into an “encoder” LSTM. This LSTM tries to learn some sort of encoding of the input. We then take the final output of the LSTM, and use it as input into all of the nodes on a “decoder” LSTM (we will use Keras’ RepeatVector function to do this). At each node, the decoder LSTM takes in the output of the encoder LSTM as input, as well as the state passed to it by the previous node in the decoder LSTM. We then take the final output of the LSTM, and use it as input into all of the nodes on a “decoder” LSTM (we will use Keras’ RepeatVector function to do this).The decoder LSTM outputs an arbitrary length string, and when it is done, it outputs a special <end> character</end> When we see the <end> character, we take the output at each step from the decoder LSTM, run it through a dense layer, and translate the one-hot encoded vectors back into characters.</end> Go into the seq2deq directory and open up train.py. Here you will see the full code for implementing our arithmetic model.
Gentilly is a broad, predominantly middle-class and racially diverse section. The Gentilly neighborhood is bounded by Lake Ponchartrain to the north, France Road to the east, Bayou St. John to the west, and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad to the south. The major north-south streets are Franklin Avenue, Elysian Fields Avenue, St. Anthony, St. Bernard, St. Roch, Paris, Wisner, A.P. Tureaud (formerly London) Avenue and Press. The east-west streets are Lakeshore Drive, Leon C. Simon, Robert E. Lee (a section of which was formerly called Hibernia), Prentiss, Harrison, Filmore, Mirabeau, Hayne, Chef Menteur and Gentilly. The first part of Gentilly to be developed was along the Gentilly Ridge, a long stretch of high ground along the former banks of Bayou Gentilly. A road, originally "Gentilly Road", was built on the ridge, and formed the eastern path into the oldest part of the city, today's French Quarter to Chef Menteur Pass. The high ground became Gentilly Boulevard and U.S. Highway 90, part of the Old Spanish Trail from St. Augustine to Los Angeles. was originally mostly confined to along the long narrow ridge, plus Milneburg, built on elevated piers on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Most of the ground between the ridge and the lake was swampy. The first residential section adjacent to the ridge, Gentilly Terrace, dating to the early 20th century, was built by excavating and piling up the earth in the shallow swamp to create blocks of terraced land where houses could be built. With the development of improved drainage pumps, land reclamation and higher lakefront levees, the land extending from the ridge to the lake was developed by the mid-20th century, and the entire area popularly came to be known as Gentilly. Gentilly has traditionally been defined variously. Some definitions include a somewhat wider area, extending the neighborhood into the Upper 9th Ward. Some older New Orleanians extend the definition even further, to include the section of old Gentilly on the east side of the Industrial Canal, now part of Eastern New Orleans. Other definitions diminish the area occupied by Gentilly by placing the western boundary of Gentilly along the London Avenue Canal, not Bayou St. John, and the northern boundary along Leon C. Simon Drive, not the shore of Lake Pontchartrain. By this reckoning, Vista Park and Oak Park, lying between the London Avenue Canal and Bayou St. John, fall outside of Gentilly, as do the Lakefront subdivisions of Lake Terrace and Lake Oaks, and the Lakefront campus of the University of New Orleans. (Wiki) Local broadcaster Garland Robinette came to national attention with Hurricane Katrina in 2005. As the storm made landfall radio station WWL was the only broadcast media in New Orleans able to continue operating during the disaster. Robinette was broadcasting from a hastily thrown together set-up in a closet of the WWL studios after the high rise building windows blew out. In the days between the time when the hurricane hit New Orleans and when outside help arrived, Robinette's broadcasts were an important information source for those able to hear radio broadcasts in the Greater New Orleans area. On September 2, 2005, Robinette conducted the famous interview with Mayor Ray Nagin where the mayor urged those in the Federal Government who had been promising but not delivering aid to "get off your asses". Born in New Orleans on September 2, 1954, Vance Elliott DeGeneres is best known locally as the former host of WRNO-FM radio's New Wave New Orleans show in the late 1970s, he was the bass guitar player in the popular new-wave band The Cold in the early 1980s, originator of the role of "Mr. Hands" in Walter Williams's Mr. Bill features on Saturday Night Live, a member of the band Cowboy Mouth, and Ellen's big brother. He moved from New Olrean to work in television and film production. (Wiki) American model and actress China Lee, born Margaret Lee in New Orleans on September 2, 1942 to Chinese parents who had emigrated to the United States after their marriage. She is the youngest of eight children and the younger sister of Harry Lee, who served as the sheriff of Jefferson Parish for 28 years. Lee worked as a hairstylist and waitress, then as a Playboy Club Bunny, before appearing in Playboy. She had been a "Training Bunny," which required her to travel to different Playboy Clubs to teach prospective Bunnies their duties. She was Playboy's Playmate of the Month for the August 1964 issue, and the first Asian American Playmate. Her centerfold was photographed by Pompeo Posar. According to her Playmate profile, her name is pronounced "chee-na" to rhyme with "Tina". The name "China" is derived from the nickname "Chinita" ("little Chinese girl") bestowed on her by Spanish-speaking neighbors who admired her dancing as a child. Lee appeared at the end of Woody Allen's What's Up, Tiger Lily?, performing a striptease. She married comedian Mort Sahl in 1967. They divorced in 1991. Their only child, Mort Sahl, Jr. died on March 27, 1996 at the age of 19. (Wiki) Alcide Patrick Nunez (March 17, 1884 – September 2, 1934), also known as Yellow Nunez and Al Nunez, was an early jazz clarinetist. He was also one of the first musicians of New Orleans who made numerous audio recordings and he was announced by Pee Wee Russell as the greatest jazz clarinetist of the world. On September 2, 1909, New Orleans was first linked by rail to Houston. Amid celebrations and ceremonies the train left the New Orleans Terminal Station at 6:10 A.M. On board were Ben R. Mayer representing the Mayor of New Orleans, F.B. McQueety, Secretery of the Baton Rouge Board of Trade representing the board, and other officials. The first stop was at the Edenborn Depot (Gonzales. Louisiana) where large delegations from the board along with businessment in general awaited the train. Extending congratulations were Joe Gottelieb, Jules Rpux, S.H. Reymond, W.N. Barrow, N.S. Dougherty, R.J. Hummell, H.N. Wax, Abe Abramson, Dupre Stondard, Pat Aldrich, J.N. Ogden, Fred Greace, W.N. McFarland, and Alexander Louisiana Lottery advertisment, September 2, 1909 This math problem ran on the children's page of the Daily Picayune on September 2, 1906 in a section titled "Picayune's Popular Problems". Today's children would'nt have a clue! "Picayune's Popular Problems" was a product of Captain George Soule & Sons. Soule (1834 -- 1926) founded Soule College (a business school) which served New Orleanians for 127 years having opened in 1856 and closed in 1983. The Ammonia Motor & Railway Company was chartered on September 2, 1890 with the intention of building motorcars and locomotive driven streetcars during the era when streetcar were pulled by horses and mules. Organizers Artwood Violett, Thomas Woodward, and J.L. Byrne were motivated by the comparative cost differences between streetcars pulled by mules ($9.910 per car per day) and by ammonia locomotives ($6.775 per day). Similar to steam engines in design, the aqua-ammonia engines used 1/5 part ammonia to 4.5ths water heated in circulating tubes by a coal fire. Steam-powered streetcars remained in use until February 1, 1893 when the city electrified the lines, with the exception of some electric cars (still not perfected) used in 1884 for the World Cottom Centennial (World's Fair) at Audubon Park. CSS PAMLICO, a side-wheel steamer purchased in New Orleans on July 10, 1861, was placed in commission of the Confederate navy on September 2 with Leutenant W. G. Dozier, CSN in command. She operated in the vicinity of New Orleans, clashing ineffectually with vessels of the Federal blockading squadron on December 4 and 7, 1861, and on March 25 and April 4, 1862. PAMLICO was burned by her officers on Lake Pontchartrain, when New Orleans fell to the During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, on September 2, 2005, the charred body of Henry Glover was found in a destroyed Chevrolet Malibu parked on a Mississippi River levee. He was last seen uninjured on September 2, four days after the storm, by his sister. Five current and former officers of the New Orleans Police Department were charged with Glover's death. (Wiki) On September 2, 2005, the Canadian government deployed an Airbus 321 to New Orleans, to transport Canadians stranded in the area after Hurricane Katrina to airlift them to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio and Canadian Forces offered help in Hurricane Katrina effort. Defence Minister Bill Graham announced a deployment of four warships to Louisiana as well as a Coast Guard vessel filled with relief supplies. A British Columbia rescue team described chaos in Louisiana. On September 2, 2005, CNN's Soledad O'Brien asked FEMA Director Mike Brown, "How is it possible that we're getting better info than you were getting... we were showing live pictures of the people outside the Convention Center... also we'd been reporting that officials had been telling people to go to the Convention Center... I don't understand how FEMA cannot have this information." When pressed, Brown reluctantly admitted he had learned about the starving crowds at the Convention Center from news media reports. O'Brien then said to Brown, "FEMA's been on the ground four days, going into the fifth day, why no massive air drop of food and water... in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, they got food drops two days after the tsunami". Following the devastation caused by floodwall and levee failures post-Hurricane Katrina, National Guard troops first began delivering food, water and ice in New Orleans on September 2, 2005. 18,678 Army National Guard and 2,464 Air National Guard were deployed (11,142 total). The same day, President Gerge W. Bush toured parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama and declared that the success of the recovery effort up to that point was "not enough". saying that was ordering additional active duty forces to the region. He also signed the $10.5 billion relief package the same day, after Congressional approval. Bush also authorized a drawdown of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
A page on government economic policy – mostly things covered by HM Treasury and the Bank of England and Financial Regulators – including banking. In the first brief video I give reasons for watching the second 33 min one on a vital issue: who creates, owns and allocates our nation’s money. Answer: the banks for the benefit of the banks, but it should be the Bank Of England for the benefit of the nation. (Further down is one about how badly in debt we are!!) The main video saying that banks create money and they shouldn’t. The Pennsylvania Settlers of colonial America and their self-contained monetary system. A delightful, focused talk on banking in Canada by Canadian Victoria Grant aged 12! NB The then Central Bank Governor of Canada arrives here to be the Bank of England Governor in July!! I have attended a meeting of the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee, visited the Chancellor’s constituency in Wilmslow (Tatton), the Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls’ constituency (Morley near Leeds) and the constituencies of many Treasury Committee MPs and have had personal conversations with heads of several major banks. My main message is that banks (ie the commercial banks as opposed to the Bank of England with a capital “B”) should not be the creators of our circulating money. It gives them an unwarranted privilege to allow them to create our money to the detriment of society as a whole. It means that all money in circulation except notes and coin is owned by commercial banks and is only in circulation as a debt that has to be repaid to the commercial bank at interest. Public authority should be the creator of the money of our land and it should be created as an asset of our society as a whole rather than an asset of the self-interested businessmen who own the banks. All new money in Britain should be created by the Bank of England and given to the government to spend on projects that help society as a whole, and it would be wisest to spend the new money on things that help us earn a living in the world rather than on luxuries. So it should be spent getting our infrastructure up to scratch since this is essentially a tool for us collectively to live our life and do our work. It should also be spent on good higher education for our young people in universities and technical colleges and on research and development so that we will have a keen skilled workforce and good products that make the world a better place and for which foreigners will pay us a good price for. The present system is crazy in that we allow the commercial banks to create our money which they do when they make a loan. Almost all the money lent out didn’t exist before the moment that someone agreed to borrow it. It wasn’t obtained from somewhere it was just magicked into existence. Ordinary citizens like you and me aren’t allowed to create money. We would be locked up. But banks create money. I have been told that by the top people. Another thing that it seems that banks do is to lend out current account deposits even though depositors are perfectly entitled to ask for it back at any time. If everybody does the money isn’t there to pay them and there is a run on the bank as people rush to withdraw their deposits before it is all gone. SO the poor old government, if it doens’t want to be too unpopular to get elected next time around, has to borrow money from somewhere to make up the missing money. So the thing to do about current account money is to make it so that commercial banks can’t touch it. A way to do that is to have current account money go straight through the high street bank to be kept safe in an account at the Bank of England. Then, if the high street bank goes bust the depositors money is safe in the Bank of England. Alternatively you could have a government-run GIRO bank as I understand they do in Holland and Austria which just does the essential boring job of making sure people’s deposits are safe with the government and enables you to pay your bills (ie a payments system without any commercial agenda). It is really hard to get the government to understand this. There is a cosy relationship between the government and the banks. The government allows this unwise system to continue and it seems that it is hard for them to gather the courage to bite the bullet and change the system to the one I describe above. But the present system with the power of money creation vested in the banks leaves the banks powerful and the government weak and that’s not healthy. They need to understand it and admit that “the emperor has no clothes” and take back the authority of money creation entirely to public authority namely the Bank of England. Please explain it to your MP or send him a link to this page and video and ask him to write to the Chancellor to urge this change. My petition for signature by David Cameron’s Witney constituents (which I am asking people in the street in Witney and Chipping Norton to sign) reads “By Act of Parliament, please make the Bank of England the only body in the land authorised to create the nation’s money and prohibit commercial banks from doing so.” Please don’t copy this, though, since I want to have control of each sheet of petition signatures so people can be reassured that their personal details will only be seen by Mr Cameron and his staff. Powerpoint at meeting on 1st June. My vision. Budgets and Government Expenditure In this video I say that we are deep in debt as a nation and that we are tolerating the government going deeper into debt to the tune of £100 per week per household just to keep us in the lifestyle to which we have become accustomed. We can’t go on doing that. Getting the finances sorted out can’t be done only by cuts. It has to be done by us starting to earn more on the world scene. That doesn’t mean the government should avoid cuts but that we should run a livelier economy and produce more goods and service that we can sell to export customers. Why should be tolerate a national debt. Our govenrment has an income: the taxes paid by British people and some other customs dues and so on. Let’s live within that limit and pay off the debt. As above, the banks need sorting out otherwise there’s a hole in the boat. We’ll stay afloat better if we fix this crucial drain on our finances as I explain above. Let’s have simple taxes and a national spirit that wants to see our nation thrive and to do our bit including paying tax. Privatisation has gone too far. Just because we are hard up it doesn’t mean that the government has to give the jobs over to the commercial sector. If there’s a job to be done it just might be cheaper and better in the long run to do it ourselves rather than pay someone to do it for us. Like running the trains, supplying the water, gas and electricity and the healthcare. These companies are nice but unfortunately that do need to be paid and often the bill is bigger than doing it ourselves. And for public works procurement we should get better at getting good value for money out of our contractors if we have to engage contractors. British companies should do a good job on time and on budget without it having to be one of these horrible PFI contracts described on this website as issue number 6. Let’s run an efficient show with a lively national effort and be careful with out money and get the whole thing to succeed. My visit to Brussels to help make a “more sustainable economy”. May 2013 Birmingham Municipal Bank reopens (for an art exhibition) Thrift Radiates Happiness. http://www.thriftradiateshappiness.com/ Let’s have local banks back. A brief report on ECOBATE 2013 banking conference 6th March in Winchester. Key to getting banks sorted out for the public good. Report: Banks Create Money and what to do about it. My 2nd June 2012 letter to the Chancellor to which I hope for a reasoned reply within their correspondence deadline of (I think) 14 days. Later note: I didn’t get a helpful reply and communications with them became harder and harder. They didn’t seem to me to be interested in giving really lucid replies. That needs to change. Back to Welcome page
The seventy-something-year-olds dominating Africa’s politics can become members of the Cabinet of one country without borders drawn by 19th Century colonialists. The envisaged United States of Africa is one huge country that stretches from Cape Town to Cairo and from Mogadishu to Cape Verde encompassing 53 sovereign states. This is the land of the mighty Nile River, the land that is washed by two huge oceans – the Atlantic and Indian oceans, and lies south of the Mediterranean Sea and borders the Middle East across the Red Sea. Great events in history that have affected humanity have touched Africa in one way or another. The world’s greatest religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam have had places like Egypt, Ethiopia and Mali (Timbuktu) play leading roles in their propagation. Egypt enslaved Jews for over 400 years, and Africans were exported as slaves to build great powers in Europe, America and elsewhere on the globe. <<Unity is a way to restore the greatness of this amazing piece of earth that has always been – throughout history – the centerpiece of human advancement.>> Africa has its great past and it has its great potential for the future. Senior African statesmen like Nelson Mandela, Kenneth Kaunda, Robert Mugabe, Hosni Mubarak, Paul Biya and Joaquim Chissano are our venerated leaders who can bring their age-tested wisdom to argue a case for African unity. Unity is a way to restore the greatness of this amazing piece of earth that has always been – throughout history – the centerpiece of human advancement. Africa respects old age as a common traditional value. Thus our leaders like Abdoulaye Wade (82) of Senegal, Anerood Jugnauth (78) of Mauritius, Mwai Kibaki (77) of Kenya, Bingu wa Mutharika (74) of Malawi, Lansana Conte (74) of Guinea, and Abdillahi Yusuf Ahmed (74) of Somalia are our resource-bases for leadership and inspiration. Other elderly notable statesmen in Africa include Hifikepunye Pohamba (73) of Namibia, Omar Bongo (73) of Gabon, Zine El Abdine ben Ali (72) of Tunisia and Abdelaziz Bouteflika (71) of Algeria. These respectable African leaders owe the young generation of Africans a bright tomorrow. In the globalized world, this future can only be attained by unity. A strong united continental federal government that will enable our one billion people speak with one voice is the mechanism of jump-starting our economic empowerment. A United States of Africa will be justified to demand and obtain a permanent seat in the United Nation’s Security Council. A United States of Africa will be able to marshal its resources to improve infrastructure and communication by way of railway lines, tarmac roads, viable airlines and modern telecommunication super highways that will make even the remotest part of our continent reachable. In a global economy, Africa’s ability to compete can only come through unity to enable the attainment of economies of scale. Polarized small African states cannot fill the long chain of supermarkets like Wal Mart, Walgreen or Target in America with our exports. Consider products like coffee, tea, cotton, pyrethrum, exotic flowers, cashew-nuts, cocoa, palm oil and many others that Africa can collectively supply to a hungry global market. But if we remain divided, we lose at the bargaining table! Africa has to use its vast resources to invest in education, research and development, health education, and Information Technology to fight poverty, HIV/AIDS, and create a rapid deployment
VoIP stands for Voice over IP. It means that your phone calls will be delivered to your office or business using your internet, WiFi or 4G connection instead of using traditional phone lines.Historically, a traditional system using phone lines was very restrictive and expensive as you needed to have individual wires installed directly to your premises. With VoIP you don’t need a phone line any more as you can harness your existing internet connection to run your phone system for you. There is also no limit on the number of “lines” you can have coming into your building as they are all delivered over the internet, And there are also no limits on which area code your phone number has to be in. VoIP will even continue to work if you suffer from a power or internet outage in your premises. In fact, your premises can change as much as you need, simply plug your phones in wherever you happen to be in the world and you have direct access to your office phone system. With VoIP you also get extra features that would typically be unavailable to most offices, such as call conferencing, call recording, automated answering systems, call queueing and visual voicemail systems. These features were traditionally very expensive to access, but with VoIP they are now available to everybody at low cost. In some ways, using a VoIP service for your phone system is very similar to using Netflix to watch TV and video content. Netflix (or any other video streaming service) is delivered directly over the internet to whichever device you happen to be using, and in whatever location you happen to be in. Likewise, VoIP will deliver your phone calls over the internet to your dedicated VoIP phone, your laptop, your mobile phone, and - just like Netflix, in whatever location you happen to be in.
How to Figure Ending Inventory With a Gross Profit Ratio A physical inventory count reveals the exact inventory your small business has at the end of an accounting period, but doing one can be costly and time-consuming. For those periods in which a physical count is unpractical, you can use your gross profit ratio, or margin, to estimate ending inventory. Gross profit is the income you earn from sales after paying cost of goods sold. Gross profit margin is your gross profit as a percentage of sales. Because this method relies on past information, it works best for businesses that buy and sell merchandise and that have relatively stable costs. Subtract your cost of goods sold in the most recent year from your net sales in the same year to figure your gross profit. Cost of goods sold are the direct costs required to make or buy your merchandise. Net sales equals total sales minus refunds and sales discounts. For example, assume your small business had $200,000 in net sales and $120,000 in cost of goods sold last year. Subtract $120,000 from $200,000 to get $80,000 in gross profit. Divide gross profit by net sales to figure your gross profit margin. In this example, divide $80,000 by $200,000 to get 0.4, or 40 percent. Adjust last year’s gross profit margin to account for any changes that could affect your gross profit and cost of goods sold in the current period. If you believe your cost of goods sold might rise in the current period, reduce your gross profit margin. Decreasing costs might warrant an increase in your margin. In this example, assume your costs are improving in the current period, which you believe justifies an increase to a 42 percent gross profit margin. Add the cost of the inventory you had at the beginning of the current period to the cost of inventory you purchased during the period to calculate your cost of goods available for sale. In this example, assume you had $75,000 in beginning inventory and bought $100,000 in inventory during the period. Add these together to get $175,000 in cost of goods available for sale. Subtract your adjusted gross profit margin from 1. Multiply your result by the current period’s net sales to estimate the current period’s cost of goods sold. In this example, assume you had $250,000 in net sales in the current period. Subtract 42 percent, or 0.42, from 1 to get 0.58. Multiply 0.58 by $250,000 to get $145,000 in estimated cost of goods sold. Subtract your result from your cost of goods available for sale to estimate your ending inventory for the current period. Concluding the example, subtract $145,000 from $175,000 to get $30,000 in ending inventory. - Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
If your little one loves dressing up like a princess, then this is the activity for you! This princess counting crown combines the fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination, and visual perceptual skills of a craft activity with the math concepts of counting, matching, ordering, and number recognition. Your child will love creating this crown and you will love that they are strengthening their hands and minds! 1. Develops Pincer Grasp –Opening the clothespins by squeezing the thumb and first finger together help to develop the pincer grasp which is essential for: – Self-care tasks like snapping, zipping, buttoning -Pre-writing skills such as pencil grasp and pre-cutting skills such as scissor grasp -Toy and object manipulation like building blocks, turning pages, and holding onto papers 2. Develops math skills- Using numbers as learning concepts on the princess crown will help your child to recognize numbers, count, match, and order numerals 3. Develops visual perceptual skills and eye hand coordination-By having your child find the visual cue (i.e. sticker or number) and placing it on its designated spot will help to improve both visual perceptual and eye hand coordination skills. 4. Fosters creativity-Once your child has the princess crown on, let the child be creative and act like a princess in an imaginary world! How to Construct Cut the center circle out of a paper plate, leaving only the outside ring, large enough to fit on top of your child’s head Paint the outer ring of the paper plate While the paint is drying, tape or tie long pieces of ribbon onto individual clothespins Once the paint is dry, add learning concepts onto the outside of the princess crown (i.e. numbers, shapes, colors) depending on what you want your child to learn Place the learning concepts all towards the back section of the princess crown so the ribbon stays out of the child’s eyes. How to Play Once your crown is constructed, tell your child to pinch the clothespin in order to open it and then instruct them to place the clothespin on the designated spot on the princess crown. After all the clothespins are on the crown, take it off and play again! What’s a princess crown without a dress and castle? Check out these adorable accessories from Amazon to really transform your little one into a “real princess!” Hopefully both you and your little princess will reap some “royal” rewards after creating this crown!
Creating a strategy for how you will manage your project files throughout the research process is a fundamental element of your overall data management plan. A research project may include multiple files in a variety of formats, multiple versions of files, spreadsheets, images, lab notes, interview tapes, etc. that are essential to the project. Establishing good file management practices at the outset is vastly easier than trying to organise the work mid-way through the project. Managing your project files will render benefits later on by: Elements central to managing project files include: When organising your files consider including elements such as the project title, a unique identifier, and the date (year) in the folder directory name. The substructure should include a clear, documented naming convention; for instance, each component or run of an experiment, each version of a dataset, and/or each person in the group. The structure should follow a consistent pattern which can be clearly recognizable to the entire research group. Elements of file name conventions (below) apply to directory folder names as well. Project files should be named and organised in a consistent and descriptive manner in a way that is logical and predicable to yourself and others. Clear distinctions between files will facilitate effective and efficient file browsing and retrieval. There are 3 things to keep in mind when labeling data: Consider using several of the following elements in file names: Consider using version control systems for bulk renaming of files where necessary. If, part-way through a project there is a need to rename a large number of files to conform to a systematic file-naming convention you have adopted, there are a number of tools available to make this process easier. Examples of file renaming tools: Versioning or version control refers to managing file revisions. Versioning assists researchers in managing data during a project where experimentation, revisions and re-examinations are undertaken. Text files as well as data files may undergo numerous changes before the final version is set. Versioning mechanisms such as directory structure and file naming conventions assist users in differentiating between different versions of a dataset and accompanying files. Researchers should also consider discarding obsolete versions of files. Care should be taken in making decisions about future use of files before discarding. In some instances, keeping backup copies of versions may be advisable. A number of tools are available for file versioning including: Backing up files refers to the creation of file copies. These copies should reside in a separate physical location from the working or stored files. Arranging a regular back-up schedule mitigates the possibility of data loss and backup copies can be used to restore damaged or lost original files. On campus, CCS (Computing and Communications Services) provides file security, encryption, storage and backup support and services. We would like to thank the UK Data Service for use of their training materials in the creation of these modules. We would also like to thank the EDINA and Data Library, University of Edinburgh for use of materials from the Research Data MANTRA [online course] in the creation of these modules.
My people know that cannabis is an effective medication for many different kinds of medical conditions. It is truly a miracle plant, but at what point did people figure out that this fragrant plant could be used to help people. As a student of History this was something I had to find out. I can remember when I first hear about marijuana being used for medical use was in 1996 when California the first US State to recognize cannabis could be used for medical use. For me at the time I figured this was a new discovery. However it was also presented to me at the time that it was only for people who had AID, Cancer or other serious illness and it was still a very dangerous drug (as if). I know better now. Although, 1996 was America’s reintroduction to cannabis as medicine it is not a new idea. Prior to 1937 when Henry Anslinger pushed to have the plant made illegal and started the US and the world into a dark age or understanding cannabis; it was America’s top three most prescribed medications; it was also listed in the US pharmacopeia to treat many medical issues. I know I have not covered what you all anticipating and that is when did humans first start using the cannabis plant as a medication. In the writings of Emperor Shen Neng of China in 2737 BCE he documented that cannabis was a powerful medication. That was 4751 years ago; it is obvious that cannabis is not a new medication but one of the oldest. It is also apparent that prior to 2737 BCE that cannabis was being used to treat medical conditions but had yet to be written down yet. Not to mention there is evidence that humans were using cannabis for industrial and as a food staple for at least 10,000 years. “Spread Cannabis Knowledge!”
Contemporary Physicists and God’s Existence : Room for God The idea that something is not created by anything, that it comes out of nothing, is very different from the idea that it creates itself. It is strange therefore to find some scientists speaking about them as if they are one and the same thing. It is not only Davies who confused these two notions as we can see in the quotation just cited, but others also. Taylor tells us that electrons can create themselves out of nothing in the manner Baron Munchausen saved himself from sinking into a bog by pulling himself up by his bootstraps. It is as if these particles special particles are able to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps (which in their case are the forces between them) to create themselves from nothing as Baron Munchausen saves himself without visible means of support...This bootstrapping has been proposed as a scientifically respectable scenario for creating a highly specialized Universe from nothing. (Taylor, 46) Is it science or science fiction that we are being told here? Taylor knows and says that Munchausen’s is only a story; what he claimed to have done is in fact something that is physically impossible to do. In spite of this, Taylor wants to explain by his idea something that is not only real, but is of the utmost importance, and thus ends up saying something that is more absurd than Munchausen’s fictitious story of saving himself by pulling up his bootstrap. At least Munchausen was talking about things that were already in existence. But Taylor’s special particles act even before they are created! They “pull themselves by their own bootstraps... to create themselves from nothing.”! The third alternative to attributing the creation of things to the true God, is to attribute them to false gods. Thus many atheists try to attribute the creation of temporal things to other things which are themselves temporal (as we said before). Davies says: The idea of a physical system containing an explanation of itself might seem paradoxical to the layman but it is an idea that has some precedence in physics. While one may concede, (ignoring quantum effects) that every event is contingent, and depends for its explanation on some other event, it need not follow that this series either continues endlessly, or ends in God. It may be closed into a loop. For example, four events, or objects, or systems, E1, E2, E3, E4, may have the following dependence on each other: (Davies, 47) But this is a clear example of a very vicious circle. Take any one of these supposed events or objects or systems. Let it be E1, and ask how it came about . The answer is: it was caused by E4, which preceded it; but what is the cause of E4? It is E3; and the cause of E3 is E2, and of E2 is E1. So the cause of E4 is E1 because it is the cause of its causes. Therefore E4 is the cause of E1 and E1 is the cause of E4 which means that each one of them precedes and is preceded by the other. Does that make any sense? If these events, etc. are actual existents, then their coming into being could not have been caused by them the way Davies supposes it to be. Their ultimate cause must lie outside this vicious circle. And the philosopher Passmore advises us to: Compare the following: (1) every event has a cause; (2) to know that an event has happened one must know how it came about. The first simply tells us that if we are interested in the cause of an event, there will always be such a cause for us to discover. But it leaves us free to start and stop at any point we choose in the search for causes; we can, if we want to, go on to look for the cause of the cause and so on ad infinitum , but we need not do so; if we have found a cause, we have found a cause, whatever its cause may be. The second assertion, however, would never allow us to assert that we know that an event has happened ... For if we cannot know that an event has taken place unless we know the event that is its cause, then equally we cannot know that the cause-event has taken place unless we know its cause, and so on ad infinitum. In short, if the theory is to fulfill its promise, the series must stop somewhere, and yet the theory is such that the series cannot stop anywhere – unless, that is, a claim of privilege is sustained for a certain kind of event, e.g. the creation of the Universe. (Pasture, 29) If you think about it, there is no real difference between these two series as Ibn Taymiyyah clearly explained a long time ago (Ibn Taymiyyah, 436-83). One can put the first series like this: for an event to happen, its cause must happen. Now if the cause is itself caused, then the event will not happen unless its cause event happens, and so on, ad infinitum. We will not therefore have a series of events that actually happened, but a series of no events. And because we know that there are events, we conclude that their real ultimate cause could not have been any temporal thing or series of temporal things whether finite or infinite. The ultimate cause must be of a nature that is different from that of temporal things; it must be eternal. Why do I say ‘ultimate’? Because, as I said earlier, events can be viewed as real causes of other events, so long as we acknowledge them to be the incomplete and dependent causes they are, and as such not the causes that explain the coming into being of something in any absolute sense, which is to say that they cannot take the place of God. What is the relevance of this talk about chains after all? There might have been some excuse for it before the advent of the Big Bang, but it should have been clear to Davies in particular that there is no place for it at all in the world-view of a person who believes that the universe had an absolute beginning. The fact that every thing around us is temporal and that it could not have been created except by an eternal Creator has been known to human beings since the dawn of their creation, and it is still the belief of the overwhelming majority of people all over the world. It would, therefore, be a mistake to get from this paper the impression that it hinges the existence of God upon the truth of the Big Bang theory. That certainly is not my belief; neither was it the purpose of this paper. The main thrust of the paper has rather been that if an atheist believes in the big bang theory, then he cannot avoid admitting that the Universe was created by God. This, in fact, is what some scientists frankly admitted, and what others hesitantly intimated to. There is no ground for supposing that matter and energy existed before and was suddenly galvanized into action. For what could distinguish that moment from all other moments in eternity? ... It is simpler to postulate creation ex nihilo, Divine will constituting nature from nothingness. (Jastro,122) As to the first cause of the universe in the context of expansion, that is left to the reader to insert, but our picture is incomplete without Him. (Jasrow,122) This means that the initial state of the universe must have been very carefully chosen indeed if the hot big bang model was correct right back to the beginning of time. It would be very difficult to explain why the universe should have begun in just this way except as the act of a God who intended to create beings like us. (Hawking,127) Al Ghazali, Abu Hamid, Tahafut al Falasifa, edited by Sulayman Dunya, Dar al Ma'arif, Cairo, 1374 (1955) Berman, David, A History of Atheism in Britain, London and New York, Routledge, 1990. Boslough, John, Stephen Hawking's Universe: an Introduction to the most remarkable Scientist of our Time, Avon Books, New York, 1985. Bunge, Mario, Causality: The Place of the Causal Principle in Modern Science, The world publication Co. New York, 1963 Carter, Stephen L. The Culture of Disbelief: How American Law and Politics Trivialize Religious Devotion. Basic Books, Harper Collins, 1993. Concise Science Dictionary, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1984 Davies, Paul, (1) The Cosmic Blueprint: New Discoveries in Nature's Creative Ability to Order the Universe, Simon & Schuster Inc, London, 1989. (2) God & The New Physics, The Touchstone Book, New York, 1983. Fritzsch, Harald, The Creation of Matter: The Universe From Beginning to End, Basic Books Inc Publishers, New York, 1984. Ibn Rushd, al Qadi Abu al Walid Muhammad Ibn Rush, Tahafut at-Tahafut, edited by Sulayman Dunya, Dar al Ma'arif , Cairo, 1388 (1968.) Ibn Taymiya, Abu al Abbas Taqiyuddin Ahmad Ibn Abd al Halim, Minhaj al Sunna al Nabawiya , edited by Dr. Rashad Salim, Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyad, AH 1406 (1986) Jastrow, Robert, God And The Astronomers, Warner Books, New York, 1978. Hawking, Stephen, A Brief History of Time, Hoyle, Fred, The Nature of the Universe, Mentor Books, New York, 1955. Kirkpatrick, Larry D. and Wheeler, Gerald F. Physics, A World View, New York, Saunders College Publishing, 1992. Newton, Sir Isaac, Optics, Dover Publications Inc. New York, 1952. Pasture, J. A, Philosophical Reasoning, New York, 1961. Taylor, John, When the Clock Struck Zero: Science's Ultimate Limits, Picador, London, 1993 “…the first published avowal of speculative atheism appeared in 1770 on the Continent, and in 1782 in Britain.” (Russell, Atheism. 3). “The most recent Gallop data indicate that 96 per cent of Americans say they believe in God... “ , (Carter, Culture, 278). The percentage must surely be greater in the non Western world.
