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Researchers recognize obscure clinical manifestation of severe vomiting sickness due to chronic abuse of marijuana.
Its is recognized by Dr. Sontineni and his colleagues at the Creighton University of Omaha, NE, was published on March 14, 2009 World Journal of Gastroenterology.
Recent research into the neurobiology of cannabis has led to the identification of different receptor types including two specific types that mediate neuropsychiatric and immunologic effects.
According to Dr. Sontineni, doctors and health care workers currently under recognize the syndrome leading to delayed diagnosis and expensive diagnostic investigations. Increasing consistent use of marijuana among United States populations, particularly young people, over several years will see a steady rise in the number of cases diagnosed each year.
The syndrome was first recognized in Australia around the Adelaide hills. The exact mechanism leading to generation of these symptoms, why it appears only after several years of marijuana abuse and why compulsive hot showering behavior relieves the symptoms is still under scientific investigation.
The recognition of this novel syndrome and increasing physician awareness is supported by the Department of Medicine at Creighton University Medical Center. Similarly, scientists and doctors at other institutions worldwide are beginning to identify more cases with this new syndrome as a result of chronic marijuana abuse among populations.
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Joe Romm for ThinkProgress: Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems have seen explosive growth because of their stunning 99 percent price drop in the past quarter century. As a result, the other form of solar power — concentrating solar thermal power (CSP) — is a small fraction of the solar market. But the International Energy Agency (IEA) says CSP has a very bright future too because it enables cheap, efficient storage, which allows CSP plants to provide electricity long after the sun has set. According to the IEA’s 2014 CSP Technology Roadmap, 11 percent of global electricity will be generated by concentrating solar thermal power in 2050. Cont'd...
A new study has mapped out a potential plan for the United States to completely transition to clean, renewable energy by 2050. According to the research study leader Mark Z. Jacobson, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford, the process would demand significant upfront costs, but over time would be roughly equal to the costs of maintaining the fossil fuel infrastructure currently in place. “When you account for the health and climate costs – as well as the rising price of fossil fuels – wind, water and solar are half the cost of conventional systems,” Jacobson said. “A conversion of this scale would also create jobs, stabilize fuel prices, reduce pollution-related health problems and eliminate emissions from the United States. There is very little downside to a conversion, at least based on this science.” Among the positives of switching to clean energy: reducing air pollution in the U.S. that is responsible for approximately 63,000 Americans each year, and eliminating greenhouse gases produced by fossil fuel that would cost the world approximately $3.3 trillion per year by 2050, per a phys.org report.
Stephen Edelstein for Motor Authority: Tesla Motors may be the first automaker to try selling standalone battery packs for powering homes and businesses, but it may not be the only one for long. Mercedes-Benz could soon enter the energy storage business as well. A division of parent company Daimler has been testing battery packs that can power houses or store excess electricity from the grid, and plans to launch commercially in September, according to Australia's Motoring. Called ACCUmotive, this division was created in 2009 to develop lithium-ion batteries. Like Tesla before its recent announcement, the Daimler arm has been testing energy storage systems under the radar for some time. It recently built an energy storage array operated by German electricity joint venture Coulomb. The array consists of 96 lithium-ion modules that together boast a combined 500 kilowatt hours of storage capacity, which is used to stabilize the Saxony Kamenz power grid. There are plans to expand it to 3,000 kWh of capacity. ACCUmotive has reportedly delivered more than 60,000 lithium-ion cells to customers—which may include Mercedes itself—and employs more than 250 people.
TRISTAN EDIS writes: Reposit Power are one of the first companies in Australia that have teamed up with Tesla in the roll-out of their Powerwall home energy storage system. The interesting thing about Reposit is that its primary businesses isn’t selling energy hardware but, rather, using software to aggregate and trade lots of little sources of power generation into the electricity market. Most battery retailers and installers in Australia have their roots in the off-grid market – they have sold batteries to customers because their only other option was expensive, maintenance-intensive diesel generators. But Reposit is inherently bound to the grid where there are lots of generators connected which they trade against. It means Reposit, in trying to get batteries rolled out (which they can then use to trade into the power market), face a far more challenging sales proposition. Grid-connected customers don’t really need the battery system – it’s an optional extra because the grid works extremely well in providing reliable and affordable power. Yet participants in the solar PV market know there is some considerable latent demand for batteries among householders – particularly those with solar systems – provided the offering is right. The challenge is working out what the successful marketing formula needs to be to tap this latent demand. Dean Spaccavento, chief product officer with Reposit, explained what they’ve found out so far, outlining 10 lessons of which I’ve plucked out five. The overall message is it is extremely hard to sell a grid-connected household an energy storage system. And Reposit had the benefit of an ARENA grant which allowed them to discount the price of their $25,000, 14kWh battery system by a very hefty $10,000. This was a one-off, small volume offer. To sell battery systems in Australia it will need to happen without the benefit of such a big rebate. The five lessons below provide one overarching lesson – batteries won’t be sold on some kind of pure sophisticated financial calculus of rate of return or NPV. Instead, it will be a mixture of rule-of-thumb financial hurdles and a strong dose of emotion. Cont'd....
Dominic Bates for The Guardian: A new bladeless wind turbine that promises to be more efficient, less visually intrusive, and safer for birdlife than conventional turbines has been welcomed by two of the UK wind energy industry’s most vocal critics. The RSPB and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), which have both expressed concerns over the impacts of industrial-scale windfarms on the landscape and wildlife, said the new turbine was encouraging news for birds and had the potential to open up more urban environments to the sector. The streamlined design contains no contacting moving parts, making it virtually noiseless and less prone to vibration. Vortex Bladeless, the turbine’s Spanish developers, hopes these advantages could finally help usher in a viable consumer wind power market. “Wind turbines now are too noisy for people’s backyard,” says David Suriol, who co-founded the company with Raul Martin and the turbine’s inventor, David Yáñez. “We want to bring wind power generation to people’s houses like solar power.”
Mark Shwartz, Stanford Univ.: Stanford Univ. scientists have created a new carbon material that significantly boosts the performance of energy-storage technologies. Their results are featured in ACS Central Science. "We have developed a 'designer carbon' that is both versatile and controllable," said Zhenan Bao, the senior author of the study and a professor of chemical engineering at Stanford. "Our study shows that this material has exceptional energy-storage capacity, enabling unprecedented performance in lithium-sulfur batteries and supercapacitors." According to Bao, the new designer carbon represents a dramatic improvement over conventional activated carbon, an inexpensive material widely used in products ranging from water filters and air deodorizers to energy-storage devices. "A lot of cheap activated carbon is made from coconut shells," Bao said. "To activate the carbon, manufacturers burn the coconut at high temperatures and then chemically treat it." The activation process creates nanosized holes, or pores, that increase the surface area of the carbon, allowing it to catalyze more chemical reactions and store more electrical charges.
Jeremy Thomas for Inside Bay Area News: In a christening hailed as a key moment in the effort to harness the sun's energy to create fuel, Lawrence Berkeley Lab officials on Tuesday unveiled a $59 million Solar Energy Research Center. Named after former Energy Department Secretary and Lab Director Steven Chu, the 40,000-square-foot Chu Hall will be a place of world-changing research in producing cheaper, more efficient renewable energy to replace fossil fuels, said Chu, who was honored for inspiring the mission. "This is one of the most important problems that science, technology and innovation really need to solve," Chu said. "It's a very big deal. ... We simply need to save the world, and it's going to be science that's going to be at the heart of that solution." The facility will be home to the Berkeley hub of the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, a Department of Energy-funded collaboration led by the California Institute of Technology that is attempting to create solar fuel as plants do by using sunlight and other catalysts to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gas and convert carbon dioxide into liquid fuels such as methanol and ethanol. The byproduct of producing such a fuel would be oxygen.
By Jaclyn Brandt for FierceEnergy: In April, DONG Energy signed an agreement to take over RES Americas Developments Inc.'s (RES) more than 1,000-megawatt (MW) development project rights off the coast of Massachusetts. RES had secured the rights to two leases from the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in January. "The U.S. is an interesting market for offshore wind with the potential to become a significant area for future development," said Samuel Leupold, executive vice president of Wind Power with DONG Energy, said at the announcement in April. "We already have a number of post-2020 projects in our pipeline in North-Western Europe that we will continue to develop. With the takeover of the offshore wind development project in the US, we will broaden our geographical scope and follow the market potential outside of our current footprint." Leupold continued, "The site conditions are quite similar to those we currently work with in North-Western Europe which means that the project could be developed using well-known technology and logistics." Although the offshore wind market in the United States has many regulatory obstacles, Brostrøm said that there is also a lot of potential off the East Coast -- including good wind speeds and water depths. He also cited the efforts by BOEM to encourage wind development.
Researchers at Finland’s Aalto University have achieved a record-breaking 22.1% efficiency for a nanostructured silicon, or black, solar cell. They accomplished this by overlaying a thin, passivating film on the nanostructures by a process known as atomic layer deposition, and by integrating all of the metal contacts on the cell’s back side. Perhaps the best part: Black solar cells work really well on cloudy days. “This is an advantage particularly in the north, where the sun shines from a low angle for a large part of the year,” said professor Hele Savin from Aalto University, who coordinated the study, in a statement. “We have demonstrated that in winter Helsinki, black cells generate considerably more electricity than traditional cells, even though both cells have identical efficiency values.” Using the aforementioned process, the team managed to beat their previous record by almost 4%, which is a stunning achievement. The new cells have a certified external quantum efficiency of 96% at 300nm wavelengths, which the team said shows that charged carrier surface recombination is no longer a problem — and that for the first time, the black silicon isn’t limiting energy conversion efficiency. And thanks to the inherent properties of black solar cells, they can capture solar radiation at low angles, generating more electricity over the full duration of a day as compared with traditional cells.
U.S. energy secretary, Dr Ernest Moniz, spoke at the Opening General Session at AWEA’s WINDPOWER 2015 event today in Orlando, Florida. Moniz stressed that wind power is an important and necessary part of the solution to climate change. Wind could provide five times what it provides today, he said, with a goal of one trillion kilowatt-hours per year in America. To get there, new technologies are needed to boost the industry is areas where it is not yet cost-effective or as profitable as other energy sources. Moniz mentioned better siting methods, improved drivetrains, and longer blades. On the show floor, companies are certainly bringing some new and improved technologies to the wind market. Click here for the full Summary from WindPower Engineering.
Scientists in South Korea have developed a new way to store energy that also offers a solution to a growing environmental problem. Reporting their findings in the IOP Publishing journal Nanotechnology, the research team successfully converted used cigarette butts into a high performing material that could be integrated into computers, handheld devices, electric vehicles and wind turbines to store energy. According to the study, this material outperforms commercially available carbon, graphene and carbon nanotubes. It may someday be used to coat the electrodes of supercapacitors: electrochemical components that can store extremely large amounts of electrical energy. "Our study has shown that used cigarette filters can be transformed into a high performing carbon-based material using a simple one step process, which simultaneously offers a green solution for meeting the energy demands of society," says co-author Professor Jongheop Yi of Seoul National University.
By Eleanor Goldberg for The Huffington Post: While there are many technologies out there than can effectively remove salt from water to make it drinkable, most are expensive and rely heavily on electricity –- rendering them all but useless in remote, off-grid villages. That’s why a group of engineers from MIT, backed by Jain Irrigation Systems, set out to invent a system that relies on solar energy to bring clean drinking water to rural areas in India, The Washington Post reported. About 21 percent of India’s communicable diseases are related to unsafe water, according to the World Bank. According to MIT researchers 60 percent of India has brackish groundwater -- while not toxic, that water is too salty to be ideal for human consumption. The group, which took home the first-place Desal Prize last month in the “Securing Water for Food” challenge, used a method called electrodialysis, which relies on electricity and ultraviolet rays, according to the aid organization. The first-place winners were awarded a $140,000 grant. Cont'd...
A road made of solar panel material is producing more energy than the creators expected. Engineers created a solar power bike path near Amsterdam that is over 200 feet long last year, and the road generated over 3,000kwh during the first six months, according to Al Jazeera, enough energy to power a house for a year. The company that created the road, SolaRoad, claims that means the road can produce 70kwh per square meter per year. The road is made of solar panels, glass, rubber and concrete. The road can either power street lamps or add power to the general grid. Over 150,000 cyclists have ridden on bike path without a problem since the project began. The path is made to be non-reflective and to prevent skidding. SolaRoad is still refining its materials to make them even more weather proof and efficient, and the company hopes to expand to larger areas in the future.
Hawaii lawmakers voted 74-2 this week to pass the nation's first 100% renewable energy requirement. The measure, House Bill 623, makes Hawaii a global leader in renewable energy policy by requiring that 100% of the islands' electricity must be generated from renewable energy resources--such as wind, solar, and geothermal-no later than 2045. "Hawaii lawmakers made history passing this legislation--not only for the islands, but for the planet," said Jeff Mikulina, Executive Director of the Blue Planet Foundation. The measure, if enacted by Governor David Ige, would make Hawaii the first state in the nation with such a 100% renewable energy standard. Blue Planet Foundation, whose mission is to clear the path for 100% renewable energy, praised the move. "Passage of this measure is a historic step towards a fossil fuel free Hawaii," said Mikulina. "This visionary policy is a promise to future generations that their lives will be powered not by climate-changing fossil fuel, but by clean, local, and sustainable sources of energy."
Bill Tucker for Forbes: Vortex Bladeless is a radical company. It wants to completely change the way we get energy from the wind. Think wind stick instead of a massive tower with blades that capture blowing winds. Wind stick. Really. Lest you think I’m mad, I’ve included a picture of this bladeless generator that helps with the visualization and explains the company name. See? There are no blades. What that “stick” (the company prefers, mast) does is capitalize on an effect of the wind which has been a very serious problem for architects and engineers for decades. When wind hits a structure and flows over its surfaces the flow changes and generates a cyclical pattern of vortices at the tail end of the flow. This is known as the vortex shedding effect which creates something known as vorticity and that is what Vortex Bladeless uses to generate energy. For those who need a explanation that exceeds my ability to fully explain, check out this link on Wikipedia and then come back and join the rest of us who won’t wait for you. (you’re clearly ahead of us anyway)
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Plato’s Republic would not come to mind for many as a major resource for left-wing political critique. His hostility to democracy, and his elitist insistence on the distinction between nobility and baseness, stand very much at odds with modern egalitarianism. Yet in the dialogue’s account of how one type of regime gives way to another, greed and the excessive desire for unnecessary pleasures are the primary factors in an ongoing process of spiritual disintegration that ultimately culminates in the emergence of the worst regime, tyranny. Indeed, it is hard not to think about the present political situation in the US when reading Socrates’s account of the decomposition of democracy into tyranny in Book VIII of the Republic.
The downfall of democracy is to be found in the strife and turmoil that arises from the following factors: (1) a thoroughgoing relativism, in which all aspirations and ways of life are considered equally valid; (2) the desire for freedom from any and all restrictions; (3) the prevalence of lives given over to unnecessary desires and pleasures. Although democracy receives the ambiguous praise of being the “fairest of the regimes,” meaning it is the most pleasing in a superficial sense, Socrates makes clear that the permissiveness of the regime, its refusal to consider some ways of life superior than others, undermines respect for the law and progressively weakens the government. This line of critique might have sounded deeply conformist and authoritarian during the 1960s, but in the present, when the fiercest attacks on government come from the political Right, it sounds a sobering note on behalf of the necessity of limits on human behavior, especially unrestrained consumerism, and on the need for citizens to overcome their self-centeredness and attend to the common good.
Excessive freedom coupled with weak government leads to the coming of tyranny: “the greatest and most savage slavery” springs forth from “the extreme of freedom” (564a). The failure to cultivate order in the soul, and the erosion of public forms of authority, leads to endemic strife. Tyranny then emerges as a solution to this impasse, in which the structures of authority that make possible peaceful resolution of differences have dissolved. When conflicts become irresolvable, the only method for dealing with them is to smother them.
One could add that a society dominated by sensual pleasures and useless desires tends to provoke a mounting sense of revulsion among its people, not least among those who partake of such enjoyments (for example, some of the 9-11 hijackers were spotted in strip clubs not long before the attacks). The idea of excessive freedom resulting in tyranny is usually associated with the passage from the Weimar Republic to Nazi Germany, a linkage that has typically been made by the Right. Indeed, Shadia Drury asserts that the neoconservative disciples of Leo Strauss view US politics largely through the lens of Weimar: the alliance between the lofty theorists of esotericism and the anti-intellectual religious Right is aimed at preventing a recurrence of the nihilism that paved the way for the rise of Hitler. But it is interesting to note that George Soros, in a book attempting to account for the factors behind the reelection of George W. Bush in 2004, invokes the Weimar thesis for left liberal purposes. Clearly, any account of contemporary US politics will not get very far unless it examines, with honesty and dispassion, the force of such emotions as revulsion, self-disgust, and moral recrimination in American society.
The question remains as to how we in the US have arrived at such a predicament, and why large-scale policies to benefit the whole of society are so difficult to implement in the present. Why are there such formidable obstacles arrayed against a politics that seeks to serve the common good? In The Revolt of the Elites, Christopher Lasch notes that liberal democracy has lived off the “borrowed capital of moral and religious traditions” that predate the rise of liberalism . One might say that Weimar Germany ate through this capital rather rapidly. Although these traditions are not expressed exclusively in political terms, nevertheless they have exerted a vital influence in shaping the conceptions that people have of what is good and what ought to be common. It is our lot, on the other hand, to live in a more advanced phase of relativism, when the reservoir of these moral and religious traditions has largely dried up. The relativism that Socrates attributes to democracy has only become fully manifest in the US with the rise of postmodern individualism, whereby the libertarian spirit of the Sixties was found to be quite compatible with emergent forms of consumer capitalism. During the Great Depression, by contrast, such relativism was not a determining factor of political life.
Of course, the US was a far more racist society at that time, and more stratified by religion and ethnicity, with a narrow Anglo-Saxon Protestant elite on top. But another significant difference between then and now, in my view, is that during the 1930s, there was wide agreement among people of various backgrounds about what constituted the morally good life. If one were to have asked a black sharecropper in the South, a white ethnic factory worker, and a wealthy East Coast WASP about their conceptions of the moral life, one would have received answers that would have been more or less similar. Nowadays, it is taken for granted that there is a diversity of views regarding the good – ethics has become indistinguishable from a consumer choice.
Perhaps then the major constraining factor of political life is not racial and ethnic pluralism, but rather moral pluralism, in which disagreement or indifference to the question of what constitutes the good life exacerbates distrust and antagonism, and thereby discourages large-scale efforts to bring material improvement to the lives of one’s fellow citizens. Moral pluralism instead leads to a politics of depriving the other of his or her enjoyment, to put in Zizek’s terms. Jealousy of the other’s pleasures become a dominant factor of political life, and the major question then becomes that of the extent to which one is willing to hurt oneself in order to take from those one dislikes those things which they enjoy. There is a contradiction in the fact that moral pluralism constitutes a dominant ideology, but I’ll say more about this in a future post.
1. Christopher Lasch, The Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy (New York: W. W. Norton, 1996), p. 86.
“Moderation cannot claim the merit of opposing and overcoming Ambition: they are never found together. Moderation is the languor and sloth of the soul, Ambition its activity and heat.”
– La Rochefoucauld
“… under Socrates’ influence ethics ceased to be the art of living well in a dangerous world – as it had been for Homer. it became the search for a super-good that nothing can destroy, a uniquely potent value that defeats all others and insures those who live by it against tragedy.”
– John Gray
“Love and virtue, their self-conviction was an astonishing thing: a pantomime of wishes, a sham dream that made actual, detectable, dreamable dreams as real as rock.”
– Lorrie Moore
Like the creation of the cosmos in the Book of Genesis, the creation of the just city in Plato’s Republic takes place twice. In the first version of the city, undertaken as an attempt to determine the meaning of justice, Socrates describes a modest and frugal society, in which the citizens lead simple lives focused on securing the necessities for life. Their diet consists of austere fare – bread, figs, olives, onions, greens, wine, but no meat – and they pass their evening hours singing hymns of praise to the gods. They are careful to limit the number of children they bear, being on guard against overpopulation, which necessarily gives rise to poverty and war. They eschew all luxuries, including furniture. Socrates notes that their life of honest labor will enable them to enjoy health, to live out their lives in peace, and pass along their self-sufficient ways to their descendents (372d).
This city and its way of life fit the image of the type of human community exalted by present-day environmentalists, a sort of sustainable utopia where the foremost concern is not overstraining the resources at one’s disposal. But Socrates’ principal interlocutor, Glaucon, finds this depiction of the moderate and modest community revolting, disparaging it as a “city of pigs” (372d). Where are the couches and tables, he asks, or the relishes and desserts? Stanley Rosen suggests that the reason for Glaucon’s strident interruption might lie in his hunger, in that he has his mind set on the feast promised by Polemarchus at the beginning of the dialogue (Rosen, 75). But Glaucon, the brother of Plato who is generally associated with the idea of spiritedness, being a warrior who thirsts for glory and victory on the battlefield, can be said to force the conversation toward the direction of cities as they really exist, rather than indulge in idle philosophic speculation. Socrates consents, and sets aside this vision of the just city as a frugal and moderate collective. Instead, they will speak instead of a city in which “relishes, perfumes, incense, and cakes” are not only plentiful but available in a wide variety.
Interestingly, the first profession to be welcomed into this new, “feverish” city, the first profession emphatically not related to providing for the necessities of life, is that of the prostitute (373a). After the city is opened to the courtesans, trailing in their wake are poets, actors, dancers, craftsmen, makers of perfume, servants, teachers, wet nurses, beauticians, barbers, and cooks. Socrates then observes that such an expansion of the city will compel it to seize territory from its neighbors, in order to grow enough food for its inhabitants. The need for increased farmland entails the mobilization of an army, which in turn raises the specter of further wars of expansion to satisfy the growing demands of the city. Thus, the city, Socrates implies, becomes locked into a certain fate, a future about which he expresses grave reservations. For in contrast to the reigning conventional wisdom of contemporary liberalism, in which commerce and the attendant multiplication of desires are held to promote peace, Socrates identifies the transition from an economy of restraint to one of unlimited abundance as the “origin of war,” as well as the factor that “most of all produces evils both private and public” (373e).
The image of a sustainable society, in which human beings spontaneously respect limits and seek only to fulfill necessary desires, exerts, not surprisingly, an especially powerful allure in the age of climate change and resource depletion. Indeed, the Navi in James Cameron’s Avatar appeal to these yearnings, as they have absolutely no desire for anything that the Earthling corporation can offer them in exchange for moving to another part of the planet. Rosen, however, questions whether Socrates actually prefers the healthy city to its feverish successor, since the former’s emphasis on necessity would create an unpromising climate for philosophy. Indeed, the true city can be said to be less real than its “unhealthy” counterpart, since it aims at creating a “happiness that is undisturbed by desire, in particular, erotic desire” (Rosen, 81). The problem of the injunction to respect limits lies in how human beings usually arrive at this respect: through trial and error. To put it somewhat tautologically, necessity is that which we encounter against our will.
Though Rosen considers the “healthy” city to be “subnatural” and “subpolitical,” since its inhabitants live at what he considers an impossible level of simplicity, nevertheless, the distinction between necessary and unnecessary desires remains a vital one in the dialogue, reappearing in the discussion of the democratic soul in Book VIII. It is the reign of useless desires that, according to Socrates, tips democracy over into tyranny. The political consequences of pursuing the necessary desires, on the other hand, remain enticingly ambiguous.
Stanley Rosen, Plato’s Republic: A Study (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005).
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Living in space should be an amazing challenge, but however practical and (relatively) easy to create will be spaceships and habitats, there is nothing above a genuine planet to live on. Besides, it’s much safer during those galactic wars than fragile space bases, where a single hit can leave you grasping for air… or maybe not, considering planets cannot escape. But I digress.
If we ever rise into space, and find planets close enough to ours, then, no doubt, our kind will seek to change them to our own image, and make them habitable.
This is a collection of ideas around the concept of terraforming. Which of them are likely to be used will depend on the level of technology, and too many other factors.
Additional thoughts are welcome. Please try to keep the format (major themes as scroll comments, lesser topics as replies).
And sorry for the broken outside links. :|
Additional Ideas (10)
Whenever the requirement of stability is mentioned, you should also consider the proper timescale, as compared to the human lifespan. Geological and astronomical phenomena can take LONG. If a planet becomes uninhabitable after ten thousands years, it is perfectly fine for settling down now! Even centuries may be okay.
Changing the kinetic properties of a planet is not an easy task, though more a question of raw power than of intricate knowledge. A typical method would be bombarding it with directed comets and asteroids, giving it little pushes at the right moments (and handily depositing organic substances, incidentally heating up the atmosphere a little).
But this is not only a matter of how long you prefer your day, or year to be! Distant planets receive less sunlight, closer ones more; a too distorted elliptic orbit may cause extreme shifts in temperatures over the year, and require intervention. Day and night mean variations as well, so they need to be balanced similarly.
Checking rare constellations is not always astrology.
For planet-based life, an atmosphere is a most handy place to deposit the waste, and find basic nourishment. As everything diffuses in it fast, basically any lifeform from the surface can be expected to interact with the atmosphere to some degree. It is therefore of key importance to have this part covered.
Small planets may have none to speak of, so a weak adaptation would be to make an atmosphere that is sufficient to allow people to carry masks instead of vacuum suit. A breathable air, though, is something different. If lacking the gravity to hold its air, some parts or all parts may over time "evaporate" into space. Especially hydrogen is susceptible here, this is suspected to what happened to Mars - water would decompose in the upper layers of atmosphere, the hydrogen leaving, oxygen staying to be eventually bound to other chemicals.
Still, small planets may be designed with this risk taken into account, renewing the composition of gases regularly. (Consider stability.)
- as a flavour element, a different atmosphere may indeed taste differently. It may also have a different color (that depends on the sun(s) as well).
- even little differences count sometimes; imagine diseases spreading well on some worlds while little on others; or aliens attacking a given human-colonized planet for no apparent reason, as they happen to like a certain type of air.
The ability of human lungs to extract oxygen from the air is dependent on a concept called 'partial pressure'. Partial pressure is the amount of total pressure dependent on one given component of the atmosphere. Humans require about 3 pounds per square inch of oxygen, and an atmosphere of less than 0.02 psi Carbon dioxide. The balance can be composed of nearly any substantially inert gas. Explorers and terraformers must display some caution however, as high partial pressures of inert gas may cause a kind of intoxication, known as nitrogen narcosis. Excessive oxygen (>7psi partial), meanwhile, is a powerful poison.
To a large part, the temperature of astronomical bodies considered here will be determined by the activity of their sun - and what happens with the radiation on/around the planet itself.
An important term is Albedo, the reflective ratio of electromagnetic radiation power; simply put, white surface reflects light (high albedo), while dark surface absorbs it (low). For our purposes, we can extend this beyond the visible parts of the spectrum.
The albedo of a planet can be influenced by the atmosphere itself (and the clouds). And these three in turn can be influenced by the biosphere once it has sufficient impact - so select the initial flora carefully, to avoid complications.
But let's reconsider this from the main point of view: Life, as we are used to it, requires a thin range of temperatures to prosper in. Life in general can be expected to be much more robust.
The frictional heating of a moon's interior due to flexure caused by the gravitational pull of its parent planet and possibly neighboring satellites. The most dramatic example in the Sol system is the tidal heating induced in each of the four Galilean satellites by their mutual pull and, more significantly, by the powerful attraction of Jupiter. In the case of Io, the result is global volcanism. In the case of Europa, and perhaps also of Ganymede and Callisto, the effects of tidal heating are less dramatic but possibly much more profound in that they give rise to a suspected under-ice ocean which might conceivably support life.
For a comfortable living, the surface should be mostly stable, as intense tectonic activity can spoil anyone's day. From the initial and unstable periods of a planet's existence, this activity can be expected to lessen over time, as a homogeneous body forms and the internal heat with radiation cool down. (Moons) and other interstellar bodies disrupt this tendency towards piece.
According to some theories, tectonic plates we know on Earth are caused by life as well. The slow, but relentless processing and transporting of some materials, and the frugal deposition of others (a classical example are corals), keep exerting pressure on parts of the Earth's crust. Given enough time on the (geological scale), this may drive the tectonics of a whole world.
This doesn't even start on the topic of surface itself, ie geography. There can be 'young' worlds with many extremes, and strongly eroded 'old' worlds. There can be worlds mostly covered by oceans, or purely desert worlds. Anything is possible.
Particularly moons and smaller planets don't have the 1G we are used to (future sensitivities in this regard may vary, of course). A way to imbue these bodies with larger gravity is to shrink them (see http://crowlspace.com/?p=70). With strong gravitational/electromagnetic/something fields could be a planet compressed to higher density, and the same weight with a smaller radius has just the required result.
How this process would exactly work, and what difficulties it would bring, I leave to the reader's imagination.
Credit goes to crowlspace.com
While all of this is hypothetical, the role of our own moon is to many scientists vital, if not critical for our environment. On the one side, it probably helps keeping the core of Earth in rotation, thus enabling a strong magnetic field which is also deemed important. On the other hand, there is the immeasurable impact on our oceans.
Note that our moon is relatively large when compared to our planet. The effect of a smaller moon or several is likely to be different.
Life, when in sufficient amount, will influence or dominate a planet's weather, and determine things like temperature, humidity and surface composition. Where such a complex system will evolve may be hard to tell - it may very well grow beyond the plans of its creators, and beyond their control, though not necessarily to the detriment of life in general.
The same is true for the composition of the atmosphere, so care should be taken to pick the right fauna and flora, and if needed change it to achieve the necessary dynamic stability.
The proper science for the study of these effects may be geophysiology, more popularly known as the Gaia theory. Life, it claims, has a tendency to support itself.
So what happens if new, transplanted life starts to prosper, and meets the older, local lifeform suddenly thriving in the changed environment?
- life - where applicable, organisms, probably genetically engineered or altered, will tackle on the task of converting the geosphere into a biosphere, see also Ecopoiesis.
Although effective, and good at creating an initial store of organic compounds for the later, more advanced biosphere, this can take VERY LONG, picture hundreds or thousands of years. Races with a sufficient lifespan or foresight may seed this way numerous planets for later use - and be quite annoyed when they come to their new home only to see it was 'discovered' by somebody else!
Even if other methods are used, it is useful to start planting useful plants as a planet becomes more and more habitable. Making the planet alive will take time.
- chemistry - making the problem one of the right catalysts, all is needed is a massive reactor to supply energy, and the time for the brute-force approach to get the job done.
- nanotechnologies - a potentially very viable option, to let tiny machines do the work for you. This may be easy, but watch for the chance of their 'mutation', or getting out of control like with the lifeforms. (Most likely they will have to multiply on their own to cover a whole planet, so tiny flaws could be replicated...) It is suggested to make them of limited duration to naturally pass away once their purpose is fulfilled.
The Firefly setting, as cool as it is, rests on one very unrealistic assumption: dozens of planets and moons fitting for life exist in a single solar system. But for the sake of storytelling, we can't let ourselves limit with something that is merely 'improbable', can we?
By the way, most stars appear to be members of double star or triple star, or even double-double star systems.
A theoretical alternative to have more planets in a good location, is to have several on one orbit. (See the Klemperer rosettes for more info.)
Both of the above cases should be rare. While they are thought to be quite stable, a question is if they can arise naturally, during the formation of a solar system.
Their presence, therefore, may indicate a massive astrophysical intervention of an advanced civilization. So, ideal as they may be for settling, be careful around them.
Per the setting material in the games and the novels, all these planets were terraformed by the Central Worlds not that long ago (by means not explained). They then litterally threw people at these worlds to syphon off excess population.
One source is the Worlds and Planets scroll, some examples will follow.
These planets may have the size, and even atmosphere, but they are not orbiting any sun, in fact they are not gravitationally bound to any star, and move through space on their own. Without a sun to warm them up, they are likely to be dead, frozen places. However, there are theories how even such a dark world could maintain and keep relatively high temperatures, high enough for life as we know it.
(See the Wikipedia entry for more information.)
- A Black Dwarf (a very hypotetical body) would be cold enough, but probably would have to loose on weight to be habitably.
- Losing weight is easy also for other bodies (like brown dwarfs, large objects too cold to be stars), if there is something sufficiently large nearby - like, say, another star. Stripped of the outer layers, what remains could be a planet, of possibly quite an exotic mix. (Don't ask me how to terraform that, though. ;) )
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The village of Noyers in Burgundy is full of half-timbered houses, called « maisons à pans de bois » or « maisons à colombages » in French. The first name just refers to "pieces of wood" — that's what such a house is built with. The second expression, à colombages, is more complex linguistically.
I've always wondered where the term « colombage » came from, but I had never looked it up. I just read that the word « colombe », which it's derived from, has nothing to do with the homonym word « colombe » that means "dove" in French. Colombe in this sense is an archaic rendering of the classical Latin word « columna », meaning "column." That's « colonne » in modern French. So the colombages are wooden "columns."
Another "framed" photo of the streets and houses of Noyers-sur-Serein in Burgundy
Okay, maybe that's too esoteric. Also esoteric are my struggles with the Blogger interface when it comes to posting large photos. If you look at the first photo(s) in this post, you'll see a black horizontal line separating the two halves of the large image of a Noyers house. I wish I could get rid of that line, but I can't. I want to post the photo at a very large size, but Blogger also imposes limits on image size. So the the best I can do is cut the image in half and post it as two images. It's interesting, because when I look at the photo in the Blogger authoring tool, that horizontal black line is not there...
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Fissure sealants are an extremely simple and effective measure for preventing dental decay in children’s teeth, by sealing the crevices in the biting surface of molar teeth where plaque can collect. By making teeth cleaning much easier, fissure sealants can give an 80% reduction in the development of dental decay in the biting surface of the tooth.
Fissure sealants are normally placed on the biting surface of the first adult molar tooth, which arrives at about 6 years of age.
The tooth needs to be free of decay so the sealant is ideally placed within 6 months of the tooth coming fully into the mouth.
The tooth is painted with a preparing layer. This is washed away and the sealant layer is applied. This is then set using a high intensity light.
The procedure is very simple and often works as an ideal ‘acclimatisation’ to dental treatment. Fissure sealant treatment can be carried out by your child’s dentist or by our dental therapist, who will take steps to ensure that treatment is as relaxed and comfortable as possible.
© Beaufort Park Dental Surgery | Site last updated June 2017
Website and SEO by Dental Design | Read our patient reviews on Dentist Finder | Complaints procedure
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Now you have another reason to bypass subsequent mammograms, based on a new study from Norway. As outlined by the study by Doctor Mette Kalager, with his staff at Oslo School Medical Center, having a mammogram seems to reduce the potential risk of death from breast cancers by a measly 2% at best – a number many think is statistically irrelevant.
For this study, females between ages 50 through 69 that were asked to get mammogram tests – and were also provided quality treatment from a group of experts, experienced a breast cancer death reduction of about 10%. Yet an identical number of females older than seventy, that were given the exact treatment, but weren’t motivated to get a mammogram found an 8% reduction, indicating mammograms are practically pointless.
In addition, the study showed for every 2,500 females age 50 and above that get mammograms, just one can prevent dying from cancer of the breast as a result of the test. Approximately 1,000 nevertheless, will likely be told there could be a concern, leading to 500 getting biopsies. At the end, about 15 women will be getting treatment unnecessarily for a condition they don’t have.
Research posted in Internal Medicine Archives, a publication of the AMA, showed that mammograms in effect increase the risks of women acquiring breast cancer. In 4 different Norwegian counties, researchers saw the rates of breast cancer increase after mammograms were introduced, along with similar increases also showing across Europe.
Other research has shown that nearly all cancerous tumors discovered through mammography are rarely malignant, which results in costly and needless interventions.
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Centre for Clinical
School of Public Health
and Community Medicine
Faculty of Medicine
New South Wales
New South Wales, Australia
To understand the Australian healthcare system requires a consideration of core problems facing every healthcare system. Australia is a large, federated country of nine jurisdictions with 20 million inhabitants and a developed economy with a gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of 34,660 US dollars in 2006. This places Australia in the world’s wealthiest fifteen countries (World Bank 2006).
Australia's healthcare system is a mixed public-private model, lying somewhere between the largely monolithic public systems exemplified by the National Health Service (NHS) of England on the one hand and the more privatised arrangements characterising healthcare in the US on the other.
Financing and Structural Arrangements
Expenditure on healthcare in Australia, at 9.7% of GDP, is above the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average. Health expenditure has tended to rise in recent decades in OECD countries, including Australia, driven primarily by the costs of population ageing and of advancing, and increasingly expensive, medical technology.
Around two-thirds (68%) of the GDP consumed by Australian healthcare is public expenditure, and the remainder (32%) is non-government, private expenditure. The Australian government contributes 45% of total funding, principally through taxation, and directly funds pharmaceuticals, general practitioners and medical services. States and territories provide funding in conjunction with the Australian government and directly manage public hospital services and various community, prevention, public health, health education and promotion programmes. Local governments have responsibility for environmental issues such as garbage disposal, health inspections and some home care and preventive services.
The generic term for the main policy instrument to achieve these service arrangements is Medicare. The vehicle used to contract the jurisdictions to their part of the bargain in sharing federal, state and territory responsibilities for public hospitals are called the Australian Health Care Agreements (Department of Health and Ageing 2006). The states and territories manage services via area, district or regional health service arrangements, which are geographically-based administrative units responsible for the health of a population of perhaps half a million people. Medicare enshrines the principle that all resident Australians are entitled to free public hospital care if they exercise the choice to be public patients.
Private patients meet their costs via private health insurance or personal contributions. The Australian government has recently encouraged increased membership in private health insurance funds. About half the population is covered by elective, government- subsidised private health insurance. Most out-of-hospital medical services are provided by private doctors, and, alongside salaried medical practitioners, these doctors perform a considerable proportion of hospital services.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Commentators have bemoaned the poor integration between general practice and hospitals and the apparent administrative and policy duplication attributed to the split responsibilities between the federal government and the states and territories. A bigger issue is whether we can call the health industry a system at all, given the various levels of divided responsibilities, fragmentation and its pluralist nature. Australian consumers and providers have considerable discretion and autonomy, and there is a complex mix of public-private concerns, state-federal politics and other intermittently strained, dichotomous interests, such as those representing clinicians and managers, the acute and community sectors, and medicine and nursing.
The other major weakness is the deplorable state of indigenous health, with extremely high prevalence of diabetes, obesity, alcohol abuse and drug problems amongst the Aboriginal population. Overall, life expectancy of Aboriginal people is 17 years below that of other Australians.
The strengths of the system are considerable: the Australian population, measured by the usual morbidity and mortality indicators, is relatively healthy and enjoys good life expectancy. Healthcare in Australia is well funded; clinicians, managers and policymakers are suitably trained; and equipment, buildings and technology are modern and well-resourced. The health policy settings are underpinned by effective research and are internationally well regarded, despite the fragmentation and difficulties in promoting integration at some points in the system. Plurality and diversity, though contributing to system fragmentation, can also bring strengths, particularly when they offer a wide range of different types of services, thereby creating choice for consumers.
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The appearance of the Schoenberg family name in the Polish capital, key to understand the history of the Skowronek banking family can be interpreted in different ways.
"The righteous man shall live by his faith." - Habakkuk 2:4.
Considering only the Schoenberg – Belmonte or Schoenberg HaCohen[1.78][`.79] branch: In this case, which is the more certain and documented, we will deal only with the Jewish family of priestly lineage
Considering the Schoenberg – Belmonte branches in addition to the Szembark and von Schoenberg: In this case we would have to take into account the fact that in Warsaw, at the end of the XVIII century coexisted three branches of the name, of different origins but possibly interlinked.
The first branch:
We will being with the first case, since the second one could be seen as an extension of the former. The Schoenbergs from Warsaw are related to the family of the same name found in Alzey, Germany, in Hamburg and in Amsterdam. This family name's first use occurred in the Netherlands, as the family bearing it changed it surname from de Sampayo - Belmonte to van Schoenenberg, which later evolved into von Schoenenberg, von Schoenberg and ultimately, simply Schoenberg.
There are several factors that demonstrate the relationship between the Schoenbergs from Amsterdam, those from Alzey and those from Warsaw.
Cohen status: Family tombstones from Warsaw demonstrate that some of its members had Cohen status, including the oldest found so far in Poland, which correspond to the earliest Schoenbergs found in the city. There are at least two cases described by Gottheil, of Schoenbergs from Amsterdam and Hamburg who also had Cohen status[24.2][24.3]
Similar line of work: The Schoenbergs from Amsterdam, Alzey and Warsaw were dedicated to the same line of work, which could be summarized into that of a "faktor". They were in the banking business plus, political lobbying. August Belmont, from Alzey, was a banker and financial and political representative of the Rothschilds in the United States[1.30]. The Schoenbergs from Amsterdam represented the Spanish and Portuguese kingdom as resident ambassadors and were married into banking families of the time. Those from Warsaw were married with banking families as well and made deals at government level, being army suppliers[24.2]. The three branches were wealthy.
Shared surnames: The Warsaw Schoenbergs were directly related to the Gans – Eger family[1.29]. In turn, the Gans family was related to the Schnapper[1.74] and Rothschild[1.73] families, and in turn, these were related to the Alzey Schoenbergs[1.75][1.76][1.77]. Other surnames, such as Oppenheim and Wertheim are also common to both Schoenberg branches. In all cases – Gans, Oppenheim and Wertheim - it is possible to actually establish the concrete links relating the people from both towns.
So there is no doubt that both Schoenberg branches are related. Then, we have to consider that both the Amsterdam and Warsaw Schoenbergs shared Cohen status, according to cemetery records and tombstones.
The Amsterdam Schoenbergs, thorough their derivative family names Raphael and Joseph, are related to other family names which, in turn, are related to both the Alzey and the Warsaw Schoenbergs, such as Adler – the family of rabbis[1.80][1.81].
Also, the Jewish Encyclopaedia states that "There is little doubt that the Belmont family of Alzey is descended from the Belmontes of Amsterdam"[63.1] and we should remember that Belmont and Schoenberg were names used interchangeably by the family.
Thus, the three branches are indeed related to one another. However, as Gottheil stated[24.1] aside from these concrete, demonstrable facts, it is very hard to establish the precise relationship of each member of the family in most cases.
According to the information available thanks to records and tombstones, the two Schoenbergs HaCohen that first lived in Warsaw were Yitzkhak Aizik Schoenberg HaCohen (1764 – 1854)[1.79] and his father Szmul Schoenberg HaCohen (Abt 1740 -)[1.78].
Considering that Rabbi Selomo Cohen Belmonte[24.3] (his surname would be Schoenberg HaCohen using the Polish form) died in 1731, taking into account a generation every 20 to 25 years, and the fact that Cohen status is passed always from father to son, Rabbi Selomo could have been a grandfather or granduncle of Szmul on any probable scenario.
`The two additional branches:
We have commented so far on the arrival of the Schoenberg HaCohen branch; these facts are for certain and documented to the extent described. However, in Warsaw at the time, two additional Schoenberg branches were present, which belonged to the same social level of the former, bringing the question whether they were completely separated or, quite on the contrary, somehow related.
In this case, nothing is sure so far but we have to consider that around the middle of the XVIII century, the three Schoenberg branches – be them related or not – were present in Warsaw, and all of them belonged to the aristocracy.
As we have already said, so far there is no concrete, direct evidence pointing to that fact, at least to speak about a relatively close relationship, for being all these branches related ultimately to the Plantagenet family either directly or by intermarriage of prior generations, that is, indirectly, there are indeed some distant links like in the case of most royalty and nobility in Europe.
That would be enough to close the topic, except for the fact that the three branches were present in Warsaw around the middle of the XVIII century, and these three branches are characterized by the same group to which they belonged. It is legitimate to ask whether they would have arrived together or not.
While it is perfectly possible to have similarly-named families that are otherwise unrelated in one given place, the fact that they all belonged to the aristocracy limits the odds considerably since people belonging to that particular social group would very rarely mix themselves with others that are not at their same level[63.3].
Then, the number of people that belonged to the aristocracy in monarchical countries was much smaller that the population in general. Even in Poland, where about 10% of the population belonged to the lower nobility (Szlachta) – a number much higher than in Western Europe – only 1% of the total population belonged to the high nobility, known as the magnate class (Magnaty) to which members of royalty and the richer families belonged.
So it would be quite rare if the three branches arrived there independently. One case might be luck, two coincidence, but three such cases often bespeak of intentionality.
The Schoenbergs as a connecting family:
The Warsaw Schoenbergs expanded to Kraków a few years after their arrival. In both cities, members of the Schoenberg HaCohen family began marrying with almost every possible well - known name, be it of rabbinical origin, industrial or from the banking sector. The family became - at least in Poland - an intermediary or connecting family that binds many other families together, much like Goldschmidt, Katzenellenbogen or Oppenheim:
The Rabbi, the Prince and a Promise Kept for Five Hundred Years.
The Real Jud Süss.
