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In the United States, over 25 million people live with asthma. An estimated 7.7% of those are adults, while 8.4% are children. In many of these individuals, seasonal asthma is a common occurrence.
Allergies, on the other hand, affect twice as many people in the US. That translates to more than 50 million individuals with allergic conditions! Seasonal allergies are also frequent, often occurring from spring to early fall.
That makes asthma and allergies two different conditions. In some people, though, both can exist, or one can exacerbate the other.
The big question now is, what exactly are the differences between the two?
Keep reading, as that’s exactly what you’ll find out in this post!
What Is Seasonal Asthma?
Asthma is a “chronic” or long-term condition that affects the lungs and airways. It causes an “inflammation” or swelling of the airways, making it narrower. With the flow of air impaired, proper breathing becomes difficult.
Seasonal asthma refers to asthma that occurs or gets worse only at certain times of the year.
For example, you may get more asthma attacks during the spring hay fever season. The heat and humidity of the summer season can also trigger more asthma attacks.
There’s also a link between asthma and the rainy season, as the rain can disperse more pollen allergen. Asthma in the winter season can also be harder to control, as the cold and dry air can irritate the airways.
Scientists are still trying to figure out the causes of asthma, but some believe it can be a relation between genetics and environmental conditions. Earlier studies have also linked mold exposure to asthma development. At the very least, mold spores along with dust mites have shown to be the trigger for asthma attacks in US homes.
What About Seasonal Allergies?
Seasonal allergies (like the ones triggered by pollen) can lead to “seasonal allergic rhinitis.” As with seasonal asthma, these are allergies that occur at certain times of the year. High levels of pollen are among the most common triggers of seasonal allergies.
Seasonal allergies may resemble asthma because they can also cause coughing and wheezing. Most allergies, however, also make the nose and throat super itchy. This can then result in bouts of sneezing, which can lead to nasal congestion and runny nose.
Can Seasonal Asthma and Allergies Coexist?
Yes! Seasonal allergies and asthma can “coexist” or occur together.
A study found that 75% of adults 20 to 40 years old has allergies. Among adults aged 55 and older, 65% of those with asthma also have at least one type of allergy. Another study says that between 60% and 80% of kids with asthma also have allergies.
Can You Cure Seasonal Asthma and Allergies?
Unfortunately, scientists have yet to discover an actual cure for both. One reason is that the exact causes of these conditions are still under wraps. Moreover, changes in environmental conditions can also “alter” how asthma and allergies work.
The great news is, there are ways to control their symptoms and also keep hay fever and other allergies or asthma symptoms at “bay.”
What You Can Do To Prevent Both
The first thing is to identify your seasonal asthma or allergy triggers. Consulting a doctor is essential to properly identify your condition. Specially if you’re unsure if you have coexisting conditions. This way, you can determine if you have an allergy, as this can also trigger asthma attacks.
Common asthma triggers include pollen, fungi or even cold, dry, heat or humidity air. Other triggers include, dust mites, pet dander, smoke, chemical fumes, and powerful odors.
Note, however, that some air pollutants, like carbon monoxide and particulate matter, can have higher levels during winter, while others in summer.
Smoke, such as those from vehicles, as well as heat, can also be a seasonal asthma trigger.
As for seasonal allergy triggers (known as “allergens”), these also include airborne particles. Most of them are pollen from trees, weeds, and grasses. Note that exposure to even just a small amount of mold spores can also induce an allergic reaction.
Once you know what triggers or exacerbates your condition, you can then do the following.
Dehumidify During the Damp Season
Molds thrive in moist conditions, so rainy and humid days can increase the dampness in your home. The thing is, a previous study found that almost half of US homes have dampness or mold issues. These are the homes with the highest risk of mold growth and spread.
Dehumidifiers can help you control the dampness in your home. By keeping humidity at healthy levels, molds (and even dust mites) are less likely to thrive. This can then help prevent allergy or asthma attacks. But be careful not to decrease the humidity too much, because low indoor relative humidity in the air can result in health problems.
Humidify During the Dry Season
If you have asthma triggered by dry air, raising indoor moisture levels can keep attacks at bay. Humidifiers can help as these make the air less dry, which, can irritate your airways.
Be careful, though, as too much moisture trapped inside your home can also trigger mold growth.
Keep Your Indoor Air Pure
You may want to get an air purifier, too, as this helps protect your home year-round from triggers. These can destroy many airborne microorganisms, such as mold, mites, and pathogens. In addition, air purifiers can remove smoke, air pollutants, and even pet dander from the air.
Air purifiers can be especially useful for those who have both allergies and asthma. They’re also quite convenient, as they can deal with triggers that appear year-round.
Don’t Let Asthma or Allergies Take the Fun Out of Your Favorite Seasons
As you can see, seasonal asthma is different from seasonal allergies, but you can have both. While there is no cure yet for either, you can keep triggers at bay with technology like air purifiers. With preventative methods, you can control the symptoms of both asthma and allergy.
Are you interested in learning more about how the air can impact your health and well-being? Then please feel free to check out our other blog posts! We have more useful asthma and allergy guides waiting for you there. | <urn:uuid:97ef23e9-1180-4a13-bbbc-ea4f11cf7272> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://blog.airfree.com/seasonal-asthma-and-seasona-allergies/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500365.52/warc/CC-MAIN-20230206212647-20230207002647-00492.warc.gz | en | 0.953353 | 1,368 | 3.453125 | 3 |
Higher cells incorporate an ancient chromosome.
Mitochondria contain a circular genome molecule.
In addition to the set of chromosomes found in the nucleus, a different type of chromosome is found in the energy-generating organelles of the cytoplasm, the mitochondria. The mitochondrial (mt) chromosome contains genes involved in the process of oxidative phosphorylation — the production and storage of energy. There is evidence that mitochondria once existed as free-living bacteria, which were taken up by primitive ancestors of eukaryotic cells. The primitive host cell provided a ready source of energy-rich nutrients, and the mitochondrion provided a means to extract energy using oxygen. This symbiotic relationship became key to survival, as oxygen accumulated in the primitive atmosphere. Mitochondria are physically similar in size to bacteria, and the mt genome retains bacteria-like features. Like bacterial chromosomes, the mt genome is a circular molecule. Also, very few introns are found in mt genes. Plants contain an additional ancient chromosome in the chloroplasts, which were also absorbed as symbionts.
mitochondria, circular genome, genes, oxidative phosphorylation, bacterial chromosomes, circular molecule, primitive atmosphere, rich nutrients, primitive ancestors, eukaryotic cells, introns, symbionts, chloroplasts, mitochondrion, organelles, introns, mitochondrial, genes
- ID: 16646
- Source: DNALC.DNAFTB
DNAFTB Animation 30: Ivan Wallin presents his idea that mitochondria and chloroplasts were once free-living organisms.
DNA found in the mitochondrion of a cell differs in structure and is separate from the DNA found in the cell nucleus. Mitochondrial DNA, or mtDNA, exists as a circular loop of double-stranded DNA rather than the linear form found in nuclear DNA. However,
Matt Ridley talks about Mitochondrial DNA.
In most eukaryotic genes, coding regions (exons) are interrupted by noncoding regions (introns).
A mitochondrion has several copies of its own genome, and there are several hundred mitochondria per cell. (image of mitochondrion)
The human mitochondrial genome consists of a DNA ring of about 16,570 nucleotides. It contains 37 genes, most of which are coding for mitochondrial tRNAs.
RNA splicing removes non-coding introns and splices together exons.
Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer transform bacteria with a recombinant plasmid, and Doug Hanahan studies induced transformation.
Mike Wigler shows how all organisms share similar genes, called homologs.
Human mitochondrial DNA is 16,569 base pairs in length. | <urn:uuid:b501acd8-0217-4b37-90ce-9cfc998fb425> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://dnalc.cshl.edu/view/16646-Concept-30-Higher-cells-incorporate-an-ancient-chromosome-.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500671.13/warc/CC-MAIN-20230208024856-20230208054856-00572.warc.gz | en | 0.89184 | 565 | 3.796875 | 4 |
The history of copper industry in the Urals dates back to the 2nd millennium BC, the Bronze and Early Iron Ages. Copper ores were mined and smelted at various sites, with Gumishev mine among them.
Gumishev mine was rediscovered in 1702, when Imperial Russia under Peter the Great began to build its new metal industry base in the Urals. The region rose to its significance as important industrial stronghold of the country and remains it for now on.
In 1854, Pyshminsko-Klyuchevskoy mine was found out, and in 1867 Pyshminsko-Klyuchevskoy smelter was commissioned near Ekaterinburg. A small miners’ village Medniy Rudnik (in future to become town of Verkhnyaya Pyshma) was rising around the production sites and later in Soviet period Uralelektromed refinery was built. In the long run, Uralelektromed turned into the core of forming UMMC Group. Now UMMC headquarters is located in the town of Verkhnyaya Pyshma.
After considerable decline and devastation during the Russian Revolution and Civil War, copper industry in the Urals was rebuilt almost from scratch with western technical assistance, mostly American and German.
Besides Uralelektromed Refinery (commissioned in 1934), a great number of mines, concentrators and smelters were constructed: Krasnouralskiy smelter (1931), Mednogorskiy smelter (1939), Sredneuralskiy smelter (1942), Gaiskiy mine and concentrator (1959), Uchalinskiy mine and concentrator (1961).
These enterprises together with other ones formed the Soviet industrial trust Uralmed, which mined and produced the bulk of Soviet copper.
After the collapse of the USSR, the existing copper enterprises were reorganized into joint stock companies.
Cooperation of two of them – Uralelektromed and Gayskiy GOK laid the foundation of Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company (UMMC) from 1995.
The UMMC was officially established in October 1999 and has gradually been consolidating the largest part of existing copper enterprises in the Urals and other regions of Russia.
In the process of copper downstream integration, UMMC incorporated several brass mills, cable and machinery plants. Along with precious metals (gold and silver) produced in Uralelektromed Refinery the diversification of metal business added to UMMC structure zinc and steel mills.
Since 2006 UMMC has been managing the Russian second largest coal miner Kuzbassrazrezugol, which was fully incorporated in 2015.
In 2016, UMMC incorporated Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant (CZP) and became the largest producer of zinc in Russia. | <urn:uuid:b9d21971-964f-423b-bbe9-e28639f8c886> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://zinc.elem.ru/en/about/history/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500671.13/warc/CC-MAIN-20230208024856-20230208054856-00572.warc.gz | en | 0.953708 | 602 | 2.90625 | 3 |
How did birds come about? Dinosaurs, Archeopteryx, or therapods?
“First, it turned out that Archeopteryx was not at all alone,” writes in his book “The Birth of Complexity. Evolutionary biology today: unexpected discoveries and new questions”famous biologist, popularizer of science Alexander Markov. Paleontologists have discovered many species that are close to Archeopteryx, that is, with the characteristics of both dinosaurs and birds. These creatures were called enanciornis ("antibirds") to emphasize that they may not be directly related to the birds that exist today. "Ornithization, or" opticization ", followed many parallel paths, and it is not so easy to understand which of the" transitional forms "gave rise to modern birds," the author continues.
Scientists still doubt that Archeopteryx and its relatives (enanciornis) are the direct ancestors of modern birds. Although the former acquired a number of avian signs, no further "opticization" is observed behind it. But in large numbers, all kinds of heirs of carnivorous dinosaurs were found, which are close in features to enanciornis or some other bird-like animals.
Feathers did not immediately become an attribute of flight. The first feathers seem to have served for thermal insulation and resembled modern bird fluff. Later, they came in handy for attracting the opposite sex. And only then could they serve for planning from branch to branch, accelerating the run and, finally, flight.
Among other things, a few years ago, Chinese paleontologists dug up a giant bird-like dinosaur (called a gigantoraptor) that appears to be able to fly (given the length of its gliding feathers). The remains of the unearthed monster testified that it was 8 m long and 3.5 m high, but since, as scientists established, died in the 11th year of life, it could grow to a much larger size. Gigantoraptor lived in China in the Late Cretaceous period between 89, 3 and 65, 5 million years ago.
Alexander Markov: “As the Russian paleontologist E.N. Kurochkin, Archeopteryx today does not have a single “bird” trait that would not have been found in certain dinosaurs”.
Previously, these features included feathers, hooked processes on the ribs and a fork (fused clavicles). Meanwhile, many of the features that modern (fan-tailed) birds have, but are absent in dinosaurs, have not been found either in Archeopteryx or in its relatives.
“Archeopteryx and its relatives, the enanciornis, are undoubtedly descended from dinosaurs,” Markov continues. - However, according to E.N. Kurochkin, it was a dead-end branch that died out at the end of the Cretaceous period along with the dinosaurs and left no descendants."
Kurochkin believes that the ancestors of modern birds should be sought in more ancient times. It is likely that birds do not come from feathered dinosaurs or from Archeopteryx and Enanciornis, but from earlier reptiles - thecodonts, who lived in the Late Triassic. Moreover, it is possible that the thecodonts were the ancestors of both dinosaurs and birds. That is, it may well be that the birds did not descend directly from dinosaurs, as is commonly believed, but were their close relatives - a parallel branch descended from thecodonts. Perhaps the bird line, if it came from the thecodonts, was not initially successful and began to actively develop only after the dead-end, but dominant in that era, branch of Enanciornis died out. It was then that the birds occupied the vacant ecological niche.
The most suitable ancestor of birds among the Thecodonts today is an animal called Protoavis, which lived in the Late Triassic.Although the protoavis did not know how to fly at all and calmly moved on the ground, this animal showed the most important signs of birds, which are not found in Archeopteryx, Enanciornis, or other feathered lizards.
Despite this, most Western researchers do not share this point of view and still consider birds to be the direct descendants of enanciornis and similar animals. | <urn:uuid:48df6876-27ba-45a3-90e4-16bfa5251cff> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://scientific-opinion.com/12212216-how-did-birds-come-about | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764501555.34/warc/CC-MAIN-20230209081052-20230209111052-00652.warc.gz | en | 0.970973 | 918 | 3.84375 | 4 |
According to Statistics Canada, people with disabilities aged 25 to 64 are 59 per cent less likely to find employment than people without disabilities. Canadians with disabilities have worse employment and work-related outcomes and are more likely to live in poverty. Skills gaps, pay discrimination, and a lack of supports at many life stages further compound barriers for people with disabilities.
Over the last three years, CanAssist employment programs have helped more than 140 youth and young adults with disabilities find part-time work in the Greater Victoria Area. Participants have found jobs at various local employers, including Nature Bee, BC Parks, Everclean, UVic, and the Victoria District School Board.
Employment programs for teens, UVic students and other youth
TeenWork launched in 2009 to support youth with disabilities in making the difficult transition from school to work. Having little or no prior work experience, youth with disabilities were looking for jobs without necessary supports to find or retain employment. CanAssist saw an opportunity to work with both youth and local employers, using assistive technology where needed but focusing on job skills and coaching to create successful employment matches. CanWork launched in April 2020 to support UVic co-op students in finding work experience related to their degree.
AccessWork, CanAssist’s newest program, bridges the gap by supporting job seekers who are ineligible for many youth employment supports and who are not UVic students. The program follows the same pathway as TeenWork and CanWork, helping young adults with various education and work experience find work opportunities.
CanAssist’s employment programs focus on job skills and coaching, teaching participants how to build strong resumes, write cover letters, excel in interviews, strategize workplace supports, and learn communication, time management, and self-advocacy skills. They also provide access to certificate training, such as FoodSafe and First Aid, at no cost. Through the programs’ strengths-based, person-centered approach, participants are able to build confidence, achieve greater financial independence, gain optimism about the future, and find opportunities to realize their potential.
‘A support network of experts in your corner’
“The job coaches at CanAssist have helped [my son] overcome significant anxiety about the transition to adulthood and, as other parents with disabled children know, having a support network of experts in your corner makes all the difference in the world,” says Kira Antinuk, whose son is currently in the AccessWork program.
One recent participant found employment at Lifecycles Project Society after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Geography and Environmental Science from UVic. He joined AccessWork eager to develop practical experience in his field. Working with his Job Coach, he strengthened his resume and cover letter, practiced interview skills, and made connections with local sustainable agriculture initiatives.
CanAssist’s programs are open to individuals who self-identify as having a disability or mental health challenge. Participation does not require medical documentation. Over the years, participants have included people with learning disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder, mental health challenges, and physical disabilities.
By hiring participants, employers benefit from pre-screened applicants and can even access wage subsidies, thanks to funding from the Government of Canada’s Opportunities Fund. Employers can also work with CanAssist staff to co-create customized positions that satisfy business needs while playing to each participant’s strengths.
Employers who support CanAssist confirm that hiring participants has increased team cohesion and retention of entry-level positions. “The job market can be tough, both for employer and employee, and it’s really great to have a team of people committed to finding equal opportunity work for all […] I will happily continue to work with the program,” says employer Evan Holbein from Everclean Facility Services.
Despite real advantages of inclusive hiring, some employers are reluctant to hire employees with disabilities because of discriminatory beliefs and perceived costs. “We are in a labour shortage right now in Victoria, so it’s challenging to see employers hesitant to hire qualified applicants when there are people who want to work. The reality is that most accommodations are at no cost to an employer, and they often improve the workplace for employees who don’t have a disability,” says Emily Jackson, Employer and Community Engagement Developer at CanAssist.
Small and mid-sized employers, the primary creators of jobs, are in particular need of guidance and support to break down employment barriers. By collaborating with programs like AccessWork, employers can create inclusive and accessible work environments for employees and customers, and make the future of work more equitable for everyone. | <urn:uuid:fb88a9e8-ea20-4cd1-8b6d-d7e935b573d8> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.vicnews.com/marketplace/people-with-disabilities-still-face-barriers-to-finding-work-canassist-programs-aim-to-close-the-gap/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764501555.34/warc/CC-MAIN-20230209081052-20230209111052-00652.warc.gz | en | 0.959236 | 954 | 2.546875 | 3 |
A new bionic hand has been developed that may give amputees a soft, lightweight and potentially low-cost prosthetic with high dexterity, enabling them to do many of the same things as rigid neuroprosthetics.
Amputees with a team of engineers from MIT and Shanghai Jiao Tong University tested the prosthetic hand through a range of everyday activities – zipping a suitcase, pouring fluid from a carton and patting a cat.
They found people could performed these tasks just as well as, and in some cases better than, those with more rigid neuroprosthetics.
“The performance is already similar or superior to existing neuroprosthetics, which we’re excited about,” said Xuanhe Zhao, professor of mechanical engineering and of civil and environmental engineering at MIT.
Typically neuroprosthetics are highly articulated bionic limbs that are engineered to sense a person’s residual muscle signals and act on that to robotically mimic their intended motions.
However, these high-tech prosthetics can run into tens of thousands of dollars and being built with metal skeletons and electrical motors, they are heavy and rigid.
This new bionic hand is made from EcoFlex, a commercial elastomer that is soft and stretchy.
The material has been likened to the soft, inflatable robot known as Baymax, which resembled a high-tech Michelin Man, and featured in the Disney movie Big Hero Six.
Soft robotic hand
This new prosthetic hand has two elements – the physical hand movement and a system for tactile feedback – to achieve a human limb-like experience.
While the rigid neuroprosthetics allow amputees to regain a certain amount of movement and activities, they do have certain significant drawbacks – they lack the compliance and tactile feedback of human hands.
This development offers people the prospect that they may be able to technologically regain touch sensitivity akin to human skin.
The prosthetic hand has five ‘fingers’ embedded with segments of fibre that mimic the hand bones and are connected to a 3D-printed ‘palm’ shaped like a human hand.
In place of mounted electrical motors, the hand uses a pneumatic system that inflates the fingers and bends them in specific positions connected to a small pump worn on the body of the amputee.
A computer model links a finger’s desired position to the amount of pressure the pump needs to apply to move the fingers.
It can make several different positions to recreate common grasps, such as pinching two and three fingers together, making a balled-up fist and cupping the palm.
“We now have four grasp types and there can be more,” Zhao said.
The feedback loop
To get as close as possible to the way a human hand functions, the team wanted to develop a system of tactile feedback – something that’s not possible in most commercial neuroprosthetic limbs.
To do this, the fingertips were fitted with sensors that can measure touch pressure and are wired to a point on the person’s residual forearm muscles to register or ‘feel’ fingertip pressure.
And it seems the engineered hand maybe even be better than the human one.
The team designed and had two individuals with transradial amputations carry out a set of standardised tests.
It revealed that the soft neuroprosthetic hand outperformed a conventional rigid neuroprosthetic hand in speed and dexterity.
It indicates that someone with a neuroprosthetic hand can regain primitive touch sensation and real-time closed-loop control.
But there’s more to be done.
Zhao noted the design can be improved “with better decoding technology, higher-density myoelectric arrays and a more compact pump that could be worn on the wrist”.
"We also want to customise the design for mass production, so we can translate soft robotic technology to benefit society,” he added. | <urn:uuid:76062bea-ff84-446a-b4ce-0b0d7e739439> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://ia.acs.org.au/article/2021/the-bionic-hand-that-could-help-amputees-feel-again.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764494826.88/warc/CC-MAIN-20230126210844-20230127000844-00773.warc.gz | en | 0.944696 | 825 | 2.765625 | 3 |
A probe flying through deep space has been beaming back amazing photos and information about its target comet since arriving at the cosmic body in August.
After a 10-year trek through the solar system, the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft has made some amazing discoveries about Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. From its color to its shape, mission controllers have been surprised by Rosetta's seemingly odd target.
"I feel that this is really a historic moment in science," Holger Sierks, one of the principle investigators for an instrument on the mission, said on in a Sept. 15 press conference. "It's unprecedented … It's a quantum step in cometary science." [See amazing Rosetta mission photos]
And more weird findings could be on the horizon. Rosetta could help scientists probe the origins of life in the solar system or even uncover some of the long-standing mysteries surrounding how a comet works as it flies near the sun.
Here are five strange facts about Rosetta's target, Comet 67P/C-G:
It's going to be harpooned
Rosetta has been traveling through space with another spacecraft, the Philae lander. Philae is designed to fly down to the comet's surface and study it in tandem with Rosetta. Because of the comet's incredibly low gravity, engineers had to be somewhat creative in coming up with a way to land the probe safely on the celestial body.
When Philae reaches the surface of the comet, the lander will harpoon itself into place to keep it from ricocheting back off into space.
It may hold secrets on the origins of life
Comets are balls of ice and dirt left over after the dawn of the solar system, and some scientists think that they hold a key to understanding how the planets formed and why they are so diverse. By studying Comet 67P/C-G, researchers think they might start to learn more about how comets formed in the early days of the solar system millions of years ago.
The organic material of comets could have contributed to Earth's water and even the beginning of life on the planet.
"We desperately need to know the composition [of comets] because in that composition we might have an idea of what is really specific to what will lead to life," Jean-Pierre Bibring, lead lander scientist for the mission, said during the news conference. "Of course the next question will be: Is that specific to the way our solar system evolved or is it a truly generic process in the universe?"
Comets also might be responsible for delivering most of the water on Earth to the planet when it was forming. "The question of whether or not we're alone in the universe is really directly connected to what we're looking for here," Bibring added.
It's "dry like hell"
Some of the first data collected by Rosetta once it was near the comet shows that Comet 67P/C-G is incredibly dry. Scientists expected to see patches of ice on the comet's surface because it is currently flying so far from the sun, but they didn't find large patches of ice. Instead, the analysis showed that the comet is actually dark and dry.
"In our view, the surface is dry," Sierks said. "It's dry like hell, so there is no way to slip on the surface."
Researchers expect that as the comet gets closer to the sun, it will become more active as its particles react to the heat of the star.
It's darker than charcoal
More early data sent back by Rosetta shows that the comet is actually incredibly dark in certain wavelengths of light. Comet 67P/C-G is darker than charcoal in ultraviolet wavelengths, according to the new research.
"We're a bit surprised at just how unreflective the comet's surface is and how little evidence of exposed water-ice it shows," Alan Stern, Alice principal investigator at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, said in a statement.
It looks like a duck
Comet 67P/C-G doesn't look like anything scientists expected to find. Instead of finding a round icy body, Rosetta was greeted by an odd, "rubber ducky"-shaped comet. The comet appears to have two lobes: a "head" and a larger "body" connected by a relatively thin neck. Philae's landing site is located at Site J, a sunny but rocky location on the head of the comet.
But Comet 67P/C-G may not have always looked that way.
"It's certainly not born in the shape we see it today," Sierks said during the news conference. "It might even be a fragment of a far larger comet, so this comet is not a typical-sized comet. So, it might be just a fragment that then evolved to the shape we see it [in] today." | <urn:uuid:6375ada6-4079-482d-b1ae-eebc9ea18ad6> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.space.com/27157-rosetta-comet-67p-strange-facts.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499470.19/warc/CC-MAIN-20230128023233-20230128053233-00853.warc.gz | en | 0.961925 | 1,015 | 3.71875 | 4 |
1 year ago
Verified Sherpa Tutor
If a liquid has a definite volume, what this would mean is that you can't squash (compress) it at all. At KS3 and GCSE you'll be taught that you cannot compress liquids, so the the short answer to your question is yes, liquids have a definite volume :0).
Interested in booking a 1-1 lesson with me?Click here to view my profile and send me a message.
We have thousands of qualified teachers who are able to provide top quality lessons online. Find your tutor and set up your free introduction today!Find a Chemistry Tutor | <urn:uuid:e0b5f7fd-589f-467d-ac4f-909e75e1dad0> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://sherpa-online.com/forum/thread/chemistry/ks3/classifying-materials/do-liquids-have-a-definite-volume | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499713.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20230129112153-20230129142153-00053.warc.gz | en | 0.925541 | 156 | 2.609375 | 3 |
Creating a Corporate Budget
There are essentially two types of approach to setting a budget:
In truth, most well-constructed budgets will contain elements of each approach, with the historical basis being the most common and useful for an existing enterprise.The Historically Based ApproachIn this method, we project future revenues and costs on the pattern of recent years’ trading. Thus, we will look back and see the pattern of the revenues and costs by week or month and determine, with appropriate inputs from business leaders, the
expected outrun for the equivalent future period.
- A historically-based approach
- A zero-based approach
The Zero-Based Approach (ZBB)
As its name suggests, this approach starts from a position of no costs and no revenues and each element of the budget is justified and challenged.
Each approach has its virtues, but ZBB can be more resource intensive and time consuming although it can create the most well-founded financial budgets as everything is considered and challenged.
A well-run business will normally consider what it wants and needs to achieve over the next several years and create plans and projects with associated forecast costs needed in order to fulfil those aims. These decisions will be articulated in a Business
Plan and this should inform the annual budget and provide it with a structure from which to build.
Key Budget Elements
The key elements of a financial budget are:Types of Monetary Flows
- Credit Management and Cash Flow
There are three principal types of monetary flow, which apply to both revenues and costs:Fixed FlowsThese are flows that are known with reasonable certainty for the budget period and are usually related to a fixed, contractual arrangement. Examples would include revenue from maintenance contracts and costs of rent of premises. As these
are relatively well-known it is generally wise to use these as the first entries into your budget.Variable FlowsThese are flows that come generally as the result of business activity. Most sales, not included in fixed flows, would fall under this category. Costs of raw materials, related to the budget period, which generally scale with
the volume of production, also fall under this category. Projection of these flows will normally be based on their equivalents from the previous financial period where products or services exist in both periods.Variable flows will be based
on expected activity that has been planned by the business for the budget period. While a Finance function may be able to do reasonable projection of these flows based on previous activity, the various business functions will have to confirm and
amend the raw projections based on their current knowledge of the market and the assumptions that have gone into their business planning.One-off flowsAs their name suggests, these monetary flows are neither fixed nor variable, but come from expected transactions that, while they may be known in quantum and time are significant in scale and not likely to be repeated. Examples
would include the sale of capital plant and machinery or the freehold or lease on a business premises. Equally, a diminution in value of stock of goods held or an expenditure for new plant and machinery would qualify under this label.Creating the BudgetIn order to create our financial budget, we need to consider all costs and revenues that have occurred in recent years of trading. It will be necessary to list all sources of cost and revenue from prior trading and determine for each for its
flow-type, its likely quantum and its likely timing during our budget period. Beware when considering the timing of flows that costs might be brought forward, or revenues delayed due to changes in the external environment or due to changes
in the internal policies of the organisation. To do a budget that reflects the financial cycles of the business, one must be have intimate knowledge of the business and its component parts.Budgets need not be complex but the greater the detail in a budget the more likely it will be that one can identify which specific elements are drifting from the budgeted line. This will enable the company to take action to correct the negative
occurrences or exploit the positive.As the compiler of a budget, it is best if one requests information in similar format and detail (a template) from all business functions that are to submit budgets. This ensures that you have the right level of information to bring together and a
consistent basis to track the progress of the organisation through the budget period.All flows should be accounted for in the template that you provide to each contributor, as this will ensure that all items are captured, including those unexpected items in functional budgets that assumptions of content might miss – for example, revenue
in a function expected to be cost only or financing costs in a function that would not normally have them.Making the Budget a Business ToolA budget can be seen as primarily useful for tracking financial flows so that the company can see where its costs and revenues arise from and how they compare with expectations.In order to make the budgeting process useful to the company, those flows need to be turned from data to information. In order to achieve this, the principal tasks that need to be done are:1.
Apply the accounting policies of the organisation Applying accounting policies and practices to the flows creates a set of information that represents a measure of the position the company represents to
the outside world – its published financial records. With this viewpoint on the budget, the company can see where it is compared to what it may have told its shareholders and be prepared with suitable information when external reporting
time occurs.2. Consider the flows that affect cash and those that do notCashflow is extremely important to all businesses. If there is insufficient positive cash generation from the company’s operations
in any period of the budget, then short-term financing may be needed to ensure that it can continue to operate.
In order to project cash flow, the size and timing of financial flows need to be considered. Revenues may be booked but
most often these will not turn into cash immediately. In most normal operations both costs and revenues will likely be filtered through a set of terms for payment and this may delay the cost by months after it has been booked or incurred. Therefore, credit terms with suppliers and customers should be examined to get as accurate as possible a handle on when cash will likely enter and leave the business.
Where the budget projections show short falls in cash that exceed the
on-hand resources, the company will be able to plan to negotiate a credit facility with its bankers.
Conversely, where there is significant positive cash flow, the company can plan for the its use – perhaps by further investment in short
term marketing to further boost revenues or by using it to make financial investments that will provide a boost to profitability.3. Set triggers for the budget flowsSome variation in actual monthly flows versus projected flows is inevitable. What often helps in an organisation is some mechanism to determine which pieces of information to apply focus onto and which not. This is best done by setting some variation parameters to the individual flows. These parameters will normally be the percentage of the budgeted flow by which the actual out-turn varies by the month and cumulatively
for the number of months of the budget period under review. The percentages applied to force triggers will not be uniform across the flows.
In order to consider the size of variation that should force a trigger,
it is normal to consider the certainty of the flow and the type of flow. For example, an expected fixed cost might have a low variation percentage because it should be well known both in quantum and timing. This flow would be brought
to the company’s attention only if it did not behave within a few percentage points of its projection.
A variable flow on the on the hand might only trigger at a higher percentage variation as its timing and quantum are less certain.Triggers are normally best displayed visually in a budget – either by exception reporting (showing only those floes that are under or over projection in excess of the variation percentage) or by using a visual flagging system for exceptions with all
ConclusionBudgets are useful tools to enable a company to achieve its short-term goals. Properly constructed, a budget is a valuable business toll and not merely a financial exercise. A swath of management information can be gleaned from a properly
analysed budget by looking at expectations and trends enabling the business to take actions to exploit opportunities and mitigate negative occurrences. | <urn:uuid:da710e8e-d729-40c7-8e6d-ffa7e9f05817> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.businessballs.com/business-finance/creating-a-corporate-budget/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499713.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20230129112153-20230129142153-00053.warc.gz | en | 0.949951 | 1,719 | 2.65625 | 3 |
One hundred years ago today (April 14, 1912) at 11:40pm, RMS Titanic struck an iceberg approximately 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland. According to Philip R. Devlin (LedyardPatch), the ice that made up the berg was between 3,000 and 6,000 years old.
Of the approximately 2,200 passengers and crew aboard the Titanic, less than half survived. There were only 20 lifeboats aboard the White Star Line luxury ship, enough to carry half those onboard, but even these were not filled to capacity. When the liner Carpathia reached the disaster site the next day, it only transported 705 survivors to New York City, meaning approximately 1,500 tragically died.
The Titanic’s sinking prompted immediate action from countries that share the North Atlantic. By 1913, the U.S. Coast Guard formulated the International Ice Patrol (IIP), which is currently based out of USCG’s Research and Development Centre in New London Connecticut, approximately 375 nautical miles from where the Titanic sank. From beginning of February to the end of July (ice season), the IIP patrols the oceans surrounding the Grand Banks region of Newfoundland to monitor iceberg activity and send out daily reports and broadcasts to warn ships of impending danger.
“No vessel that has heeded the Ice Patrol’s published iceberg limit has collided with an iceberg,” reads the IIP’s homepage. The IIP’s success rate is credited to its collaboration with merchant ships, Canadian Coast Guard ships, aerial reconnaissance conducted by Provincial Aerospace Limited and the Canadian Ice Service, U.S. Coast Guard aircrafts and buoy systems and satellite data. (The Canadian Ice Service also monitors the waters during the off season). All data and information are entered into computer model at the IIP Operations Centre to be efficiently fed out to all marine traffic.
According to IIP’s predicted and actual data for 1900-2011, the average number of icebergs to pass below the 48°N parallel is 474/year with April and May generally being the most active months. The numbers vary quite widely from year to year. For example, in 2011 only three icebergs were sighted versus the 1,204 in 2009.
Since 1923, the IIP has annually dropped two to three memorial wreaths around the site where the Titanic sank. This year, over the next two days, the International Ice Patrol will drop ten wreaths to mark the 100-year anniversary of this forever remembered marine tragedy. | <urn:uuid:4da39b84-7e44-48fb-a50d-1184f03ff867> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.criminaljusticeschoolinfo.com/legal-justice-news/2012/04/u-s-coast-guards-international-ice-patrol-remembers-titanic-14412/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499713.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20230129112153-20230129142153-00053.warc.gz | en | 0.957557 | 525 | 3.8125 | 4 |
The Amendment Process and the African American Fight for Representation and Equality
Black History Month is a time our nation honors the integral role African Americans have played in the history of our nation. African Americans’ ongoing fight toward equality is rightfully counted among the most extraordinary struggles and triumphs in the history of the world. Despite horrific cruelty and impossible odds, African Americans over the centuries have sacrificed their lives, freedom and safety to demand their rights to liberty and dignity.
When other avenues—including the Supreme Court—failed the movement for black freedom and representation, the amendment process was critical to shaping the fight for racial equality. Indeed, it was the amendment process that created the legal basis to abolish slavery and assure equal political rights for black Americans. As the fight goes on to assert and realize the Constitutional promise of equal representation for all, we humbly honor and celebrate the lives lost in the ongoing battle toward equality for black Americans.
Amendments of Freedom
Amendments are the tool built into for our political system to enable American people to adapt the fundamental laws of our nation over time. The bloodiest battle in our nation’s history, the U.S. Civil War, was resolved by amendments—creating the legal foundation for the equal rights of African Americans. The 13th, 14th and 15h Amendments—collectively known as the Civil War amendments—abolished slavery, expanded citizenship to black Americans and ensured the right to vote cannot be denied based on race.
Shortly before the Civil War, slavery had been upheld as Constitutional by the highest court in the land. The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in Dred Scott v. Sandford that black people could not become American citizens and upheld the legality of slavery. This ruling helped trigger the start of the war. Following the war, so-called “Radical Republicans” in Congress introduced a series of laws and constitutional amendments to try to secure civil and political rights for black people.
Days after General Lee surrendered in 1865, black abolitionist Frederick Douglass spoke before the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. Douglass said: “If the Negro knows enough to pay taxes to support government, he knows enough to vote; taxation and representation should go together. If he knows enough to shoulder a musket and fight for the flag for the government, he knows enough to vote…What I ask for the Negro is not benevolence, not pity, not sympathy, but simply justice.”
The 13th Amendment, ratified later in 1865, began to undo the Dred Scott ruling by banning slavery. In 1868, the 14th Amendment extended citizenship to black Americans and established legal protections for all citizens.
But black men still weren’t guaranteed the right to vote. The battle over the 15th Amendment was complex. Although former Confederate states were required by law to include black male suffrage in their new state constitutions, Northern states were not supportive of black men’s right to vote.
“While Congress debated the 15th Amendment early in 1869, 150 black men from 17 states assembled for a convention in Washington, D.C.,” writes the Constitutional Rights Foundation. “This was the first national meeting of black Americans in the history of the United States. Frederick Douglass was elected president of the convention. The delegates praised the Republicans in Congress for passing the reconstruction laws and congratulated General Grant on his election to the White House. They also pledged their continued support of the Republican Party. Those attending the convention also spent time meeting with members of Congress, encouraging them to pass a strong amendment guaranteeing black male suffrage nationwide. When the meeting adjourned, the delegates were confident that a new era of democracy for the black man was about to begin.”
Amendment for Equal Representation
Despite winning their freedom during and following the Civil War, African Americans were subjected to serious ongoing discrimination. The poll tax was used through the early 1960s to disenfranchise minority and low-income voters. In the 1930s, voters challenged the poll tax in the courts when Nolan Breedlove, a white man, refused to pay the tax and sued the state of Georgia. In 1937, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Breedlove v. Suttles that enacting a poll tax was a state’s right.
The Civil Rights Movement, led by MLK Jr., Rosa Parks, Asa Philip Randolph, John Lewis and other civil rights heroes, spurred great social and legislative changes to expand rights for African Americans. One major accomplishment that came out of the movement was the 24th Amendment, abolishing the poll tax. Ratified in 1964, the 24th Amendment overturned the Breedlove decision.
America’s story is one in which the people have come together to use the amendment process to realize ever-increasing expansions to our notions of equality and representation. Each February, we aim to honor one of the most important and influential of those battles—African Americans’ fight toward freedom and equality under the law. | <urn:uuid:36b68d75-0ed9-48c2-98f1-5157f638689a> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://americanpromise.net/2019/02/the_amendment_process_and_the_african_american_fight_for_representation_and_equality/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499826.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20230130165437-20230130195437-00133.warc.gz | en | 0.963009 | 1,018 | 4.4375 | 4 |
Potentially harmful traces of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals”, have been found in several makeup products sold in the U.S. and Canada, according to a new study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology Letters. In the study, the researchers tested 231 makeup products, including lipsticks, foundations and mascaras, and found some of the products to contain significant levels of PFAS.
In the initial tests, researchers found high levels of fluorine in most waterproof mascaras and liquid lipsticks. Fluorine can indicate the presence of PFAS, so some of the products with high levels of fluorine underwent further tests and were all found to contain at least four potentially harmful PFAS. Of more concern is the fact that none of the products confirmed to contain PFAS had these chemicals listed on the labels.
Of the 231 products tested in the study, at least three-quarters of waterproof mascaras, two-thirds of foundations and over half of eye and lip products had high amounts of fluorine. All 29 products that were tested for PFAS after showing high amounts of fluorine turned out to contain at least four specific, highly concerning PFAS. Some of these “forever chemicals” can break down further, creating highly persistent and environmentally harmful PFAS.
“Lipstick wearers may inadvertently eat several pounds of lipstick in their lifetimes,” said Graham Peaslee, senior author of the study and physics professor at the University of Notre Dame. “But unlike food, chemicals in lipstick and other makeup and personal care products are almost entirely unregulated in the U.S. and Canada. As a result, millions of people are unknowingly wearing PFAS and other harmful chemicals on their faces and bodies daily.”
PFAS are associated with a wide range of ailments, including cancer, and may even cause severe COVID-19 complications. Besides their threat to human health, they are also environmentally risky. Almost all PFAS are extremely persistent in the environment. In the long-run, such chemicals find their way into drinking water.
Arlene Blum, study co-author and executive director of the Green Science Policy Institute, said that PFAS should not be used in makeup or skincare products due to their possibly high toxicity.
“PFAS are not necessary for makeup. Given their large potential for harm, I believe they should not be used in any personal care products,” Blum said. “It’s past time to get the entire class of PFAS out of cosmetics and keep these harmful chemicals out of our bodies.”
Image via Pixabay | <urn:uuid:adaed109-6c50-40b3-af5a-75b010d07cd1> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://inhabitat.com/potentially-harmful-pfas-found-in-makeup-products-sold-in-north-america/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499826.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20230130165437-20230130195437-00133.warc.gz | en | 0.966863 | 563 | 2.84375 | 3 |
The Causal Argument
Choose your event, trend, situation, or phenomenon
Search initial sources to narrow/focus your topic
Find THREE different kinds of credible sources that:
Explain why something happens/happened the way it does/did
Explain why it is important to understand the explanation(s) for this 'effect'.
Save & Cite your articles
The Rhetorical Analysis
From the speech you chose, you'll use library resources to complete your analysis in the paper
This guided worksheet will help you with your research. Remember to save your work!
|Gale Topic Finder| | <urn:uuid:b12d4a30-a64e-4e45-96aa-b3f73b4929ac> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://pct.libguides.com/enl111/lamont-oberlin | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499826.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20230130165437-20230130195437-00133.warc.gz | en | 0.849069 | 144 | 3.3125 | 3 |
The City of Houston is preparing for significant impacts from Hurricane Harvey, currently a Category 4 and expected to make initial landfall between Matagorda Bay and Corpus Christi. The storm’s current track suggests it will drift back along the coast and make landfall again near Galveston around Tuesday.
Impacts to the City of Houston are expected to mostly be significant rainfall. The National Weather Service forecast currently indicates that Houston will see close to 20 inches of rainfall over the weekend and into early next week. This is likely to cause dangerous flooding throughout the entire Houston region.
Houston is under a:
- Tropical Storm Warning until further notice
- Storm Surge Watch until further notice
- Flash Flood Watch from 4am Friday to 7pm on Tuesday
- Tornado Watch until 2.00am Saturday
Steer Clear of Flood Prone Roadways
The City of Houston Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is urging residents and visitors to avoid Houston roadways as Hurricane Harvey impacts the area over the next several days. The Department of Public Works & Engineering and OEM have produced a map of roadway segments and underpasses that are especially prone to flooding. If residents are unable to suspend all travel during the duration of this storm, they should heed special caution around these locations.
All intersections and underpasses have the potential to be dangerous during periods of heavy and/or prolonged rainfall. If you see a barricade in your path, DO NOT drive around it or move it. Barricades are put in place explicitly to protect lives.
Make Preparations Now
- Ensuring you have enough supplies for 5-7 days, such as water, food, medications and emergency supplies. For a full list of what should be in your kit, visit houstonemergency.org/harvey.
- Identify your risk of flooding. For a map of floodplains in Harris County, visit harriscountyfemt.org. Remember, any portion of Houston is subject to flooding, so residents should be prepared whether or not they live in a flood plain.
- Residents should plan to park their vehicles out of streets, especially those prone to flooding.
- Please secure anything that can be picked up by the wind and thrown about. Remember, any debris the comes loose could potentially block storm drains.
- Residents who own generators should ensure they are in good working order and have enough fuel safely stored. CenterPoint Energy has safety tips available for the use of generators.
What is the City Doing?
The City is preparing emergency response resources to be able to meet the public safety needs of residents during the storm.
- The Houston Fire Department is preparing evacuation boats and swift water rescue assets ahead of the arrival of the storm.
- The Houston Police Department and Public Works and Engineering Department (PWE) is preparing high water rescue vehicles to be used in the event they become necessary.
- The General Services Department, Department of Neighborhoods, and PWE are preparing to conduct rapid damage assessment following impacts from this storm.
- The Office of Emergency Management is coordinating the City’s disaster response with neighboring jurisdictions, the State of Texas and federal agencies, as necessary. In addition, OEM activated the City’s Emergency Operations Center at 7:00am this morning in support of anticipated emergency actions.
In anticipation of the arrival of the Hurricane, some City events and facilities have preemptively closed or canceled:
The Bureau of Animal Regulations & Care (BARC) closed to the public on Friday at 3.00pm. BARC will remain closed on Saturday and Sunday.
The Houston Parks & Recreation Department (HPARD) has reported the following closures:
- Lake Houston Wilderness Park will be closed Friday, August 25, through Sunday, August 27. Park visitors with reservations will receive a full refund.
- All Community Centers, Golf Courses, and park facilities will be closed on Saturday and Sunday. A city-wide rain-out has been called for all adult sports league play.
- The McGovern Centennial Gardens, Hermann Park Railroad, pedal boats, gift shop, Pinewood Cafe, and Lake Plaza restrooms will be closed Friday through Sunday. The decision about reopening Monday will be made as the weather event continues.
- The Houston Museum of Natural Science closed earlier this afternoon and will remain closed until further notice.