Progressive tenses are compound tenses that express actions viewed as being in progress. In English, this tense would be constructed in the following way, the auxiliary verb being "to be". \|TO BE \| \|present tense \|\|I am\|\|+\|\|running.\| \|past tense\|\|I was\|\|+\|\|running.\| \|future tense \|\|I will be\|\|+\|\|running.\| The construction of the Spanish progressive tenses follows the same structure. It's the conjugated auxiliary verb ("estar" = to be) + the gerund. \|present tense \|\|Estoy\|\|+\|\|corriendo.\| \|imperfect tense (past) \|\|Estaba\|\|+\|\|corriendo.\| The gerund in Spanish, like in English, gives the progressive tenses their progressive nature. In the English sentence "I am running", running is the gerund; gerunds in English are essentially any words ending in "-ing". Spanish gerunds also have a common ending: "-ndo". Here are a few examples in both English and Spanish. \|English gerund (-ing)\|\|Spanish gerund (-ndo)\| To form the gerund in Spanish, you remove the infinitive endings (-ar, -er, -ir) and add -ando to the stem of the -ar words and -iendo to the stem of for the -er and -ir verbs. For example:
Explain the process of radioactive dating As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 75, lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you succeed. Already registered? Log in here for access. Radiometric Dating: Methods, Uses & the Significance of Half-Life Radiocarbon dating is a method that provides objective age estimates for carbon-based materials that originated from living organisms. The impact of the radiocarbon dating technique on modern man has made it one of the most significant discoveries of the 20th century. Archaeology and other human sciences use radiocarbon dating to prove or disprove theories. Over the years, carbon 14 dating has also found applications in geology, hydrology, geophysics, atmospheric science, oceanography, paleoclimatology and even biomedicine. Radiocarbon, or carbon 14, is an isotope of the element carbon that is unstable and weakly radioactive. The stable isotopes are carbon 12 and carbon Carbon 14 is continually being formed in the upper atmosphere by the effect of cosmic ray neutrons on nitrogen 14 atoms. It is rapidly oxidized in air to form carbon dioxide and enters the global carbon cycle. Plants and animals assimilate carbon 14 from carbon dioxide throughout their lifetimes. When they die, they stop exchanging carbon with the biosphere and their carbon 14 content then starts to decrease at a rate determined by the law of radioactive decay. Radiocarbon dating is essentially a method designed to measure residual radioactivity. By knowing how much carbon 14 is left in a sample, the age of the organism when it died can be known. It must be noted though that radiocarbon dating results indicate when the organism was alive but not when a material from that organism was used. There are three principal techniques used to measure carbon 14 content of any given sample— gas proportional counting, liquid scintillation counting, and accelerator mass spectrometry. Gas proportional counting is a conventional radiometric dating technique that counts the beta particles emitted by a given sample. Beta particles are products of radiocarbon decay. In this method, the carbon sample is first converted to carbon dioxide gas before measurement in gas proportional counters takes place. Liquid scintillation counting is another radiocarbon dating technique that was popular in the s. In this method, the sample is in liquid form and a scintillator is added. This scintillator produces a flash of light when it interacts with a beta particle. A vial with a sample is passed between two photomultipliers, and only when both devices register the flash of light that a count is made. Accelerator mass spectrometry AMS is a modern radiocarbon dating method that is considered to be the more efficient way to measure radiocarbon content of a sample. In this method, the carbon 14 content is directly measured relative to the carbon 12 and carbon 13 present. The method does not count beta particles but the number of carbon atoms present in the sample and the proportion of the isotopes. Not all materials can be radiocarbon dated. Most, if not all, organic compounds can be dated. Samples that have been radiocarbon dated since the inception of the method include charcoal , wood , twigs, seeds , bones , shells , leather, peat , lake mud, soil , hair, pottery , pollen , wall paintings, corals, blood residues, fabrics , paper or parchment, resins, and water , among others. Physical and chemical pretreatments are done on these materials to remove possible contaminants before they are analyzed for their radiocarbon content. The radiocarbon age of a certain sample of unknown age can be determined by measuring its carbon 14 content and comparing the result to the carbon 14 activity in modern and background samples. The principal modern standard used by radiocarbon dating labs was the Oxalic Acid I obtained from the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Maryland. This oxalic acid came from sugar beets in When the stocks of Oxalic Acid I were almost fully consumed, another standard was made from a crop of French beet molasses. Over the years, other secondary radiocarbon standards have been made. Radiocarbon activity of materials in the background is also determined to remove its contribution from results obtained during a sample analysis. Background samples analyzed are usually geological in origin of infinite age such as coal, lignite, and limestone. A radiocarbon measurement is termed a conventional radiocarbon age CRA. The CRA conventions include a usage of the Libby half-life, b usage of Oxalic Acid I or II or any appropriate secondary standard as the modern radiocarbon standard, c correction for sample isotopic fractionation to a normalized or base value of These values have been derived through statistical means. American physical chemist Willard Libby led a team of scientists in the post World War II era to develop a method that measures radiocarbon activity. He is credited to be the first scientist to suggest that the unstable carbon isotope called radiocarbon or carbon 14 might exist in living matter. Libby and his team of scientists were able to publish a paper summarizing the first detection of radiocarbon in an organic sample. It was also Mr. In , Mr. Libby was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in recognition of his efforts to develop radiocarbon dating. Discovery of Radiocarbon Dating accessed October 31, Sheridan Bowman, Radiocarbon Dating: Interpreting the Past , University of California Press. Accelerator Mass Spectrometry AMS dating involves accelerating ions to extraordinarily high kinetic energies followed by mass analysis. The application of radiocarbon dating to groundwater analysis can offer a technique to predict the over-pumping of the aquifer before it becomes contaminated or overexploited. Beta Analytic does not accept pharmaceutical samples with "tracer Carbon" or any other material containing artificial Carbon to eliminate the risk of cross-contamination. Radiometric dating is used to estimate the age of rocks and other objects based on the fixed decay rate of radioactive isotopes. What is Radioactive Dating? . The thing that makes this decay process so valuable for determining the age of. Radiometric Dating: Methods, Uses & the Significance of Half-Life . questions and more by use of a process called radiometric, or radioactive, dating. Despite seeming like a relatively stable place, the Earth's surface has changed dramatically over the past 4. Mountains have been built and eroded, continents and oceans have moved great distances, and the Earth has fluctuated from being extremely cold and almost completely covered with ice to being very warm and ice-free. These changes typically occur so slowly that they are barely detectable over the span of a human life, yet even at this instant, the Earth's surface is moving and changing. A process for determining the age of an object by measuring the amount of a given radioactive material it contains. Radiometric dating , radioactive dating or radioisotope dating is a technique used to date materials such as rocks or carbon , in which trace radioactive impurities were selectively incorporated when they were formed. The method compares the abundance of a naturally occurring radioactive isotope within the material to the abundance of its decay products, which form at a known constant rate of decay. Together with stratigraphic principles , radiometric dating methods are used in geochronology to establish the geologic time scale. Geologists use radiometric dating to estimate how long ago rocks formed, and to infer the ages of fossils contained within those rocks. Radioactive elements decay The universe is full of naturally occurring radioactive elements. Radioactive atoms are inherently unstable; over time, radioactive "parent atoms" decay into stable "daughter atoms. When molten rock cools, forming what are called igneous rocks, radioactive atoms are trapped inside. Afterwards, they decay at a predictable rate. By measuring the quantity of unstable atoms left in a rock and comparing it to the quantity of stable daughter atoms in the rock, scientists can estimate the amount of time that has passed since that rock formed. What is Radioactive Dating? - Definition & Facts Home earth Earth History Geologist Radioactive. Read about How do we know the Age of the Earth? Half-life billion years. Radiometric dating using the naturally-occurring radioactive elements is simple in concept even though technically complex. If we know the number of radioactive parent atoms present when a rock formed and the number present now, we can calculate the age of the rock using the decay constant. The number of parent atoms originally present is simply the number present now plus the number of daughter atoms formed by the decay, both of which are quantities that can be measured. Samples for dating are selected carefully to avoid those that are altered, contaminated, or disturbed by later heating or chemical events. In addition to the ages of Earth, Moon, and meteorites, radiometric dating has been used to determine ages of fossils, including early man, timing of glaciations, ages of mineral deposits, recurrence rates of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, the history of reversals of Earth's magnetic field, and the age and duration of a wide variety of other geological events and processes. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 75, lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you succeed. Radiocarbon dating is a method that provides objective age estimates for carbon-based materials that originated from living organisms. The impact of the radiocarbon dating technique on modern man has made it one of the most significant discoveries of the 20th century. Dating Rocks and Fossils Using Geologic Methods How Does Carbon Dating Work .Half-Life and Radioactive Decay
John Syer was born in Atherstone in 1815, and began his artistic studies in Bristol with the miniaturist, J. Fisher. He was later influenced by the work of David Cox and William Mueller. Syer was a well known landscape painter working extensively in Devon and Wales. His water-colour drawings were primarily Welsh and Belgian scenes. His water- colour drawings were rich and colorful, a style attributed to David Cox. In 1850 Messrs, Rowney and Co. published a number of his drawings, including Marine and River Views and Rustic Scenes. His work was also included in another publication, Studies from the Portfolios of Various Artists, drawn from Nature and on Stone. Between 1846 and 1875 he exhibited at the Royal Academy, British Institution, the Walker Art Gallery (Liverpool), the Grosvenor Gallery, The New Watercolour Society, and the Royal Society of British Artists (Suffolk Street). Syer was elected a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours, and the Royal Institute of Oil Painters. Syer died in June of 1885 at the age of 70. His sons, John Jr. and James were also artists.
So often we can sing songs, without fully appreciating the meaning – especially common with old hymns, where the language can be old fashioned or complicated. Sometimes words are used that are no longer in common use. Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing is a good example where we sing ‘Here I raise my Ebenezer’ – not Ebenezer Scrooge from Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, but here meaning ‘rock of help’. So it got me thinking to the Christmas Carols we sing, in particular The First Noel. Noel, in simple terms is French for Christmas, as in ‘Joyeux Noel’ or Happy Christmas. So the first Noel, refers to the first Christmas, or the day of Jesus’ birth. But buried in the etymological history of the word is another glorious meaning… “A shout of joy at Christmas for the birth of the Saviour” What a wonderful word! So in the same way we can sing and shout hallelujah (praise the Lord) or hosanna (a shout of praise, or ‘he saves’), we can use Noel at Christmas time as a shout of joy, to celebrate his birth. Joyeux Noel to you all!
Explore African American Quilt. When slaves made their escape, they used their memory of the quilts as a mnemonic device to guide them safely along their journey, according to McDaniel Quilts were functional, with little time for women to create decorative quilts. Often times money and other resources were limited so quilts were made with what was available, often old clothing no longer needed by family members. Worn quilts were patched together or cut apart to make another usable quilt. Cultural Quilting Arts - Model CA-NWT-015 - Availability: In Stock
With nearly 100 lives lost in auto accidents every year, 35,200 in 2015 alone, more people and agencies are looking to self-driving cars as the answer. While safety is no doubt top of mind when it comes to these vehicles there are still a lot of unanswered questions, concerns, and an unproven track record blocking the roadway to full automation. In this article, we will discuss some of the case points for safety and concern regarding self-driving cars. Rules Released for Self-Driving Cars The U.S. government’s Department of Transportation issued a 116 page document outlining the regulations for self-driving cars. If nothing else this suggests that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration feels strongly that self-driving cars could be a safer alternative to human error. The only thing that these rules can point out for certain is that regulators need to become more tech savvy, and quickly. With more extensive tests on city and suburban roads, self-driving cars are considered safest in these environments. The google self-driving project, called Waymo, has accumulated over 2 billion miles of self-driven miles. Primarily on well-mapped city and suburban areas and in simulation environments, this project continues to drive more miles every day. They hope to bring self-driving cars to the market, worldwide, in the near future. Self-Driving Road Blocks While there are definite areas where self-driving cars excel, there are road blocks. For instance, rural roads or roads in extreme conditions, have yet to be logged to the degree of other roads. Then, there are circumstances, like those leading to the fatal accident while autopilot was engaged in a Tesla in early May of 2016. Even with billions of self-driven miles of road behind testers, there are still many miles ahead that must be traveled before they will go to market. Even with the volume of uncertainty remaining regarding self-driving cars, it is safe to say that they have the potential to drastically reduce fatal accidents around the globe.
Palliative medicine is a part of , which involves providing treatment and medications that reduce the severity of a disease or slow its progress instead of providing a cure. Palliative medicine often becomes the focus of treatment in incurable diseases, or when the cure is not recommended due to other health concerns, or when the patient does not wish to pursue a cure because, for example, of the unnecessary suffering it may entail. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family. For other locations use the refine search location field below
Add some bright yellow to your late summer and fall garden with bluestem goldenrod (Solidago caesia). This plant is also known as wreath goldenrod and naturally grows in open woodlands and bluffs. It is hardy in zones 4 to 8 and is native to 32 states in the continental U.S. and 3 Canadian provinces. Bluestem goldenrod grows about 18 to 36 inches tall and wide and works well in native gardens, woodland gardens, borders, meadows, cottage gardens and more. The cluster of bright yellow flowers occur along the stem and attract butterflies and other beneficial insects to your garden. Grow the plant in full sun to part shade and well-drained soil. Bluestem goldenrod tolerates clay soil and once established, it is drought tolerant. This fall bloomer is basically pest-free and the deer tend to leave it be. A bit more information: Fireworks goldenrod (Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’) is a popular ornamental cultivar. It is hardy in zones 4 to 8 and grows best in full sun with moist to wet, well-drained soil. The plume-like flowers that top this 2 ½ to 3 feet high plant resemble fireworks.
Take Responsibility For Your Products' End of Life! What do you do with your clothes once you're done using them? Do you stuff them into the depths of your closet, throw them in the trash or give them a second life? Most people would say yes to either of the first two options, and they may not even consider the last one. This common practice of sending used clothes to landfill isn't good for two main reasons. Firstly, textiles are solid waste that take time and environmental resources to break down or degrade. Secondly, more than 80% of textile waste can be reclaimed and given a new life, thus considerably reducing the environmental impact. As designers, we can do our part to ensure that unwanted products, particularly garments, are reused. When we design with an idea of what our customers can do with their purchase when they no longer want it, it is easier to give our products an after-life. Textile Recycling: What Does It Really Mean? There are two wise things that can be done with used garments: A textile product that you no longer want may still be usable. In such a case, you can sell it, hand it down or give it away as second-hand. Many organisations like Oxfam or Goodwill accept such donations and give your clothes and nicknacks a new home. You can also repurpose items to create new and unique pieces. Converting your favourite pair of jeans into a shoulder bag is a creative example of this concept. This is sometimes called "Upcycling". The other option is Recycling. Turn your used goods into something that has a new use. Depending on the condition of the product, it could be converted into rags or cleaning cloths. Those that are entirely worn out can be used as insulation or broken down into threads and used to create new fabric. Who Will Do It And How? If you can sew, it is easy to convert clothing that is no longer wearable into wipes, cloth bags or quilts. This may not, however, be possible with clothes that are beyond worn out or when customers just aren't sewers or makers. In this case, you should encourage your customers to dispose of them without sending them to landfill. One method would be to simply ask your customer to deliver their unwanted goods to council recycling centres that accept used clothing and distribute them to those who need it. Why not include a useful "end of life" bag with an address? When giving items to charity, there have been many damning reports into the oversaturation of second hand western clothes into markets of Sub-Saharan Africa. Western clothes have obliterated cultural traditions in many places, when consumers think they are giving clothes away to be reused here, they don't realise that actually many of these clothes are bundled and sold overseas. This has had a postive and negative effect on these places, it's not as clear cut as just giving your item to charity and forgetting about it. Perhaps as a brand you can try and control the impact of your second hand garments more? #Clothing #Reuse Many garment manufacturers like H&M allow you to drop off used clothes in any condition, and they recycle them. Why not take a leaf out of their book and offer the same? I suggest that you take a look at this article on their Garment Collecting Program, to find out all about it. Taking clothes back is a step in the right direction, but the tricky part is encouraging customers to give up their used clothes instead of sending them to landfill in the first place. There are some brands that have come up with solutions. Let us find out what they are. Ideas For Second Use Simply asking a customer to send back their used clothes is not always going to work. A customer may be reluctant to go through all this trouble, unless he considers it necessary. In many cases, customers may be bored of their clothes even before it wears out, and may find that throwing it in the bin is easier than carrying it down to a collection centre. So, what we need is develop a strategy to entice even those customers who aren't environment-conscious to recycle their used clothes. Riz Board Shorts manages to do this by offering a 25% discount on new shorts to customers who send their used shorts back in after they are worn out. This also encourages brand loyalty. Organisations like Marks & Spencer and their "Shwopping Scheme" and H&M (mentioned above) also promote zero waste programs by offering discount vouchers for clothes that are brought to their collection centres. You may begin to question the ethics of this: By offering monetary rewards are we just encouraging customers to buy more? We are lulled into a false sense that we are doing the right thing. As ethical fashion activist Timo Rissanen suggests, is it simply ignoring the core ethical issue of over-consumption? One of the areas where end of life processsing and reusing is making giant leaps is with corporatewear. When uniforms become obsolete, brands and companies are reluctant to sell off their uniforms for reuse as this may tarnish the brand. In the past this was a huge issue and often uniforms would go straight to landfill. Happily, many companies like The Centre for Remanufacturing and Reuse are developing technology and ideas on how to recycle these uniforms effectively; whether that is by strategically placing the logo somewhere it can be easily removed, so that the rest of the garment can be used again, or by using fibres that can be completely reformed and recycled. Unlike fashion brands who rely on their customers actively engaging and returning their used clothing, corporatewear stays in the control of the company, who can return every item back to the manufactuer. The question is, can fashion brands follow this lead? What Can Designers Do To Encourage Responsible Recycling You may be surprised to learn that not all consumers are aware of the fact that clothing and textiles are almost always 100% recyclable. As those who belong to the fashion industry, we can take initiatives to educate our customers of this fact through our website, blogs and advertisements. Encourage your customers to donate their used clothes to charity or sell them off at garage sales or online, and reduce their environmental footprint. The article “What to do with Clothing and Textiles” on Recycle Now provides more information on this topic. We can assume greater responsibility in educating our customers about the efficiency of textile recycling and the massive demand for used clothing and reprocessed fibres. Also, as environmentally responsible citizens, we should focus on designs that are easy to recycle. We can begin by using only pure and sustainable fibres in our designs. Ultimately, the customer decides what they should do, but they should know that the option of throwing their clothes in the bin and sending it to landfill isn't the only one. The least we can do is to convince them of the importance of recycling, and make them aware of the environmental impact of their choice and the best we can do is offer recycling and re-use solutions. If you like these articles, then please do sign up to our monthly newsletter, where I round up all the latest posts. You can tweet the article using the tweet buttons throughout the article and below.
This lesson will familiarize the user with Alabama's primary sources, including the state constitution, statutes, administrative regulations, and case law. Among other things, this lesson addresses how a bill becomes law in Alabama, five ways to find Alabama statutes, and six ways to find Alabama cases with the West Digest System. The lesson discusses print and online sources, including researching primary law with free online services. This lesson does not cover secondary sources, such as treatises and law review articles. No prior knowledge of Alabama legal research is necessary to follow this lesson.
What is cervical cancer? Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among Indian women (As per Globocan 2018). Cervical cancer develops in a woman’s cervix (the entrance to the womb from the vagina). It mainly affects sexually active women aged between 30 and 45. The best way to protect yourself from cervical cancer is by attending regular cervical screening (previously known as a “smear test”) and follow up. Unfortunately, most women in India are not aware about the screening. Burden of the disease More women in India die from cervical cancer than in any other country. - New cases of cervical cancer detected in India: 96,322 every year - Deaths due to cervical cancer in India: 60,078/year Persistent infection of cervix with a virus called Human Papillomavirus (HPV) - Having many sexual partners - Husband having multiple sexual partners - Having first sexual intercourse at a younger age - Giving birth to many children Other diseases such as HIV/AIDS, immunosuppressive drugs, renal transplant etc. These risk factors does not imply that you will definitely acquire cancer. However, if you have one or more of these risk factors, it is advisable to consult the doctor. Can it be prevented? Cervical screening tests Screening tests are performed in apparently healthy women to detect abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix which are pre-cancerous and could possibly develop into cervical cancer in the future. Available screening tests for cervical cancer include Pap smear test, VIA (visual inspection with acetic acid), VILI (visual inspection with Lugol’s iodine) and HPV DNA test. Women aged 25 to 49 are invited for screening every 3 years. Women aged 50 to 64 are invited every 5 years. For women who are 65 or over, only those who have not been screened since they were 50, have had recent abnormal tests or have never been screened before are still eligible for screening. It’s important to attend your cervical screening tests, even if you’ve been vaccinated for HPV, because the vaccine does not guarantee protection against cervical cancer. If you’ve been treated for abnormal cervical cell changes, you may be invited for screening more frequently for several years after treatment. How regularly you need to go will depend on how severe the cell changes are. Although it can identify most abnormal cell changes in the cervix, cervical screening is not 100% accurate. This means you should report any symptoms, such as unusual vaginal bleeding, to your GP, even if you’ve recently had screening. HPV vaccination: vaccines for cervical cancer target HPV 16 and 18, the most common oncogenic types of HPV responsible for cervical cancer. HPV vaccination is not effective against all oncogenic HPV types. Currently two vaccines, licensed globally are available in India; a quadrivalent vaccine (against HPV genotypes 6, 11, 16, 18) and a bivalent vaccine (against HPV genotypes 16, 18). . The recommended age for initiation of vaccination is 9–14 years. Catch-up vaccination is permitted up to the age of 26 years. Females who have not been exposed to the HPV infection are likely to benefit more from the vaccine. Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) recommendations on HPV vaccination: Only 2 doses of either of the two HPV vaccines for girls aged 9-14 years: doses at interval of 6 months For girls 15 years and older, and those with HIV/AIDS on chemotherapy or after organ transplant: dose at 0, 1-2 and 6 months. Although the HPV vaccine can significantly reduce the risk of cervical cancer, it does not guarantee complete protection against cervical cancer. You should still attend cervical screening tests, even if you’ve had the vaccine. VACCINATION IS NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING Most cases of cervical cancer are linked to an infection with certain types of human papilloma virus (HPV). HPV can be spread through unprotected sex, so using a condom can reduce your risk of developing the infection. Following safe sex practices (avoid multiple sexual partners) and timely treatment of reproductive tract infections can protect from cervical cancer You can reduce your chances of getting cervical cancer by not smoking. People who smoke are less able to get rid of the HPV infection from the body, which can develop into cancer. When to consult a doctor? - Abnormal vaginal bleeding: Bleeding and spotting between periods, unusually longer or heavier periods, - Bleeding aftermenopause - Unusual or excessive vaginal discharge with foul smell - Vaginal bleeding after having sexual intercourse - Pain in the lower abdomen or pelvic pain - Pain during sexual intercourse If you have one or more of these, it is advisable to consult the doctor. Cervical Cancer Screening Test The Pap smear is a simple test that is done to collect a few cells from the cervix and and checked under a microscope for abnormalities. It also aids in diagnosing infections of the lower reproductive tract. Who should get the Pap test done? As per the International recommendations, women above the age of 21 years can get the pap test. If you are 30 years and above Pap test should be done once in every 3 years till you turn 65 years of age. If this test is combined with HPV test, then the test may be repeated every 5 years. Women who do not routinely require Pap test Women aged less than 21 years and above 65 years Women who had their womb removed for non-cancerous conditions What is the right time for a Pap test? The Pap test yields optimum results if scheduled between 10 to 20 days from the first day of menstrual period. The woman should not be menstruating at the time of test. Preparation for Pap smear You should avoid the following for 48 hours before the Pap test: - Douching of vagina - Vaginal medications - Vaginal contraceptives like creams/ jellies An instrument called a speculum is gently introduced into the vagina . This holds the walls of the vagina open so the cervix can be seen.There may be some discomfort or cramping during the procedure, but it is usually not painful. A small soft brush will be used to gently collect some cells from the surface of your cervix. and then sent off to a laboratory for analysis and you should receive the result within 2 days. Results of Pap test A Pap test result may be reported as normal or abnormal. Normal Pap test If the test report is normal, this means no abnormal cell changes have been found in the smear taken. A normal test result means No action is needed and you don’t need another cervical screening test until it’s routinely due. If the test report is inadequate , then you need to have a repeat test because the first one couldn’t be read properly. This may be because: - not enough cells were collected - the cellscouldn’t be seen clearly enough - an infection was present another sample of cells should be taken, usually after about 3 months. Abnormal Pap tests If the report is abnormal , it can be either of the two: - borderline or low-grade changes (dyskaryosis) - moderate or severe (high-grade) dyskaryosis If the result is low-grade, it means that although there are some abnormal cell changes, they’re very close to being normal and may disappear without treatment. In this case, the sample will be tested for HPV DNA. If HPV isn’t found , the risk of developing cervical cancer before the next screening test is very low. Depending on the woman’s age , routine screening is done in 3 to 5 years If HPV is found, then examination called colposcopy, which looks at the cervix more closely is done Abnormal Pap test results do not mean that the woman has cancer.It just means that some of the cells are abnormal, and if they’re not treated they may develop into cervical cancer. If the test findings suggest more severe abnormality like high-grade dyskaryosis, your sample won’t be tested for HPV, but you’ll be offered colposcopy to check the changes in the cervical cells, it is then confirmed by further diagnostic procedures: Colposcopy: A procedure in which a colposcope (a lighted, magnifying instrument) is used to check the vagina and cervix for abnormal areas. Biopsy: A sample of tissue is cut from the cervix and viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer. A biopsy that removes only a small amount of tissue (punch biopsy) is usually done in the OPD.
Preparing French people to face climate change challenges Preparing the economy for a changing world requires people to be well informed and educated about the challenges posed by climate change challenges. Based on this statement, The Shift Project aims to provide an overview of how climate change related topics are dealt with in the different higher education areas, and to analyse how the current generation is prepared for the challenges it will have to face. The Energy transition is a matter of redefining the economy in a radical way, by aiming to incorporate and enquire on its physical foundations, which is essentially, today the use of fossil fuels, as well as many other finite natural resources. All fields of knowledge are concerned by this transition: natural sciences, industrial and technological sciences but also, humanities (geography, history, economics, sociology, politics, arts…). A country cannot drive such a transition without ensuring the mandatory human resources. It is therefore essential for Universities to make sure that all educational programs are in line with this major national and global project. Otherwise, France could miss an opportunity to get the skills it needs. Proposals and objectives It seems that an increasing awareness of sustainable development issues in the broad sense is emerging, although the specific issues of climate and physical limits are not addressed as an integral part of it. There are still a few students trained, mainly because these topics are not integrated into the higher education curriculums. In addition, specialised curriculums remain the prerogative of a few students that are already interested and aware of sustainable development, CSR or climate. The Shift Project approach and objectives: The Shift Project wants to make a situational analysis of how these topics are addressed in the higher education system. The purpose of this work is first to map the various higher education paths, together with the number of students in each of them. Then, to identify the current training initiatives related to climate change in higher education, and eventually to identify the overall needs by consulting some specialists and professionals from different disciplines. This compilation work aims to establish a foundation that will enable higher education stakeholders to catch the issue and propose relevant answers. Objectives of the Study: 1 / Propose an inventory on how climate issues are taken into account in the higher education system. 2/ Link this inventory with general issues faced in the society at a present time and in the future, both in terms of training, and therefore employment, and with France ability to meet its general targets. 3 / Provide the higher education system stakeholders with some elements to fuel a general discussion on this topic. Download the summary for decision-makers on higher education and research topics The project is piloted by Clémence Vorreux and Audrey Renaudin from the Shift’s team, but also Jacques Treiner and Félix Lallemand from the Expert Committee of the Shift : [email protected]
Playposit is a interactive web-based video platform that allows educators to conduct formative assessments both inside and outside the classroom. Teachers are able to embed questions and prompts into videos from Youtube, Vimeo, Khan Academy, and other popular video platforms. Data can then be analyzed - providing powerful insight into educational trends in the classroom. \|Price\|\|Free, limited. Pro: $144/year\| \|Ease of Use\|\|★★★★☆\| Playposit Overview Video Playposit & the SAMR Model - Substitution: Students use Playposit to submit their answers online rather than on paper. - Augmentation: Students take note on additional visual cues in order to provide a more comprehensive assessment for technical execution. - Modification: Student upload their own videos for annotation by the educator. - Redefinition: Students create their own Playposit videos and quizzes to quiz each other on important information found in their own videos. Playposit Tutorial Using Playposit Tap on the image below to view the Playposit tutorial: Ask students to identify the everyday math in a scene from a YouTube video. Invite students to respond to prompts as they watch a Ted-Ed Climate Change video. Embed a series of open-ended prompts in a Crash Course History video. How to Use Playposit - Go to www.playposit.com - Sign Up and register for an account through your preferred use account portal - Create a new class/section - Fill out profile - Select New Bulb - Past URL and add questions Sherifi, D., & Hills, S. (2021, March). Improving engagement through a Playposit guided course project. In One Week International Conference On Global Collaborations in Science, Technology, Education, Mathematics & Humanities (STEM) to Advance the Frontiers of Knowledge & (p. 43). This page was created by Jeromie Whalen. CC BY-NC: This work is released under a CC BY-NC license, which means that you are free to do with it as you please as long as you (1) properly attribute it and (2) do not use it for commercial gain. End-of-Chapter Survey: How would you rate the overall quality of this chapter? - Very Low Quality - Low Quality - Moderate Quality - High Quality - Very High Quality
Think about any item in your kitchen pantry, flip over to the ingredients list and odds are…you’re going to find some kind of food additive! Food additives are typically added to enhance the flavor, appearance, or texture of a product, or to extend its shelf life. Although generally tested for their safety, studies show that some of these substances have been associated with adverse health effects and should be avoided, while others are safe and can be consumed with minimal risk. Even the healthiest eaters and most careful label-readers find it difficult to completely avoid food additives. Many foods that are considered healthy choices, such as many paleo-friendly or gluten-free foods, contain some kind of additives. This can create a lot of confusion, such as: If cow’s milk contains no additives, is it a better choice than something like almond milk, which often contains the additive carrageenan? Or, is a dietary supplement with soy lecithin actually harming your health? In this blog entry, we’ll take a look at some of the common food additives you can run into, and consider the pros and cons for each. Soy lecithin is commonly found in dietary supplements, chocolate, ice cream, and some breads. Its purpose is to act as an emulsifier helping ingredients that don’t typically blend, such as oil and water, to combine together. Emulsifiers also reduce stickiness, control crystallization and prevent separation. Soy lecithin is extracted from raw soybeans, and many people choose to avoid soy products. One reason for this is that soy is a common allergen, which is triggered by soy protein. However, the amount of soy lecithin in foods is typically very small, and the amount of soy protein is even smaller, so people with soy allergies don’t usually experience adverse effects. Of course, any reaction will depend on the severity of your allergy, so always proceed with caution if you have a soy allergy, and discuss the use of soy lecithin with a healthcare practitioner. Many people also chose to avoid soy products because they contain phytoestrogens, which can increase estrogen levels. Studies confirm that soy lecithin does contain high amounts of phytoestrogens, but, again, the amounts of soy lecithin used are extremely small, so the possible impact is low. There are some possible health benefits to soy lecithin, as studies have found that it can reduce cholesterol levels. It’s also a source of choline, a nutrient that supports brain and liver function and heart health. People with extreme soy allergies may want to avoid soy lecithin, but, for the rest of us, the amounts are so small that any risk is low. Anyone who has concerns about genetically modified soy may want to look for organic soy lecithin, but keep in mind that the amount – and any risk – is low. Carrageenan is typically found in almond milk, coconut milk, some meats, and some yogurts. Carrageenan acts as an emulsifier and thickening agent. Some studies on animals found a connection between carrageenan intake and gastrointestinal issues, including cancerous colon lesions. More studies need to be done regarding any impact on human health, particularly since the levels of the additive used in the animal studies didn’t mirror typical human consumption. However, some in-vitro studies did find a link between certain kinds of intestinal inflammation and carrageenan consumption. These studies raised enough concern that the National Organic Standards Board has removed carrageenan from its list of approved ingredients. Until more thorough research is completed, this is one additive to limit when possible. Fortunately, it’s possible to buy almond milk, coconut milk, and yogurt that doesn’t contain carrageenan. You can also make your own! Flavor and Color Enhancers Monosodium glutamate, or MSG, is added to enhance the flavor of many processed foods, canned soups, frozen meals and is commonly found in fast food and prepared meals at restaurants. MSG has been a subject of controversy for many years – from its effects on brain health to weight gain and metabolic syndrome – studies have shown it to have some negative effects on those that are sensitive to the additive. It has also been linked to headaches and sweating when consumed in large amounts. Although research is still ongoing on the definitive effects of MSG on the body, if you experience any of the negative side effects mentioned it’s best to avoid MSG whenever possible. Artificial food coloring Artificial food coloring is used to brighten the appearance of everything from candy to condiments. There have been concerns about the negative effects of food coloring in recent years, specifically Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. These dyes have been associated with allergic reactions and hyperactivity in children. In recent studies, Red 3 has been associated with increased risk of thyroid tumours in mice. More and more studies show that food dyes may have negative effects on health so it’s best to avoid them as much as possible. Common artificial sweeteners include aspartame, sucralose, saccharin and acesulfame potassium. These sweeteners can be found in many diet or low calorie foods as a flavor enhancer with little to no caloric content. While this might sound great in theory and may benefit those who need to monitor blood sugar levels, artificial sweeteners have been linked in animal studies to cause weight gain, brain tumors, bladder cancer and many other health hazards. Those that are sensitive to artificial sweeteners typically experience headaches. Although everyone has their unique individual needs, avoiding artificial sweeteners in favor of natural sweeteners such as raw honey, maple syrup or coconut sugar may be a better option. Gums and Thickening Agents Xanthan gum is commonly found in gluten-free baked goods. Xanthan gum acts as a thickener, stabilizer, or emulsifying agent. Xanthan gum is produced when the Xanthomonas campestris bacterium ferments on a sugar, which creates a substance that can be dried and ground into a powder. Studies on humans have found that larger amounts (more than a typical diet would contain) of xanthan gum have a noted laxative effect, and can produce gas and other digestive activity. Other studies show a possible link between lower blood sugar levels and xanthan consumption, possibly because it slows sugar absorption. People with sensitive digestive systems may want to limit their xanthan gum consumption. As well, anyone with severe corn, soy, wheat, or dairy allergies should confirm the product they use is free of any allergens, as those elements can be used in the fermentation process. Overall, however, this additive is largely safe for adults. Guar gum is added to many processed foods, including salad dressings, sauces, some baked goods, and soups as a thickening agent. Guar gum is a soluble fiber, and can increase the number of gut bacteria, with positive effects on constipation and irritable bowel syndrome. However, it can also lead to some digestive upset for people with sensitive systems. Guar gum can also lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and some studies show a potential positive effect on weight loss. Anyone with digestive issues should monitor the effect guar gum has on their symptoms, since some people report an improvement after removing it from their diet. For most people, however, it’s a safe additive to consume. Locust bean gum Locust bean gum is a thickening agent added to many foods including dairy products such as ice cream, yogurt, and cheese. Despite its name, this additive is actually derived from the carob tree. Studies haven’t found a lot of risk associated with locust bean gum consumption, and some evidence shows a positive effect on cholesterol levels. As with guar gum, people with digestive issues might want to monitor their symptoms, since some people report increased gas and sensitivity, but this additive is considered safe Of course, it’s ideal to avoid food additives altogether, but it may not always be realistic for everyone to prepare all food from scratch. The overall quality of your diet is far more important than how well you avoid these additives. Eating fewer packages and processed foods, more whole foods, and cooking as much as possible is always recommended. Try batch cooking and freezing meals so you always have options on hand, plan out your meals so that you head to the store with a list, and spend a bit of time reading multiple labels of various products before you purchase. Remember, your health and longevity are an investment! If you’d like to learn more about the foundations of a healthy diet and what to include and what to avoid, call me – I can create a health plan tailored to you and your individual needs!