The Schoenbergs became quite popular, very rapidly, meaning that whatever they carried from where they came from, it was already valuable. Theirs was not the case of a family that arrived, slowly progressed and over several generations its members could afford to marry well. They did that right from the start. Names like Zuckerwar, which correspond to one of the biggest sugar companies in Europe at the time found their way into the Schoenberg family, and then Schmelkes, Bach, Berlinerblau, Wertheim, Gelbfish, Eibeschütz and others, oddly but clearly as minor parties in the deal. Normally it was the non - religious family that aspired to gain respectability by marrying their members to some well - known rabbinical family. With the Schoenbergs it seems to have been the other way around so they had to have something of value, not common even among the families of rabbis, and that likely was their royal ancestry.
Three names became more relevant thorough the history of the Schoenberg family in Warsaw: the rabbinical Rotenberg family, Gans – Eger and Skowronek. With these families, the Schoenberg family made several marriage arrangements.
By 1938, the Schoenberg family was tightly interconnected with the Skowronek family name up to the point in which it was almost impossible to speak of both as different entities. Also, at that moment, the family became related to virtually all the major Hasidic dynasties, rabbinical, industrialist and banking families of Warsaw.
That's why probably my grandmother always spoke of the city with particular emphasis as "Nasza Warszawa".
A small river near Modlin; watercolour 2012, by Pablo Edronkin.
This was one of the areas where the Schoenbergs had properties in the proximity of Warsaw.
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Plant Taxonomy. Scientific Classification of Plants By: Stephen Edwards, Johnny Jessup & Scott Robison Agriculture Teachers/FFA Advisors. Goals. Define Plant Taxonomy Discover why plants are classified through the binomial naming system Order plants in each of the classification sections.
Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author.While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server.
Scientific Classification of Plants
By: Stephen Edwards, Johnny Jessup & Scott Robison
Agriculture Teachers/FFA Advisors
Cercis canadensisExample of a Class Breakdown - Redbud
PricklePlant Parts – Modified Stems
Fibrous RootPlant Parts – Roots
Samara (Maple)Plant Parts – Fruit
AcornsPlant Parts – Fruit
DrupesPlant Parts – Fruit
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A long time ago in a galaxy half the universe away, a flood of high-energy gamma rays began its journey to Earth. When they arrived in April, NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope caught the outburst, which helped two ground-based gamma-ray observatories detect some of the highest-energy light ever seen from a galaxy so distant. The observations provide a surprising look into the environment near a supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center and offer a glimpse into the state of the cosmos 7 billion years ago.
"When we looked at all the data from this event, from gamma rays to radio, we realized the measurements told us something we didn't expect about how the black hole produced this energy," said Jonathan Biteau at the Nuclear Physics Institute of Orsay, France. He led the study of results from the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS), a gamma-ray telescope in Arizona.
Astronomers had assumed that light at different energies came from regions at different distances from the black hole. Gamma rays, the highest-energy form of light, were thought to be produced closest to the black hole.
"Instead, the multiwavelength picture suggests that light at all wavelengths came from a single region located far away from the power source," Biteau explained. The observations place the area roughly five light-years from the black hole, which is greater than the distance between our sun and the nearest star.
The gamma rays came from a galaxy known as PKS 1441+25, a type of active galaxy called a blazar. Located toward the constellation Boötes, the galaxy is so far away its light takes 7.6 billion years to reach us. At its heart lies a monster black hole with a mass estimated at 70 million times the sun's and a surrounding disk of hot gas and dust. If placed at the center of our solar system, the black hole's event horizon -- the point beyond which nothing can escape -- would extend almost to the orbit of Mars.
As material in the disk falls toward the black hole, some of it forms dual particle jets that blast out of the disk in opposite directions at nearly the speed of light. Blazars are so bright in gamma rays because one jet points almost directly toward us, giving astronomers a view straight into the black hole's dynamic and poorly understood realm.
In April, PKS 1441+25 underwent a major eruption. Luigi Pacciani at the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics in Rome was leading a project to catch blazar flares in their earliest stages in collaboration with the Major Atmospheric Gamma-ray Imaging Cerenkov experiment (MAGIC), located on La Palma in the Canary Islands. Using public Fermi data, Pacciani discovered the outburst and immediately alerted the astronomical community. Fermi's Large Area Telescope revealed gamma rays up to 33 billion electron volts (GeV), reaching into the highest-energy part of the instrument's detection range. For comparison, visible light has energies between about 2 and 3 electron volts.
"Detecting these very energetic gamma rays with Fermi, as well as seeing flaring at optical and X-ray energies with NASA's Swift satellite, made it clear that PKS 1441+25 had become a good target for MAGIC," Pacciani said.
Following up on the Fermi alert, the MAGIC team turned to the blazar and detected gamma rays with energies ranging from 40 to 250 GeV. "Because this galaxy is so far away, we didn't have a strong expectation of detecting gamma rays with energies this high," said Josefa Becerra Gonzalez, a researcher at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, who analyzed Fermi LAT data as part of the MAGIC study. "There are fewer and fewer gamma rays at progressively higher energies, and fewer still from very distant sources."
The reason distance matters for gamma rays is that they convert into particles when they collide with lower-energy light. The visible and ultraviolet light from stars shining throughout the history of the universe forms a remnant glow called the extragalactic background light (EBL). For gamma rays, this is a cosmic gauntlet they must pass through to be detected at Earth. When a gamma ray encounters starlight, it transforms into an electron and a positron and is lost to astronomers. The farther away the blazar is, the less likely its highest-energy gamma rays will survive to be detected.
Following the MAGIC discovery, VERITAS also detected gamma rays with energies approaching 200 GeV. Findings from both teams are detailed in papers published Dec. 15 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
PKS 1441+25 is one of only two such distant sources for which gamma rays with energies above 100 GeV have been observed. Its dramatic flare provides a powerful glimpse into the intensity of the EBL from near-infrared to near-ultraviolet wavelengths and suggests that galaxy surveys have identified most of the sources responsible for it.
NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope is an astrophysics and particle physics partnership, developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and with important contributions from academic institutions and partners in France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden and the United States.
Source: NASA press release
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https://www.universal-sci.com/headlines/2015/12/16/nasas-fermi-satellite-kicks-off-a-blazar-detecting-bonanza
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Manufacturers attempt to lure us consumers to their product by building in features that attract us and make the function of devices require less intervention.
The dishwasher AUTO cycle is an example of this. The idea is to select, on the control panel, AUTO, and let the dishwasher decide how it will set the cycle.
Here's how it works.
There is a device inside the dishwasher like a camera called a turbidity sensor. This device takes a picture of the wash water after the cycle has started and so allows the controlling computer to decide how to set the cycle. If the wash water is really dirty then the dishwasher will heat the water more as compared to a load that isn't so dirty. Water quantity and cycle times are adjusted too, depending on the information from the turbidity sensor. The auto cycle works within a range of temperatures. The base temperature of some models for a load of dishes like, say, just coffee cups can be around 45 degrees. The high end of the auto setting can be around 60 degrees for greasy dishes. Some makers have increased the base temperasture to 55 degrees because they have discovered that 45 degrees is not quite enough even for cleaner dishes. Lipstick on coffee cups for example needs that bit more sometimes.
Makers suggest that dishes are left greasy when the machine is loaded, to give the turbidity sensor something to work on with dirty water. That is, if the water in not really dirty then the load will be set to a lighter duty cycle and therefore may not remove all of the food particles from the dishes. Putting greasy dishes in the machine will therefore 'crank up' the cycle to a heavier duty cycle.
I have discovered that placing really dirty dishes in the machine consistently does make the machine smelly and grease can build up in some areas of the machine. Sometimes dishes remain in the machine for a day or so before the dishwasher is ready to be used. The appliance can become an unhygeinic device quite quickly. Areas around the door hinge and under the lower door are places where the dishwasher doesn't get to, so splashing grease around off of dirty plates soon makes the machine grotty.
An opinion shared by many is to rinse the dishes first. Just a quick whizz under the tap, so removing most grease. But what will this do to the AUTO cycle? It will cause the turbidity sensor not to adjust the cycle to a hot temperature and to set it to a shorter time, so producing a poorer result. We don't want that , do we? Consider this.
Heat and hygeine go hand in hand !
A fixed cycle without using the AUTO feature at all is a consideration. If the cycle was set to say 60 or even 70 degrees fixed, then you would know exactly what temperature will be reached. A sixty or 70 degree wash connects to a 70 degree rinse in most machines. So using a fixed cycle can have advantages. The cleanliness of the dishes is more of a guarantee knowing an adequate temperature will be reached. A hotter rinse will produce better drying too.
I'ts up to you to experiment, but now you have the information which hopefully will clarify the setting of the cycles.
N.B. Concerns about the use of extra water to give the dishes a rinse under the tap first are valid, but remember, the modern dishwasher uses somewhere around 15 litres of water per cycle, so a bit of a rinse first is still no big deal.
N.B. If rinsing dishes first just leave a bit of grease on them to give the detergent something to 'attack' otherwise there is a risk of having etched glassware. This etching usually only happens in soft water areas. If you have rain water or a water softener then you are at more risk of etching. I have not experienced etching problems in our mains water areas as there are sufficient minerals in the water to prevent this. Etching ..... click here
©Copyright Tony Pike 1/1/2011
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Nayaks of Kandy
|Kandy Nayak Dynasty|
|Founder||Sri Vijaya Raja Singha|
|Final ruler||Sri Vikrama Rajasinha|
|Dissolution||1815 under the terms of the Kandyan Convention|
Part of a series on the
|History of Kandy|
|Kingdom of Kandy (1469–1815)|
|Colonial Kandy (1815–1948)|
|Sri Lanka portal|
They were related to the Madurai Nayak dynasty and to the Tanjore Nayak dynasty. There were four kings of this lineage and the last king, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, was captured by the British and exiled to Vellore Fort in India Much earlier to the establishment of the Kandy Nayak dynasty, it was not unknown for the Sinhalese to take wives from ruling clans across Southern India. The first to do so was King Vijaya who procured his royal consort from the city of Madurai. Later kings followed suit.
Because the Kandy kings received military support from the Nayaks of Madurai and the Tanjore Nayak dynasty to fight off the Portuguese, alliances between Kandy, Madurai and Tanjore were already established. In the 17th and 18th centuries, marital alliances between Kandyan kings and Nayak princesses were a matter of policy. When a Sinhalese Kandyan king, Narendra Sinha, died without an offspring, the brother of his Madurai Nayak queen succeeded the throne in 1739 under the crown name of Sri Vijaya Raja Sinha. Thus in 1739 the Nayaks came to rule the Kandy kingdom.
These Nayak kings continued to marry with their Tanjore and Madurai counterparts. The Nayak kings were Hindus. They later converted to Buddhism and were responsible for renaissance of Buddhist culture in the Island.
- 1 Origins
- 2 The preceding dynasty
- 3 Monarchs
- 3.1 Sri Vijaya Rajasinha 1739–1747
- 3.2 Kirti Sri Rajasinha 1747–1782
- 3.3 Sri Rajadhi Raja Singha 1782–1798
- 3.4 Sri Vikrama Rajasinha 1798–1815
- 4 Public works
- 5 See also
- 6 References
- 7 Sources
- 8 External links
The Nayaks of South India started as governors of Vijayanagara Empire ruling parts of Tamil Nadu during the 14th and 15th centuries. After the Vijayanagara Empire collapsed in the mid-16th century some of these governors declared independence and established their own kingdoms in Gingee, Tanjore, Madurai and Chandragiri.
They were Tamil speaking community of Telugu ancestry. According to a Telugu work called Sinhaladvipa Katha, the Nayak king Kumara Krishnappa, who reigned at Madurai (1562–1572), is said to have conquered Kandy. Kumara Krishnappa killed the then reigning Kandy king, sent the late king's wife and children to Anuradhapura and placed his own brother-in-law Vijaya Gopala Naidu as his viceroy in Kandy.
There was a continuous interaction between the Madurai, Tanjore and Ceylonese kingdoms. As with Kandy, military assistance and interaction also existed with the Jaffna Kingdom. When the Jaffna ruler Sankili II wanted to suppress a revolt by the growing Christian minority in Jaffna led by two Christian Mudaliyars, Dom Pedro and Dom Luis in 1618, he requested the support of the Tanjore king, Raghunatha Nayaka. Raghunatha Nayaka thence sent 5000 troops under the leadership of Varuna Kullatan. However, later attempts by Raghunatha Nayak to recover the Jaffna kingdom from the Portuguese for his proteage, the prince of Rameshwaram, met with failure. Raghunatha Nayak had made a number of attempts to recover the Jaffna Kingdom for the Prince of Rameshwaram with the help of Moors, Vadugas/Badagas and Maravas and the renegade King of Kandy, Dom Joas Wimaladharma. The former princesses of Jaffna had been married to the Kandy King Senarat's stepsons, Kumarasingha and Vijayapala. However, all their attempts to recover the Jaffna Kingdom from the Portuguese met with failure.
Earlier, during the reign of Achyutappa Nayaka of Tanjore, a Prince of Jaffna, Cankili II (Sankili Kumara) had murdered the regent Arasakesari and had been dispossessed of his kingdom by the Portuguese. The Jaffna King went to Tanjore to aid assistance of the Tanjore King in regaining his kingdom. With troops under Kheen Naick of Tanjore, Sankili II went back to Jaffna and defeated the Portuguese. Soon later however the Portuguese dethroned him and repossessed Jaffna. Thus it is seen that the Nayaks were linked with Ceylonese history, and with the Kandy and Jaffna kingdoms, prior to the formation of the Kandy Nayak line.
The last king of the Kandy Mahanuwara dynasty, Narendra Sinha, died in 1739 without an offspring from his queen. His queen was a Madurai Nayak princess. Narendra Sinha's had nominated a brother of his Madura queen to succeed him; and he was crowned under the assumed title of Sri Vijaya Raja Sinha. Thus, Sri Vijaya Rajasinha succeeded the throne and established the Kandy Nayak line.
The preceding dynasty
The last king of the Kandy Mahanuwara dynasty was Vira Narendra Sinha who ruled from 1707 to 1739. This king ascended the throne in 1707 when he was seventeen and was considered to be a very pious and scholarly. In 1708 the king married a bride from Madurai Royal family, the daughter of Pitti Nayakkar. Again, in 1710, he married another bride from Madurai. He had no children by either of the queens. He also had a secondary Kandyan wife from noble family of Matale. She bore him a son. However, the children of the secondary wife were not considered heirs to the throne. The king also had a concubine from a high caste, who bore him a son named Unambuwe, and did survive. The bar to his succession was the lack of royal status in the mother.
Thus, the king nominated, as his successor, the brother of his first queen who had remained at the court ever since his sister married him. According to the law of succession that prevailed in Ceylon, the throne passed almost always from father to son, born of a mahesi or from brother to brother. However, when Narendra Sinha's brother-in-law succeeded the throne, the Sinhalese Kandyan aristocracy had no problem with this new form of succession. The practice of marrying princesses from Madurai is said to have come into occurrence as the Kandy kings insisted on consorts from the Suryavamsa lineage to grace their coronation and to produce heirs acceptable to the people.
Sri Vijaya Rajasinha 1739–1747
The new king, considered to be a man of considerable culture, devoted his entire attention to the furtherance of the national religion Buddhism despite being a Hindu. He is said to have commissioned life sized images of Buddha in recumbent, standing and sitting postures to be cut in the rock caves in various parts of the country. His reign also marked several conflicts with the Dutch who were ruling the coastal provinces, based on trading issues. Sri Vijaya Rajasinha destroyed the churches and initiated a persecution against the Portuguese and Dutch, which was continued under Kirti Sri Rajasinha. It ceased only because the king considered that certain calamities which fell upon the country were due to his action.
He married a bride from the Royal family of Madurai. But by 1736 the 200-year-old Nayaka dynasty of Madurai came to an end with Muslims taking control of the whole country.
Marriage alliance with Madurai royal family
When the king ascended the throne he sought a wife from South India. For this purpose he sent messengers to Madurai in 1739. Since the Madurai Nayaks had now lost the power and prestige they enjoyed in the days of Vijayaranga Chokkanatha, the family members thought it advisable and even desirable to accept the offer from the king of Kandy. Hence the family of Bangaru Thirumala, who was now residing in Vellaikuruchi Fort near Thirupachetiram in Sivaganga Zamin responded. Two brothers Rama Krishnappa Nayaka and Narenappa Nayaka, kinsmen of Bangaru Tirumala Nayaka meet the Kandyan envoys at Ramnad. Narenappa Nayaka had a daughter of marriageable age and agreed to the Kandyan request. The brothers with their families and some kins accompanied the envoys to Ceylon for the daughter's nuptial; settled in Kandy with their kith and kin. Narenappa Nayaka was destined to be not only the father-in-law of one king, but the father of the next two kings of Kandy; for his two sons, the one five or six years old in 1740, and the other still an infant were successively to succeed Sri Vijaya Rajasinha.
The king, however, died childless soon after, having nominated as his successor, his eldest brother in-law who had been living in the court ever since his sister had married the king. Thus by this peculiar mode of succession the son of Narenappa Nayaka who claimed kingship with the ruling Madurai Nayak family now ascended the throne of Kandy as Kirti Sri Rajasinha.
Kirti Sri Rajasinha 1747–1782
Kirti Sri Rajasinha was a prince from the Nayaks of Madurai royal family and brother-in-law to Sri Vijaya Raja Singha. He succeeded his brother-in-law to the throne in 1751.
He devoted the first few years of his reign to the advancement of literature and religion. The king, later with the Dutch assistance got down to learning Bhikkus from Siam (Thailand) for the purpose of advancing Buddhism in Sri Lanka, also building the Raja Maha Vihara (Gangarama) was built at Kandy. Kirti built the existing inner temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, and caused the Mahavansa chronicle to be continued from the time of Parâkkamabâhu IV down to his own reign.
Attack on Dutch forts
In 1761 King Kirti Sri Rajasinha attacked the Dutch garrisons and forts at Matara, Katuwana, Tangalle, Marakade and Urubokke, completely destroying them, and killing Dutch while some surrendered and ended as prisoners.
In order to revenge the humiliation, the new Dutch governor Van Eck had immediate plans to attack Kandy, but the weakness in fortification and garrison forbade the Dutch. Later they did attach in 1764 and in 1765. Hence, in the early part of 1763 the Dutch were only consolidating their positions and gradually expelling Kandyans from the territories taken over from Dutch. Throughout 1763 the King continually sought peace and sent his envoys to discuss terms. The Governor wished the King to cede the three four and seven Korales and Puttlam and hand over the entire coastline of island to the Dutch. The king was not agreeable to any demand that diminished his sovereignty and was deliberately delaying a settlement hoping for help from the English in Madras after his discussion and negotiations with John Pybus 1762.
Meeting with the British
The King in mid-1762 sought help from George Pigot, Governor of Fort St George Madras for assistance. The British eager to obtain the monopoly of trading in cinnamon, pepper, betel nut (puwak) from the Kandyan Kings also wanted to expel the Dutch from the coasts. A reason to call on the British for assistance by the Kandyan King in 1762 was that after the treaty of Paris, the Dutch poured troops into Sri Lanka. They were bent on capturing Kandy from six directions (1764). Anticipating such a scenario the King sent an envoy to the English Governor of Madras to assist him in expelling the Dutch. This envoy, a junior Kandyan Official in the military made a clandestine trip to Madras Fort, and the English responded by sending their councillor Mr Pybus.
John Pybus, a writer of the British East India Company, sailed to Kandy with a backup of five ships and about 200 armed men. A British vessel brought Pybus to Trincomalee on 5 May 1762. The Dutch knew of the arrival of Pybus through their spies and they were kept informed of his movements. Pybus took an exhausting covert trip to meet the King on 24 May 1762. After several talks without any conclusive decisions Pybus left after a month. The King gave him a ring, sword, a gold chain with breast jewels and left the country crossing the river at Puttalam pass while the Dissawa who accompanied Pybus presented the ships commander Samuel Cornish a gold chain and a ring in the name of King "Kirti Sri Rajasinha".
John Pybus in his notes described the King as a man of tolerable stature, reddish in complexion and very brisk in his movements. Pybus was amazed as to how the kandyans had managed to fight a war with Dutch and had captured Matara Dutch Fort. He wrote that "They had put every European to the sword except two officers who are now prisoners of the country."
The Kandy King, Kirti Sri Rajasinha (Kirti Sri Maha Raja), married two daughters of Vijaya Manan Naicker, the grandson of Vijaya Raghava Nayaka of Tanjore and also brought some dispossessed Nayaks of Tanjore to live in Kandy. He also married the daughter of one Nadukattu Sami Nayakkar in 1749. He further married three more Nayakkar queens from Madurai, but had no children from them. He had six daughters and two sons by his favourite Sinhala lady (Yakada Doli), daughter of the late Dissave (Headman) of Bintenna and granddaughter of the blind and aged Mampitiya Dissave. Both his sons survived the king and his daughters' married Nayakkar relatives of the king. Mampitiya's sons claim for the throne was overlooked and the choice fell on the king's brother who was living in court.
The king died on 2 January 1782, of the injuries caused two months before by a fall from his horse after a reign of 35 years which the people saw as a great religious revival, and had a sentimental attachment to the King.
Sri Rajadhi Raja Singha 1782–1798
Brother of Kirti Sri Rajasinha, the new king who ascended the throne as Sri Rajadhi Rajasinha. He came from Madurai as a child along with his brother. Hence he was raised as a Kandyan and a Sinhala; emerging as a brilliant pupil of the Malwatte Temple's chief Prelate at that time. He was quite a sophisticated person and learned many languages amongst which were Pali and Sanskrit. A lavish patron of Buddhism, he was a great aficionado of poetry and he himself was a poet.
He died childless in 1798 without nominating a successor. The burden fell on Pilimatalava, the first Adigar (Prime Minister) Pilimatalawe, an able, ambitious and intriguing chief, to select a successor to the vacant throne. The controversial Adigar was also seen as one of the main reason for the demise of the dynasty.
Sri Vikrama Rajasinha 1798–1815
The next king who ascended the throne was Prince Kannasamy, the former kings' nephew, barely 18 years old. He was crowned under the title of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha. He would also be the last king of the Kandy Nayakar dynasty and the last of Sri Lanka. During his time the British colony was fully established on other parts of Sri Lanka.
There was a rival claimant to succeed King Sri Rajadhi Rajasinha, the brother of Queen Upendramma, who had a stronger claim. However, Pilimatalawe, the first Adigar (prime Minister) choose the South Indian Prince to the Kandyan Throne, with reportedly deep seated plans to usurp the throne to set a new dynasty of his own. The young king, upon ascending the throne, faced many conspiracies and reigned through one of the most turbulent periods in Sri Lanka's history.
During his time, the British who had succeeded the Dutch in the Maritime Provinces had not interfered in the politics of the Kandy. But Pilimatalava, the first Adigar of the king, started covert operations with the British to provoke the King into acts of aggression, which would give the British an excuse to seize the Kingdom. The Adigar manipulated the king into beginning a military conflict with the British, who had gained a strong position in the coastal provinces. War was declared and on 22 March 1803 the British entered Kandy with no resistance, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha having fled. The adigar massacred the British garrison in Kandy in June and restored the king to the throne. Pilimitalava plotted to overthrow the king and seize the crown for himself, but his plot was discovered, and, having been pardoned on two previous occasions, he was executed.
The disgraced adigar was replaced by his nephew, Ehelepola, who soon came under suspicion of following his uncle in plotting the overthrow of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha. A rebellion instigated by Ehalepola was suppressed, after which he then fled to Colombo and joined the British. After failing to surrender (after 3 weeks of notice), the exasperated king dismissed Ehelepola, confiscated his lands, and ordered the imprisonment and execution of his wife and children. A propagandised account of the execution was widely circulated by sympathisers.
Ehelepola fled to British-controlled territory, where he persuaded the British that Sri Vikrama Rajasinha's tyranny deserved a military intervention. The pretext was provided by the seizure of a number of British merchants, who were detained on suspicion of spying and were tortured, killing several of them. An invasion was duly mounted and advanced to Kandy without resistance, reaching the city on 10 February 1815. On 2 March, the kingdom was ceded to the British under a treaty called the Kandyan Convention.
Exile and death
Sri Wikrama Rajasinha is said to have governed the Kandy Kingdom as per the laws of Manusmṛti. On 2 March, the kingdom was ceded to the British under a treaty called the Kandyan Convention. Sri Vikrama Rajasinha was captured and sent along with his family and attendants as a royal prisoner by the British to Vellore Fort in southern India. A son was born to him while he was in exile but he died without an issue. The king then adopted the son of his daughter as his own son who was titled Alagia Manawala Sinhala Raja. During Sri Vikrama Rajasinha's time as a royal prisoner in Vellore Fort the erstwhile king received a privy purse, which his descendants continued to receive from the Government of Sri Lanka until it was abolished in 1965. Sri Wikrama Rajasinha died of dropsy on 30 January 1832 aged 52 years.
For centuries Kandy, originally known as Senkadagala, has been the bastion of Sri Lanka's culture and its spiritual centre. The palace complex at Kandy includes Sri Lanka's most venerated shrine, the Dalada Maligawa or Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.
Raja Maha Vihara (Gangarama) was built at Kandy by the second Nayak king Kirti Sri Rajasinha while his successor Sri Rajadhi Rajasinha was a lavish patron of Buddhism. The first Nayak king Sri Vijaya Rajasinha is noted for various erection of Buddhist statues throughout the Kingdom. The Kandy Lake overlooking Kandy was commissioned by Sri Vikrama Rajasinha.
- Enemy lines: childhood, warfare, and play in Batticaloa, By Margaret Trawick, p.40-41.
- University of Ceylon review, Volumes 14–16, p.129.
- The Nayaks of Sri Lanka, 1739–1815: political relations with the British in South India, by Subramanian Gopalakrishnan, p.11-15.
- Enemy lines: childhood, warfare, and play in Batticaloa, By Margaret Trawick, p.40.
- Sri Lanka and the Maldive Islands, By Chandra Richard De Silva, p.111, p.137.
- Llc, Books (2010-05-01). Madurai Nayak Dynasty: Puli Thevar, Palaiyakkarar, Nayaks of Kandy, Srivilliputhur, Thirumalai Nayak, Mangammal, Chokkanatha Nayak. General Books LLC. ISBN 9781155798967.
- Ancient Jaffna: being a research into the history of Jaffna from very early times to the Portug[u]ese period, by C. Rasanayagam, p.385.
- Nayaks of Tanjore, By V. Vriddhagirisan, pp.79–92.
- Nayaks of Tanjore, By V. Vriddhagirisan, p.79.
- An historical relation of the island Ceylon, Volume 1, by Robert Knox and JHO Paulusz, p.43.
- Ancient Jaffna: being a research into the history of Jaffna from very early times to the Portug[u]ese period, p.386-387
- Census of Ceylon, 1946, Volume 1, Part 1, p.20
- Contacts Between Cultures: South Asia, by K. I. Koppedrayer, Amir Harrak, p.376
- University of Ceylon review, Volumes 14–16, p.129
- University of Ceylon review, Volumes 14–16, p.127
- Ceylon: a general description of the island and its inhabitants, By Henry Marshall, p.132
- Twentieth century impressions of Ceylon: its history, people, commerce, industries, and resources, by Arnold Wright, p.65
- Robert Binning, A Journal of Two Years' Travel in Persia, Ceylon, etc. Volume 1. (Wm. H. Allen & Co., 1857)
- Horace Hayman Wilson, The history of British India, from 1805 to 1835. (James Madden, 1858)
- Great Dynasty of Sri Lanka
- King Keerthi Sri Rajasinha and British Envoy John Pybus
- Establishment of Madurai Rule in Kandy
- Kandy Rulers
- Last King of Kandy, Sri Wickrama Raja Singha
- Capture and last days of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha
- Transition to British Administration
- Conflicts with the Dutch
- The Last King
- Kings & Rulers of Sri Lanka
- "Lankan legacy". The Hindu. Retrieved 2008-06-14.
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Many medical procedures are performed while the horse is under standing chemical restraint, but anesthesia in horses can be risky. One study cites an almost 2% mortality rate for equine patients within seven days of receiving general anesthesia.
"It may be especially difficult to correctly dose sedative drugs in very old or debilitated patients. Similarly, very anxious or excited horses may require very high doses of drugs that could simultaneously interfere with a horse's ability to remain standing," said Robert J. Brosnan, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVA, of the University of California at Davis.
Once the procedure is finished, excessive sedation might persist, making it difficult for the horse to stand and requiring more drugs to reverse its effects. Brosnan and Eugene P. Steffey, VMD, PhD, Dipl. ACVA, examined the effects of propofol, a short-acting anesthetic, as an equine sedative. They found that it was not useful alone, but might be useful when combined with other drugs.
Short-acting anesthetics might be safer because they give the veterinarian greater control over the depth and duration of the sedation. Although low doses of propofol in horses causes short periods of sedation, which is desirable, higher doses can cause excessive stumbling, muscle weakness, and possibly excitement, according to Brosnan.
"As a single agent, propofol is not suited as an equine sedative agent. However, it may be possible to use this drug with other sedative agents to take advantage of propofol’s desirable kinetic properties (rapid onset, rapid clearance)," he said.
With support from the Center for Equine Health at UC Davis, Brosnan is planning more studies to develop new sedation regimens that integrate propofol. "We are striving to make sedation and anesthesia in horses as safe as it is humans," he said, noting "propofol is a potent sedative-anesthetic and should only be used by veterinarians or licensed veterinary technicians under the direct supervision of a veterinarian."
The study, "Sedative effects of propofol in horses," was published in the September 2009 issue of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia. The abstract is available on PubMed.
Disclaimer: Seek the advice of a qualified veterinarian before proceeding with any diagnosis, treatment, or therapy.
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Mosquitoes’ capacity to transmit malaria may be affected by antibiotics in the blood of patients they bite, according to new research led by Imperial College London, in collaboration with The Cyprus Institute. Malaria is a disease that infects almost half a billion people and kills over half a million every year, mostly children aged 1-5 in sub-Saharan Africa. Mosquitoes become infected with the malaria parasite when they bite an infected person. They pass on the disease within a couple of weeks when they bite another person.
This research, carried out by a team led by Professor George Christophides of Imperial College London and faculty member of adjunct Professor of The Cyprus Institute, published in Nature Communications, suggests that treatment of malaria patients with particular antibiotics may impact on the spread of the disease. As antibiotics target bacteria, they explored in this new study whether biting a malaria patient who is taking antibiotics might affect the bacteria in the mosquitoes and, through this, their capacity to transmit the parasite.
The researchers showed that when mosquitoes ingest blood of children infected with malaria and, at the same time, are treated with a combination of antibiotics known not to directly affect the malaria parasites, bacteria present inside the mosquito gut are severely affected, making these mosquitoes more prone to infections by malaria parasites. These mosquitoes also live longer, thus increasing their chance to pass on the parasites to another person. These findings could have important implications on the use of antibiotics in malaria endemic countries
Many different antibiotics are in use in countries where malaria is endemic, for a variety of reasons. Some are used to treat tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS or diarrhoea, while others are used in mass-drug administration programmes to combat neglected tropical diseases such as trachoma, yaws and filariasis. Such programmes have significantly reduced childhood mortality.
Professor George Christophides says,“Ultimately, we hope that understanding the effects of the different antibiotics would mean we can combat the spread of malaria more effectively. For example, when an antibiotic that makes mosquitoes more able to transmit malaria must be prescribed to a malaria patient, this could be combined with the use of a bed net in order to reduce mosquito bites or concurrent prescription of a drug that can both treat malaria and block its transmission. This is particularly important for young children, who are both highly vulnerable to malaria infection and very efficient at transmitting the disease”.
Although the new study found that one combination of antibiotics could exacerbate malaria transmission, the researchers stress that they are not suggesting people should avoid using antibiotics. Rather, they suggest that more investigations are needed as different antibiotics might have a different impact on the mosquitoes’ ability to spread malaria. It is possible, they say, that other antibiotics make it harder for mosquitoes to transmit malaria. “Such antibiotics could be used in our fight against malaria”, a member of the team says.
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A creation myth (also called a cosmogonic myth) or creation story is a symbolic narrative of how the world began and how people first came to inhabit it. While in popular usage the term myth often refers to false or fanciful stories, formally, it does not imply falsehood. Cultures generally regard their creation myths as true. In the society in which it is told, a creation myth is usually regarded as conveying profound truths, metaphorically, symbolically and sometimes in a historical or literal sense. They are commonly, although not always, considered cosmogonical myths – that is, they describe the ordering of the cosmos from a state of chaos or amorphousness.
Creation myths often share a number of features. They often are considered sacred accounts and can be found in nearly all known religious traditions. They are all stories with a plot and characters who are either deities, human-like figures, or animals, who often speak and transform easily. They are often set in a dim and nonspecific past that historian of religion Mircea Eliade termed in illo tempore ("at that time"). Creation myths address questions deeply meaningful to the society that shares them, revealing their central worldview and the framework for the self-identity of the culture and individual in a universal context.
Creation myth definitions from modern references:
- A "symbolic narrative of the beginning of the world as understood in a particular tradition and community. Creation myths are of central importance for the valuation of the world, for the orientation of humans in the universe, and for the basic patterns of life and culture."
- "Creation myths tell us how things began. All cultures have creation myths; they are our primary myths, the first stage in what might be called the psychic life of the species. As cultures, we identify ourselves through the collective dreams we call creation myths, or cosmogonies. … Creation myths explain in metaphorical terms our sense of who we are in the context of the world, and in so doing they reveal our real priorities, as well as our real prejudices. Our images of creation say a great deal about who we are."
- A "philosophical and theological elaboration of the primal myth of creation within a religious community. The term myth here refers to the imaginative expression in narrative form of what is experienced or apprehended as basic reality … The term creation refers to the beginning of things, whether by the will and act of a transcendent being, by emanation from some ultimate source, or in any other way."
Religion professor Mircea Eliade defined the word myth in terms of creation:
Myth narrates a sacred history; it relates an event that took place in primordial Time, the fabled time of the "beginnings." In other words, myth tells how, through the deeds of Supernatural Beings, a reality came into existence, be it the whole of reality, the Cosmos, or only a fragment of reality – an island, a species of plant, a particular kind of human behavior, an institution.
Meaning and function
Ethnologists and anthropologists[which?] who study these myths say that in the modern context theologians try to discern humanity's meaning from revealed truths and scientists investigate cosmology with the tools of empiricism and rationality, but creation myths define human reality in very different terms. In the past historians of religion and other students of myth thought of them as forms of primitive or early-stage science or religion and analyzed them in a literal or logical sense. However they are today seen as symbolic narratives which must be understood in terms of their own cultural context. Charles Long writes, "The beings referred to in the myth – gods, animals, plants – are forms of power grasped existentially. The myths should not be understood as attempts to work out a rational explanation of deity."
While creation myths are not literal explications they do serve to define an orientation of humanity in the world in terms of a birth story. They are the basis of a worldview that reaffirms and guides how people relate to the natural world, to any assumed spiritual world, and to each other. The creation myth acts as a cornerstone for distinguishing primary reality from relative reality, the origin and nature of being from non-being. In this sense they serve as a philosophy of life but one expressed and conveyed through symbol rather than systematic reason. And in this sense they go beyond etiological myths which mean to explain specific features in religious rites, natural phenomena or cultural life. Creation myths also help to orient human beings in the world, giving them a sense of their place in the world and the regard that they must have for humans and nature.
Historian David Christian has summarised issues common to multiple creation myths:
Each beginning seems to presuppose an earlier beginning. ... Instead of meeting a single starting point, we encounter an infinity of them, each of which poses the same problem. ... There are no entirely satisfactory solutions to this dilemma. What we have to find is not a solution but some way of dealing with the mystery .... And we have to do so using words. The words we reach for, from God to gravity, are inadequate to the task. So we have to use language poetically or symbolically; and such language, whether used by a scientist, a poet, or a shaman, can easily be misunderstood.
Mythologists have applied various schemes to classify creation myths found throughout human cultures. Eliade and his colleague Charles Long developed a classification based on some common motifs that reappear in stories the world over. The classification identifies five basic types:
- Creation ex nihilo in which the creation is through the thought, word, dream or bodily secretions of a divine being.
- Earth diver creation in which a diver, usually a bird or amphibian sent by a creator, plunges to the seabed through a primordial ocean to bring up sand or mud which develops into a terrestrial world.
- Emergence myths in which progenitors pass through a series of worlds and metamorphoses until reaching the present world.
- Creation by the dismemberment of a primordial being.
- Creation by the splitting or ordering of a primordial unity such as the cracking of a cosmic egg or a bringing order from chaos.
Marta Weigle further developed and refined this typology to highlight nine themes, adding elements such as deus faber, a creation crafted by a deity, creation from the work of two creators working together or against each other, creation from sacrifice and creation from division/conjugation, accretion/conjunction, or secretion.
An alternative system based on six recurring narrative themes was designed by Raymond Van Over:
- Primeval abyss, an infinite expanse of waters or space.
- Originator deity which is awakened or an eternal entity within the abyss.
- Originator deity poised above the abyss.
- Cosmic egg or embryo.
- Originator deity creating life through sound or word.
- Life generating from the corpse or dismembered parts of an originator deity.
Creation ex nihilo (Latin for "out of nothing"), also known as "creation de novo (Latin for "from the new")", is a common type of mythical creation. Ex nihilo creation is found in creation stories from ancient Egypt, the Rig Veda, the Bible and the Quran, and many animistic cultures in Africa, Asia, Oceania and North America. The Debate between sheep and grain is an example of an even earlier form of ex nihilo creation myth from ancient Sumer. In most of these stories the world is brought into being by the speech, dream, breath, or pure thought of a creator but creation ex nihilo may also take place through a creator's bodily secretions.
The literal translation of the phrase ex nihilo is "from nothing" but in many creation myths the line is blurred whether the creative act would be better classified as a creation ex nihilo or creation from chaos. In ex nihilo creation myths the potential and the substance of creation springs from within the creator. Such a creator may or may not be existing in physical surroundings such as darkness or water, but does not create the world from them, whereas in creation from chaos the substance used for creation is pre-existing within the unformed void.
Creation from chaos
In creation from chaos myth, initially there is nothing but a formless, shapeless expanse. In these stories the word "chaos" means "disorder", and this formless expanse, which is also sometimes called a void or an abyss, contains the material with which the created world will be made. Chaos may be described as having the consistency of vapor or water, dimensionless, and sometimes salty or muddy. These myths associate chaos with evil and oblivion, in contrast to "order" (cosmos) which is the good. The act of creation is the bringing of order from disorder, and in many of these cultures it is believed that at some point the forces preserving order and form will weaken and the world will once again be engulfed into the abyss.
There are two types of world parent myths, both describing a separation or splitting of a primeval entity, the world parent or parents. One form describes the primeval state as an eternal union of two parents, and the creation takes place when the two are pulled apart. The two parents are commonly identified as Sky (usually male) and Earth (usually female) who in the primeval state were so tightly bound to each other that no offspring could emerge. These myths often depict creation as the result of a sexual union, and serve as genealogical record of the deities born from it.
In the second form of world parent myth, creation itself springs from dismembered parts of the body of the primeval being. Often in these stories the limbs, hair, blood, bones or organs of the primeval being are somehow severed or sacrificed to transform into sky, earth, animal or plant life, and other worldly features. These myths tend to emphasize creative forces as animistic in nature rather than sexual, and depict the sacred as the elemental and integral component of the natural world. One example of this is the Norse creation myth described in Völuspá.
In emergence myths humanity emerges from another world into the one they currently inhabit. The previous world is often considered the womb of the earth mother, and the process of emergence is likened to the act of giving birth. The role of midwife is usually played by a female deity, like the spider woman of Native American mythology. Male characters rarely figure into these stories, and scholars often consider them in counterpoint to male-oriented creation myths, like those of the ex nihilo variety.
Emergence myths commonly describe the creation of people and/or supernatural beings as a staged ascent or metamorphosis from nascent forms through a series of subterranean worlds to arrive at their current place and form. Often the passage from one world or stage to the next is impelled by inner forces, a process of germination or gestation from earlier, embryonic forms. The genre is most commonly found in Native American cultures where the myths frequently link the final emergence of people from a hole opening to the underworld to stories about their subsequent migrations and eventual settlement in their current homelands.
The earth-diver is a common character in various traditional creation myths. In these stories a supreme being usually sends an animal into the primal waters to find bits of sand or mud with which to build habitable land. Some scholars interpret these myths psychologically while others interpret them cosmogonically. In both cases emphasis is placed on beginnings emanating from the depths. Earth-diver myths are common in Native American folklore but can be found among the Chukchi and Yukaghir, the Tatars and many Finno-Ugrian traditions. The pattern of distribution of these stories suggest they have a common origin in the eastern Asiatic coastal region, spreading as peoples migrated west into Siberia and east to the North American continent.
Characteristic of many Native American myths, earth-diver creation stories begin as beings and potential forms linger asleep or suspended in the primordial realm. The earth-diver is among the first of them to awaken and lay the necessary groundwork by building suitable lands where the coming creation will be able to live. In many cases, these stories will describe a series of failed attempts to make land before the solution is found.
- An interpretation of the creation narrative from the first book of the Torah (commonly known as the Book of Genesis), painting from the collections of the Jewish Museum (New York)
- Encyclopædia Britannica 2009
- Womack 2005, p. 81, "Creation myths are symbolic stories describing how the universe and its inhabitants came to be. Creation myths develop through oral traditions and therefore typically have multiple versions."
- "In common usage the word 'myth' refers to narratives or beliefs that are untrue or merely fanciful; the stories that make up national or ethnic mythologies describe characters and events that common sense and experience tell us are impossible. Nevertheless, all cultures celebrate such myths and attribute to them various degrees of literal or symbolic truth." (Leeming 2010, p. xvii)
- Long 1963, p. 18
- Kimball 2008[page needed]
- Leeming 2010, pp. xvii–xviii, 465
- Johnston 2009
- Eliade 1963, p. 429
- Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions 1999, p. 267
- Leeming 2010, p. 84
- creation myth, Enyclopædia Britannica (2009)
- Eliade 1964, pp. 5–6
- Mair 1990, pp. 9
- Leeming 2011a
- Long 1963, p. 12
- Sproul 1979, p. 6
- Christian, David (2004). Maps of Time: An Introduction to Big History. California World History Library. 2. University of California Press. pp. 17–18. ISBN 9780520931923. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
How did everything begin? This is the first question faced by any creation myth and ... answering it remains tricky. ... Each beginning seems to presuppose an earlier beginning. ... Instead of meeting a single starting point, we encounter an infinity of them, each of which poses the same problem. ... There are no entirely satisfactory solutions to this dilemma. What we have to find is not a solution but some way of dealing with the mystery .... And we have to do so using words. The words we reach for, from God to gravity, are inadequate to the task. So we have to use language poetically or symbolically; and such language, whether used by a scientist, a poet, or a shaman, can easily be misunderstood.
- Description from Walters Art Museum
- Leonard & McClure 2004, p. 32–33
- Leeming 2010, pp. 1–3, 153
- Wasilewska 2000, pp. 146
- Leeming & Leeming 1994, pp. 60–61
- As of 2005[update], adherents.com associated a bare 54% of humanity with the Abrahamic religions without associating adherence with knowledge of creation myths – see: Hunter, Preston. "Major Religions of the World Ranked by Number of Adherents". Adherents.com.
- "Worldwide Adherents of All Religions by Six Continental Areas, Mid-2002". Encyclopædia Britannica. 2002. Archived from the original on 2006-02-21. Retrieved 31 May 2006.
- Leeming 2010
- Leeming 2010, p. 16
- Leeming 2010, p. 18
- Leeming 2010, pp. 21–24
- Long 1963
- Wheeler-Voegelin & Moore 1957, pp. 66–73
- Leeming 2011b
- Booth 1984, pp. 168–70
- Vladimir Napolskikh (2012), Earth-Diver Myth (А812) in northern Eurasia and North America: twenty years later
- Leonard & McClure 2004, p. 38
- Ashkenazi, Michael (2008). Handbook of Japanese mythology (illustrated ed.). OUP USA. ISBN 978-0-19-533262-9.
- Barbour, Ian G. (1997). Religion and Science: Historical and Contemporary Issues (first revised ed.). HarperSanFrancisco. pp. 58, 65. ISBN 0-06-060938-9.
- Bastian, Dawn E.; Mitchell, Judy K. (2004). Handbook of Native American Mythology. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 1-85109-533-0.
- Boas, Franz (1916). "Tsimshian Mythology". Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnography. Government Printing Office.
- Bodde, Derk (1961). "Myths of Ancient China". In Samuel Noah Kramer. Mythologies of the Ancient World. Anchor.
- Booth, Anna Birgitta (1984). "Creation myths of the North American Indians". In Alan Dundes. Sacred Narrative: Readings in the Theory of Myth. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-05192-8.
- Courlander, Harold (2002). A Treasury of African Folklore: The Oral Literature, Traditions, Myths, Legends, Epics, Tales, Recollections, Wisdom, Sayings, and Humor of Africa. Marlowe & Company. ISBN 978-1-56924-536-1.
- "creation myth". Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Encyclopedia. 2000. ISBN 0-87779-017-5.
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- Doty, William (2007). Myth: A Handbook. University Alabama Press. ISBN 978-0-8173-5437-4.
- Frank; Leaman, Oliver (2004). History of Jewish Philosophy. Psychology Press. ISBN 978-0-415-32469-4.