- The Houston Zoo will be closed Friday through Sunday. The decision on reopening Monday will be made as the weather event continues.
- The Japanese Garden at Hermann Park will close Saturday and Sunday.
The Theatre District Open House scheduled for Sunday has also been canceled.
The Houston Airport System (HAS) reminds residents who are planning travel by air over the weekend to check with their carriers about possible cancellations. HAS is currently operational. HAS coordinates with both the Federal Aviation Administration and air carriers, who take the lead in determining, if and when, flights are cancelled. Decisions are made as conditions warranted. For a list of carriers and contact information, visit fly2houston.com.
At this time, the American Red Cross has not opened any emergency shelters. If and when they become necessary, they will be posted to redcross.org. Additionally, residents who may need Red Cross Assistance can call 1-800-733-2767 (1-800-RED-CROSS).
Health Tips After Exposure to Floodwater
The Houston Health Department reminds residents to:
- Practice good hygiene, such as handwashing after any contact with floodwaters. Wash children’s hands frequently, especially before meals.
- Do not allow children to play in floodwater areas.
- Do not eat any food that was in contact with floodwater.
The City of Houston will continue to provide updates on Hurricane Harvey as they become available through AlertHouston. | <urn:uuid:c4205a11-d27d-45b0-b9bc-22e4888ed7e7> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://houstonemergency.org/alerthouston-hurricane-harvey-update-3/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499891.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20230131222253-20230201012253-00213.warc.gz | en | 0.946101 | 1,204 | 2.515625 | 3 |
While some insects are beneficial, others are an ever-present pest in the vegetable garden—but there’s no reason that they should get the better of you or your crops.
How to Beat Bugs in Your Garden
Beneficial insects, birds and amphibians can do a lot of the pest control work for you but sometimes you’ll still need to protect crops with barriers or other methods to foil those pesky pests.
In this short video, we explain how to enlist natural allies, plan defensive barriers and work strategically to prevent pests eating your hard-won harvests.
A healthy plant is less likely to fall victim to pests, so make sure your crops are as healthy as possible by following good growing practices.
Encourage Natural Allies Insect predators such as ladybugs, birds and toads can destroy pests before they become a problem. Plant flowers such as calendula and fennel to attract predatory insects into your garden. Make sure to grow a range of flowers so there is something blooming in every season. A handy selection of suitable flowers can be found in our Garden Planner.
Other ways to attract insects:
- Install bought or home-made insect hotels
- Leaves some areas of grass to grow a little longer
- Leave dead wood in corners of the garden as breeding areas for predatory beetles
- One or two clumps of nettles will also draw in beneficial bugs. Install a pond to provide a breeding place for frogs and toads, which will eat slugs and many insects. If you only have space for a small pond, try sinking a watertight container into the ground.
Water is also vital for birds, including insect-eaters. Include trees, shrubs and hedges to your garden to provide nesting sites and food for birds.
Install Barriers Physical barriers such as netting or insect mesh will keep flying pests such as aphids away from your crops. Set them into position before an attack is likely.
Group together crops that require the same type of protection. For example, crops in the cabbage family, such as broccoli and kale, may be grown next to each other in the same bed and easily covered with a single piece of netting to exclude cabbage white butterflies from laying their eggs on the leaves.
You can add barriers such as row covers to a garden plan. Start by selecting Garden Objects in the Garden Planner selection bar, then scroll through to select what you need.
To know when to install barriers, you need to know which pests are heading your way. That’s where the Big Bug Hunt helps as an early-warning system. Please report any pests or beneficial insects in your garden to us at http://BigBugHunt.com
More Like This | <urn:uuid:b02ec8c0-e0a2-4c11-af0f-e3a871f26005> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.almanac.com/video/how-beat-bugs-your-garden | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499966.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20230209112510-20230209142510-00293.warc.gz | en | 0.945352 | 560 | 3.046875 | 3 |
Writing a research paper for college is often among the most difficult facets of student life. During high school and during college, you word counter online‘re required to always write a range of these sort of papers. Some examples of popular research paper subjects include: Case Studies, Comparative Analysis, and Event Studies. Additionally, you will be requested to analyze real or hypothetical situations involving a specific product or service.
Argumentative research papers frequently center on a single subject, which can be either causal or logical. Many of the best argumentative research papers use data, and at times even polls to support their own arguments. You could realize that you are required conta caratteri to conduct interviews too, although many colleges prefer to have this process done by a student rather. The subjects of such research papers have a tendency to be exceptionally detailed and offer lots of detail and supporting data.
Another of the debated research paper issues is relative investigation. You are going to be requested to examine and compare different examples or types of things so as to generate an overall point about your example or thing. For example, if you are writing up a newspaper about mobile phones, you might be requested to compare sales reports from two different models. Similarly, if you’re analyzing the affects of smoking on children’s asthma, you can compare youth asthma symptoms before and after smoking cessation. Such examples make people believe, and it’s usually easy to follow through with a sensible argument when your arguments and facts are backed up with evidence and statistics.
Ultimately, among the most common research question subjects is the use of significance in research studies. A fantastic research question ought to be both easy and straightforward. Ordinarily, a fantastic research question has one or two main ideas that are supported by study, and a number of weaker, but nevertheless important, concepts which support the main idea. Many men and women find it a lot easier to answer a research question by combining several weaker ideas into a larger idea, but others choose to research each theory by itself. Therefore, a number of the more popular study questions include (but are not limited to) whether there are connections between colors and learning, whether students learn faster when they are introduced to a new concept as part of the classes, and if learning with others can help enhance test scores.
There are numerous more contentious topics that might be used for great research paper issues. In case you’ve got a particular opinion about something, or about a problem that is of interest to you, it may be fun to research that topic yourself. For instance, in the event that you strongly believe that genetically modified crops are harmful to humans, or whether you’re worried about the substances used in agricultural farming, exploring that subject yourself might provide the proof you’re looking for that you need. Additionally, it may be a lot of fun to explore topics that are not necessarily contentious that might really be interesting to other students. In the end, most students don’t want to see a research paper that is just tangential about its principal subject – after all, most of the time, a study paper’s purpose is to help students better comprehend the subject of the study paper.
The majority of the topics listed above may be utilized to start writing research papers, although you might want to appear elsewhere for original ideas. Other topics that you may find interesting include: governmental issues, popular customs and beliefs, and even themes that you are enthused about (like traveling, rock climbing, and chess). Just ensure that your research question is intriguing and addresses your research topic ideas! And last but not least, keep in mind that it’s essential to be original when writing a research paper – the study question itself will find the topic started, but the research essay is where you are able to polish your ideas and discuss them in detail. | <urn:uuid:a74e517b-69b9-4793-b681-2e72dca28f7d> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | http://umtv.info/research-paper-topics-which-might-be-of-interest-to-you/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500044.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20230203091020-20230203121020-00373.warc.gz | en | 0.949037 | 783 | 2.625 | 3 |
A Look at the Fall Festivals
Rosh Hashanah marks both the beginning of the Jewish high holidays and the civil year on the Jewish calendar. It’s a good time to wish your Jewish friends leshana tova (happy New Year), to send greeting cards, and perhaps plant trees in Israel in their honor.
Although the high holidays lack the merriment of Purim, the gift giving of Hanukkah, and the joyous seders of Passover, they are still special and welcome holidays in the lives of Jewish people around the world.
They are a time of reflection and contemplation, when Jewish people confess their sins, hoping and praying that God Almighty will forgive them and inscribe their names in the book of life for yet another year. Religious Jewish people work diligently to perform mitzvot (good deeds) to find favor with God during the 10 days of repentance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
According to Jewish teaching, God sits in judgment of the world on Rosh Hashanah, inscribing the fates of individuals and nations for the coming year and sealing His decisions on Yom Kippur. He is thought to judge behavior only as it relates to the here and now—not to the hereafter.
Tradition teaches that God opens three books: one listing the righteous, one listing the wicked, and one listing those somewhere in between. Those in the first book are immediately inscribed for life; those in the second book, for death; and those in the third book are given 10 days to repent and perform enough good deeds to outweigh their bad deeds.
Tradition also teaches that God finished creating the world on Rosh Hashanah, 5,762 years ago. Hence, Tishri 1 (Sept. 18, 2001) initiates the Jewish year 5762. In Israel, Rosh Hashanah is celebrated for one day; Sukkot for seven; and Hoshanah Rabbah, Shiminei Atzeret, and Simchat Torah on the final day of Sukkot. But everywhere else, the following chart applies.
Fall 2001 Jewish Holiday Calendar
|Biblical Name||Modern Holiday||Hebrew Date||English Date|
|Feast of Trumpets (Lev. 23:23–25; Num. 29:1–6)||Rosh Hashanah (head of the year)||Tishri 1–2||Begins sundown Sept. 17|
|Ten Days of Repentance (Ten Days of Teshuvah, or Awe)||Tishri 1–10||Sundown Sept. 17 through Sept. 27|
|Day of Atonement (Lev. 16; 23: 26–32)||Yom Kippur||Tishri 10||Begins sundown Sept. 26|
|Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:33–43)||Sukkot||Tishri 15–22||Sundown Oct. 1 through Oct. 9|
|“In the last day, that great day of the feast” (Jn. 7:37)||Hoshanah Rabbah (the day of the great Hosanna||Tishri 21 (seventh day of Sukkot; biblical conclusion of the holiday)||Oct. 8|
|A holy convocation (Lev. 23:36)||Shiminei Atzeret||Tishri 22 (eighth and final day of Sukkot)||Begins sundown Oct. 8 (last night to eat in the sukkah)|
|Simchat Torah (rejoicing over the law)||Tishri 23 (the day after Sukkot)||Begins sundown Oct. 9|
|Feast of the Dedication (Jn. 10:22)||Hanukkah||Kislev 25—Tevet 2||Sundown Dec. 9 through Dec. 17| | <urn:uuid:a317bb02-33fc-45d1-8a8b-f80601d73415> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://israelmyglory.org/article/a-look-at-the-fall-festivals/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500044.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20230203091020-20230203121020-00373.warc.gz | en | 0.901528 | 828 | 3.1875 | 3 |
Recent reports by the World Health Organization state that human activity leading to climate change greatly affects the prevalence and spread of infectious diseases like the novel coronavirus that has thrown the world into a state of crisis.
As humans continue to degrade the planet’s natural processes and systems life as we know it at risk. Deforestation, limitless growth of agriculture and farming, mining, land development, urbanization, and exploitation of wild plants and animals have allowed for disease outbreaks like COVID-19. These activities bring humans into closer contact with each other and with wild animals, from which 70% of emerging human diseases come, according to a planetary health check published by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) in 2019.
Human-caused changes to the environment leading to disease outbreaks are not a new phenomenon. The Ebola outbreak corresponded with agricultural deforestation in West Africa which led to habitat loss for bats carrying the virus. SARS and COVID-19 were also carried by bats faced with habitat loss and climate change. The swine flu epidemic came about due to confined animal feeding operations. Rising global temperatures lead to more extreme weather events which are predicted to cause changes across the planet, including the intensity and frequency of infectious diseases. West Nile virus first appeared in North America after a period of heavy rainfall and high temperatures in 1999.
The health of people is irrevocably intertwined with that of wildlife, livestock, and the environment. Large areas of undisturbed natural habitats serve as natural protective buffers between humans and wildlife. Thriving ecosystems can help stop the spread of disease outbreaks, while disrupted ecosystems can make us more vulnerable to disease.
Leading experts warn that coronavirus is likely to be followed by even deadlier and more frequent pandemics if we do not immediately change the way we interact with the planet. Scientists are recommending that pandemic relief packages be used to bolster and defend environmental protection rather than be used to loosen climate regulations and support agriculture, airlines, and fossil-fuel-dependent energy sectors.
While humans are responsible for the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, there is a small window of opportunity as we address this pandemic to prevent future ones. Governments are recommended to take drastic and radical actions to put the planet over profits following this pandemic. Investment in both environmental protections and health services are crucial components of both preventing and being prepared for future pandemics. UN Secretary General António Guterres said that governments and countries must “build back better” after the pandemic using more ecological societal practices. As the UN climate chief, Inger Andersen, advised following the outbreak of COVID-19, “If we don’t take care of nature, we can’t take care of ourselves.’
Sources: The Guardian 04/27/20, 03/25/20, NPR WYFI 03/24/20, Greenpeace 04/10/20, World Health Organization 2003 | <urn:uuid:0ff50fd2-e575-434d-8f46-ca31c800257d> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://feminist.org/news/pandemic-will-be-first-of-many-if-climate-change-is-not-addressed-immediately/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500140.36/warc/CC-MAIN-20230204142302-20230204172302-00453.warc.gz | en | 0.932858 | 610 | 3.96875 | 4 |
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THE WHITE ROSE.
Na dressing-table in a bed-room of a beautiful house in Russell Square lay a white rose, prepared for the hair of Edith Warner, who was that evening going to a children's party. When Edith entered the room she said to her maid, 'Oh, Mary, how often I have told you white does not suit me? Why could you not buy me some coloured flower?' The maid answered that the florist had not many flowers, as it was the month of January; so her young lady began to dress.
Edith had not been long dressing when a servant came upstairs to say that the carriage was at the door and her father was waiting, so, hastily fastening the rose in her hair, Edith went to the party; where we will leave her, and pay a visit to one who was placed in very different circumstances.
In a miserable house in the neighbourhood of St. Giles's there was lying ill with fever a little girl, about the age of ten. She was now in the midst of poverty and wretchedness, but she had once enjoyed the pleasures of the country when her father, who was now dead, was a labourer on a farm. Her mother and brother stood at her bedside and watched the sick child with increasing anxiety. Annie, for that was the child's name, was very very ill, and her mind wandered. It was painful to hear how often her thoughts went back to her country life, to its flowers and fields, and specially to a favourite white rose-tree, a blossom from which she cried for in vain.
Her mother and brother watched long by Annie's bedside. After some time she fell
into a quiet sleep, and the mother sent her son Willie out for a walk, saying that he must go, or else he would be ill, as he had been attending his sister all that day, and several days before.
Willie obeyed, and walked along wishing he could satisfy Annie's craving for a white rose. He wandered along to St. James's Square, a carriage dashed past him and stopped at one of the houses. This carriage contained no other than Edith Warner. As she alighted, the rose, which had been hastily put in, fell from her hair. She passed into the house without noticing her loss, nor did the footman perceive it either. The carriage drove away as Willie came up, and he caught sight of the rose lying on the pavement; wondering to find the very flower he wished, he picked it up and carried it to his own home. During his absence a great change had come over his sister; the delirium had left her-but she was dying. When Willie opened the door she welcomed him with a sweet smile, and a look of intelligence came into her eyes which had not been there for days. Joy beamed in her face at the sight of the white rose, but she was too weak to express her pleasure except by signs. Her mother and brother watched the whole night, and when the morning was beginning to dawn, the dying child woke, and said, in such a low tone that she could scarcely be heard,—
'Then with all the saints in glory
Join to praise our Lord and King.'
She then cast a loving look on her mother and brother, and also on the white rose which lay in her hand, a sweet smile overspread her features, and her spirit was at rest.
We cannot tell of the sorrow of the mother and brother, but Willie's sorrow was somewhat soothed by the thought that his
THE HEDGE OF THORNS.
(Continued from p. 131.)
LEMENT,' said his father at breakfast, do you know that Tartar wouldn't attend to my whistle last night? He won't be ordered about by any one but his own master, it seems, so I was obliged to lock him out.'
he wouldn't like that. I can't think where he was off to; I never knew him stay away like that before.'
Well, you must see after him directly❘ you've done your breakfast; but I dare say he made himself comfortable enough in one of the out-houses."
"May I go now, father?'
I'll go too; may I?' said Harry, and the boys ran out together.
They searched about in the yard and sheds, and Clement whistled and called; but it seemed all in vain, Tartar was not to be found. Then they made inquiries in the village, but nothing had been seen of him.
Suppose he's been stolen? He's such a beauty!' said Clement proudly, but with a quiver in his voice.
Father would offer a reward, or put an advertisement in the paper, or do something,' returned Harry. But it is queer.'
Very, very queer,' was the rejoinder. 'My poor old Tartar!'
'We've not been down to the arbour,' said Harry, as they turned in at the gardengate; and though the suggestion did not seem to offer much hope, Clement caught at it as a last chance.
Yes, we must look everywhere; he may have lamed himself, and not be able to crawl home.'
'Perhaps he's been bitten by a rat; you know how they get up in the pipes; and Simpson says they are very ferocious. Only I hardly think they dare attack him, unless it was in his sleep.'
'Attack him! I should think not; he'd rat them, I promise you.' And Tartar's master laughed at the notion; but the laugh had not its usual merry ring.
Just then the boys came in sight of the tool-house.
Why, you never shut the door after all!' cried Harry in a tone of reproach.
Clement flushed up uneasily. His neglected duty had quite escaped his memory till that moment; and now it was Sunday, and he had his best clothes on: he could hardly set about straightening the place then.
It's not the door only,' he said crossly; I forgot the whole business together.' "You promised me; and see all these things left outside!' said Harry. Father will be very angry if he comes down here.'
'I'm very sorry,' apologised Clement. I know it's too bad of me, but I'd only time for my lessons before dinner: at least,' -he corrected himself, feeling he was not keeping to the exact truth, I lost the time somehow, and got thrown at the last. I quite meant to do it, thongh-I never intended to break my word: I thought I'd run on home before you and James, but it went altogether out of my head. But it's no good worrying now, it can't be helped.'
Father will be vexed; and fancy how Simpson will blow up!' persisted Harry, not disposed to make light of the matter.
early in the morning, before Simpson comes.'
'You'll go to sleep again after Ann has called you, as you did on Thursday,' Harry could not help saying, but he repented of the words the next instant in deep sorrow for his brother.
On the threshold of the tool-house Tartar lay, stretched stiff and cold; and Clement's cry of despair over his dead favourite was piteous to hear.
'Come, Clement! come, Clement!' said little Harry gently, after looking on for a while at the other's grief: 'you mustn't go on like this; it's dreadful to see you!'
Finding he was not attended to, if indeed he were heard at all, he ran to the house and fetched his father, telling him what had happened.
Mr. Harley raised Clement from the ground. Come, my boy,' he said, 'you
'It's my doing as much as yours,' said Harry, with prompt kindness. 'We both left the things about; we must have got down that packet by mistake with the seeds."
'But I agreed to clear away and to leave all right. You are very kind, Harry, but it's of no use; I know quite well it is all my doing, that it's all the fault of my horrid laziness. Oh! if I had only just run down here and locked the door, Tartar would be alive now.'
Mr. Harley said very little, the boy's own remorse was punishment enough; and the lesson it pointed out scarcely needed any
comment for the time.
(Concluded in our next.)
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE EAST.
BREAD UPON THE WATERS.
mustn't fret so much; let us try and find CAST thy bread upon the waters, and
out how it is: poor Tartar was in perfect health yesterday, I am sure.'
Clement roused himself to help at the examination. There was no wound anywhere. Mr. Harley looked round the toolhouse carefully, and exclaimed at once:
'Oh! it's plain enough! What can that stupid Simpson have been thinking of to leave this stuff about? He's been buying poison lately for the rats, I know; I've just picked this packet up from the floor.'
The boys looked at each other, and Clement turned white as a sheet. The truth flashed upon him in an instant; it was his own carelessness which had caused Tartar's death.
'It is not Simpson's fault, father,' he said in a husky voice; it is mine. Poor Tartar! and his tears dropped on the dog's lifeless body at his feet-it is your master who has killed you.'
thou shalt find it after many days.' (Eccles. xi. 1.)
Rice is the food most used in the East. In Egypt it is used even to this day. Every year, when the snows melt off the mountains, the river Nile rises up high and overflows its banks, and covers all the country round it with water. Rain is scarcely ever seen in Egypt, and it would be a desert but for the river that waters it. The people set down stakes, every man to mark out his own land, before the waters come. When the Nile has risen, and all the land is covered with water, they go out in little boats to sow their rice by casting it on the waters. The rice sinks in the mud below, and when these waters are gone they find that it has taken root and sprouted, and it grows up and gives them a harvest. Rice is the chief food in Egypt. This is 'Casting their bread upon the waters, and finding it after many days.' | <urn:uuid:e6c7cc5d-4978-401e-92f2-49e2206d8f1e> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://books.google.com.sg/books?id=6B0FAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA1-PA137&focus=viewport&vq=%22Prayer+is+the+Christian%27s+vital+breath,+The+Christian%27s+native+air+%3B+His+watchword+at+the%22&dq=editions:STANFORD36105063469923&lr=&output=html_text | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500288.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20230205193202-20230205223202-00533.warc.gz | en | 0.988346 | 2,232 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Makunda (also called n-khanda, m-khanda, longwa or nzo longo) is the initiation society used to transition male children into manhood. Yaka boys considered ready for initiation (called tundansi) are taken to a bush camp outside of the main village, circumcised, hazed, given new names, taught what it takes to become a man (hunting, sex) and also taught specific performances and dances associated with society and the community. During the circumcision dance performances (kinkanda), the initiates wear special masks while their teachers alone are permitted to wear the ritual masks of the makunda ceremonies.
One such initiate dance mask, worn by the leading initiate (mbala) and the first to appear during the final 'coming-out' ceremony, is the kambaandzya (also called kambaandzia in some sources and said to represent the tsetse gazelle). Following the completion of initiation rites, the young boys are led out of seclusion and back into the community. Before festivities can begin, the head teacher (kahyuudi or kayudi) commissions a carver (nkalaweeni or mvumbwa) to create a series of masks. The following masks are worn in succession during the final ceremony:
Once created, kambaandzya masks are worn on the evening of public festivities to welcome the initiates back to the community with a great village feast. Masqueraders perform for the community and receive gifts from bystanders. Following the end of the 'coming-out' ceremony the initiates, together with their masks, tour neighbouring villages.
At the end of all festivities, kambaandzya masks are returned to the sculptor who places them near a termite hill, later burning them thus signalling the completion of the groups initiation. | <urn:uuid:a8f18fde-1395-40c7-b316-959a7a3c6356> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.imodara.com/discover/dr-congo-yaka-makunda-initiation-mask-kambaandzya/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500368.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20230207004322-20230207034322-00613.warc.gz | en | 0.92271 | 392 | 2.75 | 3 |
Biologist says eels are more sophisticated than a simple shock and kill predator.
A Vanderbilt biologist says electric eels have been viewed as unsophisticated and primitive, but he thinks the creatures are more cunning than they appear to be, according to a report on upi.com.
Kenneth Catania said in a statement his latest research shows that electric eels use their energy charge in a number of ways, and not just for stunning their prey. When tackling a larger prey, like a large crayfish, the eel will curl its body around so its tail is nearer to its mouth. This maneuver brings the two poles of the eel’s charge closer together, and doubles the electric charge sent through the prey in its mouth.
The electric charge from the eel works on the nerves controlling the prey’s muscles, overworking them to exhaustion, and leaving the prey virtually helpless in only a matter of a few seconds.
“The prey animals are completely paralyzed. The effect is comparable to administering a dose of a paralytic agent like curare,” said Catania.
But shocking prey into submission is not the only use for the eel’s electric charge. Catania found that the eels use electricity to scout and track their prey through the murky waters of the Amazon. Making up for the poor eyesight, eels send pulses of electric charges, known as doublets or triplets, while hunting prey. These pulses strike potential meals and cause them to convulse in the water. Eels have sensors in their heads that sense the movement.
After detection of the prey, the eel sends out an high-voltage discharge that allows them to track their prey as it tries to avoid becoming dinner. Feedback to the eel shows the trajectory of the escaping prey and allows the eel to follow.
“One of the eel’s major problems is finding prey in the first place, Catania explained in a press release. “Their environment in the Amazon is filled with muddy water and all kinds of vegetation that give fish a lot of places to hide. So, as the eel glides along, it emits a doublet or triplet. If there is a fish hiding nearby, then its body will spasm and the spasm will generate pressure waves in the water. Although the electric eels can’t see very well, they are very good at detecting water movement. So this reveals the position of its next meal.”
Catania adds, “This dual use of the high-voltage system as both a weapon and a sensory system indicates that the eels’ hunting behavior is far more sophisticated than we have thought.”
Catania’s findings were published in the journal Current Biology. | <urn:uuid:8c1b15eb-882e-4674-a12a-cf90c2f2c1fa> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.morningticker.com/2015/10/electric-eels-surround-prey-to-double-the-shock-value/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500368.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20230207004322-20230207034322-00613.warc.gz | en | 0.952799 | 575 | 3.296875 | 3 |
It seems a good idea to set up a new topic as suggested.
There’s also the problem of logical contradiction in a sentence like ‘everything is impermanent’, because does that mean that impermanence is impermanent too?
It’s the same problem as saying “all sentences are false”; to avoid a contradiction one has to say “all sentences are false, except this one”.
I can’t remember the sutta right now, but the Buddha meets a non-Buddhist who holds a view something like “all is displeasing to me”, and the Buddha asks him if that view is displeasing to him as well (I’m paraphrasing, I couldn’t find the sutta through google).
My point being that the Buddha was able to spot a contradictory view when he met one. Also, logic was clearly a part of the culture at the time (as seen in the frequent “A”, “not A”, “A and ‘not A’”, and “not A and not not A” formulations).
So this also makes sense as the Buddha being careful to present his teachings in a logically consistent way.
I strongly suggest to branch off to another topic, no?
In other words, let’s get back to the topic of this thread?
I don’t know, maybe everything relevant has been said to the original topic. But the logical implications of anicca deserves its own treatment, allows others to join in as well, and doesn’t fragment the discussion here.
My point was that I am confused about what Ven. @sujato meant (below) about the use of dhamma rather than sankhara in the formula “sabbe dhammā anattā”. The early texts give examples of classes of things that are regarded as anattā. I can see that the formula “sabbe dhammā anattā” is a principle (dhamma in that sense). The texts assert, for every instance, x, of any khandha, that x is anatta. So the domain of things that are anatta is not restricted to instances of principles of the teachings as Ven. @sujato seems to be saying. Hence my confusion.
It seems that you are over-extending the meaning here.
Because dhammas are anatta does not mean that only dhammas in the sense pointed out by bhante are.
I.e. dhammas are not annica nor dukkha. Nor are they nibbana.
So, all is anatta, which is not true of annica / dukkha.
It might be useful to review the meanings of anicca and nicca.
As I understand it:
Anicca = impermanent, changing, conditioned, unreliable;
Nicca = permanent, unchanging, unconditioned, reliable - which would seem to apply to Nibbana.
I’m still not entirely clear about what is included in dhamma here - is it just the “natural laws” of Dhamma, including anicca?
Is it dhamma as opposed to sankhara, or is it dhamma as including sankhara (conditioned phenomena)?
I guess we’re getting stuck in doubt here .
So, I’m (again?) going back to anatta itself (and its scope).
Can you find anything that has a self? Could you say that any phenomena that is dukkha and annica can be a self or belong to a self?
If not, then, why take the meaning of “sabbe dhamma anatta” to only refer to natural laws (themselves), rather than anything / everything that is within / bound by those natural laws?
Sure, and as I think you observed, the khandhas (aggregates) are regularly described as subject to anatta in the suttas, suggesting that dhamma has a broad and inclusive scope here.
Continuing a thought of @Erik_ODonnell above, if Dhamma (including the law of anicca & anatta) is invariably true, then why not to see Dhamma as the self?
I assume because the Dhamma is universal and impersonal.
So it’s not personal - not me, and not mine.
Who says that atta has to be personal? In fact the ancient Indians argued that it was nothing but personal…
May be we should define what is self here.
In the buddha sasana (not)self refers to the bramanical atman at least.
I think it also refer to anything we associate with the 5 khandas that make up the view of self (sakkayaditthi).
In this case dhamma cannot be self, or can it?
Because it would be like taking the wave equation as a self, i.e. it’s not something that makes sense to take as a self.
Like, given the right assumptions 5+5 is invariably 10 but I wouldn’t take the principle of arithmetic to be my self because of that.
Yes, it’s good to be clear what anatta is negating in the suttas. IMO it is less to do with atta, and more to do with self-view.
It’s not the brahmanical atman actually. The suttas have a very narrow concept of what atman is, and then refute their own concept. See for example Brhadaranyaka Upanisad BU 2.5 which emphasizes that atman is radiant and immortal, the supreme principle (brahman), the Whole.
Or take BU 3.7.3-23
“This atman of yours who is present within but is different from the earth [water, fire, wind…], whom the earth does not know, whose body is the earth, and who controls the earth from within—he is the inner controller, the immortal.”
Doesn’t that sound like MN 1? Anyhow, there are many more passages which conceptualize atman outside of impermanence. Hence, the Buddhist suttas reject the Buddhist atman, not the brahmin one.
There is no logical contradiction if one understands that the truth of anicca is supposed to be a second order or meta-level statement.
But also, “all sankharas are anicca” is not a sankhara, one could say that it is a statement of Dhamma, which is not anicca, but stable.
Yes, and my point was that maybe the type of logical consistency you are describing here, was one of reasons why the Buddha phrased his teaching in this way.
I hope I didn’t come off as saying the Buddha’s teachings on impermanence are illogical? My point is that they are not, even though it would (perhaps) have been easy to speak imprecisely about impermanence and its consequences, the Buddha didn’t speak imprecisely. Which I think is cool
Do you think the goal of the Buddhist practice is to realize an atman? | <urn:uuid:c3b4027e-5332-4ba4-b8f6-34bcce3b3ab1> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/the-logical-implications-of-anicca/14056 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500719.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20230208060523-20230208090523-00693.warc.gz | en | 0.966183 | 1,579 | 2.765625 | 3 |
Recently I have been dwelling with a lot of NLP problems and jargons. The more I read about it the more I find it intriguing and beautiful of how we humans try to transfer this knowledge of a language to machines.
How much ever we try because of our laid back nature we try to use already existing knowledge or existing materials to be used to make machines understand a given language.
But machines as we know it can only understand digits or lets be more precise binary(0s and 1s). When I first laid my hands on NLP this was my first question, how does a machine understand that something is a word or sentence or a character.
I am still a learner in this field(and life ) but what I could understand information that we are going to use has to be converted into binary or some kind of a numerical representation for a machine to understand.
There are various ways to “encode” this information into numerical form and that is what is called word embeddings.
What are word embeddings?
Word embedding is the collective name for a set of language modeling and feature learning techniques in natural language processing (NLP) where words or phrases from the vocabulary are mapped to vectors of real numbers. Conceptually it involves a mathematical embedding from a space with many dimensions per word to a continuous vector space with a much lower dimension.
In short word embedding is a way to convert a textual information into numerical form so that it can help us analyse it.
Analysis like similarity between words or sentences, understand the context in which a phrase or word is being spoken etc.
How are they formed?
Lets try to convert a given sentence into a numerical form:
A quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
How do we convert the above sentence into a
numerical form such that our machine or even we can perform operations on it. And its hard to figure out the mathematics of language but we can always
So lets try, what we can do is, get all
unique words and
sort the words in the sentences and then makes a list of them. But then how do we get a numerical representation for it. It’s time for us to visit our long lost friend –
Let’s get the words in proper order i.e unique and sorted
Now we will try to convert these words into numerical form using some matrix concepts(mostly representation) so that we can make a word look different from another word.
If you see there are totally 10 words and so we took 10 blocks to represent it. In a more mathematical term each representation is called a vector and the dimension of this vector is 1 x 10. So each word in this universe can be represented by a vector of that dimension and we can now carry operations on it to get our desired result.
Few prominent operations are how similar are two vectors or how different are two vectors. We can dive into that later.
Now the method that we just followed is a very brute force way of doing this and is officially called as
**One**-**Hot Encoding** or
Why we do this?
Now the way we encoded above words can be really useless because it’s just a representation and it doesn’t have any other idea so we don’t know how two words are related or are they morphologically similar etc.
The prime reason we want to have encoding is to find similar words, gauge the context of the topics etc.
There are various other techniques which actually produce intelligent embeddings that has an idea about what is going on.
As Hunter puts it
When constructing a word embedding space, typically the goal is to capture some sort of relationship in that space, be it meaning, morphology, context, or some other kind of relationship
and a lot of other embeddings like Elmo, USE etc. does a good job at that.
As we go ahead and explore more embeddings you will see it goes on becoming more complex. There are layers of training models introduced etc.
We even have
sentence embeddings which are way different from just
This was just a tip of the iceberg or may be not even that but I thought it will be helpful for someone who is starting their exploration because it took time for me to get around this concept. Thanks a lot for reading.
Did you find this article valuable?
Support Farhaan Bukhsh by becoming a sponsor. Any amount is appreciated! | <urn:uuid:55c7237c-3fce-48f9-818e-ab9cd7f11cec> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://journal.farhaan.me/word-embeddings-simplified | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500719.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20230208060523-20230208090523-00693.warc.gz | en | 0.942335 | 952 | 3.3125 | 3 |
About this artwork
An established portrait painter in England, John Wollaston came to the American colonies to ply his trade in 1749. For the next three years, Wollaston worked in New York, executing numerous portraits for area sitters eager to acquire quality likenesses from a skilled, European-trained artist—a rarity in mid-18th-century America. Wollaston rendered his figures with convincing modeling and forms, excelling in the depiction of colorful draperies. In Portrait of a Woman, as in his other works of the time, the artist employed formulaic poses, gestures, and dress, a result, in part, of looking to English sources for portraiture, but also a means of meeting the many requests for commissions. Beginning in 1753, Wollaston painted in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and South Carolina.
- John Wollaston
- Portrait of a Woman
- United States (Artist's nationality)
- c. 1749–1752
- Oil on canvas
- Inscribed on stretcher, handwritten: "MRS. REBECCA BEEKMAN AFTERWARD THE WIFE OF GENERAL SPRY"
- 132.6 × 107.2 cm (52 3/16 × 42 3/16 in.)
- Goodman Fund | <urn:uuid:ec0e1b53-af96-46dc-bd77-71955aa1545d> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://nocache.www.artic.edu/artworks/79765/portrait-of-a-woman | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500719.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20230208060523-20230208090523-00693.warc.gz | en | 0.907583 | 345 | 2.84375 | 3 |
February 23, 2021 – An extreme winter storm followed by freezing temperatures, prolonged power outages, and water shortages has threatened the health of millions of Texans. Renee Salas, a Yerby Fellow at the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment (C-CHANGE) at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, discussed the health challenges posed by climate change and the complexities of responding to a disaster in the middle of a pandemic.
Can you talk about the intersection of climate change and health risks as you see them playing out with what’s happened in Texas?
To borrow a term from climate scientist Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, climate change is more than warming—it is also “global weirding.” We’re seeing more extremes of temperature, hotter hots and colder colds, and the intensification of extreme events. The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world. As it warms, climate scientists are increasingly concerned that this can have significant implications for the jet stream, and cold arctic air is being pushed into areas that are not prepared for these conditions. As a public health practitioner and emergency medicine doctor, that is very concerning.
If we look at Texas, in the short term, we think about the immediate implications from weather exposure—cold injuries such as hypothermia, for example, or carbon monoxide poisoning among people trying to creatively stay warm. But it’s really the cascade of failures that’s occurring that poses the larger burden. Power outages can prevent people with lung conditions such as asthma from plugging in a nebulizer machine or make it impossible for someone with diabetes to keep their insulin at the right temperature. Contaminated water and water shortages can lead to waterborne diseases or ingestion of other environmental toxins. And we know that access to care is disrupted during these types of events—whether it’s someone unable to get to an outpatient facility for dialysis or pick up their medications because the pharmacy is closed.
What are the challenges of responding to a storm like this in the middle of a pandemic?
In July, I co-authored a piece in the New England Journal of Medicine that highlighted four key ways in which climate change threatens our response to COVID-19, and I think all four of those ways have been exhibited in Texas.
First, we want to keep people socially distanced and at home to prevent the spread of the virus. But an extreme weather event like this has forced people to decide between staying at home where they might not be able to warm themselves and their family or going to a warming center where they can potentially contract COVID-19. That’s a horrible decision for a family to have to make. Second, we want to keep people in their state or region to prevent them from traveling and potentially carrying COVID-19 to other areas. But, as we have seen in Texas, people who have the means and ability to leave will.
The third challenge is that hospitals and health care systems were already stretched to the margins fighting COVID-19. Now they’re working in a situation where their ability to deliver care is disrupted through power outages, lack of water, possible workforce shortages, and overcrowded conditions. Lastly, climate change is contributing to and exacerbating the very diseases that put individuals at greater risk of COVID-19, such as heart and lung disease.
As we noted in the NEJM paper, we cannot achieve an optimal pandemic response without also addressing climate change.
What are some steps that you’d like to see taken to better understand how climate change is impacting health and health care delivery?
Broadly speaking, we need a multidisciplinary approach that makes health and health equity central to all policy decisions. A key piece to achieve this goal is research and surveillance that allows us to build an evidence-based path forward. We can’t optimally prepare for what we don’t fully understand. For example, we could develop a national surveillance system for climate-related health exposures and health care delivery disruptions, ideally one that operates in real time. By building this infrastructure, we can start to better understand the cascading failures, how these crises converge, and what populations and communities are most impacted. This will, in turn, allow us to target adaptation and resiliency actions for the communities that are most harmed. | <urn:uuid:8a669a13-bfe8-4247-a611-69a635296d0b> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/texas-storm-offers-glimpse-of-how-climate-change-threatens-public-health/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500719.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20230208060523-20230208090523-00693.warc.gz | en | 0.964082 | 906 | 3.15625 | 3 |
Email ID Not Available
M.A., NET qualified (English), H.No. 1001, Sector-1, Rohtak-124001 (Haryana)
Volume - 4,
Issue - 2,
Year - 2013
Arundhati Roy is a commended post-colonial Indian novelist to have bagged the Booker prize for her decisive work The God of Small Things, which was published in 1997. Roy as one of the prominent contemporary women writers in India takes us inside the consciousness of her modern educated middle class women characters to present their plight, fears, dilemmas, contradictions and ambitions. Caught between patriarchy and tradition on the one hand, and self-expression, individuality independence on the other, her protagonists feel lost and confused and explore ways to fulfill themselves as a human beings. She delineates her women characters in the light of their hopes, fears, aspirations and frustrations.
Arundhati Roy in her debut novel, The God of Small Things, enacts the eternal drama of confrontation between the powerful and the powerless. The novel deals with class antagonism and class exploitation, the tyranny and injustice that the untouchable have to suffer, the oppression and exploitation of women in a male dominated society and above all, the neglect and humiliation that the dalit and the defenseless have to pass through in class-ridden society. Roy, in one of her interviews proclaims, “It is about trying to make the connections between the smallest of things and the biggest of things and to see how they fit together” (Jahan 166). The psychological, economic and social problems that play a major role in the novel, devastate men and women alike. The author has desisted from making a woman’s powerlessness the central crises. Both men and women are projected as a victim or a tyrant. It must be admitted that a woman’s loss of power is treated very sympathetically and yet, there is no obsession with woman’s ineffectual condition in society. It is very interesting to note that in the text Roy has carried out covertly emasculation of men by women and also emasculation of women but not in the conventional derogatory sense. Her women learn to think and act independently and take on the role of the protector but in the process do not sacrifice their feminine qualities.
Cite this article:
Seema Malik. Social Perspectives in Arundhati’s Roy’s The God of Small Things. Research J. Humanities and Social Sciences. 4(2): April-June, 2013, 196-200.
Seema Malik. Social Perspectives in Arundhati’s Roy’s The God of Small Things. Research J. Humanities and Social Sciences. 4(2): April-June, 2013, 196-200. Available on: https://www.rjhssonline.com/AbstractView.aspx?PID=2013-4-2-15 | <urn:uuid:a21322c8-136b-4146-882c-e8fae1273bac> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.rjhssonline.com/AbstractView.aspx?PID=2013-4-2-15 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500719.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20230208060523-20230208090523-00693.warc.gz | en | 0.92786 | 670 | 2.5625 | 3 |
The main purpose of the script is to compare maximum land surface temperature (LST) of a primary selected time period with one or multiple additional time periods. The result tells us if maximum LST was higher in primary or in any of the additional time periods. For every time period, an individual data source should be selected (primary or additional).
Climate change has an impact on extreme heat waves and record high temperatures, making them more frequent. For example, summer of 2022 brought record high temperatures in Europe. One can compare maximum LST for summer months of 2022 in relation to previous years for the period of the same months. In addition, maximum LST of two specific images can also be compared.
The script is a simplified version of the Land Surface Temperature Mapping Script calculating only maximum LST for a selected time period or land surface temperature for a specific satellite image. Average and standard deviation LST are not included, as they have a problem of detecting cloud coverage into the calculation. In order to enable comparison of LST, the functionality of adding multiple data sources was used.
How exactly LST is calculated is explained in the Land Surface Temperature Mapping Script , which is based on multiple scientific articles [2,3,4]. Calculation is done on the basis of bands 4, 5 and 10. If the user chooses so, it can be also calculated on the basis of band 11 for Landsat 8 L1. Preselected coefficients and indices are used (surface roughness, NDVI, etc.). Nevertheless, user can adjust that according to the scene.
In this script, maximum LST is calculated for at least two instances of Landsat L8 data sources. The color of the output tells us if (maximum) LST was higher in primary (red) or additional data source(s) (blue). For each color a gradient is used in order to have visible areas with higher and lower LST.
The script is globally applicable. As the analysis is multi-temporal, it should be somewhat resilient to clouds, when there is s significant number of images with no cloud coverage.
LST calculation is based on preselected coefficients and indices, which are approximate in land type detection (bare soil, water, etc.). This then affects calculation of LST.
When comparing data sources with non-significant LST temperature differences, result on which data source for specific time period had higher maximum LST can be mixed. This could be because of already mentioned approximate land type detection. In addition, there could be also other reasons. Usage of this script is limited by how many images are actually available and in which part of the day satellite recorded the image. This means short heat wave could be easily missed, image was not recorded at the hour of the peak for specific day or it was recorded right after a short storm which cooled down surface. This was not tested, but probably fires and snow coverage affect the result as well.
Also if in selected time period there are only images with cloud cover, script is not applicable.
Script should easily work with 2 data sources and for both selected timespan of 1 year. User can also add as many additional data source as they want. However, we it was not tested what is the limit of OE Browser.
Even with mentioned limitations script can be used at least for fast comparison of (maximum) LST between selected periods as a basis for further detailed analysis.
In EO Browser, the user must select Landsat 8-9 source, preferably L1, but also L2 can be used. At least one additional data source must be added for Landsat 8-9. For all data sources, a desired time period is selected, to compare maximum LST. Alternately, users can also compare specific images (non multitemporal) or even a mix of both - LST from a single image with the maximum LST for a specific time period.
The user then configures settings in the script. Below is an example of primary and one additional data source.
var dataSourcesNames = ["LOTL1", "LOTL1-1"];
Primary data source should be element “0” of the above list!
The next option is band selection for calculation of LST. B10 is usually used:
var band = "B10";
However for Landsat 8 L1, B11 could be used as well.
The last setting is the expected minimum and maximum temperature of the scene. For example, if analysis would be for summer months, settings could be:
var minC = 0; var maxC = 60;
This affects the color generation for the output.
Optionally, user can also adjust coefficients and indices (NDVI, emissivity, etc.).
The script loops through all the available samples for each data source. It includes some filtering for invalid data (bands values limits, data mask of the source). LST is calculated for each sample. In each iteration it checks if current LST is higher than the maximum LST from the previous part of the loop. If so, this becimes the new maximum LST. At the end of the samples loop, the maximum LST values for each data source are saved to an array. If maximum LST is in the primary data source, maximum LST of the primary data source will be shown in the output as a red gradient. Otherwise, if the maximum LST is equal or lower in an additional data source(s), the output will be the maximum LST of the additional data source in blue gradient. If there are multiple additional data sources, it can’t be known from the image which additional data source (data period) has the maximum LST.
Landsat 8-9 L1, July 2013-2022
The highest temperature was observed at Heathrow Airport on 19.7.2022. On the basis of this information, the maximum LST can be compared for the July 2022 (primary data source) with the maximum LST in July for previous years.
EO Browser settings:
Input parameters of the script:
var dataSourcesNames = ["LOTL1", "LOTL1-1"]; var band = "B10"; var minC = 0; var maxC = 60;
Generally, it is expected that the output would be a red gradient, which would mean that the maximum LST was in 2022. However, as there were also other heat waves present from 2013 till 2020, that is not always the case. In addition, as explained in the limitations chapter of the script, the preselected coefficients and not-available satellite images at the peak can also affect the result.
Comparing with an additional data source for July:
From the analysis above, it could be said that just looking at the comparison of maximum LST, July had the highest temperatures in 2013, 2018, 2019 and 2022.
Lake Bohinj & Lake Bled, Slovenia
Landsat 8-9 L1, July and August 2013-2022.