De Swedish Vallhund is a very old, Swedish spitz breed, that originally lived in Skåne and Västergötland. They are sturdy, short legged, active farmdogs and shepherds, that are very eager to learn. The Swedish vallhund is an ancient breed, originating from the Viking Age. In the early 1940's, they were almost extinct. Thanks to the efforts of the Swedish mr Zettersten and mr Von Rosen, the breed was bred back from a small group of dogs. In 1943, the breed was recognized by the Swedish Kennel Club and in 1953 the breed was given its present name, Västgötaspets. The first Swedish vallhund entered The Netherlands in 1977 or 1978. Below, two of the first Swedish Vallhunds that were registrated in Sweden, the female Topsy and male Mopsen. The västgötaspets is an energetic, alert and watchful little dog. It's strong and fearless, but also responsive, charming and with a large dose of humor. Swedish vallhunds are intelligent and learn quickly and willingly. For centuries, they were general farmers dogs and used for herding the cows (heelers). Nowadays, they still are real working dogs and often being trained for all kind of dog sports, like agility, obedience, tracking and herding sheep. Being a herding dog, he loves to be close to his owner(s), but can be a bit reserved towards strangers. Almost all Vallhunds are very social to other dogs. The dogs are small and sturdily built with short legs. The height at the withers is 31-33 cm. The ratio of height to length of the body is 2:3, the weight 9-15 kg. Part of the puppies are born without a tail or with a short tail. Formerly, the tails were amputated, but because this is no longer allowed, all kinds and lengths of tails can appear. The coat is harsh, short and closed and the colours vary from grey to red(dish) or brown. The breed is generally healthy with many dogs reaching a high age. A full description can be found at the breed standard. Topsy, born in 1930. Photo: Björn von Rosen Mopsen, born in 1938. Photo: Björn von Rosen For some more pictures, please return to the Dutch page
As the country celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, we are also reminded of other African-Americans who have contributed to the black community and the world through education, ministry, and writing. One such individual is Charles Octavius Boothe (1845-1924). Boothe was born into slavery in Alabama, but went on to become a pastor, educator, and activist. He established and pastored Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, which would later be pastored by Martin Luther King Jr. and renamed Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church. Boothe also helped found Selma University and served as its second president. He was the editor of The Baptist Pioneer, and promoted literacy programs and theological training for black preachers and laypeople. In 1890, to further this mission, he published a systematic theology titled Plain Theology for Plain People. It was his aim for the book that “simplicity should prevail—simplicity of arrangement and simplicity of language” so that even the average sharecropper could understand it. Last fall, Walter R. Strickland II and Lexham Press brought Plain Theology back into print for the first time since its original publication. In the excerpt below, from his introduction, Strickland lists several reasons why it was important to bring this volume to light again, and how it benefits believers and the church even today. Plain Theology for Plain People destroys reductionist stereotypes of black faith. Many are unfamiliar with the African American theological heritage because of its limited corpus. Black Christianity is largely an oral tradition, and its written resources have been obscured by racial bias. Today, as in Boothe’s time, many tend to caricature black Christian faith as merely “religious feeling and fervor.” Plain Theology for Plain People shows black evangelicals that they belong in the broad evangelical tradition. Many thoughtful black Christians—often educated in evangelical universities and seminaries—have an enduring sense of homelessness in the evangelical tradition. Their ancestors are seldom, if ever, included as contributors to Evangelicalism. Boothe offers a window into an underexplored vista of theological expression. Black evangelicals have equal claim to the evangelical tradition—even though evangelicals have historically muted their voice. Plain Theology for Plain People requires evangelicals to engage non-white theological voices. Because evangelical biblical and theological studies have excluded the voices of racial minorities, evangelical theology is shaped by the concerns of the dominant culture. Unfortunately, white evangelicals only hear minority evangelicals’ theology if it echoes white evangelical voices. Unity in Christ demands an openness to collaboration and to mutual sharpening in the theological task. Evangelicals often presume that the task of theology is merely to comprehend God. But the goal of theology is wisdom—a lived demonstration of knowing God. God, not context, has ultimate authority, and yet wisdom demands understanding the context in which Christians live and God works. Christians need Christians from different cultural, historical, and socio-economic contexts to develop wisdom. Boothe grappled with God’s relation to late-nineteenth-century black life—including economic disenfranchisement, lynching terror, and legal segregation. Chronological and cultural distance allows readers today to see how Boothe embodied divine wisdom in his context. As a result, believers are encouraged by God’s actions in the past: the Lord God is faithful in every circumstance. Plain Theology for Plain People exemplifies how the Bible informs Christian doctrine. Systematic theologians continually fight the temptation to conform Scripture to a theological system (be it Reformed Theology, Liberation Theology, or Neo-Orthodox Theology). While every theological paradigm ought to be based on Scripture, not every verse fits neatly into a system. With his audience in mind, Boothe reinforces the sufficiency of Scripture by giving an organized account of how Scripture informs Christian doctrine. Through his biblical centrality Boothe circumvents the theological skirmishes of the academy. Like Boothe, theologians today must make the lofty ideas of theology plain to common Christians. * * * Learn more about this historic work in systematic theology, part of Lexham Classics series. Leave a comment
FAQ: Which Part Of Earth Is Greece In? - 1 What part of the world is Greece in? - 2 Is Greece European or Middle Eastern? - 3 What is the capital of Greece? - 4 Do people speak English in Greece? - 5 How much money should I bring to Greece? - 6 Is Greece a third world country? - 7 Are Greeks Slavs? - 8 Who founded Greece? - 9 Is Sparta still a city? - 10 What is Greece famous for? - 11 What is the main religion in Greece? - 12 Which country is oldest in the world? - 13 Is Greece a city or a country? - 14 What came first Greece or Rome? What part of the world is Greece in? Greece is a country in south eastern Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula, bordering the Mediterranean Sea in south and the Ionian Sea in west. It is bordered by Albania, the Republic of Macedonia, and Bulgaria in north and in east by Turkey. Is Greece European or Middle Eastern? Greece is neither European nor so-called middle eastern and the question should not even be asked. You are looking at geography, history and culture from a nineteenth century western European perspective. What is the capital of Greece? Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world’s oldest cities, with its recorded history spanning approximately 3,400 years. Do people speak English in Greece? The official language of Greece is Greek, spoken by 99% of the population. The most common foreign languages learned by Greeks are English, German, French and Italian. How much money should I bring to Greece? How much money will you need for your trip to Greece? You should plan to spend around €110 ($134) per day on your vacation in Greece, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average, €28 ($34) on meals for one day and €22 ($27) on local transportation. Is Greece a third world country? Greece has already left the European Union in a manner of speaking: it is now part of the Third World. Are Greeks Slavs? No, not mixed, modern Greeks are originated from Slavs. Modern continental Greece is Slavic in origin, especially Serbians (South Slavs ) and Kuber Bulgars (Turkic). greeks were in majority when the slavs settled in mainland greece in the times of byzantine empire. Also Greeks were settled in slavic places as well. Who founded Greece? However, in the 300s B.C., these small city-states were forced to unite under one ruler: Alexander the Great. He was the founder of the Ancient Greek Empire, which stretched into Europe, Egypt, and South-West Asia. Is Sparta still a city? Sparta (Greek: Σπάρτη, Spárti, [ˈsparti]) is a town and municipality in Laconia, Greece. It lies at the site of ancient Sparta. The municipality was merged with six nearby municipalities in 2011, for a total population (as of 2011) of 35,259, of whom 17,408 lived in the city. What is Greece famous for? What is Greece Famous For? - The Birthplace of Democracy. - The Beginnings of Philosophy. - Geometry and the Pythagorean Theorem. - Western Medicine and the Hippocratic Oath. - The Olympic Games. - Drama and the Theatre of Epidaurus. - Greek Mythology and Mount Olympus. - Cartography and Map Making. What is the main religion in Greece? Religion in Greece is dominated by the Greek Orthodox Church, which is within the larger communion of the Eastern Orthodox Church. It represented 90% of the total population in 2015 and is constitutionally recognized as the “prevailing religion ” of Greece. Which country is oldest in the world? 10 Oldest Countries in the World - Ethiopia. Many historians agree that Ethiopia is one of the oldest countries in the world. - Greece. Dating back to the Ancient Greek era, the country of Greece has remained firmly in the grasp of Grecians for at least 5,000-6,000 years. - San Marino. Is Greece a city or a country? Greece (Hellenic Republic) is a country in southern Europe. It shares borders with Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Albania and Turkey. The capital city is Athens. Other big cities in Greece are Thessaloniki, Patras and Heraklion. What came first Greece or Rome? Ancient history includes the recorded Greek history beginning in about 776 BCE ( First Olympiad). This coincides roughly with the traditional date of the founding of Rome in 753 BCE and the beginning of the history of Rome.
The strcmp and strncmp functions lexicographically compare the null-terminated strings s1 and s2. The strncmp function compares not more than len characters. Because strncmp is designed for comparing strings rather than binary data, characters that appear after a \0 character are not compared. The strcmp and strncmp return an integer greater than, equal to, or less than 0, according as the string s1 is greater than, equal to, or less than the string s2. The comparison is done using unsigned characters, so that \200 is greater than \0. bcmp(3), memcmp(3), strcasecmp(3), strcoll(3), strxfrm(3)
10 Surprising Facts About Giraffes Categories: Animals \| Nature \| Photo project \| WorldBy Vika https://pictolic.com/en/article/10-surprising-facts-about-giraffes The giraffe is perhaps the only animal in the whole world that is fundamentally different from other inhabitants of this planet. These unique and bizarre creatures have always attracted the attention of others with their unusual appearance (especially with a long neck, right?), But giraffes are also famous for other unique abilities and properties that not many people probably know about. Further in this collection, we will consecrate the 10 most curious facts about these interesting long-necked animals. 1. Of all land dwellers, giraffes are the tallest. Their length can be up to 6 meters in length, while a third of the growth falls on the neck. The weight of an adult giraffe can exceed a ton, which means that its neck weighs approximately 250-300 kg. 2. These amazing creatures can stick their tongue out of their mouths by almost half a meter! Thanks to such excellent data, giraffes can independently reach their own ears with their tongues for hygiene purposes. Oh yeah, giraffes have black tongues. 3. The pattern of spots on the skin of a giraffe is as individual as the fingerprints of a person or the stripes of a tiger. The spots on the body of giraffes are programmed in the womb of the mother. By the way, the darker the spots of a giraffe, the older its age. 4. Giraffes are noble "gourmets". They eat raw onions with great pleasure, although acacia leaves remain their favorite delicacy. Also, giraffes are able to explore a territory of up to 100 square meters. km. in search of food. It is also worth noting that giraffes are usually busy eating up to 20 hours a day, although an adult animal needs 6 kg of leaves per day. 5. Despite their long necks, giraffes often simply do not reach the ground with their heads. Therefore, to drink water or eat grass, they kneel or spread their legs to the sides, thereby reducing their height. 6. Giraffes rarely sleep more than an hour and a half a day. Most often, animals fall asleep standing up, and their sleep is very fitful and lasts only 10-15 minutes. If the giraffe is very tired, he bends his legs and throws his head back. Giraffes also lack the ability to yawn. Well, at least no scientist has caught them doing this yet. 7. Pregnancy in female giraffes lasts about 14 months, one and a half times longer than in humans. The first thing a baby giraffe does at birth falls from a height of 2 meters. Newborn giraffes take their first steps within an hour of being born. 8. In addition to the prominent neck and tongue, giraffes overtake all other mammals in terms of the length of the tail - it can reach a length of 2.5 meters. 9. Mothers of young giraffes are still mothers. They often organize a kindergarten: one adult female remains to look after the cubs, and all the rest go to get food in a friendly crowd. 10. Most predators do not risk preying on giraffes, as they are capable of inflicting serious injuries on them with their powerful hooves. However, the only predator that leaves no attempts to attack them is the lion. Keywords: Interesting facts \| Giraffes \| Animals \| Nature \| World \| Planet \| Earth \| Creatures Beauty is not always a gift from parents. Most of the time it's self-improvement. Otherwise, how could these guys become ... American artist and photographer Christine H. McConnell took part in an experimental photo shoot, in which she recreated ... We know the origin of the rarest and most intricate male and female names and may even explain the origin of the unusual names. But ... Animals and birds do not really like to be photographed. However, they really like cameras. Some of the pictures are probably ... In Vilnius, a group of animal lovers carried out a fun project: they made tiny road signs with images of various animals to ... The "combed" sweetness oozing from the pages of modern fashion magazines would surely make Guy Bourdain, one of the most important ...
“There is a real desire within rural communities to make progress towards net zero but without the tools necessary they can’t make those strides forward.” Rural organisations have been lobbying for areas beyond the usual focus of government to be taken into consideration when it comes to ‘net zero’. Several proposals have been put forward this week: The impacts of dangerous climate change will affect all communities. This much is already clear from the rural impacts of increasingly frequent storm damage, flood events and periods of drought. Minimising man-made climate change matters as much to rural communities and businesses as it does to any others. Call for Rural to be at the heart of the journey to Net Zero – Rural Services Network We need a planned transition: Decarbonising rural homes and businesses is a unique challenge, but current government plans for an electric-first heating approach do not look widely enough at transitional or mixed technology approaches – a move that risks penalising rural communities, says Liquid Gas UK Fuel for today, fuel for the future – a fair transition to net zero for rural communities – Rural Services Network The UK’s rural communities include around 2 million homes that are off-grid, so rely on alternate fuel sources for their heating systems that would otherwise rely on gas from the national grid. This group includes some of the country’s oldest buildings, constructed using materials and methods that make modifications challenging. This has left many of them unsuitable for the more mainstream renewable heating technologies, such as heat pumps, due to high installation costs. For these properties in this ‘hardest-to-treat’ category, renewable liquid gas presents an ideal solution. Rural communities and their challenges for reaching net zero – Rural Services Network And there have so been many other studies looking at the issues, with these from last summer: Opportunities and challenges for rural communities from net zero carbon legislation \| ruralengland.org The role of rural local authorities in reaching Net Zero \| UK100 Last month, the Yorkshire Post looked at a viable scheme to make some of this happen: There is a real desire within rural communities to make progress towards net zero but without the tools necessary they can’t make those strides forward. A lot of people living in these areas are off the gas grid. Supporting places like Yorkshire Dales National Park would not only help cut carbon emissions but also put rural communities at the forefront of tackling climate change. A study found that with the introduction of carbon-cutting actions the national park could be among the country’s first areas to achieve net zero emissions, in as little as 11 years’ time. It could then even become a growing carbon sink to offset emissions in other parts of the country. A compelling a reason to put rural communities at the heart of net zero if there ever was one. How rural communities could lead on the net zero agenda – The Yorkshire Post says \| Yorkshire Post
From every December to next May, spotted seals return to their home habitat in Liaodong Bay in northeast China’s Bohai Sea, where about 200 seals are born each year. Under first-class national protection in China, spotted seals are dubbed “the elves of the Bohai Sea.” However, the elves have to overcome various challenges after birth. Human protectors are ready to lend the newborns a helping hand. The seals in need of rescue will be sent to the Liaoning Ocean and Fisheries Science Research Institute and the Aquatic Wildlife Rescue Center at Sun Asia Ocean World, where they can receive treatment and rewilding training. On May 10, 2021, 37 spotted seal pups were released into the sea in the city of Dalian after they were assessed to meet the releasing conditions. Dalian set up a city-level reserve for seals in 1992. In the past three decades, 384 spotted seals have been rescued. The survival rate exceeds 80 percent.
These Challenges are interlinked and innovation in one area can be facilitated by innovation in another. Consequently, the Chemistry Council Innovation Working Group has developed four innovation themes addressing one or more of the Grand Challenges: Within these themes the Innovation Working Group has focused on identifying programmes for which there is a clear market opportunity and societal benefit, and where the chemistry sector can have direct impact on delivering economic value to the UK. The Innovation Working Group has consulted with multiple companies, universities and relevant societies on these sub-programmes. Demands on products are rising, both in terms of functionality but also environmental profile, and new advanced materials and molecules must be designed to meet societal needs. Developing a healthy pipeline of new, innovative materials that are renewable and sustainable is at the heart of the Chemistry Council Innovation Strategy. The global market for advanced materials is substantial, estimated at US$42.8bn (2015) and is forecast to grow at a rapid rate of 10.4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), increasing to $102.48bn by 2024. This presents a significant opportunity that relies on innovative new materials and molecules being defined, designed, manufactured and formulated into end products. Generating a strong pipeline of innovative and sustainable materials will enable new products and features to be created and delivered to a wide variety of end markets. The Chemistry Council Innovation Working Group has identified five key programmes in this theme, which together address many of the Challenges outlined in this document: Facilitating the circular economy, this programme seeks to create materials with recyclable and/or biodegradable properties, or that are produced using sources that can be regenerated. Sustainable materials are required for a wide range of end markets, from fuels, coatings, agriculture and home and personal care. High priority markets have been identified in consumer products. Meeting increasing consumer demands for renewable but high performance products will deliver both societal and economic benefit and materials to be addressed have already been identified. New sustainable raw materials, new sustainable manufacturing routes and delivering a cradle-to-cradle approach to managing products through their lifecycle are all features of this sub-programme. THE CHALLENGE: Providing sustainable feedstocks THE INNOVATION: In 2017, Croda commissioned the new ECO plant at its Atlas Point manufacturing site in Delaware, USA. The ECO plant produces ethylene oxide using biologically derived ethanol, or ‘bio-ethanol’. Ethylene oxide is an important raw material, as it enables the production of sustainable and bio-based lower carbon ethoxylates, which are widely used in products such as detergents, cleaners, cosmetics, agricultural products, textiles, and paints. The desire to move to sustainable packaging and the elimination of single-use plastics, in particular for consumer products, is a global trend. Ensuring robust but sustainable packaging requires new product innovations but also requires the same cradle-to-cradle approach to managing products through the cycle from raw material to waste material. This programme will be supported by the delivery of new recycling technologies, addressed in programme (Waste to Feedstocks). The UK packaging market alone is estimated to be worth £11bn. Advancements in chemistry continue to be important in the medicinal area. In addition, this programme seeks to focus on exploiting the UK’s building capability in biotechnology and biocatalysts. Opportunities to create new energy and cost-efficient pathways to existing materials is the target. The UK currently has around 225 companies in this sector, generating around £2.9 bn of revenues. Currently ranked 8th globally in biotechnology continuing to build the UK’s capability and focusing on translating knowledge across the sectors represented within the Chemistry Council will support revenue growth. Materials define the core functionality of a composite. Utilising new materials, such as graphene, and designing new multifunctional materials and additives for composites will support other key sectors of the UK economy such as aerospace, automotive, and construction. Formulation is the complex science of creating the finished products, often from multiple ingredients with competing characteristics. It is a critical underpin to delivering a wide range of products such as cosmetics, food and drinks, pharmaceuticals and coatings. The market is sizeable, with the global market estimated at US $1 T. The UK already has significant core capability in this area – both academically and industrially. Within the universities there are a number of Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) in Formulation. The SCI and the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) support the translation of the knowledge from academia into industry and significant investment has been made to address scale-up with the Materials Innovation Factory at Liverpool University and, more recently, the Chemistry Council-sponsored investment in scale-up facilities at the CPI National Formulation Centre. Recognising the infrastructure that has been built, this programme is seeking to utilise all existing infrastructure more effectively in order to accelerate the commercialisation of final products in the UK. Collectively these programmes stretch across all end markets, from aerospace and automotive to life sciences and consumer goods. Consequently, innovation in chemistry and biotechnology across these programmes would accelerate growth in numerous sectors adding significant value to the economy. For the UK to address the Clean Growth Grand Challenge, innovation will be required to create greener supply chains creating a closer connectivity between different industries. Innovative approaches will reduce, reuse and recycle waste at all stages in the supply chain and new sustainable feedstocks need to replace unsustainable feedstocks. The community represented by the Chemistry Council is uniquely placed at the forefront of the move to building greener supply chains. It sits at the heart of many industrial supply chains and can deliver technologies to enable the recycling and re-use of waste streams, and consume certain recycled waste as new feedstocks, thus facilitating a cradle-to-cradle approach. We have identified two key programmes to support the move to greener and more sustainable supply chains: There is a significant opportunity to not only create economic value from key waste streams, but also greener supply chains. Three waste streams have been identified as offering the biggest potential for value added recycle and re-use, these being plastics, steel, and precious metals. This sub-programme will seek to assess how to access the waste streams, the technologies required to recycle these waste streams and the potential for the companies to utilise the recycled materials back into valuable and sustainable raw materials. Resource efficiency is already a strong focus for many companies with consideration for all the resources used through the manufacturing process to delivery of the end product. The Chemistry Council Innovation Working Group is seeking to accentuate this focus on resource efficiency by supporting companies to ensure resource efficiency within their own organisation and support cross-company and cross-sectoral collaboration to recycle and reuse by-products and waste streams, known as Industrial Symbiosis. This approach has been championed in the UK by Ineos, working with partners in other industrial sectors to share resources that would otherwise have been considered as waste. Collectively these sub-programmes will lead to a reduced use of landfill and unsustainable raw materials and will give the UK manufacturing industry access to new sustainably sourced raw materials. This theme has economic, environmental and societal benefits to the UK. THE CHALLENGE: Increasing the sustainability of supply chains by collaborating across industries to make better use of waste streams. THE INNOVATION: Companies working collaboratively can utilise waste products and energy as new feedstocks. Ineos and the EPOS project brought together industrial partners in the sectors of steel, cement, chemicals, minerals and engineering. In order to power our homes and transport more cleanly and efficiently, innovative chemistry-led solutions will deliver the products and infrastructure to enable the move to more efficient and low-carbon energy storage and distribution systems. Innovation in chemistry underpins the Clean Growth and Future of Mobility Grand Challenges. The global market for energy storage is forecast to grow to US $7-10bn by 2025 and a potentially larger market could be available if a hydrogen economy is developed. Disruptive innovation is needed if the UK is to cease the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2040 and realise the economic and environmental opportunities from electric vehicles. For these reasons, two key programmes have been highlighted as priorities for chemistry innovation under this theme: Using hydrogen as an energy carrier would provide a new source of low carbon energy. However, for a hydrogen economy to be developed effectively, innovative new technologies which can efficiently and inexpensively derive and process the hydrogen will be required. This programme will seek to work with the Chemistry Council Regional Working Group and other organisations involved in developing hydrogen economies to address some of the technology hurdles that will need to be addressed in order to create commercially viable hydrogen economies. Current battery technology is limited, so vehicles dependent on this technology do not match the performance of those powered by an internal combustion engine. Chemistry innovation is needed to develop new materials such as the core anodes and cathodes. Increased battery performance to address issues of capacity, charging speed and lifetime will ensure that a future with electric cars becomes a reality. This programme will seek to work with existing infrastructure, such as the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, to produce the new materials needed to manufacture viable electric cars to replace current fossil fuel-based vehicles. Demand for lithium is rising rapidly and new sources will be required to meet accelerating demand. The UK has natural lithium resources both in the ground and in the sea, as lithium is present in high concentrations in the North Sea aquifers. Technology capable of extracting lithium from seawater is not yet at commercial scale, and innovations are required to improve the efficiency of the extraction techniques to potentially allow the UK to tap into this market opportunity whilst securing a strategic raw material. THE CHALLENGE: Today’s battery performance is limited, impacting the take up of electric vehicles. THE INNOVATION: Johnson Matthey has applied its chemistry expertise to rapidly develop an innovative new battery cathode material called eLNOTM. This next generation product is already generating extremely positive feedback from customers during testing. Designed to enable large scale adoption of pure battery electric vehicles with greater range and lifetime, eLNO is helping to improve lithium-ion batteries to meet a critical need for industry, consumers and society. The adoption of digitisation and big data will generate a step-change in productivity and could precipitate the creation of new business models. Innovations in this area are being taken up by industry, with 80% of 360 chemical companies reporting an increase in investment in digital technologies for plants, in particular on plant management and product quality. The Innovation Working Group believes that there is significant untapped potential in this area, as outlined in the Made Smarter Review. Three programmes have been identified under this theme: Incorporating digital technology throughout the supply chain would allow industry to manage products throughout its supply chain, improving product traceability and providing efficient cash-flow management. This sub-programme seeks to establish the future potential from digitising supply chains. The sector has had a long record in developing and commercialising new processes and is constantly seeking innovation in process design. The adoption of new process technologies such as continuous flow technology will provide a step-change in capital cost, materials management and throughput, whilst new process technologies such as 3D printing create the opportunity to create new business models such as personalised products and localised manufacture. This programme is focused on accelerating the use of continuous flow techniques across different processes and on delivering the opportunities presented by 3D printing. Big data is already used within the pharmaceutical industry for molecular design. Its application could be an important underpin to accelerating innovation in other sectors, in particular where complex design is required. This programme will assess the potential for big data to be used in other applications. Together, the development and application of these technologies will help the Chemistry Council accelerate innovation into industry for the benefit of society.
Saint of the Day – 19 October – St Peter of Alcantara OFM (1499-1562) – Franciscan Friar and Priest, Mystic, Ecstatic, Writer, Preacher, Reformer, Hermit, Apostle of Prayer, Eucharistic Adoration, the Passion and Charity, Miracle-worker – born in 1499 at Alcantara, Estremadura, Spain and died on 18 October 1562 at Estremadura, Spain of natural causes. Patronages – Nocturnal Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Brazil (named by Pope Blessed Pius IX in 1862), Estremadura Spain (named in 1962), night watchmen, watchmen. His father, Peter Garavita, was the governor of Alcantara and his mother was of the noble family of Sanabia. After a course of grammar and philosophy in his native town, he was sent, at the age of fourteen, to the University of Salamanca. Returning home, he became a Franciscan in the convent of the Stricter Observance at Manxaretes in 1515. At the age of twenty-two he was sent to found a new community of the Stricter Observance at Badajoz. He was ordained priest in 1524 and the following year made guardian of the convent of St Mary of the Angels at Robredillo. A few years later he began preaching with much success. He preferred to preach to the poor and his sermons, taken largely from the Prophets and Sapiential Books, breathe the tenderest human sympathy. Having been elected minister of St Gabriel’s province in 1538, Peter set to work at once. At the chapter of Plasencia in 1540 he drew up the Constitutions of the Stricter Observants but his severe ideas met with such opposition that he renounced the office of provincial and retired with St John of Avila into the mountains of Arabida, Portugal, where he joined Father Martin a Santa Maria in his life of eremitical solitude. Soon, however, other friars came to join him and several little communities were established. Peter being chosen guardian and master of novices at the convent of Pallais. In 1560 these communities were erected into the Province of Arabida. Returning to Spain in 1553 he spent two more years in solitude and then journeyed barefoot to Rome and obtained permission of Pope Julius III to found some poor convents in Spain under the jurisdiction of the general of the Conventuals. Convents were established at Pedrosa, Plasencia, and elsewhere; in 1556 they were made a commissariat, with Peter as superior, and in 1561, a province under the title of St Joseph. The reform spread rapidly into other provinces of Spain and Portugal. In 1562 the province of St Joseph was put under the jurisdiction of the general of the Observants and two new custodies were formed. Besides the above-named associates of Peter may be mentioned St Francis Borgia SJ, St John of Avila (Doctor of the Church) and Blessed Louis of Granada O.P. In St Teresa of Avila OCD (Doctor of the Church), Peter perceived a soul chosen of God for a great work and her success in the reform of Carmel was in great measure due to his counsel, encouragement and defence. It was a letter from St Peter (14 April 1562) that encouraged her to found her first monastery at Avila. St Teresa’s autobiography is the source of much of our information regarding Peter’s life, work and gifts of miracles and prophecy. According to St Teresa of Ávila, it was a very common thing for him to take food only once in three days and that sometimes he would go a week without eating. Perhaps the most remarkable of Peter’s graces were his gift of contemplation and the virtue of penance. Hardly less remarkable was his love of God, which was at times so ardent as to cause him, as it did St Philip Neri, sensible pain and frequently rapt him into ecstasy. The poverty he practised and enforced was as cheerful as it was real and often let the want of even the necessaries of life be felt. In confirmation of his virtues and mission of reformation God worked numerous miracles through his intercession and by his very presence. Besides the Constitutions of the Stricter Observants and many letters on spiritual subjects, especially to St Teresa, he composed a short treatise on prayer, which has been translated into all the languages of Europe. Download the book here: http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/A%20Golden%20Treastise%20of%20Mental%20Prayer.html He was a man of remarkable austerity and poverty who travelled throughout Spain preaching the Gospel to the poor. He wrote a Treatise on Prayer and Meditation, which was considered a masterpiece by St Teresa, St Francis de Sales (Doctor of the Church) and Louis of Granada. While in prayer and contemplation, he was often seen in ecstasies and levitation. On his deathbed, he was offered a glass of water which he refused, saying that “Even my Lord Jesus Christ thirsted on the Cross…” He died while on his knees in prayer on 18 October 1562 in a monastery at Arenas. He was Beatified on 18 April 1622 by Pope Gregory XV and Canonised on 28 April 1669 by Pope Clement IX. 7 thoughts on “Saint of the Day – 19 October – St Peter of Alcantara OFM (1499-1562)” Thank you for the precious information about this saint. Much appreciated ! LikeLiked by 1 person I am so happy when one of our Saints touch our hearts. Bless you and thank you Fr Jacques. LikeLiked by 1 person
Because of the stresses, long list of responsibilities and fatigue that we, as parents, go through when planning for and going through a move, we can easily overlook what our children might be going through. Here is a list of important things to consider to help make this transition as stress-free as possible for your school-aged children. Social / Emotional Considerations Any kind of change can be particularly scary to children, and it is normal for school-aged children to magnify in their minds anything that is even slightly fear-producing. Children are often impacted even more than their parents by a move — even though they may not express or overtly show their level of stress or worries on the outside. Some of the worries and emotions your children could experience during a move include the following: - A sense of insecurity and fear about making friends or being accepted or liked at the new school. - Academic worries related to switching teachers and schools and encountering new curricula and standards. - A sense of loss over leaving current friends, teachers and even their current home and neighborhood. - Additional apprehension should the move be associated with life-changing events such as divorce, change-of-job for a parent and financial changes in the family. - More often than adults, children will mask their fears, concerns, anxiety or even depression, sometimes because they themselves are not aware of their underlying emotions or do not want to burden their parents. What can you do as a parent to help ensure that your children go through the move with as little stress as possible? Be aware of just how much the move could be affecting your children and encourage them to talk about their feelings and concerns. Do this in a calm, nurturing environment. Maybe plan a “special” dinner with their favorite foods and lead a family discussion Share with them one of your concerns or worries. But then you tell them how you worked all this out. This will give you the opportunity to draw out their feelings and then help them through their concerns. They will often be tremendously relieved. You can make the move fun and give them a sense of control by allowing them to do some planning with you. For example, you can go online together to check out the location of the library closest to your new home, or the closest bicycle shop or specialty stores they like, or investigate the local parks with classes or sports they may want to enroll in. Then you can make a point of putting on your moving calendar a special time that you can go over with your children. If you let your children feel that they are a part of the moving process, they will also feel more a sense of excitement over the experience. You can take them to the new house or show them pictures of the new house and invite them to participate in the decorating process. Ask them what color paint they would most like for their new bedroom. Offer to buy them a new comforter, and together make some exciting plans for what the new house, and their new bedroom, will look like. Create additional moments of family bonding during the time of the move. As tired as the grown-ups might be, try to sneak in a family game night just before or after the move, go out to the movies, turn the moving boxes into a fort, or turn the packing process into some sort of game. It’s good for them to associate the moving process with something happy. Be sure that you have done all the preparatory work necessary to ensure that your children make as seamless a transition into their new schools as possible. If appropriate, find out the summer reading or summer homework for the new school. Speak to your children’s current teachers to determine if there is any information that would be important to impart to your children’s new teachers about their strengths, needs or preferences. Speak with the new school and, if possible, the new teachers to determine if your children will need to do any catch-up work so that they are on par with the other children. If necessary, provide them with whatever tutoring or help they need, so that they can be optimally successful and happy at the new school. Do everything you can to ensure that your children will be able to make friends quickly. Look into enrolling them in local after school classes or leagues. Try to meet the parents of your children’s new classmates and set up after school play dates.