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- Frankfort, Henri (1977). The Intellectual Adventure of Ancient Man: An Essay on Speculative Thought in the Ancient Near East. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0226260082.
- Giddens, Sandra; Giddens, Owen (2006). African Mythology. The Rosen Publishing Group. ISBN 1-4042-0768-6.
- Honko, Lauri (1984). "The Problem of Defining Myth". In Alan Dundes. Sacred Narrative: Readings in the Theory of Myth. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-05192-8.
- Johnston, Susan A. (2009). Religion, Myth, and Magic: The Anthropology of Religion-a Course Guide. Recorded Books, LLC. ISBN 978-1-4407-2603-3.
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- Leeming, David A. (2001). Myth: A Biography of Belief. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-514288-4.
- Leeming, David A. (2011a). "Creation". The Oxford companion to world mythology (online ed.). Oxford University Press. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
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- Leonard, Scott A; McClure, Michael (2004). Myth and Knowing (illustrated ed.). McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0-7674-1957-4.
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|Wikiquote has quotations related to: Creation myth|
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The new ancient fire research of SMU fire anthropologist Christopher I. Roos was covered by the international wire service United Press International. In a May 18 entry, UPI reported that Roos found that U.S. megafires in the U.S. Southwest region are unique and exceptional when compared to the past 1,500 years.
Roos and co-author Thomas W. Swetnam, the University of Arizona, constructed and analyzed a statistical model that encompassed 1,500 years of climate and fire patterns to test, in part, whether today’s dry, hot climate alone is causing the megafires that routinely destroy millions of acres of forest.
The researchers found that even when ancient climates varied from each other — one hotter and drier and the other cooler and wetter — the frequencies of year-to-year weather patterns that drive fire activity were similar.
The findings suggest that today’s megafires, at least in the southwestern U.S., are atypical, say Roos and Swetnam. Furthermore, the findings implicate as the cause not only modern climate change, but also human activity over the last century, the researchers said.
DALLAS, May 16 (UPI) — Today’s mega forest fires in the U.S. Southwest are truly unusual compared to the long-term record and may be the result of human activity, researchers say.
A study that examined hundreds of years of ancient tree ring and fire data from two distinct climate periods suggests today’s dry, hot climate is not the lone cause of the megafires that routinely destroy millions of acres of forest, researchers from Southern Methodist University reported Tuesday.
Human activity over the last century in terms of dealing with fires is at least partly to blame for today’s megafires, they said.
“The United States would not be experiencing massive large-canopy-killing crown fires today if human activities had not begun to suppress the low-severity surface fires that were so common more than a century ago,” said Christopher I. Roos, a professor in the SMU Department of Anthropology.
SMU is a nationally ranked private university in Dallas founded 100 years ago. Today, SMU enrolls nearly 11,000 students who benefit from the academic opportunities and international reach of seven degree-granting schools. For more information see www.smu.edu.
SMU has an uplink facility located on campus for live TV, radio, or online interviews. To speak with an SMU expert or book an SMU guest in the studio, call SMU News & Communications at 214-768-7650.
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In a relatively short time, cell phones have evolved from a traditional phone to something that now resembles all the features provided on your personal computer, video and music system. As advancements continue with mobile technology, it is important that parents view these devices in the same way as personal computers in the home. For their own protection, children need to be guided on both the advantages and risks of new technology.
The goal of this site is to educate parents/guardians about the potential risks posed to children/adolescents using cell phones, and to highlight proactive strategies that can be used to help keep youth safe. Please let us know what you think of the site.
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This topic introduces the fundamentals of radical expressions. In this six lesson series, the student learns the definition of radicals. The student also learns how to add, subtract, and multiply radical expressions.
In this lesson, the student is introduced to many special definitions that involve radicals. Words like radical, radicand, and order are given. Examples are used to illustrate the square root, cube root, fourth root, and fifth root of numbers to show the student the notation behind radical expressions.
In this lesson, the student learns the even-odd principle of radicals. The student learns radicals of an even order have two solutions, if they exist, while radicals of an odd order have one solution. The student also learns that the square root of a negative number is not a real number.
This lesson introduces the product rule for radicals. The student also learns how to simplify radicals that contain whole numbers.
In this lesson, the student learns how to add and subtract radicals. The student first learns that radicals with different bases or different orders cannot be added or subtracted. The student then sees how simplifying a radical can allow the bases to align, so that radical expressions can be added or subtracted.
This lesson introduces the student to multiplying radicals. The student learns that they can multiply radicals of the same order together. They also learn how to simplify the product.
In this lesson, the student is introduced to using the distributive property to multiply radicals.
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Dog with Rabies
"Dog with Rabies is very unusual. Vaccination protects against the disease. There is no cure for this virus."
A dog with rabies is rare in the U.S. It is more common in some other parts of the world, such as Asia. All warm-blooded animals can get rabies including humans. All dogs should be vaccinated for rabies at age 12 – 16 weeks and again at age one year. After that, they should be vaccinated on a regular basis. There is no cure for rabies, so vaccination is critical.
Rabies is transmitted through a bite by an infected animal. However, not all bites by infected animals result in infection. Only about 15% of bites result in transmission of the disease.
If you are bitten by a dog or suspicious animal seek immediate treatment and read our guide to dog bite rabies.
Canine Rabies SymptomsWhen an infected animal bites a dog, the rabies virus moves along the nerves toward the brain. It is a slow-moving virus and there is an incubation period of 3 – 8 weeks before symptoms are shown.
There are three stages of rabies symptoms.
The first is the prodromal stage. This stage usually lasts for 2 – 3 days. Dogs become nervous and may avoid contact with people. They often run a fever. They will lick the site of the bite excessively.
The second stage is the furious stage. This lasts for anywhere from 1 – 7 days. Dogs become irritable and aggressive. They are hypersensitive to auditory and visual stimuli.
The third stage is the paralytic stage. Nerves of the head and neck are affected. The dog becomes unable to swallow and so begins to salivate and drool. Dogs may make a choking sounds and it may seem as if something is lodged in their throats. Labored breathing and dropping of the jaw occur as the muscles of the diaphragm and face become more and more paralyzed. The dog will get weaker and weaker and eventually die of respiratory failure.
Canine Rabies Diagnosis
Currently the only way to make an accurate diagnosis of rabies in a dog is to examine the brain. This means the dog must be dead. Researchers are working on developing blood tests to test for the disease.
A tentative diagnosis can be made based on the symptoms described above. A dog with rabies symptoms should be treated as if he may have the disease and be isolated from other animals.
Canine Rabies Treatment
There is no dog with rabies treatment. The disease is fatal. That’s why it is so important to have your dog vaccinated. There are both a one-year vaccine and a three-year vaccine available. Talk to your veterinarian about which vaccine is best for your dog.
Clinical Diagnosis for Rabies in Live Dogs
Tesumethanon, Veera, DVM, Lumlertdacha, Boonlert, DVM, Mitmoonpitak, Channarong, DVM, Wilde, Henry, MD
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At some point in the not too distant future artificial intelligences will far exceed humans in most capacities (except shopping and beer drinking). The scripts according to most Hollywood movies seem to suggest that we, humans, would be (mostly) wiped-out by AI machines, beings, robots or other non-human forms — we being the lesser-organisms, superfluous to AI needs.
Perhaps, we may find an alternate path, to a more benign coexistence, much like that posited in The Culture novels by dearly departed, Iain M. Banks. I’ll go with Mr.Banks’ version. Though, just perhaps, evolution is supposed to leave us behind, replacing our simplistic, selfish intelligence with much more advanced, non-human version.
From the Guardian:
From 2001: A Space Odyssey to Blade Runner and RoboCop to The Matrix, how humans deal with the artificial intelligence they have created has proved a fertile dystopian territory for film-makers. More recently Spike Jonze’s Her and Alex Garland’s forthcoming Ex Machina explore what it might be like to have AI creations living among us and, as Alan Turing’s famous test foregrounded, how tricky it might be to tell the flesh and blood from the chips and code.
These concerns are even troubling some of Silicon Valley’s biggest names: last month Telsa’s Elon Musk described AI as mankind’s “biggest existential threat… we need to be very careful”. What many of us don’t realise is that AI isn’t some far-off technology that only exists in film-maker’s imaginations and computer scientist’s labs. Many of our smartphones employ rudimentary AI techniques to translate languages or answer our queries, while video games employ AI to generate complex, ever-changing gaming scenarios. And so long as Silicon Valley companies such as Google and Facebook continue to acquire AI firms and hire AI experts, AI’s IQ will continue to rise…
Isn’t AI a Steven Spielberg movie?
No arguments there, but the term, which stands for “artificial intelligence”, has a more storied history than Spielberg and Kubrick’s 2001 film. The concept of artificial intelligence goes back to the birth of computing: in 1950, just 14 years after defining the concept of a general-purpose computer, Alan Turing asked “Can machines think?”
It’s something that is still at the front of our minds 64 years later, most recently becoming the core of Alex Garland’s new film, Ex Machina, which sees a young man asked to assess the humanity of a beautiful android. The concept is not a million miles removed from that set out in Turing’s 1950 paper, Computing Machinery and Intelligence, in which he laid out a proposal for the “imitation game” – what we now know as the Turing test. Hook a computer up to text terminal and let it have conversations with a human interrogator, while a real person does the same. The heart of the test is whether, when you ask the interrogator to guess which is the human, “the interrogator [will] decide wrongly as often when the game is played like this as he does when the game is played between a man and a woman”.
Turing said that asking whether machines could pass the imitation game is more useful than the vague and philosophically unclear question of whether or not they “think”. “The original question… I believe to be too meaningless to deserve discussion.” Nonetheless, he thought that by the year 2000, “the use of words and general educated opinion will have altered so much that one will be able to speak of machines thinking without expecting to be contradicted”.
In terms of natural language, he wasn’t far off. Today, it is not uncommon to hear people talking about their computers being “confused”, or taking a long time to do something because they’re “thinking about it”. But even if we are stricter about what counts as a thinking machine, it’s closer to reality than many people think.
So AI exists already?
It depends. We are still nowhere near to passing Turing’s imitation game, despite reports to the contrary. In June, a chatbot called Eugene Goostman successfully fooled a third of judges in a mock Turing test held in London into thinking it was human. But rather than being able to think, Eugene relied on a clever gimmick and a host of tricks. By pretending to be a 13-year-old boy who spoke English as a second language, the machine explained away its many incoherencies, and with a smattering of crude humour and offensive remarks, managed to redirect the conversation when unable to give a straight answer.
The most immediate use of AI tech is natural language processing: working out what we mean when we say or write a command in colloquial language. For something that babies begin to do before they can even walk, it’s an astonishingly hard task. Consider the phrase beloved of AI researchers – “time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana”. Breaking the sentence down into its constituent parts confuses even native English speakers, let alone an algorithm.
Read the entire article here.
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The thirteenth element in table of D. I. Mendeleev is the aluminium, where it is marked Al. Belongs to the group of most light metals is one of the three most common in the earth’s crust elements. Aluminium is light weight, as well as the ability to easily undergo any mechanical treatment. He has a high electro-conductivity. And thanks to the surface oxide film, it is resistant to corrosion.
It is a paramagnetic metal with a white-silvery shade, very light. Density = 2.7 g/cm3. At t° 658 — 660 °C (depending on purity) aluminium melts and boils at 2500 °C. the Specific heat of fusion is 390 kJ/kg. Specific heat of evaporation = of 10.53 MJ/kg. Hardness Brinnell within 24 to 32 kgf/mm2. Rupture strength of 10−12 kg/mm2, and the alloy it will be 38−42 kg/mm2. High ductility is 50% pure aluminium and 35% technical. It has a high thermal conductivity 203,5 W/(m•K) and electrical conductivity 0,037 Ohm • mm2/m, which represents approximately 66% of the conductivity of copper. 0,0179 Ohm • mm2/m. This small paramagnetic material with a linear extension 24,58•10-6/°C (t° from 20 to 200°C). It can form alloys with almost all metals, most frequently silicon, magnesium, copper.
Under normal conditions on the surface of aluminum forms a thin solid oxide film, which allows him to interact with oxidants such as H2 O, O2, HNO3. This, as well as low specific weight are the main reasons for such wide use of aluminium as a structural material.
Aluminium. Physical quality
|Atomic (molar) mass, g/mol||26,98|
|The melting temperature t°C||660,3°C|
|The degree of oxidation||3|
|The thermal conductivity K [W/(m·K)]||237|
|Molar volume cm3/mol||10|
Aluminium is lighter than steel 3 times. It is corrosion resistant, perfectly stamped, cut, drilled, has high conductivity and is not toxic. It is used in food industry for the manufacture of foil, kitchen ware, different packages. However, today this sector it began to displace such material as carbon fiber. Probably the only drawbacks of aluminum is low strength. To increase the strength, it is alloyed with magnesium and copper.
Supplier «Auremo» offers to buy aluminum Bicycle wholesale or in installments. Large selection in stock. Compliance with GOST and international quality standards. Always in the presence of aluminum Bicycle price is optimal from the supplier. Buy aluminum rental today. We have the best ratio price-quality.The wholesale customers are price — reduced.
To buy, best price
To see more details with the products, to clarify its basic qualities, place your order, you can through the website of our company «Auremo», which specializiruetsya on the supply of non-ferrous alloys. We offer aluminum Bicycle from specialized stores retail and wholesale quantities with delivery to any region. All products are certified, the price is the best in this segment of the rental. The timing of orders is minimal. When placing bulk orders for the aluminum Bicycle are preferential discount.
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The video below presents an experiment made by two students at Mines Douai (Max MATTONE and Suzanne SHOARA) to achieve indoor localization based on WiFi signals.
Recently, we released several ROS packages for multi-robot exploration, including:
- explore_multirobot http://wiki.ros.org/explore_multirobot: is a multi-robot version of the explore package.
- map_merging http://wiki.ros.org/map_merging: merges multiple maps with knowledge of the initial relative positions of robots.
- tf_splitter http://wiki.ros.org/tf_splitter: decomposes the /tf topic into multiple ones.
- pose_publisher http://wiki.ros.org/pose_publisher: provides current position and orientation of the robot in the map.
These packages have been tested in ROS Groovy. However, Groovy is EOLed and there are no documentation or release jobs running anymore. We will test in more recent versions in order to improve our wiki.
In traditional robot behavior programming, the edit-compile-simulate-deploy-run cycle creates a large mental disconnect between program creation and eventual robot behavior. This significantly slows down behavior development because there is no immediate mental connection between the program and the resulting behavior. With live programming the development cycle is made extremely tight, realizing such an immediate connection. In our work on programming of ROS robots in a more dynamic fashion through PhaROS, we have experimented with the use of the Live Robot Programming language. This has given rise to a number of requirements for such live programming of robots. In this text we introduce these requirements and illustrate them using an example robot behavior.
- Follow the steps 1 to 4 of this post.
Create a ROS node that consumes
/kompai/scanand publish in
/command_velocity. To do this, just executing this:
Create an instance of the
- To assure that everything is fine, inspect the instance of
RobulabBridgeand check that its instance variable
laserDatais not nil and its values change over the time.
- Open the LRP UI by right-clicking the World and selecting Live Robot Programming.
Stop when an obstacle is detected
Ok, so now we can start writing the behavior. First we will need some variables, those are:
robulabto manage the robot and some constants such as:
f_velas linear velocity,
t_velfor angular velocity, and
min_distanceas the minimum distance between the robot and an obstacle.
(var robulab := [RobulabBridgr uniqueInstance ]) (var min_distance := [0.5]) (var f_vel := [0.25]) (var t_vel := [0.5])
We define the state machine called Tito.
What we want to the robot is to go forward unless there is an obstacle in front of it so it should stop and turn to avoid it.
This could be modelled in a abstractly as two states:
(machine Tito ;; States (state forward (onentry [robulab value forward: f_vel value]) ) (state stop (onentry [robulab value stop]) ) ;; Transitions (on obstacle forward -> stop t-avoid) (on noObstacle avoid -> forward t-forward) ;; Events (event obstacle [robulab value isThereAnObstacle: min_distance value]) (event noObstacle [(robulab value isThereAnObstacle: min_distance value) not]) )
Finally, to run it, just start the machine on the
(spawn Tito forward)
- The robot should move linearly and stop when detects an obstacle.
Let’s add an avoiding behavior. A simple one might be turning until it detects there is no obstacle and go forward again.
Then a simple behavior that match the avoidance requisite is:
- If the obstacle is in the left side of the front: turn right
- If the obstacle is in the right side of the front: turn left.
RobotBridge provides two methods to detect obstacles on the left and right part of the front of the robot:
Then, the idea is to turn left if there is an obstacle in the front-right, or, turn right if there is an obstacle in the front-left.
Add the following states
(state turnLeft (onentry [robulab value turn: t_vel value]) ) (state turnRight (onentry [robulab value turn: t_vel value negated]) )
Add the corresponding transitions
(on rightObstacle stop -> turnLeft t-lturn) (on leftObstacle stop -> turnRight t-rturn) (on noObstacle turnLeft -> stop t-tlstop) (on noObstacle turnRight -> stop t-trstop)
And add the events
(event rightObstacle [robulab value isThereARightObstacle: minDistance value]) (event leftObstacle [robulab value isThereALeftObstacle: minDistance value])
- Now the robot will start turning to avoid the obstacle.
Updated version of LRP it is not necessary to add
value after a variable.
(onentry [robulab value turn: t_vel value negated])
is turned to
(onentry [robulab turn: t_vel negated])
making it more readable.
Our coordination framework for multi-robot exploration needs to know the current robot’s pose (position and orientation) within the explored map frame.
There are two ways to achieve it:
1 – Using costmap function.
bool costmap_2d::Costmap2DROS::getRobotPose(tf::Stamped& global_pose) const
2 – Using tf listener.
geometry_msgs::PoseStamped pose_stamped; pose_stamped.header.stamp = ros::Time::now(); pose_stamped.header.frame_id = tf_prefix + "/" + map_frame; pose_stamped.pose.position.x = transform.getOrigin().getX(); pose_stamped.pose.position.y = transform.getOrigin().getY(); pose_stamped.pose.position.z = transform.getOrigin().getZ(); pose_stamped.pose.orientation.x = transform.getRotation().getX(); pose_stamped.pose.orientation.y = transform.getRotation().getY(); pose_stamped.pose.orientation.z = transform.getRotation().getZ(); pose_stamped.pose.orientation.w = transform.getRotation().getW(); pose_publisher.publish(pose_stamped);
A complete implementation of the second method can be found http://wiki.ros.org/pose_publisher.
Both methods need a transform from “map” to “odom” (gmapping can do this).
Our coordination framework will be released after the corresponding paper has been published.
To check the accuracy of the exploration map, we need to compare with a pre-built one.
Of course, the latter needs to have a good accuracy.
We provide here a tool to manually build an environment map in MORSE.
This tool has the following features:
- Map building using gmapping ROS package.
- Robot with perfect odometry.
- Visualize the mapping process using rviz ROS package.
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This volume presents a representative sample of contributions to the 41st European Marine Biology Symposium held in September 2005 in Cork, Ireland. The theme of the symposium was `Challenges to Marine Ecosystems' and this was divided into four sub themes; Genetics, Marine Protected Areas, Global Climate Change and Marine Ecosystems, Sustainable Fisheries and Agriculture.
The world's marine ecosystems face multiple challenges, some natural, but many resulting from humankind's activities. Global climate change, driven by influences of energy usage and industrial practices, is a reality now accepted by most of the world's scientists, media and political establishments. Warming seas and rising sea levels are regarded as threats, while visionaries consider deep ocean carbon disposal as a technological opportunity. Exploitation of the seas continues apace, with repeated concerns over the impact of over-fishing, plus reservations about the environmental effects of marine aquaculture. We need to understand how resilient organisms and ecosystems are to these challenges, while responding by protecting biologically-meaningful areas of the oceans. The subthemes of the 41st European Marine Biology Symposium address all of these matters.
Reprinted from HYDROBIOLOGIA, 606, 2008
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People like to complain. In the past, study has shown that we complain once every minute during a conversation. That’s bananas! It seems as though complaining has become a part of how we communicate. Our brains seem wired for complaining.
Is that true? Is complaining encoded in our brain in such a way that we can’t go without it?
Our flexible brain
Our brain is always growing. Not in size, but in ability. The brain is able to adapt to our experiences. This is called ‘neuroplasticity’. An extreme example of this, is a Frenchman who lived his life with less than 50% of his brain without experiencing any major limitations. when he was a baby he sufferd from a brain condition called Hydrocephalus. This caused a gradual loss of brain matter. The remainder of his brain slowly took over the functions of the lost brain areas.
But neuroplasticity already takes place during everyday life; when we are learning a new language, a new sport and even when we go wine tasting. When we learn, do or say something, the connectivity between neurons in your brain increases. So the next time you do or say the same thing, it gets easier. This is why training makes you better at something. Why does this happen? Well, our brain simply likes to be efficient: it wants to do as much as possible, with the least amount of effort.
How complaining rewires the brain: what you think, you become
This also applies to how we speak. When we complain, it gets easier for our brain to complain again. Repeated complaining changes the brain and makes complaining easier: your brain gets trained. And after a while it becomes a habit and complaining may become your default behavior.
You become who you surround yourself with
We humans are a social bunch. We like to imitate the behavior of people around us. Because of ‘mirror neurons’ in our brain, we are even pretty GOOD at imitating. Have you ever felt happy because someone around you was? Have you ever had the urge of wanting to dance right after watching a dance show? That’s because of these neurons. We also, however, mimic negative behaviors and moods. When someone around you is constantly complaining, you are more likely to complain yourself. Behavior is indeed contagious.
Is complaining bad for your health?
Yes, complaining is even bad for our health.
♥ Complaining shrinks the hippocampus, which is a critical area within our brain for memory, problem solving and intelligent thinking.
♥ Complaining increases the release of stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol raises blood pressure and blood sugar, impairs the immune system and can cause high cholesterol and diabetes.
Now, if you are convinced that complaining is bad for you, let’s start a challenge. Let’s try to not complain at all for 24 hours straight. And if you succeed, try it for a whole week!
If join this challenge, make sure to leave a comment, send a message OR send an email to email@example.com. Would love to hear your experience. Share your new, good and healthy habit! ♥
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PERIODS AND STYLES
William and Mary Period William III and Mary
1689-1702 (Contemporary French Period -Louis XIV…..1643-1715)
Needlework coverings were extensively used, designs assumed more graceful outlines. "Oyster pieces" were often employed in the veneer work. Dutch and French influence was strongly evident in the designs. Pierced and carved splats were fashionable, often embodied with C scrolls. Oak chestnut and walnut were the woods chiefly used, some pieces were painted black and ornamented with silk. Dutch Marquetry was largely employed, the designs being inlaid into a veneer groundwork and not carved out of the solid as before. The "cabriole leg" made its appearance. Many of the clocks were surmounted by three brass-spiked balls.
Queen Anne Period Anne 1702-1714
George I 1714-1727
George II (part) 1727-onwards
(Contemporary French Period Louis XIV & Louis XV)
The Queen Anne style was popular all through the reign of George I and extended well into the reign of George II. Stretcher rails on chairs and settees were now but little employed, herringbone, cross banding and ebony were used in the inlay work. Spiral turned work was much used and the "Windsor" chair was introduced. Generally cabinet making was of a very high standard, fine needlework and damask materials were used for upholstery, Marquetry became more subdued, some gilding was introduced, corner cupboards and interior fittings were often domed, the broken pediment was introduced, the claw and ball (pearl) foot was developed, also the scroll and hoof.
Georgian Period George II 1727-1760
George III 1760-1820
(Contemporary French Periods- Louis XV, Louis XVI and Empire 1715-1799)
This important period includes the designs of Chippendale, Adam, Hepplewhite and Sheraton whose designs were of paramount influence. The Dutch influence yielded to the French. the cabriole leg reached it's zenith giving way to the straight tapering leg, claw and ball was to some extent replaced by the lions paw. The charm of mahogany began to be appreciated although walnut was still in extensive use. Oriental lacquer panels were imported from the East lacquered furniture became very fashionable.
The reign of George II saw the greatest change; this is where Chippendale changed the course of English furniture. Gilding and veneering was freely used, by now the veneers were much thinner. George I furniture is more or less regarded as being of the Queen Anne period.
1800-1830 (Contemporary French Period Napoleon I -Charles X)
"Regency" is a term applied to English furniture from 1800 to 1830; it is rather loosely applied, as it does not coincide with the Regency of King George which was from 1811-1820. This period was partly a reflection of the French Empire designs and many of the designs are from the classical. The furniture of this period was more useful and smaller than earlier - this is one of the reasons for its recent revival in popularity. Rosewood was the principal wood used. Metal inlay was extensively used; ormolu and brass being most popular. Among the designers of this period were Henry Holland, George Smith, Thomas Hope, Thomas Sheraton and Gillows. The sofa and sofa table became fashionable.
German influence was discernable in the furniture of this period, the style becoming heavier. The fine designs of the 18th century were for a short time forgotten but not the craftsmanship. Mahogany, rosewood and satinwood were used, an 18th century revival occurred, the result being some of the finest furniture ever made was produced, Pride in craftsmanship was paramount and nineteenth century makers vied with each other to produce the very best. Gillows, Holland, Morell & Seddon. Lamb, Wright & Mansfield and others used the best materials available to proudly produce furniture fit for The Kings, Queens, Emperors, the Aristocracy and Gentlemen of The World. All previous knowledge and style was employed, honed and developed to greater effect. England was confident enough to throw her doors open to the whole world, "The Great Exhibition of the Works of all Nations 1851 held in London was the first of its kind not to restrict any Nation such was our prowess at that time that England and her Commonwealth took over half of the space available, in1862 we did it again! We will never see the like again; 19th century furniture was amongst the best ever made.
1901 - 1911
The Edwardian period is regarded as the last period of fine quality furniture. Although most pieces are a replica of Georgian revival & Sheraton period. The essential style is late 18th century, but the rather dull, dark mahogany of the original has been replaced by a lighter variety or satinwood and copiously inlaid with the finest marquetry, or painted in the Adam manner. This rather cheerful high quality furniture is associated with such firms as Edwards & Roberts and maple & co which are highly valued. Much like the Victorian period, craftsmen were regarded the very best of any period with a wide range of the finest quality materials available to make some special pieces.
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Italy: A Reference Guide from the Renaissance to the Present
Infobase Publishing, 2009 - 712 pagina's
Exploring more than 500 years of the country's history, Italy provides readers interested in modern Italy or European history with a greater understanding of Italy's past, from the Renaissance to the present. This guide presents the milestones in Italy's history in an interesting and readable way.
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administration alliance anti-Fascist appointed army Austria Austrian became BENITO MUSSOLINI born Catholic Cavour century Christian Democratic church culture economic elected ernment Europe Fascist Fascist regime favored figure Florence forces France French GARIBALDI Genoa German Giolitti Giovanni GIOVANNI GIOLITTI GIUSEPPE GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI GIUSEPPE MAZZINI House of Savoy independence industrial Ital Italian ITALIAN-TURKISH WAR Italy Italy’s king Kingdom Kingdom of Sardinia labor land leader liberal Lombardy Luigi major MAZZINI Medici ment Milan military modern monarchy movement Naples Napoleon national unification opera organized papacy papal parliament Party PSI patriotic peninsula Piedmont Piedmontese Pietro Pius political pope popular prime minister radical reform region religious Renaissance republic republican revolution RISORGIMENTO role Roman Rome rule Sardinia Savoy served Sicily social Socialist Party territory tion took troops Turin Tuscany Venice Victor Emmanuel VICTOR EMMANUEL II workers WORLD WORLD WAR II writings
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What is Osteoporosis?
Orthopedic surgeons treat fractures all the time, but did you know that certain fractures can be a sign of a more serious underlying problem? If you are over the age of 50 and experience one of the following types of fractures, you should be screened for osteoporosis:
- Wrist (Distal Radius) Fracture
- Spine (Vertebral) Fracture
- Hip Fracture
Osteoporosis is a disease of the bone in which you lose too much bone as you age, making your bones more porous than they should be and weakening their underlying structure. The more porous your bones become, the more likely they are to break.
Who is at Risk for Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis can affect both men and women, but multiple factors can increase your risk for developing osteoporosis, including:
- Age - older people are at greater risk.
- Race - people of Asian or Caucasian decent are at greater risk.
- Gender - women are at greater risk than men.
- Hormone Levels - a reduction in testosterone or estrogen can increase your risk for osteoporosis.
- Eating Habits - a diet low in vitamin D and calcium can put you at greater risk.
- Eating Disorders - bulimia or anorexia can increase your risk.
- Lifestyle - people with a sedentary lifestyle are at greater risk.
- Family History - a family history of osteoporosis or hip fractures can increase your risk
- Smoking - recent studies have shown a relationship between smoking and reduced bone density.
- Frame Size - a smaller frame size can increase your risk.
- Medical Conditions - certain conditions (including Type 1 Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease) can increase your risk for developing osteoporosis.
Unchecked, these individuals are at significantly increased risk for additional bone loss and future fractures. That's why The San Antonio Orthopaedic Group created the Bone Wellness Program.
If you are over the age of 50 and treated for a fracture known to be indicative of osteoporosis, your physician may refer you to our Bone Wellness Program. There, our Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) Certified Physician Assistant will work with you to:
- Educate you on osteoporosis and why you are considered at risk.
- Evaluate your specific case with a detailed history, physical, and referral for any additional testing necessary.
- Establish a treatment plan, which might include lifestyle changes and medication to prevent further bone loss or even rebuild bone.
- Refer you to the appropriate specialist (or back to your primary care provider) for continued treatment and follow-up.
Luis Perez, P.A.-C.
Fracture Liaison Service Coordinator
If you are concerned about your risk for osteoporosis, you don’t have to wait until you experience a fracture to be evaluated by the Bone Wellness Program.
Call (210) 804-5500 to make an appointment now!
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The challenge of feeding the estimated 10 billion people by 2050 on an already stressed agricultural landscape without further degrading the state of the planet will be an enormous task. This much should be obvious to anyone. What is perhaps less obvious, however, is that we are faced with some very difficult choices as we struggle to feed the growing human population.
What is often lost is the back and forth debates over how we can rise up and meet this challenge is the notion that organic and conventional farming practices are just tools. And just like a hammer is useless if all you have is a bag of screws, no single agricultural system will be appropriate in all situations. What we need are policies that ensure we use a hammer only when we have a bunch of nails. But to do this we need to understand that each different agricultural system has its own unique properties; its own unique benefits and disadvantages.
A recent comprehensive analysis of the existing science found that conventional farming practices (often large monocultures) generally result in higher yields (sometimes significantly so, other times only marginally better). However conventional farming practices often result in a much larger impact on the land they occupy as well as the surrounding area. Such practises also tend to lead to less resilient systems that are dependent on a specific range of sometimes narrow conditions and external inputs (such as fertilizers) which if not met could result in massive crop losses.
Organic farms, however, often have lower yields (though not always significantly lower), but have a smaller impact on the land they occupy and its surroundings. Organic farming practices are also very knowledge intensive, and often times it is the lack of knowledge that is responsible for an organic farm’s lower productivity. Increasing knowledge can be key in improving organic farm yields and it can also provide other benefits such as an improved resilience of the overall system. For example organic farms often develop a healthier soil that among other things can retain more water thus requiring less irrigation while being more drought tolerant. This could be vital as the earth continues to warm and water available for irrigation becomes more scarce.
The differing impacts on the landscape of conventional vs organic farming practices raises an interesting issue. If we want to grow X amount of food conventional farming practices will require less land (thanks to higher yields) than we would need using organic agriculture. However the smaller parcel of land needed to grow X amount of food using conventional agriculture, as well as the surrounding landscape, will be much more heavily impacted than the larger parcel of land needed if we opt for organic agriculture instead. So the question becomes: Is it preferable to heavily impact a smaller parcel of land or to moderately impact a larger one?
The answer, of course, is it depends.
If for example we are dealing with a landscape that contains the last few remnants of an endangered ecosystem that is not adversely affected by conventional farming practices, then perhaps it would be best to limit, as much as possible, the amount of land dedicated to agriculture thus preserving more of the endangered ecosystem. In this situation conventional farming would be the better option.
If on the other hand the moderately impacted land used in organic agriculture made it a suitable habitat for several important native species of wildlife that are threatened by conventional agriculture, then perhaps it would be ok to use a little more land for agriculture.
Most of the time the correct answer (if one even exists) won’t be as obvious.
The bottom line is that there is no universal answer that works everywhere. Both tools are needed because we have both nails and screws.
But while the questions of the impacts of agriculture on the landscape are important and complicated enough on their own, the issue of resilience can force us to choose between two very unappealing options.
As mentioned above, conventional farming practices have both the highest yield and the lowest resilience. This combined with the fact that the human population continues to grow and that we are already pushing the planet to its limit means that we might have to choose: Which to we prefer, resilience or yield?
Of course ideally we would want both, an agricultural system that produces both enough food for all the estimated 10 billion people by 2050 and one that is very resilient to any changes the future might bring. But that might not be possible if the lower yields of the more resilient farming practices don’t produce enough food for everyone.
If this scenario turns out to be true, then we would face a truly horrific choice. Do we create a system that can feed everyone? Or one that can withstand the inevitable changes the future will bring? Neither answer is particularly appealing and both options will result in suffering.
There is no right answer here. But only if we develop a strong ability to discuss difficult issues in good faith (something that seems to be very difficult lately) will we be able to make an informed decision.
The difficult answer to this question, thankfully, might not matter. It might be possible to grow enough food with truly resilient agricultural systems to feed 10 billion people. In fact very large gains in yield and resilience can be made simply by increasing knowledge and improving management practices. This is especially true in any parts of Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe where many farms are not producing as much as as they could.
We might also shift our eating habits so we get more food on our plates per acre of land (by eating less meat for example). And other smart polices might make the difficult question of resilience or yield moot.
This is the desired outcome, but it is not guaranteed.
But the first, and perhaps most difficult, step in achieving this desired outcome is throwing away all the ideological preferences we might have. In a perfect world all our food would be produced in idyllic and romanticized small family farms that coexist harmoniously with the surrounding ecosystems. As much as we wish this to to be true it is simply not possible. There are 7 billion mouths to feed on the planet and by 2050 there will be 10 billion.
We might not like some of the options available to us, we might not like some of the decisions we will be forced to make but we should limit our focus on what really matters. Figuring our how to feed 10 billion people sustainably without trashing the planet. Everything else matters much less.
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Q80. What do you know of Guru Ramdas?
Guru Ramdas(1534-1581) was installed as Guru at the age of forty. He put missionary work on sound basis and sent massands to different parts of north India to propagate the message of Sikhism. He himself was fond of serving his disciples. Sometimes, he would distribute water or pull the fan for the Sangat.
Guru Ramdas was keen on giving a suitable centre of worship to the Sikhs. He developed the land purchased from local land owners and established a new township called Ramdaspur. Many Sikhs settled in the new town because it was situated on the trade routes. The city was subsequently called Amritsar. Guru Ramdas was a perfect example of humility and piety. Once Sri Chand - the son of Guru Nanak - visited him. He asked the Guru in a humorous way as to why he maintained a long and flowing beard. The Guru gave him an apt reply: "To wipe the dust of your holy feet." Sri Chand was deeply moved by this answer and expressed regret for his impertinence.
The Guru's mission spread quickly among the poor and the rich classes. Some aristocrats visited Amritsar and became his followers. The Guru turned his friendship with Emperor Akbar to good account by persuading him to relieve distress and to remove the oppressive taxes on non-Muslims.
Guru Ramdas laid down a Sikh code of conduct and worship. He prescribed the routine of a Sikh as in his hymn to be found on page 305 of Guru Granth Sahib. He composed the Lavan for Sikh marriage cermony and other hymns appropriate to certain other functions and festivities. Being a talented musician he composed hymns in eleven new ragas.
Arjan, the youngest son of Guru Ramdas was devoted to his father. At the bidding of his father, he went to Lahore to attend a marriage. He was feeling terribly depressed without his father. He wrote two urgent poetic letters, full of longing and love for the Guru.
"My soul yearns for the sight of the Guru.
"It bewails like the Chatrik crying for the rain." (A.G. p.96)
These letters were intercepted by his elder brother Prithi Chand. When the third letter reached Guru Ramdas, he immediately called him. Prithi Chand was keen on the succession, but the Guru tested his sons and finally his choice fell on Arjan who was installed as the Fifth Guru in 1581.
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A group of Russian scientists studying lake Vostok, located in Antarctica, has discovered a new species of microorganisms. A new species of bacteria open often enough, but in this situation involves not the mere fact of opening, and the fact that the microorganisms have similarities with the earth only at 86%. The rest of the DNA of bacteria, could have a extraterrestrial origin.
New species of microorganisms have only begun to explore it and have not had time to call. Bacteria only assigned code: w123-10. Depth, to be precise, the thickness of the ice on which was discovered a new form of life that corresponds to the layers, whose age is approximately five thousand years. Bacteria found in a fully viable state and feel well at a temperature of -60°C.
The scientists said that if speculation about the extraterrestrial origin of microorganisms found confirmed, it will help to get an idea about what life forms can be developed on other planets.
The lake Vostok is the largest in Antarctica, it is a length of 175 km and a maximum width of 65 km. the isolation of the lake from the outside world occurred about 15 million years ago. The water temperature even in the warmest days does not exceed -3°C and the pressure is about 400 atmospheres. Scientists suggest that at the bottom of the lake there are geothermal springs, and the water is enriched with oxygen.
It should also be said that the w123-1 is the first microorganism found in the study of lake ice. 12 years ago at a depth of 3607 m and 3561 m, respectively researchers have been able to find new types of microorganisms, but then in the earthly origin bacteria question does not arise.
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Photo copyright Andrew Reay-Robinson.
Pinna nobilis taken at 42 m on Ustica, Italy.
The rare giant mussel, Pinna nobilis, is found only in the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the largest bivalves in the world, growing to 120 cm long. The mussels can live for as long as 20 years. It sticks up out of the sea bed so is easily seen when diving, once you know what to look for.
Pinna nobilis has been assessed by the European Union as being in need of special protection (EC Habitats Directive). This means that it is illegal to kill or disturb the species. However, a recent Greek study found many individuals were killed by fishing. The mussels were poached exclusively by free-divers and fishing mortality was practically zero at depths below 9 m, where the visibility was very bad. Because of this large individuals were restricted to deeper areas.
In another study, this time off Italy, divers found that the giant mussels were managing to hold their own, in spite of all the difficulties of a degraded and heavily polluted environment and the damages of illegal fishing.
Depending on area, the mussels live between about depths of 3 and 60 m. In the Italian study divers didn't find any below 16 m. In the Adriatic Sea, they are found down to 30 m. They live singly, not in large groups like the mussels we are used to. At best the Italian study found only one every 1.4 hectares (3.5 acres).
The giant bivalve lives on soft bottoms: sand, seagrass meadows and mud. If you find what looks like a small specimen growing on a rock it is probably not P. nobilis but the more common P. rudis.
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Minutes after President Obama took an oath to "faithfully execute the office of the president of the United States" at the Capitol’s west front, he delivered his inaugural address with one main message: “We must act.”
In a speech that was more detailed than many had suspected it would be, the president mentioned issues such as health care, immigration, and gay-rights.
In his speech, the president also stressed that the nation must come together in order to overcome the innumerable issues we face today, pointing out that we can’t succeed as a nation if we are as divided, politically, as we are today.
"We are made for this moment, and we will seize it — so long as we seize it together,” he said.
Specifically, he mentioned Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, saying that the regardless of how careful we are or how responsibly we live, unforeseen events always take us by surprise and we, as citizens of the United States, have a responsibility to one another to be help out when we can. The programs, as often argued by the conservatives, “do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great,”said Obama.
He also surprised many by bluntly stating his policies regarding climate change, saying, “Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms.”
He continued said that the nation must redirect itself towards a path leading to more sustainable energy sources.
He also made history when he mentioned the gay rights struggle, saying that gay and lesbian people have the right to be treated “like anyone else under the law.”
"We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths — that all of us are created equal — is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall," he said.
But as the president pointed out the policies and issues looming over both him and the nation as a whole for the next four years, we were also reminded of the struggle that is yet to come.
Issues that the president grappled with in the first term have followed him into the second, including deficits, Social Security, Medicare, and — one of the most hot-button issues today — an assault weapon ban and other gun control measures. International challenges have also mounted throughout the years, including a volatile Middle East, and the on-going race economic competition with China.
His tone also indicated that it wasn't simply his way or the high-way. He made it clear that compromise was necessary in a feat this large, saying, "Now, more than ever, we must do these things together, as one nation, and one people."
“Our journey is not complete” the president said. After outlining the major problems and challenges facing the country, that much is clear.
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NFI : An Inclusive Toolkit
The Inclusive Toolkit provides educators concrete tools and strategies to enable them to provide the most inclusive educational environment possible. The Inclusive Toolkit addresses many of the questions and "obstacles" that schools encounter when developing and implementing inclusive programs. The reader will come away from the Inclusive Toolkit with a better understanding of the common issues as well as strategies to overcome those potential problems. The Next Frontier Inclusion project also provides a professional network of over 100 international schools that are collaborative by nature and are a ready and willing resource of professionals and organizations dedicated to the vision of greater inclusion at.
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Buddhism (Some say this is a religion. We classify it as a philosophy.)
1. Guatama Buddha. 536 to 483BC. Buddha means enlightened one. Guatama is family name.
2. His life is laid over w/ legend, but these facts emerge.
3. Born just north of Nepal (India), son of a chieftain or petty King.
4. From a noble cast, though not a Brahman. Brahmans are traditionally holders of the sacred knowledge.
5. At 29 years of age, he left his wife and young son and set out to seek the "cause of human suffering and its spiritual cure."
6. What kind of suffering is there?
7. What cures do people in our society use to cure suffering?
8. He became a wandering recluse,
9. He sat at the feet of several aesthetics and teachers.
10. What is an aesthetic?
11. After 6 years of extreme self-mortification, which he found damaging and did not help his insight, he gained "Enlightenment".
12. He gained this by sitting under a Bo or Bodhi tree.
13. He went right then to the holy city of Banaras and preached his first sermon just outside of the city.
14. The rest of his life he spent in meditation, preaching, and guidance of his followers.
15. He founded an order of monks only.
16. Later women were admitted.
17. He died at 80 and attained final Nirvana. He was cremated.
TEACHING OF THE BUDDHA
1. It is summed up in the 4 Noble Truths of the Buddha
1. Life is suffering or dissatisfaction.
2. Origin of suffering is craving or grasping.
3. Cessation of suffering is possible through cessation of craving.
4. The way to end craving is through following the Noble Eightfold Pathway.
NOBLE PATHWAY - stages
1. Right views (beliefs)
2. Right aspiration. (want to do it)
3. right speech (speak it)
4. right conduct (action)
5. right livelihood (whole life
6. Right effort
7. Right mindfulness (mindset)
8. Right contemplation (method) This is crucial or you cannot attain Nirvana.
1. The first two - preliminary frame of mind of aspirant.
2. 3,4,5, = ethical requirements
3. Last 3 = meditative training needed for:
a. contemplative or mystical knowledge of ULTIMATE TRUTH
b. Serenity goes with this.
c. Attainment of peace which is Nirvana.
d. The Saint, upon death, will be born NO MORE.
IMPORTANT - You will not exist as an individual at Nirvana
1. Reincarnation = You will be born as many times as needed for you to be purified of craving .
2. They speak in some places of the 10,000 reincarnations of the Buddha. The last one is how we know him.
3. In Tibetan Buddhist book of the dead, 490 days is between death and rebirth.
4. Meantime, you go to a place where you receive "divine secrets".
5. For the impure, these secrets are so frightening, one flees back to earth and is reborn.
6. Buddhist believes a soul is reborn in a body to fit the state of the soul at death.
7. The is no God as Christians or Jews believe to the Buddhist.
8. Some Buddhists conclude that there is an indefinite backwards direction thru previous birth.
9. The claims of remembering past lives are commonly made for the Buddha and Buddhist saints. Most do not claim to remember past lives.
10. The monastic life is considered crucial for attaining Nirvana.
11. The laity must wait. Moral rules for laity are more lax.
1. No taking of a life (even an animal, though you may eat what another kills and prepares)
2. Live along with what are other basic moral laws.
3. Live an austere life.
4. Celibacy is mandatory.
5. You won merely your begging bowl and robe.
6. Self control and meditation
7. No intoxicants.
13. Different schools of this philosophy.
1. Some saints sacrifice Nirvana to help others. They put off their release from this
life of suffering.
2. One school says reality is void.
3. One school says - Phenomena are product of mind.
4. One schools says You will realize the unreality of the world through contemplative experience.
1. Buddha did not believe in a Creator. The problem of suffering precluded that.
2. The series of (transitory states) conventionally known as "John Smith" ceases to exist.
(Substitute self for transitory states).
3. According to Buddha, the question "Does the saint continue to exist after final Nirvana is "put wrong", so he can't answer it.