As for the rest of the Europe, summer 2022 brought an extreme heat wave to Slovenia as well. The monthly mean temperature of Lake Bohinj was measured as the highest in the time period between 1939 and 2022 . The focus of this example is therefore to compare maximum LST of 2022 with previous years in July and August. As there is Lake Bled nearby, that one was also added to the example.
EO Browser settings:
Input parameters of the script:
var dataSourcesNames = ["LOTL1", "LOTL1-1"]; var band = "B10"; var minC = 15; var maxC = 50;
In 2013 there was an extreme heat wave. The comparison of maximum LST between 2013 and 2022 shows that Lake Bohinj had higher temperatures in 2022 (image below).
However, for Lake Bled the opposite is true; higher temperatures were in 2013. In addition, the surrounding non-water surface is split between higher temperature in 2022 (red) and higher temperature in 2013 (blue). A similar situation occurs when comparing 2015 with 2022 (image below).
A comparison with other years (2014-2020) shows predominantly higher maximum LST in year 2022, as shown in the example for 2021 (image below).
Part of the reason for high temperatures of Lake Bohinj in 2022 is also amount of snowfall in mountains . This means less melted water in the watershed of Lake Bohinj and faster warming of the lake in spring. “ | <urn:uuid:4991e43b-fcc5-4d22-ade8-3f23ef856cef> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | http://custom-scripts.sentinel-hub.com/landsat-8/land_surface_temperature_comparison/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499541.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20230128090359-20230128120359-00093.warc.gz | en | 0.939367 | 1,769 | 3.5 | 4 |
Education is a lifelong journey. It is a way to understand the world around us and connect with it on a practical level. Anything that aids and abets that process can be considered an elementary tool in the long-winded leadup to it. There are several such tools at the disposal of an educational institution today. One of these is the concept of project work.
What is Project Work?
Project work can be defined as a method of learning that involves learning through tangible means like doing individual research and presenting it in a certain way. It inculcates, promotes, and upholds the principles of learning through experience and experimentation.
Project work can be seen as the experiential learning process in action - a sort of experience that is both holistic as well as educational in the right context and when used right. A lot of students, however, find it irritating that they have to do project work, especially school students. They feel that they are already overburdened by the cognitive load of the education system and project work only adds to it. However, this is not the case. There are a lot of advantages to using project work as a tool for teaching and learning in schools.
Advantages of Project Work in School
Here are some of the reasons why project work is a very important aspect of education today:
Cognition refers to the process of learning through thought, experimentation, and human perception. It involves all aspects of intellectual processes and functions like intelligence, attention, perception, thought, memory, judgment, evaluation, reasoning, and so on. Such cognitive processes make use of existing knowledge in order to discover new knowledge. In this context, project work enhances and helps improve a person’s cognitive abilities and making them sharper and more profound over time. Project work essentially accentuates a person’s cognitive abilities and makes them better learners.
Gives Them Practical Experience
The main idea behind project work is to make sure that the learner does their own research and comes up with practical solutions to the concept they are trying to learn or the problem that they are trying to solve. Using project work as a tool to achieve that ensures that the students get to experience it first hand instead of just learning it in theory. There is a certain sense of satisfaction that one achieves when they learn something through practical experience - it will remain with them for a very long time. Since they have practically done it every step of the way, they will not only know the end result but also the different possible ways to go wrong while doing that particular activity. This gives the learner an opportunity to learn not just how a particular thing has to be done but also the process of doing it right so that they won’t repeat the mistakes again.
Tests Their Aptitude
One of the most important aspects of learning is the process itself and what they can learn from it. A person’s aptitude is the proficiency with which they are able to do something. Different people have different aptitudes, and the more the aptitude they have for something, the more likely they are at succeeding at it. One must be able to identify what their aptitude is in order to practice it and eventually become good at it. When committing to something like a particular project, the student will get to know first-hand what their strengths and weaknesses are and accordingly identify what they are good at. Once they have that set in stone, they can then focus on improving upon their strengths and reducing what they deem weaknesses. This kind of learning is extremely beneficial in the later stages of life because it helps them find the perfect line between what they can and cannot do, and more importantly, what they want and don’t want to do.
Cultivates Time Management Skills
When project work is assigned to a class, they are often time-bound. There will be a start date and a date for submission, which means that the students will have to create and follow a timetable for making the best use of the time available. Using a timetable maker, the students can plan out their time and do something accordingly.
Project Work - Tips for Students
Project work is solely for the students to learn on their own, but there are certain things students need to keep in mind when working on it. Some of these are given below:
- Make sure that the submission is made within the due date. More often than not, project work is associated with internal marks that the students will have to acquire in order to qualify for the main exam. So the time management aspect of such a project should not be overlooked.
- Presentation matters a lot when it comes to project work. The design of the project should be such that it should look aesthetically pleasing while at the same time, minimalistic and professional.
- If the project work is assigned to a group, plan in such a way that every person on the team knows everything about the project and each person knows their part clearly. Often what happens is that the group will not be well coordinated, and as a result, it will end up with the team fighting among each other and shifting blame. Make sure to avoid this by giving each person a unique set of tasks and making sure to check that each person does their part.
So project work is a very important part of the education system in general. This is why even though students may find it time-consuming and annoying, it must be practiced because at the end of the day, the pros outweigh the cons by a lot.
Suggested Read - Benefits of Appearing for Aptitude Tests
Teachmint provides ed-infra to educational institutions. With our state-of-the-art lms portal, teachers can improve the teaching-learning experience. Our tools like institute erp help schools manage their everyday activities hassle-free. | <urn:uuid:b7ae2cf6-034b-4197-9936-b86d71605c02> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://blog.teachmint.com/importance-of-project-work-in-school/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499541.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20230128090359-20230128120359-00093.warc.gz | en | 0.968396 | 1,197 | 3.84375 | 4 |
There are many things that the Quran urges Muslims to do, but one of the most controversial is the capture of non-Muslim women. This has been a source of debate and controversy for many years, with some people arguing that it is a barbaric practice that should be stopped, and others claiming that it is a necessary part of Islamic law.
The Quran does not explicitly state that Muslims should capture non-Muslim women, but there are a number of verses that have been interpreted to mean that it is permissible. For example, in Surah 4:3, it says 'And if you fear that you will not be just, then marry only one or what your right hand possesses. That is more likely that you will not be unjust.'
This verse has been interpreted to mean that Muslim men are allowed to marry up to four wives, but if they fear that they will not be able to treat them all fairly, then they should marry only one wife or what their right hand possesses (i.e. captive women).
There are a number of other verses that have been interpreted to mean that it is permissible to capture women in war. For example, in Surah 8:67, it says 'It is not for a Prophet to have captives until he has made wide Slaughter in the land.'
This verse is often interpreted to mean that it is permissible to take women captive in war, as long as the Prophet has made enough 'slaughter' in the land (i.e. killed enough people).
There are also a number of hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad) that discuss the permissibility of taking women captive. For example, in one hadith, the Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said 'I have been ordered to fight the people until they say there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger, and establish prayer, and pay Zakat. If they do that, then their blood and their property are protected by Allah and His messenger, and they will have Paradise; but if they refuse, then I have been ordered to fight them until they are killed.'
In another hadith, the Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said 'Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him.'
Some people argue that these hadith support the idea that it is permissible to kill apostates (those who leave Islam), but it is important to note that the Quran does not explicitly state that apostates should be killed.
There are a number of different interpretations of these verses and hadith, and there is much debate about what they actually mean. Some people argue that the Quran does not actually support the idea of capturing women, and that the verses and hadith that have been interpreted to mean that it is permissible are actually referring to something else entirely.
Others argue that the Quran does support the idea of capturing women, but that it should only be done in specific circumstances, such as in war.
Ultimately, it is up to each individual Muslim to decide what they believe about this issue. | <urn:uuid:4201e3d0-aaec-42e7-8106-4262c080412f> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/98613/why-does-the-quran-urge-muslims-to-capture-non-muslim-women | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499744.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20230129144110-20230129174110-00173.warc.gz | en | 0.974344 | 610 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Sportsmanship is when you’re supportive of your team. It means not only taking part in sports according to rules prescribed but also playing the game of life in accordance with the spirit imbibed on the playing ground. On the contrary, a man who gives evidence of possessing a strong spirit in the wider sphere of life but has not attained excellence in games is still a sportsman. A true sportsman learns to observe all those rules in life which h has been taught to observe in games. Similarly in whatever sphere of life one maybe, one must aid and be aided by one’s friends if one is a true sportsman.
Sportsmanship implies, first, fair play. It also means that if you lose, don’t get really mad and start saying bad things about the other team you just tell them that they did a good job and be cool with it. In games, if any player plays foul, the side to which he belongs is penalized. Without mutual cooperation, success is impossible. Similarly, in the bigger game of life, one must always be fair in one’s dealings with others. Usually, those who play games develop into true sportsmen because their character is molded by the training they are gone on the field. Fairness, honesty, integrity, the openness of heart and frankness are the qualities that a sportsman must display in life. One should not practice deceptions, should not bluff, should not cheat others and should indulge in diplomacy or humbleness.
Team-spirit is also an important element of sportsmanship. It is evident that sportsmanship is something worthy of admirations. It is conducive to human happiness and welfare. Likewise, in whatever sphere of life one may be, one must aid and be aided by one’s fellows if one is a true sportsman. In games, if any player plays foul, the side to which he belongs is penalized. Similarly in a bigger game of life, one should always be fair in one’s dealing with others. In short, fair play, respect for discipline, recognition of the need for team-work and cheerfulness even in the event of defeat are thus the dominant marks of a sportsman. A sportsman never takes undue advantage of the weakness of his adversary nor does he hit below the bet. Sportsmanship consists in working in full harmony with others. | <urn:uuid:e3db28d6-8cc5-4b07-bf23-87dfd7388fe4> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://qsstudy.com/sportsmanship/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499744.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20230129144110-20230129174110-00173.warc.gz | en | 0.972245 | 483 | 2.515625 | 3 |
The California Avocado Commission reported that the polyphagous shot hole borer has been found further north in Southern California.
Cal Poly State University Professor David Headrick spoke at a recent conference about invasive species in California. Headrick says there was new news last week about the spread of the polyphagous shot hole borer. Headrick says they expected the beetle to spread like any other pest and it is still a major concern to the avocado industry.
Press release from the California Avocado Commission
Last week the Commission informed growers that the polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB) had been found in two traps in Ventura County. This week we have learned that one grove in Ventura County has been found to have trees with beetle activity. The grove is located on the western edge of Santa Paula, approximately 2-miles from the early PSHB trap find.
It cannot be overstressed how important it is for growers to know the symptoms of beetle attack and what to look for in their trees. To help growers, the Commission and UC Riverside researchers have produced a number of helpful handouts that can be accessed online. Find the links and full release here. | <urn:uuid:3dcb1fa9-1060-4278-bf99-2e0db8dfcb47> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://agnetwest.com/shot-hole-borer/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499829.29/warc/CC-MAIN-20230130201044-20230130231044-00253.warc.gz | en | 0.970168 | 242 | 2.671875 | 3 |
We have to be very careful of applauding carbon-trading schemes as the solution to reducing emissions. The NSW government’s greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme is so flawed some participants are rewarded for ‘cutting pollution’ when their emissions have in fact increased.
Researchers at the University of NSW showed two Queensland coal-fired power stations earned millions of dollars under the scheme, even though they spewed forth an extra 9 million tonnes of pollution a year.
This highlights how a poorly designed trading scheme could not only let the polluters off the hook but reward them as well, while claiming that action is being taken.
In another sign of dodgy deals with the coal industry, the NSW government approved a massive expansion of Newcastle’s coal export capacity in early April. The new loading facilities will be responsible for exporting coal that will produce more than 160 million tonnes of CO2 each year.
The mine is so big it will be responsible for up to 530 million tonnes of CO2 pollution over the mine’s 21-year life. That CO2 will remain in the atmosphere for 100 years.
Then in early June, Morris Iemma approved a huge new coal mine near Newcastle at Anvil Hill. The emissions would exceed the emissions the Government plans to curb by 2030 by using renewable energy.
But Morris Iemma is hoping that he can find a crack in the ground somewhere, down which to pump the gases for safekeeping (also called geosequestration). Industry experts and the IPCC both say the technology is in its infancy and could be 40 years away. | <urn:uuid:d971cbe4-219b-48a4-b828-425f68e8af52> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://eastgippsland.net.au/news/carbon-horse-trading/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499829.29/warc/CC-MAIN-20230130201044-20230130231044-00253.warc.gz | en | 0.952625 | 322 | 2.6875 | 3 |
The electronics industry is one of the most rapidly expanding industries, with an almost unlimited range of applications. Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are found in many domestic, industrial, automotive and military devices and require protection from their environment. Lack of protection can lead to reduced performance or in the worst case, complete failure. Protection can be offered in the form of conformal coatings or potting and encapsulation resins. Here at Electrolube, a question that is often asked is:
“Which is better to protect my PCB, a coating or a resin?”
Like any good engineering answer, it depends on the degree of environmental protection required. The first point for consideration is often the design of any housing within which the PCB will be enclosed. If an assembly is enclosed in a housing which is designed to be the primary environmental protection, then a conformal coating is often used to provide a back-up to the primary protection provided by the housing. Where the housing is not suitable or capable of providing primary protection of the assembly from its operating environment, then most times a resin might be a better choice.
The next question should then be:
“What is a coating and a resin?”
If we look at both, then we can consider what is common between the two, both are generally organic polymers, which can cure to form an electrically insulating layer that provide some degree of chemical and thermal resistance. There is a degree in commonality in the chemistry of the polymers used, with acrylic, epoxy, polyurethane and silicone being the most often encountered.
Potting and encapsulation resins offer the highest level of protection for PCBs. Resins can be applied from 0.5 millimetres thick upwards, and are generally applied much thicker than this. The increased thickness leads to a significant increase in weight and often results in a greater per unit price than a coating. However, the increased thickness does mean that the PCB is far better protected against chemical attack, particularly in the cases of prolonged immersion. Also a resin can provide superior protection against physical shock (depending upon the formulation), since the bulk of the resin will help to dissipate the forces across the PCB, rather than allowing them to be concentrated. A layer of dark coloured resin can completely hide the PCB, which allows for some security of the design, and depending upon the choice of the resin, removal of the resin can also result in the destruction of the PCB.
By encapsulating the entire PCB the resin provides complete insulation for the unit thereby combining good electrical properties with excellent mechanical protection. Mechanical protection can be identified in a number of ways; enhanced protection is identified for applications involving prolonged exposure or immersion in harsh chemicals, or those exposed to vibrational, thermal or physical shock, for example. The higher level of protection is achieved through the mass and thickness of the resin surrounding the unit.
Resins, are generally 2K (two component) systems, in which a resin (Part A) is mixed with the correct amount of hardener (Part B), which starts a chemical reaction leading to a cross-linked polymer. Resins generally have a much higher viscosity, compared to a coating, and often contain mineral fillers to aid their performance. Since there is no need spray apply resins, in general resin formulations are VOC free, and most are designed to cure at room temperature, however the cure time can be reduced by the application of heat, and for some resins a post cure might be required to enable the resin to develop its optimum properties. Most resins will start reacting as soon as the 2 components are mixed together. The majority of the curing reactions are exothermic as chemical bonds are broken and rearranged. It is the nature of exothermic reactions to get hot, but this heat can be controlled by the selection of the resin type and careful judgement of the amount of material that needs to be cast in a single process, as well as the design of both the PCB and the housing. Too much resin applied at once, may result in the components becoming overheated, or even in the very worst case, the casting catching fire.
Due to application variances, it is vital that the entire completed unit is tested in an appropriate environment for its intended end use; this can be exact conditions or carefully planned accelerated testing. The resins can also be tested separately in a number of different environmental conditions, establishing their specifications and suitability for use. These tests typically consist of a cured mass of set dimensions, exposed to controlled conditions for a set period of time. The appearance, dimensions and weight of the resin can be measured before and after the test to identify if any changes have occurred. In addition, electrical and physical properties can be determined before and after testing, which can either be generic or specific to the final application.
Conformal coatings can also be utilised to protect the PCBs in a variety of applications, ensuring optimum performance in the harshest of conditions. They are generally thin films applied in the 25-250 micron dry film thickness range, leading to a minimal weight increase of the assembly. Conformal coatings conform to the contours of the board, providing maximum protection with minimal weight or dimensional change to the PCB. This is possibly the primary advantage of conformal coatings over potting and encapsulation resins. Often coatings are clear, so the coated components are easy to identify and the coating can be easily reworked and components replaced as required. The chemical and thermal resistance of coatings is generally good for short exposures. A coating applies relatively little stress upon the components, this is a particular advantage where a component has thin pins or legs.
The most common environment that a coating can be subjected to is standard atmospheric conditions. Initial tests are generally conducted to evaluate both the electrical and mechanical performance of the cured film on substrates governed by each standard test method. Following this the surrounding environment can then be altered to assess the performance of the coating under more severe conditions. Such conditions can include salt mist, high humidity, high temperature and thermal changes either as a gradual rise or decline in temperature or an immediate thermal shock. After exposure to such environments the coating can then be re-tested for its electrical and mechanical properties, determining its suitability for various applications.
The majority of coatings are 1K (single component) systems, which have a long useable life, a low curing or drying temperature and short drying time. Being a single-part solution, they are clearly easier to process and apply; however, the majority of 1K coatings are solvent based in order to modify their viscosity for application purposes. Coating can be applied manually by use of a paint brush, spray gun or even manually dipped. However, increasingly, coatings are applied by robotic selective coating systems to provide a more controlled and more consistent process.
Newly released two part (2K) polyurethane coatings, on the other hand, combine the protection and properties of a resin (see below), with the ease of application of a conformal coating but without the use of solvents, giving them an environmental advantage. These can provide excellent coverage and their superior flexibility offers protection of delicate components. 2K coatings also deliver excellent mechanical properties and abrasion resistance but, being two-part, they require more sophisticated application equipment than 1K coatings and they are more difficult to remove, making board repair very difficult.
The wide use of spray application for coatings, has meant that the coating has to have a low enough viscosity to allow for the material to be atomised during the spray process. This has traditionally meant that coatings have contained high levels of solvents to lower the viscosity of the base resin The solvent content of many coatings has meant that heat is often used to drive off the solvents to allow the coatings to cure, since if left to cure at room temperature, solvent may remain trapped in the coating causing premature failure.
With increasing environmental awareness the types of solvents used have changed to lower the VOC (Volatile Organic Compound), as well as the percentage of solvent contained in the coating. Modern coating materials are often solvent-free, and known as 100% solids, because all of the material applied to the circuit board will cross-link to yield a dry-film of similar thickness to the wet-applied film. These 100% solids coatings can cure by heat, moisture, or UV radiation depending upon the specific formulation. | <urn:uuid:4fae1b70-bbe5-4b99-919e-390b666da443> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://electrolube.com/knowledge_base/conformal-coatings-versus-encapsulation-resins-making-an-informed-choice-for-electronic-protection/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499829.29/warc/CC-MAIN-20230130201044-20230130231044-00253.warc.gz | en | 0.948942 | 1,753 | 3.046875 | 3 |
Benefits of eating elderberries
What are elderberries?
Elderberries are the fruits of elder, also called elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.). The fruits of elder should only be consumed when they are ripe, which hang from the branches and have a bright black color.
Benefits of elderberries
Elderberries are interesting to taste new flavors and because they have a lot of nutrients.
Introducing these wild fruits in the diet broadens the gastronomic universe of the diet in addition to recovering the consumption of traditional ingredients.
What flavor do elderberries have?
Health properties of elderberries
Elderberries are potentially medicinal foods, with a high content of bioactive compounds, which is why they have been traditionally used as a natural remedy. The syrup made with these fruits is laxative and depurative. It has also been described as an effective remedy against neuralgia, headache and sciatica.
These fruits, rich in sugars, citric acid, malic acid, polyphenols, beta-carotenes and anthocyanins, have antiviral properties, so they could be very useful in colds and caral processes. (Eat the fruits in very ripe jams. When they are green they are toxic !!!)
Considering its phytochemicals or medicinal principles, what stands out most about elder berries is that it is the food with the highest concentration of quercitin known, even surpassing onion. Quercitin is a very beneficial flavonoid to keep the circulatory system in good health. The consumption of foods rich in this component reinforces the health of the arteries and the circulatory system by preventing heart diseases such as arteriosclerosis, cholesterol and hypertension.
Traditional remedies and recipes with elderberries
Elder berries constitute edible wild fruits. They are collected when they are ripe, bright black and typically hanging in corymbs. This usually takes places towards the end of summer. We must remember that:
- In excess the fruits can be indigestible and laxative.
- Whenever they are prepared, the fruit juice should be strained to remove the seeds.
The most typical preparations are:
- Traditional syrup: there is a traditional syrup called elderberry rob. To make the syrup: Squeeze the ripe fruits, strain the seed, add the same weight in sugar. Cook 10 minutes. Take 2-3 tablespoons a day.
- Elderberry jam: Collect the very ripe fruits and make a jam, adding ¼ part more of pulp than sugar (750 gr. Of sugar per kg. Of pulp) It must be cooked over low heat and stir constantly.
- Maceration in wine: Squeeze the ripe fruits, strain the seed, add the same weight in water. Boil for half an hour, add the same weight in sugar and leave to ferment for 20 days. Drink 2-3 glasses a day.
* Remember: Its consumption in excess can produce belly pain. For this reason it is convenient to cook them before consuming them.
Before listing the properties of these berries, it is important to name that elderberry is a tree with toxicity. Immature fruits, as well as seeds, leaves and bark, are very toxic.
The only edible parts of the plant are its ripe flowers and fruits.
Another important note is that when preparing the fruits you should not consume the seeds, which have the same toxic principles described in the bark and leaves of this plant (sambunigrine, which breaks down into cyanide). Therefore, the fruits should be strained to separate the liquid and the pulp from the seeds.
An important danger is the possible confusion of this tree with another stinking congenital shrub, the dwarf elder or danewort (Sambucus ebulus L.), whose fruits are very toxic. Something that can help differentiate them is that the fruits of dwarf elder , in their maturity, remain high and do not hang down like the elderberry.
* Related information: Differences between elder and dwarf elder
Nutritional composition of elderberries
We must highlight its sugar content, vitamins A, C, some B vitamins and polyphenols. The nutritional composition of elderberries is as follows:
|Nutritional values of elderberries per 100gr|
|Vitamin C (mg)||36|
|Pyridoxine B6 (mg)||0,23|
|Vitamin A (UI)||600|
Caption: = Indicates a significant content in this nutrient
More information on elder
12 May, 2021 | <urn:uuid:2579591e-fed2-4026-bb5e-0c3713b420a1> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.botanical-online.com/en/food/elder-fruits-edible-properties | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499829.29/warc/CC-MAIN-20230130201044-20230130231044-00253.warc.gz | en | 0.92089 | 1,118 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Books for Children
A Japanese American boy named “Shorty” watches with confusion and awe as he and his family are removed from their home and sent to an incarceration camp in the middle of an American desert. As social conditions start deteriorating within the camp, Shorty’s father decides to lead other Japanese Americans in building a baseball field at the camp and forming baseball teams. Shorty, who wasn’t a good baseball player back home, reaches a critical moment and must rise to the occasion. He also faces a similar situation during a game after the war
Ken Mochizuki was born and raised in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Seattle and is a University of Washington graduate. During WWII his parents were sent to the Minidoka concentration camp in Idaho.
A teenager is pulled back in time to witness her grandmother’s experiences in World War II-era Japanese internment camps in Displacement, a historical graphic novel from Kiku Hughes.
Kiku is on vacation in San Francisco when suddenly she finds herself displaced to the 1940s Japanese-American internment camp that her late grandmother, Ernestina, was forcibly relocated to during World War II.
These displacements keep occurring until Kiku finds herself “stuck” back in time. Living alongside her young grandmother and other Japanese-American citizens in internment camps, Kiku gets the education she never received in history class. She witnesses the lives of Japanese-Americans who were denied their civil liberties and suffered greatly, but managed to cultivate community and commit acts of resistance in order to survive.
Kiku Hughes weaves a riveting, bittersweet tale that highlights the intergenerational impact and power of memory.
During World War II a community called Manzanar was hastily created in the high mountain desert country of California, east of the Sierras. Its purpose was to house thousands of Japanese American internees. One of the first families to arrive was the Wakatsukis, who were ordered to leave their fishing business in Long Beach and take with them only the belongings they could carry. For Jeanne Wakatsuki, a seven-year-old child, Manzanar became a way of life in which she struggled and adapted, observed and grew. For her father it was essentially the end of his life. At age thirty-seven, Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston recalls life at Manzanar through the eyes of the child she was. She tells of her fear, confusion, and bewilderment as well as the dignity and great resourcefulness of people in oppressive and demeaning circumstances. Written with her husband, Jeanne delivers a powerful first-person account that reveals her search for the meaning of Manzanar.
In 1986, Henry Lee joins a crowd outside the Panama Hotel, once the gateway to Seattle’s Japantown (present day Chinatown in the International District.) It has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has discovered the belongings of Japanese families, left when they were rounded up and sent to internment camps during World War II. As the owner displays and unfurls a Japanese parasol, Henry, a Chinese American, remembers a young Japanese American girl from his childhood in the 1940’s, Keiko Okabe, with whom he forged a bond of friendship and innocent love that transcended the prejudices of their Old World ancestors. After Keiko and her family were evacuated first to Camp Harmony (the state fairgrounds at Puyallup that served as a temporary holding ground for Japanese American internees) and eventually to Camp Minidoka in Idaho, she and Henry could only hope that the war would end and that their promise to each other would be kept. Now, forty years later, Henry explores the hotel’s basement for the Okabe family’s belongings and for a long-lost object whose value he cannot even begin to measure. Now a widower, Henry’s search will take him on a journey to revisit the sacrifices he has made for family, for love, for country. The novel concludes with Henry’s son Marty locating Keiko in New York City, and Henry goes to see her.
Interview with author Jamie Ford by NPR News host Scott Simon in February 2009:
SIMON: One of the most arresting scenes in the book is when you describe the evacuation of Japanese-American families from Bainbridge Island.
FORD: At the time, it was a saw mill community and a farming community with a sizable Japanese population, but because it was self-contained and it was isolated, that was the first area that was evacuated. It was – you know, there was one bridge leading onto the island and then a ferry towards Seattle, so it was pretty easy for the Army to round everyone up, and it was almost an experiment in, was this feasible? How can we do this?
SIMON: How did you find out about the Panama Hotel in Seattle?
FORD: I was actually doing research on another story, about a nightclub in Chinatown called the Wami(ph), which is where my grandparents met. And when I was doing a little research, there was a mention of the hotel. And it was just intriguing enough. It was one of those stories that, you know, kind of captured my imagination. And the more I learned, the more amazed I was that not only did the hotel exist but that in the basement, there really were the belongings of all these Japanese families that had been taken away. And those belongings remain to this day.
SIMON: You know, I’m afraid we need to explain how those belongings wound up there.
FORD: Sure. You know, the tragic part is that people in the Japanese community were given just a few days to pack up, and they could only take, really, what they could carry. So they either sold things that – pays on the dollar, or they stored things with friends or neighbors, in the basements of churches, or the basements of hotels like the Panama.
The Panama Hotel (615 S. Main Street, Seattle ) is still a working hotel and a living museum filled with many items left behind by displaced Nikkei families. The items are displayed in the front window.
Actor, author, and activist George Takei has captured hearts and minds worldwide with his captivating stage presence and outspoken commitment to equal rights. But long before he braved new frontiers in Star Trek, he woke up as a four-year-old boy to find his own birth country at war with his father’s—and their entire family forced from their home into an uncertain future. In this graphic novel George Takei revisits his haunting childhood in American concentration camps, as one of 120,000 Japanese Americans imprisoned by the U.S. government during World War II.
Books for Adults
By 1968, Robert C. Sims had taught four years of high school history and was midway through his doctorate in history. Then he attended a lecture about the Japanese American confinement that followed the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Despite his educational experience, he had never read or even heard about this tragic episode of American history, and it changed his life. Now considered by many to be the foremost scholar of the Minidoka Relocation Center, Sims, who died in 2015, devoted his career to research, writing, and education related to the unjust World War II Japanese American incarceration. An Eye for Injustice: Robert C. Sims and Minidoka, preserves his work and presents a passionate, academic perspective on the Idaho concentration camp.
Paul Kitagaki’s parents and grandparents were part of a group of 110,000 Japanese Americans forcibly removed from their homes during World War II, but they never talked about their experience. To better understand, Kitagaki tracked down the subjects of more than sixty photographs taken by Dorothea Lange, Ansel Adams and other photographers. Behind Barbed Wire: Searching for Japanese Americans Incarcerated During World War II is a result of Paul’s ten-year pilgrimage to track down surviving Japanese American subjects of these photographs. Using black-and-white film and a large-format camera similar to the equipment of photographers in the 1940s, Kitagaki sought to mirror and complement photographs taken during World War II—while revealing the strength and perseverance of the subjects.
He photographed and interviewed the subjects or their children to discover who was in the pictures. Some wanted to forget; some wanted to remember. Some lost everything; some found new direction. He heard stories about heroic soldiers and those unwilling to fight for a country that put them behind barbed wire. Each person has something to say. Each adds their unique personal history. They all are determined to make sure it never happens again.
One of the iconic photographs of the incarceration was of Fumiko Hayashida carrying her sleeping 13-month-old daughter Natalie to a waiting Bainbridge Island ferry. In 2006, Kitagaki caught up with the Hayashida family and took a photo of Fumiko and her daughter Natalie Kayo Ong on the Bainbridge Island farm where they lived before their forced removal.
During WWII most newspapers were silent on the Japanese American exclusion or else actively supported it. When the war was finally over, many West Coast communities tried to prevent their former neighbors from returning home. On Bainbridge Island it was just the opposite. Milly and Walt Woodward, editors of the little local paper The Bainbridge Review, consistently spoke out against the exclusion. They ran weekly accounts of significant events in the exiled Islanders’ lives, reported back by high school students–paid as correspondents–in the concentration camps. With the end of the war, the Woodwards and other Islanders welcomed their neighbors home with little incident.
In most West Coast communities the public positions of politicians and the media made it difficult for opponents to speak up. On Bainbridge Island it was the supporters of the exclusion who were apt to keep their opinions to themselves. In Defense of our Neighbors, a book by the Woodwards’ daughter, Mary, released in November 2008, records how The Review helped create an environment that was friendly to those who, like the editors, strongly opposed the exclusion.
Contemporary newspaper articles, oral histories of the exiles and other Islanders, and vivid photographs and images combine in this lively and visually attractive, history. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Nidoto Nai Yoni–Let It Not Happen Again–Memorial.
Departures opens on the eve of Pearl Harbor and ends at the present-day Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial.
“I’m surprised at how many alert, well-educated people know little or nothing about this shameful episode in American history,” Dillon said. “Given the current political environment, I felt it was important to revisit the matter and offer fresh angles on what happened.”
Dillon’s Departures, Poetry and Prose On The Removal Of Bainbridge Island’s Japanese Americans After Pearl Harbor is a chronology of the removal for internment, or imprisonment as the book corrects, of 227 American Citizen’s of Japanese ancestry who lived on Bainbridge Island at the beginning of WWII. The discussion is at once historical, social, and personal, and the format shifts between poetry and prose.
Dillon was born after WWII as a fourth generation Bainbridge Islander and has no firsthand recollections of the removals, but it was a topic among his family and community–he grew up with the wrenching experience in Bainbridge as cultural memory.
In Looking After Minidoka, the camp years become a prism for understanding three generations of Japanese American life, from immigration to the end of the twentieth century. Nakadate blends history, poetry, rescued memory, and family stories in an American narrative of hope and disappointment, language and education, employment and social standing, prejudice and pain, communal values and personal dreams.
Through essays supplemented by 180 black-and-white photographs and interviews that fuse present and past, Teresa Tamura documents Minidoka, one of America’s ten concentration camps located in Jerome County, Idaho. Her documentation includes artifacts made in the camp as well as the story of its survivors, uprooted from their homes in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California. Tamura began her project after President Bill Clinton designated part of the Minidoka site as the 385th unit of the National Park Service. In Minidoka: An American Concentration Camp, Tamura’s work furthers the tradition of socially inspired documentary photojournalism, illuminating the cultural, sociological, and political significance of Minidoka.
On December 7, 1941, forces of the Japanese Empire attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor and left hundreds of American military members and civilians dead or wounded. In response to the surprise attack, the United States declared war on Japan the next day. The attack on America inflamed anti-Japanese sentiment and hysteria that led to hate crimes, particularly on the West Coast, against aliens and US citizens of Japanese extraction—and those who looked like them.
Under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s February 1942 Executive Order 9066, the US government forcibly removed 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry from their homes and incarcerated them in concentration camps.
The detainees included Hanae and Ernest Matsuda who, with removal in 1942, lost their home and grocery business in Seattle. Like thousands of others, they were evacuated without due process and were incarcerated at the Minidoka concentration camp in Idaho where Hanae gave birth to two sons and a stillborn child.
Hanae and Ernest Matsuda’s youngest son Lawrence was born in 1945 in Block 26, Barrack 2, of Minidoka Camp. Their baby’s prisoner number was 11464d.
Now Dr. Lawrence Matsuda, a renowned Seattle writer and human rights activist, brings to life his mother’s travails, traumas, and triumphs in mid-20th century America in his debut historical novel My Name is Not Viola. The events experienced by the fictional Hanae of the novel mirror actual incidents in the life of his mother including her girlhood in Seattle’s Japantown; her pre-war journey to Hiroshima, Japan; her removal from her Seattle home and incarceration at the brutal Minidoka concentration camp; her quest for Hiroshima relatives after the atomic obliteration of the city; her marital woes; her severe depression and incarceration at Western State Hospital, a psychiatric facility; her resilience grounded in Japanese and western beliefs; and her evolution as a force for good.
The novel captures the rhythm of life in Seattle’s Japantown, the unrelenting misery of internment at the Minidoka camp, and the pain and loss of internees as they returned home after the war to face dispossession and poverty. This history through the eyes of the fictional Hanae grips the reader with its lively writing and evocative imagery while sharing an important and heartbreaking chapter from our American experience. Yet it is also a story of hope and triumph despite recurrent traumas—and quite timely as we face an unprecedented pandemic and political crises today.
Dr. Matsuda is known in Seattle as a voice for social justice, equality, and tolerance. He is a former secondary school teacher, administrator, principal, and professor. He received an MA and PhD at the University of Washington
San Piedro Island, a fictional island north of Puget Sound, is a place so isolated that no one who lives there can afford to make enemies. But in 1954 a local fisherman is found suspiciously drowned, and a Japanese American named Kabuo Miyamoto is charged with his murder. In the course of the ensuing trial, it becomes clear that what is at stake is more than a man’s guilt. For on San Piedro, memory grows as thickly as cedar trees and the fields of ripe strawberries–memories of a charmed love affair between a white boy and the Japanese girl who grew up to become Kabuo’s wife; memories of land desired, paid for, and lost. Above all, San Piedro is haunted by the memory of what happened to its Japanese residents during World War II, when an entire Japanese American community was sent into exile while its neighbors watched. Gripping, tragic, and densely atmospheric, Snow Falling on Cedars is a masterpiece of suspense– one that leaves us shaken and changed.
Author David Guterson was born in Seattle, WA and currently lives on Bainbridge Island. He taught at Bainbridge Island High School for 10 years before becoming a professional writer.
The 1942 wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans has come to be seen as one of the most massive violations of civil liberties in the history of American law. Racially motivated and fueled by a malicious campaign of misinformation, it forced 120,000 Americans to abandon their property and homes. Most were American citizens. One of the largest and most remote of America’s concentration camps was Idaho’s Camp Minidoka in Jerome County, near Twin Falls, ID. The story, tragic yet triumphant, raises enduring questions about racial profiling, military authority and the hysteria of war. This 200 page art book and tribute presents 10 intriguing essays in an elegant hardcover volume of poetry, rare prints, historical photography, and original artwork.
Surviving Minidoka is a history book about the present as much as the past. It is a book about how about how an event shaped race relations more than a story about the event itself.
In the spring of 1942, the United States rounded up 109,000 residents of Japanese ancestry living along the West Coast and sent them to detention centers for the duration of World War II. Many abandoned their land. Many gave up their personal property. Each one of them lost a part of their lives.
Amazingly, the government hired famed photographers Dorothea Lange, Ansel Adams, and others to document the expulsion—from assembling Japanese Americans at racetracks to confining them in ten camps spread across the country. Their photographs, exactly seventy-five years after the evacuation began, give an emotional, unflinching portrait of a nation concerned more about security than human rights. These photographs are more important than ever.
Authors Richard Cahan and Michael Williams—noted photo historians—took a slow, careful look at each of these images as they put together a powerful history of one of America’s defining moments. Their book consists of photographs that have never been seen, many of them impounded by the U.S. Army. It also uses primary source government documents to explain and place the pictures in context. And Un-American relies on firsthand recollections of Japanese Americans survivors to offer a complete perspective. | <urn:uuid:ce5f1bfc-a570-4d2c-9c83-7e78afd0a01c> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://bijac.org/revised-book-page-draft/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499899.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20230201013650-20230201043650-00333.warc.gz | en | 0.969003 | 3,859 | 3.390625 | 3 |
Natural gas: a viable low-carbon solution?
According to the gas industry, natural gas is the perfect bridge fuel to civilisation's sustainable future - solving peak oil and helping the battle against climate change. David Strahan weighs up the evidence
I once hitched a lift from New York to London in the private jet of a gas billionaire. Robert Hefner III, an Oklahoma wildcatter who pioneered the drilling of deep gas wells during the 1960s, was planning to write a book about energy and wanted to discuss it. The GET – grand energy transition would argue that natural gas can solve peak oil and climate change almost single-handed. Abundant and clean, it offered a perfect bridging fuel to a future of limitless low-carbon energy based on hydrogen.
With gas prices at that time approaching record highs, I was skeptical, to say the least. But now, several years later, the US is awash with newly producible shale gas, and enthusiasts claim this ‘revolution’ can be repeated around the world. So could it be that Mr Hefner was right all along?
There is certainly far more gas available than most thought possible just a few years ago. The development of hydraulic fracturing (‘fracking’) has raised US gas production dramatically, and helped double the estimated global gas resource to around 800 trillion cubic meters (tcm), or 250 years’ consumption at current rates.
In Britain, a tiny explorer, Cuadrilla Energy, has drilled three wells in Lancashire and claims to have discovered 5.7 tcm of shale gas, equivalent to 60 years’ UK demand, of which 10% might be producible. Dr Peter Turner, Cuadrilla’s director of exploration, tells me: “I think both numbers are conservative”.
And investing in gas has certainly helped cut greenhouse gas emissions in the past. In Britain, the ‘dash for gas’ of the 1990s – when rising North Sea gas production and regulatory changes led to a massive increase in gas fired generating capacity – meant power emissions fell by 45 million tonnes or 22% over the decade. It’s no surprise then that commentators including energy academic Dieter Helm and climate sceptic Nigel Lawson have seized upon shale gas as an alternative to wind turbines, which they condemn as expensive and unreliable. Professor Helm urges the Government to ditch its offshore wind targets in favour of gas fired power stations, which he claims will be cheaper over the coming decades. The industry has lobbied the European Commission along similar lines.
The benefits of gas need not be restricted to electricity generation, say its supporters. The “Pickens Plan”, devised by another Oklahoma gas tycoon, T. Boone Pickens, and backed by Aubrey McClendon, chief executive of Chesapeake Energy, America’s biggest independent gas producer, is a scheme to replace petrol and diesel in transport.
“America is addicted to foreign oil”, declares Mr Pickens’ website, and replacing oil imports with domestically produced gas would be good for energy security and the economy. With compressed natural gas (CNG) selling for half the price of diesel, “we’re fools not to do it”, Pickens told Bloomberg TV. The pair have committed $1B to build refuelling stations and are lobbying Congress to pass a bill to subsidize natural gas vehicles.
So if gas is newly abundant, low carbon and offers an alternative to scarce oil as a transport fuel, perhaps it really can save the planet?
On the face of it, the argument for using CNG in transport is strong. In his book, Mr Hefner claims that swapping oil for CNG cuts emissions by 20% to 30%, and converting the world’s vehicles would represent “a very large step forward in reducing global CO2 emissions”. He goes on to assert that gas powered vehicles like the Honda Civic “will always be much greener” than plug-in hybrid electric vehicles such as the Chevy Volt, as long as coal continues to be used in electricity generation. But this is based on a widespread misconception, and not supported by the numbers.
Figures published by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) show the Honda Civic travels up to 36 miles on a gallon of petrol, and the gas version does the same distance on a ‘gallon equivalent’ of CNG – both contain just under 34 kilowatt hours of energy. According to figures provided by the US Argonne National Laboratory, the ‘well-to-wheels’ or lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from a gallon of petrol are 334 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt hour, while those from a gallon equivalent of CNG are 297gCO2e/kWh. So the Civic’s emissions should be 11% lower with CNG, and work out at 278gCO2e per mile.
By contrast, America’s electricity has more than twice the carbon intensity of petrol because around half is generated from coal. On average US electricity at the socket emits 755g/kWh, so like Mr Hefner you might assume the Volt’s emissions would be commensurately high. However, electric motors are massively more efficient than internal combustion engines, which suffer big energy losses through friction and heat, and this transforms the picture. In all-electric mode, the Chevy Volt achieves the equivalent of 93 miles per gallon, and that means its emissions per mile are just 273gCO2e – fractionally better than the CNG Civic – despite being heavily dependent on coal.
True, the Volt’s battery-only range is just 35 miles before the petrol engine kicks in, and that would raise emissions for longer journeys. But the new Nissan Leaf battery electric claims a range of over 100 miles, and, according to the EPA, will travel that distance on the equivalent of a single gallon (99 mpge). If charged on the EU average generating mix, which produces almost 40% less carbon than the US, the Leaf would emit just 160 grams per mile, or 99 grams per kilometre. That’s 40% lower than a typical petrol car in Europe, according to figures from the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.
What this means is that not only are EV emissions already lower than those from CNG in a variety of scenarios, despite the persistence of coal in the electricity supply, but also they will continue to fall as power generation is decarbonized. By contrast, CNG is an emissions-reduction dead-end: even if CNG could cut emissions by 30% as claimed, the remaining 70% would continue to spew from the exhaust pipe. “By far the best way to eliminate tailpipe emissions is to eliminate tailpipes”, says Gary Kendall, a former Exxon chemist, and author of a report for WWF entitled Plugged In: The End of the Oil Age. “And that means switching to electric cars, which get cleaner along with the electricity mix, and are the only vehicles capable of eliminating their emissions altogether”.
It is also clear that in the short term it makes more sense to burn natural gas in a power station and run EVs on the electricity it produces than to compress the gas and burn it in a car engine. That might suggest natural gas can still save the world – or at least start to – simply by displacing coal in power generation, which would cut both power and transport emissions. But here again the picture is not as simple as the gas industry and its supporters would have us believe.
One reason is that, although natural gas cannot become cleaner, it can get dirtier. Much dirtier, according to Robert Howarth of Cornell University, who has developed a controversial analysis of the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of shale gas.
While most critiques of shale gas production have concentrated on the potential to contaminate water supplies, professor Howarth looked at the impact of ‘fugitive emissions’ of methane caused by hydraulic fracturing, the process of splitting the rock using high pressure water and chemicals. These emissions happen in the first few weeks after fracking, as the fluid returns up the well to the surface, before the well is sealed and a pipeline installed. The fluid brings with it methane that escapes to the atmosphere, which Howarth estimates can amount to 1.9% of well’s total output, and subsequent leaks at the well-site or downstream can raise total fugitive emissions to almost 8% of lifetime production.
As a result, Howarth suggests not only does shale gas emit more lifecycle carbon than conventional gas, but that both can be more carbon intensive than coal per unit of energy. At worst, he calculates, shale gas could have twice the emissions of surface mined coal. Even after allowing for the greater efficiency of gas fired power stations over coal fired plant, electricity produced from shale gas could still be over 40% more carbon intensive than that from coal. The findings “certainly call into question the idea of using shale gas as a bridging fuel”, says Howarth.
Howarth’s work has been vehemently attacked by the gas industry for its data and assumptions. Howarth himself has accepted the data is “lousy”, based as much of it is on scarce and approximate industry sources. However, he vigorously defends his assumptions – particularly his treatment of the impact of natural gas on the climate over the short term.
Methane is commonly accepted to be 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in its global warming potential (GWP) over 100 years, and 72 times more potent over 20 years – because CO persists in the atmosphere for about a century while methane lasts only a tenth of that time. But Howarth used higher values of 33 and 105 respectively, based on recent research showing methane has an even greater impact than previously thought, because of the way it interacts with aerosols. And whereas most climate scientists tend to use the 100-year timeframe, Howarth stresses the 20-year period, and that makes gas look worse.