Although slaughterhouse workers with the most poultry exposure appear to suffer the greatest excess mortality (see Poultry Exposure Tied to Liver and Pancreatic Cancer), increased risk of death from cancer is also found in other slaughterplant workers. This research goes back decades and shows higher cancer rates in butchers, slaughterhouse workers, meat cutters, and those working in meat processing plants. The increased risk for meat industry workers in developing and dying from cancer “may be due to animal-to-human viruses or antigenic stimulation through chronic exposure to animal protein.” Cancer-causing virus exposure could also help explain why those who eat meat have higher cancer rates. There’s even a retrovirus associated with cancerous fish tumors, which has been speculated as the cause for increased cancer rates in American seafood workers. Growing up on a livestock farm is associated with higher rates of blood-borne cancer, lymphomas and leukemia. Worst, though, is growing up on a poultry farm, which is consistent with chicken consumption being most closely tied to these cancers. Eating a quarter of a chicken breast daily is associated with a doubling or tripling of risk for these cancers (see EPIC Findings on Lymphoma). Growing up on a farm raising only plant crops, however, is not associated with blood-borne cancers. What about growing up with dogs and cats? See Pets & Human Lymphoma and Are Cats or Dogs More Protective for Children’s Health? You still probably shouldn’t eat them, though (see Foodborne Rabies). Researchers are finally able to start connecting the dots. High levels of antibodies to avian leucosis/sarcoma viruses and reticuloendotheliosis viruses in poultry workers provide evidence of infectious exposure to these cancer-causing poultry viruses. The highest levels were found not in the eviscerators, or gut-pullers, or those that hang the live birds, but among the line workers that just cut up the final product. In an attempt to narrow down which diseases were associated with which meat, researchers tried separating out those in pig slaughtering and pork processing. “One of the primary sources of concern in using pig organs and tissues as transplants in humans is the fear of introducing zoonotic infections” from animals. We’re concerned about what’s called PERV transmission, the pig-to-human transmission of porcine endogenous retroviruses, raising theoretical concerns about cancer, immunological, and neurological disorders. However, we don’t need to get a pig transplant to be exposed. PERVs are also found in blood, so people exposed to pig blood may be exposed to the virus. The main finding unique to the pork study (profiled in my video Eating Outside Our Kingdom), which was not found in beef and sheep processing, was the significant excess of deaths “from senile conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.” It reminds me of all those poor pork brain extraction workers. You think your job is bad? How would you like to work at the “head-table”? Well, that doesn’t sound so bad until you learn it’s where, through the “unbridled use of compressed air in the pursuit of maximum yield of soft tissue,” they remove the brains of severed swine heads. In one study, researchers noted that as the line speeds increased, “the workers reported being unable to place the skulls completely on the brain removal device before triggering the compressed air, causing greater splatter of brain material.” The aerosolized “mist of brain” is suspected to be the cause of dozens of cases of inflammatory neurological disease in workers who started with symptoms as mild as pain, tingling, and difficulty walking, and ended up so bad that doctors had to put them in a coma for six weeks because of unrelenting seizures. At first researchers thought it was a brain parasite, but now it’s known to be an auto-immune attack triggered by the exposure to aerosolized brain. A similar mechanism has been blamed for meat proteins triggering inflammatory arthritis in people eating meat. By eating fellow animals, we are exposed not only to fellow animal diseases, but to animal tissues that our body may mistake as our own. This may be one advantage to eating a more plant-based diet. By eating outside of the animal kingdom—dipping into the plant or mushroom kingdoms for supper—not only do we not have to worry about getting something like Dutch elm disease, but we can be reassured by the fact that never has an “auto-immune polyradiculoneuropathy” been blamed on a head… of lettuce. For more on foodborne illnesses one can contract from fellow animals, see, for example: - Yersinia in Pork - Poultry and Paralysis - MRSA in U.S. Retail Meat - Amnesic Seafood Poisoning - Avoiding Chicken to Avoid Bladder Infections - Food Poisoning Bacteria Cross-Contamination - Salmonella in Chicken & Turkey: Deadly but Not Illegal Probably the strangest example of this whole concept is the Neu5Gc story. A 7-part video series worth checking out: - Cancer as an Autoimmune Disease - Clonal Selection Theory of Immunity - Clonal Deletion Theory of Immunity - The Inflammatory Meat Molecule Neu5Gc - How Tumors Use Meat to Grow: Xeno-Autoantibodies - Nonhuman Molecules Lining Our Arteries - Meat May Exceed Daily Allowance of Irony -Michael Greger, M.D. PS: If you haven’t yet, you can subscribe to my videos for free by clicking here and watch my full 2012 – 2015 presentations Uprooting the Leading Causes of Death, More than an Apple a Day, From Table to Able, and Food as Medicine.
New Law In New York Will Require Large Businesses To Donate Excess Food It appears New York State is adopting new regulations to improve food scrap recycling and prevent food waste. This will involve donations to relief organizations. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos announced to News 10 the adoption of final regulations of New York's Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law. This law is set to take effect in 2022. The new regulations require large generators of food scraps to donate as much “wholesome” food as possible. “Americans currently waste about a quarter of all the food purchased, which directly leads to the creation of methane and other greenhouse gases and negative environmental impacts,” Commissioner Seggos said in a press release. “These wasted food resources can now be used to help people in need instead of contributing to climate change. The regulations released today are a perfect example of a common-sense approach to promoting food recycling while also helping the hungry and reducing waste to build healthier, environmentally sustainable communities.” Specifically, the new regulations will require all food scrap generators to donate excess edible food and send food scraps to an organics recycler. The DEC will provide clear guidance on which foods can be recycled and how to avoid contaminants. The Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law was enacted in 2019. The law will take effect on January 1, 2022. PREGNANT? THE CDC RECOMMENDS YOU GET VACCINATED Past guidance from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention "encouraged" pregnant women to get the vaccine to prevent getting the virus - it wasn't a full recommendation. With the spread of the Delta variant, and accompanying data, it is now being fully recommended. Read more here.
Every year in the United States, 600 children are killed in bicycle-related accidents. - 60% of those injuries occur on minor roads, usually within 1 mile of home. - 60% of bicycle injury deaths in children are a result of severe head injuries. - 85% of brain injuries could have been avoided if cyclists wore bike helmets. Buy a helmet that fits your child correctly and make sure it is always worn properly. - Set a good example and always wear a helmet yourself. - Price does not necessarily suggest safety. check for approved safety standard stickers. - A molded shell has the best construction. - The helmet should be worn securely and squarely with the front edge resting less than 1″ above the eyebrows. It should not go above the forehead. The chin strap should be tight, centered, and always fastened. - Make sure that no more than 3 fingers can fit between the chin & helmet strap. - Buy a helmet with bright colors or reflective stripes to be easily seen. - Never use a cracked helmet or one that has been in an accident. Following these guidelines will ensure that you and your family are safe while cycling. At FATWHEELS, we take bicycle safety very seriously. Our adaptive training wheel kits are used in hospitals, school settings and by riders of all ages and abilities all across North America. We use only the highest quality materials for our products and back them up with 100% confidence. Until next time,
PA Farm Bureau’s mobile science lab returns to Mt. Lebanon SD The PA Farm Bureau Mobile Ag Lab is a mobile agriculture education science lab, complete with all supplies and a certified teacher, that travels to different elementary and middle schools in Pennsylvania. A 40 ft. trailer provides space for students to collaborate and perform hands-on science experiments each teaching a lesson in agriculture by solving a problem as they form a hypothesis, collect data and draw conclusions. Lessons include experiments such as making glue from milk, making crayons from soybeans, exploring tree dendrology or the eating habits of insects. Each science experiment is designed to emphasize a different aspect of agriculture, including Pennsylvania’s primary commodities, the environment, biotechnology, food and fiber.
Hanukkah (alt. Chanukah), also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BC. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, and may occur from late November to late December on the Gregorian calendar. The festival is observed by the kindling of the lights of a special candelabrum, the Menorah, one light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. An extra light called a shamash (Hebrew: "guard" or "servant") is also lit each night, and is given a distinct location, usually higher or lower than the others. The purpose of the extra light is to adhere to the prohibition, specified in the Talmud, against using the Hanukkah lights for anything other than publicizing and meditating on the Hanukkah story. Hanukkah is mentioned in the apocryphal/Deutoro-canonical books of 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees. 1 Maccabees states: "For eight days they celebrated the rededication of the altar. Then Judah and his brothers and the entire congregation of Israel decreed that the days of the rededication...should be observed...every year...for eight days. (1 Mac.4:56-59)" According to 2 Maccabees, "the Jews celebrated joyfully for eight days as on the feast of Booths." "Hanukkah," from the Hebrew word for "dedication" or "consecration", marks the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration by the forces of Antiochus IV and commemorates the "miracle of the container of oil." According to the Talmud, at the re-dedication following the victory of the Maccabees over the Seleucid Empire, there was only enough consecrated olive oil to fuel the eternal flame in the Temple for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, which was the length of time it took to press, prepare and consecrate fresh olive oil. The miracle of Hanukkah is described in the Talmud. The Gemara focuses on Shabbat candles and moves to Hanukkah candles and says that after the occupiers had been driven from the Temple, the Maccabees discovered that almost all of the ritual olive oil had been profaned. They found only a single container that was still sealed, with enough oil to keep the menorah in the Temple lit for a ‘’single’’ day. They used this, and miraculously, that oil burned for ‘’eight days’’ (the time it took to have new oil pressed and made ready). The Talmud presents three customs: - Lighting one light each night per household, - One light each night for each member of the household, or, - The most beautiful method, where the number of candles changed each night. Hanukkah is also mentioned in the New Testament, where in the Gospel of John it is referred to as the Feast of the Dedication, and was attended by Jesus. Around 200 BC Jews lived as an autonomous people in the Land of Israel, which at that time was controlled by the Seleucid Empire, one of the Empires that formed after the death of Alexander the Great. The Jewish people paid taxes to Syria and accepted its legal authority, and they were free to follow their own faith, maintain their own jobs, and engage in trade. By 175 BC Antiochus IV Epiphanes ascended to the Seleucid throne. At first little changed, but under his reign the practice of Judaism was oppressed in an effort to remove it entirely. In 167 BC Antiochus ordered an altar to Zeus erected in the Temple and a pig sacrificed on the altar. This is referred to in the Book of Daniel in a future prophecy as the 'Abomination of Desecration' Antiochus' actions proved to be a large miscalculation as they provoked a large-scale revolt. Mattathias, a Jewish priest, and his five sons led a rebellion against Antiochus. Judah became known as Yehuda HaMakabi ("Judah the Hammer"). By 166 BC Mattathias had died, and Judah took his place as leader. By 165 BC the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid monarchy was successful. The Temple was liberated and rededicated to God, Jehovah, not Zeus. The festival of Hanukkah was instituted by Judah Maccabee and his brothers to celebrate this event. After recovering Jerusalem and the Temple, Judah ordered the Temple to be cleansed, a new altar to be built in place of the polluted one and new holy vessels to be made. According to the Talmud, olive oil was needed for the menorah in the Temple, which was required to burn throughout the night every night. But there was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah. An eight-day festival was declared by the Jewish sages to commemorate this miracle. The primary ritual, according to Jewish law and custom, is to light a single light each night for eight nights. As a universally practiced "beautification" of the mitzvah, the number of lights lit is increased by one each night. An extra light called a shamash, meaning guard or servant is also lit each night, and is given a distinct location, usually higher or lower than the others. The purpose of the extra light is to adhere to the prohibition, specified in the Talmud, against using the Hanukkah lights for anything other than publicizing and meditating on the Hanukkah story. This differs from Sabbath candles which are meant to be used for illumination. Other Hanukka rituals include the giving of presents and the eating of fried food such as latkes (potato pancakes). The fried foods are used to represent the miraculous oil that burned eight times longer than it was supposed to. The dreidel, or sevivon in Hebrew, is a four-sided spinning top that children play with on Hanukkah. Each side is imprinted with a Hebrew letter. These letters are an acronym for the Hebrew words, נס גדול היה שם, Nes Gadol Haya Sham—"A great miracle happened there.” In the state of Israel, the fourth side of most dreidels is inscribed with the letter פ (Pe), rendering the acronym, נס גדול היה פה, Nes Gadol Haya Po—"A great miracle happened here" referring to the fact that the miracle occurred in the land of Israel. Some stores in Haredi neighborhoods may sell the traditional Shin dreidels. Despite Hanukkah being historically a relatively minor Jewish holiday, it has gained prominence due to its close proximity in time to Christmas, a Christian holiday commemorating the birth of the Christian Messiah Jesus Christ. Since Christmas has been heavily commercialized with such things as gift giving, Hanukkah has in recent times become a gift giving holiday despite not historically being the Jewish season of gift giving. - ↑ John 10:22 - ↑ 1 Macc. iv. 59 - ↑ Shulkhan Arukh Orach Chayim 671:2
International agriculture: Prospects for Guinea Guinea was once the major agricultural producer among the French colonies of western Africa. Over the past few decades, the sector has stagnated. Agriculture remains below its potential, representing 24% of GDP in 2018. The mining industry is the key driver of economic growth in Guinea, contributing roughly 35% to the country’s GDP. Guinea underwent a regime change on 5 September, 2021, after a military coup deposed former president Alpha Conde amid accusations of large-scale fraud and embezzlement. The president of Guinea’s transitional government, Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya, has realised that agriculture is a sleeping giant. See also: Photos: FW visits farms in Guinea Farmers Weekly’s Philip Case visited the country to find out more about the agriculture sector there. His guide was Alpha Ousmane Souaré, a farming journalist, based in the capital city, Conakry. Mr Souaré works at radio station FIM 95.3 in Conakry, where he presents La Guinée Rurale programme every Sunday morning. He is also head of Amedar (Media and Agriculture Association on Rural Development), a network of Guinean agricultural journalists working to raise the profile of agriculture. Agriculture in Guinea - 24% of GDP attributed to agriculture in 2018 - 54% of the workforce employed in agriculture - 1,100mm to 4,000mm of annual rainfall (depending on region) - 15.5m hectares of arable land - Just 10% of land is in regular cultivation - 5% of crop land is irrigated Sources: The World Bank in Guinea, ministry of agriculture (Guinea), International Fund for Agricultural Development Guinea has an estimated 15.5m hectares of arable land, of which 3.85m hectares (25%) is farmed, and 10% is cultivated annually. It also has 7m hectares of “rich and varied” natural pastures, according to a November 2020 report by the International Fund for Agricultural Development. The country is subdivided into four natural zones: Lower Guinea, Middle Guinea, Upper Guinea and Forest Guinea. Each region has its own challenges, including different climates and geographical characteristics such as temperate mountain areas. About 85% of its population are smallholder/subsistence farmers. Two-thirds of their farms are less than 3ha. A wide variety of crops are grown, including rice, maize, fonio, potatoes, vegetables, pineapples, bananas, mangos, palm oil, dried fruits and coffee beans. Although soil testing is not common, soils are fertile, water is in abundance and the climate is good for farming – in general, six months of rainy season (June to November), followed by six months of drier weather (December to May). Nitrogen fertilisers are used to promote plant growth, but many farmers practise “bio-farming” (organic farming). Livestock farming, including cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and poultry, is Guinea’s second-largest activity in the rural sector after cropping. Farm animals are the main source of income for around 30% of the rural population. The N’Dama beef breed, which is believed to have originated from the Fouta-Djallon highlands of Guinea, is by far the most dominant cattle breed. It is a small, multipurpose breed, which is docile and disease-resistant. Cows can calve up to 19 years old, but milk production is low and they are mainly bred for beef, which is of average quality. Research is looking at crossbreeding using artificial insemination to produce better-performing cows. In May, Col Doumbouya launched the Fonds de Développement Agricole (FODA) to promote private investment in the agricultural sector, allow better exploitation of Guinea’s agricultural potential and contribute to better farm incomes and food security. Speaking at a press briefing in Conakry, farm minister Mamadou Nagnalen Barry told how Guinea records around 30% of post-harvest losses due to bad systems, poor access to markets and inadequate storage. Mr Barry says Guinea’s government doubled the funding for the agriculture sector this year to $30m (£26.12m), of which $4m (£3.48m) is already in farmers’ bank accounts. “We are trying to win back trust [of farmers],” he adds. In all regions, farmers have formed federations in their sectors to exchange technical support. The private NGOs are recognised by government and members get together to apply for funding for equipment, which, once purchased can be borrowed or rented out. On day two, we visit Entreprise Tidiane Agriculture, a company that, within the framework of the public-private partnership, works in close collaboration with the technical services of the ministry of agriculture. The company has set up field schools. Director general Tidiane Diallo will build a training centre with dormitories to facilitate learning. The plan is to teach young farmers the best techniques and strategies to succeed and have the biggest impact. Mr Diallo says he imports and distributes all kinds of agricultural inputs, including chemicals, seeds and fertilisers, from countries across the world and he is open to collaboration with more companies, especially in the UK. Guinea’s four-point plan to improve agriculture Guinea’s agriculture ministry has announced a four-point plan for more investment in its agricultural industry. - The focus on machinery and technology (mechanisation of agricultural vehicles) sees 500 state-owned tractors being made available for farmers to buy, paying 35% up front and the remaining 65% over five years to own the vehicle outright - Between 400 and 500 people are being recruited from the capital to provide advisory services to farmers in rural areas - Access to finance (both public and help for private) is the third goal - The fourth focus point is improving access for farmers to credit, support grants and agricultural inputs A trip to the Kindia prefecture on day three, 70 miles north-east of Conakry, and one of the of the best regions to grow pineapples and bananas, was a key part of our visit. Our delegation faces horrendous “bouchons” (traffic jams) on roads that are in shocking condition. Our 4×4 vehicle is bounced around like a beach ball as we tackle the large craters, or “pattes d’éléphant” (elephant’s feet) – a suitable metaphor. Mr Souaré says poor infrastructure is one reason why Guinea does not export much agri-produce. Chinese companies are building new roads to link urban to rural areas, but it will take many years before completion. No cold storage transportation network means agri-produce is at serious risk of rotting en route. An absence of grain stores on farms is also a big constraint. After several long hours on the road, we arrive at Kindia’s prefectural directorate of agriculture, which houses the agricultural mechanisation centre, for a meeting with local farmers and agronomists. In the yard, there are two ageing Chinese combine harvesters and three tractors, including a blue Farmtrac, imported from India and purchased by the Guinean government. During the meeting, farmers express frustration over the many obstacles they are experiencing in their daily work. One farmer says mechanisation is the key to unlocking Guinea’s agricultural sector. He notes western countries, such as the US, have introduced mechanisation and new technologies, which translates to just 2% of the workforce being required for farming. This year, farmers in Kindia drilled many crops, but struggled at harvest with a lack of combine harvesters. Mechanics are in short supply and if machines break down, it can take time before they are back up and running. Kindia has between 2,500mm and 3,000mm of rainfall a year – arguably too much. It is a productive area, but poor infrastructure, including a lack of crop irrigation systems in the dry season, is stopping it from reaching its full potential, say farmers. Farmers say another big headache is a lack of subsoilers/cultivators to prepare the ground for following crops. In Guinea, efforts are being made to tackle poor forest governance and land clearing for “slash and burn” agriculture. Tree felling is not allowed in Kindia in July, August and September for soil and water conservation. During this period, farmers are encouraged to plant new trees. They are not allowed to fell trees on high summits at any time of the year. In summary, Guinea’s agriculture sector needs major investment – both public and private – to create jobs, boost food security in the region and kickstart exports. This will require greater use of new technology and mechanisation, sharing of expertise, upskilling the existing workforce and new recruitment, better access to information and high-speed broadband in rural areas. Mr Souaré says the availability of land and access to water means there are big opportunities to start farming partnerships in Guinea. But it is rare to see an individual tenant farmer farming more than 100ha due to a lack of workforce and machinery, especially at harvest. Guineans have good ideas, but many don’t have the financial means to realise them, Mr Souaré says. There are big opportunities to add value to Guinea’s raw agricultural products. There is a lack of processing units for agricultural food products. The irony of drinking mango juice imported from Vietnam, while sat in a restaurant in a country that has significant mango production was not lost on us. “There are always opportunities in Guinea for someone who comes from Europe, the Americas or elsewhere and who has got the means to invest, help the community and make good returns.” Mr Souaré says. Farmers Weekly thanks Amedar and the British Guild of Agricultural Journalists for making this press trip possible. Bah Mohamed, pineapple and tomato producer, based in Kindia Young farmer Bah Mohamed has been producing pineapples since 2018 and tomatoes for more than three years in Kindia. He would like to see more support for young farmers and women from the transitional government. Mr Mohamed says it is not easy for young farmers to get on the land, and when they do, many struggle to obtain organic or chemical fertiliser. This causes a major problem for those who want to increase their productivity. Because there is no cold storage, he says farmers are in a rush to sell their produce as a lot of products are perishable within two, three or four days. But farmers are limited in the availability of markets for their produce and sometimes must go out of their way to make a sale. Off-farm, the roads are not good and there are traffic jams everywhere. Mr Mohamed has followed lessons online to be able to produce food using natural inputs – “nothing but clean organic farming.” He says the agriculture minister should approach farmers like him to help share his experiences of growing crops with other young farmers. Mr Mohamed wants the agriculture minister to make crop technicians available to young farmers and help them sell their goods at a minimum price. Asked about the future, he is somewhere between neutral and optimistic. “It’s true there is good talk. The engagement that the president and the minister talk about is reassuring. But on the ground, we don’t see it.” Bah Mohamed and Philip Case discuss the challenges faced by young farmers in Guinea in the Farmers Weekly podcast.
Play Haven Pediatric Therapy What is "scripting"? Scripting is a term often used synonymously with delayed echolalia. Both terms refer to utterances that are repeated after a significant delay. It could be minutes, hours, days, weeks, months after originally heard (Prizant & Rydell, 1984). These gestalts/scripts may come from videos, books movies, TV shows, communicative partners, song, etc. Children who use delayed echolalia/scripting to communicate are gestalt language processors. Gestalt language development is one of two ways children can develop language. The child is using a script/gestalt they picked up from their favorite show, Peppa Pig, to communicate to their parent that they don't like their dinner. The whole chunk of language has one meaning to the child and they use this script/gestalt every time they want to communicate that they dislike their food. The child is using a script/gestalt from a phrase their teacher says to the class every morning at circle. They are using this gestalt to initiate an interaction with peers. This whole chunk of language has a single meaning to the child. They always use "good morning, everybody!" to initiate interactions with peers, adults, etc. The child is using a question that their caregiver previously asked them when they were hurt to communicate that they're not feeling well to their mother. Since this chunk of language was heard previously while they didn't feel well, they picked it up to mean "I dont feel well" or "something hurts". They use this every time they want to communicate this to someone. Gestalt Language Development vs. Analytic Language Development Gestalt language processing involves predictable stages that begin with the acquisition of intonationally rich multi-word utterances (e.g., echolalic utterances) that function as single units/serve a single meaning and eventually move towards breaking down these echolalic utterances to begin recombining segments and words into spontaneous, novel language. Research shows between 75%-85% of Autistic children are gestalt language processors (Prizant, 1983), but not all gestalt language processors are Autistic. Gestalt language development is a completely normal and natural way to develop language, though some children get stuck in the early stages (delayed/mitigated echolalia). Children who are stuck, continue to use delayed echolalia to communicate past the toddler years (past the age of 2 ½). Children who remain stuck past the toddler years may need support from a speech-language pathologist knowledgable in gestalt language processing and the Natural Language Acquisition framework to help guide them to the later stages of their language development and the ultimate goal of self-generated language. The other type of language development is called Analytic Language Development which also involves predictable stages but children begin with single words as units of meaning and expand their utterances to two words, three words, and so on. This is the language development that we often learn about in school as speech-language pathologists or online and in doctors offices as parents. Analytic language processors may also require help from a speech-language pathologist to expand on their language and support grammar development. They each require a different approach to support their language development. Strategies meant for Analytic Language Processors like utterance expansion, labeling, vocabulary building, and conversational turn-taking, won't work for Gestalt Language Processors. Gestalt language processors need support by using the Natural Language Acquisition framework to guide therapy. This involves providing children in the early stages with more scripts/gestalts that are easy to mix and match/mitigate. Once gestalt language processors have more gestalts and a variety of gestalts, they will begin to mix and match these into new semi-unique gestalts. From there, they will begin to break down the single words from these gestalts and begin to identify each single word as a unit of meaning. Once they are able to recognize single words as meaningful units, they will begin to self-generate language using beginning grammar. If your child is using delayed echolalia/scripting to communicate, find a speech-language pathologist who is knowledgable about Gestalt Language Processing Here at Play Haven Pediatric Therapy, we are NLA Trained through the Meaningful Speech course in identifying, assessing, and supporting gestalt language processors. Reach out if you're interested in services through Play Haven. If you're not a resident of Massachusetts, you can find an SLP near you that is NLA Trained through the Meaningful Speech registry (https://www.meaningfulspeechregistry.com/). At Play Haven, we also offer Parent Consults if direct therapy isn't an option (more information here). As well as consults for SLPs and other professionals (more information here). *Note: Your child's speech-language pathologist does not have to be NLA Trained to work with your child but they should be knowledgable or willing to learn more about so that they can better support your child. Direct Therapy through Play Haven Pediatric Therapy (MA Residents only): click here Parent Coaching: click here SLP/Professional Consults (open to anyone, anywhere): click here Meaningful Speech Course (parents & professionals): click here
Developing Listening Skills and Vocabulary by Implementing the TPR Approach (Study) A Contemporary Challenge: Developing Intrinsic Motivation in the EFL Classroom Enchanted Learning through Storytelling Listening: A Skill or a Useful Technique? Stages in Teaching a Grammar Lesson Organising a Tense for Teaching EDICT- Revista educației Editor: Editura Agata
Choosing the right printing format can be just as powerful an impact to your end communication product as the paper used. Different printing format have strengths and weaknesses, but many folks are not fully aware of the variations until they seen the final product in front of them. Unfortunately, sometimes this results in big mistakes when folks realize what they ordered was not what they expected. For the procurement or duplication manager, its essential to understand how lithographic printing differs from digital printing to avoid this conundrum. It not only affects the output quality, but the difference also affects the timing schedule of delivery as well as the overall project cost too. Between the two, digital and litho printing are viable choices for paper production jobs, but how they go about that process can make a big difference for a client. In short, digital printing is very similar to what one can do in the office with computer and desk printer equipment, just on a larger scale. Lithographic printing, on the other hand, involves specific plate setups for each image to be produced, and those plates then get used to handle the production run, transferring the image to paper accordingly, similar to how a photo negative makes a photo print. If your job is going be in the 100,000s of copies, digital printing is not going to work well. Instead, litho printing will be faster and more cost effective overall. That’s because digital printing presses are generally designed for smaller jobs in the neighborhood of 10,000 to 15,000 copies at the max. Digital printing works very well for sampling, small runs, jobs that require a lot of variability with the print data and changing specs. However, where the job stays the same, has a very large size output demand and involves singular images, the litho printing and plate approach makes a lot more sense, both in timing of output as well as cost. If your job is looking for general office paper output, digital printing will work fine. But this universe is limited in terms of the paper stock that can be used with digital printing presses. In many ways, it is again very similar to what paper one can use in the office. If, on the other hand, your job needs a wider choice of paper and surface material, such as magazines or outside signs, or newspaper print, then litho printing is going to be your friend. Litho printing has a wider range of paper that can be used as well as ink types that work with those materials. Digital printing size options tend to be limited and smaller, simply put. Litho printing can get as a big as B1 or B2 size documents or products, depending on the equipment available. Timing and Turnaround Schedule Litho printing takes longer mainly because the printing plates have to be designed and set up first. That can be costly and expensive if lots of changes are involved. Digital printing, in comparison, can do prototypes, proofs, and changes on the fly, producing differences in minutes. Because the setup is literally in the computer and tweaked on a file, the turnaround with digital printing is much faster than that for litho. Detail and Proofing Digital printing allows for an easier viewing of high-detail aspects of a job, as well as producing higher clarity in the finished product. The test proof provided in the digital printing process is extremely accurate and provides the best choice for knowing what a production will look like before it is run. Litho printing does not work so well with proofs. The main challenge involves the plates having to be created which can be a waste if there is a problem found after the plate is made and tested. As a result, a lot of work goes into checking the image first before the plate is made to catch any mistakes or issues. Once the plate is produced, it tends to be treated as the “point of no return.” Last Minute Spec Changes Again, litho printing tends to get locked with the plate production, essentially forcing a new set of plates to be made if a change is required at the last minute. That can drive up the cost of a project beyond what was budgeted or expected. With digital printing, alternatively, tweaks and last-minute spec changes are doable and can be incorporated in a matter of minutes, assuming the details are clear and understood. Working with Professional Help is a Smart First Step Given how varied the pros and cons are between digital printing and litho printing, there is no one-size-fits all strategy that works for everyone. Many times, jobs are case-by-case, and the details of what is expected can shift a strategy from one to the other. For example, if one wants an office type document but needs 300,000 copies and can wait a few weeks. Litho printing might be better if there are no further changes to the source file. On the other hand, if the package is needed in two weeks and last-minute changes are expected on some of the pages, digital printing has to be the way to go, even with a sizable job. Otherwise, the deadline will not be met. Given the above variability, working with a 45-year professional team at Custom Printing, an industry leading commercial printing company. It’s not just smart, it is practical and goal-oriented as well. Custom Printing has been providing printing services for customers small and large for decades, dealing with all types of printing formats, colors, sizes, and job specs for years. If you know you have a complicated job, but you are not sure from the start what all your options are, then the best place to start is with Custom Printing, going over your job specs and what your options are that can work. From there, you can make strategic choices that work best for your job, your deadline, and your budget. The value of experience in the printing business is tremendous, and it can easily avoid the dreaded mistake scenario that only gets discovered when the production arrives in boxes. Don’t be a statistic; work with Custom Printing to get your next job printed right from the start.
Bibles & Books: The Carolingian Sacramentary Updated: Nov 12, 2022 Video from Ziereis Facsimiles "Although only representing a fragment of the erstwhile #manuscript, the Carolingian #Sacramentary belongs among the “gems” of the Austrian National Library. This calligraphic masterpiece was made in the Abbey of Saint-Amand in northern France, and although its original owner remains unknown, it can be assumed from the richness and care of its execution that it was destined for a reputed church or a high dignitary of the church, possibly as a little booklet with prayers and consecration formulas for a bishop’s use. Its rich adornment features a great diversity of calligraphy, accomplished frames and marginal decorations including gold and silver, and a combination of Anglo-Saxon ornamental motifs and Carolingian-Frankish scribal art that is found in very few manuscripts, making this sacramentary an exquisite monument to illumination. You can find this and many other facsimiles under: www.facsimiles.com" from video introduction "The Carolingian period, roughly the eighth and ninth centuries, was dynamic and decisive in European religious history. The ruling dynasty and the clerical elite promoted wave after wave of reform that I call “unifying,” “specifying,” and “sanctifying.” This presidential address argues that religion was the key unifying and universalizing force in the Carolingian world; that the Carolingians were obsessed with doing things the right way—usually the Roman way; and that the Carolingians sought to inculcate Christian behavior more than religious knowledge. The address concludes by arguing that the Carolingians put a markedly European stamp on Christianity and that they Romanized Christianity well before the papacy attempted to do so." from the article: Carolingian Religion What is a Sacramentary? " That part of the Roman Missal which contains the prayers and directives for Mass, and a number of sacramental formulas, but does not include the readings of the Mass. In the Western Church, sacramentaries, as distinct from lectionaries, were in use down to the thirteenth century. The Leonine, Gelasian, and Gregorian Sacramentaries, the main sources for the early history of the Mass, are the best known. From the ninth century on, the advantage of having everything in one book led to combining the sacramentary, lectionary, and gradual into one book, which came to be known as the Missal. The sacramentary was restored after the Second Vatican Council.' from the Catholic Dictionary
MAGGnet Interactive Map Updated Experimental sites currently included in the MAGGnet network within the Croplands Research Group of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA), can now be viewed through an ArcView GIS webmap. Sites in the webmap can be viewed in aggregate or by crop type such as barley, rye, wheat and many other types. MAGGnet, the Managing Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Network, was initiated as a multi-national research effort facilitated by the GRA. By employing a user-friendly spreadsheet template, MAGGnet seeks to compile metadata from experimental sites throughout the world where greenhouse gas fluxes and soil carbon dynamics are monitored. The overall goal of MAGGnet is to produce an inclusive, globally shared meta-database focused on the science of greenhouse gas mitigation. Since 2012, MAGGnet has compiled metadata from over 380 experimental sites from 23 countries. Metadata contributors include scientists engaged in the Croplands Research Group and its networks, and the Paddy Rice Research Group of the GRA. To read more about MAGGnet, including how to obtain access to the latest versions of the MAGGnet metadata entry template and sharing agreement, please click here.