QUESTIONS: If we were a Buddhist and follow this thinking to its logical conclusions:
1. What attitude would a Buddhist have towards social responsibility.
2. What attitude toward technology and the physical sciences.?
3. What attitude toward individual human rights?
Modern German Philosophy and Buddhism
1. It has been said that Buddhism is the only respectable alternative to a (Realistic) philosophy.
2. Neitzche repeats Buddha (and followed his predecessor German philosopher Schoepenhaur), because he repeats Schopenhaur (pessimist) philosopher who said "All life is suffering."
3. Schopenhaur said all is under force of the unconscious blind "Will" which sweeps your life into the stream. It uses you for its own purposes and not for your own good.
4. Example: You think that you love and marry a woman for your good. You are fooled into thinking you are working for your own good. You are really used and abused by this blind will.
5. In reality having and raising your children eats up your being for the good of the future, and to your own detriment. Marriage makes you suffer.
4. Neitzche - Suddenly got the ideas of the eternal reoccurrence. (Reminds of the Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree?). He doesn't give any discursive reasoning. It just came to him.
5. Eternal Reoccurrence - Everything that happens now, happened before infinitely in the past. It will happen over, and over, and over again forever in the future.
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Charges mentioned in the FIR is a complainant filed a complaint /written document prepared by the police when they receive evidence about the commission of an offence
A Charge sheet is a document of accusation prepared by a law-enforcement agency in India. It is distinct from the First Information Report (FIR) (which is the document that defines a crime that has been committed.
when the charge sheet was submitted in the court, it will decide as to who among the accused has sufficient prima facie evidence against him to be put on trial. After the court speaks its order on framing of charges, prosecution proceedings against the accused commence in the judicial system
Why not create one now for free in under 10 minutes!
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http://lawfarm.in/question/charges-v-chargesheet
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Harvesting the agave plant starts by cutting the sharp leaves off the plant using a machete. Once the leaves have been trimmed off the plant it’s ready to be taken out of the ground. The agave plant takes between 8 – 10 years to mature.
Remove the agave plant from ground includes the use of a “coa” (special axe) and a pry bar. Once the plant is removed from the earth, the roots are chopped away in order to make a clean pina shape.
This video from our ranch in Oaxaca shows how the process works.
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http://sacacuento.com/harvesting-agave/
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HOW TO CHOOSE BY: RESOLUTION
Suppose there are three probes available for imaging: a former Long Scanning with R < 30 nm (now upgraded to HARD), a General Purpose probe with R < 10 nm and a High Resolution probe with R ~ 1 nm. Which of the three probes should be chosen to get enough resolution?
One way of describing resolution is to consider whether two adjacent objects can be resolved by a particular probe. If we have two rigid spikes and a 0.1 nm detector sensitivity in the z-direction, then the minimum diameter between these spikes for the probe to distinguish between them is d=(0.8R)1/2, where d is the distance between the spikes and R is the radius of the tip.
The amount of lateral resolution required should also be considered. Is it necessary only to know that there are two objects present? Or is it important to have the accurate lateral dimensions of these objects? The larger the radius of the tip and the larger the opening angle of the tip, the greater convolution will be present in the lateral dimensions. This effect has a greater impact on the accuracy of the dimensions of smaller objects than larger ones. For two spheres, the distance separating them must be d=4(Rr)1/2, where r is the radius of the spheres, in order for the tip to fully probe between them. δr = (d - r) is also the lateral distance that will be "added" by the size of the tip to the sphere's topography.
Step size, which is the ratio of the scan size and the number of sampling points, should be also taken into account.Let's consider the case of imaging the topography of very small spheres 4 nm in diameter. The choice of the tip and the scan size will determine if the spheres can be resolved. There are different possibilities:
LS probes were mostly used for accurate measurement of vertical dimensions of rigid samples, lateral information for large features, or for when accurate lateral measurements are not important. These probes were especially durable, allowing many more scans to be taken without a loss of resolution or damage to the tip.
Genegal Purpose probes provide additional resolution in the lateral dimension and are good for getting good quality everyday images of large and small features.
Because the Hi'Res-C tips have a very sharp tip and a high aspect ratio geometry, the convolution in the lateral dimension is minimized. Hi'Res-C probes should be used when the best lateral resolution is necessary or when the feature size is exceptionally small.
Rc < 30 nm
Scan size 3µm. Diameter of spherical
molecules 150 nm. Click to enlarge. Height
image of polystyrene latex spheres.
/Courtesy of S. Magonov/
Rc < 10 nm
Scan size 800 nm. Diameter of spherical
molecules about 40 nm. Click to enlarge.
Composite film of poly(p-xylylene) matrix
and nanoparticles of MoO3 and TiO2.
/Courtesy of R. Gaynutdinov/
Rc < 1 nm
Scan size 250 nm. Diameter of
spherical molecules 9 nm. Click to enlarge.
Carbosilane dendrimers in a dense film.
/Courtesy of D. Ivanov/
ORDERING OPTIONSClick on a product type below to order online.
Lateral resolution below 1 nm. For scanning small areas below 250 nm at 512 points.
1 nm radius
Probes with sharp carbon tips
Lateral resolution down to 5 nm for scan size below 1 μm.
8 nm radius
Probes with silicon tips
Accurate resolution of surface features larger than 10 nm in diameter. Good for scan sizes above 3 μm at 512 points.
20 nm radius
Probes with DLC wear-resistant coating
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<urn:uuid:b8285d5d-638a-498f-9b73-5236f1619519>
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CC-MAIN-2017-26
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The Khthon, a race of small, hairless humanoids, were native to the planet of Trieste. They looked perpetually old and wrinkled. They were a psychic race: able to foretell the future as well as to read the minds of all but strong-willed individuals. The Khthon also knew about the Yssgaroth, whom they called the Old Ones.
The Khthon had a primitive society until Trieste and the other planets in its system were colonised; the human settlers enslaved the weaker Khthons. When the Seven Planets became independent in 2396, the Khthons were given more rights but were still the lower class. They were presumably all killed when the Seven Planets were destroyed in 2400. (PROSE: The Pit)
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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.
28 Related JoVE Articles!
Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Analysis of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Institutions: University of Ulm.
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) techniques provide information on the microstructural processes of the cerebral white matter (WM) in vivo
. The present applications are designed to investigate differences of WM involvement patterns in different brain diseases, especially neurodegenerative disorders, by use of different DTI analyses in comparison with matched controls.
DTI data analysis is performed in a variate fashion, i.e.
voxelwise comparison of regional diffusion direction-based metrics such as fractional anisotropy (FA), together with fiber tracking (FT) accompanied by tractwise fractional anisotropy statistics (TFAS) at the group level in order to identify differences in FA along WM structures, aiming at the definition of regional patterns of WM alterations at the group level. Transformation into a stereotaxic standard space is a prerequisite for group studies and requires thorough data processing to preserve directional inter-dependencies. The present applications show optimized technical approaches for this preservation of quantitative and directional information during spatial normalization in data analyses at the group level. On this basis, FT techniques can be applied to group averaged data in order to quantify metrics information as defined by FT. Additionally, application of DTI methods, i.e.
differences in FA-maps after stereotaxic alignment, in a longitudinal analysis at an individual subject basis reveal information about the progression of neurological disorders. Further quality improvement of DTI based results can be obtained during preprocessing by application of a controlled elimination of gradient directions with high noise levels.
In summary, DTI is used to define a distinct WM pathoanatomy of different brain diseases by the combination of whole brain-based and tract-based DTI analysis.
Medicine, Issue 77, Neuroscience, Neurobiology, Molecular Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Anatomy, Physiology, Neurodegenerative Diseases, nuclear magnetic resonance, NMR, MR, MRI, diffusion tensor imaging, fiber tracking, group level comparison, neurodegenerative diseases, brain, imaging, clinical techniques
Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Intact Proteins Larger than 100 kDa
Institutions: Université J. Fourier.
Effectively determining masses of proteins is critical to many biological studies (e.g.
for structural biology investigations). Accurate mass determination allows one to evaluate the correctness of protein primary sequences, the presence of mutations and/or post-translational modifications, the possible protein degradation, the sample homogeneity, and the degree of isotope incorporation in case of labelling (e.g. 13
Electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry (MS) is widely used for mass determination of denatured proteins, but its efficiency is affected by the composition of the sample buffer. In particular, the presence of salts, detergents, and contaminants severely undermines the effectiveness of protein analysis by ESI-MS. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) MS is an attractive alternative, due to its salt tolerance and the simplicity of data acquisition and interpretation. Moreover, the mass determination of large heterogeneous proteins (bigger than 100 kDa) is easier by MALDI-MS due to the absence of overlapping high charge state distributions which are present in ESI spectra.
Here we present an accessible approach for analyzing proteins larger than 100 kDa by MALDI-time of flight (TOF). We illustrate the advantages of using a mixture of two matrices (i.e.
2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid and α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid) and the utility of the thin layer method as approach for sample deposition. We also discuss the critical role of the matrix and solvent purity, of the standards used for calibration, of the laser energy, and of the acquisition time. Overall, we provide information necessary to a novice for analyzing intact proteins larger than 100 kDa by MALDI-MS.
Chemistry, Issue 79, Chemistry Techniques, Analytical, Mass Spectrometry, Analytic Sample Preparation Methods, biochemistry, Analysis of intact proteins, mass spectrometry, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization, time of flight, sample preparation
High Resolution Whole Mount In Situ Hybridization within Zebrafish Embryos to Study Gene Expression and Function
Institutions: Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University Health Centre Research Institute.
This article focuses on whole-mount in situ
hybridization (WISH) of zebrafish embryos. The WISH technology facilitates the assessment of gene expression both in terms of tissue distribution and developmental stage. Protocols are described for the use of WISH of zebrafish embryos using antisense RNA probes labeled with digoxigenin. Probes are generated by incorporating digoxigenin-linked nucleotides through in vitro
transcription of gene templates that have been cloned and linearized. The chorions of embryos harvested at defined developmental stages are removed before incubation with specific probes. Following a washing procedure to remove excess probe, embryos are incubated with anti-digoxigenin antibody conjugated with alkaline phosphatase. By employing a chromogenic substrate for alkaline phosphatase, specific gene expression can be assessed. Depending on the level of gene expression the entire procedure can be completed within 2-3 days.
Neuroscience, Issue 80, Blood Cells, Endoderm, Motor Neurons, life sciences, animal models in situ hybridization, morpholino knockdown, progranulin, neuromast, proprotein convertase, anti-sense transcripts, intermediate cell mass, pronephric duct, somites
A Microplate Assay to Assess Chemical Effects on RBL-2H3 Mast Cell Degranulation: Effects of Triclosan without Use of an Organic Solvent
Institutions: University of Maine, Orono, University of Maine, Orono.
Mast cells play important roles in allergic disease and immune defense against parasites. Once activated (e.g.
by an allergen), they degranulate, a process that results in the exocytosis of allergic mediators. Modulation of mast cell degranulation by drugs and toxicants may have positive or adverse effects on human health. Mast cell function has been dissected in detail with the use of rat basophilic leukemia mast cells (RBL-2H3), a widely accepted model of human mucosal mast cells3-5
. Mast cell granule component and the allergic mediator β-hexosaminidase, which is released linearly in tandem with histamine from mast cells6
, can easily and reliably be measured through reaction with a fluorogenic substrate, yielding measurable fluorescence intensity in a microplate assay that is amenable to high-throughput studies1
. Originally published by Naal et al.1
, we have adapted this degranulation assay for the screening of drugs and toxicants and demonstrate its use here.
Triclosan is a broad-spectrum antibacterial agent that is present in many consumer products and has been found to be a therapeutic aid in human allergic skin disease7-11
, although the mechanism for this effect is unknown. Here we demonstrate an assay for the effect of triclosan on mast cell degranulation. We recently showed that triclosan strongly affects mast cell function2
. In an effort to avoid use of an organic solvent, triclosan is dissolved directly into aqueous buffer with heat and stirring, and resultant concentration is confirmed using UV-Vis spectrophotometry (using ε280
= 4,200 L/M/cm)12
. This protocol has the potential to be used with a variety of chemicals to determine their effects on mast cell degranulation, and more broadly, their allergic potential.
Immunology, Issue 81, mast cell, basophil, degranulation, RBL-2H3, triclosan, irgasan, antibacterial, β-hexosaminidase, allergy, Asthma, toxicants, ionophore, antigen, fluorescence, microplate, UV-Vis
High-throughput Fluorometric Measurement of Potential Soil Extracellular Enzyme Activities
Institutions: Colorado State University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, University of Colorado.
Microbes in soils and other environments produce extracellular enzymes to depolymerize and hydrolyze organic macromolecules so that they can be assimilated for energy and nutrients. Measuring soil microbial enzyme activity is crucial in understanding soil ecosystem functional dynamics. The general concept of the fluorescence enzyme assay is that synthetic C-, N-, or P-rich substrates bound with a fluorescent dye are added to soil samples. When intact, the labeled substrates do not fluoresce. Enzyme activity is measured as the increase in fluorescence as the fluorescent dyes are cleaved from their substrates, which allows them to fluoresce. Enzyme measurements can be expressed in units of molarity or activity. To perform this assay, soil slurries are prepared by combining soil with a pH buffer. The pH buffer (typically a 50 mM sodium acetate or 50 mM Tris buffer), is chosen for the buffer's particular acid dissociation constant (pKa) to best match the soil sample pH. The soil slurries are inoculated with a nonlimiting amount of fluorescently labeled (i.e.
C-, N-, or P-rich) substrate. Using soil slurries in the assay serves to minimize limitations on enzyme and substrate diffusion. Therefore, this assay controls for differences in substrate limitation, diffusion rates, and soil pH conditions; thus detecting potential enzyme activity rates as a function of the difference in enzyme concentrations (per sample).
Fluorescence enzyme assays are typically more sensitive than spectrophotometric (i.e.
colorimetric) assays, but can suffer from interference caused by impurities and the instability of many fluorescent compounds when exposed to light; so caution is required when handling fluorescent substrates. Likewise, this method only assesses potential enzyme activities under laboratory conditions when substrates are not limiting. Caution should be used when interpreting the data representing cross-site comparisons with differing temperatures or soil types, as in situ
soil type and temperature can influence enzyme kinetics.
Environmental Sciences, Issue 81, Ecological and Environmental Phenomena, Environment, Biochemistry, Environmental Microbiology, Soil Microbiology, Ecology, Eukaryota, Archaea, Bacteria, Soil extracellular enzyme activities (EEAs), fluorometric enzyme assays, substrate degradation, 4-methylumbelliferone (MUB), 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin (MUC), enzyme temperature kinetics, soil
Isolation and Functional Characterization of Human Ventricular Cardiomyocytes from Fresh Surgical Samples
Institutions: University of Florence, University of Florence.
Cardiomyocytes from diseased hearts are subjected to complex remodeling processes involving changes in cell structure, excitation contraction coupling and membrane ion currents. Those changes are likely to be responsible for the increased arrhythmogenic risk and the contractile alterations leading to systolic and diastolic dysfunction in cardiac patients. However, most information on the alterations of myocyte function in cardiac diseases has come from animal models.
Here we describe and validate a protocol to isolate viable myocytes from small surgical samples of ventricular myocardium from patients undergoing cardiac surgery operations. The protocol is described in detail. Electrophysiological and intracellular calcium measurements are reported to demonstrate the feasibility of a number of single cell measurements in human ventricular cardiomyocytes obtained with this method.
The protocol reported here can be useful for future investigations of the cellular and molecular basis of functional alterations of the human heart in the presence of different cardiac diseases. Further, this method can be used to identify novel therapeutic targets at cellular level and to test the effectiveness of new compounds on human cardiomyocytes, with direct translational value.
Medicine, Issue 86, cardiology, cardiac cells, electrophysiology, excitation-contraction coupling, action potential, calcium, myocardium, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, cardiac patients, cardiac disease
Anti-Nuclear Antibody Screening Using HEp-2 Cells
Institutions: INOVA Diagnostics, Inc., INOVA Diagnostics, Inc., INOVA Diagnostics, Inc., INOVA Diagnostics, Inc..
The American College of Rheumatology position statement on ANA testing stipulates the use of IIF as the gold standard method for ANA screening1
. Although IIF is an excellent screening test in expert hands, the technical difficulties of processing and reading IIF slides – such as the labor intensive slide processing, manual reading, the need for experienced, trained technologists and the use of dark room – make the IIF method difficult to fit in the workflow of modern, automated laboratories.
The first and crucial step towards high quality ANA screening is careful slide processing. This procedure is labor intensive, and requires full understanding of the process, as well as attention to details and experience.
Slide reading is performed by fluorescent microscopy in dark rooms, and is done by trained technologists who are familiar with the various patterns, in the context of cell cycle and the morphology of interphase and dividing cells. Provided that IIF is the first line screening tool for SARD, understanding the steps to correctly perform this technique is critical.
Recently, digital imaging systems have been developed for the automated reading of IIF slides. These systems, such as the NOVA View Automated Fluorescent Microscope, are designed to streamline the routine IIF workflow. NOVA View acquires and stores high resolution digital images of the wells, thereby separating image acquisition from interpretation; images are viewed an interpreted on high resolution computer monitors. It stores images for future reference and supports the operator’s interpretation by providing fluorescent light intensity data on the images. It also preliminarily categorizes results as positive or negative, and provides pattern recognition for positive samples. In summary, it eliminates the need for darkroom, and automates and streamlines the IIF reading/interpretation workflow. Most importantly, it increases consistency between readers and readings. Moreover, with the use of barcoded slides, transcription errors are eliminated by providing sample traceability and positive patient identification. This results in increased patient data integrity and safety.
The overall goal of this video is to demonstrate the IIF procedure, including slide processing, identification of common IIF patterns, and the introduction of new advancements to simplify and harmonize this technique.
Bioengineering, Issue 88, Antinuclear antibody (ANA), HEp-2, indirect immunofluorescence (IIF), systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease (SARD), dense fine speckled (DFS70)
Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease
Institutions: University of Colorado, Denver, University of Colorado, Boulder.
Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to the general population, and this is only partially explained by traditional CVD risk factors. Vascular dysfunction is an important non-traditional risk factor, characterized by vascular endothelial dysfunction (most commonly assessed as impaired endothelium-dependent dilation [EDD]) and stiffening of the large elastic arteries. While various techniques exist to assess EDD and large elastic artery stiffness, the most commonly used are brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMDBA
) and aortic pulse-wave velocity (aPWV), respectively. Both of these noninvasive measures of vascular dysfunction are independent predictors of future cardiovascular events in patients with and without kidney disease. Patients with CKD demonstrate both impaired FMDBA
, and increased aPWV. While the exact mechanisms by which vascular dysfunction develops in CKD are incompletely understood, increased oxidative stress and a subsequent reduction in nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability are important contributors. Cellular changes in oxidative stress can be assessed by collecting vascular endothelial cells from the antecubital vein and measuring protein expression of markers of oxidative stress using immunofluorescence. We provide here a discussion of these methods to measure FMDBA
, aPWV, and vascular endothelial cell protein expression.
Medicine, Issue 88, chronic kidney disease, endothelial cells, flow-mediated dilation, immunofluorescence, oxidative stress, pulse-wave velocity
An Engulfment Assay: A Protocol to Assess Interactions Between CNS Phagocytes and Neurons
Institutions: Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School.
Phagocytosis is a process in which a cell engulfs material (entire cell, parts of a cell, debris, etc.) in its surrounding extracellular environment and subsequently digests this material, commonly through lysosomal degradation. Microglia are the resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS) whose phagocytic function has been described in a broad range of conditions from neurodegenerative disease (e.g.
, beta-amyloid clearance in Alzheimer’s disease) to development of the healthy brain (e.g.,
. The following protocol is an engulfment assay developed to visualize and quantify microglia-mediated engulfment of presynaptic inputs in the developing mouse retinogeniculate system7
. While this assay was used to assess microglia function in this particular context, a similar approach may be used to assess other phagocytes throughout the brain (e.g.,
astrocytes) and the rest of the body (e.g.
, peripheral macrophages) as well as other contexts in which synaptic remodeling occurs (e.g.
Neuroscience, Issue 88, Central Nervous System (CNS), Engulfment, Phagocytosis, Microglia, Synapse, Anterograde Tracing, Presynaptic Input, Retinogeniculate System
Voluntary Breath-hold Technique for Reducing Heart Dose in Left Breast Radiotherapy
Institutions: Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, University of Surrey, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK.
Breath-holding techniques reduce the amount of radiation received by cardiac structures during tangential-field left breast radiotherapy. With these techniques, patients hold their breath while radiotherapy is delivered, pushing the heart down and away from the radiotherapy field. Despite clear dosimetric benefits, these techniques are not yet in widespread use. One reason for this is that commercially available solutions require specialist equipment, necessitating not only significant capital investment, but often also incurring ongoing costs such as a need for daily disposable mouthpieces. The voluntary breath-hold technique described here does not require any additional specialist equipment. All breath-holding techniques require a surrogate to monitor breath-hold consistency and whether breath-hold is maintained. Voluntary breath-hold uses the distance moved by the anterior and lateral reference marks (tattoos) away from the treatment room lasers in breath-hold to monitor consistency at CT-planning and treatment setup. Light fields are then used to monitor breath-hold consistency prior to and during radiotherapy delivery.
Medicine, Issue 89, breast, radiotherapy, heart, cardiac dose, breath-hold
The Use of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy as a Tool for the Measurement of Bi-hemispheric Transcranial Electric Stimulation Effects on Primary Motor Cortex Metabolism
Institutions: University of Montréal, McGill University, University of Minnesota.
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a neuromodulation technique that has been increasingly used over the past decade in the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders such as stroke and depression. Yet, the mechanisms underlying its ability to modulate brain excitability to improve clinical symptoms remains poorly understood 33
. To help improve this understanding, proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1
H-MRS) can be used as it allows the in vivo
quantification of brain metabolites such as γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate in a region-specific manner 41
. In fact, a recent study demonstrated that 1
H-MRS is indeed a powerful means to better understand the effects of tDCS on neurotransmitter concentration 34
. This article aims to describe the complete protocol for combining tDCS (NeuroConn MR compatible stimulator) with 1
H-MRS at 3 T using a MEGA-PRESS sequence. We will describe the impact of a protocol that has shown great promise for the treatment of motor dysfunctions after stroke, which consists of bilateral stimulation of primary motor cortices 27,30,31
. Methodological factors to consider and possible modifications to the protocol are also discussed.
Neuroscience, Issue 93, proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, transcranial direct current stimulation, primary motor cortex, GABA, glutamate, stroke
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
Implantation of the Syncardia Total Artificial Heart
Institutions: Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Commonwealth University.
With advances in technology, the use of mechanical circulatory support devices for end stage heart failure has rapidly increased. The vast majority of such patients are generally well served by left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). However, a subset of patients with late stage biventricular failure or other significant anatomic lesions are not adequately treated by isolated left ventricular mechanical support. Examples of concomitant cardiac pathology that may be better treated by resection and TAH replacement includes: post infarction ventricular septal defect, aortic root aneurysm / dissection, cardiac allograft failure, massive ventricular thrombus, refractory malignant arrhythmias (independent of filling pressures), hypertrophic / restrictive cardiomyopathy, and complex congenital heart disease. Patients often present with cardiogenic shock and multi system organ dysfunction. Excision of both ventricles and orthotopic replacement with a total artificial heart (TAH) is an effective, albeit extreme, therapy for rapid restoration of blood flow and resuscitation. Perioperative management is focused on end organ resuscitation and physical rehabilitation. In addition to the usual concerns of infection, bleeding, and thromboembolism common to all mechanically supported patients, TAH patients face unique risks with regard to renal failure and anemia. Supplementation of the abrupt decrease in brain natriuretic peptide following ventriculectomy appears to have protective renal effects. Anemia following TAH implantation can be profound and persistent. Nonetheless, the anemia is generally well tolerated and transfusion are limited to avoid HLA sensitization. Until recently, TAH patients were confined as inpatients tethered to a 500 lb pneumatic console driver. Recent introduction of a backpack sized portable driver (currently under clinical trial) has enabled patients to be discharged home and even return to work. Despite the profound presentation of these sick patients, there is a 79-87% success in bridge to transplantation.
Medicine, Issue 89, mechanical circulatory support, total artificial heart, biventricular failure, operative techniques
Creating Dynamic Images of Short-lived Dopamine Fluctuations with lp-ntPET: Dopamine Movies of Cigarette Smoking
Institutions: Yale University, Yale University, Yale University, Yale University, Massachusetts General Hospital, University of California, Irvine.
We describe experimental and statistical steps for creating dopamine movies of the brain from dynamic PET data. The movies represent minute-to-minute fluctuations of dopamine induced by smoking a cigarette. The smoker is imaged during a natural smoking experience while other possible confounding effects (such as head motion, expectation, novelty, or aversion to smoking repeatedly) are minimized.
We present the details of our unique analysis. Conventional methods for PET analysis estimate time-invariant kinetic model parameters which cannot capture short-term fluctuations in neurotransmitter release. Our analysis - yielding a dopamine movie - is based on our work with kinetic models and other decomposition techniques that allow for time-varying parameters 1-7
. This aspect of the analysis - temporal-variation - is key to our work. Because our model is also linear in parameters, it is practical, computationally, to apply at the voxel level. The analysis technique is comprised of five main steps: pre-processing, modeling, statistical comparison, masking and visualization. Preprocessing is applied to the PET data with a unique 'HYPR' spatial filter 8
that reduces spatial noise but preserves critical temporal information. Modeling identifies the time-varying function that best describes the dopamine effect on 11
C-raclopride uptake. The statistical step compares the fit of our (lp-ntPET) model 7
to a conventional model 9
. Masking restricts treatment to those voxels best described by the new model. Visualization maps the dopamine function at each voxel to a color scale and produces a dopamine movie. Interim results and sample dopamine movies of cigarette smoking are presented.
Behavior, Issue 78, Neuroscience, Neurobiology, Molecular Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Medicine, Anatomy, Physiology, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Receptors, Dopamine, Dopamine, Functional Neuroimaging, Binding, Competitive, mathematical modeling (systems analysis), Neurotransmission, transient, dopamine release, PET, modeling, linear, time-invariant, smoking, F-test, ventral-striatum, clinical techniques
Protocol for Relative Hydrodynamic Assessment of Tri-leaflet Polymer Valves
Institutions: Florida International University, University of Florida , University of Florida , Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Limitations of currently available prosthetic valves, xenografts, and homografts have prompted a recent resurgence of developments in the area of tri-leaflet polymer valve prostheses. However, identification of a protocol for initial assessment of polymer valve hydrodynamic functionality is paramount during the early stages of the design process. Traditional in vitro
pulse duplicator systems are not configured to accommodate flexible tri-leaflet materials; in addition, assessment of polymer valve functionality needs to be made in a relative context to native and prosthetic heart valves under identical test conditions so that variability in measurements from different instruments can be avoided. Accordingly, we conducted hydrodynamic assessment of i) native (n = 4, mean diameter, D = 20 mm), ii) bi-leaflet mechanical (n= 2, D = 23 mm) and iii) polymer valves (n = 5, D = 22 mm) via the use of a commercially available pulse duplicator system (ViVitro Labs Inc, Victoria, BC) that was modified to accommodate tri-leaflet valve geometries. Tri-leaflet silicone valves developed at the University of Florida comprised the polymer valve group. A mixture in the ratio of 35:65 glycerin to water was used to mimic blood physical properties. Instantaneous flow rate was measured at the interface of the left ventricle and aortic units while pressure was recorded at the ventricular and aortic positions. Bi-leaflet and native valve data from the literature was used to validate flow and pressure readings. The following hydrodynamic metrics were reported: forward flow pressure drop, aortic root mean square forward flow rate, aortic closing, leakage and regurgitant volume, transaortic closing, leakage, and total energy losses. Representative results indicated that hydrodynamic metrics from the three valve groups could be successfully obtained by incorporating a custom-built assembly into a commercially available pulse duplicator system and subsequently, objectively compared to provide insights on functional aspects of polymer valve design.
Bioengineering, Issue 80, Cardiovascular Diseases, Circulatory and Respiratory Physiological Phenomena, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Mechanical Engineering, valve disease, valve replacement, polymer valves, pulse duplicator, modification, tri-leaflet geometries, hydrodynamic studies, relative assessment, medicine, bioengineering, physiology
Intravitreous Injection for Establishing Ocular Diseases Model
Institutions: The University of Hong Kong - HKU.
Intravitreous injection is a widely used technique in visual sciences research. It can be used to establish animal models with ocular diseases or as direct application of local treatment. This video introduces how to use simple and inexpensive tools to finish the intravitreous injection procedure. Use of a 1 ml syringe, instead of a hemilton syringe, is used. Practical tips for how to make appropriate injection needles using glass pipettes with perfect tips, and how to easily connect the syringe needle with the glass pipette tightly together, are given.
To conduct a good intravitreous injection, there are three aspects to be observed: 1) injection site should not disrupt retina structure; 2) bleeding should be avoided to reduce the risk of infection; 3) lens should be untouched to avoid traumatic cataract. In brief, the most important point is to reduce the interruption of normal ocular structure. To avoid interruption of retina, the superior nasal region of rat eye was chosen. Also, the puncture point of the needle was at the par planar, which was about 1.5 mm from the limbal region of the rat eye. A small amount of vitreous is gently pushed out through the puncture hole to reduce the intraocular pressure before injection. With the 45° injection angle, it is less likely to cause traumatic cataract in the rat eye, thus avoiding related complications and influence from lenticular factors. In this operation, there was no cutting of the conjunctiva and ocular muscle, no bleeding. With quick and minor injury, a successful intravitreous injection can be done in minutes.
The injection set outlined in this particular protocol is specific for intravitreous injection. However, the methods and materials presented here can also be used for other injection procedures in drug delivery to the brain, spinal cord or other organs in small mammals.
Neuroscience, Issue 8, eye, injection, rat
Strategies for Study of Neuroprotection from Cold-preconditioning
Institutions: The University of Chicago Medical Center.
Neurological injury is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality from general anesthesia and related surgical procedures that could be alleviated by development of effective, easy to administer and safe preconditioning treatments. We seek to define the neural immune signaling responsible for cold-preconditioning as means to identify novel targets for therapeutics development to protect brain before injury onset. Low-level pro-inflammatory mediator signaling changes over time are essential for cold-preconditioning neuroprotection. This signaling is consistent with the basic tenets of physiological conditioning hormesis, which require that irritative stimuli reach a threshold magnitude with sufficient time for adaptation to the stimuli for protection to become evident.
Accordingly, delineation of the immune signaling involved in cold-preconditioning neuroprotection requires that biological systems and experimental manipulations plus technical capacities are highly reproducible and sensitive. Our approach is to use hippocampal slice cultures as an in vitro
model that closely reflects their in vivo
counterparts with multi-synaptic neural networks influenced by mature and quiescent macroglia / microglia. This glial state is particularly important for microglia since they are the principal source of cytokines, which are operative in the femtomolar range. Also, slice cultures can be maintained in vitro
for several weeks, which is sufficient time to evoke activating stimuli and assess adaptive responses. Finally, environmental conditions can be accurately controlled using slice cultures so that cytokine signaling of cold-preconditioning can be measured, mimicked, and modulated to dissect the critical node aspects. Cytokine signaling system analyses require the use of sensitive and reproducible multiplexed techniques. We use quantitative PCR for TNF-α to screen for microglial activation followed by quantitative real-time qPCR array screening to assess tissue-wide cytokine changes. The latter is a most sensitive and reproducible means to measure multiple cytokine system signaling changes simultaneously. Significant changes are confirmed with targeted qPCR and then protein detection. We probe for tissue-based cytokine protein changes using multiplexed microsphere flow cytometric assays using Luminex technology. Cell-specific cytokine production is determined with double-label immunohistochemistry. Taken together, this brain tissue preparation and style of use, coupled to the suggested investigative strategies, may be an optimal approach for identifying potential targets for the development of novel therapeutics that could mimic the advantages of cold-preconditioning.
Neuroscience, Issue 43, innate immunity, hormesis, microglia, hippocampus, slice culture, immunohistochemistry, neural-immune, gene expression, real-time PCR
Derivation of Thymic Lymphoma T-cell Lines from Atm-/- and p53-/- Mice
Institutions: Cornell University.
Established cell lines are a critical research tool that can reduce the use of laboratory animals in research. Certain strains of genetically modified mice, such as Atm-/-
consistently develop thymic lymphoma early in life 1,2
, and thus, can serve as a reliable source for derivation of murine T-cell lines. Here we present a detailed protocol for the development of established murine thymic lymphoma T-cell lines without the need to add interleukins as described in previous protocols 1,3
. Tumors were harvested from mice aged three to six months, at the earliest indication of visible tumors based on the observation of hunched posture, labored breathing, poor grooming and wasting in a susceptible strain 1,4
. We have successfully established several T-cell lines using this protocol and inbred strains ofAtm-/-
mice. We further demonstrate that more than 90% of the established T-cell population expresses CD3, CD4 and CD8. Consistent with stably established cell lines, the T-cells generated by using the present protocol have been passaged for over a year.
Immunology, Issue 50, mouse, thymic lymphoma, Atm, p53, T-cell lines
Analyzing the Function of Small GTPases by Microinjection of Plasmids into Polarized Epithelial Cells
Institutions: Northwestern University.
Epithelial cells polarize their plasma membrane into biochemically and functionally distinct apical and basolateral domains where the apical domain faces the 'free' surfaces and the basolateral membrane is in contact with the substrate and neighboring cells. Both membrane domains are separated by tight junctions, which form a diffusion barrier. Apical-basolateral polarization can be recapitulated successfully in culture when epithelial cells such as Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells are seeded at high density on polycarbonate filters and cultured for several days 1 2
. Establishment and maintenance of cell polarity is regulated by an array of small GTPases of the Ras superfamily such as RalA, Cdc42, Rab8, Rab10 and Rab13 3 4 5 6 7
. Like all GTPases these proteins cycle between an inactive GDP-bound state and an active GTP-bound state. Specific mutations in the nucleotide binding regions interfere with this cycling 8
. For example, Rab13T22N is permanently locked in the GDP-form and thus dubbed 'dominant negative', whereas Rab13Q67L can no longer hydrolyze GTP and is thus locked in a 'dominant active' state 7
. To analyze their function in cells both dominant negative and dominant active alleles of GTPases are typically expressed at high levels to interfere with the function of the endogenous proteins 9
. An elegant way to achieve high levels of overexpression in a short amount of time is to introduce the plasmids encoding the relevant proteins directly into the nuclei of polarized cells grown on filter supports using microinjection technique. This is often combined with the co-injection of reporter plasmids that encode plasma membrane receptors that are specifically sorted to the apical or basolateral domain. A cargo frequently used to analyze cargo sorting to the basolateral domain is a temperature sensitive allele of the vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (VSVGts045) 10
. This protein cannot fold properly at 39°C and will thus be retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) while the regulatory protein of interest is assembled in the cytosol. A shift to 31°C will then allow VSVGts045 to fold properly, leave the ER and travel to the plasma membrane 11
. This chase is typically performed in the presence of cycloheximide to prevent further protein synthesis leading to cleaner results. Here we describe in detail the procedure of microinjecting plasmids into polarized cells and subsequent incubations including temperature shifts that allow a comprehensive analysis of regulatory proteins involved in basolateral sorting.
Cellular Biology, Issue 51, Epithelial cells, cell polarity, microinjection, basolateral sorting, MDCK
Diagnosis of Ecto- and Endoparasites in Laboratory Rats and Mice
Institutions: Charles River, Charles River, University of Washington.
Internal and external parasites remain a significant concern in laboratory rodent facilities, and many research facilities harbor some parasitized animals. Before embarking on an examination of animals for parasites, two things should be considered. One: what use will be made of the information collected, and two: which test is the most appropriate. Knowing that animals are parasitized may be something that the facility accepts, but there is often a need to treat animals and then to determine the efficacy of treatment. Parasites may be detected in animals through various techniques, including samples taken from live or euthanized animals. Historically, the tests with the greatest diagnostic sensitivity required euthanasia of the animal, although PCR has allowed high-sensitivity testing for several types of parasite. This article demonstrates procedures for the detection of endo- and ectoparasites in mice and rats. The same procedures are applicable to other rodents, although the species of parasites found will differ.
Immunology, Issue 55, rat, mouse, endoparasite, ectoparasite, diagnostics, mites, pinworm, helminths, protozoa, health monitoring
Surgical Procedures for a Rat Model of Partial Orthotopic Liver Transplantation with Hepatic Arterial Reconstruction
Institutions: RWTH-Aachen University, Kyoto University .
Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in rats using a whole or partial graft is an indispensable experimental model for transplantation research, such as studies on graft preservation and ischemia-reperfusion injury 1,2
, immunological responses 3,4
, hemodynamics 5,6
, and small-for-size syndrome 7
. The rat OLT is among the most difficult animal models in experimental surgery and demands advanced microsurgical skills that take a long time to learn. Consequently, the use of this model has been limited. Since the reliability and reproducibility of results are key components of the experiments in which such complex animal models are used, it is essential for surgeons who are involved in rat OLT to be trained in well-standardized and sophisticated procedures for this model.
While various techniques and modifications of OLT in rats have been reported 8
since the first model was described by Lee et al. 9
in 1973, the elimination of the hepatic arterial reconstruction 10
and the introduction of the cuff anastomosis technique by Kamada et al. 11
were a major advancement in this model, because they simplified the reconstruction procedures to a great degree. In the model by Kamada et al.
, the hepatic rearterialization was also eliminated. Since rats could survive without hepatic arterial flow after liver transplantation, there was considerable controversy over the value of hepatic arterialization. However, the physiological superiority of the arterialized model has been increasingly acknowledged, especially in terms of preserving the bile duct system 8,12
and the liver integrity 8,13,14
In this article, we present detailed surgical procedures for a rat model of OLT with hepatic arterial reconstruction using a 50% partial graft after ex vivo
liver resection. The reconstruction procedures for each vessel and the bile duct are performed by the following methods: a 7-0 polypropylene continuous suture for the supra- and infrahepatic vena cava; a cuff technique for the portal vein; and a stent technique for the hepatic artery and the bile duct.
Medicine, Issue 73, Biomedical Engineering, Anatomy, Physiology, Immunology, Surgery, liver transplantation, liver, hepatic, partial, orthotopic, split, rat, graft, transplantation, microsurgery, procedure, clinical, technique, artery, arterialization, arterialized, anastomosis, reperfusion, rat, animal model
Revealing Dynamic Processes of Materials in Liquids Using Liquid Cell Transmission Electron Microscopy
Institutions: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
The recent development for in situ transmission electron microscopy, which allows imaging through liquids with high spatial resolution, has attracted significant interests across the research fields of materials science, physics, chemistry and biology. The key enabling technology is a liquid cell. We fabricate liquid cells with thin viewing windows through a sequential microfabrication process, including silicon nitride membrane deposition, photolithographic patterning, wafer etching, cell bonding, etc. A liquid cell with the dimensions of a regular TEM grid can fit in any standard TEM sample holder. About 100 nanoliters reaction solution is loaded into the reservoirs and about 30 picoliters liquid is drawn into the viewing windows by capillary force. Subsequently, the cell is sealed and loaded into a microscope for in situ imaging. Inside the TEM, the electron beam goes through the thin liquid layer sandwiched between two silicon nitride membranes. Dynamic processes of nanoparticles in liquids, such as nucleation and growth of nanocrystals, diffusion and assembly of nanoparticles, etc., have been imaged in real time with sub-nanometer resolution. We have also applied this method to other research areas, e.g.
, imaging proteins in water. Liquid cell TEM is poised to play a major role in revealing dynamic processes of materials in their working environments. It may also bring high impact in the study of biological processes in their native environment.
Materials Science, Issue 70, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Engineering, Life sciences, Liquid cell, Transmission Electron Microscopy, TEM, In situ TEM, Single nanoparticle trajectory, dynamic imaging, nanocrystals
Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) Microscopy
Institutions: University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA).
Phase-contrast microscopy is often used to produce contrast for transparent, non light-absorbing, biological specimens. The technique was discovered by Zernike, in 1942, who received the Nobel prize for his achievement. DIC microscopy, introduced in the late 1960s, has been popular in biomedical research because it highlights edges of specimen structural detail, provides high-resolution optical sections of thick specimens including tissue cells, eggs, and embryos and does not suffer from the phase halos typical of phase-contrast images. This protocol highlights the principles and practical applications of these microscopy techniques.
Basic protocols, Issue 18, Current Protocols Wiley, Microscopy, Phase Contrast, Difference Interference Contrast
Reaggregate Thymus Cultures
Institutions: University of Birmingham .
Stromal cells within lymphoid tissues are organized into three-dimensional structures that provide a scaffold that is thought to control the migration and development of haemopoeitic cells. Importantly, the maintenance of this three-dimensional organization appears to be critical for normal stromal cell function, with two-dimensional monolayer cultures often being shown to be capable of supporting only individual fragments of lymphoid tissue function. In the thymus, complex networks of cortical and medullary epithelial cells act as a framework that controls the recruitment, proliferation, differentiation and survival of lymphoid progenitors as they undergo the multi-stage process of intrathymic T-cell development. Understanding the functional role of individual stromal compartments in the thymus is essential in determining how the thymus imposes self/non-self discrimination. Here we describe a technique in which we exploit the plasticity of fetal tissues to re-associate into intact three-dimensional structures in vitro
, following their enzymatic disaggregation. The dissociation of fetal thymus lobes into heterogeneous cellular mixtures, followed by their separation into individual cellular components, is then combined with the in vitro
re-association of these desired cell types into three-dimensional reaggregate structures at defined ratios, thereby providing an opportunity to investigate particular aspects of T-cell development under defined cellular conditions. (This article is based on work first reported Methods in Molecular Biology 2007, Vol. 380 pages 185-196).
Immunology, Issue 18, Springer Protocols, Thymus, 2-dGuo, Thymus Organ Cultures, Immune Tolerance, Positive and Negative Selection, Lymphoid Development
Preparation of 2-dGuo-Treated Thymus Organ Cultures
Institutions: University of Birmingham .
In the thymus, interactions between developing T-cell precursors and stromal cells that include cortical and medullary epithelial cells are known to play a key role in the development of a functionally competent T-cell pool. However, the complexity of T-cell development in the thymus in vivo
can limit analysis of individual cellular components and particular stages of development. In vitro
culture systems provide a readily accessible means to study multiple complex cellular processes. Thymus organ culture systems represent a widely used approach to study intrathymic development of T-cells under defined conditions in vitro
. Here we describe a system in which mouse embryonic thymus lobes can be depleted of endogenous haemopoeitic elements by prior organ culture in 2-deoxyguanosine, a compound that is selectively toxic to haemopoeitic cells. As well as providing a readily accessible source of thymic stromal cells to investigate the role of thymic microenvironments in the development and selection of T-cells, this technique also underpins further experimental approaches that include the reconstitution of alymphoid thymus lobes in vitro
with defined haemopoietic elements, the transplantation of alymphoid thymuses into recipient mice, and the formation of reaggregate thymus organ cultures. (This article is based on work first reported Methods in Molecular Biology 2007, Vol. 380 pages 185-196).
Immunology, Issue 18, Springer Protocols, Thymus, 2-dGuo, Thymus Organ Cultures, Immune Tolerance, Positive and Negative Selection, Lymphoid Development
Monitoring Plant Hormones During Stress Responses
Institutions: University of Texas.
Plant hormones and related signaling compounds play an important role in the regulation of plant responses to various environmental stimuli and stresses. Among the most severe stresses are insect herbivory, pathogen infection, and drought stress. For each of these stresses a specific set of hormones and/or combinations thereof are known to fine-tune the responses, thereby ensuring the plant's survival. The major hormones involved in the regulation of these responses are jasmonic acid (JA), salicylic acid (SA), and abscisic acid (ABA). To better understand the role of individual hormones as well as their potential interaction during these responses it is necessary to monitor changes in their abundance in a temporal as well as in a spatial fashion. For the easy, sensitive, and reproducible quantification of these and other signaling compounds we developed a method based on vapor phase extraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis (1, 2, 3, 4). After extracting these compounds from the plant tissue by acidic aqueous 1-propanol mixed with dichloromethane the carboxylic acid-containing compounds are methylated, volatilized under heat, and collected on a polymeric absorbent. After elution into a sample vial the analytes are separated by gas chromatography and detected by chemical ionization mass spectrometry. The use of appropriate internal standards then allows for the simple quantification by relating the peak areas of analyte and internal standard.
Plant Biology, Issue 28, Jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, abscisic acid, plant hormones, GC/MS, vapor phase extraction
Heterotopic and Orthotopic Tracheal Transplantation in Mice used as Models to Study the Development of Obliterative Airway Disease
Institutions: University Heart Center Hamburg, University Hospital Hamburg, Stanford University School of Medicine.
Obliterative airway disease (OAD) is the major complication after lung transplantations that limits long term survival (1-7).
To study the pathophysiology, treatment and prevention of OAD, different animal models of tracheal transplantation in rodents have been developed (1-7). Here, we use two established models of trachea transplantation, the heterotopic and orthotopic model and demonstrate their advantages and limitations.
For the heterotopic model, the donor trachea is wrapped into the greater omentum of the recipient, whereas the donor trachea is anastomosed by end-to-end anastomosis in the orthotopic model.