But Howarth insists his approach is fair because the short-term impact of methane is helping propel the climate towards an early tipping point. Cutting methane emissions now would have an earlier impact on global temperatures than cuts in carbon dioxide, he argues, and that would give more time for cuts in CO2 to take effect. “Without controlling methane we’re in a lot of trouble”, he says.
Other studies that use the standard GWP come up with far lower estimates of the impact of shale gas, but agree the new resource is raising lifecycle emissions.
Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency upped its estimate of fugitive emissions, and a report from Deutsche Bank shows this revision increases the average emissions per megawatt hour of US gas fired power stations by 11%. That’s still 47% lower than average emissions from US coal fired stations, but the advantage will shrink as shale production increases. The US Department of Energy predicts shale production will quadruple by 2035, hoisting its share of the total US gas supply to almost half.
Shale gas fugitive emissions could be much reduced by installing equipment to capture the fugitive emissions at the well-site, and the EPA has proposed a regulation that could encourage this. But in once sense the higher carbon intensity of shale gas is irrelevant: even if all natural gas remained as ‘clean’ as conventional gas is generally believed to be, it still could not deliver the emissions cuts demanded by climate science.
One problem is that global energy demand growth is so strong that any notion of gas ‘displacing’ coal now looks fanciful. In the US and China, the world’s biggest polluters, coal and gas consumption are both forecast to rise over the next 25 years. So at best rising gas consumption will moderate the rate of growth in coal emissions, but will not reduce them in absolute terms. Professor Kevin Anderson, of the Tyndall Centre, Manchester, which has published a damning report about the potential climate impact of UK shale gas, argues economic growth trumps the argument that gas would displace coal. “In a world that is clamouring for energy”, he says, “exploiting a new resource like shale means emissions will rise, not fall”.
Even if gas were to displace all coal, however, it still could not deliver Britain’s legally binding commitment to cut emissions by 80% by 2050. To achieve that, the Committee on Climate Change has calculated that average emissions from electricity need to fall from around 500g/kWh today to just 50g/kWh by 2030, because electricity emissions should be the easiest to cut, and because low carbon power is needed to help decarbonise transport and heating. But the most efficient gas plants emit around 440g/kWh, so a second ‘dash for gas’ might reduce emissions fractionally in the short term, but would make later targets harder and much more expensive to hit.
“We’ve played that trick once, and we can’t play it again”, says Dustin Benton of the Green Alliance think tank, and author of a recent report entitled ‘Avoiding Gas Lock-in: why a second dash for gas is not in Britain’s interest’. The report warns that so much gas fired plant is either under construction or being planned that power stations worth ₤£10B will have to be retired early if emissions targets are to be achieved in the 2020s. Mr Benton says in future, gas plant will have to operate as ‘peaking’ plant, generating only a few hours per year, or be fitted with carbon capture and storage (CCS).
The need to install CCS on gas fired plant is reinforced by a scenario developed by the International Energy Agency (IEA) called the Golden Age of Gas. The scenario describes gas taking market share from oil and coal over the next 25 years, but still leads to global warming of 3.5C – far higher than the generally agreed threshold for runaway climate change.
If gas needs CCS as much as coal, there is no guarantee if or when it will become technically and commercially viable. The Government’s CCS competition ran for almost five years before collapsing last October in a dispute over costs with the one remaining contestant. But if the technology does deliver, it could make gas less competitive. Another study from the IEA shows that coal and gas fired plants fitted with CCS could both produce power at about the same price, but the cost of abating a tonne of carbon would be far lower in the coal fired plant. Paradoxically, that’s because coal plants produce much more carbon, making each tonne cheaper to capture. So if CCS becomes compulsory for both coal and gas plant, and policy is driven by a carbon price, gas could be at a disadvantage.
None of which will deter the gas industry from continuing to insist that “natural gas is truly the bridge fuel to civilization’s sustainable future”, in the words of Robert Hefner. But perhaps that’s no surprise. After we touched down at Farnborough in his private jet, Mr Hefner was quickly on the mobile to a drilling rig in the US that was just about to penetrate a new gas reservoir, of which his company owned a quarter share. The value of the gas it was expected to contain at then prevailing prices: $8B.
© Faversham House Ltd 2023 edie news articles may be copied or forwarded for individual use only. No other reproduction or distribution is permitted without prior written consent. | <urn:uuid:b005abd9-1849-43ae-b3fd-5c77628c550f> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.edie.net/natural-gas-a-viable-low-carbon-solution/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499967.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20230202070522-20230202100522-00413.warc.gz | en | 0.95352 | 3,230 | 3 | 3 |
Metalloids: Properties and Uses
Learn more about what metalloids are and how they are used.
The term ‘metalloids” (or “semimetals”) refers to those elements whose properties fall partway between those that are characteristic of metals and those that are characteristic of nonmetals. The exact number of elements that should be considered metalloids is often disputed, but it is generally agreed that there are at least six. The metalloid element antimony was probably the first to come to man's attention. It was used in ancient Egypt in pigments and medicinal preparations.
Metalloids have a metallic appearance and are very hard and brittle. This makes them unsuitable for structural applications in their pure form. However, when metalloids are added to other elements, they help to produce alloys and semiconductors with unique properties that cannot be obtained in any other way.
This article will describe and identify what metalloids are, present their chemical and physical properties, and discuss some typical applications.
There is no clear and unambiguous metalloid definition. This is because metalloids have properties intermediate between metals and nonmetals. They occupy the line between metals and nonmetals on the periodic table of elements. This often results in disagreement as to which specific elements are metalloids.
Depending on how the term is defined, scientists list anywhere from six to nine elements as metalloids. On the periodic table of elements, the metalloids straddle a diagonal line between the metals and nonmetals, as shown in Figure 1 below:
For more information, see our guide on the Elements of Metalloids.
Periodic table of elements.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.com/Humdan
The six elements listed below are universally accepted as metalloids:
- Boron (B): Used to strengthen structural components in automobiles.
- Silicon (Si): The most common semiconductor material.
- Germanium (Ge): Commonly used for semiconductors.
- Arsenic (As): Often used as an insecticide.
- Tellurium (Te): Used as a steel additive to improve machinability.
- Antimony (Sb): Used to color paints and is often alloyed with lead.
Three additional elements are considered metalloids by some scientists. These elements can just as easily be classified as pure metals or nonmetals, hence the ambiguity and disagreement.
- Polonium: Highly radioactive; used as a power source for space probes.
- Astatine: Radioactive element with no current applications outside the research laboratory.
- Bismuth: Used for fire suppression.
The first metalloid used dates back to ancient Egypt, where antimony was used as makeup and as a colorant for paint and stains. However, it was only classified as a metalloid in the 1500s. Arsenic was also widely used in the middle ages. It was likely first isolated by a German physician, Albertus Magnus, around 1250. Arsenic was widely used as a pigment until it was discovered to be highly toxic. Silicon was first discovered in 1823 by the Swedish chemist Jöns Jacob Berzelius. The first commercially available semiconductors were manufactured in 1954.
Metalloids generally have the physical appearance of metals. They tend to be hard and brittle and behave as semiconductors. Metalloids are also inclined to behave as nonmetals chemically. As such, metalloids aren’t typically used for mechanical applications. However, this behavior depends on the exact elements with which they are reacting. This means in some chemical reactions, metalloids behave as nonmetals and in others, they behave as metals.
For more information, see our guide on the Properties of Metalloids.
Metalloids’ physical properties tend to be a mix between those of metals and those of nonmetals. Listed below are some of the physical properties of metalloids:
- Electrical Conductivity: Metalloids do not conduct electricity as well as metals. In fact, many metalloids behave as semiconductors. This means they can be either conductors or insulators, depending on the levels of impurities present, or on temperature effects.
- Physical Form: Metalloids are solid at room temperature.
- Thermal Conductivity: Metalloids conduct heat better than nonmetals, but not as well as metals.
- Density: The densities of metalloids vary widely. For example, silicon’s density is 2.33 g/cm3, while antimony's is 6.69 g/cm3.
- Hardness: Metalloids have a wide range of hardnesses. For example, arsenic has a Mohs hardness of 3.5, while boron has a Mohs hardness of 9.3. For comparison, gold has a Mohs hardness of 2.5, and diamond has a Mohs hardness of 10.
- Mechanical Properties: Metalloids have poor ductility, and as a result are very brittle. Metalloids cannot, therefore, be used in structural applications.
- Metallic Appearance: Most metalloids have an appearance that shows a shiny, reflective surface, similar to that of many metals.
Metalloids will generally have the chemical behavior of nonmetals. Listed below are some common chemical properties of metalloids:
- Electronegativity: Electronegativity refers to how easily an atom will attract elements when forming a chemical bond. The higher the number, the stronger the attraction. Metalloids typically have electronegativity values between 1.8 and 2.2.
- Covalent Bonds: Metalloids will form covalent bonds but do not form monatomic ions as metals do.
- Alloy Formation: Metalloids can be introduced into other metals to form alloys. An example is antimony mixed with lead to form antimonial lead alloys that are used in ammunition.
- Chemical Reactivity: Metalloids tend to form covalent bonds, like nonmetals. They do not typically form monatomic anions, which is a typical metal behavior.
Metalloids are used in a wide range of applications, specifically for their semiconducting properties. Listed below are some examples:
- Semiconductors: Silicon is widely used as a semiconductor and can be found in most electronic devices. Arsenic-doped germanium also has commercially-useful semiconducting properties. Antimony's high charge mobility makes it useful in some specialized semiconductor applications.
- Silicone Rubber: Silicon can be polymerized with oxygen to form a polymer with a silicone-oxygen backbone (polymer branches are typically methyl.) A wide range of properties can be achieved by modifying the polymer chain. Silicone is widely used as a sealant, for lubricants, insulation, and cooking utensils.
- Biological Agents: Most metalloid elements have some medicinal or toxic properties. Arsenic and antimony are classified as toxic. Arsenic was historically used in pesticides, but this application has become less common. Silicon and boron, on the other hand, can have medicinal properties such as antiseptics or oral anti-foaming agents. Boric acid is also used for yeast infections.
- Alloying Elements: Metalloids are often used as metal alloying elements. Examples include silicon in aluminum and boron in iron. Other alloying metalloids include antimony and tellurium.
- Glass: Boron, in the form of borax oxide, is mixed with silicon in the form of silica sand (SiO2) and soda ash to create borosilicate glass. This glass has excellent resistance to thermal shock. Pyrex is popular glass bakeware that is made from borosilicate glass.
The exact number of metalloid elements on the periodic table is often disputed, with the number identified ranging anywhere from six up to as many as eleven.
Since there is no one definition of metalloids agreed upon by all scientists, there is no real agreement on how many metalloids exist. The most agreed-upon set of metalloids includes boron, silicon, arsenic, germanium, antimony, and tellurium. After these six, there is no agreed-upon final number, and some researchers identify up to 9 or 11 metalloid elements.
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This article discussed metalloids and presented their physical and chemical properties and their uses in industry. To learn more about how metalloids can be used to enhance the performance of other materials and benefit your application, contact a Xometry expert today for assistance.
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Boulder County enjoys a little-known but rich Japanese legacy. The first Japanese residents in Boulder County moved here as farmers, laborers, miners, and railroad workers. Many literally left their mark on the physical landscape, helping carve Trail Ridge Road from the foot path the Arapaho Indians called the “Dog Trail.” They also blasted rocks from Middle Boulder Creek to build Barker Dam, and burrowed into coal seams in the mines of Erie and Dacono. No job seemed too difficult or dangerous for hard-working Japanese laborers.
A Farming History: the Tanaka Family
Many Japanese immigrants in Boulder County were farmers. Issokichi (Frank) Tanaka for example, first arrived in Colorado in 1906, establishing a family farm in Brighton. He quickly expanded his holdings to Boulder County. Isso’s seven sons and two daughters grew up following the plow and pulling weeds in the family’s expanding farms. Those farms eventually grew to 5,400 acres. At one time Tanaka Farms was the largest vegetable farming operation in Colorado. Five of Frank Tanaka’s sons served in World War II. After the war, five of his children died or moved away, leaving four sons—Sam, Rocky, Dick and Bobby—to run the farming enterprise. After three of the four sons died in quick succession, only Dick remained. Though he tried mightily to carry on, it was just too much for one person to handle and Tanaka Farms declared bankruptcy in 1990.
The proud history of the Kanemotos dates back to two brothers, George and Jim Kanemoto. Their father moved from Hiroshima in the early 1900s and worked an 80-acre farm. Jim and George bought more land until their holdings grew to 340 acres. They were versatile, astute businessmen, who also operated a retail outlet on Main Street to market their produce. Jim patented his idea for a portable irrigation dam, and in 1960 founded Kane Manufacturing Company. With brilliant foresight they annexed their acres to the City of Longmont in 1961. The ensuing development became Southmoor Park. Ever the civic-minded businessmen, they donated 10 acres for a school, administration building, fire station, and six acres for a park. They also gave land to St. Stephens Episcopal Church.
In the midst of Kanemoto Park, in the Southmoor neighborhood in Longmont, stands the beautiful five-story Tower of Compassion. Each level of this 60-foot tall pagoda represents a virtue: love, empathy, understanding, gratitude and giving selflessly. Kanemoto’s accomplishments were stellar, serving on the Water Board, Community Hospital Foundation, Economic Development Association, Board of First National Bank, Longmont Rotary, Fox Hills Country Club, Longmont Long Range Planning Commission and more. In 1996, Kanemoto was honored by inclusion in Boulder County’s Business Hall of Fame. The family’s record of community service continues. Jim’s son Ken, George’s son Ed, and grandson Keith continue to practice real estate in Longmont.
The Japanese Language School
The University of Colorado in Boulder (CU) also played an important role in the Japanese history of Boulder Coutny. By the late 1930s, approximately 20 Japanese students attended the university. Though small in numbers, these students were actively involved in athletics, and various clubs and campus societies. The Japanese population at CU burgeoned during World War II, partly due to the uprooting of west coast Japanese American citizens and displacement to inland camps. As part of that effort, the U.S. Navy Japanese Language School was moved from Berkeley, California to CU.
More than 150 Japanese Americans taught in the Navy’s Japanese Language School between 1942 and 1946. Eventually the language school graduated more than 1,200 students. They played important roles in the Pacific Theater of Operations as interpreters, interrogators, code breakers, and intelligence officers. They grew to greatly respect Japanese culture and people, and went on to become noted scholars, historians, linguists and intelligence officers.
Boulder’s Japanese heritage continues to enliven and enrich Boulder County’s unique culture today. | <urn:uuid:2e36e06e-91ad-4335-91d7-ce2c30119ac3> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://bouldercountyopenspace.org/i/history/japanese-history-in-boulder-county/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500056.55/warc/CC-MAIN-20230203122526-20230203152526-00493.warc.gz | en | 0.962514 | 852 | 2.84375 | 3 |
Sardar Sarovar Dam, a project for harnessing the Narmada river for irrigation and power generation, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 17 September, 2017. The foundation stone of the dam was laid by the first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on 5 April, 1961.
Sardar Sarovar Dam, a unique example of engineering, was constructed by Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam, a wholly-owned government of Gujarat undertaking.
The project involves construction of 30 major, 135 medium and around 3,000 small dams on River Narmada to divert water from Narmada river towards drought prone areas in Gujarat, Rajasthan
The plan for the project was initiated in 1946. Though the work began in 1987, the project faced many hurdles including the World Bank’s refusals to fund the project and the Supreme Court’s stay order in 1996 over environmental and rehabilitation issues. The World Bank had originally agreed to finance the project. It also faced very stiff opposition from environmentalist and project affected people.
However, in 2000 the stay order was withdrawn and permission to restart construction with conditions was granted. The project was finally dedicated to the nation after a span of 56 years. | <urn:uuid:d6a5f51a-dd51-49bc-9558-ac89c200a09f> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://projexsurvey.projectstoday.com/2018/03/28/sardar-sarovar-dam-harnessing-untapped-waters-of-narmada/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500056.55/warc/CC-MAIN-20230203122526-20230203152526-00493.warc.gz | en | 0.964323 | 258 | 3.0625 | 3 |
Marigolds are amongst those plants that are easy to grow. They are also lasting plants that appear quite beautiful, no mater where they are planted. Being annuals, they do not grow themselves year after year. In effect, marigolds need to be replanted every year. Apart from being beautiful, marigolds are even beneficial in many ways. They emit a specific kind of smell, which keep the insects away as they find it offensive. Thus, they can be grown in the vicinity of plants that are prone to be harmed by insects, such as tomatoes. Marigolds are usually orange or bright yellow in color and are available in various sizes. As growing them does not require much effort, they can be planted year after year, to reap the benefits. To know how to grow Marigolds, read on.
How to Plant Marigolds
- If you wish to start growing marigolds in spring, sow them indoors, particularly six to eight weeks before your area’s last frost date. If you are fine with later blooms, sow them after the last frost date.
- If you are planting seeds, sow them directly in the ground, covering them with about ¼ inch of soil. Space them 8 to 18 inches apart, depending on the variety.
- While buying plants, remember to choose only healthy, green plants that are free from signs of wilting or disease. The plants should have plenty of leaves. Moreover, it's good if they don't have any flower, as this will divert the early energy into root development, rather than flowering.
- While planting marigold seedlings, remember to sow them at the spot that receives full sun and has a rich, well-drained soil.
- The seedlings should be placed 8 to 18 inches apart, depending on the variety. Ward off any flower while sowing, to redirect the plants' energy to the roots. This will ensure long-term health and better flowering.
- After this, cover them with mulch to prevent weeds and preserve moisture.
- Make sure you fertilize marigolds plants every four to six weeks. On the contrary, you can also use organic gardeners to work in plenty of compost at planting time.
- Nip or snap off depleted flowers to delay flowering.
- In autumn, after the frost blackens the leaves; pull up the plants and discard them. | <urn:uuid:b8139271-2a38-4537-ad3e-bc4062940998> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/how-to-plant-marigolds-2990.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500151.93/warc/CC-MAIN-20230204173912-20230204203912-00573.warc.gz | en | 0.960002 | 492 | 3.140625 | 3 |
LiteBIRD is a future satellite mission designed to observe the polarization of the cosmic microwave background radiation in order to probe the inflationary universe. LiteBIRD is set to observe the sky using three telescopes with transition-edge sensor bolometers. In this work we estimated the LiteBIRD instrumental sensitivity using its current design. We estimated the detector noise due to the optical loadings using physical optics and ray-tracing simulations. The noise terms associated with thermal carrier and readout noise were modeled in the detector noise calculation. We calculated the observational sensitivities over fifteen bands designed for the LiteBIRD telescopes using assumed observation time efficiency.
- Detector noise
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
- Materials Science(all)
- Condensed Matter Physics | <urn:uuid:f41e9974-3c8b-4ae0-88f7-af4b3fe4133a> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://waseda.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/sensitivity-modeling-for-litebird | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500151.93/warc/CC-MAIN-20230204173912-20230204203912-00573.warc.gz | en | 0.833756 | 186 | 2.796875 | 3 |
In 1899 Dorothy Canfield received a B.A. from Ohio State University, then went on to receive a Ph.D. in Romance languages from the University of Paris and Columbia University. At a time when women rarely attended college, Canfield was distinguishing herself as a serious academic. In addition to her college and graduate school degrees, she received more than half a dozen honorary degrees from other prestigious universities. In 1907, Dorothy Canfield married John Redwood Fisher and they had two children. Just a few years later, the young mother traveled to Rome to study under Maria Montessori. Impressed by Montessori’s revolutionary methods, Fisher worked to bring the Montessori Method to the United States. In addition to translating Montessori’s writing, Fisher wrote five books of her own based on the Montessori Method. Understood Betsy is one of the fiction novels Fisher penned that articulated the Montessori Method. The tender and charming story opens with a sickly, fragile, emotional, and immature Elizabeth Ann and follows her through a stunning metamorphosis into an independent and vibrant Betsy.
Fisher’s keen intelligence, delightful writing style, and perceptive nature shine through the pages of Understood Betsy. While the story was intended as a vehicle through which Fisher could give flesh to the Montessori Method, it is obvious that Fisher sincerely believed that Montessori understood how to draw out the very best in children. In this story, Fisher gives an authentic celebration of childhood. The dichotomy between the progressive industrial model of education and the country one-room schoolhouse is so obvious that it could be argued that Understood Betsy is a better defense against the modern school system than John Taylor Gatto’s books.
“An older girl was reflected (in the mirror) also, near Molly, a dark-eyed, red-cheeked, sturdy little girl, standing very straight on two strong legs, holding her head high and free, her dark eyes looking out brightly from her tanned face. For an instant Betsy gazed into those clear eyes and then… why, gracious goodness! That was herself she was looking at! How changed she was! How very, very different she looked from the last time she had seen herself in a big mirror! She remembered it well – out shopping with Aunt Frances in a department store, she had caught sight of a pale little girl with a thin neck, and spindling legs half-hidden in the folds of Aunt Frances’s skirts. But she didn’t even look like the sister of this browned, muscular, upstanding child who held Molly’s hand so firmly.”
While Understood Betsy is a robust articulation of excellent educational pedagogy and can be deeply inspiring to homeschool parents, the real flair is the storytelling itself. Because Fisher so passionately believes in traditional and natural childhood, complete with chores, independence, and free play, the reader is delighted by the everyday life of Betsy, her school friends, and the Putney farm. Fans of Betsy Tacy, Little House on the Prairie, Grandma’s Attic, Little Men, Old Sam: Dakota Trotter, and other twentieth-century children’s classics will feel at home on the Putney farm. Elizabeth Ann (Betsy) is a nine-year-old girl who reads at the seventh-grade level and who struggles with math. Orphaned very early in life, Elizabeth Ann was raised by two aunts and their housekeeper in the city who were “not very rich or very poor.” Despite their well-meaning intentions, Aunt Harriet and Aunt Frances smother Elizabeth Ann and raise her to be a fragile and sickly little soul. When an emergency arises, Elizabeth Ann is sent to live with family in the country where her real life begins in earnest.
“What would Cousin Ann do?”
Life on the Putney farm is simple, healthy, happy and full of opportunities for Betsy to grow into a well-adjusted, confident, capable, and delightful creature. Caring for pets, sewing clothes, helping with chores, and having adventures, Betsy’s life is inspiring and delightful to read about. In several places, Betsy has exciting adventures that reveal to Betsy and the reader just how capable unfettered children can be.
Fisher’s writing style may seem a bit strange to a new reader at first. Typical of the Montessori style, Fisher writes this story for children in a tone that is consistent with how Montessori teachers would speak to their young charges. Fisher opens the story with careful descriptions of the characters and a conversational narrator voice which acknowledges the questions that young readers may have.
“So now you know the names of all the household. And this is how they looked: Aunt Harriet is was very small and thin and old, Grace was very small and thin and middle-aged, Aunt Frances (for Elizabeth Ann called her “Aunt,” although she was really, of course, a first-cousin-once-removed) was small and thin and if the light wasn’t too strong might be called young, and Elizabeth Ann was very small and very thin and little. And yet they all had plenty to eat. I wonder what was the matter with them?”
At first, I found this tone off-putting. While there is a little more of that throughout, Fisher reserves most of the explaining for the first chapter. As Elizabeth Ann evolves into Betsy, Fisher seems to presume that her audience will evolve with Betsy, and the condescending tone disappears. I did note, however, that my children were not bothered by the tone at all. In fact, my eight-year-old felt respected by it. Greta seemed to feel like Fisher was a friend taking the time to explain things that a reader might not intuitively understand.
I have read this story at least three times. It never fails to teach me something, encourage me as a homeschool mom, and delight my imagination. In fact, I confess envy. I wish that I could go and live at the Putney farm. I would love to churn butter with Aunt Abigail, sit at Uncle Henry’s desk, play with Betsy’s kittens, and work alongside Aunt Ann while she makes the syrup. I think this story would nurture any young reader. The writing is a tad challenging (especially with Fisher’s run-on sentences), so I think that giving this one in audio format to the very young is an ideal introduction. Independent young readers would enjoy revisiting this one when they are able to read long chapters. As a read-aloud, this would be a great family read for a wide range of listeners.
Regardless of when and how this story is presented, I think it is one not to be missed. There is an Audible version is very inexpensive and worth listening to. | <urn:uuid:93d8eeda-4de6-4774-afd9-859b44d2ef1b> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | http://plumfieldandpaideia.com/understood-betsy/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500384.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20230207035749-20230207065749-00733.warc.gz | en | 0.97096 | 1,430 | 2.84375 | 3 |
Communities are protecting Lake Huron with best management practices and projects along the entire southeast shoreline.
These positive actions are taking place in many lakeshore and inland watersheds of the St. Clair Region, Ausable Bayfield, Maitland Valley, Saugeen Valley, Grey Sauble, and Bruce Peninsula areas.
There are six identified key watersheds – ‘beacon’ or ‘sentinel’ or 'priority' areas – that have been designated for long-term monitoring (of water quality, water quantity, and weather), research, and project implementation and evaluation.
The lessons learned in these six designated watershed study areas provide valuable knowledge about projects that can be implemented along the entire southeast shoreline.
The six areas are:
The Bayfield North Watersheds area is approximately 40 square kilometres in size and consists of 20 small streams flowing directly into Lake Huron. The watershed is located within the County of Huron.
Lambton Shores Watershed is 127 square kilometres and includes provincially significant wetlands and woodlands as well as unique shoreline features. Creeks include Duffus Creek, Shashawandah Creek, James Creek and Woods Creek.
The Bayfield River drains 497 square kilometres in southwestern Ontario. The river and local beaches provide the community with great swimming, boating and fishing opportunities.
The Garvey-Glenn drains 17.5 square kilometres of farmland and empties directly into Lake Huron, just North of Port Albert.
The Pine River covers 195 square kilometres and enters Lake Huron at Point Clark. The Pine River sub-watershed is located in Bruce County, Township of Huron-Kinloss and includes the Village of Ripley.
The Bruce Peninsula Biosphere Association (BPBA) recognizes water quality is fundamental to ecological and human health, and it is a necessary foundation for our region’s economic prosperity. | <urn:uuid:adae04ab-2af5-4a1e-917a-dab1b347c556> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://healthylakehuron.com/areas/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500384.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20230207035749-20230207065749-00733.warc.gz | en | 0.929514 | 390 | 3.171875 | 3 |
Much can be said about the impact war has on a country but what about the impact on those traveling through? 16 years living and traveling through countries who have spent years in war and countries with years of peace, has given us experiences to be able to answer that question now and prevent you from encountering shocking consequences on your next trip.
No doubt, war changes people but what’s interesting is that war has a similar impact on every country.
Some commonalities found in those countries impacted by war include:
How do you think these issues would impact someone traveling through for a week or a year?
1. The traveler will observe and often be shocked by the contrasts of extreme rich and poor and obvious injustices.
2. Travelers can expect to be approached by beggars that may be even more persistent than usual, not taking no for an answer.
3. As a foreigner, you might notice that there is a lack of trust in either you as the outsider, their own people, or both.
4. Travelers should expect delays in procedures, traffic, and most other business or government dealings as organization most likely has not yet been achieved.
How has living in a country recently devastated by civil war impacted me and my family here in Cambodia? There are many times that we see the effects of these painful events on those friends who survived. First, we have to fight against dependency in long term relationships. The Khmer we meet have often been without and are looking for a provider to assure their future financially. We have also learned to patiently build trust instead of expecting it. At times even enduring undeserved blame for not being the expected hero, meeting their needs as they perceive they should be met. Lastly, taking on a leadership role that’s patient, kind, and gentle inspite of what the culture says a leader should be. In the past, they were led by harsh demanding leaders and operated out of fear. We teach them a new way that is kind so that they can learn to lead in a way that is kind.
“Let’s face it–if mothers ruled the world, there wouldn’t be any . . . wars in the first place.”
SALLY FIELD, acceptance speech at 2007 Emmy Awards
What differences do you see in countries who have endured war compared to those who have not?
Featured image: children during Pol Pot provided by http://www.ridecambodia.com | <urn:uuid:140fee9f-fa2c-4c47-8892-498306089dd9> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://acoffeewithfriends.com/2017/02/27/traveling-through-war-torn-countries-how-does-it-impact-you/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500758.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20230208092053-20230208122053-00813.warc.gz | en | 0.975079 | 503 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Our Phonics and Early Reading lead is Jess Tolson.
At Firfield, we use the Essential Letters and Sound program to teach our phonics.
We aim to develop confident, fluent and passionate readers and writers from an early stage. We use 'Essential Letters and Sounds' which is a complete systematic synthetic phonics programme (SSP). Phonics is taught daily and we teach children that the letters of the alphabet represents sounds and that these are put together to make words. The children learn to recognise the different graphemes that they will see when they are reading or writing.
Our phonics teaching starts as soon as the children start in Reception and it follows a specific sequence that allows our children to build on their previous phonic knowledge and master specific phonic strategies. As a result, our children are able to tackle any unfamiliar words that they might discover.
At Firfield, we also model these strategies in shared reading and writing outside of the phonics lesson and across the curriculum.
If you would like to find out more on what ELS is, and how you can support your child at home, click here.
Assessment of Phonics
We track our children throughout each Phonic Phase to monitor both achievement and progress.
Our main emphasis on the assessment of phonics is on how effectively the children are able to apply their learning into reading and writing. This provides the evidence that the phonic learning is fully embedded.
If necessary, further support through targeted interventions is provided for children to enable them to keep up with the phonics programme.
Additional support for phonics is also put in place for those children in KS2 that still require support. | <urn:uuid:8db77682-7d0e-4fe9-9e11-e4a891af43bc> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.firfield.derbyshire.sch.uk/page/?title=Phonics&pid=216 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500758.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20230208092053-20230208122053-00813.warc.gz | en | 0.957052 | 344 | 3.59375 | 4 |
This spellings worksheet was created for early learners and will help to improve a child's spelling and vocabulary. All the spellings on this worksheet end in 'ag'. Students learn the spellings and then answer the questions. This worksheet was created by www.primaryleap.co.uk
(there is an issue with the thumbnail, showing the spellings all over the place! I have printed the worksheet myself and the spellings are inside the whiteboard :)
Quality not yet verified by the community.
This resource does not contain any images, words or ideas that would upset a reasonable person in any culture.
This resource is licensed by LoubeeSav
under the iSLCollective Copyright License | <urn:uuid:f5a99744-65dc-4eda-968a-18b097f76e6d> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://en.islcollective.com/english-esl-worksheets/writing-practice/creative-writing-prompt/questions-and-short-answers/spellings-words-ending-in-ag/121812 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764494974.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20230127065356-20230127095356-00133.warc.gz | en | 0.938604 | 148 | 3.265625 | 3 |
A baby beluga was found stranded alone in Alaska and rescued by NOAA 💙
The male calf was sent to Alaska SeaLife Center on September 30th for treatment, and was estimated to be only 2-4 weeks old.
He comes from the endangered Cook Inlet beluga population that numbers around 300 individuals; his pod and mother nowhere to be seen at the time of rescue... 😞
"The calf appeared to have been stranded for several hours and was in a weakened condition; without evidence of major physical trauma."
The little male has been successfully feeding from a tube, swimming on his own, and is being cared for 24/7.
Staff from five of the six aquariums/parks in North America that hold belugas captive travelled to Alaska for assistance.
Video and info: Alaska SeaLife Center | <urn:uuid:34adf962-ff72-443f-845b-3ccaf1089431> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.continental-shift.com/post/a-baby-beluga-rescued | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764494974.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20230127065356-20230127095356-00133.warc.gz | en | 0.982216 | 169 | 2.625 | 3 |
Computing the future
The practice of science may be undergoing yet another revolution
WHAT makes a scientific revolution? Thomas Kuhn famously described it as a “paradigm shift”—the change that takes place when one idea is overtaken by another, usually through the replacement over time of the generation of scientists who adhered to an old idea with another that cleaves to a new one. These revolutions can be triggered by technological breakthroughs, such as the construction of the first telescope (which overthrew the Aristotelian idea that heavenly bodies are perfect and unchanging) and by conceptual breakthroughs such as the invention of calculus (which allowed the laws of motion to be formulated). This week, a group of computer scientists claimed that developments in their subject will trigger a scientific revolution of similar proportions in the next 15 years.
That claim is not being made lightly. Some 34 of the world's leading biologists, physicists, chemists, Earth scientists and computer scientists, led by Stephen Emmott, of Microsoft Research in Cambridge, Britain, have spent the past eight months trying to understand how future developments in computing science might influence science as a whole. They have concluded, in a report called “Towards 2020 Science”, that computing no longer merely helps scientists with their work. Instead, its concepts, tools and theorems have become integrated into the fabric of science itself. Indeed, computer science produces “an orderly, formal framework and exploratory apparatus for other sciences,” according to George Djorgovski, an astrophysicist at the California Institute of Technology.
There is no doubt that computing has become increasingly important to science over the years. The volume of data produced doubles every year, according to Alexander Szalay, another astrophysicist, who works at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Particle-physics experiments are particularly notorious in this respect. The next big physics experiment will be the Large Hadron Collider currently being built at CERN, a particle-physics laboratory in Geneva. It is expected to produce 800m collisions a second when it starts operations next year. This will result in a data flow of 1 gigabyte per second, enough to fill a DVD every five seconds. All this information must be transmitted from CERN to laboratories around the world for analysis. The computer science being put in place to deal with this and similar phenomena forms the technological aspect of the predicted scientific revolution.
Such solutions, however, are merely an extension of the existing paradigm of collecting and ordering data by whatever technological means are available, but leaving the value-added stuff of interpretation to the human brain. What really interested Dr Emmott's team was whether computers could participate meaningfully in this process, too. That truly would be a paradigm shift in scientific method.
And computer science does, indeed, seem to be developing a role not only in handling data, but also in analysing and interpreting them. For example, devices such as “data cubes” organise information as a collection of independent variables (such as the charges and energies of particles involved in collisions) and their dependent measurements (where and when the collisions took place). This saves physicists a lot of work in deciphering the links between, say, the time elapsed since the initial collision and the types of particle existing at that moment. Meanwhile, in meteorology and epidemiology, computer science is being used to develop models of climate change and the spread of diseases including bird flu, SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and malaria.
Stephen Muggleton, the head of computational bio-informatics at Imperial College, London, has, meanwhile, taken the involvement of computers with data handling one step further. He argues they will soon play a role in formulating scientific hypotheses and designing and running experiments to test them. The data deluge is such that human beings can no longer be expected to spot patterns in the data. Nor can they grasp the size and complexity of one database and see how it relates to another. Computers—he dubs them “robot scientists”—can help by learning how to do the job. A couple of years ago, for example, a team led by Ross King of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, demonstrated that a learning machine performed better than humans at selecting experiments that would discriminate between hypotheses about the genetics of yeast.
And it is in biology that computing science is likely to have its greatest impact. The report argues that cells and complex cellular systems can be seen as information-processing systems, so there is a natural fit between them and computational logic circuits. That could lead to new developments in biology, biotechnology and medicine, as well as in computer science.
It is, perhaps, hardly unexpected that if 34 scientists with an interest in computing are asked to comment on the importance of computer science, they will find that it is, indeed, “The Future”. Even so, the team's case is a respectable one. Indeed, this week's issue of Nature has given it “earthquake coverage”—devoting several pages to news and comment about the report. And Microsoft Research Cambridge also announced that it will provide €2.5m ($3m) to support research that addresses policy areas outlined by the report, which include a reform of the education system and the creation of new kinds of research institutes. This is, admittedly, a small sum. If Microsoft wants the world to take its claims—and those of the scientists it commissioned to think about such things—seriously, then it should put more money where its mouth is. Otherwise the old guard might hang around rather longer than expected.
This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline "Computing the future"
From the March 25th 2006 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contentsExplore the edition
A nifty piece of chemistry may have found a safe, effective, long-lasting protection
Pick a sport where they don’t move much, and study skin flushing
A router’s emissions can paint a picture of activity in a room | <urn:uuid:3afae661-d50b-42a1-81c5-c50986a7d3d1> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2006/03/23/computing-the-future | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764494974.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20230127065356-20230127095356-00133.warc.gz | en | 0.946932 | 1,260 | 3.484375 | 3 |
Innovation, although defined many ways, can be considered the exploitation of creative ideas for value-added outcomes. With rapid advances in technology and cultural transformation, explicit knowledge is becoming less valuable in healthcare. Therefore, it is imperative that future physicians learn how to affect the healthcare system not just through healthcare delivery, but also by translating their strengths and passions into products and processes that define the system.
In this elective, we will spend a small amount of time in the classroom discussing individual strengths and how to pair those attributes with a ‘gap’ or ‘need’ in the healthcare system. As a class, we will utilize various methods to develop a focused question, using an evidence-based, well crafted needs assessment. The class will then be broken into small groups. These small groups will design a product or process to address the focused question. This approach obviously allows for multiple solutions, as well as enlisting community resources. It is imperative that we choose a meaningful theme for projects, which will happen organically since the class is selecting the focused problem themselves. A majority of the elective time will be spent engaged in ‘hands on’, small group work.
Learning in most conventional medical education settings is a passive experience, especially during the pre-clinical years. This elective will foster creative skills and knowledge while solving a problem, creating a product or generating a new understanding of a process. This type of reasoning has not been cultivated in clinicians. Projects such as these help students find and pursue a passion, which over time develops into a niche and a deeper sense of purpose, ultimately helping prevent physician burn out. Earlier in their medical education, students tend to be more malleable. Therefore, time is of the essence, and this course targets future innovators in healthcare at a time when they are ripe to receive this information.
The course is hands-on and requires students to conduct various types of research (direct interactions with potential “consumers,” i.e. interviews/surveys of patients and providers; literature search and market analysis of competitor products and processes; discussion with experts from other fields, e.g. engineering, information technology, product development, business). Students are also required to conduct studies with potential target users and stakeholders. Extra time spent outside of the classroom is estimated at 40 hours/week.
A tentative outline:
- Lecture/Class discussion on strengths and components of a well balanced team
- Personality analysis, utilization of Myers Brigg, Birkman or similar personality assessment tool
- How to perform an evidence-based needs assessment
- Perform a needs assessment
- Establishment of focused problem
- Components of a powerful and convincing presentation
- Explanation of healthcare markets and how to measure innovation outcomes
- Design teams based on principles of building a well-balanced team
- Small group design time
- Engaging with community leaders for guidance in product design
- Identifying funding potential and stake holders
- Meet with clerkship director, for feedback and guidance
- Presentation of final product (week 4)
- Feedback from clerkship director, classmates and professor from the business school (week 4) | <urn:uuid:3e2a5a42-156e-414e-ad92-d11182590814> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://drangelafusaro.com/portfolio/healthcare-innovation/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499634.11/warc/CC-MAIN-20230128121809-20230128151809-00213.warc.gz | en | 0.954226 | 658 | 2.625 | 3 |
Protest and Dissent
Most of the maps in this section were created by people and institutions with considerable power, like governments, military agents, big corporations, and high-circulation publications. Yet maps don't exclusively show the perspectives of those in dominant positions. They can also be potent persuasive instruments in service of protest and dissent, and can take a critical stance towards power and authority.
By the middle of the twentieth century, the world's superpowers had equipped themselves with enough nuclear weapons to annihilate humanity several times over. This set of maps was produced by the radical cartographer William Bunge to show just how destructive and horrifying a nuclear war would be. Using simple lines and symbols, Bunge demonstrated the effect of fallout and explosive fire on top of cities like Chicago and Toronto. He also used clever techniques to emphasize how traditional national borders no longer made sense in the atomic age.
The Radioactive Waste Campaign had a similar goal to Bunge: to sound the alarm about the ever-present danger of nuclear weapons. This 1988 map, issued as part of a book on radioactive landfills, traces the routes by which nuclear materials were transported around the country. The generous extra spacing between the parallel lines borrows the visual technique of a flow map and gives the impression that vast swathes of the country are in the path of nuclear weaponry components.
Compare these maps to the map below, produced by the government agency that regulates nuclear energy. Both take similar graphical approaches, but one is meant to raise alarm, while the other is meant to project cool, bureaucratic calm. | <urn:uuid:791cee96-603d-425a-85c2-a59b5d01bab9> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.leventhalmap.org/digital-exhibitions/bending-lines/why-persuade/protest-and-dissent/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499634.11/warc/CC-MAIN-20230128121809-20230128151809-00213.warc.gz | en | 0.950236 | 318 | 3.625 | 4 |
There are around 600 different species of plants that deer eat in Louisiana. Here are some findings that will help you focus on the most-popular deer foods to up your changes of hunting success.
As we all know, the 2011 mast crop was tremendous, but the overall statewide deer harvest was way down from past years.
While many are quick to blame low deer numbers due to drought, coyotes, poor habitat, etc., the plain and simple fact is that deer had an abundant food source available to them — and they did not have to visit the feeders and food plots as most hunters hoped they would and subsequently banked their hunting outings on.
A very mild winter also kept native browse greener than usual, providing the deer with sufficient food.
It has always been my observation that an abundant mast crop will keep deer movement to a minimum, and a mild winter will keep them out of the green patches and foraging on the native plants in the thickets and woods, especially when the hunting pressure increases.
Last season I spent some time examining stomach contents of harvested deer in the pine woods of East Feliciana Parish and in the bottomland hardwood forests and agriculture land in the Upper Morganza Floodway of Pointe Coupee Parish. In light of another potentially good mast crop this season, it would be wise for deer hunters to take a close look at the foods deer were eating in 2011.
It might help in determining the best stand location for this year’s upcoming season.
QDMA’s top 10 plant list
One of the advantages to being a member of the Quality Deer Management Association is that one is privy to information about deer management and deer hunting from across the country. The association has begun publishing an Annual Report of Deer Hunting in North America that is available to the membership.
The association surveyed biologists across the Southeast and developed a list of the 10 important plants deer use as food. The various states submitted their top 10 plants to the association, and from that a list was produced for the Southeast region of the country.
These 10 browse species are:
American beautyberry (French mulberry)
Beggar’s lice (desmodium spp.) — a forb or herbacious plant
Brambles (rubus spp.) — blackberries/dewberries
Grape (vitis spp.) — muscadine
Greenbriar (smilax spp.)
Pokeweed (poke salad) —a forb or herbaceous plant
Ragweed — a forb or herbaceous plant)
The report mentions several other important species that the Southeast biologists submitted, and these included rattan vine, devil’s walking stick, aster and trumpet creeper
These four plants are important browse plants that we have in Louisiana, along with the ones mentioned in the list.
The list contains three separate forbs or herbaceous plants. These are non-woody plants that are seasonal during the year.
Cool-season forbs appear with the arrival of spring and die-back as summer approaches and the days become hot.
There are those summer species that begin to grow as the days become warmer, and are eaten at this time and into the fall.
Many of the perennial species will over-winter as a basal rosette, and will be eaten by deer during the winter months.
Most of these herbaceous plants that deer feed on are in the composite and legume families. The composite family contains plants such as aster, ragweed, goldenrod, wild lettuce and mist flower, while the legume family contains the beans and peas, joint-vetch, bundle-flower and the clovers.
The woody plants on the QDMA list are all important species in the Louisiana deer woods, but certainly there are other species that are high in nutritional value and are regularly browsed.
Scott Durham, the state deer biologist for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, has been conducting a research study for the past two years that is looking at the nutritional value of many of these species that deer use as food. As you read this story, pay attention to the different plants that deer are eating on the two habitat sites; it is interesting to see not only this difference but the difference in the winter and summer browse plants utilized by deer at these two locations.
Plant specie and their nutritional values can vary from one habitat type to the next. The soil fertility in the Morganza floodway is much greater than that of the piney woods in East Feliciana Parish.
The book Quality Whitetails states that 10 percent or fewer of the plant species on the landscape comprise the bulk of the deer’s diet. These preferred species will often occur on the different habitat types across the state.
Deer will feed on those that provide the most nutrition, unless deer numbers are too high and have over-browsed these preferred species. In this situation deer will eat those plants that have less nutritional value, and this results in poor body growth and antler development.
Habitat that is not properly managed can create similar problems for deer.
For best growth and development, deer need plants that have a good protein content (10 to 16 percent); provide calcium and phosphorus, digestible energy; and contain sodium and other micro nutrients.
The best nutrition comes from new plant growth, which is a product of plant succession. A forest management plan that includes scheduled timber cuts to keep plant succession occurring provides deer with a good plane of nutrition.
Year-round supplemental plantings provide deer with another source of quality forages.
2011 deer stomach investigation
Thirty-one deer stomachs were examined from the pine/hardwood habitat in East Feliciana Parish, and nine stomachs were examined from the bottomland hardwood forest/agriculture land in Pointe Coupee Parish.
See sidebar titled “Upper Morganza Floodway stomach samples” for the results from the Pointe Coupee sampling.