In William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Prospero lives with his daughter Miranda on a deserted island. On the surface, he appears to be a benevolent leader doing his best to protect and care for the inhabitants of the island, especially for Miranda. On closer inspection, however, Prospero plays God, controlling and creating each individual to fit the mold he desires. He takes advantage of his authority over the people and situations he encounters while wearing a facade of integrity and compassion to disguise his wily intentions and to retain love and respect. In Act I of the play, Prospero finally tells Miranda the woeful story of how she and he arrived on the island. From the beginning, Prospero plays his subjects and his sympathetic audience as pawns in his game of manipulation. He explains that twelve years ago he was the Duke of Milan, but being enthralled with his studies, he left most of the governmental responsibilities to his brother Antonio. Antonio, hungry to be “Absolute Milan” himself (1:2, p.6), proceeded to betray him with the help of King Alonso of Naples. When Miranda asks why they were not killed, Prospero sighs, “Dear, they durst not,/ so dear the love my people bore me” (1:2, p.7). From the beginning, Prospero portrays himself as a distinguished scholar and beloved leader unjustly victimized by his power-hungry brother. Who would suspect such a humble man of being psychologically manipulative? Prospero succeeds in deceiving many with this credible guise. Prospero’s control of Miranda is evident throughout The Tempest, even from their first conversation. He says, “Canst thou remember/ A time before we came unto this cell?/ I do not think th… … middle of paper … …hey have chosen each other, when in fact Prospero orchestrated their falling in love from the outset. By using reverse psychology to make the couple think he does not approve of Ferdinand, Prospero catalyzes a rebellion against himself with the purpose of bringing the couple together. In the end, Prospero reveals himself to King Alonso and his men. He frees Ariel, pardons Caliban, and plans to return to Milan where Miranda and Ferdinand will be married. Prospero gets everything he wants–his dukedom, a powerful son-in-law, and a return to society. Works Cited and Consulted Corfield, Cosmo. “Why Does Prospero Abjure His ‘Rough Magic,'” Shakespeare Quarterly. 36 (1985): 31-4 8. Mowat, Barbara A. “Prospero, Agrippa, and Hocus Pocus,” English Literary Renaissance. 11 (1981): 281-3 03. Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. Mineloa, NY: Drover, 1999. Aime Cesaire’s A Tempest Clarifies Shakespeare’s The Tempest Cesaire’s A Tempest Clarifies Shakespeare’s The Tempest “Negritude, originally a literary and ideological movement of French-speaking black intellectuals, reflects an important and comprehensive reaction to the colonial situation of European colonization” (Carlberg). This movement, which influenced Africans as well as blacks around the world, specifically rejects the political, social, and moral domination of the West. Leopold Senghor, Leon Damas, and Aime Cesaire are the three pioneers of the revolution. The founder who expresses his ideas more broadly, though, is Cesaire, who uses literary works to express his viewpoint on colonization. An excellent example of such a tactic is his play, A Tempest, which is a revision of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Both Shakespeare and Cesaire accentuate the greed of Europeans in their plays. However, Cesaire is more obvious in his approach to exposing it. A comparison of the two plays demonstrates that Cesaire’s version, written in the late 1960’s, is written as a confrontation of Shakespeare’s play. He is attempting to comment on the corruption of Colonialism and the European domination of the New World through such strategies as making seemingly minor changes, switching the main character role, and altering the storyline itself. Incorporating alterations such as ethical changes, using different language, and the change in title may seem ineffective initially, but close reading proves that Cesaire uses these strategies as his reaction to European colonialism. Because it was written in the 1600’s, a time when European domination of the East was present and blacks were nothing more than servants, William Shakespeare’s play does not include, nor mention black… … middle of paper … … Theories of Colonialism
Organisation and operation Organisation and operation of the European Central Bank Article 108 of the Treaty establishing the European Community (EC) and Article 7 of the Statute establish the principle of independence of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB). Neither the European Central Bank (ECB), nor a national central bank (NCB), nor any member of their decision-making bodies may seek or take instructions from Community institutions or bodies, governments of the Member States or any other body. The institutional independence of the ECB is strengthened by its financial independence: the ECB has its own budget. The ESCB is governed by the decision-making bodies of the ECB, these being the Governing Council and the Executive Board. Given that certain Member States have a derogation, the Statute provides, in the transitional arrangements set out in Chapter IX, for the establishment of a General Council of the ECB as the third decision-making body. The ECB Rules of Procedure include provisions relating to the meetings of the Governing Council and of the Executive Board and to relations between those two bodies and the General Council, together with procedural provisions. They also provide for the establishment of committees. Moreover, the ECB Rules of Procedure provide that the Executive Board may decide on the organisation of its meetings and that it may adopt supplementary rules within its field of competence. The Executive Board has its own Rules of Procedure. The General Council adopted its Rules of Procedure pursuant to Article 46 of the Statute As the supreme decision-making body, the Governing Council has responsibility for adopting guidelines and taking the decisions required to ensure the performance of the tasks entrusted to the ESCB. It formulates the monetary policies of the Community and establishes the necessary guidelines for their implementation. In particular, as defined by the Statute, the responsibilities of the Governing Council are to: — take decisions concerning monetary objectives, including intermediate objectives, and decisions concerning key interest rates and the supply of reserves in the ESBC; — act in an advisory capacity, with particular regard to Community acts and national draft legislative provisions in its fields of competence; — adopt decisions in the field of international cooperation; — authorise the issue of banknotes within the Community; — take the necessary steps to ensure compliance with ECB guidelines and instructions by the NCBs, and request that they provide it with all necessary information; — set the minimum reserves that the credit institutions in the Member States must incorporate into the ECB and the NCBs, and define their methods of calculation; — decide on recourse to other operational methods of monetary control; — adopt regulations to ensure efficient and sound clearing and payment systems; — adopt the necessary rules for standardising the accounting and reporting of operations undertaken by the NCBs; — set the amount of ECB capital to be held by the NCBs and the form in which the capital is paid; — take decisions relating to the transfer of foreign reserve assets by the NCBs to the ECB; with regard to foreign reserve assets which remain with NCBs after transfers, issue guidelines to facilitate transactions involving these assets for the NCBs, particularly those transactions relating to the fulfilment of their obligations towards international organisations; — bring proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Communities; — adopt Rules of Procedure which determine the internal organisation of the ECB and of its decision-making bodies; — adopt the annual report on the activities of the ESCB and on the monetary policy of both the previous and the current year. Pursuant to Article 15 of the ECB’s Rules of Procedure, the Governing Council adopts the ECB budget. The Governing Council meets at least 10 times per year. In principle, only the members of the Governing Council, the President of the Council of the European Union and a Member of the Commission of the European Communities may attend these meetings. As regards voting, each member of the Governing Council has a vote, save in respect of certain decisions set out in the Statute. In order to maintain the rapidity and efficiency of decision-making in the Governing Council, Article 10 of the Statute provides that, as from the moment that the euro zone has more than 15 members, the members of the Executive Board will have permanent voting rights, while the number of NCB governors with voting rights will be limited to 15. The governors will exercise this right on the basis of a rotation system. They will be allocated to different groups according to the frequency with which they may vote. This allocation will take into account the relative size of the economy of each country in the euro zone. Unless otherwise provided, decisions are taken by simple majority of members with a voting right. The quorum is set at two thirds of the members with this right. The Executive Board is the body responsible for the implementation of monetary policy in accordance with the guidelines and decisions adopted by the Governing Council. In this capacity, it issues the necessary instructions to the national central banks. Furthermore, certain powers may be delegated to the Executive Board by decision of the Governing Council. The Executive Board is the body responsible for the day-to-day management of the ECB. Accordingly, the ECB’s Rules of Procedure lay down that all the Bank’s departments are under the authority of the Executive Board. Moreover, the Statute sets out the following tasks: — the preparation of meetings of the Governing Council; — the adoption and the publication of quarterly reports on the activities of the ESCB, of a weekly consolidated financial statement of the ESCB and of a consolidated balance sheet of the ESCB, as well as other reports; — the drawing up of the ECB’s annual accounts. Each member of the Executive Board present at meetings has the right to vote and may cast one vote. Unless otherwise provided, decisions are taken by a simple majority of the votes cast. The General Council carries out the transitional tasks of the ECB, having taken over the duties of the former EMI with a view to steering the Member States not participating in the single currency towards the third phase of EMU. In this way, it makes a particular contribution to preparing the irrevocable fixing of exchange rates for the currencies of the Member States subject to a derogation in relation to the currencies, or to the single currency, of the participating Member States. It also contributes to: — the advisory role of the ECB, also with regard to the prudential supervision of credit institutions and the stability of the financial system; — the collection of statistical information; — the drawing up of reports on the activities of the ECB; — the establishment of the necessary rules for standardising the accounting and reporting of operations undertaken by the national central banks; — the taking of all other measures necessary for the application of the key for subscription of the capital of the ECB; — the laying down of the conditions of employment of the staff of the ECB. Members of the Executive Board (other than the President and the Vice-President), as well as the President of the Council and a Member of the Commission, may attend meetings of the General Council, but they do not have the right to vote. The Rules of Procedure enable the Governing Council to set up committees which are responsible for helping the ECB’s decision-making bodies in the achievement of their tasks. Ad hoc committees having a specific advisory role may also be established. The committees are composed of two members, at the most, of each NCB in the Eurosystem and in the ECB. The NCB of each non-participating Member State may also appoint up to two members of staff to attend meetings of a committee whenever it deals with matters which fall within the remit of the General Council and where the chairman of a committee and the Executive Board deem it appropriate. The Governing Council lays down the mandates of the ESCB committees and appoints their chairmen. Both the Governing Council and the Executive Board have the right to ask ESCB committees to draw up studies on specific subjects. In this way, the committees contribute to the preparation of the work of the decision-making bodies. National central banks (NCBs) Together with the ECB, the NCBs, which retain legal personality, are part of the ESCB. This is a system in which NCBs participate in decision-making — which takes place at a ‘centralised’ level within the ECB — and where they can apply those decisions in a ‘decentralised’ way in the Member States. The NCBs are the sole subscribers to and holders of ECB capital and their capital subscription is carried out in accordance with a key for the subscription of capital which takes into account the share of each Member State in the population and GDP of the Community. The contribution of each NCB to the foreign reserve assets of the ECB is fixed in proportion to its share in the subscribed capital of the ECB. Pursuant to Article 109 of the EC Treaty, each Member State must ensure that its national legislation, including the statutes of its NCB, is compatible with the EC Treaty and the Statute. As a result, some Member States have been forced to alter the statutes of their central banks so that they comply with the principle of independence from government. The NCBs continue to carry out functions other than those entrusted to them as part of the ESCB provided that these functions do not interfere with the objectives and the tasks of the System. Accordingly, the prudential supervision of credit institutions remains within the remit of Member States. In this area, the ECB contributes to the smooth conduct of policies pursued by the competent authorities, is entitled to deliver opinions on relevant Community legislation and may carry out specific tasks in accordance with decisions of the Council. The Economic and Financial Committee The Economic and Financial Committee is not an ESCB body. However, it is part of the institutional structure of EMU. It is composed of a maximum of two representatives from each Member State, from the Commission and from the ECB. At the beginning of the third phase of EMU, it replaced the Monetary Committee, a body created by the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community with a view to promoting coordination of the monetary policies of the Member States. From 1 January 1999, monetary policy has fallen within the remit of the ECB. As a result, the Committee no longer monitors the ‘monetary and financial situation’ of the Member States and of the Community, but rather their ‘economic and financial’ situation. Its advisory role involves formulating opinions, either at the request of the Council or the Commission or on its own initiative, for submission to one of those institutions. Furthermore, it regularly reports to the Council and to the Commission on the economic and financial situation of the Community, and it contributes to the preparation of the work of the Ecofin Council.
Quäkerspeisung (Quaker feeding) (Label on food supplied through the Quäkerspeisung) Quaker relief work recognises that children are often the ones who suffer the most during wars. When the First World War finished in 1918, and the Armistice came, members of the Friends Ambulance Unit were amongst the first to enter Germany. They found children desperately malnourished and suffering from conditions such as rickets, their plight exacerbated by the continuing military blockade of Germany. Friends from the Emergency Committee in London, which looked after the welfare of German internees in Britain during the War, met with their German counterparts in The Hague and were able, by February 1919, to organise some food relief. But it was only after the blockade was lifted following the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in June 1919 that serious relief efforts could begin. British Friends joined up with an American delegation including representatives from the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and others, to assess what was needed. A key issue was the lack of milk for children. Rufus Jones, chairman of the AFSC, wrote that it was given "more as a medicine than a food." and it was available "only on a doctor’s prescription." Quaker Herbert Hoover, then head of the American Relief Administration, wrote to Rufus Jones asking the AFSC to undertake the relief operation in Germany, and committing to pay the whole costs for buying food. This cooperation with the US government allowed relief to be organised on a massive scale. Food was provided to undernourished children between the ages of 6 and 14, and later to 2-6 year olds and nursing and pregnant mothers. Food consisted of cocoa, rice with milk, pea or bean soup, and bread. According to Michael Seadle (see link below), at its peak in June 1921, around a thousand Quaker volunteers, supported by 40 thousand German helpers were able to operate 2271 kitchens and 8364 feeding centres in 1640 communities across Germany, providing food to over one million children per day. Over the whole period of the programme, up to October 1924, more than 5 million children were helped – a quarter of all those born between 1909 and 1919. Hoover had stipulated, however, that the work was to be done ‘under the American flag,’ preventing the sort of joint operation between British and American Friends which had been undertaken during the War under the auspices of FWVRC, AFSC and FAU. Hence, in the winter of 1920, British Friends set up their own feeding operation in Cologne, using American supplies paid for by British contributions. Working mainly through schools, they fed 12 thousand children a day, increasing to 30 thousand a day by summer 1921. British Friends also opened Speisehalle (food halls) for German students, who were not covered by the American programme. Many students were unable to find work, and couldn’t feed themselves. By January 1921, every university and technical college in Germany was involved and 15 thousand students were receiving a daily meal. Later that year, this work was largely handed over to the World Student Christian Federation. The legacy of Quäkerspeisung was significant. Many – including members of the Nazi party – remembered the food that had helped them or their children to survive. To a limited extent, at least, it softened attitudes and allowed Quakers to make appeals on behalf of German Jews. In one such instance, in 1938, Rufus Jones met with Reinhard Heydrich, later one of the architects of Hitler’s ‘Final Solution,’ to plead with him for better treatment for the Jews. Jones believed that it was in part Heydrich’s awareness of the Quäkerspeisung that led to their appeal being heard. Through such interventions a door was opened for a time for Quaker relief work, including helping at least 960 Jews to emigrate, as well as the Kindertransport. A similar feeding programme was set up following the Second World War.
Wellbeing benefits of citizen science projects revealed in first of its kind study UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) Press Release Researchers from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology examine the wellbeing benefits of taking part in citizen science in a first of it’s kind study. Published in People and Nature, researchers from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) have found that taking part in nature based ‘citizen science’ projects can boost the wellbeing of participants. This is the first large scale study to measure the wellbeing benefits of volunteers taking part in these projects. 500 volunteers from across the UK were randomly selected to carry out a ten minute nature-based activity, at least five times per day, over the course of eight days during the 2020 pandemic restrictions. Activities included; insect surveys, butterfly surveys as well as simply writing down three good things that they notice whilst being in nature. The groups were surveyed both before and after taking part in the study in order to assess differences in their connection to nature, their wellbeing, and pro-nature behaviour. All volunteers showed increased scores in wellbeing and feeling connected with nature after the completion of their chosen activities. Dr Michael Pocock, a UKCEH ecologist said “This has been a valuable exercise in exploring how we can improve citizen science. If we design future projects with additional nature-based activities, we can enhance peoples connection to nature whilst simultaneously collecting valuable data.” In addition, those writing down good things they noticed about nature were reported as being more likely to adopt pro-nature behaviours such as planting more pollinator friends plants, or creating shelters for wildlife. Professor Miles Richardson from the University of Derby expressed that “It’s great to see nature based citizen science providing another form of engagement that can strengthen the human-nature relationship. When combined with noticing the positive emotions nature can bring, citizen science can help unite both human and nature’s wellbeing.” The UKCEH welcomes any volunteers interested in recording wildlife to get involved via the iRecord wesbite: https://irecord.org.uk/. Records from this citizen science project are used in vital research to understand changes in our wildlife. To read the full article, free for a limited time, please click below: 2023). The benefits of citizen science and nature-noticing activities for well-being, nature connectedness and pro-nature conservation behaviours. People and Nature, 00, 1– 16. https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10432, , , , & ( Like what we stand for? Support our mission and help develop the next generation of ecologists by donating to the British Ecological Society.
The general theory of relativity The following exposition of the general theory of relativity does not follow the historical chain of events, even though many historical events are discussed. I present newtonian dynamics in such a way that a transition to relativistic dynamics is prepared for as much as possible. This article relies on the reader being comfortable with the preceding article about special relativity. Preparation: Newtonian dynamics In the course of the 19th century it became customary to understand the laws governing motion of particles in terms of fields. Physicists began to think about electrically charged particle as the origin of a field, and other particles may interact with that field. Rather than assuming that particles exert a force directly on each other the existence of a field is assumed, with the field acting as mediator of the interaction. The field cannot be observed directly; only the consequences are observable. The observations can also be accounted for in terms of a theory in which particles exert a force directly on each other, but over time scientists noticed that a theory in terms of an interaction mediating field is more economic. The field concept facilitates an economy of thought, and in the history of physics favoring the theory that offers the best economy of thought has proven to be a good strategy many times. Naturally the question arose whether it would be possible to frame a field theory of gravitation. Is gravitational interaction mediated by a field? Inertia and the concept of coupling to a field Before turning to gravitation, I will discuss inertia. Inertia is opposition to change of velocity. For instance, if you take a slingshot and you shoot a marble at a chunk of clay the marble will penetrate into the clay because of its inertia. It's interesting to contemplate what this says about inertia. Think of pushing a stick into the clay. It takes a serious force to press the stick into the clay, and in order to exert that kind of force you have to brace yourself. More generally, I will refer to this as a need for leverage; without leverage it's not going to happen. So, what gave the marble the leverage to penetrate the clay? It's no good saying that the marble's momentum carried it into the clay, that's just empty words. The leverage that the marble needs cannot be innate to the marble. (Compare the Baron von Münchhausen story where he was sinking into a swamp. He pulled himself out of the bog by grabbing his own hair and pulling himself up with all the strength he had! If you think the Münchhausen story is unphysical then it will also be obvious to you that the marble cannot push itself into the clay.) The marble's leverage to penetrate the clay must come from coupling to something that is not part of the marble itself. Given the well-proven power of the field concept in electromagnetism it's a natural move to hypothesize that the marble couples to an inertia field; a uniform all-pervasive field with the property that it opposes change of velocity of objects that couple to the field. The electric charge of a particle is a measure of how strongly it couples to an electric field. Accordingly the inertial mass of a particle is a measure of how strongly it couples to the inertia field. For an overview of the properties of the inertia field, reviewing the somewhat analogous phenomenon inductance is helpful. A coil of conducting wire with self-induction has the following property: it will offer little resistance to current, but it will oppose any change of current strength. (If the coil is cooled down to a temperature at which superconductance occurs, the coil wil offer zero resistance to current.) The mechanism of opposing change of current strength is as follows: change of current strength induces a changing magnetic field, which in turn induces an electric field that opposes the change of current strength. In a wire with zero resistance and zero self-induction, applying a voltage would result in an instantaneous jump to an infinitely strong current. In a wire with some resistance and no self induction, applying a voltage results in a jump to a particular current strength (with the magnitude of the current strength described by Ohm's law: V=I*R) In a wire with no resistance and some self-induction, and starting with zero current strength, applying a voltage results in a steadily increasing current strength. That is, if only self-induction is involved, the rate of change of current strength is proportional to the applied voltage. The case of no resistance and some self-induction is the one that inertia is analogous to. The rate of change of velocity is proportional to the applied force. While the analogy between inductance and inertia is intriguing it does not in itself explain inertia; in the case of the inertia field no mechanism is known. All that is possible is to describe the properties of the inertia field and how particles interact with it. That is what Newton's laws of motion do. Newton's laws of motion Newton's first and second law of motion can be understood as the axioms of a theory of the inertia field. (Of course those laws weren't formulated with an inertia field in mind, the concept of a field was not available in Newton's time, but they can readily be reinterpreted in that way: no discrepancy arises.) Newton's first law: In retrospect we recognize that opting to use euclidean geometry for representing inertial space is in itself a theory of physics. Quite understandably, Newton and his contemporaries did not regard using euclidean geometry to represent inertial space as a theory of physics; at the time there was no alternative for euclidean geometry, and euclidean geometry was perfectly adequate for the purpose! Newton's first law (reinterpreted from a modern perspective) asserts that euclidean geometry is an appropriate physics model for the isotropy and homogeneity of the inertia field. In the absence of a force the object will move along a euclidean straight line. Definition of Force: In newtonian dynamics, force is defined as follows: it is the interaction between a pair of objects, with each object's momentum being changed by the force exerted by the other object. It's crucial to note that by opting to define force in that way inertia is not included in the category "force". The concept of force could have been defined otherwise, how to define 'force' is a matter of choice, but once a definition is in place it's necessary to keep all subsequent statements consistent with it. Whatever you do, you cannot refer to inertia as a force; inertia falls in a category of its own. Newtons second law: The inertia field opposes change of velocity. In order to change velocity with respect to the inertia field, a force must be exerted. The rate of change of velocity is proportional to the applied force. Note that in order to achieve change of velocity a pair of objects must be present, and that there must be an interaction between those two objects. By exerting a force upon each other they both change the other object's velocity relative to the inertia field. To be sure, the above considerations do not prove the existence of an inertia field. What can be shown is that postulating an inertia field facilitates an economy of thought, and throughout the history of physics that has always been an important consideration. The equivalence class of inertial coordinate systems The symmetries of the inertia field define an equivalence class of coordinate systems: the class of inertial coordinate systems. The criterium for distinguishing an inertial coordinate system from a non-inertial coordinate system is that in an inertial coordinate system the laws of motion hold good. (This is discussed in more detail in the article Inertial coordinate system) The electromagnetic field is assumed to be an occupant of space, or in terms of relativistic physics, an occupant of spacetime. The concept of the inertia field extends way beyond that. The inertia field is not an occupant of spacetime; Minkowski spacetime and the inertia field are regarded as one and the same entity. Unification: general relativity Whereas the special theory of relativity is strictly a theory of motion, the general theory of relativity is both a theory of motion and a theory of gravitation. In terms of the general theory of relativity both inertia and gravitation are accounted for in terms of interaction with a single field, and an appropriate name for this single field is the inertio-gravitational field. (The expression 'inertio-gravitational field' is relatively new. See documentation for a list of authors who have started using that expression.) In terms of newtonian dynamics there is conceptually a distinction between inertial mass and gravitational mass. It is noted of course that the inertial mass and the gravitational mass always coincide, but newtonian dynamics does not account for this equivalence. In terms of general relativity distinction between inertial mass and gravitational mass does not enter as a matter of principle: objects couple to a single field, the inertio-gravitational field. Inertial mass and gravitational mass aren't just thought of as having the same value; inertia and gravitation are thought of as arising from the same coupling. To see how it is possible to formulate a theory of gravitation starting from the postulate of the single inertio-gravitational field it is helpful to explore acceleration in Minkowski spacetime. Acceleration in Minkowski space-time Animation 1 represents two accelerating spaceships with the "red ship" following the "blue ship". The two ships are exchanging light signals (not shown) to maintain a constant separation. The red ship adjusts its acceleration in such a way that the transit time of a round trip of the light signal remains the same. When the roundtrip time of the light signal remains the same, the following applies: - The red ship is accelerating harder than the blue ship, that is: the red ship is pulling more G's. - Signals emitted by the blue ship are on reception by the reds blueshifted as measured by the reds. - Signals emitted by the red ship are on reception by the blues redshifted as measured by the blues. - For the blue ship a larger amount of proper time elapses than for the red ship. Let me take a closer look at that time dilation effect. Take the case where the two spaceships are together in the beginning. First one starts to accelerate, then the other starts to follow, and for a duration of time the state of the red ship following behind the accelerating blue ship is maintained. This state is maintained far longer than the time it takes them to separate, or to rejoin later. When the two ships finally rejoin it will be seen that for the blue ship more proper time has elapsed than for the red ship. The important fact here is that the time dilation effect is not some illusion due to transmission delay: it's an actual physical effect. Animation 1 does not represent a Minkowski spacetime diagram, for in the animation there is no global coordinate time, and no global standard of length. The vertical bars that move from left to right in the animation represent how the motion of inertially moving objects would be perceived by the red and the blue ship. Animation 2 shows two spaceships in circular motion. In this animation the diameter of the circle of circular motion is rather small. Now consider circular motion along a circle with an extremely large diameter. The situation is then very close to being indistinguishable from the situation depicted in animation 1, which depicts linear acceleration. This indistinguishability can be seen as a form of the principle of relativity of inertial motion. In the case of motion along a circular path there is a large sideways velocity, a uniform velocity perpendicular to the direction of acceleration. But in Minkowski space-time uniform velocity is relative. An object that is released by the blue ship will from that moment on be moving inertially. It will then accelerate with respect to the blue and red ship, accelerating (while moving inertially) towards the red ship. Mediator of gravitational interaction Half of the story is that the inertia field is regarded as acting upon inertial mass: when an object travels along a path in spacetime that is not the spatially shortest path then there is less lapse of proper time as compared to travelling along the spatially shortest path. In the general theory of relativity this is complemented with the assumption that the inertia field is not immutable, but that it is acted upon by inertial mass. In the general theory of relativity it is assumed that in the presence of inertial mass the inertia field is deformed away from isotropy, and this deformation of the inertia field subsequently acts as the mediator of gravitational interaction. When the quantity of mass is sufficiently large, such as the quantity of mass of a planet, the effects of the deformation of the inertia field are very noticable. Animation 3 shows two spaceships and the grey area represents a sideways view on a slab of matter that is infinite in size. Such an infinite slab of matter would alter the physical properties of the inertio-gravitational field in a uniform way. In order to keep their distance to the slab the same, the spaceships must use thrusters. As is the case with animation 1, the animation does not represent a Minkowski spacetime diagram, for there is no global coordinate time, nor a global standard of length. The assumption of just a single field, the inertio-gravitational field, implies that the situation depicted in animation 3 must be equivalent to the situation of animation 1 in all aspects of physics. The uniform gravitational field that would extend away from an infinitely large slab of matter is physically unrealistic, of course. The purpose of animation 1, 2, and 3 is to focus on the concept of the inertio-gravitational field as a single field, and to illustrate the properties. A uniform gravitational field is inherently undetectable. If the two space-ships can only perform transit time measurements on signals that they are exchanging with each other (that is, only local measurements) then presence or non-presence of the infinitely large slab of matter is inherently undetectable. Given the assumption of the single inertio-gravitational field a uniform gravitational field has only a relative existence. The gravitational field that extends away from a lump of matter such as a planet is a non-uniform gravitational field. The gravitational field that extends away from a planet is characterized by tidal effects, which are not relative. Gravitational time dilation Picture 4 shows the Earth, with its equatorial bulge very much exaggerated. For clocks located on Earth there are two factors that determine the amount of proper time that elapses. One factor is gravitational time dilation. Clocks located near the poles are closer to the Earth's center of mass; they are located deeper in the potential well, which corresponds to a smaller amount of proper time that elapses, as compared to objects located less close to the Earth's center of gravitation. The other factor is velocity time dilation. Objects that aren't located on either of the two poles are circumnavigating the Earth's axis, which corresponds to more velocity time dilation (smaller amount of proper time elapsing) than for objects located at the poles. The closer to the equator, the more velocity time dilation. For a clock located somewhere between the poles and the equator the total time dilation can be understood as a combination of gravitational time dilation and velocity time dilation. For all terrestrial clocks the two effects add up to the same total amount of time dilation. Thus for all terrestrial clocks located at sealevel the same amount of proper time elapses; the Earth's sealevel is an isochrone. This state of the same amount of proper time elapsing all over the Earth's surface is a state towards which the system naturally evolves. For example, suppose that the Earth rate of rotation has slowed down somewhat, but that the equatorial bulge has not decreased yet. Then instead of equilibrium a larger amount of proper time elapses at the equator than at the poles. A difference in lapse of proper time corresponds to a difference in potential energy, and this difference tends to even out; there will be a shear stress in the solid Earth. Over time there will be a redistribution of the Earth's mass toward a smaller equatorial bulge, until the amount of lapse of proper time is the same all over the Earth's surface. (Remark: the distinction between gravitational time dilation and velocity time dilation is helpful for recognizability, but as seen from a deeper level it's an artificial distinction. As seen from a more profound level the distinction isn't there - but that's beyond the scope of this article.) In the discussion above, only gravitational time dilation is discussed. Gravitational time dilation is one aspect of curvature of spacetime. A theory of gravitation that would only incorporate gravitational time dilation would in particular yield wrong predictions for very fast motion. General relativity describes that gravitational deflection of light that just grazes the sun will be 1.75 arcseconds. A theory of gravitation that would only incorporate gravitational time dilation would predict half that value: 0.83 arcsecond. In fact, in a 1912 paper by Einstein on an early exploratory theory of gravitation that value was stated: 0.83 arcsecond. A theory of gravitation that would only incorporate gravitational time dilation would predict planetary orbits that are very close to orbits described by newtonian dynamics and general relativity, but it would not correctly predict the precession of the planet Mercury. The actual general theory of relativity involves deformation of spacetime; both time and space are affected. Motion along a geodesic According to special relativity there is a connection between inertial motion and the amount of lapse of proper time. When a set of trajectories that bring an object/observer from event A in spacetime to event B is compared, then the inertial motion trajectory is seen to have the largest amount of lapse of proper time. Why motion in spacetime has this property is not known. According to the general theory, the only way of describing inertial motion is in terms of that connection between inertial motion and the amount of lapse of proper time. The general theory describes that in the presence of matter physical properties of space-time are changed away from isotropy. This change of the properties of space-time away from isotropy, which is referred to as 'curvature of space-time' acts as the mediator of gravitational interaction. Given a curvature of spacetime, a trajectory that from afar is seen to be curvilinear can be the trajectory with the largest amount lapse of proper time. The general theory replaces Newton's first law with a more general law: objects in inertial motion move along the trajectory that is the trajectory along which the amount of proper time is the largest possible. Wheeler's antipode-antipode corridor John Wheeler has introduced the example of a corridor drilled through a planet to illustrate the concept of moving along a geodesic. A tunnel is constructed that connects in a straight line two point of a planet that are on opposite locations on that planet. The tunnel diameter is so small compared to the size of the planet that the difference in mass distribution is negligable. When a capsule is released at one entrance to the corridor, it will from that moment on be oscillating in that corridor. In the case of the Earth the period of one oscillation would be about 90 minutes, the same amount of time as a circular orbit that circumnavigates the Earth at very low altitude. Given the properties of the space-time that the capsule is in, the oscillating trajectory is the path that corresponds to the path with the largest possible amount of lapse of proper time. If there would also be some friction, then the capsule would eventually come to rest at the midpoint of the corridor. A counterintuitive aspect is that one hand it is stated that objects will tend to follow the trajectory that maximizes the amount of proper time that elapses, and on the other hand it is stated that objects tend to move towards the lowest point of the gravitational well. (The lower in the gravitational well the less lapse of proper time). That raises the question: if objects tend to move along a trajectory that maximizes lapse of proper time, then why do object move towards a region where less proper time elapses? The determining factor is that for an object that moves in free fall from one altitude to another more proper time elapses than in a state of being fixed at either of the two altitudes. (Here the state of 'free fall' also applies for ascending motion. An object that is thrown upwards is also in free fall during its rise to its highest point.) By analogy with euclidean geometry, this path that corresponds to an extremum is called a 'geodesic'. In euclidean geometry, a geodesic is the path with the shortest possible spatial length. In the general theory of relativity, the expression 'geodesic' refers to the path with the largest amount of lapse of proper time. An accelerometer onboard the capsule would at all times measure zero acceleration; the capsule that is oscillating in the corridor is in inertial motion. On the other hand, objects that are at rest on the surface of the Earth are not in inertial motion. For an object at rest on the surface of the Earth the local inertial frame is accelerating towards the center of the Earth. An object at rest on the surface of the Earth is (due to the normal force exerted by the Earth's surface) being accelerated with respect to the local inertial frame. In Minkowski space-time, the equivalence class of inertial coordinate systems is globally valid. In space-time as described by general relativity, the equivalence class of inertial systems at one point in space can be accelerating with respect to the equivalence class of inertial systems at another point. In the case of the solar system one can distinguish a hierarchy. A spacecraft that is in orbit around the Moon is in inertial motion. The center of mass of the Moon in in inertial motion around the common center of mass of the Earth-Moon system. The common center of mass of the Earth-Moon system is in inertial motion around the Sun. The center of mass of the solar system is in inertial motion around the center of the galaxy. Analogies between two fundamental unifications Picture 7 is an illustration that was used in the article about special relativity. Every relative velocity has a corresponding distribution of coordinate time and coordinate distance. For every object/observer in spacetime there is a particular plane of simultaneity that is co-progressing in time with the object/observer. For each observer a particular slice of spacetime is valid; the slice that corresponds to his proper plane of simultaneity. In the case of the electromagnetic field the observer's velocity relative to the electromagnetic field is the determining factor for what the observer will measure. In the four-dimensional world of Minkowski spacetime, the electromagnetic field is a single field. To any observer, there are apparently two fields: an electric field and a magnetic field. For observers at different velocities, the electromagnetic field "decomposes" differently in an electric component and a magnetic component. In the case of the inertio-gravitational field, the determining factor for what an observer will measure is the acceleration of the observer with respect to the field. For observers that are accelerating at different accelerations with respect to the local inertio-gravitational field the field manifests itself differently. The two unifications: Analogies between two transitions The following paragraphs are designed to highlight the remarkable parallels between the transition from newtonian mechanics to special relativity on one hand, and the transition from special