In both models, the development of obliterative lesions histological similar to clinical OAD has been demonstrated (1-7).
This video shows how to perform both, the heterotopic as well as the orthotopic tracheal transplantation technique in mice, and compares the time course of OAD development in both models using histology.
Immunology, Issue 35, orthotopic tracheal transplantation, heterotopic tracheal transplantation, obliterative airway disease, mice, luminal obliteration, histology
Preparing E18 Cortical Rat Neurons for Compartmentalization in a Microfluidic Device
Institutions: University of California, Irvine (UCI), University of California, Irvine (UCI), University of California, Irvine (UCI).
In this video, we demonstrate the preparation of E18 cortical rat neurons. E18 cortical rat neurons are obtained from E18 fetal rat cortex previously dissected and prepared. The E18 cortex is, upon dissection, immediately dissociated into individual neurons. It is possible to store E18 cortex in Hibernate E buffer containing B27 at 4°C for up to a week before the dissociation is performed. However, there will be a drop in cell viability. Typically we obtain our E18 Cortex fresh. It is transported to the lab in ice cold Calcium free Magnesium free dissection buffer (CMFM). Upon arrival, trypsin is added to the cortex to a final concentration of 0.125%. The cortex is then incubated at 37°C for 8 minutes. DMEM containing 10% FBS is added to the cortex to stop the reaction. The cortex is then centrifuged at 2500 rpm for 2 minutes. The supernatant is removed and 2 ml of Neural Basal Media (NBM) containing 2% B27 (vol/vol) and 0.25% Glutamax (vol/vol) is added to the cortex which is then re-suspended by pipetting up and down. Next, the cortex is triturated with previously fire polished glass pipettes, each with a successive smaller opening. After triturating, the cortex is once again centrifuged at 2500 rpm for 2 minutes. The supernatant is then removed and the cortex pellet re-suspended with 2 ml of NBM containing B27 and Glutamax. The cell suspension is then passed through a 40 um nylon cell strainer. Next the cells are counted. The neurons are now ready for loading into the neuron microfluidic device.
Neuroscience, Issue 8, Biomedical Engineering, Neurons, Axons, Axonal Regeneration, Neuronal Culture, Cell Culture
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Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
CRNA is a popular APN specialty. It is one of the more, if not the highest paid APN. However, you don't become a CRNA without earning it. Competition is fierce to get into school and once in school, studying for many hours per day is the norm.
(CRNA) is an advanced practice nurse (APN) who has at least a masters degree and more frequently nowadays, a doctorate. As with other APNs, the CRNA has passed a certification test in order to use the title CRNA. The CRNA provides anesthesia to a wide variety of patients; from neonates to the geriatric population.
Some of the steps involved in anesthesia:
- Preoperative assessment which includes airway, need for consults/clearance from specialists, thoughts as to need for invasive monitoring
- Sedation, induction, advanced airway placement
- Maintenance of anesthesia to ensure patient safety
- Postoperative visits to patients and families
Most of the workday, CRNAs are in the operating room (OR) providing anesthesia to patients. There is a wide variety of OR settings. A CRNA can be in a level one trauma center with multiple ORs going many hours of the day. Or, a CRNA can be in a more rural environment where they might be the only anesthesia provider. Or, they could be active duty military deployed to some remote post providing emergent anesthesia in a war zone.
Some other CRNAs work in research, pain management, office settings, and politics. With the advent of managed care on the horizon, opportunities are wide open for CRNAs to lobby on Capital Hill. Other CRNAs teach and mentor. There are many opportunities for CRNAs.
CRNA school admission is very competitive. For most schools, a registered nurse will need at least one year of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) experience, along with solid letters of recommendation and an interview. Other qualifications might include specialty certifications such as Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN). Each school has their own nuances that go into selection of CRNA candidates.
All nurses need to be compassionate and caring. CRNAs need additional qualities
- Affinity for "hard sciences" such as bio-chemistry, physics, advanced pathophysiology and advanced cellular biology. (Each school has their own particular curriculum - this is just a general list).
- Confidence in their own ability to provide safe and cost-effective anesthesia.
- Ability to work with many different types of people, including attending physicians, nurses, techs and patients and families
- Must be able to explain complex medical concepts to patients and families in a way that they understand
allnurses has a large Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist forum for pre-CRNAs and student CRNAs.
The American Association of Nurse Anesthetist is the organization that represents CRNAs. This organization lobbies for CRNA specific legislation, develops policy, practice standards and guidelines. A recent very interesting initiative is the "Have You Ever Served?" campaign. It recognizes that veterans face different healthcare challenges than the usual population. It is currently being rolled out in several states and it is expected to go nationwide by 2015.
Have You Ever Served? is a new initiative that affects both healthcare providers and our patients.
CCRN - Certification for Adult, Pediatric and Neonatal Critical Care Nurses is provided by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN). AACN provides education, practice standards, research grants and up to date information regarding critical care. They offer certification for adults, pediatrics and neonatal.
Anesthesia Websites - allnurses.com thread with general resources for CRNAsLast edit by Joe V on Jan 13, '15
About traumaRUs, MSN, APRN Admin
traumaRUs has '20+' year(s) of experience and specializes in 'Nephrology, ER, ICU'. From 'Midwest'; Joined Apr '00; Posts: 50,527; Likes: 23,385.
Must Read Topics
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He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed--but he marches on forever. Habakkuk 3:6
Just how old are the hills? An online search says the earth is 4.54 billion years old. I wonder how the all-wise ones figured it out to two decimal places? Were there mountains in the original creation? Or did they come about as a result of the flood?
In geology class we learned that there are two kinds of mountains, volcanic and upthrust. Fuji is a perfect example of a volcanic cone, so symmetrical, and so Japanese. Of course the Rockies are upthrust.
On our honeymoon my wife and I drove through the Rockies. There was an area to pull off so the geo types could take pictures of some tilted bedding planes. These are considered as unusual to some people, though they exist in many places. But almost all consider mountains as very, very old.
When Noah's ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat, the highest land in the time of the flood, where was Everest? Could it be that Everest was formed after the flood? Absolutely.
Atop the highest mountains we find fossils from the sea bed. Even the most ardent evolutionist does not claim that these creatures climbed up there. So the mountains rose up, taking the fossils with them, after the flood.
The great hydrologist Henry Morris, co-author of The Genesis Flood, writes that the geologic strata and the upthrust mountains were formed by the flood, when incredible amounts of water pressed down upon the earth. This really bothers many geologists. It's way too recent. Billions of years are needed for man to have evolved.
But, increasingly, people are catching on. The Biblical time-line is being proven to be true. The Earth is not billions of years old, so neither are the hills.
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The Nobel Prize for Physics was awarded to three scientists, Akasaki, Amano and Nakamura for cracking the problem of creating the Blue LED. The Blue LED will allow manufacturers to produce white light lamps. This is a major breakthrough in an industry the is expected to capture 70% of a $100 billion market by 2020. LEDs will last 10 times longer than fluorescent bulbs and 100 times longer than traditional incandescent -tungsten filament bulbs (Reuters).The transition to more efficient lighting has been underway for several years but took a giant leap forward with the 2014 ban on the old incandescent bulbs.
Now consumers must choose among three different types of bulbs. We have an improved Halogen incandescent bulb, a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL) and a Light Emitting Diode (LED). The new bulbs do not list wattage. They measure the light produced in “lumens.” The more lumens, the more light emitted. This can be a bit confusing for the consumer. You will need a chart that gives you the old wattage, I.e. 75 watts, alongside the new bulb choices. Go to: http://www.nrdc.org/energy/lightbulbs/files/lightbulbguide.pdf for this information. This chart also provides how much it will cost to operate one bulb for one year. The consumer should also look for the Energy Star label on the package. This is a stamp of quality. It has a chart that shows brightness from warm white to bright white, the energy in watts and if the bulb contains mercury.
While the topic of light bulbs may not be that exciting, it is producing a new revenue stream for many established companies. Worldwide, there are 927 companies involved the lighting industry. Keep in mind the LEDs have been around a long time and are used in almost every electronics gadget that we have including cars, TVs, cell phones and computers. Here we will focus on leading LED companies that specifically target the lighting sector. Only the top three companies are ranked.
Koninklijke Philips (PHG) Based in Amerstadam, PHG is diversified multi-national group of electric and electronics product systems and information technology services.
Recent Price $29.08 52 week high/low is $38,40/$29.06, EPS is $1.66, PE ratio is 18.44, Dividend is $.93 (3.10%), Market cap is $26.56 Billion.
Osram Licht Based in Germany Osram is a worldwide manufacturer of future technologies. Their lighting division is called Osram/Sylvania, Recent price 33.9000 52 week high/low is 70.000/33.7000
Panasonic Corp. (PCRFY) Based in Japan, Panasonic is a leader in the development and manufacturer of electronics for a wide range of consumer business and industrial needs. Recent price is 11,1500 52 week high/low is 13.2100/9.6200.
Toshiba (TOSBF) Based in Japan, Toshiba is a 135 year old company that provides a full range of smart digital life products and consumer electronics, It employs 200,000 and distributes its products in 30 countries. Recent price is 4.2100 52 week high/low is 4,8500/3.7420
Cree Inc. (CREE) Based in the United States, Cree is an innovator and manufacturer of semiconductors and solid state lighting, Recent price is $30.77 52 week high/low is $75.98/$30.10, EPS is $1.25, PE ratio is 26.16, Market cap is $3.75 Billion
Sharp Corp ADR (SHCAY) Based in Japan, Sharp is a manufacturer of telecommunications devices, electronic machines and components. Recent price is 2.5500 52 week high/low is 3.8600/2,4500 EPS is .22, PE Ratio is 11.6800, Market cap is $4.34 Billion.
General Electric (GE) is a multinational leader in technology and financial services. Recent price is $24.27 52 week high/low is $28.09/$24.13, EPS is $1.61, PE ratio is 15.68, Dividend is $.88 (3,55%), Market cap is $243.52 Billion. GE is rapidly becoming a leader in LED technology.
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- Electric Fields and Capacitance
- Factors Affecting Capacitance
- Op-Amp Oscillator Circuits
- Positive Feedback
If you’ve read the previous article, you know that the essence of capacitive touch sensing is the change in capacitance that occurs when an object (usually a human finger) approaches a capacitor. The presence of a finger increases the capacitance by 1) introducing a substance (i.e., human flesh) with a relatively high dielectric constant and 2) providing a conductive surface that creates additional capacitance in parallel with the existing capacitor.
Of course, the mere fact that the capacitance changes is not particularly useful. To actually perform capacitive touch sensing, we need a circuit that can measure capacitance with enough accuracy to consistently identify the increase in capacitance caused by the presence of the finger. There are various ways to do this, some quite straightforward, others more sophisticated. In this article we will look at two general approaches to implementing capacitive-sense functionality; the first is based on an RC (resistor–capacitor) time constant, and the second is based on shifts in frequency.
The RC Time Constant—Like an Old Friend
If you’re like me, you experience vague feelings of university nostalgia when you see the exponential curve representing the voltage across a charging or discharging capacitor. There’s something about it—maybe that was one of the first times I realized that higher math actually has some relationship to reality, or maybe in this age of grape-harvesting robots there is something appealing about the simplicity of a discharging capacitor. In any event, we know that this exponential curve changes when either resistance or capacitance changes. Let’s say we have an RC circuit composed of a 1 MΩ resistor and a capacitive touch sensor with typical fingerless capacitance of 10 pF.
We can use a general-purpose input/output pin (configured as an output) to charge the sensor cap up to the logic-high voltage. Next, we need the capacitor to discharge through the large resistor. It’s important to understand that you cannot simply switch the output state to logic low. An I/O pin configured as an output will drive a logic-low signal, i.e., it will provide the output with a low-impedance connection to the ground node. Thus, the capacitor would discharge rapidly through this low impedance—so rapidly that the microcontroller could not detect the subtle timing variations created by small changes in capacitance. What we need here is a high-impedance pin that will force almost all of the current to discharge through the resistor, and this can be accomplished by configuring the pin as an input. So first you set the pin as a logic-high output, then the discharge phase is initiated by changing the pin to an input. The resulting voltage will look something like this:
If someone touches the sensor and thereby creates an additional 3 pF of capacitance, the time constant will increase, as follows:
The discharge time is not much different by human standards, but a modern microcontroller could certainly detect this change. Let’s say we have a timer clocked at 25 MHz; we start the timer when we switch the pin to input mode. We can use this timer to track the discharge time by configuring the same pin to function as a trigger that initiates a capture event (“capturing” means storing the timer value in a separate register). The capture event will occur when the discharging voltage crosses the pin’s logic-low threshold, e.g., 0.6 V. As shown in the following plot, the difference in discharge time with a threshold of 0.6 V is ΔT = 5.2 µs.
With a timer clock-source period of 1/(25 MHz) = 40 ns, this ΔT corresponds to 130 ticks. Even if the change in capacitance were reduced by a factor of 10, we would still have 13 ticks of difference between an untouched sensor and a touched sensor.
So the idea here is to repeatedly charge and discharge the capacitor while monitoring the discharge time; if the discharge time exceeds a predetermined threshold, the microcontroller assumes that a finger has come into “contact” with the touch-sensitive capacitor (I put “contact” in quotation marks because the finger never actually touches the capacitor—as mentioned in the previous article, the capacitor is separated from the external environment by solder mask and the device’s enclosure). However, real life is a little more complicated than the idealized discussion presented here; error sources are discussed below in the “Dealing with Reality” section.
Variable Capacitor, Variable Frequency
In the frequency-shift-based implementation, the capacitive sensor is used as the “C” portion of an RC oscillator, such that a change in capacitance causes a change in frequency. The output signal is used as the input to a counter module that counts the number of rising or falling edges that occur within a certain measurement period. When an approaching finger causes an increase in the capacitance of the sensor, the frequency of the oscillator’s output signal decreases, and thus the edge count also decreases.
The so-called relaxation oscillator is a common circuit that can be used for this purpose. It requires a few resistors and a comparator in addition to the touch-sensitive capacitor; this seems like a lot more trouble than the charge/discharge technique discussed above, but if your microcontroller has an integrated comparator module, it’s not too bad. I’m not going to go into detail on this oscillator circuit because 1) it is discussed elsewhere, including here and here, and 2) it seems unlikely that you would want to use the oscillator approach when there are many microcontrollers and discrete ICs that offer high-performance capacitive-touch-sense functionality. If you have no choice but to create your own capacitive-touch-sensing circuit, I think that the charge/discharge technique discussed above is more straightforward. Otherwise, make your life a little simpler by choosing a microcontroller with dedicated cap-sense hardware.
The capacitive-sense peripheral in the EFM32 microcontrollers from Silicon Labs is an example of an integrated module based on the relaxation-oscillator approach:
The multiplexer allows the oscillation frequency to be controlled by eight different touch-sensitive capacitors. By quickly cycling through the channels, the chip can effectively monitor eight touch-sensitive buttons simultaneously, because the microcontroller’s operating frequency is so high relative to the speed at which a finger moves.
Dealing with Reality
A capacitive-touch-sense system will be afflicted by both high-frequency and low-frequency noise.
The high-frequency noise causes minor sample-to-sample variations in the measured discharge time or edge count. For example, the fingerless charge/discharge circuit discussed above might have a discharge time of 675 ticks, then 685 ticks, then 665 ticks, then 670 ticks, and so forth. The significance of this noise depends on the expected finger-induced change in discharge time. If the capacitance increases by 30%, the ΔT will be 130 ticks. If our high-frequency variation is only about ±10 ticks, we can easily distinguish signal from noise.
However, a 30% increase in capacitance is probably near the maximum amount of change that we could reasonably expect. If we get only a 3% change, the ΔT is 13 ticks, which is too close to the noise floor. One way to reduce the effect of noise is to increase the magnitude of the signal, and you can do this by reducing the physical separation between the PCB capacitor and the finger. Often, though, the mechanical design is constrained by other factors, so you have to make the best of whatever signal magnitude you get. In this case, you need to lower the noise floor, which can be accomplished by averaging. For example, each new discharge time could be compared not to the previous discharge time but to the mean of the last 4 or 8 or 32 discharge times. The frequency-shift technique discussed above automatically incorporates averaging because small variations around the mean frequency will not significantly affect the number of cycles counted within a measurement period that is long relative to the oscillation period.
Low-frequency noise refers to long-term variations in the fingerless sensor capacitance; these can be caused by environmental conditions. This sort of noise cannot be averaged out because the variation could persist for a very long period of time. Thus, the only way to effectively deal with low-frequency noise is to be adaptable: The threshold used to identify the presence of a finger can’t be a fixed value. Instead, it should be regularly adjusted based on measured values that do not exhibit significant short-term variations, such as those caused by the approach of a finger.
The implementation techniques discussed in this article demonstrate that capacitive touch sensing does not require complex hardware or highly sophisticated firmware. It is nonetheless a versatile, robust technology that can provide major performance improvements over mechanical alternatives.
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<urn:uuid:edb264c0-13fb-4106-b35b-c674650f91ee>
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https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/technical-articles/circuits-and-techniques-for-implementing-capacitive-touch-sensing/
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Current Event Civics Classes Online
In April of 2015 Jerry Brown the Governor of California issues water restrictions for the State of California. The restrictions call for a 25% reduction by all users in the state except farmers. Farmers are exempt because they are already under water restrictions. Trying to find a solution to this problem is going to be difficult and will require sacrifice. The use of water by agriculture and the bottle water industry is being scrutinized during this crisis. There has also been discussion on using higher prices to encourage water conservation. What do you think about this issue? Should there be limits on bottle water production during the drought? Should California consider eliminating some of its agricultural products to conserve water? Is it possible that water could become a commodity like oil and only be available to those who can afford to pay for it? Pract the Facts on this issue below and let us know what you think.
Our lesson plan on this topic is a great way to introduce your student to the issues of water scarcity worldwide as well as in the United States.
California is having issues with “fresh water” availability. The purpose of this lesson plan is to present the student with the following issues:
Lesson plan outline with discussion questions, key words, and references (word format)
Lesson plan PowePoint slides
Lesson plan quiz...pdf format with answers
Online lesson plan access
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CC-MAIN-2017-26
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http://practice-learning.com/page/california-water-restriction-lesson-plan-page
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Sobering statistics on gender disparity were released by the Office of the Chief Scientist in early 2016 as part of a report on STEM-based employment. These followed the federal government’s National Innovation and Science Agenda (NISA) announcement of a $13 million investment to encourage women to choose and stick with STEM careers. So, what are the issues for men and women entering STEM graduate pathways today and how can you change the game?
The rate of increase in female STEM-qualified graduates is outstripping that of males by 6 per cent. Overall, however, women make up just 16% of STEM-qualified people, according to the Chief Scientist’s March 2016 report, Australia’s STEM Workforce.
Recognising that more needs to be done, a cohort of exceptional female and male leaders in academia and industry is developing two strategic approaches that will receive the bulk of the new NISA funding. These are the industry-led Male Champions of Change initiative, and the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) pilot, run the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.
SAGE was founded by Professors Nalini Joshi and Brian Schmidt (a Nobel laureate) with a view to creating an Australian pilot of UK program the Athena SWAN Charter. Established in 2005, Athena SWAN was described by the British House of Commons as the “most comprehensive and practical scheme to improve academics’ careers by addressing gender inequity”.
Since September 2015, 32 organisations have signed up for Australia’s SAGE pilot, which takes a data analysis approach to affect change. Organisations gather information such as the number of women and men hired, trained and promoted across various employment categories. They then analyse these figures to uncover any underlying gender inequality issues, explains Dr Susan Pond, a SAGE program leader and adjunct professor in engineering and information technologies at the University of Sydney. Finally, participating organisations develop a sustainable four-year action plan to resolve the diversity issues that emerge from the analyses.
Women occupy fewer than one in five senior researcher positions in Australian universities and institutes, and there are almost three times as many male than female STEM graduates in the highest income bracket ($104K and above). The Australia’s STEM Workforce report found this wealth gap is not accounted for by the percentage of women with children, or by the higher proportion of females working part-time.
There are, however, some opportunities revealed by the report. While only 13% of engineering graduates are female, 35% of employees with engineering degrees are female, so a larger proportion of women engineers are finding jobs. Across all sectors, however, employment prospects for STEM-qualified women are worse than for non-STEM qualified women – a situation that’s reversed for men.
Part of the problem is that graduates view academic careers as the only outcome of a STEM degree – they aren’t being exposed to careers in industry and the corporate sector, says Dr Marguerite Evans-Galea, a senior research leader at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and co-founder of Women in Science Australia.
“There are so many compounding issues in the academic environment: it’s hypercompetitive, you have to be an elite athlete throughout your entire career,” she says. “This impacts women more because they are often the primary caregivers.”
An increased focus on diversity in STEM skills taught at schools, however, is changing the way women relate to careers in the field, Marguerite says.
“There are opportunities for women because, with diversified training, we can realise there is a broad spectrum of careers. A PhD is an opportunity to hone your skills towards these careers.”
In the workforce, more flexible work arrangements and greater technical connectivity are improving conditions for women at the early-career level but, as Marguerite points out, there is still a bottleneck at the top.
“I’m still justifying my career breaks to this day,” she says. “It’s something that travels throughout your entire career – and this needs to change.”
Part of the issue is the way we measure success, as well as gender disparity, on career and grant application review panels – and this won’t change overnight.
“How we define merit may be different if there are more women in the room,” Marguerite adds. “There will be a more diverse range of ideas. Collaborations and engagement with the public may be valued more, as well as your ability to be an advocate and be a role model to other women in STEM. Paired with essential high-quality research, it could provide a broader lens.”
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CC-MAIN-2017-26
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http://sciencemeetsbusiness.com.au/gender-disparity/
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The Kentucky Department for Public Health announced Thursday that the influenza level in the state has been raised from regional to widespread.
The widespread classification is the highest level of flu activity, with “flu-like activity” or flu outbreaks in at least half of the regions in the state, according to a news release from the Department for Public Health.
The department said people most at risk for flu and complications from flu include:
- Children between 6 months and 5 years old
- Women who are pregnant or will be pregnant during flu season
- People who are 50 or older
- People who live in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities
- People who live with or are caregivers for young children or people older than 50
- People who work in health care
People who are at higher risk for flu complications are strongly encouraged to receive a flu vaccine, according to the news release. Other ways to prevent the flu include hand washing, covering your mouth when you cough, and staying home when sick.
Symptoms of flu include fever, headache, sore throat, coughing, body aches and sneezing, according to the news release.
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<urn:uuid:602feafe-4122-4db3-95c5-d8eea2bb051d>
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http://www.kentucky.com/news/state/article126088154.html
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|(theory)||operational semantics - A set of rules specifying how the state of an actual
or hypothetical computer changes while executing a program.
The overall state is typically divided into a number of
components, e.g. stack, heap, registers etc. Each rule
specifies certain preconditions on the contents of some
components and their new contents after the application of the
It is similar in spirit to the notion of a Turing machine, in which actions are precisely described in a mathematical way.
Compuare axiomatic semantics, denotational semantics.
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<urn:uuid:e4ca28b4-ce12-499d-bfd6-7cf19e57cc81>
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CC-MAIN-2017-26
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http://www.webster-dictionary.org/definition/operational+semantics
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The Vantaa (Finnish: Vantaanjoki, Swedish: Vanda å) is a 101-kilometre (63 mi) long river in Southern Finland. The river starts from the lake Erkylänjärvi in Hausjärvi and flows into the Gulf of Finland at Vanhankaupunginselkä in Helsinki. One of the tributaries of the Vantaa river is Keravanjoki that flows through the town of Kerava north of Helsinki.
Use as water and power supply
The Helsinki-based energy company Helsingin Energia has a working power station museum located at the mouth of Vantaanjoki. The Vanhakaupunki Hydropower Plant produces an average of 500 MWh annually.
- "Helsingin Sanomat – Helsinki drinking water to be drawn from the Vantaa from mid-April". Retrieved 2008-11-18.
- "Helsingin Energia – Vanhakaupunki hydropower plant". Archived from the original on May 17, 2012. Retrieved 2008-11-18.
Media related to Vantaanjoki at Wikimedia Commons
|This Southern Finland location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.|
|This article related to a river in Finland is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.|
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<urn:uuid:01606ac6-d979-44b4-9b91-32af44e0d7d7>
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vantaanjoki
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Layers of freshwater on the ocean's surface, created by river runoff or heavy rains, can help hurricanes quickly get stronger, a new study finds. Hurricanes are fed by heat in the ocean's warm surface. Normally, cyclones' strong winds mix the ocean and bring up cold water from below, cooling the surface and preventing the storm from further strengthening. But freshwater, which is lighter than saltwater, prevents the normal mixing, which speeds the hurricanes' growth.
The study, published today (Aug. 13) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggests that measurements of ocean salinity should be taken into account in hurricane forecasts, which isn't currently the case, said co-author Karthik Balaguru at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Washington.
Predicting the future
The likelihood that hurricanes will hit such a freshwater patch is small, between 10 to 23 percent. But the effect can be large: Hurricanes over freshwater patches intensify 50 percent faster than over the open ocean, Balaguru told OurAmazingPlanet.
"A 50 percent increase in intensity can result in a much larger amount of destruction and death," he said. [History of Destruction: 8 Great Hurricanes]
Factoring in freshwater patches could help improve predictions of a hurricane's intensity. Intensity forecasts haven't improved much in the last 20 years as many of the mechanisms that govern intensity changes aren't well-understood.
"We can predict the paths cyclones take, but we need to predict their intensity better to protect people susceptible to their destructive power," Balaguru said.
Patches of freshwater like these are present in areas where there is heavy rainfall, like the western Pacific Ocean, or where large river systems pour into the sea, including the Amazon and Ganges River systems, said co-author Ping Chang at Texas A&M University. The study could help predict the power of future cyclones in these areas, he said.
Fresh fuel for hurricanes
When enough freshwater pours into the ocean, it forms a so-called "barrier layer," typically about 160 feet (50 meters) below the surface.
Hurricane Omar is one example of a cyclone that intensified after passing over these boundary layers, strengthening from a Category 2 to a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 135 mph (215 kph) in the course of about one day, Balaguru said.
The researchers took measurements from Argo floats, robotic sensors that measure temperature and salinity and other conditions throughout the world's oceans. The sensors happened to be in the Caribbean when Omar intensified. They also took measurements from another 587 tropical storms and cyclones between 1998 and 2007 to form their conclusions.
"What this study has shown quite nicely is that there are locations where freshwater layers regularly impede mixing colder water to the surface, which in turn allows hurricanes to emerge stronger from these regions than they might otherwise have done," said Texas A&M researcher Robert Korty, who wasn't involved in the study.
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<urn:uuid:7518cebf-ee84-468b-a1e4-54ae87163379>
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CC-MAIN-2017-26
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https://www.livescience.com/22318-freshwater-hurricane-intensity.html
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| 0.953821
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|Page (1) of 4 - 06/08/04||email article||print page|
Opacity Masks in Illustrator CSUsing images and objects to define transparency in text
Like layer masks in Adobe Photoshop, a opacity masks in Illustrator use the luminance values of one object or image to define the transparent areas of another object. And the objects that define the transparency can be literally any type of object that Illustrator supports--solid objects, strokes, gradients, raster images, text or combinations of all of the above.
The example below shows live, editable type using an image as an opacity mask.
And there are many other applications for this technique, which you can (presumably) think up for yourself. We'll first take a look at basic methods for creating and working with opacity masks, then examine the process of using an image in an opacity mask.
For lack of a better phrase, we'll use "object mask" to describe any type of opacity mask based on a vector object rather than an image. The reason I separate the two types is that there's a necessary and slightly different process for creating masks based on raster images. Object masks are much more straightforward.
To begin, create a text object. (For my example, I'll be using a surf theme, so I'll simply use the word "Surf.")
Now open up the Transparency palette. Choose the flyaway menu on the right, and select the "Make Opacity Mask" option.
Instantly your text will disappear. To make it reappear, deselect the "Clip" checkbox in the Transparency palette.
Related Keywords:adobe illustrator, illustrator cs, opacity masks, masks, layer masks
Source:Digital Media Online. All Rights Reserved
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http://www.creativemac.com/article/Opacity-Masks-in-Illustrator-CS-26026
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| 0.838749
| 366
| 2.90625
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Trust lands leases = the state of Utah leasing state land (“interspersed within public lands” ) for mining, oil and gas, grazing, and commercial development. This is just one more way the BLM partners up with special interests to get rid of wild horses. – Debbie
photo: State of Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration
Source: Emery County Progress
The Bureau of Land Management and Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) announced on Feb. 3, they entered into an Agreement to effectively manage wild horses located on SITLA lands within areas across the State of Utah.
SITLA is an independent state agency that manages and develops the State’s trust-land assets for the benefit of Utah’s public education system and other state institutions. There are about 3.4 million acres of SITLA-managed land interspersed within and among the 22.9 million acres of public lands throughout Utah, with more than 555,000 acres of SITLA lands impacted by wild horses. The 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros (WH&B) Act prohibits SITLA from unilaterally removing wild horses from its trust lands. Only the BLM can remove wild horses and then only after it has consulted with and involved state wildlife agencies and other affected interests, and has entered into agreements as necessary when managing wild horses and burros. SITLA, in accordance with the 1971 WH&B Act, originally filed suit in federal district court against BLM on February 3, 2015, for failure to remove wild horses from school section lands held in trust by the State of Utah.
The suit alleged that the impact of wild horse populations has resulted in the damage and degradation of rangeland resources on these lands. SITLA argued that resource degradation caused by excessive numbers of wild horses has diminished its ability to effectively meet its mandate to manage and maximize revenues for the support of its beneficiaries.
In an unprecedented effort to work collaboratively and avoid a lengthy and expensive courtroom struggle, both parties met numerous times over this past year to come up with an acceptable solution. As a result of these efforts, the BLM and SITLA have entered into an Agreement that provides for a mutual commitment to work cooperatively to manage wild horses that have entered onto SITLA lands. The agencies will meet annually to identify priority removal areas, ensure environmental review, conduct aerial population surveys jointly, and monitor rangeland resources and improvements. The Agreement, which is subject to congressional appropriations, places priority on managing BLM herd areas (HAs) and herd management areas (HMAs) in the south-central and southwest areas of state, where the lawsuit was specifically aimed. However, the Agreement also calls for additional efforts in the rest of the state where other challenges arise between SITLA and BLM management.
“The BLM is pleased to be working closely with SITLA on this challenging issue of wild horse management,” said BLM-Utah Acting State Director, Jenna Whitlock. “We look forward to implementing this Agreement to ensure both the horses themselves and the rangelands they occupy are preserved and protected.” SITLA’s assistance in managing the wild horses that have entered onto its lands will complement BLM’s current wild horse management efforts and benefit the overall public interest by supporting healthy watersheds, productive rangelands, and sustainable ecosystems, while encouraging a strong locally based land ethic that will apply current scientific rangeland management principles.
SITLA Deputy Director Kim Christy said, “Management activities conducted pursuant to this Agreement are intended to enable SITLA to fulfill its trustee role in a more robust and effective manner by promoting healthy and productive rangelands on SITLA lands affected by wild horses and burros. We look forward to this unique opportunity of working proactively with BLM and pioneering workable solutions to problems we commonly share as landowners.”
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<urn:uuid:ab62a6f1-bb6c-4827-ada6-4eac6d5e1497>
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https://rtfitchauthor.com/2016/02/10/blm-and-sitla-enter-into-wild-horse-management-agreement/
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| 0.949157
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Stunning events on land and sea: Naval warfare is reinvented and a placid church gets a bloodbath
March 3 – President Lincoln appoints Andrew Johnson, the only Southern U.S. senator to remain loyal after his state seceded, military governor of Tennessee
March 4 – Henry Halleck orders Ulysses S. Grant to turn his forces over to Charles Ferguson Smith, claiming Grant failed to obey orders. Grant is reinstated March 13.
March 5 – Lincoln proposes emancipating slaves in the Border States and paying compensation to their owners.
March 6 – The Monitor, the Union’s revolutionary ironclad, departs New York Harbor for Hampton Roads, Va.
March 8 – The three-day Battle of Pea Ridge in Arkansas ends with a Union victory that helps the Federals establish control of Missouri for the next two years.
March 9 – The Monitor takes on fellow ironclad CSS Virginia—the refitted USS Merrimack—at Hampton Roads.
March 12 – Union naval forces occupy Jacksonville, Fla.
March 17 – General George McClellan’s Army of the Potomac leaves Alexandria, Va., for Fort Monroe, beginning the Peninsula Campaign.
March 18 – In a reorganization of Jefferson Davis’ Cabinet, Secretary of War Judah Benjamin replaces Secretary of State R.M.T. Hunter, now a Confederate senator, and is replaced in the War Department by George W. Randolph.
March 23 – The First Battle of Kernstown, a tactical loss for Stonewall Jackson, opens the Shenandoah Campaign.
March 28 – Jefferson Davis proposes a conscription program to the Confederate Congress, targeting all white males aged 18 to 35.
– The Battle of Glorieta Pass in New Mexico ends in a Union victory.
April 5 – McClellan’s army begins the siege of Yorktown, Va.
April 6-7 – In the bloodiest battle of the nation’s history to this point, the Union Army of the Tennessee defeats the Rebel Army of the Mississippi at Shiloh Church in southwestern Tennessee—killing Confederate commander Albert Sidney Johnston in the process.
April 7 – The surrender of Island No. 10 on the Mississippi River ends the New Madrid Campaign. The Federals under Brig. Gen. John Pope capture some 7,000 prisoners.
April 10-11 – Union troops under Captain Quincy A. Gillmore force the surrender of Fort Pulaski near Savannah, Ga. The fort had been thought impregnable
April 12 – Jefferson Davis combines Confederate armies in the East to form the Army of Northern Virginia.
-Outside Atlanta, Union spies hijack a Confederate train, the General, headed for Chattanooga, Tenn., but are pursued and caught.
April 16 – Lincoln signs legislation to emancipate slaves in Washington, D.C.
– The Confederacy’s first conscription act is signed into law.
April 21 – Congress establishes a U.S. Mint at Denver, Colo. It will begin operations late in 1863.
April 25 – Having steamed past Forts Jackson and St. Philip on the Mississippi, Union naval forces under Flag Officer David Farragut arrive in New Orleans and demand the city’s surrender.
April 28 – New Orleans surrenders.
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<urn:uuid:fa325ec9-aaeb-4bb3-9beb-900310b63aa8>
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CC-MAIN-2017-26
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http://www.historynet.com/march-and-april-1862.htm
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s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-26/segments/1498128320679.64/warc/CC-MAIN-20170626050425-20170626070425-00648.warc.gz
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| 0.885785
| 676
| 3.296875
| 3
|
“The greatest cultural extravaganza that one could imagine”, said David Bowie about Berlin in the 1970s. Although that city, heart of the Cold War, might not exist any more, its greatest and unimaginably cultural extravaganza is as alive now as then – and as it seems to have always been. During its seven centuries, the turbulent and multiple existence of Berlin went through drastic transformations, for the good and for the bad. There’s one aspect however that despite all changes remains through time along its fascinating history: a diverse cultural spirit of vanguard and love for bohemia and arts.
At the reign of Frederick II (1740-1772), an enthusiastic for music, arts and literature, Berlin became a center of the Age of Reason. Guided by Enlightenment ideas, it was a time of great cultural movements and sociopolitical reforms. Later, in the beginning of the 19th century and oddly during the stagnation after Napoleon’s invasion, an intellectual boom floured cafés and salons, attracting thinkers such as Hegel and Ranke. About the same time the already heading Industrial Revolution started showing sings of its astonishing transformation in the World and, in a special manner, in Berlin.
In the early new century, with the construction of more than 1000 factories, the then capital of Prussia became a center of technology, a symbol of modern metropolis and international city. The population expanded dramatically and outlying suburbs including Wedding and Moabit were incorporated. Popular culture evolved in parallel. In the music scene there has been a huge number of ballads about life in Berlin, like the famous “Das ist die Berliner Luft”(That’s the Berlin air”) from Paul Lincke.
To be continued…
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<urn:uuid:248995b9-71c5-45c0-9284-7e17ba445e34>
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CC-MAIN-2017-26
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http://www.amstelhouse.de/blog/2013/08/where-does-berlin-come-from-part-i/
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| 0.940545
| 367
| 2.796875
| 3
|
DeadVlei or Dead Vlei, its name means "dead marsh" (from English dead, and Afrikaans vlei, a lake or marsh in a valley between the dunes). The pan also is referred to as "Dooie Vlei" which is the presumably original fully Afrikaans name. Dead Vlei has been claimed to be surrounded by the highest sand dunes in the world, the highest reaching 300-400 meters (350m on average, named "Big Daddy" or "Crazy Dune"), which rest on a sandstone terrace. The arid climate and a lack of water and the hard wood of the Camel Thorn tree
has kept the trees of Deadvlei from decomposing. The result is a collection ghostly trees rising from a cracked white clay surface. The pan is deceptively large and offers about fifty interesting shaped trees to capture through your lens. Reaching Deadvlei requires walking a little bit further than one kilometer on soft sand and over a dune that is about fifty meters high. The climb is very gradual and we’ll tentatively only do it in the mornings when it is still cool. For a person of reasonable fitness it won’t be a problem.
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<urn:uuid:e9812611-6fc7-4b2c-80e3-45304acd8e4d>
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http://hawkphotography.org/photography-namibia.html
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| 0.945736
| 260
| 2.546875
| 3
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Katie is an adorable 7-year-old who was adopted from China. She’s an affectionate child with a great sense of humor who loves to draw and go to the playground. However, socks really bother her. After she puts them on, Katie feels her socks for hours, and if they have seams or little pills on them, they annoy her all day long. Katie also cannot tune out the casual touch sensations that are an everyday part of life. The breeze outside gently blowing on her arms feels like little insects. And while Katie is a gentle, kind child who loves her classmates, a child might accidentally brush against her, so she avoids sitting right next to other children and pushes them away if they get too close. Better to sit a bit on the sidelines than be worried about getting in trouble for pushing. Katie loves reading, but is comfortable handling only certain types of paper. Some types of paper send chills up her spine. She hates getting glue on her skin and refuses to finger-paint. She can hear a dog bark outside from the 28th floor of her apartment building. She is terrified of fire drills-and was hugely relieved when her school agreed to having the classroom aide take her outside before to the alarm rings. With all of these bothersome sights, sounds, and touches all day, it’s no wonder Katie gets so cranky in the evening. When it’s finally bedtime and lights out, her body just doesn’t feel right. Most nights, she thrashes around in her bed for 30 minutes or so until she finally falls asleep.
What is going on with Katie? She shows signs of sensory integration issues.
What is Sensory Integration?
All of us learn about and comprehend the world through our senses. We see things, we hear things, we touch things, we experience gravity, and we use our bodies to move around in it. All of the sensory input from the environment and from inside our bodies works together seamlessly so we know what’s going on and what to do.
Sensory integration is something most of us do automatically. Usually, sensory input registers well, gets processed in the central nervous system and then hooks up seamlessly with all of the other senses. This lets us think and behave appropriately in response to what’s going on.
Kids with sensory integration (SI) dysfunction experience the world differently. They don’t take in and use sensory information the same way. Their central nervous system responds to sensory input differently, so they’re not always getting an accurate, reliable picture of their bodies and the environment.
Think of sensory integration like an orchestra. You need the woodwinds section, the strings section, the percussion, the piano to all be in tune, playing in key at the right volume, all perfectly coordinated with each other. With SI dysfunction, the conductor isn’t controlling the music well. Different sections in the orchestra are out of tune and out of sync so it doesn’t sound right.
For a child with severe sensory issues, walking into the supermarket can feel like walking into a rock and roll concert. Such a child may be able to see and hear the fluorescent lighting flicker, a squeaky shopping cart may sound like thunder, the meat department may smell like a garbage dump, and navigating the aisles and other shoppers may feel like being on a bumper car ride.
What seems normal to us can easily overwhelm a child with sensory problems.
Common Signs of Sensory Integration Dysfunction
• Out of proportion reactions: over or undersensitivity to touch, sounds, sights, movement, tastes, or smells
• Problems with vestibular (movement) and proprioceptive senses (body awareness)
• Bothered by particular clothing fabrics, labels, waistbands, etc.
• Avoids or excessively craves intense movement — slides, swings, bouncing, jumping
• Resists grooming activities such as brushing teeth and washing hair
• Avoids foods most children enjoy
• Gets dizzy easily-or never at all
• Seems clumsy or careless
• Often “tunes out” or “acts up”
• Poor attention and focus
• Uncomfortable in group settings
• Very high or very low pain threshold
• Squints, blinks, or rubs eyes frequently (may have an undiagnosed vision problem)
What causes sensory problems?
Sensory problems result from neurological differences, and new research is being done to confirm this. It’s a difference in how the brain and nervous system are wired. Sensory problems are quite often seen in children born prematurely (especially the smallest and the youngest), those adopted from overseas, children who have experienced birth trauma or prolonged hospitalization, and those exposed to heavy metals. Sensory problems are common symptom of other special needs diagnoses. However, a child can have sensory problems and nothing else.
What about sensory integration in children adopted from overseas?
Children who have been adopted are at increased risk for sensory problems, with those adopted from overseas orphanages at significantly higher risk. The conditions in these orphanages vary greatly, but all too often facilities have limited resources, poor nutrition, lack of sensory stimulation, and limited social interactions that can lead to developmental delays, medical problems, emotional difficulties, and yes-sensory issues. Many children placed in overseas orphanages may have been born prematurely or with low birth weight to begin with. So it’s a double whammy to be predisposed to problems and then be placed in an institutional environment. What’s more, the biological mother may have been malnourished and had limited or no access to prenatal care. So much-but certainly not all-depends on prenatal factors, birth, and environment.
Sensory problems make adjusting to a new family and a new culture even harder. Katie lived in a Chinese orphanage for eight months, where she had limited sensory experiences: a monotonous daily routine, and rarely being held, rocked, cuddled, feeling different clothing, being carried around in someone’s arms or moving in a stroller or car, rarely being outdoors, being bottled propped, and looking at the same bare walls and toys month after month.
She certainly wasn’t used to being hugged and smothered with kisses by her adoring new parents, getting bounced on someone’s lap, being pushed around the park on a sunny day looking at animals at the petting zoo with the sound of a fire truck in the background and lots of people laughing and talking and brightly colored toys dangling from her stroller. Her brain and body never had that kind of exposure, and she hadn’t yet built the neural connections for that kind of thing.
The Good New: There is help for sensory integration problems!
With appropriate interventions and time, most children develop needed central nervous system connections and sensory input starts getting more familiar and more comfortable. Not always, but most of the time, children can overcome their sensory problems, especially with parents who develop their own “sensory smarts.”
If you are concerned about whether your child has sensory integration issues, the first step is to get an evaluation from a qualified health care professional. This may be a developmental pediatrician or an occupational therapist who has special training and experience in this area. If your child is under age 3, you can get a multidisciplinary evaluation through your state’s Early Intervention program (see www.sensorysmarts.com for a link to your state’s EI program). If your child is over age 3, you can request an occupational therapy evaluation from your school district. You also have the option of hiring an OT privately, which may be covered by your health insurance.
Lindsey Biel, OTR/L is the co-author of Raising A Sensory Smart Child… For more information on sensory integration issues, practical solutions, finding professional help, advocating with schools, and more, see Raising A Sensory Smart Child: The Definitive Handbook for Helping Your Child with Sensory Integration Issues, by Lindsey Biel, OTR/L and Nancy Peske (foreword by Temple Grandin). Also visit www.sensorysmarts.com.
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By the time “Bill’s Backyard” is ready to receive visitors next year, some of the seeds planted by local students at a Nov. 16 groundbreaking should have taken root at the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose.
Named after former museum board member Bill Sullivan, the 27,500-square-foot outdoor expansion will double the museum’s exhibit space. More importantly, says museum staff, the 10 exhibit areas in “Bill’s Backyard” will connect children to the natural world.
“We know that children from low-income neighborhoods in the museum’s urban setting have fewer opportunities to explore natural places,” said Marilee Jennings, the museum’s executive director. “Our goal…is to bridge these gaps.”
Subtitled “A Bridge to Nature,” “Bill’s Backyard” is slated to open in June 2017 and feature science and education exhibits that offer solutions to environmental issues such as California’s ongoing drought. To that end, the seed pods thrown by second- and third-graders from Horace Mann Elementary School at the groundbreaking were for native drought-tolerant plants.
Other features of the outdoor learning environment will include three tall trees connected with sky bridges to engage children in climbing; a junior ranger station with maps, signs, fossils and touchable animal skeletons; a fort building station designed to encourage children to design, build and create with natural materials; and a dig pit filled with smooth stones for shoveling.
These features are being designed with an eye toward research by the Children and Nature Network that shows a direct connection between daily exposure to nature and cognitive well-being.
“The museum’s intention is to … help the next generation acquire environmental and sustainability behaviors,” Jennings said.
For more information on “Bill’s Backyard,” visit cdm.org/campaign.
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Would you like know more about what the mayfly life cycle means? In just a second you'll have all the details but first here's a quick description. Pre-adults are called sub-imagoes and adult mayflies are called imagoes. Their front wings are triangular shaped with several cross veins, held upright and together over the thorax. One distinguishing factor between pre-adults and adults is that the sub-imagoes have cloudy winds and the imagoes have clear wings. And some species are born with patterned wings. Body color varies with some being yellow, green, white and black.