Rubus (blackberry) was the only high-use plant from this habitat that was on the QDMA list. The forest where these deer were harvested from was logged several years ago, and there is a good component of blackberry and dewberry in the understory.
Honeysuckle, which is one of the plants on the QDMA list, was found in the stomach of two deer, but the overall availability of honeysuckle in the woods is limited due to over-browsing by deer in past years.
Smilax or greenbriar was found in only one stomach, and is more available than honeysuckle.
The current harvest strategy is to shoot does and adult bucks, and keep the deer density below the carrying capacity to achieve maximum growth and development of bucks.
Notice the high use of acorns: The striped oak acorn is an important deer food in the fall and winter in the bottomland hardwood forests. There was also high use of water oak and obtusa oak acorns.
Acorn use was much higher than that of the soybeans that are used in feeders instead of corn due to the black bears on this area.
There are food plots throughout this habitat, as well as winter wheat on the ag lands, but notice the low use of the winter grass and clover.
The excellent crop of acorns and an abundance of rubus provided the deer with most of the food they were eating.
Read “East Feliciana Parish stomach samples” sidebar for the results of the stomach sample in that parish.
Just like the bottomland site in Pointe Coupee, acorns were the most-common food item in the stomachs of these deer in the piney woods. Acorns provide the deer with fat and carbohydrates, two sources for digestible energy that helps keep the deer in good shape during these times of stress.
The use of corn, another carbohydrate source, was low on this area — and basically corn began to show up in the stomachs in January, the time when acorn availability was declining.
The evidence of the drought was clearly shown by the lack of French mulberry fruit in the stomachs. This shrub produces the purple berries that deer relish, but the drought greatly reduced fruit production on these shrubs.
The lack of habitat management, mainly logging, is evident due to the high use of privet, yaupon and climbing fern. These species are common in these pine forests, and the low use or lack of use of other desirable browse species due to the closed forest canopy and annual burning of some sites is evident.
Strawberry bush, which is on the QDMA list, was found in only one stomach due to the low availability of this plant on the landscape. This plant can be heavily browsed by deer, and is often confined to small sprigs growing low on the forest floor.
As winter progresses, the use of evergreen forages such as yellow jessamine, horse sugar and crossvine increased. Just like on the bottomland site, the use of food-plot forages was low.
It should be evident that when acorns are available, deer are going to be eating them and that is the place to hunt.
This year the rainfall has been more abundant and the French Mulberry fruit is quite abundant, and this would certainly be a food plant to focus on in 2012.
2012 browse surveys
I also conducted browse surveys on these two areas to see what plants deer were eating during the spring and summer. The transect survey technique was used to document this plant use.
A 30-acre timber cut was made on part of this piney woods tract, and I did the browse survey in this area because I wanted to see just what impact this cut had on the landscape where a closed canopy had greatly reduced browse availability.
The focus of the cut was pine, with some cutting of sweetgum and hickory.
See sidebar titled “Browse Survey Results” to learn useage of different browse species.
It is obvious that more of the plants on the QDMA list are being eaten during the spring and summer, especially in the piney woods tract. The main reason for this is that during the spring and summer deer need foods high in protein, calcium and phosphorus for good body growth and antler development, as well as fawning and nursing of fawns.
During the fall and winter, deer need the carbohydrates from the mast crop because growth and development has stopped. In the winter, deer need the foods that produce fat that provides energy during the tough times.
The high use of American beautyberry in the clear cut is a typical result produced by logging. The new growth produces succulent green stems that are highly preferred, whereas the mature, woody stems of this shrub in the fall are less desirable.
American beautyberry is a plant that provides both fruit and browse: fruit in the fall and browse in the summer.
As the forest canopy begins to close and sunlight becomes limited, the browse importance of this shrub declines and the fruit will be the only food it provides for deer. This clearly points out the importance of a good timber-management plan, where logging occurs on a planned schedule.
The high use of the other woody species — blackberry, red maple, oak, greenbriar and muscadine — clearly shows what a timber cut can do for the deer habitat.
The high use of hickory is somewhat surprising, since hickory is really not considered a preferred deer browse.
On the bottomland site, trumpet creeper, greenbriar and blackberry were the top browse plants.
Trumpet creeper is a vine that provides deer with good protein as well as good levels of calcium and phosphorus.
Hackberry and ash are two additional woody plants being eaten that are good nutritional species.
The deer foods on this bottomland habitat are greatly enhanced by the adjacent fields of soybeans and corn, and I anticipate some quality bucks being harvested in this habitat this season.
The LDWF browse study
The study that Scott Durham and his associates are currently in the process of finishing up is going to shed some additional light on the subject of deer nutrition.
One of the better browse plants that he is finding in this study is elderberry, a common shrub in the various deer habitats in Louisiana. It is one that I have used as an indicator species of deer herd density.
Elderberry is easy to regenerate (seed and root stock), and is readily browsed by deer. In fact, this is a shrub that deer can over-browse and actually limit its availability on the habitat.
You should have noticed that elderberry was not on the list of plants that I found being eaten by deer on the two habitat sites. There is some elderberry on both sites, but the deer have had a dramatic impact on it.
I have a fair elderberry component at Camp David, but my deer density is lower than these two sites.
When deer begin having an impact on the flora that is present or should be present on the habitat, it is time to be investing more in bullets rather than seed for the food plots.
There were some other desirable food species that Scott is finding lacking on these two sites that I looked at.
Rattan vine is generally a common vine on the landscape, but the presence of it was low on my sites. Again, high deer densities can impact this plant species, as can a closed forest canopy and too much burning in the pine woods.
The best burning rotation for deer is a burn every three to five years.
The preliminary results of this study show the nutritional levels are much higher on the rich bottomland hardwood soils than in the pine forests.
Hunters who want to achieve a high level of deer quality should focus their hunting on these lands. The Louisiana Big Game Records clearly points out this fact.
The take home message
It is obvious that when mast is available in the fall and winter deer are going to be eating acorns and pecans, so hunt where the food is because the deer are going to be eating it.
It is also obvious that timber cutting is a must to keep the forest productive for deer, and an old fashion cut-over would be an excellent place to hunt.
While deer were eating the winter grasses, the overall use of these food-plot forage areas was low when the acorn crop was high.
Feeder use by deer was also low when acorns were abundant.
So the hunter who spends all his time hunting in a box stand on a green patch or around a feeder might have another slow year in 2012.
Change it up, move a stand into the woods near a good white oak tree or a striped oak tree, and see what happens.
Change can be good, especially if it results in a tag being attached to a harvested deer rather than taking up space in a wallet. | <urn:uuid:29555d0a-9406-4cb5-9f60-a3ec2ba685ef> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.louisianasportsman.com/hunting/deer-hunting/food-facts-target-the-best-deer-foods-to-kill-more-deer/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499634.11/warc/CC-MAIN-20230128121809-20230128151809-00213.warc.gz | en | 0.964907 | 3,108 | 2.75 | 3 |
What is Freecycling
MEANING OF FREECYCLING
Freecycling was introduced to fulfil the practice of reducing, reusing and recycling. It has promoted awareness to people on how they can give away materials using online websites.
Freecycling is defined as an arrangement that is conducted through the internet to give away used or unwanted materials as opposed to selling or tossing them into landfills.
HOW DOES THE FREECYCLE WORK?
Freecycling is an act devoted to keeping recycled materials from being thrown into landfills. All you have to do is post the items you would love to give out for free on the social media websites and official websites which provide a connection between people. Once another person sees your post, he/she will choose the items they are interested in and reach you through emails or phone numbers for verification of details.
To give away the material you posted, you just have to follow the instructions directed on the website, and fill in all your details carefully on the recommended gaps which will help the person identify wherever you are and come to correct the items you listed.
EXAMPLES OF FREECYCLING
Here is an example of freecycling
You have an old phone which is outdated and you are not using it anymore. Now you can give it to someone for free. You can easily do this by joining some Facebook groups related to freecycling and add an offer post. If a person is interested to buy it, he/she will content you.
There are a lot of materials you can give to Scrapbuk. We allow Tricity locals to sell scrap and donate any kind of item which can recycle we accept metal, newspapers, pet plastic bottle, E-waste from our customers. All also share our revenues with our partner local NGOs.
Freecycling is a great way of getting rid of items you no longer need. It is safe because giving out things is a better option than throwing them into landfills. Some materials are thrown into the landfills but yet they can be important to other people.
Sharing for free is also a way of showing kindness to people who need such things.
It saves money
Freecycling is a non-profit network that can help you save money from your wallet. If you give away your items to Scrapbuk it will be fair enough because it does not allow you to waste any money since they have a free pick up service in Tricity ( Mohali, Chandigarh and Panchkula) which will come to collect the items you posted on our official online platform (mobile, apps and website). In doing so, they will easily help you save money while you save the earth from pollution and other harmful substances that can affect the environment.
It increases the sense of cohesion.
Giving out things for free takes one's heart willingness. Cohesion is simply the form of uniting and coming together as one. The more you give away items, the more you realise you have helped a soul out there. So it's good to release all those items you feel like they are of no use and give them to Scrapbuk.
If you are thinking of throwing used and unwanted items you have in your homes and offices, kindly reach Scrapbuk to save your time. We are specialized in collecting all scrap material from your doorstep according to your own time. All you need to do is to go on our website and read all the instructions, fill in the necessary details (Address, Pick up Date and time) and choose the items you would like to give out as a donation. Let's come together as one to save the earth from harmful substances. | <urn:uuid:8df9059f-70e5-4cb5-9ec5-5fd758165e14> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://scrapbuk.com/blog/what_is_freecycling | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499758.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20230129180008-20230129210008-00293.warc.gz | en | 0.958607 | 778 | 3.015625 | 3 |
A new type of therapy that uses sound waves to "balance" people's brain activity might help lower blood pressure and reduce symptoms of migraines, early research suggests.
The therapy is known as HIRREM, which stands for high-resolution, relational, resonance-based, electroencephalic mirroring. For the treatment, patients place sensors — which measure the brain's electrical activity, or brainwaves — on their scalp. The sensors are used to detect whether there are imbalances in the brain's activity between the left and right sides of the brain.
Such imbalances can reflect improper regulation of the autonomic nervous system — the system that's responsible for controlling unconscious bodily functions, such as breathing and heart rate, the researchers said.
A computer then identifies the dominant (or most prominent) brain frequencies, and a software program coverts these brain frequencies into auditory tones, which are played back in real time. Patients listen to these sounds through headphones.
The researchers call these sounds a "reflection" of the brain's activity. They say that the brain can recognize that the tones reflect what is going on in the organ. Once a patient starts hearing the tones, "the electrical pattern tends to shift towards improved balance," study co-author Hossam Shaltout, an assistant professor in the Hypertension and Vascular Research Center at Wake Forest School of Medicine in North Carolina, said in a statement.
In one small study, the researchers tested HIRREM on 10 men and women with high blood pressure. They underwent about 18 HIRREM sessions over 10 days, after which their average systolic blood pressure was reduced from 152 to 136 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), and their average diastolic pressure was reduced from 97 to 81 mmHg. (Systolic blood pressure is the "top" number in a blood pressure reading and diastolic pressure is the "bottom" number.)
The participants' heart rate variability — which is a measure of the variations in the interval between heartbeats — increased, on average, from 43 to 57 milliseconds. This is a good outcome, because it means that the body has more flexibility to change heart rate in response to blood pressure, Shaltout said.
In another study, 52 adults with migraines underwent about 16 HIRREM sessions over nine days. At the end of the study, participants reported improvements in their headache symptoms.
Because the findings are preliminary and the studies are small, more research is needed to confirm the results, and to determine the ways in which the therapy could be working, the researchers said.
Dr. Kevin Weber, a neurologist and headache specialist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, who was not involved in the studies, pointed out that neither of these studies included a control group, or a group that received a placebo or "dummy" treatment. The inclusion of a control group is important, because it's possible that the results were due to the placebo effect, Weber said. A placebo effect is one that results from people's belief that the treatment works, rather than from any physiological effect of the treatment. [11 Surprising Facts About Placebos]
"I think it is a promising technology," Weber said. However, more research is needed "to make sure that it actually works, as opposed to just being a placebo effect," Weber said.
In 2013, the same group of researchers did conduct a smaller migraine study that included a control group. In that study, which was presented at the 2013 International Headache Congress in Boston, 16 people received the HIRREM treatment and 14 people received a placebo treatment. For the placebo treatment, the participants heard randomly generated musical tones, as opposed to tones that reflected their brainwaves.
The study showed that after the treatments, the likelihood of experiencing a headache was about the same in both groups. But this could have been because the study was too small to detect a meaningful difference between the groups, the researchers said.
Migraines are thought to be caused by abnormalities in the electrical activity of the brain, so it's possible that a treatment like HIRREM, which alters the brain's electrical activity, could affect migraines, Weber said. And the brain and nervous system also play a role in the regulation of blood pressure, so it's possible that HIRREM could have an effect on blood pressure as well, he said.
The researchers also noted that patients in the blood pressure study experienced reduced symptoms of insomnia and anxiety, which might also have an effect on blood pressure.
The studies will be presented this week at the American Heart Association's Council on Hypertension 2016 Scientific Sessions in Orlando. The HIRREM technology is a product of the company Brain State Technologies, which is based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Researchers at Wake Forest School of Medicine have been evaluating HIRREM since 2011, with funding mainly from nonindustry sources. The two new studies were funded by The Susanne Marcus Collins Foundation.
Original article on Live Science. | <urn:uuid:aee726aa-ee1b-4366-9fd8-ba52dcd12c1e> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.livescience.com/56121-brainwave-balancing-hirrem-migraines.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499758.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20230129180008-20230129210008-00293.warc.gz | en | 0.958963 | 1,029 | 3.3125 | 3 |
In 2021, the amount of data we store on our laptops and computers are beyond our measure. From office files to study notes to presentations and much more. Zipping compresses these heavy files into small, light data that can quickly transfer from one computer to another. Zip programs like WinZip and WinRaR help in this process.
It is a necessary tool that will help you to send multiple attachments and media files over emails and drivers. Furthermore, Windows 11 users will benefit hugely from learning how to zip their bulky files and if the need arises to unzip them.
Also read: How To Change Date And Time In Windows 11
How To Zip Your Files In Windows 11?
Step 1: Find the file in Windows 11 that you want to zip or compress.
Step 2: To compress or zip multiple files into one, use the selection rectangle to drag all the files and select them together.
Step 3: Right-click on them or one file (if it’s a single file), and a new pop up will appear on the screen. Select Compress to Zip file.
Step 4: Wait for some time as the Zip file is processed. Once over, the zipped file will appear in the same folder as the original one.
Step 5: Rename the new zip file as you like or leave it with the .zip extension and click on Enter.
Thus, this is simple and easy to zip your files and folders in Windows 11.
How To Unzip A File In Windows 11?
Step 1: Go to the Zipped file from the File Explorer and right-click on it. From the options in the drop-down menu, choose Extract All.
Step 2: A folder with Extract Compressed Zipped Folder will appear with the zip file path.
Step 3: Tap on Browse and select a destination to save the files after unzipping.
Step 4: Enable Show Extracted Files When Complete to see the unzipped files after the process is over. Moreover, tap on Extract.
Furthermore, in a few moments, all the zip files will unzip and appear in your set location.
Can Windows 10 Zip And Unzip Files?
We can zip and unzip files in Windows 10 easily. To zip files:
Step 1: Go to File Explorer and go to the files and media you want to zip.
Step 2: On an empty space on the screen, right-click and choose New. Furthermore, tap on Compressed Zip Folder.
Step 3: Rename the folder as you like and click on Enter.
Step 4: Highlight and select all the files you want to zip using your mouse cursor. Furthermore, click on Cut.
Step 5: On the new folder, right-click and tap on Paste.
This is how to zip files in Windows 10 and thereby save ample space on your hard disk. Moreover, this process helps store heavy files that you generally don’t use a lot.
To Unzip files on Windows 10:
Step 1: Go to the compressed folder and right-click on it.
Step 2: From the options in the drop-down menu, choose Extract All. To save these files to your favorite spot, click on Browse or else, they will go to their original destination.
Step 3: To end the process, enable the option that says Show Extracted Files When Complete. Tap on Extract.
Why Can’t I Open A Zip File On My Windows Computer?
Zip files may not open fully for many reasons. One primary reason for the problem is the unstable internet connection during the downloading process. Furthermore, sometimes viruses or poor networks may create problems or corrupt a file disabling you from opening them.
While WinZip and WinRAR are two of the most popular software programs, there are a few more that helps in zipping files. Moreover, many useful zip programs in the market will help you to reduce file size. For example, 7-zip is high compression ratio software that also comes with AES-256 encryption and Windows shell. Some others include Hamster zip achiever, Zipware, Peazip and Express Zip File Compression. | <urn:uuid:69384fdf-14f3-46ca-b83f-292456ac5a98> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.hawkdive.com/how-to-zip-and-unzip-files-on-windows-11/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499831.97/warc/CC-MAIN-20230130232547-20230131022547-00373.warc.gz | en | 0.886981 | 859 | 2.625 | 3 |
- This event has passed.
Mad Science: Red Hot Robots (Rising 2nd-6th Graders)
Monday, July 5, 2021 @ 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
An event every day that begins at 8:00 am, repeating until Friday, July 9, 2021
from July 5, 2021 to July 9 @ 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
This event has passed
Mad Science summer camps give kids the opportunity to learn about science through our interactive and hands-on science activities. These summer science programs let children become junior scientists for the summer and embark on a series of science adventures! Before care, aftercare, and half-day options available.
Red Hot Robots
Children learn about the uses of robots in our world and spend time experimenting with super cool red-hot robots. They discover the science of circuits and how robots use sensors to explore things around them. They build their very own working robot to take home with them! For kids entering 2nd-6th grade in fall 2021. | <urn:uuid:44ea2faa-0390-43d7-8b92-55dc13d3ece1> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.hillcenterdc.org/event/mad-science-red-hot-robots-rising-2nd-6th-graders-4/2021-07-05/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499831.97/warc/CC-MAIN-20230130232547-20230131022547-00373.warc.gz | en | 0.938036 | 213 | 2.875 | 3 |
Welcome to another installment of Messier Monday! Today, we continue in our tribute to our dear friend, Tammy Plotner, by taking a look at Messier Object 10.
In the 18th century, French astronomer Charles Messier noted the presence of several “nebulous objects” in the night sky while searching for comets. Hoping to ensure that other astronomers did not make the same mistake, he began compiling a list of 1oo of them. This list came to be known as the Messier Catalog, and would have far-reaching consequences.
In addition to being as a major milestone in the history of astronomy and the study of Deep Sky Objects. One of these objects is known as Messier 10 (aka. NGC 6254), a globular cluster that is located in the equatorial constellation of Ophiuchus. Of the many globular clusters that appear in this constellation (seven of which were cataloged by Messier himself) M10 is the brightest, and can be spotted with little more than a pair of binoculars. Continue reading “Messier 10 (M10) – The NGC 6254 Globular Cluster” | <urn:uuid:6fa713de-1d64-418a-80a4-5b4b060ab540> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.universetoday.com/tag/ngc-6254/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499911.86/warc/CC-MAIN-20230201045500-20230201075500-00453.warc.gz | en | 0.956542 | 239 | 3.03125 | 3 |
In the 1850s, wealthy residents developed the east side of the neighborhood with mansions, establishing Lake Shore Drive. The west side, on the other hand, became increasingly poor as an under-resourced population was driven out of the east side.
During the 1880s, the western area grew poorer and more disreputable as crime increased in the area. In the 1920s, the opening of the Michigan Avenue Bridge and the shopping area “Magnificent Mile” preserved the eastern region for the wealthy. This led to the construction of high-rise apartment buildings and luxury hotels. The imbalance of wealth in the Near North Side continued throughout the Great Depression.
Housing officials attempted to mend Cabrini-Green’s poverty by replacing the housing complexes with high-priced condos. Today, almost none of the original housing remains and the area is encircled by expensive land, although many of its original residents determined to stay in the neighborhood remain.
information courtesy of Moody Publishers
"Chicago Neighborhood Prayer Guide" by Dr. John Fuder with Elizabeth Koenig
prayercast | ministry of oneway | email@example.com
mailing address | PO Box 2211 Naperville, IL 60567 | <urn:uuid:65750c2d-ffef-4e1c-9002-3ee3d023e31c> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.prayercast.com/phone/near-north-side.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500017.27/warc/CC-MAIN-20230202101933-20230202131933-00533.warc.gz | en | 0.958016 | 253 | 2.953125 | 3 |
Here's What Happens to Your Body When You Quit Caffeine
Approximately 85% of American adults regularly consume caffeine—most of us more than once a day. And whether you're going cold turkey or just trying to cut back on your consumption, quitting caffeine can have some short- and long-term effects on your body.
Depending on the severity of your caffeine habit, you could start to experience some intense withdrawals (caffeine is a drug, after all). It's probably best to slowly wean yourself off of coffee or soda—especially if you currently consume several cups a day—since those who consume only one cup of coffee per day can still experience withdrawal symptoms!
While some of the following side effects may make you reconsider quitting caffeine, most of the negative consequences will only last for a few days. There are plenty of great reasons to push through if caffeine consumption has been affecting your energy levels, sleep, digestion or other aspects of your life.
You Could Experience Some Nasty Headaches
Caffeine is a double-edged sword when it comes to headaches. Not only is caffeine consumption linked to more frequent headaches, but caffeine withdrawals are too. To make things even more complicated, caffeine can also be used to treat headaches!
Caffeine consumption causes our blood vessels to restrict, which can slow blood flow by as much as 27%, according to a Wake Forest University study. Quitting caffeine allows those blood vessels to go back to their regular size, and may cause headaches temporarily. Just be sure to avoid Excedrin and other headache relief medications that have caffeine in them.
You Could Lose a Few Pounds
Whether you're hooked on coffee, soda—yes, even diet soda—or another caffeinated beverage, quitting caffeine could cause you to lose weight. Although coffee only has about 2 calories per cup, a 2016 study published in Public Health found about ⅔ of Americans add anywhere from 22-58 extra calories per beverage consumed—and that's without ordering a fancy latte or frappuccino from a coffee shop. A grande Caramel Macchiato made with 2% milk from Starbucks has 250 calories and 33 grams of sugar. That's a far cry from the sugar-free, nearly calorie-free beverage your coffee started as and can cause your weight to creep up over time.
Both diet and regular soda consumption is linked to weight gain, even though diet soda is technically calorie- and sugar-free. Recent research from George Washington University found that kids and teens who drank diet soda actually consumed 200 more calories a day than those who just drank water. And sugar substitute consumption is linked to higher weight and a larger waist circumference, likely due to the substitute causing your body to crave the real thing later. You may find yourself feeling lighter mentally and physically when you say goodbye to caffeine for good.
You Could Become Constipated
Coffee is attributed to stimulating our digestive system as much as our brain, and researchers believe it's likely due to the way caffeine interacts with our microbiomes. This means that quitting the stuff could mean a little irregularity in the bathroom. The good thing is, if you're replacing that caffeine with water and consume plenty of fiber-rich plant foods like fruits, veggies, nuts and whole grains, then you likely have nothing to worry about.
You Could Feel More Relaxed
Nixing caffeine means no more morning or late-night jitters, and that could be good for your stress levels. All that irritability and restlessness you may experience during the workday could dissipate or lessen simply by cutting out coffee or soda. While you may feel a bit irritable and anxious when you first quit caffeine, your mood will eventually level out.
You Could Get Better Sleep
Sleep expert Michael A. Grandner, Ph.D., M.T.R., explained to us that coffee has a direct impact on our body's sleep-wake cycle, and it lasts in our body for hours. This means your midday cup of coffee could be the culprit for a restless night. Cutting caffeine out entirely lowers your risk of sleep disruption and helps your body recognize when it needs some shut-eye.
Grander also says you really don't need a cup of joe to energize you first thing in the morning; your body does that naturally, so quitting caffeine won't necessarily leave you in a slump all day. Try an herbal tea in the morning if you like the ritual of a warm drink to start off your day.
You Could Feel Lethargic
Caffeine is a stimulant, so it's likely you'll experience a little dip in energy for at least a few days when you first quit coffee or soda. Several side effects of caffeine withdrawal include reduced alertness and activeness, drowsiness and feeling foggy, so you may want to brace yourself before quitting for good. It may be worth cutting back little by little to lessen your chance of experiencing these unpleasant side effects. This could look like ordering a half-caf latte for a few days, then mixing three parts decaf with one part regular coffee for the next few days before finally ridding of it for good.
You Could Have a Whiter Smile
Quitting coffee means saying goodbye to coffee stains for good, which is great news for your pearly whites. The American Dental Association considers coffee and soda to be some of the most damaging foods for your teeth, as both can erode your enamel. | <urn:uuid:229de8c5-813e-4a49-9d00-bd83781c6370> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7595410/heres-what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-quit-caffeine/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500058.1/warc/CC-MAIN-20230203154140-20230203184140-00613.warc.gz | en | 0.943518 | 1,116 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Brazil – Argentina - Mexico
Sparkling, floral with a green note
The mandarin tree (Citrus reticulata) is a tree from the Rutaceae family producing citrus fruits called mandarins. The fruit is spherical and slightly flattened, with a diameter of 5 to 9 cm. Its flesh, sweet and fragrant, is one of the least acidic among citrus fruits, but it has many seeds. The rind is thin and mandarin-coloured.
A mandarin is usually divided into about ten quarters. A quarter is sometimes called a sliver or a wedge.
The mandarin tree first put down roots in Europe at the beginning of the 19th century, under the impetus of the Portuguese, before developing in Algeria from 1950 onwards. Between the two - around 1900 - its path crossed that of a sweet orange, giving birth to the clementine.
Story has it that it was Father Clement who discovered this hybrid by chance in its natural state and replicated it.
The clementine was a huge success in Europe, and is now massively produced in Spain, Italy and Greece.
The Kiotis laboratory has shown, through in vitro scientific tests, that Mandarin Essential Oil regenerates the skin by stimulating cell renewal.
It acts on the surface to make the skin smooth and more homogeneous, and deep down to delay the signs of ageing.
Did you know?
Mandarin is the world’s second most popular citrus fruit, providing an essential oil that is highly prized in the worlds of food flavourings, perfumery and aromatherapy. | <urn:uuid:f6ccd40b-327e-4fad-8c19-2d547e142f27> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://essentials-atelier.kiotis.com/encyclopedia/mandarin/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500154.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20230204205328-20230204235328-00693.warc.gz | en | 0.943923 | 350 | 2.875 | 3 |
As we creep into the peak of hurricane season, many media outlets have dispatched reporters to the Caribbean and Gulf Coast to get first-hand accounts of the action. Maybe next season Matt Soniak can join them. (We’ll start saving). For now, his contribution to the national weather conversation is this Hurricane FAQ.
LET’S START SMALL. WHAT IS A HURRICANE?
Hurricanes are tropical cyclones that occur in the Atlantic Ocean and have winds with a sustained speed of at least 74 miles per hour. A tropical cyclone, in turn, is a storm system that develops in the tropics and is characterized by a low pressure center and thunderstorms that produce strong winds, rain, and storm surges. “Tropical cyclone” is a generic name that refers to the storms' geographic origin and cyclonic rotation around a central eye. Depending on their location and strength, the storms are called different things. What gets dubbed a hurricane in the Atlantic, for example, would be called a typhoon if it happened in the northwestern Pacific.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HURRICANE AND A TROPICAL STORM?
Wind speed. When tropical cyclones are just starting out as general areas of low pressure with the potential to strengthen, they’re called tropical depressions. They’re given sequential numbers as they form during a storm season so the National Hurricane Center can keep tabs on them.
Once a cyclone’s winds kick up to 39 miles per hour and sustain that speed for 10 minutes, it becomes a tropical storm and the NHC gives it a name (more on that later).
If the cyclone keeps growing and sustains 74 mph winds, it graduates to hurricane.
ONCE WE CALL IT A HURRICANE, HOW DO WE CATEGORIZE IT?
We look to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane scale, developed as a classification system for Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones in the late 1960s and early 70s by structural engineer Herbert Saffir and his friend, meteorologist Robert Simpson, who was the director of the NHC at the time.
When Saffir was working on a United Nations project to study low-cost housing in hurricane-prone areas, it struck him that there was no simple, standardized way of describing hurricanes and their damaging effects, like the way the Richter scale is used to describe earthquakes. He created a 1-5 scale based on wind speed and sent it off to Simpson, who expanded on it to include the effects on storm surge and flooding. Simpson began using it internally at the NHC, and then in reports shared with emergency agencies. It proved useful, so others began adopting it and it quickly spread.
HOW DOES THE SCALE WORK?
According to the NHC, the scale breaks down like this:
Category 1 storms have sustained winds of 74-95 mph. These “very dangerous winds will produce some damage: Well-constructed frame homes could have damage to roof, shingles, vinyl siding and gutters. Large branches of trees will snap and shallowly rooted trees may be toppled. Extensive damage to power lines and poles likely will result in power outages that could last a few to several days.”
Category 2 storms have sustained winds of 96-110 mph. These “extremely dangerous winds will cause extensive damage: Well-constructed frame homes could sustain major roof and siding damage. Many shallowly rooted trees will be snapped or uprooted and block numerous roads. Near-total power loss is expected with outages that could last from several days to weeks.”
Category 3 storms have sustained winds of 111-129 mph. This is the first category that qualifies as a “major storm” and “devastating damage will occur: Well-built framed homes may incur major damage or removal of roof decking and gable ends. Many trees will be snapped or uprooted, blocking numerous roads. Electricity and water will be unavailable for several days to weeks after the storm passes.”
Category 4 storms have sustained winds of 130-156 mph. These storms are “catastrophic” and damage includes: “Well-built framed homes can sustain severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and/or some exterior walls. Most trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.”
Category 5 storms have sustained winds of 157 mph or higher. The catastrophic damage entailed here includes: “A high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.”
While the Saffir-Simpson is useful, it isn’t the be-all and end-all for measuring storms. As NHC director Dr. Rick Knabb and senior hurricane specialist Daniel Brown pointed out recently on Twitter, the Center doesn’t “emphasize Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Instead focus on specific hazards at your location…Doesn’t take major hurricane or even hurricane to have major impacts. Despite category, can have big impacts.”
IS THERE ANYTHING WORSE THAN A CATEGORY 5?
Not on paper, but there have been hurricanes that have gone beyond the upper bounds of the scale. Hurricane Wilma, which hit the United States in 2005, was the most intense hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic, with winds peaking at 175 mph.
Hypothetically, hurricanes could up the ante beyond category 5 more regularly. The storms use warm water to fuel themselves and as ocean temperatures rise, climatologists predict that potential hurricane intensity will increase. Don’t expect the scale to change though. Both Saffir and Simpson have said that there’s no need to add more categories because once things go beyond 156 mph, the damage all looks the same: really, really bad.
HOW DO HURRICANES GET THEIR NAMES?
Since Europeans first came to the Americas and the Caribbean, hurricanes have been named using a variety of systems. First they were named after the Catholic saints. Later on, the latitude-longitude positions of a storm’s formation was used as a moniker, but that was a little too cumbersome to use in conversation.
Military meteorologists started giving female names to storms during World War II, and in 1950 the World Meteorological Organization adopted the practice. In 1979, the system was given a dose of political correctness: Male names were added to the list, as were French and Spanish names, reflecting the languages of Caribbean nations frequently affected by the storms.
Today, for Atlantic hurricanes, the WMO and NHC use six lists of 21 names (Q, U, Y and Z names aren’t used) that it cycles through every six years (for example, the 2013 names list will be used again in 2019), with the gender of the season’s first storm alternating year to year and the genders alternating down the list through the rest of the season. If there are more than 21 named storms in a year, as there were in 2005, the rest of the storms are named for letters of the Greek alphabet.
Names can be retired at the annual WMO meeting if a storm is particularly devastating, deadly or costly and further use of the name would be insensitive or inappropriate. The name is then struck from the list and a new one is chosen to replace it (yes, Sandy was retired at the most recent meeting).
Occasionally, a storm suffers something of an identity crisis and has its name changed. This happens when a storm dies down and then redevelops or when it crosses from one ocean to another. The first actively tracked and named storm to cross over like this happened in 1971. Hurricane Irene developed in the Caribbean Sea and made landfall in Nicaragua. The storm managed to maintain itself and cross over a low-lying area of the country and restrengthen in the Pacific Ocean, where it was renamed Hurricane Olivia.
If a storm forms in the off-season, it takes the next available name from either the next season’s list or the previous season’s, depending on the calendar date. A late 2013 storm would take one of this season’s names, for example, and an early 2014 storm would get a jump start on next season’s list.
WILL MY NAME BE A HURRICANE THIS YEAR?
If your name is Olga and there are enough named storms, then yes. The names on the list for the 2013 season are Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dorian, Erin, Fernand, Gabrielle, Humberto, Ingrid, Jerry, Karen, Lorenzo, Melissa, Nestor, Olga, Pablo, Rebekah, Sebastien, Tanya, Van and Wendy.
WHAT KIND OF ACTION CAN WE EXPECT THIS SEASON?
In their most recent hurricane season outlook, NOAA and the NHC predicted a season with above-normal activity. Conditions like above-average Atlantic surface temperatures and a strong rainy season in West Africa (which produces wind patterns favorable to tropical storms and hurricanes) lead NOAA to predict a 70% chance of 13 to 19 named storms, 6 to 9 hurricanes and 3 to 5 major hurricanes (Category 3,4, or 5).
DO DISASTERS LIKE HURRICANES REALLY LEAD TO BABY BOOMS?
Everyone likes to think that when you’re stuck inside with no power, boredom leads people to the bedroom. The idea that natural disasters and birth rates are correlated go back to at least the 1965 New York City blackout, when the New York Times noted a “sharp increase in births” in several of the city’s large hospitals nine months afterwards.
The evidence for hurricane/snow/tornado/whatever babies is mixed, though. A few studies have found that natural and man-made disasters can influence the birth rate, and others haven’t. When disasters do come into play, the birth rate doesn’t always increase, and the reason for making babies is sometimes more complicated than just needing something to do.
A Penn State University study from 2002, for example, found that marriage, birth and divorce rates all shot up in the South Carolina counties that were declared disaster areas after Hurricane Hugo struck in 1990. With all three moving in the same direction, the researchers concluded that the stress and life-threatening danger from the storm provoked “significant and relatively quick action in [people’s] personal lives that altered their life course.”
In 2010, an international team of economists analyzed over a decade’s worth of birth data and hurricane and tropical storm advisories in 47 counties in the southern U.S. They found that “low-severity” advisories correlated positively with birth rates nine months later and that “high-severity” advisories correlated negatively. The differing birth rates following the two types of warnings, the researchers reasoned, was tied to the perceived danger and the things people normally do during them. During a low grade storm warning, people might stock up on food and hunker down in the house. After a while, they might get bored watching TV, or maybe the power goes out, and they head to the bedroom—in line with the popular prediction. In a more severe warning, though, people might be more concerned with gathering supplies, securing their homes and getting ready to leave the area. Even if they’re riding the storm out at home, the researchers think, they may be too worried or occupied to engage in romance.
So, will we see a lot of babiesnine months after one of this season’s storms next spring or summer? Maybe, but certainly not in all areas and not always because of the exact same reasons. The ties between catastrophe and conception are more complex than we might think.
SPEAKING OF RIDING OUT THE STORM, WHY DO PEOPLE INSIST ON DOING THAT?
Why do some people insist on staying in the path of the storm long after others have been evacuated, the roads have closed or flooded, and rescue is difficult or impossible? Why would they put their own lives and the lives of their rescuers at risk?
To answer that question, psychologists turned to the experts on the subject: the New Orleans residents who bore Hurricane Katrina’s wrath. The researchers found that there were a variety of factors that played into the decision to leave or not, a major one being finances and resources. “Leavers” usually had the money and transportation options to leave the city, and friends or relatives outside the storm’s path that they could stay with. “Stayers” usually had less financial assets, fewer or no transportation options to get out of the city, and little to no social network outside of it. Many of those who stayed simply didn’t have the resources to do otherwise and had no choice but to ride things out.
But money and places to stay weren’t the only things decisions were based on. The researchers also found that there were psychological and psycho-social factors—like a mistrust of outsiders (in the form of people from outside the city making the decision that residents shouldn’t stay); a desire to stay close to neighbors, friends and others from one’s community for support; and a perceived obligation to, in turn, support and assist others from the community—that influenced the decision to not leave.
The interviews with the people that stayed revealed that their motivations and actions were in line with what psychologists call the conjoint model of human agency, a framework of action built around interdependence between individuals and the idea that people make choices to adapt themselves to their environment. It’s a model that research often finds among working-class Americans, and here suggests that the stayers weren’t simply choosing not to act, but were acting—despite constraints—in a way that fit their environment and worldview.
HAS A HURRICANE EVER HIT [MY CITY]?
Maybe. Find out with this cool NOAA app that lets you track the paths of storms by name and location.
WHAT WERE THE LARGEST AND LONGEST HURRICANES?
The largest by diameter was last year’s Hurricane Sandy, which was somewhere between 820 and 1,000 miles wide, depending on who you ask and when they measured it.
The longest lasting hurricane is either an unnamed 1899 storm, sometimes called the San Ciriaco hurricane, that lasted 27.75 days, but was downgraded to a tropical storm before being upgraded to a hurricane again, or 1971’s Hurricane Ginger, which lasted 27 consecutive days as a hurricane. | <urn:uuid:95277c7d-b8ae-481f-a686-2d85594f98a6> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/52279/how-do-hurricanes-get-their-names-and-other-hurricane-faqs | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500154.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20230204205328-20230204235328-00693.warc.gz | en | 0.954807 | 3,107 | 3.53125 | 4 |
Aging happens to everyone. As birthdays come and go, we anticipate more gray hairs on our heads, wrinkles on our faces, and aches in our bodies. But there are other factors that influence aging than the number of birthdays that pass, such as genetics and socioeconomic status. And to Jude Phillip, looking at aging at the cellular level can help reveal insights about the onset of diseases.
“When you look at aging, you are essentially looking at a key risk factor for diseases. We all age, so we all feel the effects,” said Phillip.
Phillip is joining the Johns Hopkins Department of Biomedical Engineering as one of its newest core faculty members, and he will be welcomed by some familiar faces. He is returning to the school where his interest in aging began as he pursued his PhD studies under the mentorship Denis Wirtz, Theophilus Halley Smoot Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, vice provost for research at Johns Hopkins University, and co-founder and core faculty member at the Institute for NanoBioTechnology.
Naming his laboratory, the Phillip (tiME)n Lab, Phillip’s research will focus on cells through the passage of time. His key focus is to identify cell-based biomarkers of aging. By doing this, he can better understand how to target and delay aging’s harmful effects. Not only that, Phillip will focus on aging as it applies to cancer. He believes that studying aging at the cellular level provides a unique perspective as cells are a bridge between what is happening at a molecular level and the full effect it has on the body.
“Cells can become dysfunctional based, in part, by molecular defects, and then these propagated dysfunctions manifest as diseases. By looking at cells, we are trying to identify a lead time so that we can treat the problems before the disease manifests,” said Phillip.
Born and raised in Grenada, Phillip came to the United States at 17 years old to pursue his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering at the City College of New York. Since completing his biomedical engineering PhD work in 2015, Phillip has been conducting postdoctoral research on lymphoma at Weil Cornell Medicine with Leandro Cerchietti, associate professor of medicine, and Ari Melnick, professor of medicine.
As Phillip sets his roots at Johns Hopkins, he is looking to build a laboratory that is both interdisciplinary with students and collaborators studying engineering, biology, immunology, and also culturally and ethnically diverse. He is interested in partnering with after-school programs for middle and high school students to inspire young children to consider science as a career. Motivated by an experience he had a few years ago, Phillip sat on a panel with other STEM professionals to talk and answer questions from middle school students about science career paths.
“The room was filled with mostly Black and Latino students, and a little girl asked me a question that began, ‘If I can be an engineer.’ I was struck that she was asking if she could be an engineer rather than asking how she could be an engineer. She was asking the wrong question without knowing she was asking the wrong question, but this goes to show the great responsibility that rests upon our shoulders,” said Phillip.
Phillip will be a core faculty member at The Institute for NanoBioTechnology (INBT), hold a primary appointment in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, and a secondary appointment in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.
– Gina Wadas | <urn:uuid:172824ad-212a-4472-b9cc-1143de77838a> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.bme.jhu.edu/news-events/news/johns-hopkins-welcomes-back-jude-phillip-as-new-faculty-member/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500303.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20230206015710-20230206045710-00773.warc.gz | en | 0.97591 | 727 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Learning Multiple LanguagesAugust 26, 2019
Many individuals who study a second language mistakenly believe that they can’t learn any more languages beyond this. Really the choice is true – learning languages becomes simpler.
The initial language you learn – your mother tongue, or native language – could be the hardest. You overcome learning from your errors for your first years of your existence, and you also study from necessity – a great motivator. So many people are born into multiple language environments, however, many learn additional languages by while attending school or self-study later around.
We believe that because of the energy required to understand another language, we won’t really manage to learn more languages later. We learn languages differently later around than we did becoming an adult, but that’s not necessarily an undesirable factor. After we begin to study our second language, we start learning and hone some skills that individuals stay away from completely inside the other areas of our existence. After we grasp our second language, individuals learning skills improve. The old saying I really like is – “we could learn to learn languages.”
Which raises learning multiple languages. There’s a few techniques to learning several languages, if you are learning them concurrently, or individually in succession.
Cognates – There’s frequently some vocabulary in the language you are learning that has words that resembles British or other language you realize. For the reason that languages derive from each other or at the best borrow from each other. Use that in your favor. When you begin to examine a language, choose a list or range of cognates. This will not allow you to get started on expanding your vocabulary, you will begin to recognize patterns of spelling and pronunciation that are peculiar with this language. A neat bonus is the fact your report on potential cognates grows with each and every language. For
instance, once i learned ‘ayer’ in Spanish, I didn’t recognize any cognate in British, nevertheless the French word for ‘yesterday’ is ‘hier.’ It’s almost identical if you look at the slight improvement in pronunciation.
Language Families – Bear in mind that lots of languages derive from other languages and share many features to keep. Knowing some Spanish, learning Italian or French will be a lot simpler. You already labored hard learning the majority of the grammar features that don’t appear in British if you studied Spanish, like gender, agreement between nouns and adjectives, plus much more complex verb conjugations. Now when you begin to examine French, let’s say, individuals features are natural and won’t require just as much study time and effort to know. Furthermore, many of the vocabulary will probably be similar just like the cognate example above. Learning an connected language really cuts lower learning time.
Grammar – Even if you’re learning unrelated to at least one you realize, you could begin to understand how languages behave. This can be partly what i am saying by “learning how to learn languages.” You begin to understand how languages ‘handle’ something more important. You will possibly not be familiar with grammatical terms for regions of speech (although It is best to start learning them, it can benefit you) but you’ll recognize patterns both within one language, as well as in one language to a new. Basically, all human languages operate on one concepts. With each and every language you learn, you’ll identify | <urn:uuid:2f531654-687f-41df-a611-990f4acbdf9e> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | http://tieinstitute.org/learning-multiple-languages/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500837.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20230208155417-20230208185417-00053.warc.gz | en | 0.949289 | 719 | 3.15625 | 3 |
Cut flowers need proper care to prolong the length of time you can enjoy them. Here are a few suggestions:
- Pick cut flowers in the morning when stems and leaves are turgid with sap and moisture. This will help them keep their form. Flowers and their stems in the garden lose moisture and begin to wilt as the day progresses.
- Use a sharp knife or scissors when cutting flowers. A clean-cut will help cut flowers absorb water once they are placed in a vase. Be aware that scissors that are not sharp can crush stem tissues blocking the uptake of water. Recut the stems every day. It’s always best to cut stems underwater.
- Place flowers in water immediately after cutting. Have a bucket or jar half-filled with water when you cut flowers. Place the stems in water immediately up to just below the base of the lowest flower to keep the stems hydrated. Don’t let cut flowers lie around out of water; the stems will seal themselves and won’t be able to absorb water.
- When preparing cut flowers, remove leaves that will be underwater when placed in the vase. Don’t let foliage set beneath the water level; it will begin to rot and muddy the water.
- Cut the stems at an angle; this allows a larger area of the cut stem to be underwater where it can absorb water. Make the cut underwater so that air does not enter the stem.
- Hard or woody-stemmed flowers – such as roses and lilacs — should be cut with a sharp knife then crush the wound with a hammer to open the woody tissue to aid the penetration of water.
- Hollow stemmed flowers – such as delphiniums or amaryllis – should be turned upside down after being cut, then fill the hollow stems with water. Use a piece of damp cotton to plug the stem holding the water in then stand the flower upright in a vase of water.
- To increase the bloom time of cut flowers, plunge their stems into the water and let them stand overnight before arranging them. A crushed aspirin, a lump of sugar, or a copper coin placed in the water is said to prolong the life of cut flowers.