relativity to general relativity on the other hand. In the case of classical electrodynamics it is technically possible to formulate a theory in which it is assumed that there is an actually present background of newtonian absolute space and absolute time. Such a theory needs to find a way to accomodate the equivalence of the class of inertial coordinate systems. In such an ether theory, having a velocity with respect to the ether results in time dilation and length contraction effects that act in such a way that the assumed Newtonian background is rendered unobservable. Any theory that assumes separate space and time needs additional hypotheses to account for the fact that no experiment ever detects uniform velocity with respect to the presumed immutable Newtonian background. Special relativity has no such need because velocity with respect to spacetime does not enter special relativity. In the case of special relativity it is technically possible to formulate a theory of motion and gravitation in which it is assumed that there is an actually present immutable Minkowski spacetime. That is: a theory that assumes a separate inertia field and gravitational field. Such a theory needs to find a way to accomodate the equivalence of gravitational and inertial mass. It turns out that a theory that assumes an immutable Minkowski spacetime needs to be amended by assuming time dilation and length contraction effects that act in such a way that the immutable Minkowski background is rendered unobservable. Any theory that assumes a separate inertia field and gravitational field would need additional hypotheses to account for the fact that no experiment ever detects uniform acceleration with respect to the assumed immutable background. General relativity has no such need because assumption of a fixed background does not enter general relativity. Transition: replacing the metric of spacetime In the article about special relativity I discussed that in the transition from newtonian dynamics to special relativity the spacetime metric was replaced: a shift from Euclidean metric to the Minkowski metric. In the transition from the special theory of relativity to its successor, the general theory of relativity, once again the metric was replaced. The metric that applies in the case of the general theory of relativity is called a 'Riemannian metric', as the metric allows for curvature of spacetime. This metric has a (+,-,-,-) signature; any tangent spacetime of it is described by the Minkowski metric. Thus both the transition from newtonian dynamics to the special theory of relativity and the transition from the special theory of relativity to the general theory of relativity can be seen as replacing the preceding spacetime metric with a more generalized spacetime metric. In each case the predecessor's metric is a limiting case of the metric that replaced it. In the limit of velocity approaching zero the Minkowski metric reduces to the Euclidean metric. In the limit of spacetime curvature approaching zero the Riemannian (+,-,-,-) signature metric reduces to the Minkowski metric. No fixed background John Wheeler has coined the phrase: "spacetime is telling matter/energy how to move, matter/energy is telling spacetime how to curve." That is, in general relativity, the curvature of spacetime is a dynamic variable. In Newtonian dynamics the purpose of writing down and solving the equation of motion is to find the motion of material objects with respect to the background. Solving equations of motion in Newtonian dynamics can be hard at times, but at least there is a fixed background: inertia. In general relativity, the purpose of writing down and solving the field equations is to find expressions of how the shape of the inertio-gravitational field evolves over time, and how the motion of objects evolves over time. Let me elaborate on the above. When the purpose is to calculate a perfectly circular orbit then there is one factor that is not constant, the instantaneous direction of velocity. The other factors are constant: the distance to the center of rotation, the magnitude of the orbital velocity and the magnitude of the centripetal force. The case of a perfectly circular orbit readily yields to analysis and Huygens had derived a formula for the required centripetal force. But an orbit with some eccentricity is much harder to analyse. In the case of a keplerian orbit all the participating factors are in flux. Distance to the primary is affected by the velocity and the centripetal force, the velocity changes because of the centripetal force, the magnitude of the centripetal force is a function of the distance to the center of rotation. All of the factors are functions of each other - no starting point for a derivation. To overcome this problem Newton developed a new branch of mathematics, which he called 'fluxion reckoning'. Today this kind of mathematics is called differential calculus. The power of the differential calculus allows the calculation to be lifted over the problem of not having a starting point. The reason that the problem can be solved after all is that the participating factors can all be expressed as functions of each other. As mentioned above, in solving the equations of newtonian dynamics space and time provide a constant background. So in fact not all of the participating factors are in flux. It is in the case of the problem posed by general relativity that really all participating factors are in flux. The inertio-gravitational field is curving as affected by distribution of matter in spacetime, with matter moving as affected by curvature of spacetime. Now there is really no starting point at all. The equations of general relativity rely on a sophisticated mathematical apparatus that handles coordinate transformations, thus allowing equations to be expressed in a way that is not committed to a particular choice of coordinate system. The class of coordinate mappings that is supported by this apparatus is called the diffeomorphism class. Members of the diffeomorphism class can be transformed into one another by a transformation that does not "tear" or "cut" the "fabric" of space-time. That is, two points in space-time that are adjacent in one member of the diffeomorphism class are also adjacent points in all other members of the diffeomorphism class. Other than that, the mathematical apparatus accommodates a vast range of transformations: translation, uniform acceleration, any acceleration, rotation with constant rate, rotation with variable rate, any "flexing" deformation, etc. Employing the mathematical apparatus that allows equations to be expressed in a form that is not committed to any choice of a particular coordinate system (among the diffeomorphism class) is called 'using coordinate-independent equations'. General relativity uses coordinate-independent equations to express certain physical properties. The physics of "matter/energy telling space-time how to curve, and curved spacetime telling matter/energy how to move" can be expressed in an coordinate-independent way. That is, the mathematical power of diffeomorphism invariance makes it possible to formulate equations even with the background itself being a dynamic variable. When a solution to the equations is obtained, the final step is to choose a coordinate system and map the solution to that coordinate system. Matter, energy, fields and spacetime In the introduction it was mentioned that the electromagnetic field can carry momentum, indicating that fields and matter are not as different as one might expect. Electrodynamics describes that an oscillating electrically charged particle will radiate electromagnetic waves. The process of emitting electomagnetic waves decreases the kinetic energy of the oscillating particle. General relativity describes that when two masses are orbiting each other in non-circular orbits, then that system will radiate gravitational waves. That is: gravitational waves (propagating undulations of the inertio-gravitational field) can carry away energy and momentum from a system of orbiting masses. General relativity indicates that Matter, Energy, Fields and Spacetime are not as different as one might expect. Sources of this article Aside from the standard textbooks (Misner, Thorne and Wheeler etc.) an important source of information for this article is the writing of scientists such as Michel Janssen , John Stachel , John Norton , Jürgen Renn , and others. More particularly, the articles that I studied are a blend of history and philosophy of physics. In writing these articles the authors' aim is to discuss the underlying concepts that have motivated physicists in exploring the avenues they have explored. 'What was Einstein's principle of Equivalence?' (PDF-document, 376 KB) John Norton discusses that the version of the Equivalence principle that is commonly offered in expositions of general relativity fundamentally differs in content from the principle that Einstein presented in his papers. Norton judges Einstein's version to be preferable. Download from pitt.edu 'General Covariance and the Foundations of General Relativity: Eight Decades of Dispute' (PDF-document, 460 KB) Download from pitt.edu The expression 'inertio-gravitational field' The expression 'inertio-gravitational field' has been introduced by John Stachel, in the 1990s. (John Stachel has confirmed to me that as far as he knows he introduced it.) In particular the authors John Stachel and Michel Janssen use it to clarify underlying concepts. The expression 'inertio-gravitational field' fits like a glove, and in due course I expect it to become a standard expression in the education of relativistic physics. Timeline of publications by John Stachel. - 1987: "the gravitational-cum-inertial field" in "How Einstein Discovered General Relativity: A Historical Tale with Some Contemporary Morals" in M.A. H. MacCallum, ed., General Relativity and Gravitation/ Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on General Relativity and Gravitation (Cambridge U. P. 1987), pp. 200-208. [Conference held in 1986] - 1991: "the gravitational-cum-inertial field" on p. 32 of "Einstein and Quantum Mechanics" in John Stachel and Abhay Ashtekar, eds., Conceptual Problems of Quantum Gravity/Based on the Proceedings of the 1988 Osgood Hill Conference (Birkhäuser 1991), pp. 13-42. - 1993: "the inertio-gravitational field" on p. 136 of "The Meaning of General Covariance: The Hole Story," in John Earman et al, eds., Philosophical Problems of the Internal and External World (University of Pittsburgh Press/Universitätsverlag Konstanz 1993), pp. 129-160. - 1994: "the inertio-gravitational field" on p. 153 of "Changes in the Concepts of Space and Time Brought About by Relativity," in Carol Gould and Robert S. Cohen, eds, Artifacts, Representations and Social Practice (Kluwer Academic 1994) pp. 141-162. List of publications that are available for download in which the expression 'Inertio-gravitational field' is used - Structure, Individuality and Quantum Gravity (PDF-document, 333 KB) Download from arxiv.org - The Hole Argument for Covariant Theories (PDF-document, 176 KB) Download from arxiv.org - Einstein's first systematic exposition of general relativity (PDF-document, 187 KB) Michel Janssen discusses the concepts in Einstein's exposition. Download from philsci-archive.pitt.edu - Relativity (PDF-document, 88 KB) Article about relativity for the Dictionary of the History of Ideas Download from philsci-archive.pitt.edu - The Einstein-Besso Manuscript: A Glimpse Behind the Curtain of the Wizard (PDF-document, 1.3 MB) Download from tc.umn.edu - A Journey More Important Than Its Destination: Einstein's Quest for General Relativity,1907-1920. (PDF-document, 1.7 MB) A series of slides, with pictures and summary text to illustrate the development of ideas. Download from tc.umn.edu - 'Lecture 4: General Covariance and gauge theories'(PDF-document, 107 KB) Download from users.ox.ac.uk Books in which the expression 'inertio-gravitational field' is used. ·Abhay Ashtekar 100 Years of Relativity: Space-time Structure : Einstein and Beyond ·Ignazio Ciufolini, Daniele Dominici, L. Lusanna , 2001: A Relativistic Spacetime Odyssey ·Andrew Warwick Masters of Theory: Cambridge and the Rise of Mathematical Physics This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
- Stem Cells are cells that can divide indefinitely in culture, manufacturing other cells like red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and skin cells that perform designated tasks for the human body. - Adult stem cell research, which does not destroy or harm human life, has resulted in over 70 treatments for disease in humans. In contrast, embryonic stem cell research involving the destruction of human embryos has not resulted in the treatment of any disease in humans. - Scientists have found ways to make adult stem cells work like embryonic ones.Such developments make irrelevant the claims that embryonic stem search is "necessary." - In Ohio, the experimenting on or sale of "baby parts" is prohibited. - The National Institutes of Health budgeted $21 million for fetal tissue research in 1999. - It is estimated that the worldwide market for cell lines and tissue cultures brought in nearly $428 million in corporate revenues in 1996. Do No Harm: The Coalition for Research Ethics, "Benefits of Stem Cells to Human Patients: Adult Stem Cells v. Embryonic Stem Cells," stemcellresearch.org, 11 April 2007, Do No Harm: The Coalition for Research Ethics, Web. 24 July 2012, <http://www.stemcellresearch.org/facts/treatments.htm>. Dan Vergano, "New method makes adult cells act like embryoinc ones," usatoday.com, USA TODAY, 1 October 2010, Web. 24 July 2012, <http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2010-10-01-cell01_ST_N.htm>. O.R.C. 2919.14. Frank York, "Fight Raging Over Baby Part Sales," WND.com, World News Daily, 17 November 1999, Web. 24 July 2012, <http://www.wnd.com/1999/11/3869/>. Be the first to comment Sign in with
Every year, Hindus celebrate the great festival of Maha Shivratri with religious enthusiasm and devotion to Lord Shiva, one of the three divine deities of the Hindu Trinity. The literal meaning of Shivratri is “The Great Night of Lord Shiva”, and it is celebrated in the dark fortnight or Krishna Paksha at the 13th night or 14th day of the month Maagha or Phalguna (month of February or March according to the English calendar). Hindus celebrate this festival by worshipping Shivling in order to make Lord Shiva happy. According to the most common legend of Maha Shivratri, the great mythical churning of the ocean known as Samudra Manthan was conducted by gods and demons in order to obtain nectar that would make them immortal. During this process, a pot of highly poisonous substances emerged. Everyone was afraid to even touch it as it had the potential to destroy the whole world. This is when all of them decided to seek help from Lord Shiva and he readily accepted the challenge of drinking this poison and thus saving the world from its immense destructive Every year at Maha Shivratri, hundreds of devotees congregate at the Kashi Vishwanath temple in order to perform puja and offer prayers to the traditional Shivling. Devotees keep fast throughout the day and night in order to show their devotion to Shiva. They also take a holy bath in the river Ganga, a symbol of purity, before sunrise in order to purify their bodies and souls. After this spiritual bath, they don freshly cleaned clothes and join the crowds of other devotees to pray for their wishes. It is evident that people of all genders come together to express their love and appreciation for Lord Shiva in various temples. The temple is filled with sounds of bells and chants of “Shankarji ki Jai” and “Mahadevji ki Jai”. Devotees also show their devotion by taking five rounds around the Shivalingam and offering water or milk as a sign of respect. All these traditions come together to show the collective faith in Lord Shiva, including his power to fulfil dreams and desires.
Department of Diabetes Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Blood glucose is your main source of energy and comes from the food you eat. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose from food get into your cells to be used for energy. Sometimes your body doesn’t make enough—or any—insulin or doesn’t use insulin well. Glucose then stays in your blood and doesn’t reach your cells. Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can cause health problems. Although diabetes has no cure, you can take steps to manage your diabetes and stay healthy. Sometimes people call diabetes “a touch of sugar” or “borderline diabetes.” These terms suggest that someone doesn’t really have diabetes or has a less serious case, but every case of diabetes is serious. Diabetologist sevices for management of Diabetes and it's complications in conjunction with other departments Our Specialist Doctor बीआईएमआर अस्पताल में एक 6 वर्षीय बच्चे को पूर्णत: स्वस्थ अवस्था में अस्पताल से डिस्चार्ज किया गया. ...READ MORE
Most universities offer a wide programme of subject taster lectures, delivered by academic staff or subject specialists, specifically targeted at school and college students. These sessions offer many benefits for you and your students. In particular, talks provide: - An insight into the nature of university-level study across a broad range of subjects. - An insight into new subject disciplines to broaden learners’ horizons of higher education options and career routes. For example subjects such Energy Engineering, Operating Department Practice and Artificial Intelligence. - Enhancement and support for the curriculum in school or college. - Support for higher education preparation and post 16 careers guidance. In most cases, talks will be centrally administered by Education/Schools Liaison Teams in universities, and details of the programme of talks and how to book should be available on university websites (editors note: and on UniTasterDays - which will compile them for you!) To get the most out of the experience for you and your students consider the following elements: 1. Ensure that the sessions are embedded appropriately within a subject area or careers programme, and not just used as a bolt-on or to fill a gap. 2. Engage with a range of universities, rather than the same one, as each will offer different subject talks and this will provide insight for students into a number of different universities. 3. Discuss your requirements with the university to ensure that the session being delivered will meet your aims and objectives. In some cases, if you have a specific area that you want to be covered, then the talk may be tailored or modified to meet your requirements. 4. Consider how learners can best prepare for the session, for example through questions or utilising prior knowledge. How best to prepare students for the session could even be discussed with the university in advance. 5. Consider the follow up from the session and how the learning can be used to support future teaching or learners’ career planning. 6. You may also want to consider a follow up activity for interested students. In addition to talks, most universities offer a series of Taster Days – a programme of practical hands-on subject sessions. As with talks, details of these are published on university websites or on UniTasterDays. University talks or lectures can take place either in school or on campus as part of a university visit. Talks are typically an hour in length and are aimed at level 3 learners (but not exclusively). If you are looking for an activity for your younger students then universities do offer activities for these audiences too – these are usually designed with a more hands-on and interactive focus. This free newsletter will include information on university events added to UniTasterDays, as well as details about new webinars and blog releases for you and your students. by Dr Morag Duffin posted on 20 Mar '23 The higher education system in the UK is very diverse, and students can study at a wide range of institutions, from traditional universities to further education colleges with higher education provision, to smaller and specialist institutions. This blog provides a guide to the opportunities on offer.Read more by Emily Warner posted on 6 Mar '23 When it comes to supporting students researching and making decisions about higher education, we understand it can be an overwhelming and exciting time for school and college practitioners. Here, I will provide guidance to help you when you support students to make informed university decisions.Read more By adding your school or college name to the search, you’ll see events targeted to you!Add your school No thanks
The animal sign guide to Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve Nááts'įhch'oh National Park Reserve Many wildlife species can be seen in Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve. Animals use different habitats such as alpine tundra, spruce forests, wetlands, and hot springs. These areas offer food, shelter, breeding areas, and rest stops during long migrations. Large, iconic species like caribou, bears, and moose live in the park, but visitors may see others as well. Most animals in Nááts’įhch’oh rarely encounter people, so they can be shy and often keep their distance from visitors. Some species are also well-camouflaged, nocturnal, or live in very remote areas of the park. Visitors who are familiar with animal sign – tracks, scat, and other traces – have more opportunities to experience the park’s wildlife. Their observations can also help in avoiding unexpected and potentially unsafe wildlife encounters. This guide describes some of the most common sign in the park. Bring a copy along with you on your next trip! - Date modified :
Half a degree can make a world of difference Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius versus 2 has big benefits, the IPCC says The average temperature of the planet has been rising since the 1700s and its Industrial Revolution. Three years ago, in 2015, 195 nations signed onto what is known as the Paris Accord. In it, they agreed to curb greenhouse gas emissions to limit that warming by 2100. The goal is not to let it exceed 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over preindustrial times. But a new report says there may be big benefits to setting an even lower target. If Earth warms by just 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees F), we would see fewer life-threatening extremes in heat, drought and precipitation. There also would be less sea level rise and fewer species would go extinct. The new report comes from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC. A summary of its full report came out October 8. It followed a weeklong meeting of scientists and policy makers in Incheon, South Korea. “This will be one of the most important meetings in the IPCC’s history,” said Hoesung Lee in his opening address. He spoke on October 1. He is a climate economist who works at Korea University in South Korea. He’s also the current IPCC chair. For their report, scientists sifted through more than 6,000 papers. Those papers probed the impact of a global warming of 1.5 degrees. Sometimes the scientists even worked through the night, says Natalie Mahowald. She’s a climate scientist at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. She’s also one of the report’s coauthors. The long hours were worth it. The report’s message is compelling and urgent, she says. “Such a small change in temperature will have big impacts on people.” Curbs called for in the Paris Accord were designed to keep global warming to “well below” 2 degrees by 2100. Getting all the delegates to agree on that was hard. But many scientists have warned that this limit isn’t good enough. It won’t halt major environmental changes. And it could affect everything from sea level rise and water scarcity to habitat loss. During the Paris talks, more than 100 nations called for a lower target — 1.5 degrees Celsius. Those nations included many of the countries at greatest risk from climate change. Examples are the Indian Ocean island nation of the Maldives and drought-stricken Angola in Africa. Until very recently, scientists knew relatively little about how the risks from a 1.5-degree warming would differ from those due to a warming of 2 degrees. (Lee noted this in his October 1 address.) So the nations invited the IPCC to prepare a report to study that. Creating that report was a part of the decision to adopt the Paris Accord. 1.5 degrees versus 2 The two warming targets would lead to very different changes. They are outlined in the new report. By reducing the warming to 1.5 degrees, people would experience fewer extremes in heat, rain and drought. A half a degree less warming also would shave an average of about 0.1 meter (4 inches) from sea-level rise by 2100. That would expose 10 million fewer people to related risks. These include flooding, infrastructure damage and saltwater breakthrough into freshwater resources. There are great ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland. Somewhere between 1.5 degrees and 2 degrees, these ice sheets could become very unstable. Their melting would further increase the potential for sea level rise. The Arctic Ocean is projected to be ice-free during the summer only once per century with just a 1.5-degree warming. That would increase to once a decade under the 2-degree scenario. There also would be benefits for plants and animals with a lower rise in temperature, the report notes. Less habitat would be lost for many species compared with 2 degrees of warming. Other climate risks to species also would be milder. Among those risks: forest fires and the spread of invasive species. Many of the data analyzed in the report come from scientific papers published only in the past two years. They weren’t available when the Paris Accord was signed. The London-based website Carbon Brief published an interactive infographic on October 4. It summarizes the results of 70 such 1.5-degree studies. They show the impacts of warming targets on everything from sea level and heatwaves to hurricanes. Not an easy path Despite building a case for a lower-temperature target, the trick will be how to get there. In 2017, the Paris Accord faced a major setback. That’s when President Donald Trump announced that the United States would pull out of the agreement. The United States is a major source of the greenhouse gases that drive warming. That makes hopes for achieving a far more stringent target especially daunting. Scientists have examined various possible paths to limit the environmental harm due to warming. But almost all such paths share one thing in common, says Zeke Hausfather. He’s a climate scientist with Carbon Brief. They overshoot the 1.5-degree limit somewhere around the year 2050. Later, he says, they bring temps “back down.” To overshoot the mark by only a small amount, or not at all, requires cutting emissions of greenhouse gases by a lot. That pollution would have to drop by about 45 percent compared to emissions in 2010. And that has to be done fast — in 11 years, or by 2030. The IPCC wants nations of the world to reach “net zero” emissions of greenhouse gases by around 2050. To do that, technologies must be in place that pull greenhouse gases out of waste streams or the atmosphere at rates equal to what goes in. The result: The atmosphere receives no increase in warming gases. Even better would be to remove more greenhouse gases than are entering the atmosphere. Then overall levels of warming could fall. If the overall limit on warming is just “below 2 degrees Celsius,” emissions by 2030 would need to decline less than half as much as for the 1.5 degree limit. And they could reach net zero up to 25 years later — by about 2075. If such early, deep cuts don’t happen, “negative emissions” will be necessary. Negative emissions are, essentially, a hoped-for reduction in emissions. And they might bring temperatures back down after overshooting the mark mid-century. But to remove enough CO2 from the atmosphere to reverse the greenhouse effect would require new technologies. Those might include carbon capture and storage. Some such so-called “hacks” exist. Today, however, these technologies are too costly to be put in place widely. And reversing the effects of greenhouse warming is not easy. “By and large,” Hausfather says, there’s a rather straight relationship between warming and growing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. “But once you start sucking [carbon dioxide] out of the atmosphere, that linear relationship breaks.” The fall in emissions must be greater than the growth in pollution had been that led to those elevated temps in the first place. It’s uncertain how — or if — society will be able to use the new report’s findings to reshape the climate accords. During the 2015 Paris talks, a proposed 1.5-degree target was met with strong resistance from big polluter nations, particularly China. And President Trump’s administration has stated that the deep cuts needed in greenhouse-gas emissions are too costly and not yet ready to implement. That is one reason the 1.5-degree goal may seem daunting. But this IPCC report — and the two years of intense research that led up to it — has also forced scientists to review some ideas about what’s possible, says Kaisa Kosonen. She works in Helsinki, Finland, as a climate policy adviser for Greenpeace International. She traveled to South Korea for the IPCC meeting. Investing in things such as better energy efficiency may one day lead to “results you didn’t know even existed,” she says. “I’ve been inspired by how much optimism there still is among scientists.” Indeed, one of the key messages from the report is that holding warming to 1.5 degrees “is not impossible,” Mahowald says. “But it will require really ambitious efforts. And the sooner the better. We have to start cutting emissions now,” she says. “We have to be very ambitious on sustainable energy and sustainable agriculture.” What’s more, she notes, making this happen will require people to change their behaviors, too. These range from conserving energy to eating different foods. But people also would face huge adjustments in a world that’s 2 degrees warmer, or even higher, she warns. So despite the challenges, Mahowald points out, “it still might be easier to reach 1.5 than to adapt to those higher temperatures.” Correction: This article has been edited to note that the Maldives are in the Indian Ocean, not the Pacific.
Pesticide Myth’s & Facts! In the pest control industry, a common consumer misconception is that an exterminator is someone who haphazardly applies chemicals to kill insects and rodents for profit, with complete disregard for the safety of their clients and their belongings. Part of the reason for this drastic misconception is how the accredited dictionaries define the word pesticide. Here is the definition that dictionary.com uses: A chemical preparation for destroying plant, fungal, or animal pests. Is this dictionary.com definition correct? Yes and no Back to School Time… The word pesticide is a compound word. The prefix is “pest”, which is an insect such as a bed bug, carpet beetle or moth or a small animal like a mouse or a rat, which is either a nuisance to people, causes harm to people or destroy property. The suffix “-cide” denotes a person or substance that kills. The definition for the word homicide is the unlawful killing of one person by another. Wouldn’t it be silly to think that there are toxic chemicals involved in every homicide? As pest control professionals have learned through the going green movement, a pesticide does not necessarily have to be a chemical. There are green and organic pesticides such as peppermint & spearmint plant oils that are obviously not “chemicals”. Plant oil is a non-synthetic, all natural chemical-free substance that has the ability to kill insects. Please note, just because plant oil is all natural does not mean that it is safe to apply anywhere and everywhere. Always read the product label for directions on how to apply the product responsibly. Now that you have a better understanding of the word pesticide, it is worth noting that pesticides come in many different formulations besides oil, such as gel bait, powder, water-base, aerosol, granular, gas, foam, feed, etc. One very popular all natural powdered insecticide is Diatomaceous Earth (often referred to as “DE”). DE is a talc-like powder that is the fossilized remains of marine phytoplankton. When sprinkled on a bug the fine powder absorbs lipids from the waxy outer layer of insects’ exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate. When contacting a pest control company, after they review your concerns and understand your situation, they will recommend the most responsible approach and pesticide formulation possible. For instance gel bait treatment would be highly recommended for cockroach control in homes with children, dogs, cats and other pets, because gel bait is like a toothpaste. Micro-bead’s of gel bait are carefully injected into cracks & crevices, completely out of the reach of children and pets and do not vaporize or become air bound. For many years the pest control industry has been making great strides by providing the best level of education possible to pest management professionals, keeping everyone up to date on the most cutting edge techniques through Integrated pest management (IPM). IPM is an ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of pests or their damage through a combination of techniques such as biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices, and use of resistant varieties.
William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review No Time to Waste: Can a State Prevent Nuclear Waste Transportation Within Its Borders Once Yucca Mountain Becomes Operational? Following the drop of the first atomic bomb over Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945, the United States seriously began contemplating the use of atomic energy not just as a weapon, but as an efficient energy source. President Eisenhower delivered his “Atoms for Peace” speech in front of the United Nations eight years later, effectively launching a massive American campaign to build numerous nuclear power plants to generate enough clean energy to power the entire nation. As these plants were being constructed, however, policymakers and lawmakers who were champions of this endeavor failed to consider the problem of nuclear waste generated by these plants. Unlike fossil fuel burning plants, where particulates are emitted into the air following combustion, burning uranium produces numerous volatile isotopes that are released into a retention pool within the confines of a nuclear plant. Although some of these isotopes can be recycled to produce more energy, a majority of these highly radioactive particles are eventually removed from the pool and stored in concrete casks on the grounds of the nuclear plant where they were produced. The half-lives of these isotopes, like uranium-235 and uranium-238, range from 700 million to four billion years. Despite these alarming statistics, none of the leading technicians or scientists running the “Atoms for Peace” campaign developed a comprehensive plan to contain nuclear waste for millions of years. Only following the partial nuclear meltdown at Three Mile Island in 1979, did the scientific community and prominent lawmakers start to seriously assess long-term challenges associated with nuclear waste storage. This Note will examine two legal challenges to Virginia that could arise once Yucca Mountain has been finalized as the permanent, highlevel nuclear waste repository for the United States. Regardless of the mode of ground transportation, high-level nuclear waste produced at Surry and Santa Anna will travel through the city limits of Richmond and cross the Blue Ridge Mountains into West Virginia based on current federal guidelines. The legal challenges would either be initiated by the United States in response to the Governor of Virginia declaring a statewide emergency or initiated by Virginia in response to a finalized promulgation of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (“NWPA”). In either scenario, the first legal challenge would assess whether federal law preempted Virginia law and the second challenge would evaluate whether Virginia’s police power to protect the public health, safety, welfare, and morals of its residents would substantially interfere with the U.S. Constitution’s Commerce Clause. The Court would likely rule that federal laws, like the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (“AEA”) and NWPA, would not preempt the Virginia Emergency Services and Disaster Law of 2000 (“Emergency Law”). However, the Court would likely strike down Virginia’s attempt to prevent the transportation of high-level radioactive waste within its borders due to preemption by the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (“HMTA”) and Dormant Commerce Clause violations. Part I will discuss the history of how Yucca Mountain became designated as the only permanent repository for high-level radioactive waste. Part II will explore the main dispute over the legal authority of the Governor of Virginia to ban the transportation of nuclear waste within Virginia by an emergency declaration. Section A will analyze whether a state of emergency declaration in Virginia would be superseded by any federal law concerning nuclear waste, such as the AEA, NWPA, and HMTA. Section B will analyze whether a Virginia state of emergency declaration would withstand the Dormant Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, assuming there was no federal preemption. The Conclusion will overview all the legal disputes that could arise of the Virginia Governor’s emergency declaration and reflect upon the current state of nuclear waste in the United States. Repository CitationRyan Franklin, No Time to Waste: Can a State Prevent Nuclear Waste Transportation Within Its Borders Once Yucca Mountain Becomes Operational?, 45 Wm. & Mary Envtl. L. & Pol'y Rev. 937 (2021), https://scholarship.law.wm.edu/wmelpr/vol45/iss3/11 Commercial Law Commons, Constitutional Law Commons, Environmental Law Commons, State and Local Government Law Commons
We will pilot the educational materials for children and craft on the basis of pilot results recommendations on how to improve them (IO5). But equally important, this intellectual output will contain a handbook with guidelines for teachers, which is intended to help them responding to the necessity: how to efficiently teach cloud computing to children. Its objective is to support partners in their efforts in planning implementing and evaluating innovative and efficient approaches in teaching cloud-based services. Much like it was the case with IO2 (Digital educational materials for teachers), the educational materials will be integrated into the learning environments of project partners using the online repository. The main objective of this process is twofold. On the one hand, this will support partners in their efforts in planning, implementing and evaluating innovative and efficient approaches in teaching about the cloud. On the other hand, this will contribute to the popularization of cloud as a topic among the wider audience of educators. The aim of piloting is to deploy and test the materials developed in IO4 in encounters with different target groups (pupils of different age and interest) and in different local, regional and national environments. The materials will be tested through in-school face-to-face teaching. The underlying methodology of the materials will be assessed and data about the effectiveness of learning obtained, together with indicators on how to improve the content or form of deployment. Piloting process will be based on the resources made available in the repository. Following on the pilot, a set of guidelines will be made. They will not only encompass the results of the pilot (evaluation of efficiency and success-rate of the materials produced in IO4), but they will include guidelines for teachers, based on best practices, on pedagogy of implementing the subject of cloud-computing in their teaching.
This article was originally published on Phys.org “In a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers reveal techniques—inspired by the study of information theory—to track how changes in precipitation alter interactions between the atmosphere, vegetation and soil at two National Science Foundation Critical Zone Observatory sites in the western United States. “Information arising from fluctuations in rainfall moves through ecosystems, similar to the way that information flows through communication networks,” said Praveen Kumar, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and study co-author. “This type of analysis, which is new to ecological and hydrological studies, lets us determine how well different aspects of an ecosystem are connected and whether responses to changes in climate are site-specific or common across different ecosystems.” The researchers looked at changes in heat, soil moisture and carbon flow—known as fluxes—before, during and after rainfall and drought events in two locations. The first site, in southwestern Idaho, experienced several days of rainfall during July 2015. The second, in the Southern Sierra region of California, experienced a multiyear drought starting in 2012. “At the Idaho site, we saw increased connectivity between the atmosphere and soil in the period directly after the rainfall,” said Allison Goodwell, a civil engineering professor at the University of Colorado, Denver who is a former Illinois graduate student and lead author of the new study. “At the Southern Sierra site, we found that heat and carbon fluxes responded to the drought in different ways, and that sources of connectivity varied between high- and low-elevation sites.”…” Read on at: Phys.org
This article from Alan Bowers and James Bell provides an introduction to setting up a software testing infrastructure using Selenium WebDriver and Cucumber. It shows how to create a test suite for single-page web applications and to run tests across multiple web and mobile browsers via Selenium Grid. The article starts by presenting Cucumber, open source Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) tool. it then explains how to use Selenium WebDriver to drive the browser during the tests. The article also introduces a variation on the traditional Page Object pattern that will be used to carry out page-specific interactions. A step-by-step approach is provided on how to run the test and how to test against different browsers. Alan Bowers and James Bell conclusion is that “Setting up an automated framework for web application testing is a challenge, and also demonstrably worthwhile in the long run. We found that using Selenium and Cucumber makes the task much easier and results in more maintainable test suites.” Read the complete article on http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/opensource/library/a-automating-ria/index.html
October 20, 2021 How High-Performance Computing and the Hybrid Cloud Support Scientific Research Moving HPC workloads out of the data center and into the cloud extends valuable resources. The high-performance computing that drives much of our scientific and medical research may lack the high profile of consumer and enterprise technologies. Behind the scenes, however, researchers use HPC to pursue essential knowledge about people, our planet and the universe itself. In fact, there are probably more than 30,000 use cases for HPC, which relies on graphical processing units designed to perform calculations on an application or data suite across a very large computing cluster. (Learn more on the basics of HPC). For research interests ranging from bioinformatics to black holes, the scientific community uses these powerful platforms to perform quantitative analyses with complex algorithms. Increasingly, researchers are adopting hybrid cloud environments to speed up, scale and optimize this work. Cloud-Based Computations Speed Up Essential Medical Research Medical research is one of the most active areas for HPC use. It’s also incredibly resource-intensive computationally. In cancer research, for example, a DNA sequencer may take roughly 40 to 50 hours to analyze a single blood sample. Moving the same sequencing activity to the cloud can reduce that workload by approximately 75 percent — delivering results faster to drive scientific advances. For the institutions that perform this work, moving to a hybrid cloud delivers all the benefits that other organizations derive from the cloud. These include reduced costs from shrinking the on-premises data center and greater agility to meet intense spikes in demand for resources without having to pay for unused equipment. Astronomical research, such as efforts to identify black holes, is another major HPC application. Scientists use powerful telescopes located all over the world to take pictures of objects in space and analyze them to determine where black holes may be located. That information helps to improve our understanding of the wider universe. On-Demand Resources Align with HPC’s Variable Workloads Data analytics and machine learning have already transformed HPC. The cloud is poised to be similarly transformative. With institutions often reliant on funding from the National Science Foundation and other organizations, efficient use of IT resources is essential. Automated functions in the cloud can reduce the human capital that research requires, while increasing the research pace. Moving to a hybrid cloud environment can also extend research funds. Limiting the amount that institutions must spend on on-premises equipment gives them more freedom to invest in the powerful agility of the cloud. The ability to quickly scale compute and storage resources up and down is especially useful for researchers, who often have inconsistent workloads. A medical research project might require 20 sequencers for 20 researchers for a short period, for instance, but that team might dwindle to two researchers for months. Many institutions have just begun their move to an HPC hybrid cloud environment. They find that the resources and agility of the cloud align extremely well with variable nature of research work, making it possible to get the most bang for the buck from research funding. Story by Ken Cameron, a Data Center Architect for CDW.