Oddly enough, adult mayflies live a very short life span. In fact the after the mayfly life cycle is complete, and they have become adults, they usually only survive one to two nights. During this particular time, the adults mate in swarms in the air. You'll find they are attracted to bright lights. Eggs are deposited in one of three ways. Either when flying low over the water or when the abdomen is dipped on the water surface or the mayfly submerges themselves and lay eggs under the water. The adult female will lay eggs into the water and typically die on the water's surface.
Pre-adult mayflies have chewing mouth-parts however the adults do not feed at all. Before maturing they feed by finding tiny pieces of organic matter like plant material, algae, and debris that have piled up on rocks in streams. The majority of the species in Texas choose to highly oxygenated water spots and some species develop in lakes and ponds. Typically they go unnoticed and at times you may come across a large number of adults. There's no need to be overly concerned about the mayfly life cycle because even though they are a nuisance, they are not medically harmful.
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Its natural characteristics, united by a varied and unique geography, achieve the perfect combination for the land to offer us wines with diverse and unparalleled flavours. Chile holds many secrets in its land with a rich geography like no other.al.
Chile has geographic barriers that are unique in the world. It includes the Atacama desert in the North, the Andes mountains to the East, the ice fields of Patagonia in the South and the Pacific Ocean to the West. These natural borders make it an agricultural island beyond compare.
The fresh sea breeze is partially blocked by the coastal mountains, but it finds new ways in to the valleys and across their rivers. During the day, the sea breeze generated by the Humboldt current penetrates inland and each night, the fresh air descends from the mountains and covers the mountainous Andes regions in snow.
Chile: Not by length, but by width
Despite what one might think, it isn’t the distance from the equator that has the dominant role here. Instead it is the proximity to the Pacific Ocean or the Andes mountains. Chile has much more diversity in soils and climate from East to West, not North to South.
Blessed flora and fauna
The combination of natural barriers and a mild Mediterranean climate gives us sustainability and prosperous development in the nation’s viniculture. For that reason, Chile has one of the biggest organic vineyards in the world.
The influence of the Pacific on the climate
The cooling effect of the Pacific Ocean and the Humbolt current, which begins at the frozen waters near Antarctica, have an important influence on the climate of our country. When the cold current hits the coast of North Chile it produces clouds and fog, but little or no rain. This contributes towards the existence of the Atacama desert, the driest desert in the world.
Ideal mediterranean climate
The Mediterranean climate of Chile can count on warm and dry summers, along with cold and wet winters, ideal for wine lovers. The interaction between the effects of the sea and the Andes mountains favours the vineyard in its growing season. The vines delight in sunny days and temperatures that have a spectacular drop each night, creating a wide thermal amplitude daily that helps the wine grapes develop fresh fruit flavours, acidity, and in the case of red wines, mature textures with deep colour and high levels of antioxidants and quality.
Altitude in the mountains
The omnipresence of the mountains covered in snow that tower over the valleys is our trademark, and with it they bring characteristics that are unique in the world. In the last few years, a countless number of vineyards have developed from the high peaks of the mountains, where the sun arrives late from the East and compensates its late arrival with intensity. Wind streams rise and fall throughout the day in order to create a daily pendulum of temperatures, which oscillate widely between the maximum daily temperatures and the minimum nightly temperatures. This is the ideal setting for flavourful red grapes to flourish, like Cabernet Sauvignon.
Soil and terrains
The chilean landscape also offers a vast mosaic of terrains and types of soil. The soils are healthy, with good drainage and have a good variety of origins (alluvial, colluvial, fluvial etc) and textures (loam, clay, sand, limestone etc). Despite the relatively dry atmospheric conditions, there is abundant water for irrigation which flows from the never-ending layers of ice in the Andes mountain range.
The marvel of the valleys
Through the Central Valley you can visit a long stretch of Chile. The rivers flow towards the West of the Andes and turn to the Coastal Mountain range which appear towards the interior. Varieties like Carmenere adore this characteristic of the environment, where the climate is stable and the land is generally rich.
The cold waters
Anyone who has taken a dip into the Pacific Ocean knows how cold the water is. And when this hits the coast, you feel it. It covers the land with a thick and cool fog every morning which lifts by midday to permit the sun light to come through. As a result, grapes like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir flourish because of these exact conditions that cool the climate.
The diverse geography and beneficial climate of Chile are factors that immediately make this country the logical option for wine consumers who today expect high quality products. Natural characteristics help maintain healthy conditions and protect the vines against the presence of plagues and illnesses. Geographical diversity allows Chile to have a climate with tremendous variation and perfect for viniculture.
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This is a historic day in technology. Computers are beginning to see into our human lives. Google Goggles has launched for the iPhone.
Since the first microorganism on Earth fired a blast of toxins at a rival colony, the arms race has yet to cease.
One Million Rounds Per Minute
BAMBI 1.2 Beta
The prototype in this video is not weaponized, however these agile robots could be used for combat and reconnaissance. Note how well it handles debris. It would be good at walking through a war-torn, urban city.
To the best of man’s knowledge, Earth is the only planet known to sustain life. What if that could change? The universe is still being mapped out and scanned, and our ability to perceive the presence of distant planets is increasing. Whether by discovering an already habitable planet or by consequence of terraforming one to suit life, Earth may not stand alone forever.
The technology and energy required to start terraforming Mars, Venus, or a moon is a major scientific and engineering challenge. Can a Type 0 civilization muster the tools for the task? Using microorganisms or self-replicating nanobots may provide options. Michio Kaku explains what different levels of civilizations are capable of accomplishing, such as terraformation and weather control:
If the technology and resources were available now, which planetary body would you terraform?
Social Media is a communication tool. All social creatures on the planet use communication to work together, and ultimately, survive and prosper. What can tools like Facebook, Twitter, Digg and Mashable do for our species? How does it affect our ability to prosper, share, survive and know each other?
Thanks to Barb Dybwad for sharing this article about the growth of social media.
This video blew my mind:
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Pahiyas Festival is a colorful feast celebrated every 15th day of May by the people of Lucban Quezon in honor of San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers. The festival’s name came from the term hiyas (jewel) and pahiyas (precious offering). The feast is an ancient farmer’s harvest celebration that date backs to the 16th century. It is their way of thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest.
|kiping adorn the house facade|
The festival showcases a street of houses which are adorned with fruits, vegetables, agricultural products, handicrafts and kiping. Kiping are thin wafers made from rice dough that are usually arranged into two or three layers of chandeliers called aranya. Each house tries to outdo each other in decorations in an annual competition as they vie for the honor of being recognized for their creativity. After the competition is over, the decorations of the house are thrown away to the huge flocks of people as free treats; some will be cooked and eaten as rice chips. In the afternoon, the image of San Isidro Labrador is carried across town in procession to assure farmers of more bountiful harvests in the coming years.
|fruits and vegetables are place as offerings to San Isidro Labrador|
|chandeliers of kiping called aranya decorate the house in the streets of Lucban|
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As you walk through your neighborhood, you might see bare patches of dirt next to the sidewalk or an empty lot. Those spots are just waiting for something good to grow on them. Seed bombas are a fun way to plant something beautiful without too much fuss. Clay powder, compost or potting soil, seeds, and a little water are all you need for basic bombas.
Ready to get messy and grow? Here we go!
- An apron (or clothes you don’t mind getting stained)
- A mixing bowl and a well-ventilated area (or a ziploc bag to mix in)
- Measuring cups and measuring spoons
- Newspaper or kraft paper to protect your work surface
- Optional: plastic or gardening gloves to keep your hands clean
- Potting soil or compost, sifted (or pick out larger pieces and rocks by hand)
- Red clay powder
- A little water
- Optional: Crushed mica or biodegradable glitter for an extra bit of sparkle
How to Make Eastie Seed Bombas
Add 2 cups of organic potting soil to ½ cup of clay powder. Then add about ¼ cup of water. Depending on what kind of soil or compost you use, you may need to use less water, or add a little extra. Try adding 1 Tbsp. at a time and seeing how your mixture comes along. Bombas should stick together without being either goopy or crumbly. You can experiment with your ratios of clay, soil, and water to see how they change your seed bombas.
Grab a bit of your mixture and roll it in a ball. Then make an indentation with your thumb if you’re making a bigger bomba for big seeds, or with a pencil eraser if you’re making a mini bomba for little seeds. Pop one large seed or a few small seeds in the middle and roll it back into a ball. Sprinkle mica or biodegradable glitter for an extra sparkle.
Allow your bombas to harden in a dry, sunny place before throwing them.
This article is by guest contributor Jazmin L. Idakaar, the Programs & Community Outreach Librarian at the East Boston Branch of the Boston Public Library.
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Arie van’t Riet‘s beautiful x-ray photographs gracefully combine the outer visible surface and the inner invisible structure of the natural world in images that give new life to the definition of ‘radiant beauty’.
A medical physicist, Arie van’t Riet has turned into an artist almost by chance, when a friend asked him to take an x-ray picture of a painting. On that occasion he became interested in the creative possibilities that x-ray technology opened up by means of exploiting the different densities and degrees of light absorption of the materials it touches. Made of thin petals and leaves, a bouquet of flowers became Arie van’t Riet‘s first ‘artistic’ experiment. After taking the x-ray picture of a bunch of tulips, he digitalized the silver-bromate analog film, then inverted the gray scale and eventually selected some areas to be coloured. The resulting image perfectly restitutes the impalpable lightness but also the vivid strength that flowers have. With this new and exciting possibility to explore nature at hand, Arie van’t Riet started including insects and animals, elegantly composing flora and fauna while playing around with the different x-ray intensities required in order to capture thin and thick tissues in one image. The Dutch scientist/artist only uses dead animals (which he gathers when the sad event has already taken place) for his x-ray photographs, as he does not want to expose living creatures to the danger of x-ray exposure. Van’t Riet defines his pictures as bioramas where the natural elements variously assembled literally radiate the sheer splendor contained even in the tiniest natural element. The artistic path embraced by Arie van’t Riet bears witness of the fact that to be an artist is first and foremost a matter of creative disposition, enabling one to look at the world in an open, curious and actively responsive way, no matter what expressive tools are chosen. Playing around with the technology he better knew, Arie van’t Riet discovered that he could fix in a single image both the outer surface (that we see in colour when touched with visible light) and the inner structure (only showed in grey scale by invisible x-rays) of nature. Looking at Arie van’t Riet photographs is like ideally wearing a pair of x-ray glasses that make us participate to the wholesomeness of the natural world.
To explore more of Arie van’t Riet‘s bioramas, please visit his website here.
Images courtesy of Arie van’t Riet.
(via e MORFES)
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Eastford’s Nipmuck Indians belonged to the Algonkin configuration. They called the area “Wabaquasset” meaning “place-of-needs for making mats.” Originally part of Ashford, Eastford was first settled in 1711 by the families of John and Sarah Perry and William Ward, Sr. Early settlers followed the Old Connecticut Path – once a well established Indian trail. Eastford separated from Ashford and incorporated in 1847.
General Nathaniel Lyon was born in the Phoenixville section of Eastford in 1818. He was the first northern General killed in the Civil War (at the battle of Wilson’s Creek, Missouri, 1861).
The Ivy Glenn Memorial built in 1847 was used as a Methodist Church and later as the Town Hall. It now houses the library and serves as a gathering place for many town functions. Other historical sites include the Old Stone Mill (1821), the Old Center Store (1836) built by Alba Hewitt, the General Lyon Inn (1843), the Old Town Pound (1710), the Old Cemetery (1720) including John Perry’s gravestone, Squire Bosworth’s Castle (1800) which housed a post office, a general store, and lodge rooms for Freemasons, the Congregational Church (1829), the Joseph Work House (1726), and the Somers Turnpike Tavern built by Jonathan Hayward in 1733 which housed an inn, post office and store.
Today, Eastford provides local residents with a variety of local businesses. Still an agricultural, residential town, a large portion of the township’s land is the Natchaug State Forest and the Yale Forest.
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|Woodstock Academy (9-12)||(860)928-6575|
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Lag ba-Omer is the 33rd day of the counting of the Omer. Throughout history, following the tragedies that befell the Jewish people during this period (the Crusades), and particularly the death of 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiba from a plague (in the 2nd century CE), these days have become days of semi-mourning, during which certain prohibitions apply, such as the prohibitions against cutting one's hair or holding weddings.
To get a better idea of the impact this tragedy had on the Jewish People for posterity, consider the following facts: Virtually, all of the Torah that we possess and study today, all the interpretations, perspectives, dimensions and legal applications in the Talmud, were coined and formulated mainly by FIVE students of Rabbi Akiba, whom he taught after the loss of his first group of 24,000 disciples. Each Torah personality who immerses himself in Torah adds his own understanding and flavor to the Torah, thus enriching the Torah which will be passed on to the next generation.
Imagine how richer and deeper our understanding of the Divine Torah would have been had we received the full breath of Rabbi Akiba's Torah, as assimilated and interpreted by 24,000 disciples, along with their unique individual perspectives and interpretations. The demise of the first group of students essentially resulted in our receiving only a fraction of Rabbi Akiba's Torah. Instead of its full amplification by 24,000 great human beings, we have only the interpretations of five.
Besides the lives that were cut short, we mourn the lost dimensions of Torah, that were lost by their death.
VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION:Rewriting Middle East History, by Eli E. Hertz
How do they celebrate Lag Ba'Omer in Israel?See the following information Provided by Israel's Ministry of Tourism
Rabbi Yosef Bitton. YMJC | 130 Steamboat Rd. | Great Neck | NY | 11024
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The design of nonfiction books has changed a lot in the last couple of decades. Of course, fiction design has changed too, but not quite as dramatically (with the notable exception of graphic novels).
When I entered the publishing industry in the early 1990s, books were pasted up. What does that mean?
Exactly what it sounds like. Get out your scissors and rubber cement and go to town. This process was both tedious and time consuming and no one wanted to make changes to the layout unless it was absolutely necessary.
Forget the idea of “playing” with design. It just wasn’t an option. Photos were few and far between and they were more decorative than anything else. They certainly weren't teaching tools that add to the power of the overall presentation.But as computer technology advanced, desktop publishing software came on the scene. And that changed everything. The software was introduced in 1987 and it really caught on around 1992. Most publishers had fully transitioned by 1996.
At the same time, DK Publishing came up with a startling new format, which they exploited in their huge and hugely successful Eyewitness Books series. These titles were first distributed in the U.S. in 1991. And by the end of the 1990s, they had revolutionized children’s nonfiction.
Now designers and art directors really began to have fun. Format and design and art choices were limited only by their imaginations.
Next week, we’ll look at examples of books that make great use of design and art to delight as well as inform. Sometimes they even invite young readers to participate.
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Water levels on a number of Minnesota lakes and rivers are expected to remain high during the Fourth of July holiday week, so the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is urging boaters to slow down and use caution.
“People should always wear their lifejackets while boating, but especially during times like this,” said Tim Smalley, DNR boating safety specialist. “The waters are higher and moving faster than people are accustomed to, and that can create dangerous situations.”
Recreational boaters should also be aware that there are high water conditions on the Mississippi, Minnesota and Lower St. Croix rivers resulting in hazardous debris in the water.
Smalley said, “River and lake debris could include trees as well as man-made items. Debris will often float just at or below the surface, so a boat traveling at high speed may not be able to avoid it in time. Hitting a deadhead or snag at high speed could result in anything from a broken propeller to a ruined lower unit — or worse, serious injuries to boat occupants.”
Smalley said that during periods of high water on lakes and rivers, boaters also need to slow down and make sure their wakes are small. Boat owners are legally responsible for their wakes, under both federal and state law.
“During high water on a river, boat waves are not dissipated by the gentle slope of a beach but instead slam directly into the steep face of the bank,” said Scot Johnson, DNR Mississippi River hydrologist. “Much of the energy contained in the wave is conveyed to the bank. This contributes to an accelerated rate of bank erosion.”
A 1992 Mississippi River study by the DNR near Red Wing showed that during high water, a large wake (25 inches high) from a cruiser or houseboat can be 30 times more destructive then a smaller 5-inch wake.
Boaters can reduce wave impacts by:
• Limiting boating activity on rivers until water levels return to normal summer conditions.
• Maintaining slow no-wake speeds (less than 5 mph) during high water.
• Staying close to the center line of the river. This will allow some wave energy to be dissipated as it travels through the water.
• If speeds greater than 5 mph are absolutely necessary, accelerate to planing speed as quickly as possible and stay on plane until reaching destination.
• If houseboat or cabin cruiser does not have a planing hull design or adequate horsepower, maintain slow no-wake speeds until water levels return to normal summer conditions.
For more information, boaters can request a free copy of the brochure “Mississippi River Bank Erosion and Boating” from the DNR by calling 651-296-6157 or toll-free at 888-646-6367. Computer users also can send an email to [email protected] to ask for the brochure.
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12 Top Health Benefits of Eating Dried Apricots #Best for Diet
Most people who are concerned about healthy living must be at least aware of these small, golden colored fruits. Dried apricots too, have seen the light as an alternative snacks for health-conscious individual. Apricots belong to Rosaceae family, in which other fruits such as peaches and plums belong to. The most noticeable characteristics of fruits of this family is their thin, silky skin and the smooth, musky-tasting flesh. They also have hard-shelled seeds that contain oil that can be extracted and distilled, mostly used in cooking.
Originally, the fruits were grown in China, but gaining renown through international trades. By the eighteenth century, apricots turned out to be more suitable to be grown in the United States. That factor lends to the scientific name “Prunus Armenaica”. Consumption-wise, apricots by themselves are smooth and sweet being consumed fresh. Considering storage, however, dried apricots are better. They are equally sweet and somewhat more nutritious being consumed in their dried variety.
It goes without saying that not all fruits or produces are created equal, some are more nutritious than the others. More often than not, some are best consumed fresh, while others are still equally good consumed dried. When it comes to dried fruits, apricots really take the cake. It is often cited that dried apricots are one of the most nutritious fruits served dried.
As for the facts, a cup of dried apricots are rich of vitamins and minerals. They have at least 94% of daily suggested nutrition of vitamin A and 19% of iron. There are also 9.5 grams of fiber and a few amount of calcium as well as Vitamin C Benefits. High amounts of pectin, a kind of soluble fiber, potassium and carotenoids are also found. Carotenoids are antioxidants naturally found in bright colored fruits and vegetables.
What Nutrients in Dried Apricots?
There are, however, some trade-off that we need to consider should we choose to consume these dried delicacies. First, Health Benefits of Dried Fruits has more calories than the fresh ones. The difference in calories is pretty evident when it comes to apricots.
Fresh apricots have approximately 74 calories and 14,3 grams of sugar a cup, while dried apricots have 313 calories and 69.5 of sugar a cup. This highly noticeable difference is mostly due to the drying process itself, manufacturers tend to add sugar and other preservatives/additives such as sulfur dioxide to preserve the color and taste, of course there are always unsweetened, sugar-free alternatives available in the market, but the taste won’t be as sweet as the ones with added sugar.
Despite the claims and the all-too-often calories fright, more calories isn’t always that bad. Calories are basically energy in form of glucose that will be processed in our body whenever needed. So, more calories means more energy burst when we’re tired and need something to keep us going.
This is mostly the case with hikers and runners as well as others who do endurance sports, who oftentimes choose dried fruits and nuts as their go-to snacks and mid-exercise refreshments. This trend of mixing dried fruits and nuts is also observable mostly in small confectioneries selling mixed fruits and nuts bars as well as big food manufacturers producing snacks marketed as “energy bars”.
Second, due to said process, dried apricots tend to lose some of their nutrients. Those are mostly the are water-soluble ones such as thiamine and vitamin C, to name a few. Thus it is best advised to look at the nutritional facts whenever available before considering putting some jars into our shopping carts.
Indeed, here are the health benefits of eating dried apricots for your daily health. As discussed in the earlier paragraphs, apricots, fresh or dried, are considered to be superfoods, mainly because they provides complete stacks of calories, micronutrient, fiber, minerals and antioxidants not commonly found in other fruits or vegetables. All those vitamins and fiber are great, right? You bet! In the following lists, we will discuss what eating dried apricots does to our bodies (besides making our mouth water and craving for more.)
1. Dried Apricots Help Protecting Us from Cancer
Remember carotenoids? Those antioxidants, what do they do beside giving all the fruits (as well as lobsters) those fancy colours? Correct, they fight oxidation, hence the name. No, seriously, oxidation is a chemical reaction responsible for releasing free radicals, leading to chain reactions that might damage other cells. The damage to cells includes but not limited to cancers, see the connections now?
2. Help with Digestives
Besides more calories, one of the benefits of eating dried fruits is their higher amount of fiber, and the same goes for dried apricots. Dried fruits are noticeably tougher to munch, this is due to their higher amount of fiber, and thus, digested more slowly than their less-fiber counterparts. Pectin and cellulose, act as part fiber and part laxative, help in treatment of constipation, as well as balancing the body’s metabolism.
Also read: Health Benefits of Allspice Tea
3. Keep Our Heart Healthy
One of the benefits of antioxidants besides what has been discussed earlier, is that they also help reducing bad cholesterol (also known as LDL). LDL is mainly caused by free radicals trying to replace their missing electrons by stealing it from fat and protein in a cholesterol molecule (lipoprotein), and when free radicals run rampant, threatening our health, antioxidants are there to the rescue.
4. Treat Anemia
Not only vampires, the symptoms of blood deficiencies can also occur in the best of us humans. Anemia, as we call the symptoms, is actually a lack of iron in our body. Well, hemoglobin in red blood cells mostly composed of iron (70% of it), so iron deficiencies do mean “lack of blood”. It just so happened that apricots are rich of iron, not only that, they also have copper that helps the body absorb iron, so, consuming dried apricots frequently really helps in the production of hemoglobin, particularly necessary for women, especially the ones with heavy flow.
5. Perfect for Diet
Dried apricots have high dietary fiber, which not only help in our digestives, but also help in retaining the fullness we get after meals. This is due to fiber being slower to digest, which in turn reducing our craving for more treats.
6. Protects Eyes
Other than fighting cancers and reducing heart attack risk, as a bonus, carotenoids, along with vitamin A, C and E which contained in apricots, also protect our eyes from the damage caused by blue and ultraviolet lights, especially necessary for us who work in front of blue light-emitting screen all day.
7. Promote Strong Bones
Apricots contain calcium which is a necessity for development of bones, that’s why eating dried apricot helps maintaining the health of our bones as well as preventing bone-related problems, which mainly are caused by calcium deficiencies. That’s the health benefits of eating dried apricots.
8. Help Treating Cold and Fever
It has almost became a go-to for everyone who feels a slight bit of fever to reach for fruits with high amount of vitamin C. The water, the sour and fresh taste as well as the vitamins made us feel better in no time. To prepare dried apricots, we can use water and a little honey. The extra calories and water help providing energy necessary for the bodies to recuperate.
9. Help Pregnant Women Maintain Health
What’s more to say? Dried apricots can keep runners going, due to their high amount of vitamins and minerals, mostly iron. The same benefit can be highly beneficial for pregnant women, who are often advised to consume dried apricots to help them maintain their iron level to stay in the healthy limit and thus prevent anemia.
10. Provide Necessary Electrolyte
Electrolyte drinks have been all the rage these days. The main reason why is that as the time goes, we became more and more active, move around a whole lot more than we do in our younger days. The issues that people face nowadays is that we apparently never have enough fluid level in our body, and it just so happened that electrolyte can help maintaining the transportation of ions to every cells of the body.
Therefore, what makes easier for us to hydrate, than drinks with electrolyte? Luckily, dried apricots aren’t all that “dry”, because they contain minerals such as potassium and sodium. Those minerals also serves as electrolyte so we can maintain our fluid level just fine.
11. Help Us Building Muscles
As we learned earlier, dried apricots help providing necessary electrolyte, one of them being potassium. Potassium is described to be necessary for bodily function such as metabolism and recovery of tissues, organs, and other cells. Logically, the better the recovery, the faster it is for the tissues to rebuild. Which is why dried apricots are great as pre-workout or post-workout treats. They can help us regain our energy as well as damaged muscle tissues, which in turn makes it faster to build our muscles.
12. Help in Blood Clotting
So, how is helping in blood clotting a good thing? In the context of recovery from injuries, blood clotting plays an important part, the most important being preventing excessive bleeding. Dried apricots contain many vitamins, Vitamin K Benefits is one of them. Optimally, it is enough to consume a cup of dried apricot for 4 mcg of Vitamin K.
- Health Benefits of Corn
- Health Benefits of Coriander Seeds
- Health Benefits of Eating Eggs For Breakfast Everyday
So, those are some of the research-proven health benefits of dried apricots consumption. Of course, there might be many other health benefits of eating dried apricots that might not covered by us in this article. The point is, fresh or dried, apricots are such great fruits for our health. We mean, who could pass up a cup of dried apricots, especially combined with greek yogurt and honey? Not us, obviously! We hope you found the article informative, stay healthy and informed.
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"Semantics of Programming Languages "exposes the basic motivations and philosophy underlying the applications of semantic techniques in computer science. It introduces the mathematical theory of programming languages with an emphasis on higher-order functions and type systems. Designed as a text for upper-level and graduate-level students, the mathematically sophisticated approach will also prove useful to professionals who want an easily referenced description of fundamental results and calculi. Basic connections between computational behavior, denotational semantics, and the equational logic of functional programs are thoroughly and rigorously developed. Topics covered include models of types, operational semantics, category theory, domain theory, fixed point (denotational). semantics, full abstraction and other semantic correspondence criteria, types and evaluation, type checking and inference, parametric polymorphism, and subtyping. All topics are treated clearly and in depth, with complete proofs for the major results and numerous exercises.
Social and Emotional Prevention and Intervention Programming for Preschoolers rests on the idea that young children, under optimal circumstances, develop substantial abilities in social and emotional domains by the time they enter school. These abilities contribute to their success and well-being during these early years, but even more importantly, to both their successful adaptation to school (personal and academic) and their long-term mental health.
The chapters of this volume present theoretical foundations for and explanations of what important adults in young children's lives - preschool teachers, daycare providers, parents - can do to encourage the development of such social-emotional abilities, including promoting secure attachment relationships, providing positive behavior guidance, and assisting children in developing emotion knowledge, emotion regulation, social problem-solving skills, and other positive social behaviors.
In addition, the book reviews the current state of early childhood programming in each of these crucial areas, with the addition of a chapter on emergent parent programming on emotion coaching. Recommendations are made for making such programming work, for assessing individual children's development and program efficacy, and necessary future directions for this area are detailed.
Social and Emotional Prevention and Intervention Programming for Preschoolers is a valuable resource for developmental psychologists, child psychologists, school and educational psychologists, school counselors, and early childhood educators.
Many, perhaps most textbooks of quantum mechanics present a Copenhagen, single system angle; fewer present the subject matter as an instrument for treating ensembles, but the two methods have been silently coexisting since the mid-Thirties. This lingering dichotomy of purpose for a major physical discipline has much shrouded further insights into the foundations of quantum theory.
Programmers Paradise Articles
Programmers Paradise Books
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Praise to the Man – Verse Three
- Print the word pages and the pictures. Cut out the pictures. Cut out the word strips if you are doing the drawing activity. Fold up each word strip. Put the word pages into page protectors.
- Items needed: magnets, chalk and eraser, tape, paper, and pencils or crayons.
Presentation (I’ve included two teaching ideas for this verse, and they can be used together or individually.)
Explain to the children they are going to learn another verse of “Praise to the Man”, and it is about Joseph Smith’s rewards in heaven for his faithful service.
Post each word page on the board as you read them to the children. Explain that the chorus is sung after those four lines.
First teaching idea to help introduce and get the children thinking about the verse:
Give each child a paper and pencil, and explain that they are going to create visual aids for the verse. Give each class one of the folded up word strips that contain the lines from the verse. (If you have more than four classes you may need to divide the children into four groups.) Have each child in the group draw a picture of the line they’ve been given. Explain that they need to keep it secret from the other groups which line they are drawing.
When the children are finished drawing, have a random group come to the front and hold up their drawings so everyone can see them. Have the other primary children try to guess which line the class drew. Have the children vote for which line the pictures go with by raising their hands. Circle the one on the board with the most votes. Have the class reveal which line they drew by putting their pictures under the correct line (using magnets or tape). When only two classes are left, have both classes come up and show their pictures. Have the rest of the children vote on which line each group’s pictures go with.
In junior primary, if you are short on time, you can use the pictures that senior primary drew for this activity (if you are on the senior first schedule). Have junior vote for which line each group of pictures goes with. Choose a helper who can read, and give the helper the folded up matching line that goes with the class’s pictures. After the children vote, have the helper reveal which is the correct line by putting the pictures under the correct line.
Sing the verse. You may need to review one line at a time with junior primary, and then sing only that line before reviewing the next line.
Explain that they are now going to memorize the verse. Cover up the words on the first page with the pictures that match each word. Discuss and explain those words if needed. Sing the verse. Continue in this manner until each page is covered with the pictures. Remove the word pages from the page protectors and see if the children can sing the song without the words.
Great – (large great) Great means large amount or wonderful.
Glory – (sun) Glory means the grandeur and blessings of heaven. Joseph Smith will inherit the highest degree of glory, the Celestial Kingdom, which is compared to the glory of the sun.
Endless – (arrow circle) Explain that the circle picture is used to represent the word “endless” because there is no end to a circle.
Priesthood – (Joseph receiving the Melchizedek Priesthood) Power and authority from God.
Ever and ever – (two rings) Explain that ever and ever means forever, and the picture of the rings is used to represent forever because rings have no end. The two rings are also meant to help them remember to say the word “ever” twice.
Keys – (keys) Keys are the directive and governing powers held by presiding priesthood holders.
Hold – (hand holding a key)
Faithful – (Yellowstone’s Old Faithful) Explain that Old Faithful is a geyser at Yellowstone National Park, and it got its name because its eruptions are regular and reliable, unlike other geysers in the park whose eruptions are unpredictable. Explain that Joseph Smith was also reliable. He could always be depended on to do what the Lord wanted him to do. He did the Lord’s bidding because he trusted and had faith in the Lord.
True – (blue diamond) Explain that real diamonds have great value and are hard rock-solid. Joseph was also solid; he was committed, and faithful to God. His beliefs were real and genuine, and his actions were always true to those beliefs. (The children can also try to remember the word “true” by thinking of true blue.)
Enter – (open door)
Kingdom – (castle) Explain that the castle picture is used to depict the word “kingdom” because a castle is part of a king’s kingdom.
Crowned – (crowns) The word “crowned” means to confer royal status upon someone. (All those who are righteous, obedient, and faithful become heirs of God.)
Midst – (blue circle with the yellow middle) Explain that in the midst means in the middle of, or surrounded by.
Prophets of Old – (picture of prophets) Joseph, along with the prophets of old, will enter into the celestial kingdom, become heirs of God, and be crowned with glory because of their righteousness and faithful service.
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Does music make or break a workout? Until recently, I would have said "make" without hesitation. But with the rise of mindfulness, I began to wonder: was zoning out or hyping up to my favourite tunes really the most sensible way to train, even if it did enhance my enjoyment? Perhaps my headphones took me away from my body and environment when I should be tuning in to them?
The fitness industry is divided. "It’s very hard to listen to music without becoming distracted and repeating exercises too fast and poorly, instead of doing everything correctly, keeping excellent form," says Dalton Wong, a personal trainer at Twenty Two Training.
When it comes to demanding resistance exercises, I would have to agree, but there are times, when running or cycling, when a heavy beat or guitar solo can make all the difference. Alice Rickard, a high-intensity exercise instructor at 1Rebel studios in central London, agrees. "I’ve known people to hit personal bests on sprint times [that they never dreamt of] by using music," she says, adding that the tunes she picks for her classes are crucial. Rickard likes Waiting all Night by Rudimental and Gold Dust by DJ Fresh.
Costas Karageorghis, a psychology researcher at Brunel University, says: "When you are exercising at low to moderate intensity, music can reduce your idea of how hard you have to work." It could, therefore, make you try harder and perform better.
"Hearing music you associate with peak performance will fire areas of the brain that deal with your long-term memory. It can inspire you and help you shift up a gear," he says.
How much can music help you improve your performance? Dr Karageorghis says that when you are putting in so much effort that you can no longer hold a conversation and your heart rate is high, music can’t make exercise easier. However, until this point, it can influence how you feel, reducing pain and motivating you to continue.
Music can help you recover faster from workouts, too, both physically and mentally, he says.
Dr Karageorghis recommends music with a simple harmonic and melodic structure, and a tempo that reduces from about 90 beats per minute to 60bpm, such as Enya’s Orinoco Flow (Sail Away) or Ed Sheeran’s Thinking Out Loud. This sort of music will help reduce your heart rate and relax you so that your body can begin healing.
Sometimes, however, it is better to take off your headphones when you are exercising.
During intense training sessions, your ears actually become more sensitive. Dr Karageorghis says: "During high-intensity interval training, the blood flow to the shell-like part of the inner ear is reduced, which leaves the follicles that pick up the sound more susceptible to damage from the sound."
If you must listen to music, he recommends limiting the volume so that you can hear someone chatting on a nearby treadmill.
Dr Karageorghis suggests that one in three exercise sessions should be done without music – but not just to protect your hearing. It is all too easy, he says, to dissolve into your own world when you listen to a track and become so immersed that you accidentally trip over a dumbbell or overstretch your hamstring.
Focusing on breathing (exhaling on the difficult part of a movement), visualising your muscles working and accepting wherever your body is that day – rather than trying to change it by listening to upbeat tunes – can help you remain injury-free, too.
Five tips for getting on track
- Use music to help get you in the right frame of mind before you exercise. Turning up with the right attitude is half the battle. Pick a track that will motivate you.
- The tracks you choose should mean something to you. If you will be doing a tough interval session, select ones that you’ve performed well to in the past.
- Switch off your music if you’re struggling with an exercise or lose track of repetitions.
- Limit the volume during high-intensity sessions to protect your ears.
- If you can’t get to sleep after an evening workout, listen to a gentle track before you go to bed.
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Bions come in all sizes and shapes and they can mimic biological forms that appear alive. Beyond demonstrating the nonliving nature of nanoparticles, they promise to further elucidate how building materials consisting of tiny nanoblocks are fabricated and assembled in nature.Note: In debates concerning the safety/danger of nanotechnology one should always keep in mind that there are man-made nanoparticles and naturally occurring nanoparticles (mineral-organic assemblies), as the reports by Young and Martel (and also others) showcase nicely. Benefits and hazards of nanoparticles—similar to “toxic plants” that play roles as poison as well as pharmaceutical resources—should not be discussed in generalized whether or not terms, but in terms of specific nanostructures and their properties. Bions should make a significant topic in such discussions and, certainly, in future research.
Keywords: microbiology, materials science, nanoparticles, mineral-protein interaction, health and safety
References and selected links
John D. Young and Jan Martel: The Rise and Fall of Nanobacteria. Scientific American January 2010, Volume 302, Number 1, pp. 52-59.
Jan Martel and John D. Young: Purported nanobacteria in human blood as calcium carbonate nanoparticles. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA (PNAS) April 2008, Volume 105, Number 14, pp. 5549-5554.
Full text: www.pnas.org/content/105/14/5549.full.pdf+html.
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Chemists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have determined the correct structure of a highly promising anticancer compound approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical trials in cancer patients.
The new report, published this week by the international chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie, focuses on a compound called TIC10.
In the new study, the TSRI scientists show that TIC10's structure differs subtly from a version published by another group last year, and that the previous structure associated with TIC10 in fact describes a molecule that lacks TIC10's anticancer activity.
By contrast, the correct structure describes a molecule with potent anticancer effects in animals, representing a new family of biologically active structures that can now be explored for their possible therapeutic uses.
"This new structure should generate much interest in the cancer research community," said Kim D. Janda, the Ely R. Callaway Jr. Professor of Chemistry and member of the Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology at TSRI.
Credit: Figure courtesy of The Scripps Research Institute.
TIC10 was first described in a paper in the journal Science Translational Medicine in early 2013. The authors identified the compound, within a library of thousands of molecules maintained by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), for its ability to boost cells' production of a powerful natural antitumor protein, TRAIL. (TIC10 means TRAIL-Inducing Compound #10.)
As a small molecule, TIC10 would be easier to deliver in a therapy than the TRAIL protein itself. The paper, which drew widespread media coverage, reported that TIC10 was orally active and dramatically shrank a variety of tumors in mice, including notoriously treatment-resistant glioblastomas.
Tumors can develop resistance to TRAIL, but Janda had been studying compounds that defeat this resistance. The news about TIC10 therefore got his attention. "I thought, 'They have this molecule for upregulating TRAIL, and we have these molecules that can overcome tumor cell TRAIL resistance - the combination could be important,'" he said.
The original publication on TIC10 included a figure showing its predicted structure. "I saw the figure and asked one of my postdocs, Jonathan Lockner, to make some," Janda said.
A new report shows the structure of a promising anticancer compound, TIC10, differs subtly but importantly from a previously published version.
Credit: Image courtesy of The Scripps Research Institute.
Although the other team had seemingly confirmed the predicted structure with a basic technique called mass spectrometry, no one had yet published a thorough characterization of the TIC10 molecule. "There were no nuclear magnetic resonance data or X-ray crystallography data, and there was definitely no procedure for the synthesis," Lockner said. "My background was chemistry, though, so I was able to find a way to synthesize it starting from simple compounds."
There was just one problem with Lockner's newly synthesized "TIC10." When tested, it failed to induce TRAIL expression in cells, even at high doses.
"Of course I was nervous," remembered Lockner. "As a chemist, you never want to make a mistake and give biologists the wrong material."
To try to verify they had the right material, Janda's team obtained a sample of TIC10 directly from the NCI. "When we got that sample and tested it, we saw that it had the expected TRAIL-upregulating effect," said Nicholas Jacob, a graduate student in the Janda Laboratory who, with Lockner, was a co-lead author of the new paper. "That prompted us to look more closely at the structures of these two compounds."
The two researchers spent months characterizing their own synthesized material and the NCI material, using an array of sophisticated structural analysis tools. With Assistant Professor Vladimir V. Kravchenko of the TSRI Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, Jacob also tested the two compounds' biological effects.
The team eventually concluded that the TIC10 compound from the NCI library does boost TRAIL production in cells and remains promising as the basis for anticancer therapies, but it does not have the structure that was originally published.
The Right Structure
The originally published structure has a core made of three carbon-nitrogen rings in a straight line and does not induce TRAIL activity. The correct, TRAIL-inducing structure differs subtly, with an end ring that sticks out at an angle. In chemists' parlance, the two compounds are constitutional isomers: a linear imidazolinopyrimidinone and an angular imidazolinopyrimidinone.
Ironically, Lockner found that the angular TRAIL-inducing structure was easier to synthesize than the one originally described.
Now, with the correct molecule in hand and a solid understanding of its structure and synthesis, Janda and his team are moving forward with their original plan to study TIC10 in combination with TRAIL-resistance-thwarting molecules as an anticancer therapy.
The therapeutic implications of TIC10 may even go beyond cancer. The angular core of the TRAIL-inducing molecule discovered by Janda's team turns out to be a novel type of a biologically active structure - or "pharmacophore" - from which chemists may now be able to build a new class of candidate drugs, possibly for a variety of ailments.
"One lesson from this has got to be: don't leave your chemists behind," said Janda.
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A fivefold increase in the number of prescription painkiller overdose deaths occurred among women between 1999 and 2010, according to a Vital Signs report released by CDC.
"Prescription drug overdose deaths have skyrocketed in women," said Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, CDC Director, during a July 2 telebriefing. "We are also seeing not only deaths but a great increase in the number of emergency department visits for drug misuse or abuse, including opioid overdose or opioid misuse."
CDC reported that in 2010, there were 200,000 emergency department visits for opioid misuse or abuse among women, equaling about one visit every 3 minutes.
Frieden stated that compared with other health problems tracked by CDC, few are getting worse or affecting a wider variety of age groups in the U.S. population than prescription painkiller misuse and abuse.
He noted that the increase in opioid overdoses and opioid overdose deaths was directly proportional to the increase in prescribing of painkillers. Frieden said that use of opioids or narcotic pain relievers is increasing to an extent that "we would not have anticipated and that could not possibly be clinically indicated."
"These are dangerous medications; they should be reserved for situations like severe cancer pain where they can provide extremely important and essential palliation," stated Frieden. "But in many other situations, the risks far outweigh the benefits. Prescribing an opioid may be condemning a patient to lifelong addiction and life-threatening complications."
Although men are more likely to die of a prescription opioid overdose, the gap between men and women has been narrowing. Since 1999, the percentage increase in deaths among women has been greater (400%) than that in men (265%).
Compared with men, CDC has found that women are more likely to have chronic pain, to be prescribed painkillers and other medications, to be given higher doses, and to use prescribed drugs for longer periods of time. A potential reason could be that the most common forms of pain, such as abdominal pain, migraine, and musculoskeletal pain, are more prevalent in women.
Because on average women weigh less than men, they are more likely to experience adverse events from opioids at similar doses. Also, women who are taking opioids can give birth to opioid-addicted children, and these children are at higher risk of having heart malformations from the opioid medication.
Data from the Vital Signs report indicated that prescription painkillers have contributed substantially to increases in drug overdose deaths among women:
Additional key findings from the Vital Signs report included the following:
When treating women, CDC recommended that health care providers:
Steps that women can take to help protect themselves from prescription painkiller overdoses include:
Findings in the Vital Signs report were based on CDC analysis of data from the National Vital Statistics System (1999–2010) and Drug Abuse Warning Network public use file (2004–2010).
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The Hebrews writer explains how the sacrifice of Christ on the cross replaced the Old Testament system of blood sacrifices and burnt offerings.
The Hebrews writer says that the Old Testament law was a representation of God’s reality, not the reality itself: “The law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the actual form of these realities” (vs. 1).
In other words, the blood sacrifice and burnt offerings of animals had to be offered continually because they could never actually atone for human sins.
To reinforce his argument, the Hebrews writer asked a rhetorical question: If these sacrifices could atone for sin, then wouldn’t they have stopped being offered once the worshipers were purified by the sacrifices?
God sent His Son, who sanctified us once and for all by His death on the cross. Yes, Jesus was the perfect sacrifice.
Jesus wasn’t a representation of God’s reality. He was the real thing! He was God’s reality in the flesh!
So, the sacrifice of His body was “once and for all” (vs. 10). And by the establishment of Christ’s once-and-for-all sacrifice, the existing sacrificial system under the Old Testament law was repealed or nullified.
In other words, God took away the first to establish the second.
While the first (Old Testament sacrificial system) was good, it was only a representation of reality. And, the second (the New Covenant established by Christ’s sacrifice) is better.
In fact, the second is not just better than the first; the second is best! The second is best because it’s the real reality and because it’s once and for all!
So, this elegant theological argument the Hebrews writer makes has a very real connotation and application in our individual lives.
What Jesus did once and for all, He also did once and for you!
God takes away the first to establish the second! Your former sinful life is eliminated and replaced with new life in Christ and His righteousness!
This means that if the first is not gone, if the old way of life is still in your life, then the second hasn’t been established. Sin has to go before righteousness can come!
The cross of Christ removes sin in your life and starts you down a new path, a new way of life, of living for God in righteousness and holiness. And your old way of life without Christ has been revoked and replaced by a new way of life in Christ!
Once and for all, once and for you!
So, live out the life God has already worked out in Christ!
“But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:13-14, HCSB).
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Books That Build Character: A Guide to Teaching Your Child Moral Values Through Stories by William Kilpatrick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a great reference tool, especially for homeschoolers who are making their own curriculum. The trouble is picking from so many books. The books are listed with a review which indicates why they were chosen. The books are some of the best in children's literature. They are listed as to age and general subject in the main part of the book, but are listed with the author in the back of the book so you can print the list or make a checklist.
I have used some of the books for a literature assignment and other I've suggested for free reading. There are so many and they are so good the kids really love them.
Even if you aren't homeschooling, this book is invaluable for free reading. Most of the Newberry Award books are on the list as well as classics like "Narnia" which kids love. There are even books reviewed for the gifted and especially mature readers.
View all my reviews
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The research guide was designed to make microfilm holdings at Emory related to gender, sexuality and queer studies more accesible to students and researchers. Unfortunately, microform collections are often overlooked, mainly because people do not understand what the microfilm contains or how to use it.
Most geneologist both professional and amateurs use microfilm regularly to locate birth, marriage and death records. Census records are also contained on microfilm. The microfilm collections housed here, have some of the most important and valueable materials relating to the Gay Liberation Movement, Women's Rights and early studies in sexuality. The films contain personal letters, organizational meeting minutes, photographs and literally tens of thousands of periodicals, newspapers and magazines going back as early as the 1920.
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1. Watt – A quantifiable measure of power consumed. If you have a 15 Watt lamp, it consumes 15 Watts per hour. The lower the watt, the less energy used and LEDs are providing the most light with the lowest wattage necessary.
2. Kelvin Kº (colors of light) – measured in degrees, is a quantifiable measure of color temperature. You can get anywhere between a bright white light to a softer yellow light, even a dark yellow for turtle friendly applications.