- Always keep vases and flower containers clean, clean, clean. Bacteria-laden water or containers will shorten the bloom time of cut flowers.
- Don’t crowd too many flowers into one container; crowding can crush stems. Air circulation around flowers is beneficial. If there are too many flowers on hand for one vase, use two, or even three. Do not crowd flowers.
- To support long-stemmed flowers upright in a vase, fold a piece of chicken wire several times and place it in the neck of the case. You can then slip the stems through the holes in the mesh.
- If arranging cut flowers for artistic effect—without regard to the length of time the flowers last – the total height of the container and flowers should be 2½ times the height of the container alone. If the desire is to keep the flowers alive as long as possible, place as much of the stem underwater as possible.
- Avoid exposing cut flowers to the draught of an open window or door or an electric fan or the forced air from a furnace or air conditioner. Don’t expose cut flowers to bright sunlight. The cooler the room in summer, the longer the flowers will live.
- As cut flowers start to wilt, you can cut off the ends of their stems and place them in hot water for half an hour. Protect the flowers and leaves from steam by wrapping them in a cloth. While the stems are soaking in hot water, fill the vase with fresh cold water before setting the flowers in again.
- When changing the water, cut half an inch or so from the ends of stems with a clean, slanting cut. This will reopen the water-absorbing vessels. Stems cut squarely will rest flat on the bottom and not absorb water.
- In a hot room, you can rejuvenate cut flowers by adding ice cubes to the water. You can revive petals by misting them with water—or move them to a cooler room or windowsill. A cool temperature will keep blooms longer.
Tips for Favorite Cut Flowers
- Cut daffodils when they are in bud.
- Cut peonies when the buds are just showing color.
- Cut dahlias when the flowers have opened.
- Cut gladiolus when the first floret at the base of the stem opens. It is not uncommon for the topmost bud to remain closed.
- Cut poppies while they are in bud, then seal the ends by dipping the stems into boiling water. It’s best to cut poppies at night.
- Cut an inch off the stems of carnations each day and place them in freshwater.
- Cut roses when the buds are soft.
- Cut asters when they are half-open.
- Support the heads of large chrysanthemums, bumping will cause the petals to fall.
- Stand violas and peonies in deep water for several hours after cutting.
- If roses, viburnums, or other woody-stemmed flowers begin to droop, trim a half-inch off the bottom of each stem and stand them in boiling water before returning them to the vase.
- Poinsettias used as cut flowers should have the stem ends sealed to avoid bleeding white, milky fluid. Place the ends in boiling water for 10 minutes or singe the ends over a flame.
- Dahlias, oriental poppies, and euphorbia also “bleed” like poinsettias. Sear the ends by passing them through a flame or dip them in hot water for a moment.
Favorite Flower Calendar
Here is a birth month flower calendar: January, carnation; February, primrose; March violet; April, daisy or lily; June, rose; July, waterlily; August, poppy; September, dahlia; October, begonia; November, chrysanthemum; and December, poinsettia.
Related articles about cutting flowers: | <urn:uuid:00e16cb0-8783-4032-b678-7ab75a750de0> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://gardenchronicle.com/cut-flower-basics/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500837.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20230208155417-20230208185417-00053.warc.gz | en | 0.908635 | 1,292 | 3 | 3 |
is an elementary subatomic particle with infinitesimal mass
(less than 0.3 eV..?) and with no electric charge
. Neutrinos belong to the family of leptons, which means they do not interact via strong nuclear force
. Neutrinos are weakly interacting
subatomic particles with ½ unit of spin. The term neutrino comes from Italian meaning “little neutral one” and neutrinos are denoted by the Greek letter ν (nu)
. There are three types of charged leptons, each associated with neutrino, forming three generations
(between generations, particle differ by their quantum number and mass). The first generation consist of the electron (e−
) and electron-neutrino (νe
). The second generation consist of the muon (μ−
) and muon neutrino (νμ
) The third generation consist of the tau (τ−
) and the tau neutrino (ντ
). Each type of neutrino is associated with an antimatter particle, called an antineutrino
, which also has neutral electric charge and 1/2 spin. Currently (2015), it is not resolved, whether the neutrino and its antiparticle are not identical particles.
Carrying no electric charge they are not affected by electromagnetic forces that act on another charged leptons, such as electrons. Since neutrinos belong to the family of leptons, they are not subject to the strong force. Neutrinos are subject to the weak force, which is of much shorter range than electromagnetic force and gravity force. Therefore, neutrinos are the most penetrating subatomic particles, capable of passing through Earth without any interaction. It is estimated neutrinos have interaction cross-sections about 20 orders of magnitude less than typical cross-sections of scattering of two nucleons (~10-47m2 = 10-19barn). It is estimated neutrino cross-section for interaction increases linearly with energy of incident neutrino.
Reference: Griffiths, David, Introduction to Elementary Particles, Wiley, 1987.
See also: Antineutrino
See also: Nuclear Reactor as the Antineutrino Source | <urn:uuid:ddd578f2-7530-46f5-afc4-f4ac4186afa0> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | http://www.radiation-dosimetry.org/category/radiation-dosimetry/page/56/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764494976.72/warc/CC-MAIN-20230127101040-20230127131040-00253.warc.gz | en | 0.913958 | 477 | 3.796875 | 4 |
The Island at the Centre of the World: The Untold Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Founding of New York, by Russell Shorto, 2004
They probably thought so until the research behind this book surfaced and now they can read about the real history from this author, Russell Shorto.
This book is the precursor to Russell Shorto’s later book, Amsterdam, reviewed earlier – click here. Both are fascinating reads.
Up unto the research and this subsequent book, the Dutch were not given much credit for their role in the early days of the US colonies. All the emphasis was on the pilgrims and their early days. This was not quite correct.
The story of the Dutch colony and how the new settlers adopted the practices of Amsterdam are what set the tone ultimately for the new country. It was the Dutch who established New Amsterdam as a free trade gateway, with the then revolutionary ideals of democracy, religious tolerance and acceptance of anyone who wished to settle and work hard, and set up businesses and to contribute. The pilgrims to the north were of the kind to kill off anyone with different ideas and especially anyone with different religious beliefs. Maybe the pilgrims were on a par with today’s Tea Party.
New Amsterdam was taken over in 1664 by the English. What made this usual was that the English allowed the settlement to continue as it did before and to expand its free trade practices. This was not the usual way of the English at the time. Normally it would have brought everyone into line, a few hangings and tortures to assist, so that any settlement they took over quickly did things in the way the English.
Because of this acceptance of leaving the place to operate as before, the newly named New York flourished. People kept arriving from all over the world to settle or to pass through and all the former practices of tolerance towards religions and other migrants continued. Unfortunately the dark chapter of slavery was just getting under way.
The whole story as told by Russell Shorto is riveting and entertaining; although around the middle chapters there was maybe too much detail on who did what and when etc.
The parallel story of the documents on which the story is based is also totally amazing. These New Amsterdam records were passed around, traveled by coach between colonies, were sent by boat to England and then sent back, several places in which they were stored burnt down; they were thrown at one stage out a window; in a more recent fire they survived on the bottom shelf that was protected when everything else fell on top. They were down there because no-one knew what to do with them.
In the 1990s an archivist found them but they could not read them as the Dutch language had changed so drastically in 400 years. The rediscovered text was unreadable to the normal Dutch scholars. Finally a special linguist was found and he commenced work and at the time of the book, had produced 20 volumes which has attracted a host of the researchers anxious to uncover and correct the history of the early colonies.
There’s an excellent review in the Guardian – click here.
This is another great book by Russell Shorto!
Recommended: rating 10/10
Paul Costigan, 17 June 2014 | <urn:uuid:6554d75b-7b5d-412e-9828-b46dae9e3080> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://the-southern-cross.com/manhattan-the-island-at-the-centre-of-the-world/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499646.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20230128153513-20230128183513-00333.warc.gz | en | 0.985381 | 665 | 3.140625 | 3 |
Monitor external developments
What is it?
Monitoring the wider environment for changes that might have a bearing on the intervention.
Why do this?
Observing the wider environment for any changes (positive or negative) that might have a bearing on the intervention allows you to keep the intervention up to date and consistent with trends and developments in your area. It helps keep your intervention fresh and responsive.
How might you do this?
- Monitor changes in the local community and wider areas, media coverage, policy changes, changes in treatment guidelines, progress with similar initiatives that might shape attitudes of policy makers towards your issue, what has happened with similar initiatives in other areas (both successes and failures), and shifts in political priorities and policy intentions. Keeping a diary of events can be useful
- Build in a periodic check on these kinds of issues into the agenda of your core team meetings, possibly on a monthly or quarterly basis
- When you spot changes that might have implications for your intervention, make sure you set aside enough time to consider them fully and, if appropriate, plan your response
- Try and avoid looking only at the detail of your own intervention and getting too bogged down in the demands flowing from it
- Keep an eye on the wider picture and remember that there will be many others in different parts of the country facing similar challenges
- Stay ‘tuned-in’ to new priorities emerging that might affect your project
- Stay engaged with the wider social marketing community and the growing stock of good practice available
- Information that keeps you informed of the wider environment in which you are working
- Leadership that is responsive and keeps the intervention on course | <urn:uuid:7b4b0d2b-0506-481d-b6a9-ebae65e347e8> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.thensmc.com/content/monitor-external-developments-0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499768.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20230129211612-20230130001612-00413.warc.gz | en | 0.938622 | 345 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Ratio Forum is back on June 11 at Sofia Tech Park! Get ready for a full day of mind-blowing science facts and awesome innovations – all presented in a way accessible to all. You’ll also see demos, exhibits, and other surprises.
Be part of our science adventure on June 11!
From the void of space to the tiniest insects, you’ll have a day full of interesting sceince topics. You’ll see different examples of weird science, you’ll travel to mars and you’ll hear more about elephant trunks and human eyelashes. The program features four different topics – see more about them below!
In 1894, Percival Lowell looked at Mars and saw canals dug up by a distant civilization. This marked the beginning of the search for life on the red planet that was based on direct observations. In Lowell’s case this also included a big dose of aristocratic imagination. But the more advanced technology gets, the more serious our hunt for signs of martian life becomes.
Satellites and robots have been visiting Mars for over 50 years, as part of the ongoing search for water and life beyond the Earth. Follow in the footsteps of these missions, and explore the surface of Mars through the eyes of a Geologist to discover what rocks can tell us about the history of water on the surface and whether life could exist on the red planet.
How do cats clean their bodies with only their tongues? How does a dog shake its body dry in just a single second whereas our drying machines take over 30 minutes? Why do we have eyelashes? How does an elephant pick up a tortilla chip without breaking it? How long does an elephant take to urinate? What animal makes cube-shaped poop and why?
Answers to these questions fall in the area of animal biomechanics. Learn how we use high-speed and time-lapse photography to understand the secrets of animal movement, and how these answers are helping engineers build new nature-inspired devices. Think: Cat-tongue-inspired hairbrush, flexible arms to pick up fruit, and robots that walk on water.
Rex Walheim has some lengthy work experience in space. As part of three space missions, he has spent 566 hours away from his home planet, and 36 of these were spent in open space!
He will tell us what it is like to fly on a space mission. He will cover preflight training, the launch and landing, as well as what it is like to do a spacewalk. We’ll also hear about the last mission of the Space Shuttle Program, STS-135, which he was part of.
Rex will talk not just about the past of human space flight but about its future, too. He now works for Axiom Space, a commercial spaceflight company that is sending private citizen to the International Space Station. Rex will talk about these efforts, as well as Axiom’s work building the first commercial space station.
There are no better guests to talk about the weirdness of science than a scientist with two Ig Nobel awards and a popular science journalist. Each of them has his favorite science curiosities to share. And the one-up-man-ship in sharing the most bizzare science fact will be furious.
David Hu will tell us what a “diarrhea machine” actually is, while Robin Andrews will share how the US army tried to nuke volcanoes in order to set off eruptions (yeah, no one knows why this sounded like a good idea?). You’ll hear stories that will make you laugh and gasp!
Zach Dickeson is a Geologist and science communicator based in London, where he completed his PhD at the Natural History Museum, researching ancient lakes and oceans on Mars. His varied scientific career includes geological mapping, archaeology, and laser maintenance. He can often be found outdoors hiking, underwater SCUBA diving, and wherever else there are rocks.
Dr. David Hu is a mechanical engineer who studies the interactions of animals with water. He has discovered how dogs shake dry, how insects walk on water, and how eyelashes protect the eyes from drying. He earned degrees in mathematics and mechanical engineering from M.I.T., and is now Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Biology and Adjunct Professor of Physics at Georgia Tech. He is a recipient of the National Science Foundation CAREER award for young scientists, the Ig Nobel Prize in Physics, the Pineapple Science Prize (the Ig Nobel of China). He is the author of the book „How to walk on water and climb up walls,“ published by Princeton University Press which earned him the American Institute of Physics Science Communication award.
Rex Walheim has been on the crew of three space missions. He has spent more than 36 days in space and more than 36 hours in EVAs. He was part of the STS-110 mission in 2002, STS-122 in 2008, and STS-135, the final mission of the US Space Shuttle Program in 2011.
He served as CAPCOM in the Mission Control Center and was also the Chief of the spacewalking branch. Subsequent to his flight, Walheim served as Chief of the Exploration branch of the Astronaut Office, where he worked as the astronaut representative to the Orion Program. In 2015, he became the Assistant Director for Operations for the Flight Operations Directorate. He then served as the Deputy Director of Safety and Mission Assurance at the Johnson Space Center. He is currently the Director of Safety and Mission Assurance at Axiom Space.
Robin is perpetually curious and often ridiculous. He’s a doctor of experimental volcanology (blew stuff up for science), a full-time, freelance, award-winning science journalist (rearranges letters for money), a part-time award-winning photographer (takes photographs that aren’t awful), a scientific consultant (tells people how to do science right), an occasional lecturer (rearranges letters and says them aloud for money), a public speaker (rearranges letters and says them aloud, sometimes for free), and a frequent explain-how-volcanoes-work TV guest (gesticulates wildly on live television).
His work has appeared in The New York Times, National Geographic, Scientific American, Quanta Magazine, Nature, Gizmodo, Forbes, The Verge, Atlas Obscura, CNN, the Guardian, The Times, and elsewhere. He also proves that volcanoes are fantastical masterworks of molten rock capable of near-magical acts in his book Super Volcanoes: What They Reveal about Earth and the Worlds Beyond.
At Ratio, the action doesn’t happen just on stage. We’ll feature two exhibits that will surprise and inspire you.
The “Small Worlds” exhibit explores the world at about 10 microns of depth. This close-up look finds abstract spaces and new opportunities to overcome the gravity of imagination. The microscope photography creates a particular set of small worlds that connect structures at the micro and macro levels. The scenes remind us of the scale and age of the universe, even beyond the limits of human understanding. The AV part of the exhibit will show how these small worlds move and the ambiance will be enhanced by the cinematic sound of Form Null.
Created by Venelina Katanska and Andrey Katanski, Micronavt.
Pulsars are one of the most violent forces of the Universe. They are the dencest objects we know – a neutron star the size of a small town and the mass of several Suns. They spin around at a few hundred revolutions per second. They are named “pulsars” because of the strong magnetic foces that come through to us in the form of a pulsing signal.
This audio-visual installation will show you an artistic representation that is based on real scientific data and after consulting with astronomers.
Created by Peter Valkanov, Georgi Batilov, and Klementina Razboynikova
|11:00-11:45||David Hu – Animal physics: eyelashes to cubic poo|
|12:10-12:55||Zach Dickeson – Mars Rocks: The search for life on the red planet|
|13:45-14:45||Robin G. Andrews and David Hu – Bizzaro Science|
|15:10-15:55||Rex Walheim – Space Oddity: Life in space, as told by a real astronaut|
|16:20-17:20||Questions and answers session|
We will again feature a program for the smallest science explorers, designed for kids aged 8-12. The schedule is synchronized with the main program and it will allow parents and children to share their love of science and experience it through different activities.
Every child needs to be accompanied by an adult with a standard valid ticket! The children’s program is in Bulgarian.
Izzi Science for Kids and its teacher Atanas Stamenov will present the scientific qualities of paper. We will look at every fiber, we will learn what’s the true color of paper and how we can change the hue even AFTER we color it!
Muzeiko’s team will guide us through the amazing world of wild cats. We’ll hear more about their markings, their habits and the different places where we can meet them. Kids will uncover the social life of big cats and their communication patterns.
We will explore the mysteries of our world through the most amazing physics phenomena. How can electricity travel through air? How does a potato cannon work? What does a lightning look like from a distance of just 2 meters?
What’s hidden in our TVs, phones, and laptops? How does the electronics we use every day get created? The young explorers will learn about the electronic elements – resistance, LEDs, and more, and will even get to work with a soldering iron.
We’re looking forward to seeing you at Sofia Tech Park!
Sofia Tech Park has multi-level parking with a capacity of 500 places. Parking is paid, but there’s a new lower tariff on weekends – 1 lev for every 2 hours of your stay. The first 15 minutes are free of charge.
Although we have a full day packed with activities and interesting talks, you can join us later, too. The registration is open throughout the whole day, so you can come whenever you like.
Although your ticket has your name on it, that is solely used for our administration. We don’t check names at the door, so you can give the ticket to another person and you don’t need to write to us to change it. For Student tickets we will need to verify that the ticket carrier has active student rights.
No, you can just download your ticket on your mobile phone and let us scan the QR code at the entrance.
Sofia Tech Park’s parking is paid, but there’s a new lower tarrif on weekends – 1 lev for every 2 hours of your stay. The first 15 minutes are free of charge. You will need to validate your parking ticket at the machines in the parking building and pay your parking fee before leaving.
Since the program spans several hours and most of it is happening inside, we will not be able to let in pets at the event.
Will there be food and drinks at the venue?
Minors will need to be accompanied by an adult who will have to fill in a declaration at the venue. This doesn’t necessarily need to be a parent or legal guardian. Your child can be accompanied by another relative or a family friend. One adult can accompany several children. The person accompanying the child will need to have a valid ticket for the event.
Watch the recording | <urn:uuid:e459eb7d-77ac-4ffe-9f8e-e3def4a4c5d8> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://ratio.bg/spring22-en/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499842.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20230131023947-20230131053947-00493.warc.gz | en | 0.938509 | 2,599 | 2.734375 | 3 |
History of Women Cheesemakers
Throughout human history, women were the primary cheesemakers, while men tended to the fields and livestock. As such, some of our most beloved traditional cheeses came from female minds and hands. A huge shift in the early 1900's changed this. During World War I (and 20 years later, World War II), men were conscripted to battle, leaving fields and livestock unattended. Who stepped in? Women, of course (cause that's what we do). However, we couldn't do it all, and traditional cheesemaking went into decline. This was hurried along when European governments claimed most milk production for national rationing. The impact? Women lost their vital cheesemaking role and many of their creations became extinct.
In the decades since, women have returned to cheesemaking in droves, especially in America, where women like Sally Jackson, Mary Keehn, and Laura Chenel launched the "American Artisan" cheese movement back in the 70's.
This month, we honor women makers from all over the world, whether they are crafting cheese, wine, or accompaniments. Without their creativity, ingenuity, and persistence, the world would be a much less tasty place.
Read more about our special menu, featured from March 6 - March 22. And all month, we will feature loads of woman-crafted foods in our retail stores. | <urn:uuid:7086e29f-5ca4-4761-991e-2604e1ca943d> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.cheesetique.com/news-item/history-of-women-cheesemakers/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499842.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20230131023947-20230131053947-00493.warc.gz | en | 0.957681 | 285 | 3.359375 | 3 |
'A shadow of its former self': Mosul Museum and the long road to recovery
Five years ago, Mosul Museum grabbed international headlines when the Islamic State (IS) group released footage of militants defacing priceless artefacts with sledgehammers and toppling statues that had survived for thousands of years.
Today, the museum’s darkened interior stands as a memorial to a 21st-century cultural tragedy.
Stepping between pieces of Assyrian sculptures blown up by explosives, Mosul Museum director Zaid al-Obeidi gestured towards fragments bearing ancient Sumerian cuneiform lettering, one of the oldest writing systems in the world. “This is huge destruction and we need time to fix it, a lot of time,” he told MEE.
Among the shattered Assyrian treasures are two huge Lamassu (winged bull protective deities) from the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud. Comparative pieces stand proudly in the British Museum, attracting thousands of daily visitors, as well as in Baghdad’s National Museum of Iraq. Here, just 30 kilometres from the ancient city where they once stood, this pair have been reduced mostly to mere rubble.
“IS put explosives between the walls and the Lamassu, tearing them away from the wall and destroying them,” Obeidi said. “They did the same to the king’s throne base from Nimrud, where the force of the explosion ripped open the floor.”
Nearby lie the sledgehammered chunks of an Assyrian-era lion statue from Nimrud’s Temple of Ishtar, decorated with cuneiform engravings detailing the life of King Ashurnasirpal II, who reigned from 883 to 859 BC. The back of the statue, which would have stood flush against a wall, was also etched with writing.
“The Assyrians did this, according to experts, because they thought one day their empire would be destroyed, so they wrote on the back of the statues, which were out of sight, to preserve their history for all time,” explained Obeidi.
“And they were right, it happened exactly as they thought. Those who came after the Assyrians destroyed and burned their monuments. And then, thousands of years later, IS did the same.”
Although larger fragments still lie where they were found in 2017 during the liberation of Mosul from IS, the surrounding floor space is taped into a two metre-squared grid as part of a laborious process to gather and label each statue fragment to help accurate future reconstruction.
“We’ve been collecting every tiny piece from each square, placing these carefully labelled in storage, so we know their exact location,” local archaeologist and conservator Ghassan Sarhan explained, adding that museum staff were working with France’s Louvre Museum on the project.
“Seven months ago, you couldn’t walk here because there were so many fragments scattered across the floor. But the conservation rescue teams have cleared this area following international rescue heritage rules, and have cleaned the pieces with world heritage approved products.”
The grid-system for collecting and preserving fragments, Sarhan noted sadly, was only deployed in the one section of the museum. “We only made the grid for the Assyrian gallery because we found many pieces there, but in the Hatraean gallery, we did not find any single piece.”
This gallery formerly held artefacts from the Unesco World Heritage site of Hatra, located in the Iraqi desert, 110km southwest of Mosul and also occupied by IS for three years.
Antiquities from Hatra [...] are unique to Iraq and even broken pieces are apparently very valuable on the global antiquities market
The gallery featured in a widely-shared IS video showing militants toppling and sledgehammering statues. But when museum staff entered the premises a few months after liberation, they found even the shards from this destruction had been carefully removed, and presumed stolen.
Antiquities from Hatra, which grew to prominence under the Parthians (247 BC - 224 AD) and is believed to have been the capital of the first Arab kingdom, are unique to Iraq and even broken pieces are apparently very valuable on the global antiquities market.
“It’s easy to say in words when the museum will reopen but the reality is that it’s very difficult to predict. Realistically, we’re looking at between three and five years before the museum will be receiving visitors again,” Obedi said.
“It will take up to three years to reconstruct the building and at least three years of continuous work to reconstruct the broken statues.”
Conservator Saad Ahmed, who heads Mosul Museum’s conservation laboratory, has a more pessimistic forecast for reconstructing the damaged exhibits. He predicts it would take around six years to complete reconstruction of just the two Lamassu and the Ishtar lion.
Despite ongoing efforts by museum staff, reconstruction has not yet started on these ancient Assyrian statues. Working with Louvre Museum staff, the first project will be the Ishtar lion, a project due to start this year but currently on hold due to uncertainty over potential Covid-19 restrictions.
Work has yet to even start on repairing the considerably-damaged museum building, which was affected by fighting as well as having its basement looted and set ablaze by IS.
IS controlled Mosul completely for two and a half years, during which time militants enforced their strict interpretations of Islam, inflicting a reign of terror on inhabitants. They also enacted a wave of destruction across the city, targeting historic and non-Islamic religious sites. The eight-month battle to liberate Mosul from IS resulted in extensive destruction, especially to the historic Old City of Mosul.
Even when Mosul Museum does eventually reopen its doors to visitors, with more than half of its former exhibits stolen by IS, it will be a shadow of its former self. Obeidi told MEE that as much as 60-70 percent of the museum’s collection remains missing.
Former Iraqi Minister of Culture Abdulameer al-Hamdani, recently replaced with the formation of a new Iraqi government, said that at all the country’s historic sites where IS had had control, there was a combination of destruction and looting in an effort to erase Iraqi and Mesopotamian culture.
But in Mosul Museum, IS stole much more than they destroyed, with museum staff believing that IS only destroyed artefacts too large to steal, such as the Lamassu and the Ishtar lion.
By torchlight, Obeidi pointed to empty walls where vacant exhibit niches have chiselled adjacent markings, indicating that artefacts were carefully extracted, explaining that the missing items are believed to have been smuggled out of Iraq by IS towards international antiquities markets.
These include many ancient artefacts of Islamic history, such as two mihrabs (prayer niches) made of Sinjar gypsum that were carefully removed from their display casings.
In the Islamic gallery, IS only left one single artefact: a large wooden tomb covering what was probably deemed too large to steal.
Since liberation, over a hundred antiquities from the museum’s collection have been recovered from civilian homes formerly occupied by IS militants, or seized at checkpoints by Iraqi forces. These remain in storage at the museum’s conservation laboratory on a separate premises until the museum is in a fit state for them to be reinstated. But many more remain missing.
IS were not the first to rob the embattled institution. The museum was also looted during the chaos that followed the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq. “To this day, none of those items have been returned, but, after the thefts, the US forces closed the museum doors and guarded it,” Obeidi said.
A plea for help
As well as the support of the Louvre, Mosul Museum staff have received training on how to manage damaged antiquities from the group of American museums and research centres known as the Smithsonian Institution.
But Mosul Museum is just one of Nineveh governorate’s many historic sites either targeted by IS or damaged during warfare, which include Hatra; Nimrud; the Assyrian city of Dur-Sharrukin; the mosque and shrine of Nabi Younis; the Great Mosque of al-Nuri and its adjacent al-Hadba (hunchback) leaning minaret. The head of Nineveh Antiquities Directorate Ali Hazeem told MEE that, in the face of such extensive destruction, Iraq desperately needed more external help.
“We need support for renovating these damaged and destroyed sites. We know it’s a very difficult thing because the destruction and damage is very big but we need help to proceed. Some help is being received but only on a very small scale and, at this point, mainly only in identifying parts," he said.
Noting that the help received to date is greatly-appreciated, he said that this remained inadequate compared to the extent of the work the Nineveh Antiquities Directorate was facing to regenerate its decimated historic sites.
“It's hard for us to manage this problem alone because the damage is so severe and the extent of destruction so large and we really need support, especially now that Mosul is safe,” Hazeem said. “And we are asking for international support because these monuments are not only for Nineveh but for all Iraq and all the world.”
This article is available in French on Middle East Eye French edition. | <urn:uuid:8e2b89af-c5b1-4dec-aa95-b64723406183> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/iraq-mosul-museum-reconstruction-antiquities | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499842.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20230131023947-20230131053947-00493.warc.gz | en | 0.967963 | 1,999 | 2.96875 | 3 |
Atrazine Continues to Contaminate Surface Water and Drinking Water in the United States
Banned in the European Union and clearly linked to harm to wildlife and potentially to humans, the pesticide atrazine provides little benefit to offset its risks. In 2009, NRDC analyzed results of surface water and drinking water monitoring data for atrazine and found pervasive contamination of watersheds and drinking water systems across the Midwest and Southern United States. This May 2010 report summarizes scientific information that has emerged since the publication of our initial report and includes more recent monitoring data.
Approximately 75 percent of stream water and about 40 percent of all groundwater samples from agricultural areas tested in an extensive U.S. Geological Survey study contained atrazine. NRDC found that the U.S. EPA's inadequate monitoring systems and weak regulations have compounded the problem, allowing levels of atrazine in watersheds and drinking water to peak at extremely high concentrations.
The most recent data confirms that atrazine continues to contaminate watersheds and drinking water. Atrazine was found in 80 percent of drinking water samples taken in 153 public water systems. All twenty watersheds sampled in 2007 and 2008 had detectable levels of atrazine, and sixteen had average concentrations above the level that has been shown to harm plants and wildlife. | <urn:uuid:993c79d9-2ffa-4f13-9406-96915d9ec36d> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.nrdc.org/resources/atrazine-poisoning-well | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499842.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20230131023947-20230131053947-00493.warc.gz | en | 0.949154 | 262 | 3.28125 | 3 |
Download Comptes Bookstore App
This book is designed for students taking the Core IGCSE English as a Second Language examination and their teachers. All of the assessments and their instructions are based on the exemplar Core IGCSE paper from 2020 onwards and reflect recent changes to the structure and content of the paper. The speaking cards are based on the real IGCSE speaking cards that will be used in that part of the examination.
All sections are marked and graded according to IGCSE Core paper standards. The book contains answer keys for the reading comprehension section.
The summary and note taking section have a list of possible points that need to be included for the content marks in each activity. There are model emails and essays for marking guidance in the writing sections. The speaking cards have advice on their use and how to best prepare for the speaking examination.
ISRG Root X1 Certificate
Scan this QR or download app from: | <urn:uuid:20ffefef-7951-4b28-baed-1ea3bbaaf1f9> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://comptes-books.com/product/igcse-guide-english-as-a-second-language-core/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499919.70/warc/CC-MAIN-20230201081311-20230201111311-00573.warc.gz | en | 0.951693 | 200 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Debunking the Babylonokia: an 800-year-old Mobile Phone
We all love a good conspiracy. Whether it is strange lights in the sky, potential UFO sightings or out-of-place artifacts that leave us scratching our heads and rethinking our past and what think we know about our ancestors.
The world itself is already filled with real conspiracy theories that are true. Governments conspiring against their citizens, ancient buildings that should not exist, and bizarre ancient technology that we still don’t what it is or how it was used for.
The digital world itself is filled with conspiracy theories and unfortunately, very elaborate hoaxes. One of those hoaxes is the Babylonokia.
The Story of the Babylonokia
The story that circulated in the blogosphere was that an ancient mobile phone was found during archaeological excavations at Fuschl am See, (in Salzburg), Austria.
Researchers unearthed an 800-year-old Nokia mobile phone with cuneiform writing on it. Cuneiform is an ancient system of writing that emerged in the ancient Mesopotamian (modern Iraq and Iran) civilization of Sumer about 3500 BCE.
To many people, this was evidence of advanced human civilizations existing in the distant past. To others, was proof of ancient Aliens having visited Earth a very long-time ago. And to others, the Babylonokia was fool-proof evidence of time travel.
After the alleged ‘discovery’ of the mobile phone, the now-defunct Conspiracy Club website broke the story, quickly followed by MysteriousUniverse website. Soon, the Youtube Channel Paranormal Crucible posted a video of the ‘evidence’, asking its viewers if the alien mobile phone was evidence of advanced civilizations or time travel.
The video quickly spread like wildfire on the internet, and soon many other channels, bloggers and vloggers were reporting on the same story. Parroting what they have heard on the Internet, without doing any research on it at all.
Is The Babylonokia a Hoax?
However, further investigation revealed that the alien mobile phone was actually a hoax. It turned out that the device had been created by an artist named Karl Weingärtner, who had posted a video of the sculpture to his YouTube channel. The video showed the artist making the sculpture using a 3D printer, and it was clear that the device was not an ancient relic.
The German sculptor behind the Babylonokia, said that he created the sculpture as a commentary on the modern world’s obsession with technology. He wanted to show that even a primitive device could have a powerful impact on people.
Speaking about the incident, Karl Weingärtner said that he was selling items online and posted a photo of his sculpture on Facebook. “The photo was used without my knowledge and without my consent.It’s not what I wanted. I do not believe in UFOs and I do not believe in aliens.”
Despite the fact that the Babylonokia was a hoax, it still managed to capture the imagination of many people. The story of the ancient device quickly spread across the internet, and it even made its way into some mainstream news sources. | <urn:uuid:91e26819-7417-465a-96fd-1d9620028ba1> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://weird-history-facts.com/babylonokia-800-year-old-mobile-phone/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499919.70/warc/CC-MAIN-20230201081311-20230201111311-00573.warc.gz | en | 0.966567 | 659 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Before you go on vacation, here are a few tips.
Each year, up to 40 percent of travelers worldwide are hit by a painful disorder in the digestive tract called traveler’s diarrhea.
The condition, which is defined by having three or more unformed stools in 24 hours, can derail your travel plans and leave you bedridden with nausea, abdominal cramps, and persistent vomiting.
Now, adult travelers have a new treatment option for when diarrhea strikes.
The drug, which is to be taken orally, is expected to be available by February, the FDA stated.
In order to test the efficacy of Aemcolo, researchers studied 264 adults with traveler’s diarrhea in Guatemala and Mexico. The clinical trial found that Aemcolo significantly alleviated symptoms of diarrhea in patients compared to a placebo.
The safety of the drug was then evaluated in 619 adults with traveler’s diarrhea in two controlled clinical trials. According to the FDA, the most common adverse side effects were headache and constipation.
Aemcolo was not effective in those who experienced fever and/or bloody stools caused by pathogens other than E. coli.
Traveler’s diarrhea typically sets in after consuming food or water that’s contaminated with invasive and noninvasive bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Bacterial pathogens are the most common culprit, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
E. coli causes the majority of attacks. The noninvasive bacteria attach to the lining of your intestine and release a toxin that triggers diarrhea and cramps.
More invasive bacteria — like Campylobacter jejuni, Shigella spp., and Salmonella spp. — cause bloody diarrhea along with a high fever.
Traveler’s diarrhea can strike anywhere, the CDC states, but is most common in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Mexico, and Central and South America. Eastern Europe, South Africa, and certain islands in the Caribbean are considered to be higher-risk areas as well.
In most cases, traveler’s diarrhea doesn’t cause serious complications, notes the Mayo Clinic, and usually goes away on its own within a few days.
In more extreme cases that involve severe dehydration, persistent vomiting, a high fever, or bloody stools, it’s crucial to seek medical treatment immediately. Severe dehydration can be fatal, as you may lose a significant amount of vital fluids, salts, and minerals.
The two types of medications used to treat traveler’s diarrhea fall into two categories: symptomatic relief (think anti-diarrheals) and antibiotics — like azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, rifaximin, and now rifamycin — which can help clear out the bacteria and speed up recovery.
Azithromycin is often recommended as one of the first-line antibiotic treatments for more severe traveler’s diarrhea, as it covers a broader amount of pathogens.
“Rifamycin is different from other antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin and azithromycin because it is [minimally] absorbed and is thus delivered directly to the site of infection,” Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease specialist and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, explained. “[Therefore] it is less likely to impact bacteria in other locations and less likely to have systemic side effects.”
Because certain bacteria have become increasingly resistant to antibiotics, some health experts believe that the discovery and approval of new treatments, such as rifamycin, are extremely valuable.
Others argue that traveler’s diarrhea caused by E. coli may not even require antibiotics — and that the treatment may ultimately do more harm than good if overprescribed or misused.
“[Aemcolo] is only approved for the treatment of noninvasive E. coli, which is a self-limited infection that some would argue doesn’t even require antibiotic treatment, but rehydration and/or loperamide as a mainstay of therapy,” Dr. Theresa Fiorito, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Family Travel Clinic with NYU Winthrop Hospital, said.
“There is increasing concern within the travel community about the misuse of empiric antibiotics and ‘overtreatment’ of diarrhea encountered while abroad. For this reason, only in cases of moderate or severe diarrhea should antibiotics be considered or recommended, respectively,” Fiorito added.
Regardless, the most important thing to do if you catch traveler’s diarrhea is to focus on rehydration, Fiorito explained. This — in addition to over-the-counter medications like loperamide — is considered to be your first line of defense.
Fortunately, you can significantly reduce your chances of traveler’s diarrhea by steering clear of the pathogens that trigger it.
When in doubt, boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it, as the saying goes. High heat kills germs, so make a point to eat food that’s cooked and hot, rather than served at room temperature.
“Avoiding high-risk foods that are handled by individuals but not cooked, like vegetables, can be helpful,” Adalja advised. He also recommends avoiding tap water and opting for bottled water instead.
Adalja suggests taking a bismuth-containing medication — such as Pepto-Bismol — which can act as a preventive. Doing so can decrease incidences of traveler’s diarrhea by nearly 50 percent, the
Each case varies: Where one person may only require rehydration therapy, another may benefit from a full course of antibiotics. A healthcare provider can determine the best course of action for your specific symptoms.
While traveler’s diarrhea is typically harmless, treating it quickly could be the difference between productive, healthy travel and a trip spent curled up in bed. | <urn:uuid:65740ce8-a52d-46a3-bbab-cfa75075999c> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.healthline.com/health-news/what-to-know-about-new-travelers-diarrhea-medication | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499919.70/warc/CC-MAIN-20230201081311-20230201111311-00573.warc.gz | en | 0.937234 | 1,236 | 2.59375 | 3 |
The American Museum (published by Mathew Carey, 1787-1792)
The American Museum was a monthly magazine with a national audience published in Philadelphia in the late-18th century by Mathew Carey. The pioneering publication was one of the first successful American literary magazines. While the American Museum was only published for six years, it chronicled some of the most important events in American history.
Mathew Carey founded the American Museum using a $400 loan from none other than the Marquis de Lafayette. During its publication, Carey printed a total of 72 monthly issues (which were later bound into twelve volumes). The publication ran every month from January 1787 through December 1792. During this period, the magazine re-printed many of the most significant historical documents in the American political canon, alongside original works written for the magazine.
Fortuitously, Carey created the American Museum in 1787, the year that the Constitution was written in Philadelphia. As such, the magazine contains a copy of the Constitution printed in the September of 1787 edition. Carey also reprinted the famous debates leading to the Constitution’s ratification in 1788. In 1789, the American Magazine reported the proceedings of the first Congress, along with the debates over the adoption of the Bill of Rights.
Copied below is the September 1787 publication of the Constitution, along with Federalist I , which appeared in the November 1787 edition:
Recognizing that Hamilton, Madison and Jay addressed the Federalist papers to the “people of the state of New York,” historians have debated the impact of the essays in other states. Nevertheless, the American Museum was the first instance of the Federalist papers being published in Philadelphia, where the Constitution was drafted. The November edition of the American Museum was also one of the first periodicals outside of New York to reprint Federalist essays.
It is also clear that the America Museum enjoyed readers around the nation, as is evidenced by its subscribers who resided in almost every state. Pictured below is a page from the subscriber list, capturing both Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr among the named subscribers from New York.
In addition to political tracts, the American Museum also printed a wide range of other Americana including poetry and prose. As such, it became one of the first American periodicals to recognize emerging American literature and culture, separate from European content.
The magazine also contained rare engravings and maps, some of which are copied below, including Benjamin Franklin’s “Chart of the Gulf Stream” and the nauseating “Plan of an African Ship’s Lower Deck.” Although it may have alienated southern subscribers, Carey did not shy away from printing anti-slavery tracts.
As editor and publisher, Carey sought to republish and “preserve the most valuable” of the pamphlets, essays and papers which “reflected credit on their authors, as well as this country.” Carey explained in his preface to the first edition that he did not limit himself to recent material, but also included work that appeared “prior to and during the war….” Among the contributors featured in the magazine were Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, and Noah Webster. It is not surprising that Thomas Paine’s Common Sense was printed in the inaugural edition in January of 1787, along with critiques of the Articles of Confederation.
Given the otherwise “perishable nature of the vehicles that contained them,” Carey happily assumed the role of curator and publisher. He acknowledged that his new magazine was “destitute. . . of originality…” He also suggested that the collection might be enriched by recurring occasionally to European publications “calculated to promote the cause of liberty, religion, and virtue.” Click here for a link to Volume 1.
In June of 1791, Carey printed Moses Saixas’ famous “Address of the Hebrew Congregation in Newport in Rhode-Island to the president of the united states of America” which is copied below. President Washington’s reply dated August 18 to the Newport Congregation (known as the Touro Synagogue) contains one of the most powerful expressions of religious freedom for the new nation:
For happily the Government of the United States gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support….
In the final year of its publication, the American Museum printed a full copy of Alexander Hamilton’s important Report on the Subject of Manufactures, which is the earliest complete American printing of the report for the public.
In an advertisement for the magazine, Carey quoted an admiring George Washington who observed, “That a more useful literary plan has never been undertaken in America, or one deserving of public encouragement.” Washington observed that “I consider such easy vehicles of knowledge, more happily calculated than any other, to preserve the liberty, stimulate the industry and meliorate the morals of an enlightened and free People.” Click here for a link to George Washington’s June 25, 1788 letter to Carey:
Although I believe “the American Museum” published by you, has met with extensive, I may say, with universal approbation from competent Judges; yet, I am sorry to find by your favor of the 19th that in a pecuniary view it has not equalled your expectations.
A discontinuance of the Publication for want of proper support would, in my judgment, be an impeachment on the Understanding of this Country. For I am of opinion that the Work is not only eminently calculated to dissiminate political, agricultural, philosophical & other valuable information; but that it has been uniformly conducted with taste, attention, & propriety. If to these important objects be superadded the more immediate design, of rescuing public Documts from oblivion: I will venture to pronounce, as my sentiment, that a more useful literary plan has never been undertaken in America, or one more deserving public encouragement. By continuing to prosecute that plan with similar assiduity and discernment, the merit of your Museum must ultimately become as well known in some Countries of Europe as on this Continent; and can scarcely fail of procuring an ample compensation for your trouble & expence.
Although Carey succeeded in reaching wide circulation, the American Museum ultimately was not profitable. In 1792, Congress passed a postal law subsidizing newspapers, but excluding bulkier magazines. As a result, Carey suspended publication and moved into the ultimately more successful trade of printing and selling books.
In his autobiography Carey wrote that, “I was much attached to this work and had great reluctance to abandon it, unproductive and vexatious as was the management of it.” As described by historian Lyon N. Richardson in 1931, Carey “accomplished his aim remarkably well, considering practical limitations. . . He made of his magazine a true museum.”
Among the authors featured by Carey were the following, in no particular order:
- Thomas Paine
- Benjamin West
- Ezra Styles
- Benjamin Rush as Nestor
- Tench Coxe
- Philip Frenau
- David Humphreys
Among the seminal works published during the ratification debate were:
- Ben Franklin’s speech on the last day of the Constitutional Convention
- James Wilson’s October 6, 1787 address to the citizens of Philadelphia
- Curtius address to all Federalists
- Roger Sherman and Oliver Elsworth’s letter to the Governor of Connecticut explaining their support for the Constitution
- George Mason’s objections and reasons for not signing
- Elbridge Gerry’s letter setting forth his reasons for not signing the Constitution
- Federalist 1 – 7
- The Constitution’s cover letter (click here for a discussion of the Constitution’s Cover Letter)
The above links are all from John Adams’ personal copy of the American Museum published in 1787. Click here for a link to all twelve volumes.
Samples of other works published in the magazine include:
- The Virginia Act for Establishing Religious Freedom
- Observations on the Insurrection in Massachusetts (Shay’s Rebellion)
- A Sermon on Dueling
- Thomas Jefferson’s Report on Coins
- Benjamin Franklin’s “Address to the Public from the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery, and the Relief of Free Negroes, unlawfully held in Bondage.”
Mathew Carey the printer
Carey was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1760, where he edited an anti-British newspaper. After being exiled to France, Carey worked as an apprentice at a small press in the Parisian suburb of Passy with Ben Franklin. Franklin and Carey printed work for the American revolutionary cause at the French royal court.
At the time, the Marquis de Lafayette had returned to France to help plan a French invasion of Ireland. Lafayette frequently visited Franklin’s press at Passy where Carey and Lafayette became acquainted. This contact would prove invaluable years later when Lafayette loaned Carey the seed capital to start the American Museum.
While the American Museum was not profitable, it established Carey as a leading printer of his day. According to Carey, “Never was more labour bestowed on a work, with less reward. During the whole six years, I was in a state of intense penury. I never at any one time, possessed 400 dollars—and rarely three or two hundred…. I was, times without number, obliged to borrow money to go to market…”
Nevertheless, Carey developed a distribution network and contacts that were priceless. The lessons Carey learned with the American Museum were a springboard to his success in book publishing. For example, in later years he produced a popular Catholic Bible and several best-selling schoolbooks.
In 1791, Carey organized the Philadelphia Company of Printers and Booksellers. By 1800, Carey and Massachusetts publisher Isaiah Thomas had become the nation’s foremost printers with a national clientele. Click here for a discussion of patriot publisher Isaiah Thomas. By 1817, Carey’s press was the largest publisher in the United States.