Ivo Mulder of UN Environment Programme explains why UNEP has partnered with fund management company Sustainable Investment Management on the Responsible Commodities Facility, which will launch a bond on the London Stock Exchange later this year that incentivises Brazilian farmers to grow soy on degraded lands Across the world, the production of beef, soy, palm oil, rubber and other soft commodities is a major driver of deforestation, leading to about 7 million hectares of forest loss per year at present. Over the past 25 years, between 1990 and 2015 tropical forest cover decreased by more than 195 million hectares of which palm oil, beef, wood and soy were collectively responsible for 113 million hectares between 2000 and 2012. As this week’s IPCC report on land use made clear, losing tropical forests means losing the tremendous biological diversity, the regulating functions that forests provide and the carbon that’s been stored both above-ground and below ground that is causing the climate crisis we are finding ourselves in. With global population rising unabated and our (meat-based) diets remaining at what they are, demand for agricultural expansion at the expense of (tropical) forests could rise by 593 million hectares by 2050, leading to a tripling of emissions – which in all likelihood will push the global community beyond planetary boundaries defined as a safe operating space for humanity. This is basically only a generation away from the present time. There is no time to waste in moving towards sustainable land use models that separate or “decouple” deforestation from agricultural production, rehabilitate degraded land and include smallholder farmers in global agricultural value chains. Such an agricultural system better balances the need for economic growth and jobs with the necessity of increasing climate resilience, emission reduction and better forest protection. It calls into question the efficiency of clearing forests to produce soy, to feed animals, in order to sustain meat-based diets One of the biggest priorities is to find a different way of producing soy. Most soy produced ends up in animal feed for chickens and livestock (cows), with a small percentage being used for food products like protein alternatives and soy milk. It calls into question the efficiency of clearing forests to produce soy, to feed animals, in order to sustain meat-based diets in developed countries, and increasingly in developing countries as well. While there is a need to improve the overall efficiency of the food system, in the interim we need to make sure that soy is being produced in way that sustains agricultural output and value add for the economy, but without further clearing forests and natural vegetation. Besides scaling up production on existing land – including through technological improvements – this could be done by prioritising the use of degraded land for production. The US and Brazil are the two biggest soy-producing countries in the world. Following the Amazon Soy Moratorium in Brazil, there is strong evidence that production for soy, but also the rearing of livestock, moved to a savanna area known as the Cerrado. While there is growing demand for land to expand agricultural production, it is it widely recognised that the expansion of agricultural production can happen without further clearing of natural vegetation . It is estimated that over 40 million hectares of already degraded pasture and agricultural land could be made available for more lucrative and productive agricultural uses such as soy . This is why the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) decided to partner with Sustainable Investment Management (SIM), a fund management company, to identify practical ways to finance sustainable soy production in Brazil called the Responsible Commodities Facility. This facility, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, aims to provide financial incentives to producers that commit to cultivation of deforestation- and conversion-free (DCF) soy (and in the future maize as well). By restricting soy cultivation to areas that are already cleared, levels of deforestation, or conversion of natural habitats, should be reduced and carbon emissions, together with the loss of biodiversity, avoided. The underlying idea is to use the bond market to raise capital, providing investors with the possibility to finance sustainable commodity production In doing so, this “pro-growth” facility tries to balance the need to sustain agricultural output and jobs, while doing so at considerably lower environmental and social impact than at present. This will be done by offering farmers a reduction in the cost of capital for annual crop finance in exchange for certain requirements such as cultivating soy on degraded areas. At the time of writing this blog, UNEP is working with SIM to finalise the environmental and social impact framework that will be part of the eligibility criteria. The underlying idea is to use the bond market to raise capital from a combination of institutional investors, development banks, impacts investors and commercial banks, providing investors with the possibility to finance sustainable commodity production while making reasonable risk-adjusted returns. This partnership is part of a broader effort by UNEP’s land use finance programme to proactively stimulate and direct public, and especially private, capital towards deforestation-free, sustainable commodity production. With the IPCC report stating that food and drink production alone has been the driver behind 75% of deforestation by area size to date, the task has never been more urgent. Ivo Mulder is head of the Land Use Finance Unit UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
Republican President Roosevelt was very supportive of conservation programs and improving living conditions overall however his passion was national health care the platform he ran on for the Progressive Party in 1912. The Democratic Party jumped on the bandwagon when President Harry Truman in 1945 called for national health open to all Americans. It wasn’t until the plight of health care for seniors came to light when a national study showed that 56% of those over 65 were not covered by health insurance that President John Kennedy pushed for health insurance for seniors. President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Medicare bill in July 1965; as a matter of fact President Harry Truman was issued the first Medicare card in 1965, the birth year of Medicare. The average blended lifespan for women and men was slightly under 67 when Medicare first came into existence, however, it has increased significantly since that time but yet the effective start age for Medicare has not changed since its inception. The original objective of Medicare was to provide basic health coverage for a span of a few years not 20+ years. This is why there have been so many changes and anticipated changes to Medicare, a program that is only slightly over 50 years old, in an attempt to keep America’s promise to Americans living out their twilight years. When looking at the health proposals my question is, does this mean if the Government runs the health care industry that they all be would government workers, what a nightmare! This is the first of many questions that have to be answered but we can all agree that our health system needs fixing. There are several plans floating around some like Bernie Sanders Medicare for All disrupts even Medicare recipients however there are other plans that affect more of those under 65. I think we all agree that some changes have to happen but we have to take into account that we cannot just send the country into a downward tailspin disrupting millions of lives.
Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina recently announced that her study of medieval history as an undergraduate at Stanford University in the mid-1970s would aid her as a future commander-in-chief in the war against ISIS. She reasoned that ISIS is essentially medieval, seeking to drag the people and societies it controls back to the Middle Ages before listing a number of atrocities carried out by the group including burning prisoners to death, crucifixions, and beheadings. Because she associated these actions exclusively with the Middle Ages, she argued her education in medieval history would serve her well in dealing with these problems. Is she right? Medieval historians, like myself, tend to cringe when they hear modern commentators refer to something particularly brutal as uniquely medieval, as if brutality defined the Middle Ages in contrast to an enlightened and more gentle modern world. The reality is that medieval barbarism, as bad as it could be at times, often pales in comparison to the horrors of the technologically advanced 20th century, which include over sixty million people killed in World War II, the first use of Atomic Weapons, tens of millions killed under communist regimes, and the Holocaust. Yet, as recently pointed out in a much discussed piece by Graeme Wood for The Atlantic, to dismiss any connection between ISIS and medieval history would be wrong. The self-declared “Caliphate” created by ISIS claims its legitimacy, and authority, is demonstrated in its adherence to the earliest Islamic principles as reflected in the life and examples of the Prophet Muhammad and its strict adherence to the Qur’an. Muhammad’s time as a religious leader and the emergence of the Qur’an came during the seventh century, which is about as medieval as one can get. The leaders of ISIS often point to medieval historical examples and religious texts to cite precedents that they argue justify their own extreme actions. In light of this, Fiorina is correct in the sense that a western leader well educated on early/medieval Islamic history could have a better understanding of how ISIS and their supporters interpret their actions, motivate their followers, and justify their actions. The problem is that I have no idea how much knowledge of medieval history Fiorina picked up as an undergraduate at Stanford and has retained since then. I doubt that, as a busy CEO and businesswoman, she has had much time or interest in keeping up with medieval scholarship over the past few decades. Yet her broader point, that knowledge of the Middle Ages can be helpful for modern leaders facing some of our current challenges, is valid. One well versed in medieval history is presumably more aware of historical understandings of the life and example of the prophet Muhammad (which still influences the actions of many Muslims today), the emergence and background of medieval religious texts like the Qur’an, the basis for the Sunni-Shia split (contributing to extensive conflict within the Muslim world even today), the historical treatment of non-Muslims in Muslim ruled lands (a pressing issue at the moment as we have recently seen step declines in Middle Eastern Christianity), the causes and consequences of the crusades (whose interpretation remains a hot button issue among many today), etc… Fiorina’s suggestion that her study of medieval history is valuable for understanding events in the present has been mocked, but one could certainly do worse than to have a solid understanding of the medieval past as a base from which they consider some of the issues we face in our presumably “clash of civilizations” modern world. Updated on 10/8. ———————————– A 350 word version of this essay was published as a “Lead Letter” in the Florida Times Union on 10/9/2015. See http://jacksonville.com/opinion/letters-readers/2015-10-09/story/lead-letter-fiorina-has-point-suggesting-history-background Below are some additional thoughts of mine on a Facebook post (10/7/2015) on a thread by Paul Halsall linking to a recent essay by David Perry for The Guardian (Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/oct/06/carly-fiorina-medieval-history-degree-fight-isis?CMP=share_btn_fb ) My comments follow:————— I’m not entirely sure of one of David’s points. While I respect David as a thinker and writer, he seems to be hedging his bets in this piece a bit. In one place, at least, he seems to be mocking Fiorina’s suggestion that a degree in medieval history is useful for a political leader dealing with modern problems involving the Islamic world. He writes: “She really does seem to be claiming that her undergraduate degree [in medieval history] will enable her to make sound foreign policy decisions…” But elsewhere he writes: “the Middle Ages do in fact shape contemporary events all the time…” “I believe that we need to study the past in order to respond to the present…” Based on these last two comments David clearly see’s value in studying medieval history to “respond to the present.” So in that sense, at least, he agrees with Fiorina’s larger point, even if he does not like doing so. Let me get into the weeds a little bit here. As you all know, ISIS bases its ideology on how it interprets medieval events and medieval texts. Particularly the life and example of the Prophet Muhammad in the seventh century (which they cite all the time to justify their actions- e.g. “Muhammad burned apostates according to the Hadith so it’s okay for ISIS to do it.”) and the Qur’an and other texts that emerged around this time. Understanding that, to some degree, is unquestionably a huge plus for any political leader. In fact, in an ideal world, I would wish all western generals and politicians who involve themselves in Middle Eastern affairs had a solid grounding in a number of medieval topics (e.g. the rise of Islam, the evolution of Islamic beliefs and texts, etc…). Even if ISIS is somehow interpreting those medieval events and texts incorrectly, then one needs an education in medieval history to know the difference and be able to argue the point. Also, there are so many other ways an education in medieval history can help one better understand events in the present. One of the reasons I have been called on so much by local media to comments on ISIS and events in the Middle East is because such media often has very basic questions on topics like the origins of Shia-Sunni animosity, which is rooted in the Middle Ages, or questions about crusading rhetoric often used on both sides in modern clashes between Islamists and westerners, the historic treatment of non-Muslims under Muslim rule, or many other topics. Nobody else [or at least very few] at my college really has the background in those areas (e.g. early Islam, the crusades, etc…) that I as a medieval historian have. That became a base from which I have come to analyze events in the M.E. over the past 15 months or so, doing no less than 32 interviews with local media. So I certainly know from personal experience that having a background in medieval history can help one better understand (than many people without such an education) at least some of the complexities of current events in a way that engineering or accounting majors, for example, will not understand. I admit that knowledge of medieval history alone was not enough to provide coherent commentary on current events, but it was undoubtedly a solid base from which to engage in additional studies over the past 15 months. So on this very basic point, that a background in medieval history is useful for a leader dealing with modern relations between the west and the Islamic world, Fiorina is obviously right. Now, whether or not Fiorina actually remembers anything about the Middle Ages from her studies at Stanford back in the 70s, or her study of the Middle Ages involved any significant focus on Islam or related topics, is entirely another topic and fair game. I doubt as a business woman and CEO she bothered to keep up with recent medieval scholarship over the past 40 years since she graduated and I have no doubt that like a good politician she is touting her degree in the most opportunist of ways. But nevertheless I don’t like seeing some commentators (not referring to David here) dismiss the value of medieval history with regard to understanding current events. Diss Fiorina all you want and question her motives, but not the value of studying the medieval past for a greater grasp of events in the present. On that point she is right, even if she is only saying it to score political points rather than maintaining any real devotion to understanding the Middle Ages.
Department of Diagnostic Imaging Radiologists are doctors who specialize in using imaging technology to diagnose and treat people with a wide range of difficult-to-diagnose and complex conditions. Successful treatment starts with an accurate diagnosis, and Nakasero Hospital doctors take the time to get it right. A team of specialists will listen to your needs and evaluate your condition from every angle to make the very best plan for you. Diagnostic Care, Focused on You Nakasero Hospital’s Radiologists are committed to providing premier quality imaging with compassion and care. We employ a professional and experienced staff of board-certified radiologists, imagers and technicians who use the latest technology and imaging techniques to gather the most accurate images available. Our wide range of imaging services help screen for cancer as a means of finding the disease in its early, more curable stages. What is X-Ray? X-ray is the most commonly used and the oldest form of medical imaging that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. An X-ray picture or radiograph is produced when a part of the body is exposed to a small burst of ionizing beam. How to prepare and what to expect for my examination. Most x-rays don’t require any special preparation. You may be asked to remove some of your clothes, jewelry, eye glasses and any metal objects or clothing that might interfere with the x-ray images. You may be asked to wear a gown during the exam. Women should always inform their physician or x-ray technologist if there is any possibility that they are pregnant. X-rays are painless, and the examination is usually completed within 5 to 10 minutes. What is CT Scanning? CT scanning—sometimes called CAT scanning—is a non-invasive, painless medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. CT imaging uses special x-ray equipment to produce multiple images or pictures of the inside of the body. CT imaging is sometimes compared to looking into a loaf of bread by cutting the loaf into thin slices. When the image slices are reassembled by computer software, the result is a very detailed multi-dimensional view of the body’s interior. How should I prepare for the CT scan and what should I expect? CT exams are painless, fast and easy. You will be asked to change into a gown. Metal objects including jewelry, eyeglasses, dentures and hairpins may affect the CT images and should be left at home or removed prior to your exam. The technologist begins by positioning you on a comfortable CT examination table, usually lying on your back. Depending on body part being imaged you may be asked to drink a special dye before the procedure or dye may be injected through an intravenous line. Our equipment are especially quiet and you will hear only slight whirring sounds as the CT scanner revolves around you during the imaging process.The CT scanning is usually completed within a few seconds. After a CT exam, you can return to your normal activities. If you received a contrast material, you may be given special instructions. If you are receiving intravaneous contrast you should inform us of allergies, prior reaction to CT dye, history of asthma, diabetes or kidney disease. What is an Ultrasound? Ultrasound imaging helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. Ultrasound imaging, also called ultrasound scanning or sonography, involves using sound waves to produce images of the body. Ultrasound can show the structure and movement of the body’s internal organs, as well as blood flowing through blood vessels (called Doppler Ultrasound). How to prepare and what to expect Examination is painless and is usually completed within 15 to 30 minutes. - For a study of the liver, gallbladder, spleen, and pancreas, you may be asked to fast for 6 hours prior to the test. You may take your medication as directed by your personal physician. - For ultrasound of the urinary bladder, uterus and ovaries (female organ ), you will be asked to drink four to six glasses of liquid about an hour before the test to fill your bladder. - You will need to remove all clothing and jewelry in the area to be examined and change into a gown during the procedure. - For most ultrasound exams, you will be lying face-up on a comfortable examination table. A clear gel is applied to the area of the body being studied and a transducer is placed against the skin over the area of interest, as images are taken. Once the exam is complete, the gel will be wiped off your skin. After an ultrasound exam, you should be able to resume your normal activities. What is MRI? Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful, non-invasive, painless tool that has revolutionized many fields of medicine. It has changed the way physician’s diagnose and treat various ailments of brain, spine, joints. MRI has become an indispensable problem solving tool or the first examination of choice in evaluation of internal organs such as liver and pancreas or gynecological structures. MRI images are created using a powerful magnet along with radio waves and a computer. No ionizing radiation ( x- ray ) is used to produce the images How to prepare for my exam and what to expect? No special preparation is required for most MRI examination. For certain MRI examinations of the abdomen and pelvic area, you may be asked not to eat or drink 4 hours prior to the test. Unless you are told otherwise, you may follow your regular daily routine and take medications as usual. Some MRI examinations may require an injection of contrast into the bloodstream. You will be asked to remove metallic and electronic objects such as jewelry, watches, metallic hair pins and other accessories before entering the MRI room. People with internal defibrillator and cochlear (ear) implants should not enter the MRI area. Also, inform us if you have medical or electronic devices such as clips used on brain aneurysm, artificial heart valves, implanted drug infusion ports, implanted nerve stimulators, cardiac pacemakers or artificial limbs. If you are breastfeeding at the time of the exam and receiving contrast for your exam you may pump breast milk ahead of time and keep it on hand for use after contrast material has cleared from your body. After an MRI exam, you should be able to resume your normal activities. Imaging Services Offered at Nakasero Hospital Excellence at Radiology Department Neuroradiology. Diagnostic radiology focusing on the central nervous system, head, neck, and spine. Pediatric radiology. Diagnostic radiology focusing on ways to create images of children’s bodies, their organs, and internal structures. Breast imaging. Diagnostic radiology focusing on diagnosing breast diseases. Cardiovascular radiology. Diagnostic radiology focusing on diagnosing diseases of the heart and blood vessels, including the arteries and veins. Chest radiology. Diagnostic radiology focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of the chest, specifically the heart and lungs. Gastrointestinal radiology. Diagnostic radiology focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of the digestive tract. Genitourinary radiology. Diagnostic radiology focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of the organs of the reproductive and urinary tracts. Musculoskeletal radiology. Diagnostic radiology focusing on the diseases of the muscles and skeleton. Emergency radiology. Diagnostic radiology focusing diagnosis of trauma and nontraumatic emergency conditions. Interventional radiology. A subspecialty of radiology focusing on diagnosing and treating patients by using minimally invasive interventional techniques.
It’s hard to imagine a creation rich classroom with the air if standardization that has engulfed our schools; and yet, many teachers and administrators are opening their eyes and classrooms to the wealth of information that is available on the web. They use Google, social media, and other online places to intake great amounts of information, but how often are students actually contributing something back for others to benefit from? How many times do we ask students to go grab this or that bit of information from the web or go to YouTube and watch this video or that video? Is it possible that we’re proverbially “stuck” in our education system because we don’t give our students enough opportunities to create and in turn share their creation? Kyle Pace makes a good point. Why has accessing information become acceptable and creating information hasn’t?
Nutrition in Cancer treatment plays a major role in influencing both the quality and quantity of life after the diagnosis of cancer. Food choice and proportion within the general diet (dietary pattern) is also important for the cancer survivor. The cancer survivors are at increased risk for a host of chronic diseases, guidelines recommend prudent diets that rely heavily on unrefined plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, and grains, which contain limited amounts of fat and simple sugars, and red or processed meats should be avoided. Indeed, the dietary guidelines to scale back the risk of heart condition, diabetes, hypertension (as well as other chronic diseases) are quite almost like those aimed toward reducing cancer risk. Maintain a healthy weight throughout life. Balance calorie intake with physical activity. Avoid excessive weight gain throughout the lifecycle. Need to achieve and maintain a healthy weight if currently overweight or obese in cancer treatment. Adopt a physically active lifestyle. Adults: engage in a minimum of half-hour of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, above usual activities, on 5 or more days of the week. Forty-five to hours of intentional physical activity are preferable. Children and adolescents: engage in a minimum of hours per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity a minimum of 5 days per week. Consume a healthy diet, with stress on plant sources. Selects foods in amounts that help achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Eat five or more servings of a spread of vegetables and fruits every day. whole grains should be preferred instead of processed [refined] grains. Limit consumption of processed and red meats. The nutritional problem in cancer is wasting muscle mass, acknowledged being a predictor of lower quality of life, impaired functionality, surgical complications, and shortened survival. Nutrition may be a central thought about oncology, influencing the event of the disease, tumor inherent symptoms, response to, and recovery after antineoplastic treatment, thus having a robust impact on the standard of life and prognosis of the disease. A main nutritional symptom is wasting of muscle mass, strongly related to decreased functional capacity, higher incidence of chemotherapy toxicity, increased hospitalization, and complication rate, also as mortality. Nutritional risk screening and assessment in cancer patients allows for the first detection of malnourished patients and also for a prompt nutritional intervention to prevent nutritional deterioration and muscle wasting. A proactive assessment of the clinical alterations that occur during treatments and through the disease course, is important for choosing the adequate nutritional intervention, aiming for the simplest impact on patients’ outcomes. Early nutritional care has the ability to enhance body composition and treatment’ efficacy, and as the evidence stands, it’s an obligatory adjuvant intervention, with the likelihood of improving the prognosis of the disease itself. You can start following free diet plans from Vedique Diet App
A limiter is a device used in the creation of music to stop loud peaks from going over a preset threshold. It balances the dynamic range of an audio signal by controlling both the quiet and loud sounds. Since the 1930s, limiters have been used to process audio, and they have developed into useful tools. According to the majority opinion, a limiter is a compressor with a ratio of at least 10:1 and up to infinite. However, a limiter’s main function is to stop signals from exceeding a certain ceiling rather than compressing the entire signal like a typical compressor would. They also perform this invisibly, as opposed to colored compressors. On buses, such a voice bus where performances might occasionally peak wildly, limiters are frequently employed. But often, we discuss limiting the mix bus, and limiter plugins always complete a mastering chain. One method engineers prefer to use limiters is to make a mix louder overall at the very end, but it’s controversial if that’s the ideal way to use them. Although more seasoned engineers tend to increase perceived loudness and loudness before the mix bus, on both individual parts and groups, if it sounds good, it probably does. A limiter that is pushed too hard towards the end might occasionally sound bad. FabFilter Pro-L 2 Your sound can get some personality by using FabFilter’s Pro-L2, particularly the Punchy and Aggressive algorithms. The plugin sounds clean and devoid of artifacts elsewhere. Additionally, the True Peak technology prevents digital clipping while the up to 32x oversampling removes distortion and aliasing. This is one of the more sophisticated plugins available on the market when it comes to professional transparency. The Pro-L 2 from FabFilter is a stunningly transparent real peak limiter with detailed loudness metering. The Pro-L 2 is the only choice for maximum volume with less artifacting and distortion. With support for the EBU R128, ITU-R BS.1770-4, and ATSC A/85 standards, the Pro-L 2 provides accurate real-time peak meters (output and gain reduction metering), loudness metering, and loudness measurement. The user interface delivers outstanding displays in full-size and compact modes with GPU-powered graphics acceleration. To meet your precise demands, pick from 8 distinct advanced limiting algorithms. For the cleanest results possible, professional dithering (with 3 noise shaping methods) and up to 32x linear-phase oversampling are both offered. For the particular signal, alter the lookahead, attack, and release settings. Use the plugin for signals that are mono or stereo as well as for more complex surround formats (up to Dolby Atmos 7.1.2) with intelligent channel coupling. The Pro-L 2 features interactive MIDI Learn, undo/redo and A/B switches, Smart Parameter Interpolation, interactive “Help” documentation with tips, sample-accurate automation, double-click text entry of parameter values, among other features that are typical of FabFilter products. This is the Best Limiter Plugin in 2023. With the help of this AI limiter, you can set a loudness limit for your tracks without worrying about undesired artifacts. Sonible has been developing a variety of “smart” plugins that enable you to engineer and produce music more quickly. This group consists of EQs, reverbs, compressors, etc. The most recent limiter is called smart:limit, which uses real-time analysis of the input audio to make decisions that are as transparent as possible. Additionally, the plugin offers you a wealth of data about your audio utilizing different loudness analyzers. Consequently, you can process the dynamics of your audio using smart:limit without the requirement for a third-party analyzer program. Additionally, this plugin offers interactive “Quality Check” feedback and hints, much like a real smart plugin would. For those without much experience, these might be useful. This artificial intelligence (AI)-powered plugin analyzes your audio signal to choose the best limiting parameters to keep your track as untouched as possible. Additionally, the plugin allows you to give a genre profile to create a certain style and character. Without having a thorough understanding of limiters and dynamics, these profiles assist beginners and intermediate musicians in producing the subtleties in a given genre. Similar to that, smart:limit enables the import of a reference track. To replicate the desired limiting style, the plugin analyzes the reference and automatically sets the parameters. Of course, if you’d prefer to work manually, you may also disable the automatic option. Alternately, you can save time by generating a functional draft utilizing the smart features before hand-customizing it. One of the best modern limiters on the market right now, smart:limit is crammed with fantastic features that enable you to achieve outcomes more quickly. Based on your audio signal, it sets up its own parameters using clever algorithms. Similar to how you can use reference songs and genre-based profiles to assist the sound more closely resemble your idea. With a small number of settings, the sound-sculpting tools at the bottom of the interface allow you to thoroughly alter the sounds. Additionally, it provides all the relevant details required for mastering a music. As a result, you can adjust your music to meet the volume requirements of different streaming and publishing services. This is the Best Limiter VST Plugin in 2023. Softube Weiss MM-1 The storied Weiss DS1-MK3 hardware mastering processor served as the inspiration for the Softube Weiss MM-1. It is a remarkable imitation because it uses the same digital technology; in fact, Daniel Weiss, the creator of the DS1-MK3 wholeheartedly supports it. Workflow is accelerated by this original that has been scaled down. The multi-band approach of the streamlined interface addresses the key components of a compressor/limiter. As well as independent and Mid-Side channel processing, three filter settings, and auto-release are all provided by the plugin. The Weiss Compressor/Limiter is a benchmark in the industry for transparency and highest transient accuracy. The compression will be emphasized by the filter choices, and its mastering capabilities will be guaranteed by the M/S mode. Overall, the plugin leaves your tracks uncolored, allowing you to blend in multiple units without worrying about extra character. A popular plugin is Softube’s Weiss Compressor Limiter because of its crisp audio and straightforward compression method. The various displays make using the Auto Release similar to operating an automatic vehicle and ensuring that you are aware of what is happening to the audio. The plugin, which is as undetectable as they come and doesn’t interfere with your mixing, is unquestionably a good addition to your collection. iZotope Ozone 9 Maximizer An industry-leading mastering suite with all the essential elements of a top-tier, professional mastering chain, the iZotope Ozone 9 Maximizer. One of the top mastering limiters on the market is the Maximizer module from Ozone 9. The Intelligent Release Control, a transparent limiting technique from iZotope, is available in several settings in Ozone 9 Maximizer, particularly the IRC IV and IRC Low Latency modes. For more forceful or transparent limiting, the IRC IV algorithm offers Transient and Modern modes. All algorithms have amazing sounds, so the only thing left to do is explore and figure out which one works best for your applications. Using this module is quite simple and makes transparent limiting simple. Simple changes can dramatically increase volume without compromising detail. By using a user-defined LUFS target, the Threshold Learn mode activates automatic threshold adjustment. Simple setup is made possible by Threshold and Ceiling Link, which keeps the perceived output level constant when the threshold is altered. Greater control over the stereo image results from independent stereo detection of the signal. Sonnox Oxford Limiter V3 An ITU-R BS.1770-4 standard true peak limiter with unsurpassed processing and metering accuracy is the Sonnox Oxford Limiter V3. Maximum loudness, density, and presence are delivered by Sonnox’s excellent Oxford Limiter V3 without obscuring the clarity or dilating the transients. By offering sample-value limiting and musical boost, it goes beyond the limitations of traditional brickwall limiters. With this fantastic-sounding and simple plugin, you can effectively avoid clipping and improve perceived loudness. This complex limiter features TPDF dither for 24-bit and 16-bit output with 4 forms of variable noise shaping, in addition to the standard peak limiter controls for music production (including variable attack, release, and soft-knee characteristics). To correct and eliminate faults without reducing volume, activate Auto Comp mode. To easily adjust the overall perceived loudness, use the Enhance fader.
Safety Tips to Drive Down Work Traffic Injuries BY CHRISTINE TORRES Published October 04, 2018, updated March 26, 2020minute read Human error and distracted driving are the leading reasons behind an increase in struck-by injuries, according to recent data from agencies such as the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries and the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. It is statistics like this that prompt the Drive Safely Work Week campaign, sponsored by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS), and Distracted Driving Awareness Month by the Dept. of Transportation to put the safety pedal to the industrial metal to lessen the numbers of injuries and fatalities caused by vehicle impacts at work and on the road. These campaigns encourage the public and businesses to be more aware to prevent vehicle crashes on and off the job. The Main Distraction In 2016, among the 1,252 work-related traffic deaths, the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries reports that the transportation and warehousing industry had the highest share (about 37%). Construction, retail trade, and agriculture rounded out the top four. According to OSHA, in 2013, 37% of deaths and 71% of serious injuries were caused by being struck, thrown, or crushed by forklifts. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says many workplace vehicle and pedestrian collisions result from distractions that include: - Visual tasks: A driver can easily lose attention while looking away from the road, such as checking a navigation system. - Manual tasks: When a driver reaches for their cell phone, equipment, or a beverage, both hands are no longer on the steering wheel. - Cognitive tasks: If a driver is concentrating on other duties or situations, their mind is not focused on driving. While OSHA does not have a specific standard for distracted driving, it does mandate that employers provide a workplace free of recognized hazards. However, the American National Standards Institute advises organizations to close any gaps in a vehicle use policy. “(ANSI) Z15.1-2017 provides a structured approach to proactively identify system gaps and effectively manage fleet risk,” said Terry Ketchum, an ANSI committee chair. “Organizations should use the standard to assess their fleet’s risk, develop an action plan to close the gaps, implement corrective actions, and continuously re-evaluate the fleet management system.” Stay the Course on Safety Workplaces can implement safety programs that include ways to curb distracted driving accidents. Employ a cell phone policy to help keep workers safe behind the wheel and along pedestrian paths. Keep safe driving at the forefront of workplace improvement by including traffic messages as part of workplace visual communication. Identifying vehicle operation hazards early, clearly marking pathways and work areas, as well as eliminating warehouse blind spots are just a few ways to protect workers, direct traffic, and improve overall safety. Perform a workplace evaluation using helpful resources such as a job hazard analysis or studying bold visual aids, such as a job hazard analysis infographic. Protect workers by organizing workflow and directing traffic using highly visible floor marking.
Article 34 of the Italian constitution establishes the principle of the right of individual citizens to higher education, irrespective of financial means. Public education is free and compulsory from six to fifteen years of age in the country. The education system in Italy is divided into five phases: kindergarten, primary school, lower secondary school, upper secondary school, and university. Italy Education at Primary Level Education in Italy is compulsory at the primary level which starts at the age of six. However, it can be preceded by three years of pre-school nursery training. In this system, students between the ages of six to eleven are provided free education and textbooks in public schools. The students following such education in Italy are awarded the Diploma di Licenza Della Scuola Elementare. The main subjects taught in the system include English, Italian, Mathematics, Biology, Geology, History, Geography, Social Studies, Physical Education, and Visual and Musical Arts. Italy Education in Lower Secondary Schools The secondary school system is divided into two categories, lower secondary school, and upper secondary school. The lower secondary schools correspond to the Middle School grades, while the upper secondary school parallels the High School level. The subjects taught at the primary level are taught at a much-advanced level with the addition of technology and natural sciences.
ROME―Patients don’t visit endoscopy clinics because of flu symptoms, but as a healthcare provider, it’s still important to be aware of potential pandemics, especially for illnesses as serious as avian flu. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today urged heightened readiness and surveillance against a possible major resurgence of the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza. This warning is amid signs that a mutant strain of the deadly avian influenza virus is spreading in Asia and beyond, with unpredictable risks to human health. The H5N1 virus has infected 565 people since it first appeared in 2003, killing 331 of them, according to figures from the World Health Organization (WHO). The latest death occurred earlier this month in Cambodia, which has registered eight cases of human infection this year―all of them fatal. Since 2003 H5N1 has killed or forced the culling of more than 400 million domestic poultry and caused an estimated $20 billion of economic damage across the globe before it was eliminated from most of the 63 countries infected at its peak in 2006. However, the virus remained endemic in six nations, although the number of outbreaks in domestic poultry and wild bird populations shrank steadily from an annual peak of 4,000 to just 302 in mid-2008. But outbreaks have risen progressively since, with almost 800 cases recorded in 2010-2011. At the same time, 2008 marked the beginning of renewed geographic expansion of the H5N1 virus both in poultry and wild birds. The advance appears to be associated with migratory bird movements, according to FAO chief veterinary officer Juan Lubroth. He said migrations help the virus travel over long distances, so that H5N1 has in the past 24 months shown up in poultry or wild birds in countries that had been virus-free for several years. "Wild birds may introduce the virus, but peoples' actions in poultry production and marketing spread it," Lubroth said. Recently affected areas are to be found in Israel and the Palestinian territories, Bulgaria, Romania, Nepal and Mongolia. A further cause for concern, Lubroth said, is the appearance in China and Viet Nam of a variant virus apparently able to sidestep the defences provided by existing vaccines.In Vietnam, which suspended its springtime poultry vaccination campaign this year, most of the northern and central parts of the country―where H5N1 is endemic―have been invaded by the new virus strain, known as H5N1― 18.104.22.168. Vietnam's veterinary services are on high alert and reportedly considering a novel, targeted vaccination campaign this fall. Virus circulation in Vietnam poses a direct threat to Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia as well as endangering the Korean peninsula and Japan further afield. Wild bird migration can also spread the virus to other continents. "The general departure from the progressive decline observed in 2004-2008 could mean that there will be a flareup of H5N1 this fall and winter, with people unexpectedly finding the virus in their backyard," Lubroth said. The countries where H5N1 is still firmly entrenched―Bangladesh, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia and Vietnam―are likely to face the biggest problems but no country can consider itself safe, he said. "Preparedness and surveillance remain essential," Lubroth said. "This is no time for complacency. No one can let their guard down with H5N1."