3. Color Rendition Index (CRI) – a way to assess how light sources make objects appear. Any CRI greater than 80 has good color properties and is closest to the light provided by the sun.
4. Average Rated Life – referred to in lamp life is actually the median
5. Mounting Height – the measurement from the ground to the light source. The higher the light fixture is mounted, the larger the spread of light on the ground, but also lower light levels.
6. Distribution (I-V) – Determines how far light is emitted to each side of a fixture:
- Type I – long linear pattern, long distance to the sides with a short pattern out to the front and back
- Type II – Progressively growing distance to the front and back and shortening of the linear sides
- Type III – most commonly available in most fixture types has a perfect oval shape
- Type IV – has a more circular pattern with linear sides that extend farther on the sides
- Type V – Round circular pattern same distance from front to back and side to side
7. Optics – control of light distribution from a fixture, sometimes controlled by aiming of the light or use of a shield to direct the light a specific way.
- Non-cutoff – light is emitted in all directions
- Semi-cutoff – most of the light is emitted below 90 degrees
- Cutoff – controlled lighting where less than 2.5% of the light is allowed to escape the fixture above 90 degrees
- Full-cutoff – used in dark sky friendly locations, optics put the light on the ground below the fixture not allowing light to emit above 90 degrees
8. Amps – a unit of measurement to determine the amount of electrical charge passing a point in an electrical circuit, typically used to determine the amount of power generated by a solar panel to charge the battery and how much power can be stored in a battery, i.e. an 85 Watt panel produces a 5 amp charge per hour and charges a 82 amp hour battery that holds up to 82 amps at one time.
9. Current—a flow of electrical energy. Solar produces DC (Direct Current) power and can run DC electrical devices directly. LEDs run off of DC current and do not require an inverter or ballast to create an AC current for these types of fixtures.
10. Autonomy – The number of days storage an off grid system has for times of bad weather or low sun. This can be determined by calculating the number of amps used per day divided by the number of amps in a battery backup system.
11. Depth of Discharge - The amount of power pulled from a battery; i.e. if the battery is fully charged, its depth of discharge is 0%, if it has been used 25% to light a fixture, then the DOD is 25% etc.
12. Photovoltaic Power – The method of generating electrical power in the form of DC power by harnessing the solar radiation typically through the use of solar panels.
13. Solar Radiation – The radiant energy emitted by the sun on a daily basis. You can feel it on your skin when you step into the sun in the form of warmth. Solar panels convert this radiation into electricity.
Well there you have it. Have any terms you would like to add? Share them below.
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Veterans Health Administration
Every Day is Flag Day at VA Medical Centers
Lyons campus of the VA New Jersey Health Care System
Thomas E. Creek VA Medical Center in Amarillo, Texas
West Haven campus of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System
G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center in Montgomery, Ala.
Jefferson Barracks Division of the St. Louis VA Medical Center
In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation establishing a national Flag Day.
The nation celebrates Flag Day on June 14, but every day is Flag Day at VA.
VA is to flags as Veterans are to the military. You can’t have one without the other.
Since 1962, when VA began providing burial flags to families of deceased Veterans in recognition of honorable service to the nation, the Department has distributed millions of flags.
In fact, the average number of flags the Department has distributed annually over the past few years is more than 600,000.
A VA burial flag is a guaranteed entitlement.
No other organization comes close to distributing that many flags. The Architect of the Capitol, which provides an average of 100,000 per year to Congressional offices to honor constituent requests, comes closest.
VA burial flags are gifts from a grateful nation. A VA burial flag is a guaranteed entitlement. The Department must have a flag for every memorial service or funeral for an eligible Veteran.
Flags are presented during graveside ceremonies and mailed to Veterans’ survivors all over the world. Many families donate flags to VA national cemeteries and medical centers, which display them for special observances, often along the Avenues of Flags at the entrances to many VA facilities.
Because they are guaranteed entitlements often displayed in public places, VA burial flags must meet high standards. The standards are set by the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry.
Page after page of VA specifications spell out the intricate details required to make a flag worthy of honoring American Veterans.
By law, each flag must be completely manufactured in the United States from raw domestic materials. Each flag must measure exactly five feet by nine feet, six inches. It must be made from domestic cotton bunting, with precisely-sized white and Old Glory red stripes and a blue star field. The stars are embroidered to make them more durable and attractive.
The entire flag is constructed with a specified number of stitches and yarns per square inch. VA burial flags must pass other stringent tests by qualified inspectors, including size and weight, material content, yarn ply, weave, colorfastness, flag design, colors, grommets, breaking strength and stitching.
Visit the Library of Congress website for more on the history of Flag Day.
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14 Things Every Student Tries To Make Their Paper Seem Longer Than It Actually Is You make your header way longer than necessary.
Writing papers in college requires that you come up with sophisticated, complex, and even creative ways of structuring your ideas. Accordingly, there are be helpful to make a diagram or a sketch of your argument. In sketching your .. If you have too many different sentence subjects, your paragraph will be hard to follow.
Sometimes the difficulties students have with preparing effectively for exams stem Some information "spills out" on the way: the newly-learned material is not well Check past assignments, tests, and essay topics for relevant topics of study. of basic steps to settle down to studying, begin consolidating your course work.
College basic academic subjects examination ways to make your paper longer - introduction
Focus on presentation, not just content. You must take responsibility for developing your own interest in what you are studying. In sum, the reasons for failure or poor grades can often be traced to the absence or break-down of a productive approach to learning. Edgar Allan Poe, a well published critic and author of the time, stated "" instead of just dropping in the "". You can take two exams during each exam occasion, the other of which can be your maturity examination. Sometimes, too, your answer to one question provides a clue to the answer of another. However, it's a very rare occasion that you would need to use that much of a work, and almost without exception should be followed by a large amount of either analysis or synthesis. The student who adopts this orientation often simply aims to pass rather than to genuinely learn new things. Sometimes the test calls for the student to answer all questions, but often you are required to make selections, say a or b or choose three of seven. If the professor wrote any of your written works, agree with his or her opinions. It is important that you learn to adhere to the guidelines already at the start of your studies. Recall what you have already learned about the topic. With the help of the course syllabus, determine your learning objectives and the course focus.
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A Tale of Two Soldiers: Class in Wellington’s Army
by Alicia Quigley
Social hierarchy was rigid and strict in Regency England, and there were relatively few paths for ambitious sons of the middle classes to work their way in to the gentry. Only three professions offered a nearly certain entrée: the law, the Church, and the military. In the military an ambitious and brave young man could, if he survived and was clever about his career, make a reasonable income, achieve or purchase promotion, and eventually, perhaps even be knighted, or have a title created for him. Some well-known examples from Wellington’s era include General Sir Harry Smith, and General Colin Campbell who was made the 1st Baron Clyde.
However, the military was also viewed as a very good career for the younger sons of aristocrats, and they typically received preferential treatment. The stories of George Scovell, and Lord Fitzroy Somerset, who served on Wellington’s staff at the same time during the Peninsular War are good examples. The Duke of Wellington, who was the younger son of an Irish peer, held strong views about the importance of “family, money and influence” in moving up in the military, and surrounded himself with other scions of the aristocracy as his aides-de-camp whom he referred to as “my boys.” He distrusted the emerging new ‘scientific soldiering’ being introduced, which was particularly important in the case of the artillery, (which was rapidly gaining relevance) but also for all other aspects of soldiering.
In this post, let’s compare the careers of Lord Fitzroy Somerset, a younger son of the Duke of Beaufort, who was born in beautiful Badminton Castle, a privileged younger son of the Duke of Beaufort, and Mr. George Scovell, an ambitious young man with little breeding or money, but great intelligence and ambition.
George Scovell attended the recently established Royal Military Academy, learning the methods scientific soldiering and in 1798 purchased a commission as a Cornet in the 4th Queens Own Hussars, a cavalry regiment. A young Winston Churchill started his career as a Cornet in the same regiment 97 years later. The cavalry was the glamour side of the military, and Scovell was tremendously proud of this position. But, as a socially insignificant scientific soldier, promotions were hard to get.
As George also had siblings who needed financial help, he had to sell out of the cavalry and join the infantry, a drop in social status that he felt deeply. He moved to the Quartermaster General’s staff, where he excelled due to his education and diligence, although he had to purchase his promotions to captain and major. His accomplishments included, besides helping improve logistics in the Peninsula, standing up a new unit of Scouts with English, Spanish and Portuguese soldiers, and critically, cracking Napoleon’s Paris Chiffre in his spare time, thus making Napoleon’s plans available to the English.
Scovell was given the opportunity in 1813 to raise and command a new regiment, the Staff Corps of Cavalry, also known as the Staff Dragoons or the Corps of Gendarmerie which was the first recognized unit of military police in the British army. He was knighted and received the Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) and continued his career in the Army, even becoming a colonel in the in the same cavalry regiment he had to sell out of earlier. Later, he was the Lieutenant-Governor and then Governor of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst(1829-1856), where he helped expand scientific soldiering in the British army. He received the Knight Grand Cross in 1860 and retired from the Army as a general. His hard work finally brought him success, but it was a long time in the making.
Lord Fitzroy Somerset also joined the Army in the peninsula as a Cornet, this time in the 4th Light Dragoons, in 1804. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1805, and captain in 1808, presumably by purchase since he transferred to the 43rd Regiment of Foot. He went to Spain in 1808 as one of Wellingtons’s crew of aristocratic aides-de-camp. Somerset’s bravery and gallantry is not in question; he was involved in leading charges in any number major battles in Spain, and was the first over the wall at the bloody storming of Badajoz. He was only twenty-four when he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1812.
Somerset fought in numerous other brutal battles, and served at Waterloo, where he lost his right arm. He also received the KCB in 1815. He went into politics, became Military Secretary, and eventually returned to active duty. He was named Baron Raglan, and eventually Field Marshal. He is famous for being the general on whose watch the Charge of the Light Brigade occurred. As a sidebar on the advantages of being a duke’s son in the army, it is worth noting that Lord Fitzroy’s older brother Lord Robert Somerset, also became an army general!
In my soon-to-be-released Lady, Lover, Smuggler, Spy, we have a similar juxtaposition: our hero, Sir Tarquin Arlingby, is a titled gentleman involved in finding smugglers who are running guinea boats to France, and are getting letters back and forth for French spies.
Our heroine, Valerie Carlton, is a military widow, whose husband was more the George Scovell-type soldier. She followed the drum and learned first-hand the adventures, dangers and sense of commitment to something greater than herself that came from the experience. The two are thrown together through a series of odd events and find themselves in quite an exciting—and potentially deadly—adventure.
Note: This book will be up for pre-order soon! The author will choose a random commenter to receive of the first two books in the series, A Collector’s Item and The Contraband Courtship.
Sir Tarquin handed her to a seat in front of the fire, and then took a chair across from her, settling into it comfortably and crossing his elegantly booted ankles. “So, Mrs. Carlton, I find that I am almost vulgarly curious about your past. It is evident that you are a gentlewoman, yet I found you penniless and unescorted at the Angel this morning. How did that come to pass?”
Valerie gazed down at her hands, before looking at him. “I am the oldest daughter of Lord Upleadon and his first wife,” she answered, “and married Robert Carlton, an officer in the Light Division.”
“Upleadon?” exclaimed Sir Tarquin. “You are an Upleadon, yet I found you alone, penniless, and ready to board a mail coach?”
“That stiff rumped old tartar–” Sir Tarquin suddenly recalled that his listener was not only a lady, but also the daughter of the gentleman he was about to malign, and fell silent.
“Quite so,” Valerie responded with a definite hint of laughter in her voice. “In any event, when I insisted on marrying Mr. Carlton my father cut me off entirely. Even when my husband was among the dead at Sabugal he refused to see me.”
“While I’m not well acquainted with the baron, as he is a good deal older than I am and moves in very different circles, I’m sorry to say that I can easily imagine him lacking remorse. You must have been a mere child. How have you managed since then?”
“When I returned to England, several of my friends had married, and were happy to help me get on my feet. I was mourning my husband, and had no wish to remarry or to be a burden on them, however, so I quickly found a position as a governess.”
“But the Battle of Sabugal was three years since. Have you been a governess all this time?” Sir Tarquin asked.
She nodded. “I had only been with the Forneys for in a few months. When I first became a governess I was in charge of a young lady who needed some polishing before she came out, as her parents were not people of fashion. I enjoyed it very much; the daughter was charming and her mother and father were kind and grateful. Unfortunately the two positions that followed it have been much less satisfactory.”
Valerie fell silent, looking down at her hands, and Sir Tarquin, finding himself appreciating the sight of her blonde curls, fine figure, and aura of calm, didn’t need to stretch his imagination far to imagine the son of the Forney household had been unable to resist the temptation of the pretty governess.
“It makes me angry to think of you being preyed upon,” he said abruptly, much to his own surprise.
“It is a common enough problem, and far worse has befallen others. He did not force me and, while Mrs. Forney was unkind, I left of my own volition,” said Valerie uncomfortably. “My friends have helped me before and will help me now. I would rather spend my time with children, but perhaps I will have to seek employment as a companion to an older lady instead.”
“You do not deserve a life as a drudge to children or as the companion of elderly harridan, who will doubtless have a horrid grandson who will treat you as Mr. Forney did,” Sir Tarquin exclaimed. “You are young, and have given far too much.”
“Whatever do you mean?” she asked.
“You sacrificed a husband and a family to your country, did you not?”
“I suppose you could say so, although it has been three long years since then.” A wistful look came over her face. “It seems so long ago. Thinking of it now, Robert and I were both practically children; it is almost as though it happened to someone else, or was a story someone told to me.”
“Yet you are still all but penniless and without protection as a result, are you not? That is not much of an ending to the story.”
She gazed at him thoughtfully. “It was my decision, though I was far too young to understand the possible consequences. In some ways it was worth it all the same; I loved Robert as much as an eighteen-year-old can love anyone, and perhaps even more, I loved following the drum.”
Sir Tarquin looked startled. “Did you really? Surely it was a very hard life for a gently bred and sheltered young lady?”
Valerie laughed. “Indeed it was! I had no notion that such hardships were ahead of me. Yet the sense of purpose, of being needed and useful, and of having a meaning to my life was so powerful, that it overcame them all. I was always rather bookish, and never truly enjoyed the rounds of parties and balls, to my stepmother’s despair.”
“Even in the tail of the Army with all the camp followers, and rabble you felt so?” Sir Tarquin asked curiously.
“Oh, I rode with the column, Sir Tarquin,” she exclaimed proudly. “I had no children to care for and I was handy with horses even before I went on campaign, for my father’s stables are renowned and I spent a great deal of time in them as a child. I soon learned to kill and stew a chicken, and make sure that there was always something to eat at our billet, so it was not long before many of the other officers were to be found at our table.”
“You rode with the column?” her companion echoed in surprise.
“Except when an engagement was imminent, yes. In many respects it was as safe as being in the tail of the Army, for Robert’s friends would watch out for me. I moved rearward when there was any real danger.”
“But it must have been difficult to be so far ahead without any servants to help you.”
“Oh, my husband engaged a woman for me, a large, rather foul mouthed Scotswoman, who was a match for most of the men! She did much of the heaviest work, although I helped, of course.” Sir Tarquin watched as Valerie’s eyes filled with memories that were clearly dear to her. “His batman was also there, and it never seemed as though things were unmanageable. Difficult yes, but even the worst days were just another challenge to rise to…” Valerie’s voice trailed off, and she gazed into the fire, seeing another place and time.
Sir Tarquin watched her in pensive silence, for a moment and then stood, shaking his head to dispel the thoughts that filled it. “My glass is empty. May I pour you some more punch as well, Mrs. Carlton?”
Valerie shook off her memories, and handed him her empty glass. “Thank you, Sir Tarquin. You have a way with a punchbowl, it seems.” She watched as he walked away, enjoying the wide set of his shoulders, and athleticism of his gait. After some moments he returned and offered her the cup, now full of warm, spicy liquid. Her fingers brushed his slightly as she took it. She looked away, taking a sip.
“I so miss feeling part of something bigger than me,” she murmured. “A governess makes herself useful, I suppose, but it is not the same. Being a paid companion would be even duller, I fear.”
Sir Tarquin, who still stood beside her chair, reached out with one long finger and tipped her chin up, gazing into her face intently.
“You most assuredly must not be a companion to a querulous dowager,” he murmured. “It would be an utter waste.”
Valerie stared back at him, at a loss to answer. In the quiet and warmth of the private parlor they seemed removed from the world, and she simply waited for him to act. He gave a tiny sigh, and then lowered his mouth to hers, pressing her lips firmly yet gently as he sought the right pressure. Her mouth trembled a little, and he lifted his, only to press it against hers at a slightly different angle before drawing back, to kiss her cheek, and then one of her eyelids, which had fluttered closed, before releasing her chin and stepping away.
About the Author
Alicia Quigley is a lifelong lover of romance novels, who fell in love with Jane Austen in grade school, and Georgette Heyer in junior high. She made up games with playing cards using the face cards for Heyer characters, and sewed regency gowns (walking dresses, riding habits and bonnets that even Lydia Bennett wouldn’t have touched) for her Barbie. In spite of her terrible science and engineering addiction, she remains a devotee of the romance, and enjoys turning her hand to their production as well as their consumption.
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There are many ways to look at the past: as a list of important dates, a conveyor belt of kings and queens, a series of rising and falling empires, or a narrative of political, philosophical or technological progress. This book looks at history in another way entirely: as a series of transformations caused, enabled or influenced by food. Throughout history, food has done more than simply provide sustenance. It has acted as a catalyst of social transformation, societal organisation, geopolitical competition, industrial development, military conflict and economic expansion. From prehistory to the present, the stories of these transformations form a narrative that encompasses the whole of human history.
Food’s first transformative role was as a foundation for entire civilizations. The adoption of agriculture made possible new settled lifestyles and set mankind on the path to the modern world. But the staple crops that supported the first civilizations — barley and wheat in the Near East, millet and rice in Asia and maize and potatoes in the Americas — were not simply discovered by chance. Instead, they emerged through a complex process of co-evolution, as desirable traits were selected and propagated by early farmers. These staple crops are, in effect, inventions: deliberately cultivated technologies that only exist as a result of human intervention. The story of the adoption of agriculture is the tale of how ancient genetic engineers developed powerful new tools that made civilization itself possible. In the process, mankind changed plants, and those plants in turn transformed mankind.
Having provided the platform on which civilizations could be founded, food subsequently acted as a tool of social organisation, helping to shape and structure the complex societies that emerged. The political, economic and religious structures of ancient societies, from hunter-gatherers to the first civilizations, were based upon the systems of food production and distribution. The production of agricultural food surpluses and the development of communal food-storage and irrigation systems fostered political centralisation; agricultural fertility rituals developed into state religions; food became a medium of payment and taxation; feasts were used to garner influence and demonstrate status; food handouts were used to define and reinforce power structures. Throughout the ancient world, long before the invention of money, food was wealth — and control of food was power.
Once civilizations had emerged in various parts of the world, food helped to connect them together. Food-trade routes acted as international communications networks that fostered not just commercial exchange, but cultural and religious exchange too. The spice routes that spanned the Old World led to cross-cultural fertilisation in fields as diverse as architecture, science and religion. Early geographers started to take an interest in the customs and peoples of distant lands and compiled the first attempts at world maps. By far the greatest transformation caused by food trade was a result of the European desire to circumvent the Arab spice monopoly. This led to the discovery of the New World, the opening of maritime trade routes between Europe, America and Asia, and the establishment by European nations of their first colonial outposts. Along the way, it also revealed the true layout of the world.
As European nations vied to build global empires, food helped to bring about the next big shift in human history — a surge in economic development through industrialisation. Sugar and potatoes, as much as the steam engine, underpinned the industrial revolution. The production of sugar on plantations in the West Indies was arguably the earliest prototype of an industrial process, reliant though it was on slave labour. Potatoes, meanwhile, overcame initial suspicion among Europeans to become a staple food that produced more calories than cereal crops could from a given area of land. Together, sugar and potatoes provided cheap sustenance for the workers in the new factories of the industrial age. In Britain, where this process first began, the vexed question of whether the country’s future lay in agriculture or in industry was unexpectedly and decisively resolved by the Irish Potato Famine of 1845.
The use of food as a weapon or war is timeless, but the large-scale military conflicts of the 18th and 19th centuries elevated it a new level. Food played an important role in determining the outcome of the two wars that defined the United States of America: the Revolutionary War of the 1770-80s and the Civil War of the 1860s. In Europe, meanwhile, Napoleon’s rise and fall was intimately connected with his ability to feed his vast armies. The mechanisation of warfare in the 20th century meant that for the first time in history, feeding machines with fuel and ammunition became a more important consideration than feeding soldiers. But food then took on a new role, as an ideological weapon, during the Cold War between capitalism and communism, and ultimately helped to determine the outcome of the conflict. And in modern times food has become a battlefield for other issues, including trade, development and globalisation.
During the 20th century the application of scientific and industrial methods to agriculture led to a dramatic expansion in the food supply and a corresponding surge in the world population. The so-called “green revolution” caused environmental and social problems, but without it there would probably have been widespread famine in much of the developing world during the 1970s. And by enabling the food supply to grow more rapidly than the population, the green revolution paved the way for the astonishingly rapid industrialisation of Asia as the century drew to a close. Since people in industrial societies tend to have fewer children than those in agricultural societies, this in turn means that the peak in the human population, towards the end of the 21st century, is now in sight.
The stories of many individual foodstuffs, food-related customs and traditions, and of the development of particular national cuisines, have already been told. Less attention has been paid to the question of food’s world-historical impact. This account does not claim that any single food holds the key to understanding history; nor does it attempt to summarise the entire history of food, or the entire history of the world. Instead, by drawing on a range of disciplines including genetics, archaeology, anthropology, ethnobotany and economics, it concentrates specifically on the intersections between food history and world history, to ask a simple question: which foods have done most to shape the modern world, and how? Taking a long-term historical perspective also provides a new way to illuminate modern debates about food, such as the controversy surrounding genetically modified organisms, the relationship between food and poverty, the rise of the “local” food movement, the use of crops to make biofuels, the effectiveness of food as a means of mobilising political support for various causes, and the best way to reduce the environmental impact of modern agriculture.
In his book “The Wealth of Nations”, first published in 1776, Adam Smith famously likened the unseen influence of market forces, acting on participants who are all looking out for their own best interests, to an invisible hand. Food’s influence on history can similarly be likened to an invisible fork that has, at several crucial points in history, prodded humanity and altered its destiny, even though people were generally unaware of its influence at the time. Many food choices made in the past turn out to have had far-reaching consequences, and to have helped in unexpected ways to shape the world in which we now live. To the discerning eye, food’s historical influence can be seen all around us, and not just in the kitchen, at the dining table or in the supermarket. That food has been such an important ingredient in human affairs might seem strange, but it would be far more surprising if it had not: after all, everything that every person has ever done, throughout history, has literally been fuelled by food.
“A fascinating history of the role of food in causing, enabling and influencing successive transformations of human society. This is an extraordinary and well-told story, a much neglected dimension of history.” — Financial Times
“Dense in revelations, ‘An Edible History of Humanity’ demonstrates how food has continually and often radically affected the human story… Standage brilliantly demonstrates how food has transformed society, sparked wars and facilitated thepopulation explosion.” — The Independent
“It’s history you can sink your teeth into.” — Los Angeles Times
“Standage succeeds in underscoring the crucial role that food continues to play in our lives. Thousands of years ago, the invention of agriculture shaped early societies. Today, it connects us to global debates about trade and the environment.” — Washington Post
“This is a clever book. It shows how many hidden forces are at work — political, social, economic — when you sit down for dinner.” — Sunday Times
“[Standage] writes with an eye to comprehension and a sure touch with anecdote and illustration… his account of the shift from hunter-gathering to settled agriculture [is] a masterpiece of summary and explanation.” — The Guardian
“The author has done a first-class job of collating available sources and describing complex information in a coherent and easily comprehensible way… a well-researched and written book.” — Time Out
“Tom Standage does an admirable job of showing the ‘invisible fork’ behind the fate of nations.” — Nature
“Standage has some varied stories to tell about food’s place in history, and makes them all interesting, whether he’s explaining how the human propagation of random genetic mutations in maize and wheat resulted in staff-of-life grains that could not survive without human cultivation, delineating why and how the European desire for spices inspired world exploration and the field of geography, or writing about the wide-ranging implications on world events of the humble potato.” — The Globe and Mail
“Standage’s highly readable, thought-provoking essay approaches the subject with a longer perspective and with a bit more detachment than has been the norm. Such a standpoint shows how fundamentally food production has underpinned our existence —everything from settlement-patterns and social hierarchy to military strategy — and the ways in which, economically, we really are what we consume.” — Scotsman
“Tom Standage’s erudite and thoughtful examination of the role of food in history is a timely dose of context for many of the problems that the world faces. The strength of Standage’s history is in the detail and in the way in which he persuades the reader to look at historical events through an alternate prism… Standage’s case for food as the root of all human development is difficult to refute… a major work worthy of closer inspection.” — Scotland on Sunday
“Instead of casting backwards for one thread to stitch everything together, Standage sensibly casts a net, writing not a history of any one food but a history through food. The emphasis on food as a cultural catalyst differentiates Standage from Michael Pollan, whose plants’ eye view of the world keeps the consumables central. With Standage it is not what changes in food that matters, but rather what food changes. And it’s not just one food lifting and guiding history, but what Adam Smith might have called the ‘invisible fork’ of food economics.” — New Scientist
“Offers revelation after revelation about its too-often-taken-for-granted subject… engrossing, thoughtful, and thought-provoking.” — The Humanist
“This meaty little volume… ‘concentrates specifically on the intersections between food history and world history.’ But history isn’t Standage’s only concern. He takes the long view to illuminate and contextualize such contemporary issues as genetically modified foods, the complex relationship between food and poverty, the local food movement, the politicization of food and the environmental outcomes of modern methods of agriculture… Cogent, informative and insightful.” — Kirkus Reviews
“An intriguing history of how hunger has shaped civilizations and prompted technological advancements.” — Publishers Weekly
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Clopidogrel bisulfate, also known as Plavix, is a drug used in order to retard the platelet aggregation of cells, which in turn prevents any sort of blood clotting inside of the body. It is necessary for this sort of medication to be administered during different kinds of surgeries and other medical practices. However, there are some side effects of the medication, and it can have an impact on certain present conditions, including pulmonary embolism.
Plumonary embolism is a medical condition where a blockage in an artery that transports blood directly from the heart into the lungs (this is the pulmonary artery). Typically, this occurs when a blood clot inside another area of the body, usually the legs or arms, breaks free and becomes lodged in the pulmonary artery. It is very important for pulmonary embolism to be treated quickly and effectively, as if the blockage continues to move forward and becomes blocked in the heart or the lungs, it can cause extremely serious health conditions, including death.
Plavix is essentially a specialized blood thinner that utilizes specific medications in order to prevent the clotting of the blood. According to Vein Experts, there are some very specific side effects that occur to someone, especially when they suffer from pulmonary embolism. First, bleeding from different areas of the body is a natural occurrence. This is because the blood is no longer able to clot, so instead of repairing damaged areas of the body, it is simply going to flow through it. Any sort of cut or scratch can bleed profusely and hemorrhages into the brain can occur, although this is not likely (only 1 percent of patients experience any sort of serious bleeding during the use of a blood thinner such as Plavix).
As Web MD points out, Plavix is often used in the event of pulmonary embolism in order to break up the former blood clot. The blood thinner is designed to break away the clot so it is able to flow smoothly like the rest of the other blood cells in the body. Generally though, before Plavix or another form of blood thinner is used, the doctor is going to investigate in order to determine exactly how large the former clot actually is.
If the clot is large enough, it is possible the blood thinner is not going to break the entire clot up in time before it reaches the heart or the lungs, which in turn would potentially cause a serious health condition. When the clot is excessively large, it might prove necessary to remove it through surgical means. However, most pulmonary embolisms are able to be corrected through the use of a blood thinner such as Plavix.
Plavix should not have much of a negative side effect on individuals who suffer from blood clots or other issues such as pulmonary embolism. Typically, the only possible side effect is bleeding throughout the body (typically internally), although this is not always a problem, as a very small percentage of individuals actually have this sort of an issue occur.
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TheBUZZ: Placement and appearance of fruits and veggies help your kids eat more?
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
Putting fruit in a colorful bowl or placing it in easy reach for children can increase fruit sales by 104% in lunchrooms.
WHAT WE KNOW
Oh, the wonders of product placement. Often unknown to most consumers, there is a strategic reason for the location of most foods on grocery store shelves, eye level in vending machines, and of course those convenience foods that catch kids’ eyes (and hands) while you’re waiting in the checkout line. Research has shown that kids choose high-calorie fast food because they are easily accessible, but what if apples or oranges were just as easy to grab and go?
Most schools try to provide nutritious lunches for children, but a tour through your local school’s cafeteria might show otherwise. Many schools, unfortunately, still offer cheesy, salty, or deep-fat fried foods alongside the usual lunch selections. While many states are cracking down on nutrition requirements of school meals, a new study shows that simply moving the fruit to make it more visible for children can increase fruit consumption!
HOW DO WE KNOW THIS?
New research by Cornell University analyzed multiple lunchroom layouts and designs that hindered student selection of nutritious foods. The study found that putting the fruit in a colorful bowl and moving it to be in reach for students could increase fruit sales by 104%! The study found that revamping lunchrooms with easy, low-cost/no-cost changes in placement resulted in an increase in healthy food choices.¹
In support of Cornell’s findings, a study published in Public Health Nutrition found that introducing a salad bar increased fruit and vegetable consumption at lunch by an average of 84% in three (3) Los Angeles elementary schools!²
While packing healthy school lunches and increasing kids’ fruit and vegetable intake have been hot topics of discussion lately, this study shows you may not have to employ sneaky tactics or master complicated recipes to get your kids to eat more healthfully. A little product placement on your part can go a long way. You can start by simply putting fresh fruit out in a colorful bowl to see what happens…
Worried about your kids’ food choices at school?
What else you can do to increase their fruit & veggie consumption?
¹ Just, B. and B. Wansink. “Smarter Lunchrooms Movement of the Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Program (BEN).” Paper presented at American Dietetic Association’s Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo, San Diego, California September 24-27, 2011.
² Slusser, W., W. Cumberland, B. Browdy, et al. “A School Salad Bar Increases Frequency of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Children Living in Low-Income Households.” Public Health Nutrition (2007); 10(12); 1490-6.
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General Studies Self Designed Major
A General Studies major allows you to build a broad-based education. It teaches you to think critically, communicate effectively, and pull together knowledge from many disciplines – skills you'll need to be successful in any career.
It demonstrates to employers and peers alike that you have the self-discipline and intelligence to work through a university-level program in a variety of subject areas.
It can serve as a prerequisite for a professional career, or as a stepping-stone to a college degree in another discipline. It can be the most personally rewarding major available, precisely because it is so broad, and it embodies the central philosophy of a liberal arts education that learning to think critically and to read and write well should help anyone in any career.
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This year is set to be the hottest year ever recorded globally, beating 2015's record temperatures, the World Meteorological Organisation has said.
Global temperatures this year are approximately 1.2C (2.16F) above pre-industrial levels and 0.88C (1.58F) above the average for 1961-1990, which the WMO uses as a reference period, provisional figures show.
As a result, 2016 is on track to be the hottest year in records dating back to the 19th century, and 16 of the 17 hottest years on record will have occurred in the 21st century.
WMO secretary-general Petteri Taalas said: "Another year, another record. The high temperatures we saw in 2015 are set to be beaten in 2016."
The provisional assessment by the WMO has been released to inform the latest round of UN climate talks in Morocco which are focusing on implementing the world's first comprehensive climate treaty, the Paris Agreement.
It comes as a study suggests carbon emissions have seen "almost no growth" in the past three years, marking a break from rapidly rising output in the previous decade and raising hopes that emissions may have peaked.
But the election of Donald Trump as the next US president has raised concerns about the international fight against climate change, which he has previously described as a hoax created by the Chinese to make American manufacturing uncompetitive.
The WMO assessment, which uses several international datasets including one from the Met Office and the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit, showed global temperatures for January to September 2016 were 0.88C above the 14C (57.2F) average for 1961-1990.
A powerful climate phenomenon in the Pacific known as El Nino, which pushes up global temperatures, led to a spike in temperatures in the early months of the year.
But preliminary data for October suggests temperatures remain high enough for 2016 to be on track for the title of hottest year on record, beating 2015.
This year has also seen record-breaking concentrations of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, as well as melting ice, coral reefs bleaching in the face of hot oceans, above-average sea level rise and extreme weather.
Prof Taalas said: "The extra heat from the powerful El Nino event has disappeared. The heat from global warming will continue.
"In parts of Arctic Russia, temperatures were 6C to 7C above the long-term average.
"Many other Arctic and sub-Arctic regions in Russia, Alaska and north-west Canada were at least 3C above average.
"We are used to measuring temperature records in fractions of a degree, and so this is different."
Professor Peter Stott, of the Met Office, said: "Three record-breaking years for global temperature would be remarkable. The year 2015 was exceptionally warm and, like 2016, was influenced by the warm El Nino circulation in the tropical Pacific.
"As the El Nino wanes, we don't anticipate that 2017 will be another record-breaking year in the instrumental record."
But 2017 was still likely to be warmer than any year prior to the last two decades because of the underlying extent of man-made global warming due to increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, he said.
The warning that it is set to be a record warm year comes after an analysis by the WMO that the global climate had seen its hottest five-year period on record between 2011 and 2015, with temperatures 0.57C (1.03F) above the 1960-1991 average.
Man-made climate change is driving extreme weather, with more than half of 79 studies published between 2011 and 2014 by the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society finding global warming contributed to individual extreme events, the WMO said.
Responding to the announcement on 2016's record temperatures, Friends of the Earth's head of campaigns Andrew Pendleton said: "This is an urgent memo from the planet to President-elect Trump, Theresa May and any other leaders that think tackling climate change isn't important.
"While Trump denies the existence of climate change, and May approves fracking and Heathrow expansion, our planet is warming fast and time for action is ticking down.
"It's still possible to stop the worst effects of climate change, but it requires us to stop using coal, oil and gas in less than a generation - and put growingly affordable renewable energy in their place."
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Maria Theresa mərē´ə tərā´zə [key]
, 1717–80, Austrian archduchess, queen of Bohemia and Hungary (1740–80), consort of Holy Roman Emperor Francis I
and dowager empress after the accession (1765) of her son, Joseph II. Her father, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI
, altered the Hapsburg family law by the pragmatic sanction
of 1713 so that she might succeed to the Hapsburg lands. She was recognized by her subjects in the Austrian duchies and the Austrian Netherlands, in Bohemia, and in Hungary. The chief European powers had subscribed to the Pragmatic Sanction in Charles's lifetime, but when Maria Theresa acceded she was immediately confronted with a European coalition against her, and Frederick II
of Prussia brazenly seized Silesia
. In the War of the Austrian Succession
(1740–48), Maria Theresa lost most of Silesia to Prussia but secured (1745) in exchange the imperial election for her husband. Her warm personality and strength of will won her the loyalty of her subjects and troops, to whom she appealed directly in moments of crisis. Her husband was given a share in governing her hereditary lands, but the actual government was in the hands of Maria Theresa, assisted by her able chancellor, Kaunitz
. After the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
(1748), Kaunitz accomplished a diplomatic revolution in concluding an alliance with France, the traditional enemy. The Seven Years War
(1756–63) exhausted the strength of Austria. Maria Theresa lost no territory, but leadership among German states had definitely passed to Prussia. In 1772, Maria Theresa shared with Prussia and Russia in the first partition of Poland (see Poland, partitions of
). Partly under the influence of her son, Joseph II (with whom she jointly ruled her dominions after 1765), Maria Theresa carried out a series of agrarian reforms and centralized the administration of her lands. Unlike her son she followed no particular plan and was, on the whole, conservative. A devout Roman Catholic, her court was the most moral in Europe. During her reign Vienna increased its reputation as a center of the arts and of music. Among her 16 children were emperors Joseph II and Leopold II, Marie Caroline of Naples, and Marie Antoinette of France. Her authoritative biographer is Alfred von Arneth.
See biographies by R. Pick (1966) and E. Crankshaw (1970) studies by G. P. Gooch (1965) and C. A. Macartney (1969).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Austria and Hungary, History: Biographies
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Skip to content
Study Tips to Help you Survive and Thrive in College
Attend all classes and take notes.
- Start off right. Don't wait to put in the time you need. Start the semester off organized and working hard.
- Try not to give yourself classes back to back during the day. Leave yourself time to stay afterwards and ask questions or just relax before your next class.
- Decide how you learn. If you learn best working with other people, find some classmates and form a study group. Whether alone or with a group, find a study place where you can be free from distractions.
- Study the hardest subject first while you're freshest.
- Don't be afraid to ask for help from your professor, on-campus tutoring center, classmates or resident advisor.
- Take care of yourself. You need proper amounts of sleep, good nutrition and exercise in order to think clearly.
- Keep a calendar so you know when big exams and papers are approaching. Work ahead to avoid the need to cram.
- Balance your academic schedule. Each semester take some classes that will challenge you, but also take some classes that you consider interesting and fun.
- Reward yourself for hard work.
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I came across a story on the low level of health literacy in Fierce Healthcare, which it had summarized from the Washington Post. It continues to trouble me. The Post reported on a 2006 study conducted by the U.S. Department of Education that found 36 percent of adults to have a basic or below-basic understanding of health material. According to the excerpt, "90 million Americans understand health information at a fifth-grade level or lower. And just over half have intermediate comprehension." What is health literacy? According to HSS (U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services), "Health literacy is the ability to understand health information and to use that information to make good decisions about your health and medical care... Limited health literacy can affect your ability to:
- Fill out complex forms
- Locate providers and services
- Share personal information such as health history
- Take care of yourself
- Manage a chronic disease
- Understand how to take medicines
Yet we know that health information is among the most queried topics on the Web. We also know from recent studies that not all health information is good information. Recently, a team of physicians at Harvard Medical School evaluated the quality/safety of 10 diabetes social networks on 28 indicators and published the results in the Journal of the American Informatics Association. In their paper, Social but Safe? Quality and Safety of Diabetes-related Online Social Networks, they found that the quality of information was variable on many levels. For example:
- Only half were in sync with diabetes science/clinical practice recommendations
- 70% lacked medical disclaimer use
- Misinformation about a diabetes ‘cure’ was found on four moderated sites
- Of nine sites with advertising, ads for unfounded ‘cures’ appeared on three
Recall from the BUPA Health Pulse study I wrote about in March that only a small percentage (less than 25%) of health seekers bother to verify the information they find online.
We live in a time where we have rapid, nearly unlimited, access to health information. Yet we also live in a time where over one-third of the population is considered health illiterate and even fewer check the veracity of information they find on the Web. Therefore, it seems to me, that we have a large number of people who might not understand how to manage their disease and a lot of poor/unsubstantiated information on the Internet waiting to prey on that. We have created yet one more problem to solve in our healthcare system. I don't have the answer, but would love to hear thoughts from my readers and others who care about this topic.
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Humane Mass Depopulation of Animals - Position Statement
January 21, 2016
The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) holds that when mass depopulation of animals is undertaken, methods used must result in rapid death or rapid loss of consciousness that persist until the time of death. Loss of consciousness should be accomplished by methods that minimize anxiety, pain, distress or suffering in animals (1). Mass depopulation protocols must be developed under veterinary oversight.
- Mass depopulation methods are employed in situations where large numbers of animals must be killed, for example for disease control purposes, as a consequence of natural disasters, or at the end of a production cycle (e.g. table eggs laying hens).
- In all cases, mass depopulation methods must be humane (2). Livestock producers should only employ depopulation methods recommended by provincial or national regulatory authorities, as applicable.
- Outbreaks of certain infectious animal diseases (e.g. Avian influenza, Foot and mouth disease, African swine fever) may result in emergencies that necessitate the containment, control and eradication of the causal agent by national or provincial veterinary or public health regulatory authorities using targeted depopulation of the infected animals on the infected premises as well as in some cases animals in close contact or proximity to those infected (3,4).
- All personnel involved in the mass depopulation of animals must be trained and supervised by persons who are experienced and competent in humane depopulation methods. Mass depopulation methods require considerable training, practice and expertise to be used appropriately.
- Operational procedures for mass depopulation must be adapted to the specific circumstances and must address the following:
- Killing methods employed must be the most appropriate for the species, size and age of animal to ensure rapid loss of consciousness with a minimum of fear, pain, or distress until death occurs. Other factors that must be taken into account include the location of the animals and type of housing, expertise of the operator, and human safety.
- Animal restraint must be sufficient to facilitate effective killing with consideration to animal welfare and operator safety requirements; when restraint is applied, killing must follow without delay (1).
- Mass depopulation procedures are subject to the applicable legal requirements including occupational health and safety regulations; and federal, provincial and municipal laws and ordinances of the relevant jurisdiction(s).
- Welfare aspects of mass animal depopulation can present communication challenges, especially in disease outbreak situations when alternative though perhaps less effective approaches might be suggested. Case studies of animal disease outbreaks and their subsequent management demonstrate the critical role that good communication plays in positively influencing public response to selected management strategies (4-7).
- Mass depopulation procedures can have profound emotional impact on some individuals. Veterinarians, veterinary paraprofessionals, and livestock owners/caregivers should be aware that they may be at risk for perpetration-induced traumatic stress and should seek support to mitigate this risk (8,9). Competent authorities should incorporate mechanisms to identify and manage impacts of traumatic stress in their mass depopulation action plans.
- World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) Health standards, Terrestrial animals, Terrestrial Animal Health Code. Killing of animals for disease control purposes. Available from: http://www.oie.int/index.php?id=169&L=0&htmfile=chapitre_aw_killing.htm Last accessed October 7, 2015.
- AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals 2013 edition. Available from: http://atwork.avma.org/2013/02/26/2013-edition-of-the-avma-guidelines-for-the-euthanasia-of-animals-published/ Last accessed October 7, 2015.
- Appelt M, Sperry J. Stunning and killing cattle humanely and reliably in emergency situations – A comparison between a stunning-only and a stunning and pithing protocol. Can Vet J 2007;48:529-534.
- Meuwissen MP, Horst SH, Huirne R, Dijkhuizen AA. A model to estimate the financial consequences of classical swine fever outbreaks: principles and outcomes. Prev Vet Med 1999:42(3), 249-270.
- UK Cabinet Office. FARMING & FOOD a sustainable future. Report of the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food January 2002. Available from: Last accessed October 6, 2015.
- Mercier I. Crisis and Opportunity, Devon Foot and Mouth Inquiry 2001. Devon Books 2002, Halsgrove House Lower Moor Way, Tiverton Devon EX16 6SS.
- Auditor General UK. The 2001 Outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease. REPORT BY THE COMPTROLLER AND AUDITOR GENERAL HC 939 Session 2001-2002: 21 June 2002, London. The Stationary Office. Available from: http://www.nao.org.uk/report/the-2001-outbreak-of-foot-and-mouth-disease/ Last accessed October 6, 2015.
- Whiting TL, Marion CR. Perpetration-induced traumatic stress – A risk for veterinarians involved in destruction of healthy animals. Can Vet J. 2011 July; 52(7): 794–796.
- Hibi J, Kurosawa A, Watanabe T, Kadowaki H, Watari M, Makita K. Post-traumatic stress disorder in participants of foot-and-mouth disease epidemic control in Miyazaki, Japan, in 2010. J Vet Med Sci 2015;77(8):953–959.
(Adopted November 2015)
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Where would we be today if it weren't for the scientists of the past? From the miniature world of genetics to the vast expanse of space, review the greatest discoveries of all time across eight different scientific categories in this multi-part series. Join host Bill Nye as he recounts the 100 most important discoveries and explains how each one has had a hand in shaping the modern world. Watch his lively and dramatic accounts and learn how the great discoveries were made, how they impacted the development of scientific knowledge and how they touch our lives today.
4) Earth Sciences
NOTE: This playlist will be updated as more episodes are uploaded!
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|Clarissa Chapman Armstrong|
Clarissa Chapman Armstrong was born in Russell Hampden County, Massachusetts to a family of Puritan descent. Her brother Reuben Chapman was the chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court.
In 1831, she married Dr. Richard Armstrong who boarded his young bride on the whaling ship the Averick and sailed to Hawaii. Clarissa’s journals show a rough trip around the Horn, with a pleasant stop in Rio de Janeiro. Clarissa was often to sick to leave her room, which was below deck in steerage. She later learned that she was pregnant for much of the voyage. The couple finally set foot in Hawaii 172 grueling days later.
During her stop in Rio de Janeiro, she enjoyed fine fruit and other delectables, but also witnessed slavery for the first time in her life. Years later she wrote the following:
“It was indeed a paradise, but the trail of the serpent was there. On an open road I saw a long train of black men, miserably clad, chained together…From that day my sympathies went out to the poor slaves everywhere, but little did I think that I should live to rear a son who lead Freedman to victory in the great contest which in future years should come in my native country.”