During the War of 1812, New England Federalists who were dissatisfied with President Madison’s policies and the progress of the war secretly met in Hartford Connecticut and raised the possibility of secession. Ultimately, the delegates to the controversial Hartford Convention adopted an aggressive states’ rights stance and expressed their grievances in a series of resolutions. In an effort to unify the nation and promote public confidence, Carey published The Olive Branch: or, Faults on Both Sides, Federal and Democratic, A Serious Appeal on the Necessity of Mutual Forgiveness and Harmony in April of 1815. The purposely non-partisan treatise attempted to unify the Federalists and the Democratic Republicans. The Olive Branch was well received and eventually rivaled Thomas Paine’s Common Sense in popularity.
Carey took extremely seriously President Washington’s Farewell Address, and the need for maintaining the unity of the nation. He excoriated both parties, but especially the Federalists of that decade, for losing sight of Washington’s perspective, and thus endangering the nation’s survival. The first Olive Branch exhaustively documents the failures and outright evils, even treason, committed by the parties, through the reprinting of letters, petitions, and other primary sources.
Click here for link to Spannaus’ blog about Carey’s effort to revive Hamiltonian economics.
In his later years, Carey wrote on various social and political topics, including economics, and the need for extending American naval strength to resist the British. Northern manufacturers embraced Carey’s protective tariffs, while Southerners burned him in effigy in Columbia, South Carolina.
Beginning with the outbreak of yellow fever in Philadelphia in 1793, Carey wrote A Short Account of the Malignant Fever, Lately Prevalent in Philadelphia, representing an early foray into medical publishing. He would eventually publish dozens of medical works.
During his post-American Magazine publishing career, Carey printed novels and other work by Mason L. Weems, James Fenimore Cooper, Edgar Allan Poe, and Sir Walter Scott, among others. Carey did not limit his operations to books, printing broadsides, atlases, bibles, and political titles. Carey personally wrote Vindiciae Hibernicae (1819) promoting Irish history and nationalism, New Olive Branch (1820) discussed above, and Essays of Political Economy (1822) which explored Alexander Hamilton’s Report on Manufactures and other nation building proposals.
Carey was a member of the American Philosophical Society and the Franklin Institute. He served as a director of the Bank of Pennsylvania and the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal company. He was a founder of the Hibernian Society, an organization formed to provide aid to Irish immigrants. He also served on the “Committee of 24” that promoted canal-building in the 1820s and was a member the “friends of Clay” that supported Henry Clay’s presidential candidacy in 1824. | <urn:uuid:9b1420b3-a811-4331-9f1c-6cdf620002da> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.statutesandstories.com/blog_html/the-american-museum-the-first-magazine-to-print-the-constitution/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500028.12/warc/CC-MAIN-20230202133541-20230202163541-00653.warc.gz | en | 0.960452 | 2,746 | 3.53125 | 4 |
Phosphates and Superphosphates
|Infobox on Phosphates and Superphosphates|
|Example of Phosphates and Superphosphates|
|Stowage factor (in m3/t)|
|Humidity / moisture||0% to 2%|
|Ventilation||No special requirements|
|Risk factors||See text|
Phosphates and Superphosphates
Phosphate, salt or ester of phosphoric acid, H3PO4. Because phosphoric acid is tribasic (having three replaceable hydrogen atoms), it forms monophosphate, diphosphate, and triphosphate salts in which one, two, or three of the hydrogens of the acid are replaced, respectively. Because replaceable hydrogens remain in monophosphates and diphosphates, they are sometimes called acid phosphates. The most important inorganic phosphate is calcium phosphate, Ca3(PO4)2. It makes up the larger part of phosphate rock, a mineral that is abundantly distributed throughout the world. Since calcium phosphate is only slightly soluble in water, it is not very suitable as a source of the phosphorus necessary for plant life; however, by treating it with sulfuric acid the soluble calcium acid phosphate known as superphosphate of lime is formed. Other important inorganic phosphates include ammonium phosphate, important as a fertilizer; trisodium phosphate, used in detergents and for softening water; and disodium phosphate, used to some extent in medicine and in preparing baking powders. Various acid phosphates, e.g., those of calcium, magnesium, and sodium, are sometimes present in carbonated beverages. Microcosmic salt, used in certain bead tests in chemical analysis, is sodium ammonium phosphate. Organic phosphates play an important role in metabolism. For example, in the metabolism of sugars (which have hydroxyl groups, -OH, in their molecules), phosphate esters are often formed as an intermediate compound. Formation of these esters is called phosphorylation. Nucleotides are phosphate esters that play an important role in the conservation and use of the energy released in the metabolism of foods in the body; adenosine triphosphate is an important nucleotide. DNA and RNA (see nucleic acid) are complex polymeric organic phosphates.
Phosphates are the naturally occurring form of the element phosphorus, found in many phosphate minerals. In mineralogy and geology, phosphate refers to a rock or ore containing phosphate ions. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in agriculture and industry.
In ecological terms, because of its important role in biological systems, phosphate is a highly sought after resource. Once used, it is often a limiting nutrient in environments, and its availability may govern the rate of growth of organisms. This is generally true of freshwater environments, whereas nitrogen is more often the limiting nutrient in marine (seawater) environments. Addition of high levels of phosphate to environments and to micro-environments in which it is typically rare can have significant ecological consequences. For example, blooms in the populations of some organisms at the expense of others, and the collapse of populations deprived of resources such as oxygen can occur. In the context of pollution, phosphates are one component of total dissolved solids, a major indicator of water quality, but not all phosphorus is in a molecular form which algae can break down and consume.
Phosphate deposits can contain significant amounts of naturally occurring heavy metals. Mining operations processing phosphate rock can leave tailings piles containing elevated levels of cadmium, lead, nickel, copper, chromium, and uranium. Unless carefully managed, these waste products can leach heavy metals into groundwater or nearby estuaries. Uptake of these substances by plants and marine life can lead to concentration of toxic heavy metals in food products.
Shipment / Storage / Risk factors
Phosphates and superphospates
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in agriculture and industry. At elevated temperatures in the solid state, phosphates can condense to form pyrophosphates.
Bulk shipping is the usual transport for these commodities. Single and triple superphosphate tend to be shipped in granular form. Are highly corrosive if packed too fresh or if humidity is encountered. Subject to loss in weight following seepage from containers.
Phosphate rock and/or fines
A light brown to white rock which is sometimes crushed to make the phosphate fines. Varies in texture from a sandy powder to a lumpy material containing a large proportion of dust, and due to its free-flowing properties considerable loss may arise in course of handling. If the material is not perfectly free-flowing it cannot be used easily in the machinery set up for the manufacture of the acid phosphate and, although moisture contact does little of no damage, the commodity must be dried before it can be processed.
Rock phosphate is a rock form of naturally occurring phosphate fertilizer which is formed from sea floor sediments of ancient and current day seas. It is reported as a percentage of phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5). Phosphates can be deposited in a wide range of marine depositional environments. Normally phosphates are deposited in very shallow, near shore marine or low energy environments. Rock phosphate can be wet-processed to produce phosphoric acid or smelted to produce phosphorus. Phosphoric acid is reacted with phosphate rock to produce superphosphate or with anhydrous ammonia to produce ammonium phosphate.
A rock phosphate treated with sulphuric acid: usually in granular form. A dry, free-running fertilizer, slightly acid in character. Moisture damage will render the commodity sticky and pasty and reduce both the fertilizer and material value. The commodity may be dried by hot air, but this may be an expensive matter.
Unduly high temperatures may cause the reversion of the soluble phosphate to the insoluble form, with consequent reduction in the value.
Generally superphosphates are liable to become wet in the vessel’s hold and if this occurs considerable difficulty may be experienced in discharge. On occasions the commodity may be hardened to such an extent that mechanical equipment is necessary to break it up before discharge takes place.
Triple superphosphates (TSP) are made from phosphate rock treated with phosphoric acid and are not always three times more concentrated than single superphosphate (SSP).
Note: For overseas carriage of phosphates, consult the IMSBC Code (International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code). The cargo has no special hazards and is non-combustible resp. has a low fire-risk. The cargo is hygroscopic and will cake if wet. | <urn:uuid:a288f673-e513-470e-8007-beb3ae2fac68> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.cargohandbook.com/Phosphates_and_Superphosphates | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500074.73/warc/CC-MAIN-20230203185547-20230203215547-00733.warc.gz | en | 0.926889 | 1,483 | 3.8125 | 4 |
In computer programming, a Either-OR is used as an OR operator to choose a value between 2 values. Either of Two words are often used to represent the truth value of a statement or condition. In this article let's understand how we can create a regex for Either of Two words and how regex can be matched for Either of Two words values.
Regex (short for regular expression) is a powerful tool used for searching and manipulating text. It is composed of a sequence of characters that define a search pattern. Regex can be used to find patterns in large amounts of text, validate user input, and manipulate strings. It is widely used in programming languages, text editors, and command line tools.
Conditions to match a Either of Two words i.e., Either-OR
The value has to be one of the following-
- Statment 1
- Statement 2
Regex for checking if its a valid Either of Two words i.e., Either-OR
Test string examples for the above regex-
|Input String||Match Output|
|cho||does not match|
|1||does not match|
Here is a detailed explanation of the above regex-
/^(?:chocolate|sweet)$/igm ^ asserts position at start of a line Non-capturing group (?:chocolate|sweet) 1st Alternative chocolate chocolate matches the characters chocolate literally (case insensitive) 2nd Alternative sweet sweet matches the characters sweet literally (case insensitive) $ asserts position at the end of a line Global pattern flags i modifier: insensitive. Case insensitive match (ignores case of [a-zA-Z]) g modifier: global. All matches (don't return after first match) m modifier: multi line. Causes ^ and $ to match the begin/end of each line (not only begin/end of string)
Hope this article was useful to check the validity of a Either of Two words or Either-OR value using regex. | <urn:uuid:2aba33b7-53f3-4125-81e1-3039ad3cb88b> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.debugpointer.com/regex/regex-for-either-of-two-words | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500074.73/warc/CC-MAIN-20230203185547-20230203215547-00733.warc.gz | en | 0.807224 | 454 | 3.5625 | 4 |
Do huskies need higher zinc levels in their diet?
Huskies are gorgeous creatures that do best when in extremely cold environs. However, there are many who find this breed adorable and naturally wish to have them as pets in their homes. Before you do, please understand that despite their robust size, these snow dogs have special dietary requirements that often get overlooked, accidentally, of course, leading to a range of health issues.
Through this article, we would like to highlight the possible pitfalls and the deficiencies that an incorrect diet can cause in a husky.
But before that, a little background on the breed
Huskies come from harsh environmental conditions and were bred over hundreds of years to be able to work hard. They were developed by native Arctic inhabitants to cover large distances while pulling heavy loads that too in brutal winters. On their journey, they had to make do with whatever food was available in that environment, usually small amounts of densely concentrated animal protein and fat.
The requirement continues to date and your husky will thrive on small quantities of food per day when compared to other dogs of the same size. However, the food has to be of superior quality –specially-formulated raw diet very works well.
Let’s learn more, shall we?
The right diet for your husky
The ideal husky diet is almost entirely made of animal protein and fat. Dogs (most carnivores in general) need very little carbohydrate in their diet and huskies need almost none. Among the needed minerals, zinc is one of the most important that a husky’s body should contain and maintain. Did you know that it comes second to iron?
Zinc is a powerful antioxidant that can fight and eliminate several illnesses. Zinc works well by itself and also with other vital minerals and vitamins such as B-complex, vitamin A, calcium, copper, and phosphorus.
Unfortunately, a dogs’ body doesn’t have a storage system of zinc. Hence it becomes imperative to offer adequate zinc each day to your dog to ensure your dog's best health condition.
The absence of zinc and its side effects
The absence of sufficient zinc in your husky’s diet can lead to a range of symptoms, such as:
- Chronic digestive issues
- Picky eating
- Zinc responsive dermatosis
- Immune system illnesses
- Thyroid issues, organ failings
Coupled with the dog’s body being unable to store zinc, several dogs also suffer from mal-absorption, which means they cannot take in the right quantity of zinc from their food.
Understanding mal-absorption in dogs
Mal-absorption is when the body can’t successfully absorb vital elements such as minerals, nutrients and vitamins and minerals from its diet. For huskies, as well as other dogs, mal-absorption of zinc is what leads to deficiency and one of the leading causes for this is an unhealthy diet.
Deficiency in zinc doesn’t always happen through an insufficient intake. Though you might be closely monitoring your dogs’ diet, the body’s inability to absorb the minerals is also one reason for the zinc deficiency. Studies have shown that every time your dog ingest zinc-rich foods, only 15-40% of what has been ingested is actually absorbed.
If your snow dog shows any of the symptoms discussed earlier in the article, you might be right to believe that your husky could use some extra supplementation. But the question that arises is how much zinc does your dog need and how can you introduce it to the diet?
High zinc needs for northern breed dogs
A wild canine’s diet is rich in fish, meats, and offal. Yes, we may have domesticated our dogs, but their dietary requirements haven’t changed much from their origins.
Before you decide to add supplements check your dog’s diet to see if you can make improvements there first. Here’s what you should be checking in your dog’s diet:
- Always feed your husky a grain-free diet. Kibble diets that score high on wheat, corn, or soy will prevent zinc absorption and are one of the leading causes of zinc deficiency. Sometimes just changing the diet can correct the zinc deficiency in your husky.
- Also, even protein-rich kibble diets are not enough. If these rely on meat by-products or heavily processed meat as their protein base they will NOT meet the daily zinc requirements. Offer whole meats and fresh meat to your dog’s diet to increase zinc levels naturally. Simply adding 100 grams of salmon, beef, or chicken can supply 100mgs of zinc to your dog.
- Agreed, some dog food manufacturers do add zinc to dog food but they use a cheap source of zinc oxide or sulfate. These forms cannot be easily absorbed or used by the body and you might get fooled into thinking your dog is getting enough zinc in his diet because of the dog food label.
Ensuring you are adding sufficient zinc to your huskies diet
The best way to ensure your husky gets enough zinc in the diet is by feeding the right foods. Like we said earlier, a husky only needs animal protein and fat. Here are a few foods that are naturally high in zinc:
100 grams of each of these foods will yield zinc in the following quantities:
- Most meats(beef, chicken, duck, pork, salmon) 100mgs
- Liver 130mgs
- Tuna in oil 120 mg.
- Eggs 70mgs
- Apples, blackberries, and strawberries 100mgs
- Plain yogurt 200mgs
- Carrots (raw) 50 mg
- Potato (baked) 120 mg
- Pumpkin 100 mg
- Sweet potato and yams 100mgs
- 5 raw peanuts25 mg
Additionally, you can offer your dog:
- Kelp and seaweed (2-3 tablespoons per week) 1.23mgs
- Fish oil(100-150 mg per 10 pounds of dog weight) 2-3 times a week
Please note, too much fish oil can deplete necessary Vitamin E levels in the body causing other health problems. It can also up Vitamin A levels which is also harmful. Do consult your vet before administering too much fish oil.
If all these adjustments have made no difference in your dog’s overall health, you could consider adding a zinc supplement to the diet. Again, check with your vet before supplementing on your own.
Pet parents of a husky, or any other northern breed, need to know all about common zinc issues that these breeds are susceptible to. However, by ensuring you feed your husky adequate quantities of zinc in the diet, you will be able to keep most health issues at bay. | <urn:uuid:6db8eec5-32c2-4b8c-8d61-9373fdbae6f2> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://barfindia.com/blogs/blog/do-huskies-need-higher-zinc-levels-in-their-diet | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500158.5/warc/CC-MAIN-20230205000727-20230205030727-00813.warc.gz | en | 0.949138 | 1,426 | 2.625 | 3 |
Diabetes. It's a word familiar to us all, but what exactly is this condition and what does it mean for your dog?
For the pet owner whose best buddy is diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, this familiar word can suddenly seem scary. In truth, diabetes mellitus in dogs is a treatable condition that doesn't have to get in the way of a long, fun life. Yes, diabetes does mean lifelong therapy and changes in routine—but it's not a showstopper.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes mellitus is also known as sugar diabetes. Diabetes mellitus is a different condition to a similar sounding one, diabetes insipidus in dogs. For the latter, dogs cannot make strong urine and have an unquenchable thirst, but this is nothing to do with blood glucose levels.
In a nutshell, diabetic dogs can't control their blood glucose levels, which then run high. This is due to a lack of a hormone called insulin, which regulates how much sugar the body's cells soak up. Without insulin, sugar stays outside the cells in the bloodstream. When the blood sugar levels reach overload, this extra sugar is peed out in urine.
Why does this matter? Well, there are a number of reasons why maxed out blood sugar levels are a bad idea. For starters, the purpose of sugar is to power the body's cells. Sugar that can't enter the cells is like having a vehicle with the gas cap welded on—and sooner or later, they run out of fuel. Then there are other problems, such as super-sugary pee being a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, so dogs with diabetes are prone to urine infections.
Of course, the body needs to get power from somewhere, so it turns to burning its own fat. That's OK up to a point, but after a while it causes a buildup of natural toxins that slowly poison the dog. This can make them very ill and often requires emergency treatment.
Common causes of diabetes in dogs
What causes canine diabetes? This is a great question for which there's no simple answer. Much like the perfect storm, diabetes occurs when a number of risk factors fall into place at the same time. The more risk factors a dog has, the higher the chance of diabetes developing.
Let's look at how things stack up:
Canine diabetes is a disease of middle age. The average age for developing this condition is 7–9 years, although it can occur at both younger and older ages. Long story short, it's very unusual for a pup to develop diabetes.
Sadly, some dog breeds are more likely to develop diabetes than others. Indeed, some family lines carry a strong history of diabetes, which hints at an inherited link. Those breeds considered poster dogs for diabetes include:
- Cocker Spaniel
- Yorkshire Terrier
- Miniature Schnauzer
This doesn't mean that a breed not on the list can't develop diabetes, but only that their chances are less.
Twice as many female dogs develop diabetes mellitus as male dogs. Intact female dogs are at special risk because of their heats or seasons. The hormone progesterone blocks the action of insulin, making it less effective and giving the dog a helping hand on the road to developing diabetes.
Just as with people, carrying too much extra weight is a big risk factor. When the body stores fat, it makes it less easy for tissue to react to insulin, making it less effective. Additionally, the organ that produces insulin, the pancreas, is under additional strain and exhausts its ability to make enough insulin.
Certain medications, such as steroids, interfere with how insulin works. Under a certain set of circumstances this can cause diabetes in dogs.
What does this mean for the average dog on the street? OK, let's take two dogs: one is a young, slim, male crossbreed and the other is an overweight, middle-aged, intact female Dachshund. Which dog is at greatest risk of developing diabetes? You got it: the Doxie… because she ticks more boxes.
Signs and symptoms: Noticing early warning signs of diabetes in dogs
Many of the signs of diabetes are quite general and don't in themselves mean a dog is diabetic. Anyone that thinks their dog shows symptoms should consult a vet (and take a urine sample for a speedy diagnosis).
The early signs of diabetes include:
- Increased thirst
- Needing to pee more often, and maybe even having accidents in the house
- Weight loss despite a good appetite
Without treatment, over time the picture changes slightly to include:
- Poor appetite
- Lack of energy
- Dull coat
- Substantial weight loss
Managing your dog’s diabetes
If you've received a canine diabetes diagnosis, there’s the question of how to treat diabetes in dogs. The backbone of treating diabetes is insulin for dogs—but this isn't the full story. Again, just like people, weight loss makes a big difference as to how much insulin the dog needs. And it's also important to get on top of infections early and take steps such as spaying a female dog.
Natural ways to treat diabetes
Insulin injections are crucial, but other factors such as lifestyle and general good health have an important role to play. Here are a few tips to better control the amount of insulin a diabetic dog needs.
- Manage their weight: Speak to a vet about a safe way to diet a diabetic dog. Get that weight down to improve diabetes control.
- Provide a healthy diet: A healthy diet that avoids highly processed sugars and carbohydrates makes for a slower, sustained release of sugar into the bloodstream.
- Feed at regular times: Stick to a regular feeding schedule. This makes it easier to time insulin injections so that they have peak effect as the dog is digesting their dinner.
- Provide plenty of fresh drinking water: The dog voids excess sugar in urine, which means passing water. This lost water needs to be replaced regularly or can result in dehydration.
- Give plenty of toilet breaks: All that sugary urine invites bacteria to breed. The longer the urine sits in the bladder, the greater the chance of a UTI developing. Be sure to offer plenty of toilet breaks so those pesky bacteria are peed out.
- Play and plenty of walks: Once the dog is stable, there is evidence that regular exercise reduces the body's requirement for insulin. So as well as keeping them fit, active, and in shape, exercise acts like a medicine to reduce the need for insulin.
- Treats for diabetic dogs: Ensure any treats are wholesome and high fiber, such as runner beans or broccoli, or freeze-dried veggies or meat.
Medical interventions to treat diabetes in dogs
Insulin for dogs is the way ahead. The aim of these injections is to control blood sugar levels while allowing the dog to lead a normal life. Most dogs stabilize on two injections a day: one in the morning at the same time as breakfast, and another in the late afternoon with their evening meal.
When the dog starts insulin therapy, expect there to be some monitoring involved. This is usually in the form of a blood test taken by the vet. The owner may also need to test urine on a regular basis to check for tell-tale signs that the dog is becoming toxic. Spotting this early allows the vet to adjust the insulin dose before the patient becomes sick.
At present, there is no tablet that controls diabetes in dogs. Although there is an oral medication for mild diabetes in people, sadly this just isn't effective for our four-legged friends. And while learning to give injections might seem a huge mountain to climb, the vet will teach you and support you all the way. Indeed, special insulin pens are an option, which are simple to use and the dog won't even notice they're having a shot.
Tips to help prevent canine diabetes
It's not always possible to prevent diabetes, but there is a lot an owner can do to minimize the chances of it happening. What's more, it's not rocket science. It's ordinary, sensible steps such as portion control (to keep a shapely waistline), feeding a healthy diet, and giving the dog plenty of exercise. Tack onto this, getting a female dog spayed and the odds of developing diabetes mellitus in dogs drop right off. Woofs to that! | <urn:uuid:b6042197-519d-4b41-98a2-f5de6a16645c> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://livelypaws.com/blogs/news/diabetes-in-dogs | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500334.35/warc/CC-MAIN-20230206082428-20230206112428-00013.warc.gz | en | 0.951265 | 1,779 | 2.84375 | 3 |
Sayings of Samoan origin
A careless person will be taken by surprise by his watchful enemy.
Blessed is the moon; it goes but it comes back again.
The mat is warm.
Having foolishly got into trouble he is asking for help.
Gather the breadfruit from the farthest branches first.
Like a fish, one should look for a hole in the net.
The hand strikes the eye.
The stones and the earth weep.
The way to authority is through service.
If at first you don’t succeed try, try and try again.
Catch the bird and watch the breakers.
Sit and wait for the good chestnuts.
There is a lou (harvesting pole) for every crop.
Sin is carried in the mouth.
May it end with threats and not come to blows.
Who sits at home in the morning will not eat in the evening.
The deaf hears when he is tapped.
The snake when about to be killed looks but does not escape.
It grew in the bush, but it is cast away in the road.
Strong in heart, but broken in the back.
May your mind be like cool water.
We must be of one mind in the undertaking.
Look before you leap.
Stones decay; words last.
One good turn deserves another.
The coconut tree doesn’t sway on its own, but is swayed by the wind.
The offspring of birds are fed with flower nectar, but the children of men are nurtured with words.
The person who has burned their fingers often asks for tongs.
Let each do his share of the work.
A decision made at night may be changed in the morning.
Words don’t break bones.
You shake in vain the branch that bears no fruit.
Our lives are decreed to be taken by the gods.
When a crab is caught it is pierced with its own leg.
Singing like the birds dawn chorus.
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa, is an Oceanian country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and Savai’i, one of the biggest islands in Polynesia.
More on Samoa from Wikipedia!
Samoan and English are official languages. Samoan Sign Language is used by at least some of the deaf population.
Apia is the capital and the largest city of Samoa. The city is located on the central north coast of Upolu, Samoa’s second largest island. Apia is the only “city” in Samoa and falls within the political district of Tuamasaga.
“The Banner of Freedom” (O Le Fu’a o Le Sa’olotoga o Samoa) is the national anthem of Samoa.(Video)
The Lyrics( English translation)
Samoa, arise and raise your flag, your crown!
Look at those stars that are waving on it:
This is the symbol of Jesus, who died on it for Samoa.
Oh, Samoa, hold fast your power forever.
Do not be afraid; God is our foundation, our freedom.
Samoa, arise: your flag is waving, your crown! | <urn:uuid:68e1c397-8c65-44c3-a808-9adc521235b6> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://proverbicals.com/samoan-proverbs | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500619.96/warc/CC-MAIN-20230207134453-20230207164453-00093.warc.gz | en | 0.943349 | 708 | 2.6875 | 3 |
1.5 billion Smartphones are sold every year, which would correspond to every Dane buying 7 a day. All these smart devices use LCD screens, which currently contain silicon transistors. These could be replaced by organic transistors, also offering new properties such as flexibility for the development of wearable devices. Organic transistors based on poly(4-vinylphenol) could be produced sustainably from renewable sugars, with the help of microorganisms (see figure). However, the production titers of the chemical precursor p-coumaric acid (pCA) that have been achieved through the microbiological route are insufficient for the process to be economically viable. One possible solution to increase the production titers is to utilize in-situ product removal (ISPR), where the product is removed from the fermentation broth as it is being produced, in order to limit product toxicity towards the production host and product inhibition towards the tyrosine ammonia lyase (TAL) enzyme, which catalyzes pCA production. Previous analyses into ISPR of pCA did not properly take into account the improved activity of TAL at alkaline pH. The development of a method for ISPR of pCA at alkaline pH is the aim of the project.
Some of the factors influencing the choice of a suitable method for ISPR of pCA include the low solubility of pCA in water, the variable electrical charge of pCA dependent on the pH, and the presence of cells and other chemicals in the fermentation broth. An initial analysis has yielded several possibilities including extraction with ion-exchange resin or with an aqueous two-phase system, but the student is expected to make their own analysis and decide on the most promising methods to test. The student will test these methods experimentally for their ability to remove pCA and the substrate tyrosine from an aqueous solution across a range of pH, their biocompatibility with growing and resting microbial cells, and finally their ability to remove pCA in-situ. Further development of the method could include practical implementation in a bioreactor, recovery of pCA after its' removal, and recycling of any chemicals or materials used. The student is expected to be studying a relevant study line and have an interest in downstream processing, process development, fermentation. Some practical laboratory experience would be an advantage. | <urn:uuid:82e02d14-2468-4dcb-9567-a12c9c7f460e> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://karriere.ruc.dk/project/51314557/13 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500904.44/warc/CC-MAIN-20230208191211-20230208221211-00173.warc.gz | en | 0.948469 | 476 | 2.90625 | 3 |
“The Art of the Qur’an: Treasures from the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts” is on view at the Smithsonian’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery from October 22nd 2016, to February 20th 2017.
The first major exhibition of Quran’s in the US opened up on the 22nd of October 2016 at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian in Washington. In the exhibit, there are 60 manuscripts of the holy Quran, some over a millennium old and from many different countries, styles, formats, sizes and parchment variations. All of these have been sourced from the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts (TIEM) which can be found in the Fatih district in Istanbul.
The manuscripts “play a significant role in the history of the art of the book in the Islamic world,” and the exhibit seeks to allow for people outside of Turkey, the original home of the manuscripts, to appreciate the art of the book which is at the heart of the Islamic world. Visitors can learn how the Quran was transformed from an orally transmitted message to a written, illuminated, decorated and bound text. Further more, it allows visitors to see how it was revered and venerated by their original owners, many of whom were from aristocrats who could afford such lavish arts.
It is important to note here that it is prohibited in the Islamic world for any depiction of God or the Prophets and even the holy Quran contains no illustrations of any sort. As such, many of those who originally commissioned these pieces sought to beautify the word of God through the ornate art work surrounding the text itself.
The exhibit promises to bring forth “an unparalleled view of some of the greatest [Islamic] calligraphy, illumination and binding, ” said museum director Julian Raby. “Above all, we convey the sense of how artists from north Africa to Afghanistan found different ways to honour the same sacred text of Islam.”
The exhibit comes at a perfect timing as the political climate in the US towards Islam and Muslim is increasingly hostile and negative. Museum officials suggest that this is purely coincidental as the collaboration has been in the works since 2010. Whether or not this is the case, the exhibit will hopefully allow for people to learn more about the beauty of the text from which Muslims live their life, and to understand that it is not a text unique to Muslims but rather for people from all walks of life.
The holy Quran contains stories from many other Prophets, some of whom are held in high esteem in the other two Abrahamic faiths, Christianity and Judaism, such as Abraham, Jesus and David. With this, the exhibit hopes to allow people to strip away their preconceptions and learn more about what the text contains and the beauty of it.
“What we hope is really to offer a different perspective on the Qur’an than has been presented, and is repeatedly presented given the state of the world, and by doing that, to encourage more nuanced understanding and discussion about both the Qur’an and about Islam and its culture.” – Massumeh Farhad, Curator.
Photos courtesy of the Smithsonian Museum. For more information, visit the exhibition website here. | <urn:uuid:19a3f145-134f-4295-afcc-68e4d7843cb6> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://themuslimvibe.com/faith-islam/the-smithsonian-sackler-gallery-in-washington-presents-the-first-major-us-exhibit-of-qurans | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764494986.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20230127132641-20230127162641-00373.warc.gz | en | 0.962712 | 660 | 2.71875 | 3 |
It has long been thought that the creation of new neurons stop at the age of 20 years. But we know today that this is false. Our brain create a new neurons throughout life, as long as we do not lock our brains into the routine. Here are 10 tips to keep your brain active during all the years of your life.
Top 10 Tips to Keeping Your Brain Active.
1- Change Your Habits
When skin ages, wrinkles appear. When the hair ages, they become gray, then white, or rare. But when the brain gets older, what happens? . The speed at which information is processed decreases, making it harder to do many things at once and focus your attention. Why? For a long time it was believed that our stock of neurons was fixed at birth and that it inevitably decreased over time, leading to a decline in cognitive abilities. But we know today that it is not the main cause of cerebral aging and that new neurons can appear in certain structures such as the hippocampus.
So why is the brain aging? The cerebral aging keeps a part of mystery, answers Jacques Touchon. But we know that the brain has the scars of all the trials that have been going on throughout life. Brain trauma, vascular lesions, the effects of toxic substances such as alcohol, all of which accumulate over a lifetime and impact brain function. In the same way that some people see their hair just grow into adulthood while others keep a mop of hair all their life, we are not equal in the face of aging brain. We do not all have the same genetic equipment to resist the aging process.
If we can not change our gene pool, we can help slow the aging process. How? Partly thanks to a phenomenon called brain plasticity. If the brain is stimulated, it develops new synaptic connections and new networks, explains Jacques Touchon. We thus create a “brain reserve” that compensates for the impairment of functional networks caused by brain damage. A reserve that is constituted from childhood and that we can continue to feed throughout life.
And to stimulate the brain there is no mystery: You have to use it. Those who have practiced an intellectual exercise all their lives are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, a pathological form of brain aging that causes memory and behavioral disorders and progresses to dementia. This disease is characterized by abnormal deposition in the brain of two proteins causing lesions. People who have stimulated their brains throughout their lives may very well have deposits of these proteins, but at home it does not cause deterioration of cognitive functions. The well-trained brain “compensates” indeed these lesions thanks to the extraordinary neuronal plasticity, which remains the best anti-aging weapon.
An experiment demonstrate that rats’ brain cells are renewed 2 times less if they remain isolated and are never exposed to new situations.
Therefore it’s necessary to, regularly, surprise the brain so that it can regenerate itself. For example; You can, sometimes brush your teeth with your left hand (if you’re right handed), change directions when you walk your dog, do not always occupy the same place at the table.
2- Have a Good Sleep
Everyone knows that the quality of sleep has an impact on our health. It is during the night that the brain regenerate itself, evacuates toxins and dissolves nerve tensions. But many of us are subject to chronic stress that results in a high level of brainwaves. And it hurts a lot of the brain that can no longer manage emotions and negative thoughts and ruminations are more intense. Sleeping becomes difficult, sleep becomes fragile and no longer provides the necessary brain cleaning. One wakes up tired, the brain in apnea, foreign to the world and to oneself. So, be sure to sleep well, and avoid anything that can upset your sleep.
During the day! We must start by adjusting the biological clock, which governs the production of melatonin, the hormone regulating sleep. Exposing to natural light in the morning, going out for a walk or using a light therapy lamp, can re-synchronize its biorhythm. To relieve stress, practice 5 minutes of deep breathing exercises, 3 times a day, inflating the belly with inspiration. In the evening, eat light at least 2 hours before bedtime. Avoid sleeping pills and go to bed only when physical fatigue is felt (yawning, blinking eyes, heavy eyelids …). To feed your brain in positive thoughts, write on a notebook your 3 benefits of the day, that is to say 3 small pleasures experienced since the morning. And the next day, wake up with natural light. Your neurobiological awakening will be only better. If not, use a dawn simulator.
3- Live the Moment
Every morning we do the same things. Wake up in a hurry, take a shower and get dressed, automatic gestures with the mind occupied in brooding the worries of yesterday and the concerns of the day. We do not take advantage of the present moment with our loved ones and we throw ourselves without realizing in the infernal spiral of stress.
To appreciate the present moment, opt for meditation that improves concentration. Meditation is an excellent tool to achieve this, as its practice requires a focus on the present by letting the negative thoughts go away.
Medical imaging studies have shown that meditating regularly remodels the brain by developing particular brain regions related to positive emotions. Gradually, the brain is less distracted, he enjoys better shared happiness. The ideal way to strengthen one’s attention skills is to meditate 25 minutes a day. A coach or downloadable apps on your smartphone can help you.
4- Video Games Rather than TV
Video games are often demonized, but do not be afraid. A study shows that playing 30 minutes a day increases the volume of gray matter. This fun activity, which sharpens the sense of observation and requires action planning, is more conducive to brain health than television, to which we are passive. Platform games (Super Mario type) are to be preferred, as the sets and challenges proposed change constantly.
Shooting games, violent and repetitive, are rather harmful.
5- Avoid Overwork
Overwork occurs as a result of intense efforts. It may be physical activity, but in some cases it may be intellectual overwork.
Overwork causes sleep disorders, a feeling of permanent anxiety, depression and the most serious cases of depression.
listen to music while you are going to work, take a shower and change your clothes when you return from work, at night, etc.. Other emotion control techniques can also be effective, ; Like remembering beautiful memories. Visualizing or mentoring a happy event induces changes in the brain that have a positive effect on mood. It has indeed been proven that it activates the same brain circuits as those involved when we had this positive experience. The sensation of pleasure then takes over and mutes the stress that binds the brain.
6- Choosing Adapted Food
The brain is too greedy! It consumes 20% of the energy provided by the feed, while it represents only 2% of the total weight of the body. The contents of our plates thus have a considerable impact on him. To boost its performance and regeneration capabilities, choose its favorite foods.
A balanced diet, rich in fiber, promotes the creation of new neurons. Conversely, ingesting too much sugar and saturated fats limits the renewal of these cells.
A well-oiled brain also needs omega-3 fatty acids. It’s found in mackerel, sardines, seafood, rapeseed oil and nuts. He is also fond of vitamins B6 and B12, necessary for the manufacture of brain hormones. To refuel, eat bananas, eggs and cabbage. And vitamin D (butter, offal, fatty fish) is essential for the memory, since it protects the cells of the hippocampus, the cerebral area involved in the storage of information. Eat also green leafy vegetables (salads, spinach, cabbage …). According to a recent study by the University of Chicago, they delay cognitive decline by eleven years thanks to their high vitamin E, B9 and carotene content, which moderates inflammation. Also remember to hydrate yourself well (1.5 l of water per day). Water deficiency causes drying and shrinking of brain cells.
7- Control Your Blood Pressure
If cerebral arterial hypertension causes less immediate complications such as cerebrovascular accidents (ischemia and cerebral hemorrhage), other neurological diseases related to a rise in blood pressure inside the vessels of the brain are more frequent. These include vascular lesions caused by arterial hypertension (even treated) and hypertensive encephalopathy, leading to an attack of the intellect or even a real dementia
Too high blood pressure can cause small imperceptible strokes, the repetition of those strokes spoils the brain. A decline in memory and reasoning skills can result. Studies have shown that treating hypertension is one of the best ways to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
8- Do Sport
Physical activity, even moderate, is essential for cerebral agility. It increases the oxygenation of the brain and stimulates the genesis of new neurons. Experiments conducted on young adults have proved it. From 6 weeks of regular sports (3 times a week), cognitive functions improve, especially memory, concentration and potential for creativity. An Israeli study also suggests that this counteracts the risk of depression and delays the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
Focus on physical activity such as weight training, and endurance sports such as swimming or cycling. There is no need to turn yourself into a high-level athlete, the important thing is regularity. And avoid violent sports, like boxing. Repetitive traumatic shocks can lead to early senile dementia.
9- Expand Your Circle of Friends
Expanding one’s circle of relationships is a great stimulus. The new encounters favor the creation of connections between our little gray cells. They also improve our mood and creativity by secreting oxytocin, the hormone of attachment.
Multiple studies confirm the link between love and the physical and mental health of individuals. It is even indispensable to the survival of the human species. Without love, a child unrelated to his mother may die. At best, he will have to deal with developmental shortcomings.
10- Beware of Information Overload
Being a victim of ” infobesity” is simply receiving too much information flow that prevents you from sorting relevant information useful for the one who is not, for your personal or professional life. We note a growth of this phenomenon with the arrival of the Internet, which has generated:
- An increase in information consultation platforms, such as social networks, Internet sites or e-mails.
- A growth in the number of creators of informational content, such as bloggers, influencers, media, or independents.
- An abundance of information flows that reach us today from everywhere, including Facebook and email.
When we are subjected to an “information overload” (profusion of futile information), our attention and decision-making abilities are quickly goes down. To keep a brain in good shape, better avoid zapping from one page to another on the internet and spend too much time on social networks. | <urn:uuid:ae91eb2b-1782-4459-9d1e-b8d16cdc17e7> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.wonderslist.com/keeping-your-brain-active/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764494986.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20230127132641-20230127162641-00373.warc.gz | en | 0.936696 | 2,294 | 2.890625 | 3 |
THE DIFFERENCES IN THESE COMMON SLEEP ISSUES
Snoring is often one of the first indicators of sleep apnea, but not everyone who snores has
What is snoring?
Snoring occurs when your throat muscles relax, allowing the tissue to weigh on your airway. The tissue causes the airway to become partially closed off, which in turn causes it to vibrate when air passes through. The vibration causes the sound that is identified as snoring. Snoring changes volume depending on many different factors, including body weight, sleeping position, and alcohol consumption. Some people may snore every night, while others snore only occasionally.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is similar to snoring, except that the airway becomes completely constricted. As a result, it becomes impossible to breathe. The typical pattern for someone with sleep apnea is to attempt to take a breath, start to struggle to breathe for a few seconds, and then wake up with a loud snore to gasp for air. After waking up and taking a breath, the sufferer falls immediately back to sleep. This cycle can happen hundreds of times every night. The sufferer may not even know that he or she is waking up until a bed partner tells them. They may experience excessive daytime drowsiness but not know that their sleep has been disrupted.
How can I tell the difference?
The only way to know for sure if you are snoring or if you have sleep apnea is to get a definitive diagnosis from your doctor by doing a sleep study. If your sleep partner complains of constant, loud snoring or says that you seem to struggle to breathe when you are sleeping, you could have sleep apnea.
If you constantly feel tired even though you think you get enough rest, sleep apnea could also be to blame. Untreated sleep apnea can increase your risk factors for several conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. Do not delay in seeking treatment from a sleep specialist.
If you snore, find out the cause with the help of an overnight sleep study in New Jersey at Sleep Dynamics. Schedule a consultation with a sleep medicine specialist today by calling (848) 217-0240. | <urn:uuid:9914e183-df2b-4765-99f8-4419ab2d17e2> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://sleepdynamics.com/comparing-snoring-and-sleep-apnea/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499654.54/warc/CC-MAIN-20230128184907-20230128214907-00453.warc.gz | en | 0.96083 | 460 | 3.140625 | 3 |
Human brains process loads of information. When wine aficionados taste a new wine, neural networks in their brains process an array of data from each sip. Synapses in their neurons fire, weighing the importance of each bit of data — acidity, fruitiness, bitterness — before passing it along to the next layer of neurons in the network. As information flows, the brain parses out the type of wine.
Scientists want artificial intelligence (AI) systems to be sophisticated data connoisseurs too, and so they design computer versions of neural networks to process and analyze information. AI is catching up to the human brain in many tasks, but usually consumes a lot more energy to do the same things. Our brains make these calculations while consuming an estimated average of 20 watts of power. An AI system can use thousands of times that. This hardware can also lag, making AI slower, less efficient and less effective than our brains. A large field of AI research is looking for less energy-intensive alternatives.
Now, in a study published in the journal Physical Review Applied, scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and their collaborators have developed a new type of hardware for AI that could use less energy and operate more quickly — and it has already passed a virtual wine-tasting test.
As with traditional computer systems, AI comprises both physical hardware circuits and software. AI system hardware often contains a large number of conventional silicon chips that are energy thirsty as a group: Training one state-of-the-art commercial natural language processor, for example, consumes roughly 190 megawatt hours (MWh) of electrical energy, roughly the amount that 16 people in the U.S. use in an entire year. And that’s before the AI does a day of work on the job it was trained for.
A less energy-intensive approach would be to use other kinds of hardware to create AI’s neural networks, and research teams are searching for alternatives. One device that shows promise is a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ), which is good at the kinds of math a neural network uses and only needs a comparative few sips of energy. Other novel devices based on MTJs have been shown to use several times less energy than their traditional hardware counterparts. MTJs also can operate more quickly because they store data in the same place they do their computation, unlike conventional chips that store data elsewhere. Perhaps best of all, MTJs are already important commercially. They have served as the read-write heads of hard disk drives for years and are being used as novel computer memories today.
Though the researchers have confidence in the energy efficiency of MTJs based on their past performance in hard drives and other devices, energy consumption was not the focus of the present study. They needed to know in the first place whether an array of MTJs could even work as a neural network. To find out, they took it for a virtual wine-tasting.
Scientists with NIST’s Hardware for AI program and their University of Maryland colleagues fabricated and programmed a very simple neural network from MTJs provided by their collaborators at Western Digital’s Research Center in San Jose, California.
Just like any wine connoisseur, the AI system needed to train its virtual palate. The team trained the network using 148 of the wines from a dataset of 178 made from three types of grapes. Each virtual wine had 13 characteristics to consider, such as alcohol level, color, flavonoids, ash, alkalinity and magnesium. Each characteristic was assigned a value between 0 and 1 for the network to consider when distinguishing one wine from the others.
“It’s a virtual wine tasting, but the tasting is done by analytical equipment that is more efficient but less fun than tasting it yourself,” said NIST physicist Brian Hoskins.
Then it was given a virtual wine-tasting test on the full dataset, which included 30 wines it hadn’t seen before. The system passed with 95.3% success rate. Out of the 30 wines it hadn’t trained on, it only made two mistakes. The researchers considered this a good sign.
“Getting 95.3% tells us that this is working,” said NIST physicist Jabez McClelland.
The point is not to build an AI sommelier. Rather, this early success shows that an array of MTJ devices could potentially be scaled up and used to build new AI systems. While the amount of energy an AI system uses depends on its components, using MTJs as synapses could drastically reduce its energy use by half if not more, which could enable lower power use in applications such as “smart” clothing, miniature drones, or sensors that process data at the source.
“It’s likely that significant energy savings over conventional software-based approaches will be realized by implementing large neural networks using this type of array,” said McClelland.
This article was first published here: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2022/07/nanomagnets-can-choose-wine-and-could-slake-ais-thirst-energy | <urn:uuid:b7f683ef-7178-45ed-9852-bc1305231784> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.wevolver.com/article/nanomagnets-can-choose-a-wine-and-could-slake-ais-thirst-for-energy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499654.54/warc/CC-MAIN-20230128184907-20230128214907-00453.warc.gz | en | 0.95516 | 1,075 | 3.796875 | 4 |
"The loss of bugs is no small matter. Insects help stitch together the web of life with essential services, breaking plants down into organic matter, for example, and dispersing seeds. They are a prime source of food for birds. Critically, some 80 percent of our food crops are pollinated by insects, primarily the 4,000 or so species of the flying dust mops called bees. “All of them are in trouble,” said Marla Spivak, a professor of apiculture at the University of Minnesota. Farm fields are not the only problem. Around the world people have replaced diverse natural habitat with the biological deserts that are roads, parking lots and bluegrass lawns. Meanwhile, the plants people choose for their yards are appealing for showy colors or shapes, not for their ecological role."Given the continued loss of habitat in parks across the US, this is worth a read. The full article can be accessed here.