The Australian is a very thick person, and hardness of the native skull is brought home to the European, who for the first time sees him using his head, as we sometimes use the thigh, to break obstinate pieces of stick across. I have seen them thus splinter tough boughs of nearly the thickness of a policeman's truncheon! Next to this extraordinary hardness of cranium the extreme dexterity with which they use their feet would excite the surprise of the observant white man. They will pick up anything from the ground as readily with their toes as we can with the hands; and as for climbing, they will "swarm up" a tree, a hundred feet high, in as smart a manner as an English sailor mounts the rigging of a ship. Nor does it matter to the climber whether the trunk of a tree is slender enough for him to embrace it or not. I have seen black fellows literally walk up a big tree by throwing a kind of lasso round it, and across their shoulders, and then lying well back, twisting the rope of vegetable fibre higher and higher as they ascend until in the giddy height they land safely among the boughs at the top. With all his physical strength, however, the poor Australian savage is but a short lived being. Not only are there no centenarians among them, but Englishmen, who have studied the natives attentively for a lifetime, have assured me that it is extremely rare for a black man to attain the age of fifty. The women age at a very early period of life, and little wonder. Moreover, with out wishing to be ungallant or hypercritical, I may say that any living being more repulsive, than the average old "gin", can scarcely exist on the face of a globe.
More about the Research Marine Mammal Hearing Research with Dr. Darlene Ketten Dr. Darlene Ketten uses computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), along with traditional physical dissections, to get detailed information about the hearing structures of animals. In the image below, Dr. Ketten is preparing a harbor porpoise for a CT scan. Dr. Darlene Ketten prepares a harbor porpoise for a CT scan. Photo by Tom Kleindinst, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. She often also performs a dissection of the animal to obtain microscopic details about the hearing structures. Dr. Ketten (right) and assistant Sarah Marsh prepare to dissect a harbor porpoise. Photo by Tom Kleindinst, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Dr. Ketten combined the data she collected from the CT scan, the MRI image, and the dissection to create a three-dimensional model of the harbor porpoise's head. With these data, she is able to hypothesize about what and how the animals hear. The combined data obtained for a harbor porpoise are shown in this image. Four cross-sectional views of the head were obtained from a MRI and are shown in orange. A 3D reconstruction of the same animal's skull was created from a CT scan and is shown in gray in the middle of the image. By combining the data from the MRI and CT scan, the position of each cross-sectional view along the animal's head can be shown, as indicated by the yellow arrows and boxes. Image by Dr. Darlene Ketten, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Cystoscopy may be done to: - Find the cause of symptoms such as blood in the urine (hematuria), painful urination (dysuria), urinary incontinence, urinary frequency or hesitancy, an inability to pass urine (retention), or a sudden and overwhelming need to urinate (urgency). - Find the cause of problems of the urinary tract, such as frequent, repeated urinary tract infections or urinary tract infections that do not respond to treatment. - Look for problems in the urinary tract, such as blockage in the urethra caused by an enlarged prostate,kidney stones, or tumors. - Evaluate problems that cannot be seen on X-ray or to further investigate problems detected by ultrasound or during intravenous pyelography, such as kidney stones or tumors. - Remove tissue samples for biopsy. - Remove foreign objects. - Place ureteral catheters (stents) to help urine flow from the kidneys to the bladder. - Treat urinary tract problems. For example, cystoscopy can be done to remove urinary tract stones or growths, treat bleeding in the bladder, relieve blockages in the urethra, or treat or remove tumors. - Place a catheter in the ureter for an X-ray test called retrograde pyelography. A dye that shows up on an X-ray picture is injected through the catheter to fill and outline the ureter and the inside of the kidney. Reference link: Health Library: Cystoscopy For additional questions, schedule a consultation with Dr. Diner by calling (727) 824-7146
Only about one in every six Americans who have ever been overweight or obese loses weight and maintains that loss, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. While that number is larger than most weight-loss clinical trials report, the majority of Americans are still unable to lose weight and keep it off. Identifying those who lose weight and successfully maintain that loss may aid health professionals in developing approaches to help others maintain weight loss, the researchers say. Two-thirds of the United States adult population is overweight, defined as a body mass index (BMI) of at least 25, or obese, a BMI of at least 30. Obesity rates, which doubled between 1980 and 2004, increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. The recommendation is often to lose at least 5 to 10 percent of initial body weight with these conditions. Weight loss and weight maintenance programs need significant changes in their effectiveness and availability to affect these numbers, note the researchers. "It is important for health professionals to understand the true prevalence of long-term weight loss, as it may help to change the underlying beliefs and influence clinical practice," said Jennifer Kraschnewski, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of medicine and public health sciences. "Studies have shown that physicians may not believe offering weight loss advice and counseling is a worthwhile activity in clinical practice. An awareness of our findings may encourage health professionals to pursue weight loss counseling for overweight patients." Previously, data came from either published clinical trials or the National Weight-Control Registry, comprised only of those able to lose at least 30 pounds and keep it off for a year. The registry does not represent the entire population, so it is not useful for providing estimates of long-term weight loss in the country. Penn State College of Medicine researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999-2006, a nationwide survey evaluating the health and nutrition of a representative portion of the population. Participants of this survey self-reported weight status and history. Researchers calculated BMI for each individual and determined if they achieved 5, 10, 15 or 20 percent long-term (long than one year) weight loss maintenance. The sample included 14,306 people: 52.3 percent men and 47.7 women. One-third stated a current goal of losing weight, with 82.6 percent classified as overweight or obese. Thirty-six percent of the sample had maintained a weight loss of at least 5 percent of their initial body weight. This is a higher rate than clinical trials, which have shown only 10 to 20 percent of individuals able to maintain a loss of at least five percent. This difference may be that while those who participate in clinical trials are a selected population, the numbers in the current study include unintentional weight loss, or the current study captures temporary weight gain that is typically lost at specific instances, such as the so-called "freshman 15." In the sample, women, adults age 75 to 84, non-Hispanic whites and those with less than a high school education showed stronger longer-term weight management. "Identifying a significant percentage of the population that is succeeding in some weight loss may be an important target population for weight maintenance programs," Kraschnewski said. "Although the amounts lost are modest, if a substantial number of individuals achieved such losses, it would have a significant public health effect. Particularly, those individuals who have lost at least five percent and kept it off -- one in three Americans who have ever been overweight -- may represent a unique opportunity to reach a target population who has had some success but could benefit from greater weight loss efforts." Other key findings of this study: Researchers published their findings in the International Journal of Obesity. Other members of the research team are Jarol Boan, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor of medicine, Christopher Sciamanna, M.D.,M.P.H, professor of medicine and public health sciences, and Jolene Esposito, research coordinator, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, all from Penn State College of Medicine; Nancy.E. Sherwood, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota and HealthPartners Research Foundation; Erik Lehman, M.S., biostatistician, Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine; Donna Kephart, M.H.A., senior instructor, Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine. AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Pronunciation: (hand'rī"ting), [key] 1. writing done with a pen or pencil in the hand; script. 2. a style or manner of writing by hand, esp. that which characterizes a particular person; penmanship: an eccentric handwriting. 3. a handwritten document; manuscript. 4. handwriting on the wall, a premonition, portent, or clear indication, esp. of failure or disaster: The company had ignored the handwriting on the wall and was plunged into bankruptcy. Also,writing on the wall. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
This resource guide shows how to develop inter-agency protocols to support families in which parents have additional needs related to physical and/or sensory impairments, learning disabilities, mental health, drug and alcohol-related problems or serious illnesses. Booklet providing information and advice for employers on drawing up alcohol and drugs policies for their organisations to help alleviate problems such as employee absenteeism and lost productivity. This site aims to raise awareness and understanding of substance misuse, the problems it creates and the ways to deal with these problems. It provides a portal for news on drug and alcohol misuse, from worldwide news media and professional sources; original articles on key issues, personal stories, project profiles, recommended books; and customised content for the general public, practitioners and problem users. The government’s updated alcohol strategy, Safe, Sensible, Social aims to reduce the number of under-18s who drink and the amount they drink. But Alcohol Concern found that many children are being openly influenced by alcohol advertising during their favourite programmes, as explained by Don Shenker in this article. Report analysing early-life experiences, key issues and trajectories which lead some people into social exclusion and complex needs and using these insights to determine how such people can be better helped. Report assessing the validity of Scottish survey data on alcohol consumption and attempting to explain the apparent discrepancy between survey and non-survey indicators of drinking. It also attempts to make definitive statements about drinking trends over the past decade and makes recommendations for improving Scottish survey data on alcohol. This toolkit is intended to provide guidance to Alcohol and Drugs Partnership (ADP) in operating in an outcomes based environment and to support working relationships with local partners and service providers. This toolkit is intended to assist ADPs to identify local priority outcomes relating to alcohol and drugs. Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Aware UK is a voluntary group set up to raise awareness, give informed choice and provide information for people affected by FAS. Information is available on an accredited course available via distance learning programme which is “designed to increase recognition and appropriate care of children who have been adversely affected by prenatal exposure to alcohol.” The website also provides links to critical and important documents relating to FAS, access to poster and marketing materials, details of conferences and events, and links to related websites. There is increasing evidence that substance misuse among British adolescents is escalating (Miller & Plant, 1996; Sutherland & Willner, 1998). Swadi (1992) found that, among adolescents aged 12–17 years referred to mental health services, the prevalence of drug use was 13.1% (16.3% among boys and 9.3% among girls). Leaflet offering information and advice on the links between alcohol and depression, safe drinking patterns and sources of help and support for those experiencing problems with alcohol misuse.
The historical background in brief 1.1. In January 1997, Miss Marion Margaret Campbell Ross was found dead in her home in Kilmarnock, Scotland. The murder investigation team included, for a few days, a detective constable, Ms Shirley McKie, then known as DC Cardwell. 1.2. Scene of crime examinations carried out in the course of the investigation into Miss Ross's murder yielded 428 fingerprints and these were examined by the fingerprint bureau of the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO) in Glasgow. 1.3. SCRO identified one of the fingermarks in Miss Ross's house, Y7, as having been made by Ms McKie. A mark on a gift tag in the house, XF, was identified as having been made by Mr David Asbury. Part of a mark on a tin of money in his home, QI2, was identified as having been made by Miss Ross. 1.4. Mr Asbury was prosecuted for the murder of Miss Ross, and convicted in June 1997, with fingerprint evidence being part of the prosecution case.1 1.5. During Mr Asbury's trial, although there were disputes about the provenance of certain fingerprints with suggestions of planting being made, no issue arose with any of the identifications made by SCRO. Ms McKie was one of the many witnesses and she gave evidence about her involvement in the murder investigation. She was asked about the fingerprint attributed to her. She did not accept that it was hers, as she denied being in the house beyond the porch.2 1.6. Following the murder trial, Ms McKie was prosecuted for the crime of perjury on the basis that she had lied while giving evidence on oath. At her trial in 1999, American fingerprint experts, Mr Pat Wertheim and Mr David Grieve, disputed the identification of Y7. The jury unanimously found Ms McKie not guilty. 1.7. The case had attracted media attention. After her acquittal Ms McKie's father, Mr Iain McKie, raised in correspondence with the Scottish authorities a number of issues concerning the prosecution of his daughter and the expertise and conduct of those on whose fingerprint evidence the prosecution relied. In the years that followed he conducted a campaign through the media, members of Parliament and others to address what he saw as failings in the justice system that were not being addressed and the case featured globally on the internet. 1.8. In early 2000, the case was given added publicity in two television programmes. In these, doubt was cast not only on the identification of Y7 as having been made by Ms McKie, but also on the identification of QI2 as having been made in part by Miss Ross. 1.9. Over the following months various enquiries were carried out by the police and other public authorities. Experts from Holland, Norway and Denmark were involved and their work resulted in doubts being raised about other marks connected with the two cases. 1.10. The first of these enquiries was by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland (HMCICS), William Taylor, who carried out an inspection of the SCRO fingerprint bureau. His emerging findings were made public in June 2000 and the then Minister for Justice, Jim Wallace,3 informed the Scottish Parliament that Ms McKie's fingerprint had been misidentified and that the bureau was not fully effective and efficient.4 1.11. The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) established two review teams. One was a Change Management Review Team and the other, led by the then Deputy Chief Constable of Tayside Police, James Mackay, was a detailed investigation of the circumstances surrounding the fingerprint identification. The Lord Advocate, Colin Boyd Q.C.,5 appointed the then Regional Procurator Fiscal for North Strathclyde, William Gilchrist,6 to inquire into allegations by Mr McKie of criminal conduct on the part of fingerprint officers in SCRO. Four SCRO fingerprint officers were suspended on a precautionary basis, and two were moved to non-operational duties. 1.12. In August 2000 a meeting of experts to discuss the identification of Y7 was held at Tulliallan, the Scottish Police College. Mr Taylor's report on the SCRO fingerprint bureau was published in September7 and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMICS) also inspected the entire SCRO. The Mackay report was submitted to Mr Gilchrist and the Change Management Review Team published its report.8 The Court of Criminal Appeal released Mr Asbury from prison pending the hearing of an appeal against his conviction. The Crown did not oppose the application. 1.13. All SCRO identifications over 13 months from June 2000 were independently checked. Historical cases involving the four officers who had been suspended were also examined. No errors were found. 1.14. In 2001, HMICS published its report on the Scottish Criminal Record Office, considering it to be efficient and effective taken as a whole.9 The Scottish Fingerprint Service (SFS) was established as a centrally managed organisation operating from four locations, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Mr Gilchrist reported to the Lord Advocate. Neither the Mackay nor the Gilchrist reports were published. The Lord Advocate intimated that no criminal proceedings were to be taken against the fingerprint officers. 1.15. Ms McKie began civil proceedings against the Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police (on the manner of her arrest) and against SCRO and its officers. Strathclyde Joint Police Board, the employers of the fingerprint officers, appointed an 'independent investigating officer', Mr James Black, to investigate whether there were grounds for disciplinary action on the basis of conduct or capability and report to a scrutiny committee. 1.16. In 2002, the Court of Session dismissed Ms McKie's action against Strathclyde Police.10 The Black report concluded that no matters of misconduct or lack of capability had taken place in the work surrounding Y7 and QI2, and the scrutiny committee recommended that the Board reinstate the four suspended SCRO officers and return the other two to operational duties.11 The Crown did not oppose Mr Asbury's appeal and his conviction was quashed. Calls began to be made for a public inquiry. 1.17. In 2003, Ms McKie's appeal against the dismissal of her civil claim against Strathclyde Police was dismissed.12 Her claim for compensation was now against Scottish Ministers as vicariously liable for any wrongs committed by officials of SCRO. When the action was commenced she alleged (in short) that the SCRO examiners had "negligently, or recklessly, or deliberately" stated and maintained an erroneous identification of Y7.13 The Court of Session ruled that there should be a hearing of evidence.14 In 2004, the basis of Ms McKie's claim was narrowed to an allegation that the SCRO examiners had acted maliciously. 1.18. HMICS published in 2005 its Primary Inspection report of 2004 on SCRO.15 In July 2005 the Scottish Ministers announced that they would admit that the SCRO examiners had made a mistake in identifying Y7 as Ms McKie's print and that they would enter into negotiations to settle the civil case. 1.19. In 2006 on the morning of 7 February, the day on which the hearing of evidence was to begin, the case was settled on the basis of a payment of £750,000 to Ms McKie with no admission of liability. The only ruling by the court was as to costs.16 The then First Minister, Jack McConnell, told the Scottish Parliament that the identification of Y7 was an honest mistake, but it became evident that neither Ms McKie and her father, nor the SCRO officers, believed this to be the case.17 1.20. The newspaper 'Scotland on Sunday' published articles in February 2006 based on information from the Mackay report that it had obtained.18 The Justice Minister instructed preparation of a plan for the development of the SFS as an integrated part of a new Scottish Forensic Science Service, which was published as the 'Action Plan for Excellence'. The Scottish Parliament decided, following debate, that action needed to be taken to restore confidence in the SFS but a public inquiry was not appropriate.19 It passed legislation which included provision for the creation of a Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA).20 1.21. The Scottish Parliament's Justice 1 Committee began a parliamentary inquiry whose purpose was to contribute to the process of restoring public confidence in the SFS. It took evidence from many individuals, including the SCRO fingerprint officers and practitioners who disagreed with them. 1.22. In February 2007 the Justice 1 Committee published its report. It was not part of its remit to give a view on whether Y7 was correctly identified or not but it highlighted the "widely divergent professional opinions" and, more broadly, considered that the SFS faced considerable challenges to become a recognised centre of excellence, recommending that the Action Plan be strengthened in the areas of leadership and management, human resources, procedures and quality assurance.21 1.23. Five of the SCRO fingerprint examiners left SFS employment in March 2007 on agreed terms. One did not agree a settlement and later appealed her dismissal. They continue to maintain that their identifications are correct. 1.24. In April 2007 SCRO and the other bureaux in the SFS became part of the SPSA. On 24 August 2007 the Scottish Government indicated that it would be setting up an Inquiry into the Shirley McKie case,22 and, as noted in the Preface, the establishment of this Inquiry was announced in March 2008.23 The fingerprints of relevance to the Inquiry 1.25. In this Report the word 'mark' is normally used for a fingerprint that is found in the course of an investigation, and 'print' for a fingerprint that is taken from a known individual, usually in controlled conditions such as at a police station. Y7, QI2, QD2, QE2, QL2, XF 1.26. The Inquiry's terms of reference highlighted Y7 but in referring also to "the fingerprints associated with, and leading up to, the case of HM Advocate v McKie" the remit was understood to embrace other marks, and I decided that the following were relevant: Why the marks were relevant 1.27. The identifications of Y7, QI2 (Ross), and QD2, as belonging to Ms McKie, Miss Ross and Mr Asbury respectively, had all come to be disputed, and the view had been expressed that QI2 (Asbury), QE2 and QL2, all identified as belonging to Mr Asbury, were of insufficient quality for such determinations. 1.28. XF was included because it had been an important mark in the trial in HMA v Asbury and, though the identification had not been disputed, I wished to confirm that there was no room for doubt. It emerged that questions were raised by Mr Wertheim about the authenticity of the mark.24 Mark not pursued: Z7 1.29. Z7 was a partial palm print. It was found at the same time as Y7 and can be seen in the same images25 immediately below Y7 on the door-frame. SCRO records indicate that it was set aside by Mr Alister Geddes, one of the SCRO fingerprint examiners, as fragmentary and insufficient26 and therefore it was not included in the productions prepared for court. The Inquiry's initial interest in this palm print lay in the possibility that it might have been linked to Y7 and, if so, might assist in ascertaining whether Y7 was made by a left thumb (as SCRO concluded) or another digit. In the event Z7 was not pursued in the comparative exercise or at the hearings in part because it had not featured in the preceding debate and was not raised as an issue by any of the parties to the Inquiry and also because the debate about Y7 among the witnesses turned more on the observed details in the mark than on the question whether it was considered to have the pattern of a thumb print. 1.30. To eliminate any doubt I asked the Metropolitan Police to examine Z7. The Metropolitan Police assigned the task to three fingerprint examiners and reported that Z7 contained insufficient detail for search or comparison purposes and was not associated with Y7.27 The mark Y7 1.31. Y7 was found on a painted wooden frame surrounding the door into the bathroom where Miss Ross's body was found. Viewed from the hall, Y7 was on the right hand side of the entrance to the bathroom. It was about 5 feet28 above ground level on the inside face of the door-frame.29 1.32. The Inquiry obtained copies of two photographs taken in the house with the door-frame in place.30 Figures 1 and 2, prepared for the Inquiry, illustrate the part of the door-frame on which Y7 was found with door open and door closed.31 1.33. The mark was measured by Dr Stephen Bleay, of the Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HOSDB), as being at its longest point 16.5mm and its widest 9.5mm32 and is shown, actual size, in figure 3.33 1.34. The door-frame on which Y7 was deposited was seized by the police and removed from the scene but is still available for examination and I was therefore able to view it. Seen in its natural state Y7 was not uniform in appearance. Part of it was more prominent, a darker oval occupying about two-thirds of its area, and the remainder fainter. The contrast is best seen in one of Dr Bleay's photographs in his initial report.34 1.35. In evidence to the Inquiry Mr Geoffrey Grigg of the National Policing Improvement Agency35 drew attention to the unusual outline of the mark on its right side where the bottom of the mark steps out from the line of the upper part as shown in an image in one of Dr Bleay's reports.36 Mr Grigg's explanation that this reflected the contours of a groove in the wood was confirmed by experiments with different light sources carried out by Dr Bleay37 and the groove can be seen in Dr Bleay's images d and e in Figure 4 in Dr Bleay's report.38 The groove had been mentioned by Mr Arie Zeelenberg and Mr Torger Rudrud, Heads of the National Fingerprint Service in the Netherlands and Norway respectively, in their report for HMCICS dated 28 June 200039 and it was accepted as the explanation for the outline of the mark by Mr Robert Mackenzie, Deputy Head of the SCRO Fingerprint Bureau, in his report of 29 August 2000.40 1.36. The mark has been photographed on at least seven occasions: In the photographs taken after March 1997 there is a striation across the middle of the mark which Dr Bleay suggested may have been caused by string tied around the exhibit to attach a label to it.45 1.37. Ms McKie's prints have been taken on at least six occasions: 1.38. The SCRO examiners who initially identified the mark Y7 as having been made by the left thumb of Ms McKie did so by reference to a photographic image of mark Y753 and the police fingerprint form from Ms McKie dated 6 February 1997.54 The Inquiry had the originals of these materials and used the available negatives to obtain reproductions of the images of the mark used by SCRO. 1.39. Y7 featured in the prosecutions in both HMA v Asbury and HMA v McKie. The Inquiry had the productions that were prepared by SCRO fingerprint examiners for the trials which included enlargements prepared by them to illustrate their conclusion (Productions 152,55 18056 and 18957 ). The cluster of marks QI2 1.40. QI2, a cluster of marks, was found on a small metal tin containing money. The tin had been seized from the home of David Asbury. Part of QI2 was identified as the right forefinger of Miss Ross and part as the right middle finger of Mr Asbury. During the Inquiry the parts of the marks came to be referred to as 'QI2 Ross' and 'QI2 Asbury'. 1.41. The tin, which is house-shaped and overprinted with a multicoloured design, is approximately 12.5 cm long x 8 cm wide x 7.3 cm high. As can be seen from the photograph at figure 4,58 the cluster QI2 was found on an end which featured a scene with a horse drawn tram. QI2 was at the top left of the picture of the tram and some of the underlying detailing of the tram (including the steps, the handrail and the facia) comes through in the mark. The mark is shown, actual size, in figure 5.59 1.42. Marks QI2 Ross and QI2 Asbury featured in the evidence in the trial of Mr Asbury but not in the trial of Ms McKie. 1.43. Prints were taken twice from Miss Ross's body at the mortuary, on 1060 and 23 January 1997,61 and the Inquiry had the two original sets. It was the print form dated 10 January 1997 that was used by the SCRO examiners who initially identified QI2 Ross. 1.44. The Inquiry had the original of the image of QI2 studied by them62 and the negative of that image. Reproductions were obtained from the negative and, in addition, the Metropolitan Police provided the Inquiry with high resolution scanned copies of the original image. 1.45. QI2 Ross was the subject of a joint report by the SCRO examiners Mr Hugh MacPherson, Mr Charles Stewart, Ms Fiona McBride and Mr Anthony McKenna that was Production 10163 in HMA v Asbury. Part of the mark was certified as that of Miss Ross under reference to the 16 points in the charted enlargement in Production 99. The Inquiry recovered only relatively poor photocopies of Production 99.64 XF, QI2 Asbury and various other Q marks 1.46. XF, QI2 Asbury, QD2, QE2 and QL2 were marks identified as having been made by Mr Asbury. They were all included in the same joint report in HMA v Asbury65 and the Inquiry had the original of the accompanying Production 9866 which contained photographic images of the marks and a charted enlargement for XF but not for the other marks. 1.47. The Inquiry recovered only what appeared to be colour photocopies of the fingerprints of Mr Asbury, not the inked originals. These were three charge/arrest forms all dated 26 January 1997.67 1.48. XF was identified as the right forefinger of Mr Asbury. It is shown in figure 6.68 The Inquiry had the original image of XF used by SCRO when the mark was first identified,69 and the corresponding negative, from which paper and digital copies were reproduced for use by the Inquiry. 1.49. QI2 Asbury. The QI2 cluster is described above. As regards the part attributed to Mr Asbury, the Inquiry had the original of the image studied by the SCRO examiners who initially identified the print, the same photograph as was used in the identification of QI2 Ross.70 During the Inquiry Ms McBride outlined, on an enlargement, the part of the mark attributed to Mr Asbury71 and this is shown in figure 7. The Inquiry had a second original image of QI272 and also had the negatives of those images. 1.50. QD2 was identified as the right little finger of Mr Asbury. The banknote on which it was found no longer exists.73 The Inquiry had only photocopies of the original image that the SCRO examiners used in their comparison and on which they wrote their findings in manuscript. The Inquiry had the different photographic original of mark QD2 contained in Production 98 and the negatives of that image, from which copies were reproduced. 1.51. QE2 and QL2, along with QI2, were among a batch of eight marks (QE2-QL2) found on the tin. QE2 was on the lid and QL2 on the base. The Inquiry had the original photographs of both QE274 and QL275 that the SCRO examiners examined on which they wrote their findings in manuscript. The Inquiry also had the images of those marks that were included in Production 98.76 1. A note about the investigation and prosecution of crime in Scotland is at Appendix 7. 2. CO_0215 HMA v Asbury - police observer's report 3. Now Lord Wallace of Tankerness 4. Scottish Parliament Official Report 22 June 2000 Col 681 5. Now Lord Boyd of Duncansby 6. Now Sheriff Gilchrist 7. Scottish Criminal Record Office - The Fingerprint Bureau Primary Inspection 2000, a report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, published on 14 September 2000. This was a report on the fingerprint bureau only - SG_0375. The next HMICS report was on the entire SCRO. 9. SCRO 2000 Primary Inspection, published on 24 May 2001, URL: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/hmic/docs/scro2rev00-00.asp Follow-up reports: HMICS Second Year Review of SCRO 2000 Primary Inspection, published on 13 December 2001 - SG_0842; HMICS Third Year Review of SCRO 2000, published on 22 May 2003, URL: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/public-safety/Police/local/15403/publications/7442-1 (a review of both the 2000 report on the bureau and the 2000 Primary Inspection). 10. Lord Emslie: http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/opinions/A3254_00.html Feb 02 12. Extra Division of the Inner House of the Court of Session: http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/opinions/A3254.html Feb 03 13. SG_0014 pdf pages 5-6 14. Lord Wheatley: http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/opinions/A4960.html Dec 03 15. Scottish Criminal Record Office Primary Inspection 2004, a report by Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary published on 17 March 2005, URL: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/03/20826/54258. Follow-up report (Eighteen Month Review Inspection): Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary (2006) SCRO Review Inspection 2006 published on 15 December 2006, URL: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/12/07094448/0 16. Lord Hodge: http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/opinions/2006CSOH54.html Mar 06 17. Scottish Parliament Official Report 9 February 2006 Col 23240. Scottish Parliament Justice 1 Committee 3rd Report, 2007 (Session 2) Inquiry into the Scottish Criminal Record Office and the Scottish Fingerprint Service, SP Paper 743 Edinburgh RR Donnelly, 2007, paras 12-14 18. Also, on 3 May 2006, an excerpt from the report and two accompanying documents were published on the BBC website. 19. Scottish Parliament Official Report 8 March 2006 Col 23783. Scottish Parliament Justice 1 Committee 3rd Report, 2007 (Session 2) Inquiry into the Scottish Criminal Record Office and the Scottish Fingerprint Service, para 18. 20. Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006, asp 10, HMSO, 2006 21. Scottish Parliament Justice 1 Committee 3rd Report, 2007 (Session 2) Inquiry into the Scottish Criminal Record Office and the Scottish Fingerprint Service; Justice 1 Committee news release on report into the Scottish Criminal Record Office and the Scottish Fingerprint Service 15 February 2007, URL: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/nmCentre/news/news-comm-07/cj107-002.htm 22. Scottish Government 2007 Reporting on 100 Days: Moving Scotland Forward, URL: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/08/23162100/2 23. Scottish Parliament Written Answer 14 March 2008 (S3W-10920) URL: http://thefingerprintinquiryscotland.org.uk/inquiry/76.48.html 24. FI_0130 pdf page 15 Mr Wertheim Phase 1 Comparative Exercise and FI_0118 Inquiry Statement of Mr Wertheim. See chapter 27 25. PS_0002h and PS_0001h 26. FI_0031 para 110 Inquiry Witness Statement of Mr Geddes and DB_0003 29. It was roughly in the position indicated by the blue arrow in the image FI_0910.03. 30. CO_0345 pdf page189 (images of the mark are on pdf page 188). (One of the images from page 189 is shown alongside a close-up of the mark in FI_2710.04.) 31. FI_2432 - 'axonometric views' 32. EA_0069 pdf page 21 - Report of Dr Bleay dated 4 March 2009 34. EA_0067.006 from EA_0067 pdf page 6 35. Mr Grigg 29 September pages 27-28. The NPIA was formerly known as the National Training Centre for Scientific Support to Crime Investigation. 36. EA_0164.001 from EA_0164 pdf page 1 37. EA_0164 and Dr Bleay 16 November pages 148-150 38. EA_0164.005 from EA_0164 pdf page 5 39. AZ_0022 para 10.1 40. CO_0063 pdf page 2 41. e.g. TS_0006 42. e.g. DB_0172h 43. Now the NPIA 44. e.g. EA_0067.006; he also produced images from an original negative e.g. EA_0035 45. EA_0067 pdf page 5. The presence of this striation is discussed in Chapter 11 para 42ff. 58. EA_0067.007 from EA_0067 pdf page 7 64. CO_0207h and SG_0131h 67. SG_0349h (marked "inaccurate"), SG_0350h and SG_0351h 73. EA_0067 pdf page 9
Test Your SoilIf you plant directly into the ground (as opposed to raised beds or containers) it is recommended to first test your soil. Planting seeds in depleted soil is something like trying to paint a masterpiece on a dusty canvas, or hoping to cook up a delicious soup made from a tasteless stock. Before you do anything else in your garden, you want to determine the quality of your soil so that you can build a thriving foundation for your garden. Meanwhile, you can pat yourself on the back for your contributions to your backyard ecosystem - cultivating your own fertile soil from year to year is a gift to the land and to the environment. It's also easy. Contact your local county extension office to locate a soil test lab in your area. A standard soil test to determine pH levels and nutrient content is around $9. You can also run tests that will provide you with broader results, such as biological activity and soil structure. As an alternative, affordable test-kits can be purchased at garden stores or online (note that there is a margin of error with the do-it-yourself kits). When using either method, simply follow the instructions, making sure to sample different areas of your garden plot. Standard results provide you with helpful information, including: - Nutritional information: Think “balanced diet” – plants also require an array of nutrients to maintain good health. The main ingredients in well-balanced soil are phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. - pH: All soil can be applied to a pH scale – the measurement of acidity or alkalinity. A pH of zero is highly acidic (battery acid), and a pH of 14 is highly alkaline (lye). Neutral soil, at a pH of 7 and the equivalent pH of distilled water, is ideal for most plants in your garden. Once you know what you’re working with, you may add in some soil amendments. Note that compost is a great supplement for any soil. Troubleshooting. If your garden is in an urban area or adjacent to an old building and you plan to plant directly in the ground, it is required to test your soil for lead and other metals. Contact your local county extension office for more information – they can tell you where to send the sample to be tested. Otherwise, purchase soil for use in containers and/or raised beds instead.
University of Idaho Solarization is a simple nonchemical technique that captures radiant heat energy from the sun. This energy causes physical, chemical, and biological changes in the soil. These changes lead to control or suppression of soilborne plant pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, nematodes, and pests along with weed seed and seedlings. How to Solarize Soil The area to be solarized should be level and free of debris and large clods. The soil should be watered if the soil is dry. The soil should not be saturated but have the crumbly damp look that the soil would have at planting. Place clear plastic over the soil surface and bury the edges in a foot deep trench. The plastic can be clear construction grade plastic and vary in thickness from 1 to 6 mils. The thinner plastic (1-2 mils) will allow better soil heating since it will reflect less solar energy. The plastic should be left in place for 4-6 weeks. Solarization is most effective when done in June and July. However, depending on your geographic location, solarization may also be effective in May, August, and September. Links to Other Sites With Information on Soil Solarization RETURN TO HOME GARDEN PAGE RETURN TO ID. PLT. DIS. RPTR. MAIN PAGE (without adding frame) RETURN TO ID. PLT. DIS. RPTR. MAIN PAGE (with frames)
The Kansai Airport was conceived as an organic complex shaped by the circulatory flows of passengers and air. The building, which sits on a mile–long man–made island in the Bay of Osaka, incorporates a central volume running the length of the island, flanked by two transverse wings. This central corridor, lined with plantings, guides one hundred thousand passengers a day through the terminal from the land–facing side of the island to the runways, continuously orienting them relative to their surroundings through views to the outside. Pictured here is a study model for a structural truss that spans the length of the terminal's central spine. Streams of air are a major conceptual force in the formal articulation of the terminal. Ventilation air is channeled passively from the passenger entry through to the runways by a suspended skin that wraps the underside of the structure, eliminating the need for enclosed air ducts. The roof's form emerged from intensive studies of the flow of air currents through the building; topological geometries never before applied to architecture were used to define its complex curvature. The terminal's fluid structural form merges cutting–edge technology with nature in a synthesized whole.

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