The couple spent a year in Molokai, Marquesas and Maui before being transferred to the central mission in Honolulu where Richard Armstrong became the spiritual advisor to King Kamehameha II. Armstrong viewed the natives as “naked, cannibalistic and warlike” and was appalled by the nakedness of the women, men and children. Eight years later he was made the minister of public instruction, a post he held until his death in 1860. The couple were among the first missionaries to permanently establish a church in Hawaii.
When Richard encountered Chief Hape, who refused to accept the Christian God, Hape suggested that he swap Clarissa for one of his wives. Diplomatically, Armstrong refused, but as a compromise offered to name his first son Hape.
Clarissa taught the natives the English alphabet, led Bible studies, administered medical treatment, showed the women how to braid mats out of pine and even taught some of the men carpentry. She developed the trust of the native Hawaiians by learning their language.
|Clarissa Armstrong's gravestone in Plot 21, Lot 50|
In 1860, her husband was thrown from a horse and died a few weeks later. Her husband had made provisions to ensure that Clarissa could stay in the stone house that they had built. She continued to lodge strangers, relieve the afflicted and minister to visitors.
Clarissa’s son Samuel Chapman Armstrong is known for establishing the Hampton Institute, which is best known for training black teachers in the South after the Civil War.
Clarissa Armstrong died on a visit to San Francisco to see her daughter. Stepping out of a carriage she slipped and hit her back on the iron step. She lived in excruciating mental and physical pain for about a year before dying at Children’s Hospital in San Francisco.
Her gravestone has her name and two simple inscriptions: “Aloha” on the backside and “She hath done what she could” on the front. Her husband is buried at the Kawaiahao Church Cemetery in Honolulu.
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OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess parental knowledge and understanding of growth charts.
METHODS: An online survey was conducted with 1000 parents selected to be demographically representative of the US population. Questions explored awareness of, knowledge of, and attitudes toward growth monitoring, as well as the ability to interpret growth chart data.
RESULTS: Seventy-nine percent of parents surveyed claimed to have seen a growth chart before, with the majority thinking that they understood it well. Sixty-four percent of parents thought it was important to be shown growth charts to see how their child was growing, and 40% expressed the need to see their child's growth chart as confirmation of their health care provider's verbal interpretation. However, when provided with multiple-choice questions and answers, only 64% could identify a child's weight when shown a plotted point on a growth chart. Ninety-six percent had heard of the term “percentile,” but only 68% identified the percentile of the plotted point, and only 56% could identify the definition of percentile. Up to 77% interpreted incorrectly charts containing height/weight measurements in tandem.
CONCLUSIONS: Although growth charts are used frequently as visual aids to educate parents about their children's growth, many parents cannot comprehend the data. This finding is significant because many parents prefer to be shown growth charts by their health care provider, and many parents report recording their children's measurements on growth charts at home.
Growth charts were developed to help health care providers track children's growth and identify potential health problems.1 Their use, however, is no longer restricted to the realm of health care professionals. Parents often are shown the charts at routine health care visits, and the growth pattern or percentile becomes a focal point for discussion.
In the context of the current childhood obesity epidemic, parents are being asked to become more aware of their children's growth measurements, growth patterns, and indices such as the BMI. Many health organizations throughout the world, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization, and a coalition of key pediatric health care organizations in Canada, are encouraging parents to use the growth charts as monitoring tools.2–4 For parents to accept and to use growth charts as educational tools, they must understand the charts. But do they?
Little research has been performed to ascertain whether parents understand growth charts and whether growth charts are practical teaching tools. Two recent literature reviews examined current knowledge about the public's comprehension of growth charts, but the analyses were based mainly on data from studies conducted in developing countries and were not applicable globally.5,6 Two smaller qualitative studies conducted in the United States explored maternal perspectives on growth counseling.7,8 One study showed that many parents did not think that population-based growth standards were relevant to their children's weight assessments,7 whereas another study found that growth chart use and findings were memorable to mothers but frequently were misunderstood.8
Understanding a growth chart requires the ability to understand several concepts, including trending over time, proportionality (height compared with weight), and graphical presentation. Health care providers may mistakenly assume that parents understand these concepts. The capacity of the general public to understand and to act on graphically presented health information to make health decisions has not been studied adequately.9 Although it is now acknowledged that many individuals in the United States do not have the literacy and numeracy skills to function effectively in today's health care environment,10–12 the details of such deficits and their impact are only beginning to be explored. In this study, we assessed knowledge and understanding of growth charts in a representative sample of US parents.
Subjects and Design
An online survey was conducted from January 4 to January 22, 2007. One thousand parents with sole or shared responsibility for their child's health care and with ≥1 child <18 years of age in the household were recruited through e-mail invitations. A third-party vendor (Survey Sampling International, Shelton, CT) that uses opt-in, e-mail–based, recruiting methods was hired to provide a panel of potential respondents. Invitations were sent to 60313 parents at a graduated rate over the course of 2 weeks, to avoid early-respondent or nonrespondent bias, and participants were selected on the basis of answers to preliminary demographic questions (to ensure a sample representative of the US population).
One thousand of the 1163 parents who completed the survey were chosen to match the US Census findings with respect to region, race, household income, ages of children, number of children in the household, and marital status. This sample size was chosen to provide an acceptable error rate at both the population and subgroup levels. The sampling error, which is the largest degree to which this sample might differ from the US population, was ±3.10 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. Study participants received compensation for their participation ($3 cash incentives and entry into a $25000 prize pool), to maximize response rates and to minimize nonparticipation bias. The study was approved by the Nemours Institutional Review Board at the Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children (Wilmington, DE).
The survey instrument was created by the pediatrician authors at the Nemours Center for Children's Health Media (KidsHealth) and research consultants at Cogent Research. Focus group testing and in-depth interviews were conducted to assess parental awareness and baseline knowledge of growth charts, as well as attitudes toward growth-monitoring methods.
After the focus group testing, a 98-question survey was developed (www.kidshealth.org/misc/surveys/GrowthChartSurvey.pdf). Although the format included both closed-ended and open-ended questions, as well as growth chart images (Figs 1 and 2), only the closed-ended question results are reported in this article. Table 1 describes the topics that were explored.
In preparation of the data for analysis, tests on all data were conducted by using SPSS 15.0.0 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL). Tests ranged from simple tests (frequency distribution) to ensure that all variables had valid values to more-complex tests (cross-tabulation) of the relationships between variables. After data preparation, an array of data tables, including every survey question cross-tabulated with a key set of demographic and attitudinal variables, was created by using WinCross (The Analytical Group, Glenview, IL). A full range of significance testing at the 95% level was conducted.
To determine the extent to which demographic features (race/ethnicity, income, education, and gender) predicted graph comprehension, data were analyzed by using a direct-entry (standard), multivariate regression analysis.13 Specifically, the criterion of graph comprehension was regressed with respect to the following series of dummy-coded predictors: (1) race (2 codes were created, for black and other, with white serving as the base group), (2) income ($25000 or less, $26000–34000, $35000–49000, $50000–74000, or $75000–99000, with $100000 or more serving as the base group), (3) education (high school or less or 1–3 years of post–high school training, with college education and beyond serving as the base group), and (4) gender (with female serving as the base group).
The sample of survey respondents was nationally representative. Selected demographic characteristics are presented in Table 2.
Attitudes Toward Children's Health Care and Information From Providers
Although almost all respondents (90%) said they would visit their child's health care provider immediately if they thought something was wrong with their child, only 62% stated they were comfortable relying only on verbal information from their child's doctor or nurse. In fact, 83% said they would seek information online or in print if they thought their child had a medical problem.
Awareness of Growth Charts
Seventy-nine percent of respondents reported having seen a CDC-type growth chart, with most (98%) indicating they had seen it in a doctor's or nurse's office. Other places parents had seen a chart were on a Web site (11%), in their child's school (5%), or in a newspaper or magazine (2%). Parents whose children received their health care from a pediatrician, rather than a family practitioner, were more likely to have seen a growth chart (84% vs 67%).
Familiarity With Growth Charts
Seventy-one percent of respondents recalled having had the growth chart explained to them by their health care provider, but only 56% thought that the explanation had been very clear. Despite the reported lack of clarity, 65% of respondents thought that they understood properly the information conveyed by the growth chart, and 64% wanted to be shown a growth chart in the clinical setting. Forty percent of respondents thought that they needed to see a growth chart as visual verification of their health care provider's verbal statements. Thirty-one percent reported plotting their children's measurements on CDC-type growth charts at home.
Understanding of Growth Charts
When shown a growth chart with 1 plotted point, 85% of respondents could identify correctly the child's age on the x-axis of the chart when provided a list of options; in contrast, only 64% identified correctly the weight on the y-axis. Although the majority (96%) of respondents reported having heard the term “percentile,” only 68% were able to identify the percentile of the plotted point, and only 56% could select the definition of percentile from a list of choices. Fifty-three percent of respondents were able to identify all chart features (age, weight, and percentile), but only one third could identify all chart features and the definition of percentile.
Charts with plotted points for both height and weight (Fig 1) proved to be even more difficult for the respondents. Charts that contain both height and weight plotted points on the same page allow for direct comparison of weight percentile and height percentile at a given age. Thirty-six percent of respondents did not interpret correctly as normal a chart for a child in the 90th percentile for both height and weight; 77% did not interpret correctly a chart for a child in the 10th percentile for height and weight, with more than one half being concerned that the child was underweight. Fifty-one percent did not understand that a child with height and weight in the 10th and 90th percentiles, respectively, is overweight, and 40% did not understand that height and weight in the 90th and 10th percentiles, respectively, represent an underweight child. Only 8% were able to interpret correctly all 4 of the paired height/weight points on the charts.
Parental concern regarding a proportionately small child (short stature and low weight) was extremely high. Eighty percent of parents reported that they would worry if a child's measurements were in the 10th percentile for both weight and height, although a clinician might not be concerned about such a child if all else was well. This proportion of concerned parents was consistent with the proportions of parents who reported concern about extremely disproportionate children; 87% reported worrying about height/weight measurements of 90th/10th percentiles, and 82% reported worrying about height/weight measurements of 10th/90th percentiles.
Many respondents misinterpreted the implications of normal growth velocity for a small-average child. When shown a growth chart with the child's height and weight curves both following the 25th percentile (Fig 2), many respondents thought this represented a health problem. Sixteen percent said they would encourage the child to eat more, and 18% reported being unsure what to do with the trend information.
When asked about different methods of determining whether their child is growing normally, respondents preferred speaking to a health care provider or comparing their child's size with that of peers, compared with looking at a child's growth chart. A sizeable proportion (30%) of respondents did not think that height and weight measurements could help show how healthy a child is.
Characteristics Correlated With Poorer Growth Chart Comprehension
On the basis of multivariate regression analyses of the data, respondents who were more likely to have difficulties comprehending the growth charts included respondents with low income (total annual household income of less than $25000), respondents who had not completed a college degree, black respondents, and male respondents (Table 3). Each of these variables was independently associated with the outcome (poor growth chart comprehension), controlling for all other variables. In comparisons of the relative predictive strengths of these variables, poor comprehension of growth charts was correlated more strongly with a lower education level than with race (1.6 times more predictive), gender (2.7 times more predictive), or income level (6.6 times more predictive).
Pediatric growth charts, which were developed originally for use by health care providers as a tool for assessing and tracking the physical growth of infants, children, and adolescents, have acquired an additional role. Providers now use them routinely as visual aids to educate parents about their children's growth, and parents use them frequently at home.
This expanded role has been endorsed by many health organizations. For example, the CDC recommends that “parents should partner with pediatricians to track their child's growth,”2 and the World Health Organization states that “parents should use growth charts as a tool to better monitor the growth of their child, and “to understand and follow nutritional recommendations, and to seek timely health care for their children.”3 A policy statement from key pediatric health care organizations in Canada encourages health care providers to “teach children and their caregivers how to interpret the growth chart and what the target growth pattern should be.”4 Similar recommendations have been made by the World Federation of Public Health Associations14 and the Human Development Department of the World Bank.15
Indeed, using a chart as a visual aid has certain theoretical advantages. Tversky and Morrison16 suggested that graphic images facilitate communication by showing things that would require many words to describe, and they suggested that combinations of words and images are better than either alone. This is true, however, only if the intended audience can understand the data. Quantitative information, in the form of numbers, numerical concepts such as risks and probability, or graphs and charts, often is not adequately understood.
Therefore, it is not surprising that the majority of this survey's respondents were not able to comprehend growth chart data fully. The concept of percentile seemed particularly difficult for respondents to understand. Although most reported having heard of the term, many could not identify the percentile of a point shown on a growth chart, and an even larger number could not identify the definition of the term percentile.
Proportionality of a child's height and weight percentiles posed another challenge; many respondents had difficulty interpreting a growth chart that contained both. A significant number of respondents were mistakenly concerned about a proportionate child who is smaller (shorter and lighter) than average but growing normally, and they thought that it would be healthier for the child to be at higher percentiles. This confirms the findings of a recent study in which mothers misinterpreted percentile as indicating the percentage of children at that height or weight and thought that growth curves were more satisfactory at higher percentiles.8 Most respondents expressed concern if a child's growth was shown to measure in the 10th percentile for both height and weight, whereas significantly fewer showed concern about the health of a child who was in the 90th percentile for height and weight. Also, respondents showed much greater concern about a child's absolute weight, compared with a child's height or height/weight proportionality.
The difficulties experienced by the respondents in understanding a graph paralleled the results of 2 nationwide literacy assessments, conducted in 1992 and 2003.17,18 In those assessments, nearly one fourth of US adults performed at a level such that they would not be expected to understand a line graph such as a growth chart. In 2004, the Institute of Medicine, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the American Medical Association issued reports on health literacy (the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, to process, and to understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions), which stated that as many as one half of US adults lack the literacy skills needed to function adequately in a health care environment.10–12
A number of studies have focused on numeracy (the ability to understand basic mathematical concepts) and have examined the impact of poor numerical skills on patient decision-making in diseases such as diabetes mellitus, asthma, and clotting disorders, which often require the comprehension of quantitative concepts for proper disease self-management.19–21 Another aspect of numeracy that has been explored is the relationship between a patient's quantitative literacy level and the ability to understand risk-benefit information.22–30 The findings of our survey add to the concerns regarding the impact of poor numeracy raised by previous studies.
A number of parental demographic characteristics were independently associated with poorer understanding of growth charts. Having a household income of less than $25000 per year, not being a college graduate, being black, and being male were all associated with poorer growth chart comprehension. The reasons for these correlations were not investigated specifically in this study, and the possible contributions of other factors would need to be considered for better understanding.
For example, an Institute of Medicine report addressing racial and ethnic disparities in health care pointed out the lower quality of health care received by minority groups regardless of access-related factors such as insurance status and income.31 Differences in care resulting from biases, prejudices, stereotyping, and physicians' uncertainties when interacting with minority patients have been shown to affect health outcomes31 and may be a source of some of the differences in comprehension found in this survey. Efforts to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health care may be necessary to mitigate this effect.
This study had several possible limitations. First, the survey was not a thorough assessment of growth chart comprehension but was focused on the basic growth chart components. However, it assessed many of the skills and knowledge elements needed to understand growth curves for both healthy and sick children. The Internet-based survey technique required that participants have Internet access. This undoubtedly introduced some sampling bias, but data suggest that this is no longer a major issue, compared with the Internet survey environment in the early years of the Internet.32 It may be reasonable to assume that potential participants who were not included because they did not have Internet access would likely have had even lower numeracy levels than those surveyed. The low response rate may limit the generalizability of our results. However, we attempted to address this limitation by matching the study sample demographically to national Census data. This study did not test specifically the numeracy levels of respondents, and their ability to understand growth charts could not be correlated with numeracy, although it seems logical to infer that low numeracy levels would be associated with poorer comprehension.
The findings of this survey demonstrate that the current trend of clinicians sharing growth chart data with patients, although well intentioned, does not seem to be effective. Most parents in this study recalled having seen growth charts, and many claimed to have used them at home. It is likely that patient exposure to growth charts will increase further with the burgeoning use of patient-accessible electronic medical records and Internet health sites. However, few parents understand growth charts and the implications of the data they present.
The results of this survey raise questions not only about how to maximize the effectiveness of growth chart use in clinical settings but also about whether growth charts should be used routinely for this purpose without determination of whether parents actually understand them. Clearly, better strategies for educating and counseling parents about their children's growth need to be developed, which likely will require thinking beyond the boundaries of traditional health education tool design. This might involve continued use of growth charts with improved methods of teaching about them or the redesign of currently used growth charts with the goal of making them more understandable, keeping in mind cultural factors and other influences on the acceptability of growth chart data.
Furthermore, non–growth chart-based approaches to teaching parents about their children's growth should be considered, because our results reveal that many parents clearly lack knowledge about the growth process and are uncertain about the best ways to assess a child's growth or, indeed, whether tracking a child's growth is even important. For example, our results indicate that parents typically rely on comparisons they make with other children of similar age, rather than growth charts, to judge their child's physical development, which can be deceiving when a large proportion of children in a community are overweight.
Parents do want a method to help them understand how their child is growing, as indicated by their desire to be shown a growth chart in the clinical setting and by their frequent use of growth charts at home. The most common “official” method that is currently available is the CDC growth chart, which is not working as well as might be hoped.
Future considerations and research on which communication and teaching methods are most effective will require the input of parents and caregivers. Rather than devising methods for teaching parents complicated mathematical concepts, clinicians and health educators would be wise to let parents be the teachers, by inviting parents to assist in developing the best methods to facilitate understanding of complex health concepts such as growth.
We thank the following people for their help with preparation of the manuscript: Richard Raber, P.J. Gorenc, Mary Lou Gavin, MD, Larissa Hirsch, MD, Jennifer Van Allen, Fiona Hirschfeld, Debra Moffitt, Sean Sexton, and D'Arcy Lyness, PhD. We also thank Lynne Joshi, Byron McGriff, and Sylvia Kyle for research assistance and Drs Joe Glutting, Jobayer Hossain, and Jason Olivieri for statistical analyses.
- Accepted May 28, 2009.
- Address correspondence to Steven A. Dowshen, MD, Nemours Center for Children's Health Media (KidsHealth), Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children, 1600 Rockland Rd, Wilmington, DE 19803. E-mail:
Financial Disclosure: The authors have indicated they have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose.
What's Known on This Subject:
Literature reviews revealed that, although growth charts are widely used to teach parents about their children's growth, very little research has been done to ascertain whether parents understand growth chart data and whether growth charts are effective as educational tools.
What This Study Adds:
This is the largest, nationally representative study to explore parental understanding of growth charts and attitudes toward the use of growth charts as educational tools. The results can facilitate development of more-effective strategies for counseling parents about children's growth.
- ↵Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Use and interpretation of the CDC growth charts. Available at: www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/growthcharts/resources/growthchart.pdf. Accessed February 10, 2008
- ↵National Center for Health Statistics. New pediatric growth charts provide tool to ward off future weight problems, May 30, 2000 [press release]. Available at: www.cdc.gov/nchs/PRESSROOM/oonews/growchart.htm. Accessed February 10, 2009
- ↵World Health Organization. WHO child growth standards, backgrounder 2. Available at: www.who.int/nutrition/media_page/backgrounders_2_en.pdf. Accessed February 10, 2008
- ↵Jain A, Sherman SN, Chamberlin LA, Carter Y, Powers SW, Whitaker RC. Why don't low-income mothers worry about their preschoolers being overweight? Pediatrics.2001;107 (5):1138– 1146
- ↵Nielson-Bohlman L, Panzer A, Kindig D, eds. Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2004
- Berkman N, DeWalt D, Pignone M, et al. Literacy and Health Outcomes: Summary. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; 2004. Evidence Report/Technology Assessment 87, AHRQ Publication 04-E007-1
- ↵Schwartzberg J, VanGeest J, Wang C, eds. Understanding Health Literacy: Inspirations for Medicine and Public Health. Chicago, IL: American Medical Association Press; 2004
- ↵Cohen P, Cohen J, West SG, Aiken LS. Applied Multiple Regression/Correlation Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. 3rd ed. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum; 2003
- ↵Griffiths M. Growth Monitoring of Preschool Children: Practical Considerations for Primary Health Care Projects. Washington, DC: World Federation of Public Health Associations; 1985
- ↵Griffiths M, Dickin K, Favin M. Promoting the Growth of Children: What Works: Rationale and Guidance for Programs. Washington, DC: World Bank; 1996
- ↵Kirsch IS, Jungeblut A, Jenkins L, Kolstad A. Adult Literacy in America: A First Look at the Findings of the National Adult Literacy Survey. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics; 1993
- ↵Kutner M, Greenberg E, Jin Y, Boyle B, Hsu Y, Dunleavy E. Literacy in Everyday Life: Results From the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics; 2007. Publication NCES 2007-480
- ↵Ancker JS, Senathirajah Y, Kukafka R, Starren JB. Design features of graphs in health risk communication: a systematic review. J Am Med Inform Assoc.2006;13 (6):608– 618
- Lipkus IM, Samsa G, Rimer BK. General performance on a numeracy scale among highly educated samples. Med Decis Making.2001;21 (1):37– 44
- Fagerlin A, Zikmund-Fisher BJ, Ubel PA, Jankovic A, Derry HA, Smith DM. Measuring numeracy without a math test: development of the Subjective Numeracy Scale. Med Decis Making.2007;27 (5):672– 680
- ↵Smedley BD, Stith AY, Nelson AR, eds. Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2003
- ↵Pew Internet and American Life Project. Demographics of Internet users. Available at: www.pewinternet.org/Trend-Data/Whos-Online.aspx. Accessed August 19, 2009
- Copyright © 2009 by the American Academy of Pediatrics
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|The desmostylian Behemotops (illustration by Carl Buell)|
Beatty & Cockburn 2015
- "Suciasaurus": The story that made the most headlines this summer was the description of a new dinosaur from Sucia Island, the first ever found in Washington. The specimen consists of part of a femur, which is sufficient to identify it as a theropod, the group that includes all carnivorous dinosaurs and birds. Beyond this, it's hard to say for certain precisely which type of dinosaur it represents, but the size and age of the specimen make a tyrannosaurid the most likely candidate. While the specimen was found in the San Juan Islands and described by UW paleontologists, the animal itself probably lived and died much further south, ferried north by tectonic activity. Exactly how far south? That depends on your interpretation of the complex tectonic history of the West Coast - likely somewhere equivalent to either Alta or Baja California.
- Zoneait: A much more impressive specimen of a Mesozoic archosaur was described by Iowa paleontologist Eric Wilberg. The specimen in question is from central Oregon and is the remains of a thalattosuchian - a seagoing crocodile from the Jurassic. It's an especially early member of the group, and its age and combination of traits suggest that the evolution of this group of crocodilians was mosaic in nature: adaptations to a marine lifestyle evolved piecemeal rather than all at once.
- New fossils of Carnivores, Primates, and Desmostylians: Archosaurs are great and all, but the strength of the Northwest vertebrate fossil record is mammal remains, and this summer saw the description of new material for several species. Some are close relatives of living taxa, such as the ringtail Bassariscus, described for the first time from the Pliocene Ringold Formation by Eric Gustafson. Others are long-time favorites of mine. Ekgmowechashala is unusual for so many reasons. It has a tongue-twisting Lakota name (meaning "Little Cat Man," as the Sioux had no word for monkey). It was the last primate in North America until the arrival of humans around 15 thousand years ago. Its nearest relatives - and indeed all other primates - disappear from the North American fossil record a good six million years before it appears in the Oligocene of South Dakota and Oregon, begging the question of whether it survived in patches of forest or migrated from Asia. New material from the John Day Formation, described by a team led by Josh Samuels, muddies the water even further, suggesting that Ekgmowechashala belonged to a primate group known as adapiforms, not to the omomyids, the group to which it had previously been assigned. Probably the weirdest of the taxa for which new material was described this summer was the desmostylian Behemotops. Desmostylians were (probably) afrotheres, relatives of elephants and sea cows, that were marine and evolved the thickest tooth enamel of any mammal. While Behemotops is not a new genus, the new material from Vancouver Island described by Brian Beatty and Thomas Cockburn sheds light on that genus' morphology and on the evolution of desmostylians as a whole. It also allows the reidentification of existing material from Seal Rock, Oregon as a new genus. As with many of the taxa discussed in this post (and in keeping with one of my favorite trends in modern paleontology), the new taxon was given a Native American name, in this case Seuku, the name of a trickster from Alsea mythology.
- Horse Diet Through Time in the John Day: My personal favorite study to be published on regional paleontology this summer was by Kaitlin Maguire, who examined stable isotopes from horse teeth through time in the John Day Basin of Oregon. These isotopes are valuable tools for reconstructing the diet of herbivorous animals, as they indicate the type of vegetation consumed by an individual. When analyzed through time, they can show whether or not diet changed within a particular group of organisms. This is especially interesting when looking at intervals of significant climate change, such as the global warming that characterized the middle of the Miocene Epoch, roughly 16 million years ago. One might reasonably expect that shifting climate would lead to corresponding shifts in vegetation and in herbivore diet, but the John Day horses examined here do not seem to change their diet across the Middle Miocene. This may suggest that factors other than climate - such as the delayed arrival in Oregon of particular taxa of grass - have played a large role in driving the evolution of ungulates.
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People with flat feet often experience uneasiness when walking, running or jumping. Sometimes, they also experience difficulties when standing on their tiptoes with sudden pains in the calf, hip, knee, or lower leg areas. The reason behind these discomforts is the missing spaces under their arches, which allow their body to spring and evenly distribute weight across the feet and legs.
Genetics is the most common reason behind flat-footedness. Other factors include arthritis, foot or ankle injury, or rupture of the posterior tibial tendon. It can also develop when people age, with various levels of severities involved.
Apart from the mentioned discomforts, one can check by stepping onto a dry, flat surface like a patch of sidewalk. A person with proper arches will notice crescents of negative space in their footprint, while someone with flat feet will see a full imprint of his or her entire foot.
Is there a Way to Fix Fallen Arches?
There is no treatment for flat feet. However, there are ways to alleviate its discomforts and budding severities. Below are two of the commonly recommended.
- Wearing Better Footwear
Most doctors will recommend wearing shoes made specifically for flat feet because apart from being the easiest solution, it is also one of the cheapest. Getting motion control shoes and running shoes for flat feet are highly advisable.
- Doing Feet Exercises
Many exercises can correct flat-footedness. One is heel cord stretching, which aims to stretch and lengthen the Achilles tendon and posterior calf muscles. Another one is the golf ball roll in which a person stretches his or her plantar fascia ligament while rolling a golf ball under the arches—do this technique for two consecutive minutes daily.
Flat-footedness isn’t a severe irregularity that one should worry about. There are many ways to alleviate its discomforts to help you start moving freely again. Seek a doctor when doing so and remember always to make use of your feet.
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How To Copyright A Book: A Comprehensive Guide
So you’ve published your book on Amazon! Congratulations.
Now imagine this nightmarish scenario: a year down the road, you pick up another novel and notice the dialogue sounds familiar. Upon further inspection, you realize that everything in this book is a dead ringer for your work — down to your character Mick, who now goes by Dick.
Copyright is something authors are often curious about, though it’s so complex that few are eager to dip a toe into it. And it needn’t be an author’s first worry. However, it’s important to understand what steps you can take to protect your intellectual property.
Our obligatory disclaimer is that no-one at Reedsy is an attorney — this is by no means professional advice. But we wanted to make copyright easier for authors to unpack, so we conducted the research, talked with practicing attorneys, and dived deep into the waters of copyright law for you.
If you prefer images over words, we’ve prepared two visual approaches to copyright for you. Jump straight to our explainer video or to a fab flowchart infographic that spells out the process of copyright registration for you.
What is copyright?
Plagiarism versus copyright infringement?
What’s registered copyright?
INFOGRAPHIC: GUIDE TO COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION
How to copyright a book
What about the copyright for your book cover?
Differences between copyright in the U.S. and the rest of the world
What is copyright?
Copyright is just that: the right to copy. When books are published, it’s copyright that prevents others from copying your work and selling it (for profit or otherwise) without your consent.
Protection under copyright is the government’s way of saying, “Hey, this book is your original creative work! What’s more, we can ensure that this book will remain your original creative work and intellectual property — even after you’ve published it in the public sphere.”
Copyright deals with matters of authorship, such as novels, poetry, songs, computer software, and architecture. It’s not to be confused with “patent protection,” which deals with discoveries and inventions; nor is it the same as “trademark protection,” which relates to the names and symbols of goods and services.
What does copyright protect?
Copyright protects your expression of ideas or facts. For authors, this extends to specifics of your characters, worldbuilding, plots, and dialogue.
Copyright does not protect ideas or facts themselves. If you’re writing a book, you’ll know it’s a trial to avoid certain tropes — almost all stories are derivative in some shape or form. Below are examples of “idea recycling” that are NOT examples of copyright infringement:
- Neil Gaiman once wrote a book about a young bespectacled boy who discovers magic, obtaining a pet owl in the meantime. He wrote it seven years before J.K. Rowling introduced kids everywhere to Harry Potter.
- Pretty much every popular fantasy novel borrows something from Lord of the Rings; Terry Brook’s Sword of Shannara is the most obvious example.
- 1984 by George Orwell lifted its plot and conclusion from We, a book written by obscure Russian author Yevgeny Zamyatin.
In the world of comic books, there’s many a young boy who goes through some traumatic event, coming out on the other side with superpowers. That’s an idea, so it won’t come under copyright protection.
But what if DC Comics creates an uncannily fast-talking, silk-slinging teenager who swings around a city yelling, “I’m your Friendly Neighborhood Silkman” — all the while using a great deal of Spiderman’s story? Then Marvel will probably get mad, and there will almost certainly be trouble in Metropolis when they come after DC.
So what matters is the way in which you express and put your ideas on paper.
What is the difference between copyright infringement and plagiarism?
Quite often people will mistake plagiarism for copyright infringement. Plagiarism occurs whenever someone takes another person’s work without credit; copyright infringement is broader and encompasses more rights, which we’ll cover in the next section. Though the two certainly overlap frequently, not all cases of copyright infringement will involve plagiarism and vice versa.
John Mason is the attorney who sold the book-to-film rights for Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals. Listen to John further explain the difference between plagiarism and copyright infringement.
How does copyright protection work?
There are several exclusive rights that you, the copyright owner, possess. These include:
- The right to reproduce or make copies of your work
- The right to distribute copies of your work
- The right to create a derivative work*
- The right to display or perform your work publicly
Copyright protection means that these rights remain yours and no-one else’s unless you choose otherwise (by selling them to a publisher, for instance).
So if someone features your short story in an online anthology, crediting you but without your permission, that’s copyright infringement. If someone distributes pirated copies of your book online, they’re also violating your copyright.
One more important point: in both the U.S. and the U.K., copyright protection on an original work exists the moment you create that work (and extends for 70 years after your death). You could be writing the next Great American Novel, or you could’ve just written one sentence. Either way, you own the copyright to your work the instant you write it.
So if an author’s work is protected as soon as they commit words to paper, why do people talk about registering their copyright?
* Of course, fanfic brings up buckets of questions and exceptions. We’ll explore the topic in a subsequent blog post, so stay tuned!
What is registered copyright?
Okay, now we’re getting into the details!
In a nutshell, registered copyright means you create a public record of your authorship so the whole world can see that you are the creator of your intellectual property. In the United States, these records are maintained by the U.S. Copyright Office, a government body. Any author can register their copyright with them for a small fee.
Why would authors want to register their copyright?
In a word: insurance.
Let’s say you didn’t register your copyright, and now you believe that somebody is infringing on your copyright. Even if you wanted to sue for meaningful compensation, you can’t. You must register your copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office before you can bring a suit to enforce it.
You could sue (without prior registration) for an injunction, which would order the infringer to stop using your copyrighted work. But if you didn’t register your copyright, it would be very ambitious to do more. Only with registration in place can you assert your rights when you believe that someone’s committed copyright infringement.
In short: you should register the copyright for your work if you plan on bringing a suit for copyright infringement — if ever a breach of rights occurs.
When should you file your copyright registration?
“Timely registration” means registering your work within three months of the work’s publication date, or before any copyright infringement begins.
This secures you some crucial benefits, including the ability to recover attorney’s fees and statutory damages up to $150,000. Keep in mind that “publication” in this case means the day you first sell or distribute a copy of your book.
It isn’t necessary to register the copyright for your book before showing it to editors or agents. The reasons are twofold: firstly, your book will undergo major changes and revisions during editing. Secondly, unless you’re dealing with scam artists, there’s no incentive for an agent to steal your work. They’ve already found a pretty good way to get money from you: it’s called commission. Publishing professionals are unlikely to jeopardize their reputations on the remote chance that stealing your book will turn a profit.
Poor man’s copyright
In the past, you might’ve caught wind of something called a poor man’s copyright. Instead of paying the U.S. Copyright Office, you mail yourself a copy of your manuscript in a sealed envelope. (And some people will attempt to do this through e-mail, too.)
Ta-da! Now you’ve got proof of your work, along with a date stamp!
There’s just one catch: it won’t work.
Feel free to check out The Logo Factory’s complete debunk or Slate.com’s take on it. The consensus everywhere is that poor man’s copyright is a dangerous myth that won’t do anything for you in a courtroom, other than providing you with a nice big envelope you can use to fan yourself while the judge makes fun of your attorney.
So if you decide to take steps to protect your work to the maximum, do it right. There’s just no replacement for the U.S. Copyright Office.
A word of caution
It’s important to remember that the chances of somebody illegally copying, distributing, or stealing your work — which could include lifting pieces or portions of your text, from your characters to your dialogue and worldbuilding — are extremely slim. Copyright infringement and plagiarism are the biggest taboos in the publishing industry, and almost everyone is extremely sensitive to it. The vast majority of professionals (we cannot emphasize this enough) will respect your book for what it is: an original work that’s not to be stolen from.
All the same, there remains the small, non-zero chance that you’ll face copyright infringement in your future, just as the odds are 1 in 75,000 you’ll get struck by a comet or asteroid in your lifetime.
So whether you register your copyright is a personal decision. It depends on your risk profile, and whether you think registration will contribute to your peace of mind.
INFOGRAPHIC: Guide to Copyright Registration
Now it’s time for the fun stuff! “How to copyright a book?” is the burning question we’ll answer next. To make the info easily digestible for you, we’ve recapped everything in a stunning infographic cheat sheet. And you can download it for free below!
How to copyright a book
You can register the copyright for your book directly through the U.S. Copyright Office. To start the online copyright registration process, follow these steps:
- Head over to the copyright.gov portal.
- Click on “Literary Works,” then “Register A Literary Work.”
- Take a minute to create an account with the U.S. Copyright Office if you didn’t do so already.
- Go to “Copyright Registration” on the left side of your screen and click on “Register A New Claim.”
- Click “Start Registration.”
- Complete the form.
- Pay the U.S. Copyright Office. Online registration will cost $35.
- Send in the “best edition” of your manuscript to the U.S. Copyright Office.
If you don’t trust the Internet, you can always submit a paper application to the U.S. Copyright Office. Your mailed-in package should include a printed version of the application, a copy of your work, and the filing fee ($85). The processing time is 10 – 15 months for paper applications.
Any work protected by U.S. copyright can be registered, regardless of your nationality. The paperwork might take months to process. But don’t worry: the day the Copyright Office receives your completed application is the effective date of registration.
Congrats! If you’ve taken the above steps, your copyright is registered: the fact that you own the intellectual property of your book is now a matter of public record.
Should you copyright a book cover?
If you design your book cover yourself, you own the copyright to it the moment you create it. Also, keep in mind that you should only use your own photographs or pictures for your cover, or else you might be infringing on someone else’s copyrighted work.
Usually, we strongly recommend self-publishing authors get a professional to design their book covers. In this case, even after an author has purchased a cover, the designer still owns the copyright to it. Your contract with the designer should cover the treatment of these rights.
Listen to Sean Lynch, an intellectual property attorney in Los Angeles, explain why self-published authors might want to err on the side of caution and obtain the copyright for a commissioned book cover.
Differences between copyright in the U.S. and the rest of the world
While the U.S. Copyright Office strongly recommends copyright registration for all authors, it’s important to note that this might not be the case in the rest of the world.
For instance, there is no U.K. Copyright Office for copyright registration. If you’re self-publishing in the U.K., all you need to do is mail a copy of your work to the Legal Deposit Office of the British Library within one month of publication. Bear in mind that this only applies to print books, so don’t start mailing your Kindle to London all at once.
Likewise in Canada, where you only need to register if you want additional evidence to back yourself up in court. This is because the Berne Convention, an international agreement dating back to 1886, eliminated the need for domestic registration in most of its 164 signatory nations. But one exception (as you might’ve guessed) is the U.S., which still offers all the remedial incentives mentioned above for those who register.
Long story short, this is what authors from any country should know about the U.S. registration system:
- U.S. authors will need to register their work before they can bring a suit for copyright infringement in federal court.
- Foreign authors outside of the U.S. can sue for copyright infringement in the U.S. — though without copyright registration, they are not entitled to certain financial protections.
- If you’ve registered your work in the U.S., you’re covered in the U.S. and other countries signed on to the Berne Convention.
PRO TIP: Here’s where you can find the U.S. Copyright Office’s comprehensive rundown of its services and fees. Still curious about the money involved in independent publishing? See our study on the average costs of self-publication.
The Bottom Line
Now that you know a bit more about copyright, it’s up to you to take whichever steps you deem necessary to protect your work.
We believe that a well-informed author is a productive author. If you want to keep something nearby so you never forget your copyright basics, please feel free to download our previously mentioned cheat sheet: the Guide to Copyright Registration.
This post from Bookworks is a great recap of 5 Debunked Legal Myths For Writers — including ones about copyright.
Writers Beware, which is sponsored by the SFWA, is always a dependable place to get contract advice. We especially are fans of their Basic Copyright page and this blog post. And for more information on photography usage and whether or not you should register the copyright for a book cover, check out this post over on Book Design House and this post on CreativIndie.
Special thanks to the attorneys who contributed to this post and provided their knowledge:
- John Mason is an intellectual property attorney who specializes in copyright cases in the creative and entertainment industry. Contact John at www.copyrightcounselors.com or firstname.lastname@example.org.
- Sean Lynch is an intellectual property attorney who provides copyright and trademark advice to clients building businesses and brands. In addition, you can find Sean at slynchlaw.com and thesurflawyer.com.
- Henry Runge is an Associate Director of UNeTecH. He protects scientists’ inventions and works with entrepreneurs and creatives to develop business opportunities for intellectual property.
Any stories to share about copyright? Tweet Reedsy (@ReedsyHQ) — we’d be delighted to know what you think. Any more questions about copyright? Let us know below and we’ll answer all of them personally. Your concerns are important to us.
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Building a Mirror Factory: Finishing Fahrenheit 451 and Contemplating the Message
Lesson 4 of 5
Objective: SWBAT determine a theme of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details by synthesizing through discussion and writing the central ideas of Fahrenheit 451.
Before we begin reading today, we are going to try to connect more personally with the text. I will ask that students spend a minute thinking about someone in their life who has died. Then I will ask them to think about what they miss about the person.
This think time will connect to our reading today. In the first part of what we will read today, Granger explains he misses him grandfather, so that Montag understand why he doesn't miss Millie. Granger's grandfather did things: "He shaped the world. He did things to the world." The people in Montag's life didn't do anything and they leave nothing behind. It's an interesting concept that we can discuss with more purpose after having thought about it in a personal way. And it will help us understand the theme of the text (RL.9-10.2).
Read: A Mirror Factory
Today we will finish the novel together. We will focus on these parts of the reading and these questions:
- Remembering: Montag finally remembers where he met Mildred and he starts to remember sections of The Book of Ecclesiastes. Why can he remember now, in the woods? (RL.9-10.9)
- The concept of "being" a book: Each of these men identify as a particular book and are responsible for representing it. They are a piece of history. How would that make you feel?
- Not being important: It might make someone feel important to be responsible for The Republic or Walden, but Granger makes it clear to Montag that they are not important. Why aren't they important if they have vital information? What is Granger trying to convey? (RL.9-10.2)
- Rebuilding the city by building a mirror factory: Before anything can be done, Granger says that everyone has to look in a mirror for a year. He wants people to truly evaluate themselves. This image brings us back to the beginning of the text, when Montag describes looking at Clarisse like looking in a mirror. Self-reflection is essential (RL.9-10.2).
I like finishing a novel all together. I feel like it gives closure to something, so I try to schedule the last 5-10 pages for in class reading. What did my students think of this novel? Take a look.
We will spend 20 minutes talking about and reading through all the essays options students can select as their final assessment for Fahrenheit 451. There are 6 prompts, 5 of which are from The Big Read, and 1 that is mine (the last one). We will read the directions together, and then talk through each prompt, one at a time, so that everyone understands what the question asks and so that students can start sharing some ideas and maybe spread some inspiration. I will encourage students to jot down notes as we talk, so that they can ruminate over them later and create a masterpiece in the end (W.9-10.5). For this essay, students will write a primary argument, then support it with textual evidence (W.9-10.2, W.9-10.2a, W.9-10.2b).
This is the last essay students will write for 9th grade English, and as such, the students will write this essay at home with minimal guidance for me. I want to see how well they do without guidance, and to see how they have synthesized the informational essay writing skills we have practiced throughout the year. I'm excited to give them choices for this final assignment because I am confident that they are ready to write an essay like this, with relatively little teacher-led preparation. I want them to pick the prompt that inspires them, which I will tell them. I want to hear their voices in this essay, to know that they are responding to the text and have something to say.
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One of the mysteries of the English language finally explained.
Abnormally colored vision, a rare symptom of varied cause.
- ‘Medications used in cardiology, especially antiarrhytmic digitalis and amiodarone, cause ocular disturbances producing chromatopsia (yellow or green tint), blurred vision, and corneal microdeposits or deposits of lens during amiodarone treatment.’
- ‘Persons who have chromatopsia do not have cone vision.’
- ‘In most cases, nothing abnormal is noticed immediately except the dazzling sensation; it is only after that a cloud floats with irregular undulations before the eyes, associated with irritating after-images, photophobia, photopsia and chromatopsia.’
- ‘Xanthopsia is a form of chromatopsia, a distortion in color vision, in which objects appear more yellow than they truly are.’
- ‘Color vision can be disturbed; chromatopsia is most common for yellow and green but less frequently red, brown and blue vision can occur.’
Mid 19th century: from chromato- ‘color’ + Greek -opsia ‘seeing’.
Top tips for CV writingRead more
In this article we explore how to impress employers with a spot-on CV.
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For many of us, plants herald the change of seasons, represent the promise of nourishment, or serve as stunning visual reminders of Earth's natural beauty. As vital components of nearly every ecosystem on the planet, plants play a fundamental ecological role in the lives of most organisms for their utility in food and clothing production, fuel, shelter, and a host of other activities. Complete with images and diagrams depicting the parts and growth stages of plants, this volume clarifies what defines a plant and introduces readers to the structures of various plants as well as their complex roles within our environment.
Series: Introduction to Biology
Interest Level: Grades 7-12
Reading Level: Grade 8
ISBN: 9781615305780 (E-book)
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The Carlson-Kuyper Field Station is Central College’s 62-acre (25 hectare) nature preserve and “outdoor laboratory.” Located about 12 miles (19 kilometers) from the Pella campus, it is adjacent to the extensive wildlife areas managed by the Corps of Engineers around Lake Red Rock, Iowa’s largest lake.
The Carlson-Kuyper Field Station was made possible by generous gifts in memory of Alice Carlson, professor of biology at Central College (1946-74), and Stu Kuyper, a leading citizen and benefactor in the Pella community. Alice’s sister, Beulah Carlson of Ortonville, MN, provided funding for a building and equipment to enable on-site study and analysis of environmental processes by Central students and faculty. Davis and Eunice (Kuyper) Folkerts donated the property through a conservation easement to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation to protect the land from development forever. Stu was a founder of INHF, and wished the property be maintained as a natural area.
Habitats and facilities
The property includes approximately equal areas of wooded valleys (ravines), restored prairie, and mowed lawn with planted trees. Near the center of the property is a large pond (see photo above).
Classroom and laboratory building
The building features a number of environmentally-friendly “green design” features. Some are very simple, such as maximizing the use of natural light (South-facing windows) to reduce the need for electric lighting. Other conservation measures incorporated into the building include:
- A PV (photovoltaic) array located just outside the building converts sunlight into electircal energy. The output can exceed 4 kW, more than anticipated peak demand by users of the building. Unused electricity is sold to the local Rural Electric provider and supplied to other utility customers.
- High-efficiency Pella windows allow for passive solar lighting and heating. Large old Silver Maple trees (dating to the days when the property was a farm) help shade and cool the building in summer, but allow plenty of light through during the winter.
- Tubes built into the floor will facilitate anticipated “active solar” heating to be retrofitted later. Black panels on the roof or nearby will absorb solar heat and this warm water will be circulated through the tubes, so the floor iteslf acts as a radiator.
- “Smart Building” technology helps minimize energy use. Motion detectors sense occupancy of the building, and turn off lights when not needed. The hot water heater is on the same circuit, so water is only heated when people are using the building.
- Following primary treatment in a standard septic tank, a constructed (“man-made”) wetland further cleans the wastewater from the buildingd.
- The classic technology of the old farm windmill still works! Water pumped from the well helps keep the pond full.
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