Tags: New York Times, Insect Population Decline | <urn:uuid:3cd4ee85-1ede-41e4-944a-b61e3044cfd6> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://birdingdude.blogspot.com/2013/11/ny-times-article-on-decline-of-insect.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499790.41/warc/CC-MAIN-20230130003215-20230130033215-00533.warc.gz | en | 0.945322 | 204 | 3.21875 | 3 |
The Saturday Evening Post turns 200 this year, so we are bringing you excerpts from our archive to celebrate our long history. Seth M. Flint, an 18-year-old bugler attached to Gen. Ulysses Grant, was present at Appomattox for the truce ending the Civil War. At the age of 93, he shared his memories of that historic meeting in an article from our April 6, 1940, issue.
On the morning of April 9, 1865, a horseman at top speed was seen coming from our front lines; as he drew near, I recognized him as a young lieutenant of Gen. Meade’s staff. He pulled his horse back on its haunches and handed a paper to Grant from Lee.
I gathered that the drift was that the Confederate leader had agreed to meet Gen. Grant, but evidently the staff officers construed this to be assurance of surrender, for every last man of them burst into cheers as General Grant looked on with bland amusement.
There was a half-decayed log lying by the roadside, and Grant sat down on it, calmly pulled a cigar from his cigar case, and, requesting one of his staff who stood nearby to furnish him a sheet of paper, he dug up a pencil from his pocket, hastily wrote a reply.
[The author then joined a small party carrying a white flag to ride toward enemy lines to deliver Grant’s letter, still unsure whether the meeting requested by Lee was a ploy or had been offered in earnest.]
As we neared their lines, the colonel ordered a halt, and the staff officer, his white flag conspicuously displayed, rode on toward the gray-clad horsemen.
“I’ll wager that’s General Lee,” said the captain, with a glance at me. “Let us hope things turn out all right.”
As the two Federals neared the spot, a man arose and they exchanged salutes. He was tall, erect, and of fine physique. For a few moments they carried on what appeared to be a friendly conversation, much to our relief; and then the entire group started down the road toward us.
It was not difficult to recognize the famous commander of the Army of Northern Virginia. He measured up fully to my expectations. Though I was a lad of only 18, I had been in 15 or 16 battles during three years, and had come to have a wholesome esteem for the Johnny rebs and their leader. In my active imagination, he had become a sort of legendary figure.
Well, there he was in person, he and his horse, Traveler. General Lee’s uniform was immaculate, and he presented a superb martial figure. But it was the face beneath the gray felt hat and hair that made the deepest impression on me; I say this because I can still recall it vividly. I have been trying to find a single word that describes it, and I have concluded that benign is the adjective I am after; because that means kindly, gracious; and despite its sternness on that day of long ago, I would still call his expression benign. And yet, I remember well that there was something else about him that aroused my deep pity that so great a warrior should be acknowledging defeat.
We joined the little party and rode slowly on until our guide stopped before an old-fashioned structure with chimneys at the gable ends; and, running along the front, a piazza painted white, with six wooden pillars supporting it.
General Lee and the colonel dismounted and went into the house, leaving their horses in charge of the orderly; and we Yanks returned to the roadway to await the coming of Grant and his party.
It was perhaps ten minutes later — it may have been only five — when the Federal commander rode up with a few staff officers, the other members of the escort, and several Union generals, among them George Custer, who stood out, both for his attire — red necktie, buckskin breeches, and a velvet jacket — and for his patrician face with mustache and small goatee, and a head of luxuriant yellow hair that fell halfway to his shoulders.
Grant looked an old and battered campaigner as he rode into the yard. His single-breasted blouse of blue flannel was unbuttoned at the throat, and underneath it could be seen his shirt or undershirt; his top boots were spattered with mud, and splotches of mud were on his trousers. Unlike Lee, he wore neither sword nor sash, and the only marks of his rank were his shoulder straps.
Without more ado Grant climbed the steps, accompanied by several officers.
It was now about two o’clock, and we fellows who were on the outside were in for a long and anxious session of waiting. There we were, a group of eager troopers in blue, and a lone orderly in gray. When three o’clock came and went, I began to wonder if our enthusiasm had exploded too quickly. It did not seem necessary to take all that time in deciding whether Lee should surrender or not. With the thoughtlessness of youth, I assumed that such a decision would be the matter of but a half hour at the most.
Four o’clock — and the door opened. Out came General Lee with a somber face. The conference was ended, but with what results?
We quickly learned the happy news, and it spread like wildfire through the army. Cheers could be heard all along our lines.
That night was one of the happiest I have ever known, and I will wager that the same statement goes for every man on the Union side. A gun salute in celebration had been started by enthusiasts in the late afternoon, but Grant had put a stop to it, presumably out of consideration for the feelings of the other fellows. But, before darkness fell and afterward, there was music — patriotic selections played by the regimental bands — and a general jubilation. When I sounded taps, that sweetest of all bugle calls, the notes had scarcely died away when from the distance — it must have been from Gen. Lee’s headquarters — came, silvery clear, the same call; and, despite the sadness of the hour to the boys on the other side, I have a notion that they, like the Yanks, welcomed the end of hostilities and the coming of peace.
—“I Saw Lee Surrender,” April 6, 1940
This article is featured in the January/February 2021 issue of The Saturday Evening Post. Subscribe to the magazine for more art, inspiring stories, fiction, humor, and features from our archives.
Featured image: At long last, peace: After four brutal years of Civil War, Grant accepts Lee’s surrender on April 9, 1865, at Appomattox in this painting by Thomas Nast. (Shutterstock)
Become a Saturday Evening Post member and enjoy unlimited access. Subscribe now | <urn:uuid:314adacf-c8c1-4b33-964f-56730528b163> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2021/01/1856-the-saturday-evening-post-reports-on-the-civil-wars-end/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499790.41/warc/CC-MAIN-20230130003215-20230130033215-00533.warc.gz | en | 0.984258 | 1,441 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Northeastern North Carolina, with public and private land seemingly as vast as the competing interests that work and play on it, has had its share of conflict over the Endangered Species Act protections. Battles over the piping plover and red wolf have raged in communities and courtrooms here for decades, but at the same time, few argue that the iconic brown pelican and bald eagle owe their recovery to the law.
“It was a rare sighting to see bald eagles in the ’70s and early ’80s,” said Mike Bryant, who retired in 2016 after serving 21 years as refuge manager of six National Wildlife Refuge System locations totaling about 300,000 acres in eastern North Carolina. “Now you see good numbers of them.”
As the Trump administration’s new Endangered Species Act rule kicks in this week, Bryant and other conservationists are worried that the changes will reduce important habitat and management options that would counter future climate risks. And a new requirement to provide costs involved in protection of each species, he said, would only do more to neuter the 45-year-old law.
“That economic analysis will start to bog down an agency that doesn’t have a lot of resources,” Bryant said in a recent telephone interview. “It’s putting kind of a crosshair on a species.”
After proposing the revised rule in 2017, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the agency charged with executing the law, received some 800,000 public comments opposing the law, Bryant said.
According to comments submitted by the state of North Carolina and the Commonwealth of Virginia, a combined total of more than 75 fish and wildlife and 20 plants were listed under the Endangered Species Act in the two states. That biodiversity supports tourism economies in the neighboring states that generate $887 billion in annual consumer spending, $65.3 in federal tax revenue, $59.2 billion in state and local tax revenue and 7.6 million jobs.
“While most programs can be improved,” the states said in their submitted comments, “we are concerned that the proposed ESA rules changes would do more to hinder than support future endangered species protection and the collaborative work between states and the federal government.”
The final rule goes into effect on Thursday – 30 days after its publication Aug. 27 in the Federal Register. Since it is not retroactive, the impact will be largely on future actions. Although only Congress, which passed the law in 1973, would have the power to revoke the Endangered Species Act, the administration has the authority to revise it through the rulemaking process. The changes also apply to the National Marine Fisheries Service.
Legal challenges, legislation
California-based Earthjustice, representing seven environmental groups, filed on Aug. 21 a lawsuit against the government, contending that the revised regulations violate the purpose of the law and are arbitrary and capricious.
U.S. House Democrats also recently introduced legislation to repeal the changes, and the Republican-led Congressional Western Caucus has proposed legislation to reform the act.
Under the revisions, the Endangered Species Act will no longer grant the same protections to a designated threatened species as an endangered species, and will instead require managers to tailor conservation needs specifically to each threatened species. Looser recovery standards would also make it easier to delist species.
Also, a species’ former habitat or areas that extend beyond its current habitat will be eliminated as a protective measure. Known as critical habitat, the additional land would allow a recovering species to expand its range or move away from climate threats such as rising seas.
“It means whatever you can’t do today with that species, you can’t do tomorrow,” Bryant said. “Without that habitat, the species is likely to decline.”
Bryant, now the regional representative for the nonprofit National Wildlife Refuge Association, witnessed a sharp shift in the focus of species management years before the rule change was proposed, when Fish and Wildlife inexplicably pulled staff away from the red wolf recovery plan operated out of Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, despite its record of success.
After Republican lawmakers, often pointing fingers at the Endangered Species Act, started siding with landowners who were angry about wolves on their property, changes in management were made, prompting environmental groups to file lawsuits under the act’s requirements.
Eventually, the wolf population drastically decreased, and under a judge’s order, the agency is currently reassessing its management.
“The politics around that got toxic,” said Bryant, who by his own choice was no longer in charge of the recovery program for several years before he retired. “From my perspective, the agency lost the will … because of the pressure.”
Modernization or eliminating science?
Officials in the Interior Department have defended the Endangered Species Act revisions as a modernization of the law that will increase clarity, efficiency and transparency.
Addressing concern that habitat protection could be viewed as subordinate to tapping resources such as natural gas and oil, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Assistant Director Gary Frazer said in a transcript of comments provided on Aug. 16 by the Interior Department that the agency is “dedicated” to making the act work for the species and the public.
An Interior Department spokesperson wrote in an email that the agency was “unable to accommodate an interview.”
“Conserving species is very much a function of trying to reconcile their needs with the needs of humans,” Frazer said, according to the transcript. “Growing population, the need for more food and fiber, the energy resources – all these things are challenging and the Endangered Species Act is all about finding ways to reconcile those other societal needs, human needs, with species conservation.”
In practical terms, what the new rule will do is not only reduce protective measures for threatened and endangered species, it will force wildlife managers to make a case for protection of each threatened species.
“It was already proven with the best available science,” said Steve Holmer, vice president of policy and director of the Bird Conservation Alliance. “I don’t think it comports with the spirit and intent of the law if the species doesn’t have protection.”
Holmer also condemned the contention reflected in the law that wildlife biologists and managers can’t “look off into the foggy future” in management plans. The result is the elimination of scientific analysis of potential future threats that would contribute to the decline of a species.
Without tiptoeing around what he contends is a reflection of politics, not science, Holmer said the changes to the act are carrying out a goal voiced “in a stump speech.”
“They’re just writing this rule for certain constituencies,” he said, adding: “As a society, we’re much better off operating under the rule of law, rather than a ruler.”
Bryant said that under the new rule, threatened species will lose the protections from “taking,” or disturbing, harassing or harming the animal, that it had before under the act, leaving species such as loggerhead turtles vulnerable while the agency works on writing specific rules to prove it needs protection. Rulemaking, he added, will inevitably be subject to stall tactics.
“Not a good thing,” he said. “It’s just forcing the agency to climb another hurdle.”
Fish and Wildlife has long needed more funding to meet the responsibility of managing the many species that are currently listed, Bryant said, resulting in it doing “triage” in an effort to meet its responsibilities under the law.
And then there is always someone who charges that the agency is not doing enough fast enough to protect the species, he said.
A December 2018 report compiled by the Endangered Species Coalition said that 10 species would be imperiled by the new rule, including the leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles and the red wolf. Others cited by the coalition as at risk were the California condor, the giraffe, the hellbender (a salamander), the Humboldt marten, the rusty patched bumble bee, the San Bernardino kangaroo rat, the West Indian manatee and the Western yellow-billed cuckoo.
And in May, a report released by the United Nations revealed that about 1 million animal and plant species are close to becoming extinct, a scenario that could create cascading disastrous consequences for humans.
If anything, Bryant said, the Endangered Species Act had “proved itself over and over for a number of species,” he said.
Of the 1,600 species that have been listed, Bryant said, about 94% had survived – and a number of them were at risk of going extinct. In addition to the bald eagle and the brown pelican, the law is credited with saving, among others, the humpback whale, the American alligator, the Channel Island fox, and the Tennessee purple coneflower. Currently about 1,200 animals and 700 plants are listed.
“The proof is in the outcome,” he said. But there are many competing interests for land and resources and resistance to adaptation to changing conditions.
“Is it really ruining your life because you used to do that there?” Bryant asked. “The bottom line, the biggest challenge is there are more and more people.”
Referring to a quote from early 20th century ecologist Aldo Leopold, “to keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering,” Bryant cautioned that people need not be so anodyne about the fragility of the balance inherent in mutual survival on a stressed planet.
“You don’t know when you’ve hit that threshold of missing parts,” he said. | <urn:uuid:5b341030-1b49-4107-9cd7-a12940b3e1fd> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://coastalreview.org/2019/09/new-rule-limits-options-for-saving-species/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499845.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20230131055533-20230131085533-00613.warc.gz | en | 0.956506 | 2,071 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Panic Attacks: Facts, Natural Remedies & All You Need To Know
The year 2020 exposed many people to panic attacks where the fear of contracting coronavirus lingered in the minds of many. Although panic attacks can occur anytime and anywhere, one feels overwhelmed and finds themselves in a dangerous spot despite the actual situation being normal.
If someone is constantly worrying about their anxiety and random events impact them more than usual, it can turn into a panic disorder, a type of anxiety disorder. It is claimed that every 1 out of 10 individuals face panic attacks each year in the U.S. but only 3% of them reach the stage of panic disorder.
Panic Attacks could also be termed as a response to the fear when the body finds itself in danger, excitement and stress. Some people even believe that their mind is completely out of control and feel like they are dying or getting crazy.
Symptoms like sweating, increased heartbeat, shaking, shortness of breath and fear of dying are common.
There could be different causes why panic attacks occur but it can be said that doctors have no specific reasons for panic attacks. According to them, genes or the environment you grew in makes you sensitive towards responding to fear. Moreover, alcohol and drug use can make the symptoms worse. Well, there comes another list of facts that relates to panic attacks, check it out.
Facts About Panic Attacks:
1. Panic Attacks Are Common & Not Dangerous
As you have already understood that panic attacks are very common amongst people and it even becomes intense, it does not mean that someone would ultimately end up with a heart attack or ultimately die. Even if someone is feeling that they are dying because of a panic attack, they can totally avoid the thought as it is not happening.
2. Panic Attacks Do Not Stay With You Forever
Panic attacks may seem like a whole year but it usually lasts 5 to 15 minutes at an instant. It happens because your body is not able to adjust itself to high anxiety and people create a fear of having it again in near future. Panic symptoms usually corner themselves when you become resilient towards it.
3. Panic Is Reaction To Excessive Stress
Dealing with excessive stress is not an easy thing but thankfully, your body and nature has given you the power to deal with stressful situations via panic attacks. For example, when you see a speedy car approaching you, you may panic but it results in crossing the road as quickly as possible or take a few steps back. So, panic may help you to survive and your reactions make you resilient.
4. Panic Attacks Are Harmful When You Are Afraid Of Having More Panic Attacks
One panic attack occurred and it’s gone? Now if you are scared of going through similar activities that panicked you once, you are burdening yourself with dangers in future. For example, you are not exercising again thinking that heart rate will elevate or avoiding stepping out in the public fearing being hit by a car will only lock you in a vicious cycle.
5. The Fear Of Additional Attacks Increase If…
You monitor your pulse rate, heart rate and other symptoms every now and then and it enhances the chances of having additional attacks by itself. Such psychological thoughts need to be controlled and body monitoring requires limited concentration.
Panic Attack Home Remedies
It is understandable that panic attacks could bother you so much that nothing interests you for the moment but as you have learned that it can be controlled with your action, follow the instant remedies mentioned below.
1. Deep Breathing Technique
Control yourself for a moment, inhale deep and count to 5. Now hold and exhale out with the same counting. As your mind achieves the control, the symptoms lessen down by itself. You can even keep in mind a number of breathing exercises which gives you a control over body and mind.
2. Spot Stamping
Although it is not a proven method, people have reported controlled panic symptoms after regular stamping on the spot.
3. Grounding Technique
This is the most effective method and panic attack remedy when sudden anxiety makes its way. Grounding technique gives you a sense of surroundings in which you can notice things around you, touch, hear, smell and taste. It makes you feel that everything is under control and the moment of panic will pass very soon.
4. Write Down Your Thoughts
Believe it or not, when your thoughts run wild and you are not able to control them down, write it in your diary. It helps in clearing out thoughts and the situation in a better way so that panic attack definitely slips off from your zone.
How To Avoid Additional Panic Attack?
1. Lifestyle Changes:
Include exercises in your daily routine, avoid caffeine and alcohol and add breathing exercises every day. It helps in maintaining body-mind balance and your mental state becomes stronger with no panic attack.
2. Yoga & Meditation:
Yoga allows you to practice multiple stretching as well as breathing exercises that instantly improves breathing flow. With that, meditation makes sure that your thoughts are positive and overall happy.
3. Expert Counseling:
Do not hesitate with online counseling or personal counseling and communicate your thoughts to the expert openly. You might be suggested with talk therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy based on your condition.
Dealing with panic attacks may become easier for you as you aware yourself with the facts we have mentioned above. However, you must seek help from an expert counselor by either writing us at email@example.com or visiting them in person if you wish not to repeat the episodes. | <urn:uuid:f4a8650c-906d-46fb-a175-5979b896d324> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.calmsage.com/panic-attacks-facts-natural-remedies/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499845.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20230131055533-20230131085533-00613.warc.gz | en | 0.952726 | 1,141 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Colonization and white supremacy culture have had (and continue to have) profound implications on the wellbeing of all peoples–oppressors and the oppressed alike. Decolonizing mental health care is central to the mission and values at Dream Life Out Loud because at the root of decolonization is love, whereas the root of colonization is fear. Where there is love, there is a natural arc toward anti-oppression and liberatory praxis. Unfortunately, fear begets control, and control is oppressive. A decolonized approach to mental health care offers a sustainable path toward radical growth and healing. After all, love is what nurtures development and growth.
What is Decolonized Mental Health?
Traditional mental health care is not void of the vestiges of colonization. The therapeutic relationship tends to be one sided, wherein the client is directed by an all-knowing therapist who is educated and trained to be as objective, evidence-based, and put together as possible. Much of this education and training is of course biased toward white-Eurocentric cultural and developmental norms. A decolonized approach to mental health care has the value and goal of mental health prior to colonization. Decolonized mental health care at its core, then, is authentic, kind, reciprocal, and trusting–the ingredients of love.
Dream Life Out Loud’s approach to decolonizing mental health care involves the following throughout the entire care process:
- Transparency, consent, and collaboration
- Authenticity and accountability with a particular focus on the impact of actions rather than intentions
- Interrupt and challenge white supremacy culture, especially competition, perfectionism, and urgency
- Incorporates culture and history into evidence-based interventions
- Incorporates intersectional identities with emphasis on identities most marginalized
- Relational attunement and repair of ruptures
Brave Spaces > Safe Spaces
Safe spaces are an ideal and do not exist in most contexts, especially for people of color. To state a given space is safe implies individuals in that space will not feel any emotional discomfort and no emotional risks are needed. This is why in the context of spaces that promote social justice, brave space is the preferred term, not safe space. Brave spaces implies a need for bravery because there will be emotional discomfort and a need for emotional risks to be taken. How is the concept of a brave space relevant here? Well, therapy inherently involves emotional discomfort and risk taking. It would not be therapy otherwise. To suggest therapy is a safe space rather than a brave space also implicitly undermines clients’ power. We here at Dream Life Out Loud want to engage collaboratively with clients bravely throughout the therapeutic experience to reach the ideal of a safe space as close as possible, and this is in keeping with the values and goals of decolonizing mental health care. | <urn:uuid:18b44ba8-6a1a-49d6-ae9e-c63526f6b71f> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.dreamlifeoutloud.com/decolonizing-mental-health/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499845.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20230131055533-20230131085533-00613.warc.gz | en | 0.935439 | 577 | 2.625 | 3 |
The River Thames is one of London’s most famous additions, but very few of us truly know that much about it. In case you feel like sharing some handy information about this world-famous river during your visit, here’s the most interesting facts you should know all about…
1. The Thames is part of a much longer river
Though it’s the most famous bit, the Thames is actually part of a far larger river – the longest river in England, to be exact. It’s home to thriving wildlife including over 25 different species of fish. The Thames begins in the Cotswolds, before travelling over 200 miles through picturesque towns and countryside before making its way to the city of London. But it doesn’t stop there – the Thames continues all the way to the North Sea! There are 45 different locks along the River Thames, particularly interesting for those wishing to journey along it via boat.
2. The Thames has its own Natural Trail
The Thames Path is a unique way to discover the river by foot. Prepare for a long journey, though, as the walking route covers some 184 miles and is therefore certainly not to be accomplished in one day! It’s a gentle walk, suitable for all ages, and some visitors choose to tackle the trail by staying in the delightful towns and villages along the way, or break up their walk by choosing a starting and end point for a more leisurely afternoon stroll while staying at the Park Grand Paddington Court London. The trail winds its way through places like Oxford, Henley and Windsor – some of England’s best-known towns and villages. It’s also Europe’s longest riverside walk.
3. The Thames has its own regatta
The yearly Henley-on-Thames Royal regatta takes place in the 13th century market town of Henley each year. Not only is the regatta itself a lavish affair for guests of 4 star hotels in London to enjoy, but it also takes place over five days in a particularly impressive area filled with fine boutiques and independent stores. There are some 200 races during Henley, making it one of the most popular boating events in the world.
4. The Thames inspires artists and writers
The River Thames has proven inspirational for some of the art world’s most famous masters, including French impressionist Claude Money. It’s easy to see why, as the sheer size of the Thames makes for plenty of variety in landscape as it winds it’s way through the countryside. Writers have also been inspired by this stretch of water, including Wind in the Willows author Kenneth Grahame – so for creatives in need of inspiration staying at the Park Grand Paddington Court London, this could prove just the ticket.
5. The name of the Thames is a mystery
Some say it might be taken from the Sanskrit meaning ‘dark’, given the colour of the water – others suggest perhaps it’s derived from the Roman ‘Tam’, meaning wide.
Interested to find out more? Then check out this handy map of the River Thames and get exploring!
- Why is the River Thames so important?
The River Thames is 215 miles long and has been an important trade route throughout its history. Some people believe that the Romans may have been influenced by the Thames when they were choosing where to build London. … It depicts the river, Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament on a spring day. Read more…
- Is the Thames river polluted?
River Thames is the cleanest river in the world. Fifty years ago the river was so polluted that it was declared dead (biologically).
- How wide is the Thames in London?
The official source of the River Thames is marked with a stone near Kemble. The land along the River Thames is mostly made up of rolling hills and farmland, until it reaches urbanized areas such as London. The width of the River Thames varies from 60 feet at Lechlade, to Whitstable and Foulness Point at 18 miles. Read more… | <urn:uuid:3effe277-8061-4479-aa91-ef441333d41e> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.parkgrandlondon.com/blog/top-5-interesting-facts-about-the-river-thames/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499845.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20230131055533-20230131085533-00613.warc.gz | en | 0.954522 | 847 | 2.84375 | 3 |
In 1800s, structural steels have started to use in construction industry on account of mass production of steel. Its use continuously increased and became the skeleton of our cities and most constructions. Structural steels immensely have advantages to create higher, bigger and more sustainable, durable, resistant to different natural events, environmental friendly, architectural creative and design freely constructions. It is not appropriate option for every building but the advancements of structural steels made easier to process on steels and widespread use in the industry. For example, modern structures like airports, bridges, stadiums, skyscrapers and portable buildings –by means of lightweight structural steels– are in these areas of utilization. As another indicator of technological development in structural steel, the following example: If the Eiffel Tower was built today, it would be enough to use one-third of the steel.
What are the advantages of using structural steel?
1. 100% recyclable
The world is cognizant of the outstanding properties of steel such as high strength, but not the environmental attributes of structural steel. It is all original green material. Today’s reborn structural steel industry is in fact setting the standard for all green environmentally efficient materials used in the world. All steels, including structural steels, are completely recyclable materials. Steel material has the highest rate in the market with a recycling rate of 98%. It always returns to the steelmaking facilities as scrap steel and it can be reused over and over again with no loss of quality or mass. After multi-recycling, a new fabricated steel can be 93% recycled content. You may be living in a steel building that used to be your washing machine, refrigerator or car scraps.
The latest technologies in steel production promise to significantly reduce carbon emissions. In addition the structural steel production process provides the advantage of superior water resources management and has a 95% water recycling rate. Thus, both the production and use of steel can be very convenient for environmental friendly strategies. With the support of the environmental trend seen in the market, the use of structural steels will increase day by day.
2. Architectural freedom for design processes
The strength and flexible structure of steel contribute architects and engineers a great freedom to design construction and offers broad open spaces without necessitating intermediary columns or weight carriage walls. Due to their small connection points and shapes, structural steels can offer an unlimited number of design options. In addition to this, it is possible to produce steel profiles of the desired dimensions and shapes for completely original structures. If you see an eye-pleasing structure on the outside, it is most likely made using structural steel.
Usually, steel constructions design process has several stages such as idea plan, associated design, architectural analysis and accurate design. This process proceeds as optimization of the components of the structure and designing the support points, load distribution analysis and compliance with customer requirements, finally precise design of all components and their connections.
3. Resistant to different natural events, such as hurricanes, earthquakes
The ability to regulate the distribution of compression and tensile forces in steel structures is one of the major advantages over other structures. It is very easy to take action against specific risks in the region. Being able to regulate the force distribution is vital to be prepared for unexpected loads. In many scenarios, lateral forces can have a devastating effect, and structural steels are well resistant to these forces due to their ductile structure and high modulus of elasticity.
Steel is fire resistant material. This allows ease of design many architectural features and it is allowed to use in areas with high probability of fire. Also, these constructions are completely earthed thus reducing the potential for hidden ignition that cause building fires.
Structural steels are ideal for places that has high winds, frequent storms and tough situations. Due to its ability to twist without fracture, it functions well even in the most severe winds. It also good against to seismic forces, but the critical issue here is that the horizontal forces affect the columns designed to carry vertical loads. This is overcome by steel’s features such as symmetry, twisting strength and stiffness, consistency and structural simplicity which can be all tested in conceptual design stage. The consistency in a plan is achieved by uniform distribution of the structural components.
The structural steel parts to be used in construction are pre-manufactured and assembled quickly in the construction site. 70-80% faster than on-site reinforced concrete structures on the grounds that pre-fabricated parts need just bolted connections and supplementary panels. This method makes it possible to operate at very high tolerances and there is virtually no risk of error. Steel structures are produced locally, delivered, quickly installed on the site and reducing local disruption. Also steels for constructions are dry and generally uniform geometry so they are easy to transport.
Pre-fabrication can in fact be a precondition for many of the advantages listed above. The production of steel in thousands of different compositions and properties as needed leads those benefits. The key point of pre-fabricated approaches to the industry is opportunity of growing and scaling businesses in this sector.
Finally, based on the demands of constructions the following sustainability, design freedom, durability, prefabrication and installation are fundamental advantages about structural steels. Today, every steel product has own story, and it would be great to learn about it. Presumably, half of steel that in use now is witness to the history and ancestral objects by means of its green, durable nature.
As a bonus of the transformation of all industries steel uses in engines, automobiles, ships, trains and railways and many machine parts make the steel real backbone speed and development in a lot of ways.
Durable to Natural Events
Fabrication and Installation | <urn:uuid:5aa7fb4e-49ab-40fe-8d24-fe6c8f019a9c> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://yenaengineering.nl/advantages-of-steel-structures/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499845.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20230131055533-20230131085533-00613.warc.gz | en | 0.93264 | 1,281 | 2.828125 | 3 |
The blockbuster movie Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull that was released last week in theatres has stirred up some attention to Belize and the famous Crystal Skull from Lubantuun. Now you can find information on the Crystal Skull and Belize on the internet, television and in countless magazines.
Belize has been trying to acquire the famous Crystal Skull and have it brought here in the country but hasn’t succeeded as yet. On Tuesday, May 20, News Five aired a documentary by Dr. Jaime Awe who explained a bit of the mystery and controversy of the Crystal Skull.
It’s one of the greatest and most bedeviling mysteries of Belizean archaeology but more than that, the skull is one of the most visually stunning objects known to mankind. It’s all these things and the subject of an ongoing dispute in archaeological circles: is it for real, or is it a hoax? It’s an explosive question that Dr. Awe gave his opinions on.
“After the Jade Head, I think that the Crystal Skull is very likely the second most famous, or perhaps the most infamous artifact,” commented Dr. Jaime Awe, Director of Archaeology. “Infamous mostly because of this man, Mitchell Hedges, a British explorer and adventurer who claims he found it here at Lubantuun in 1927.”
The Crystal Skull is often referred to as the “Skull of Doom”; the skull was made from a single, unusually large block of clear quartz crystal, and measured 5 inches high, 7 inches long, and 5 inches wide, weighing 11 pounds, 7 ounces. It closely corresponds in size to a small human cranium, with near perfect detail, even to rendering the skull without the globular prominence or superciliary ridges, which are characteristics of a female.
As the story goes ... One day in 1927, English adventurer, traveler, and writer, F.A. “Mike” Mitchell-Hedges, who had a talent for telling colorful stories, was clearing debris from atop a ruined temple at the ancient Mayan city of Lubantuun, located in British Honduras, now Belize. His seventeen-year old daughter Anna, who had accompanied him, suddenly saw something shimmering in the dust below. Anna found an exquisitely carved and polished skull made of rock crystal, with the jaw piece missing. Three months later, she located the jaw in an excavation about 25 feet from the first site.
There are many speculations that Hedges didn’t actually find the crystal skull since he didn’t publish anything about the Crystal Skull until he had bought the Crystal skull in an auction for £400 ($782US). So why would he make up the story? Well, according to Dr. Awe maybe Hedges was trying legitimize the object.
Indeed there are several, but those skulls look nothing like this one which experts say was never touched with metal implements. Awe says that while Mitchell’s story may be bogus, the Crystal Skull is not. The Belize’s Department of Archaeology will keep asking for the return of the Crystal Skull to its original place where Hedges claims is its home, Belize because if they claim that it was found here it should return here. Anna Mitchell-Hedges passed away on April 11, 2007 at age of 100 and the crystal skull has been put into the custody of Bill Homann. | <urn:uuid:9e6cd85f-d89d-40b6-8088-6c762273f848> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.ambergristoday.com/content/stories/2010/october/05/myths-crystal-skull | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764499934.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20230201112816-20230201142816-00693.warc.gz | en | 0.968006 | 716 | 2.578125 | 3 |
The big house at the end of the long and bumpy road is rarely quiet. If the house’s occupants are outside, a visitor would likely hear the noises of play and laughter even before they took the final turn through the gate and into the courtyard. But not many outside visitors are invited to this house, and few know which road leads to its door.
This house is home to ADRA’s Keep Girls Safe shelter that provides protection, safety, and support for up to 30 girls considered high risk to the threat of sexual exploitation and human trafficking in Thailand.
Human trafficking has become a well-known topic and a well-loved cause during the past several years, but it still remains one of the fastest growing criminal enterprises in the world.
If you’re not familiar with it, U.S. law defines human trafficking as “the use of force, fraud, or coercion to compel a person into commercial sex acts or labor against their will,” and it brings in an estimated $150 billion a year. This isn’t just a big-city problem—small towns and quiet communities experience it too. Trafficking is a threat to people everywhere.
Even before trafficking was a comfortable topic of discussion, Thailand already had the unfortunate reputation as a major center for it. The country’s government has made significant efforts to fight trafficking, but many factors, including poverty, easy transport routes, and a high number of vulnerable migrants, make it an uphill battle.
ADRA launched its Keep Girls Safe program in 2004 with a focus on girls from rural communities where poverty is high and opportunities are few.
In these communities families are often more susceptible to an offer of money and the promise of work for their daughter who will be able to send more money back home. A key part of ADRA’s work in the area is providing vital awareness and education to these communities and families to better understand the risks of trafficking and reduce the vulnerability of potential victims.
The girls who come to live in ADRA’s shelter have been brought to the shelter’s attention as being particularly high risk. One girl’s older sister had already been sent away to do sex work in the city. Another was being offered by her father, who couldn’t afford to feed both his family and his drug addiction. Yet another was abandoned when her mother remarried and the new husband didn’t want her child.
While at the shelter, the girls go to school and do chores, plus they have the opportunity to play and laugh as kids their age should. They also receive regular psychosocial support for the trauma they have endured, and experience the true love and support of family from ADRA and the other girls. | <urn:uuid:d5954dc0-04e1-4823-b8a4-dfedb6e3295a> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://adventistreview.org/feature/adra-thailand/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500035.14/warc/CC-MAIN-20230202165041-20230202195041-00773.warc.gz | en | 0.978407 | 564 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Wm. Kirk Suedmeyer, DVM
Manual and chemical restraint of ratites, including emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is universally employed to obtain blood specimens for analysis.1-5 Restraint often alters the results of the complete blood count (CBC), creatinine phosphokinase (CPK), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in emus and other avian species.1-5 In addition, safety concerns arise for the handler and the bird when restraint is employed.1
We devised a method for obtaining blood samples from emus without restraint. Blood specimens obtained in this manner may accurately reflect true blood values rather than those influenced by restraint. In our case, we obtained blood from the right jugular vein in three clinically healthy, manually restrained emus, and in the same three emus more than 6 months later with this new technique. In each case, values for CPK, AST, and CBC were significantly different from those values obtained without restraint.
With restraint, blood is obtained from the right jugular vein or medial metatarsal vein.1-5 The basilic vein in emus is difficult to access due to the size of the vestigial wing.3,4
We utilized a standard 19 or 23 ga vacutainer system (Becton Dickinson Vacutainer Systems, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA) for obtaining blood samples. A lithium heparin tube or an EDTA tube is taped in an upright position on the medial aspect of the tarso-metatarsus along with the butterfly catheter. Lithium heparin is the preferred collection tube for plasma chemistries, and EDTA is preferred for hematology, as lithium heparin may interfere with leukocyte counts, and EDTA can interfere with calcium levels.2 Some laboratories have better success analyzing ratite samples stored in citrated tubes.3
The medial metatarsal vein is visualized, cleansed, and accessed with the butterfly needle. After a step or two by the emu, the opposite end of the extension set is inserted in the vacutainer and blood freely flows into the tube. An added benefit is that the emu usually walks away, thereby mixing the blood adequately. After filling, the tube is removed, and the sample processed routinely.
We have found that values in unrestrained emus are statistically different from manually restrained emus, and may reflect more accurate baseline values in emus. We believe this method can also be employed in ostrich (Struthio camelus).
Advantages of this technique are generally increased safety, less manpower, and a more accurate reflection of blood values. Disadvantages include uncooperative patients and some risk for being kicked by the emu. Fractious birds should only be handled by experienced handlers or sedated for blood sampling.1
1. Blue-McLendon A. Basic techniques of ratite restraint and handling. In: Proceedings of the Association of Avian Veterinarians. 1994:309–310.
2. Campbell TW. Hematology. In: Ritchie BW, Harrison GJ, Harrison LR, eds. Avian Medicine: Principles and Application. Lake Worth, FL: Wingers Publishing; 1994:176–198.
3. Fudge AM. Clinical hematology and chemistry in ratites. In: Tully TN, Shane SM, eds. Ratite Management, Medicine, and Surgery. Malabar, FL: Kreiger Publishing Co.; 1996:105–106,111.
4. Fudge AM. Avian clinical pathology-hematology and chemistry. In: Altman RB, Clubb SL, Dorrestein GM, Quesenberry K, eds. Avian Medicine and Surgery. Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders; 1997:143–150.
5. Fudge AM. Blood testing artifacts: interpretation and prevention. Sem Avian Exotic Pet Med. 1995;3:2–4. | <urn:uuid:12cdf304-ba1d-4af8-8a99-92f3a454d10d> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.vin.com/apputil/content/defaultadv1.aspx?pId=26435&catId=162286&id=10110977 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500035.14/warc/CC-MAIN-20230202165041-20230202195041-00773.warc.gz | en | 0.856553 | 836 | 2.640625 | 3 |
No rhinoceros facts here, purely fiction! How the Rhino Got His Skin
African Rhino with His Itchy Skin
Based on the Just So Stories of Rudyard Kipling
Adapted by Kristina Harding
Once upon a time, a bushman was making a cake by his fire. He was so excited to eat the cake as it was his birthday! Suddenly from a nearby bush came a rhinoceros with a horn on his nose, two beady eyes, and very few manners. In those days the Rhinoceros's skin fitted him quite tight. There were no wrinkles in it anywhere and he had absolutely no manners! He had no manners then, and he has no manners now, and he never will have any manners. The rhino stood there snorting and stomping and the little bushman left his cake and quickly scrabbled up the nearest tree in case the rhino's temper flared! Well the rhino had smelled that cake cooking for miles and aimed to have it for himself, so he pierced the cake with the horn on his nose and ate it in one bite - then went away waving his tail proudly! The little bushman came down from his perch, angry and sad for now his birthday cake was in the rhino's belly and there was nothing left but some crumbs.
A few days later there was a heat wave that spread across Africa and it was so hot that everybody, even the animals, took off all the clothes they had. The rhinoceros took off his skin and carried it over his shoulder as he came down to the beach to bathe. He waddled straight into the water and blew bubbles through his nose, leaving his skin on the beach.
Well the little bushman came by and found the skin on the beach, and he smiled. Then he danced three times round the skin and rubbed his hands together, he had a plan! He quickly went down to his camp and filled his sack with the cake-crumbs. He took that skin, and he shook that skin, and he scrubbed that skin, and he rubbed that skin full of old, dry, stale, tickly cake-crumbs. Then he climbed to the top of a nearby tree and waited for the Rhinoceros to come out of the water and put it on.
And the Rhinoceros did. He buttoned it up with the three buttons, and it tickled like cake crumbs in bed. Then he wanted to scratch, but that made it worse; and then he lay down on the sands and rolled and rolled and rolled, and every time he rolled the cake crumbs tickled him worse and worse and worse. Then he ran to the palm-tree and rubbed and rubbed and rubbed himself against it. He rubbed so much and so hard that he rubbed his skin into a great fold over his shoulders, and another fold underneath, where the buttons used to be (but he rubbed the buttons off), and he rubbed some more folds over his legs. So he went home, very angry indeed and horribly scratchy; and from that day to this every rhinoceros has great folds in his skin and a very bad temper, all on account of the cake-crumbs inside his skin.
Rhino photo by Evo2000 | <urn:uuid:658cc870-d209-4c9b-b15c-4b280d5f20b7> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | http://www.short-story-time.com/no-rhinoceros-facts-here-purely-fiction-how-the-rhino-got-his-skin.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500076.87/warc/CC-MAIN-20230203221113-20230204011113-00853.warc.gz | en | 0.994052 | 675 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Background Acute otitis media (AOM) is a common childhood disease, with an enormous economic and healthcare-related burden. Guidelines and consensus papers for AOM diagnosis and management were published in many countries. Our objective was to study the differences and similarities between these protocols in developing and developed countries.
Methods The keywords: ‘acute otitis media’ AND ‘children’ AND [‘treatment’ or ‘management’] AND [‘guideline’ or ‘consensus’] were used in various electronic databases between 1 January 1989 through 31 December 2015. Overall, 99 sources from 62 countries were retrieved: 53 from 22 developed countries, and 46 from 40 developing countries. Representative guidelines from America (the USA, Argentina), Europe (Italy, Moldova), Africa (South Africa, Tanzania, Ethiopia), Asia (Japan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka),and Oceania (South Australia, Fiji) were compared.
Results Paediatric societies publish guidelines in most developed countries; in developing countries, the Ministry of Health usually initiates guideline formulation. Most guidelines use the same diagnostic criteria and offer watchful waiting in mild–moderate scenarios. Amoxicillin is the suggested first-line antibiotic, whereas options for second-line and third-line therapies vary. Duration of therapy varies and is usually age dependent: 5–7 days for children <2 years and 10 days for children >2 years in developed countries, while duration and age groups vary greatly in developing countries. Reduction of AOM risk factors is encouraged in developed countries, but rarely in developing countries.
Conclusions Guidelines for AOM from developing and developed countries are similar in many aspects, with variation in specific recommendations, due to local epidemiology and healthcare accessibility. Formulation of regional guidelines may help reduce AOM burden.
- acute otitis media
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The bust of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space who made his pioneering flight in 1961, has been unveiled in the Oeiras municipality in the Lisbon metropolitan area, the Russian embassy in Portugal told Sputnik.
“We will always remember the names of the first daredevils who made the first flight into space and the first round the world trip – Yuri Gagarin and Ferdinand Magellan. Without remembering the past, we will not be able to move towards the future.
And the opening of the monument to Yuri Gagarin here, on the land of great sailors, is a step in the right direction, towards friendship and cooperation,” Russian Ambassador to Portugal Mikhail Kamynin said.
The Gagarin bust was installed in the Taguspark Urban Art Museum in Oeiras.
On April 12, 1961, Gagarin pronounced his famous “Poyekhali!” (Let’s Go!) as the Vostok spacecraft lifted off the ground, taking the first person ever to space. The anniversary of the first Soviet cosmonaut’s flight is celebrated every year in Russia as Cosmonautics Day on April 12, and as International Day of Human Space Flight in the rest of the world.
The UN General Assembly declared April 12, the day of Gagarin’s space flight, as the International Day of Human Space Flight in 2011.
Yuri Gagarin Says ‘Poyekhali’
Legendary Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin’s pioneering space flight 60 years ago was life-changing for every nation on the planet, and demonstrated Earth’s gravity need not prevent humanity from exploring the entire universe, US-based Space Foundation CEO Tom Zelibor had said in April.
On April 12, 1961, Gagarin pronounced his famous “Poyekhali!” (Let’s Go!) as the Vostok spacecraft lifted off the ground, taking the first person ever to space. After orbiting the Earth once, the re-entry module landed on the territory of what was then the Soviet Union.
“Gagarin’s flight, like Alan Shepard’s a month later was life-changing for not just the Soviet Union and the US but for everyone on this planet,” Zelibor said. “It showed us all, we do not need to be bound by Earth’s gravity because we have an entire universe to explore.”
April 12th, he added, “is the day that everything changes for humanity.”
“One of us from the entire human race takes that first journey into space and after that, we all begin to follow. It’s part of the reason we hold so many explorers in such high esteem,” Zelibor said. “They’ve done something that no one had ever done before, and that spark they offer is all it takes to give someone else the initiative and courage to give it a go and take their bold step forward next.”
Zelibor went on to say that Gagarin’s flight is emblematic of the human experience to explore and take risks by going into the unknown.
“What also makes his flight so valuable is the fact we have pictures and footage that captured it as it happened,” he added. “No other explorer before him, ever had their venture chronicled on film but having that visual record means more of us could share in the experience.”
Zelibor added that those images were not just visual proof, but they shared wonder and imagination of what is possible for people to achieve.
“Which is why even today, we still crave the pictures, footage and visuals that come with spaceflight,” he noted.
The fact Russia, the US, China and others have spacecraft distributed throughout the system, bearing their respective flags, tells the universe: “We’re here and we’re going to explore wherever it takes us.”
“April 12th, 1961 is the day it all started for the human race and Yuri Gagarin was the person who started that for all of us,” he said.
Zelibor underscored that that represents a powerful testament of how the global space ecosystem can work together to tackle bold missions in space but also address big problems on Earth.
“While Gagarin’s venture into space may be the human start of space exploration, it is also the start of how space changes humanity for the bettering of life here on Earth,” he said. “When that happens, it benefits everyone and its Space Foundation’s mission to share those stories, programs and rewards.”
On April 7, 2011, the UN General Assembly proclaimed April 12 as the International Day of Human Space Flight on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Gagarin’s first space flight. The resolution was co-authored by more than 60 UN member states.
“Today Space Foundation works with educators from around the globe. In our Teacher Liaison Program we have hundreds of elite educators from 14 different countries participating – all with one goal – making a better future for everyone,” he said.
“We don’t have one from Russia yet, but that’s something we want to have soon. That’s progress by any measure and it all starts with that first flight.”
Zelibor noted that for the past decade, Space Foundation has hosted an annual “Yuri’s Night,” to celebrate Gagarin’s flight, and it usually aligned with the annual Space Symposium. Because of the current pandemic, this year on Saturday, April 17th, the Foundation will host a virtual gathering that will allow families to participate in an interactive event dubbed “choose your own adventure”.
“Normally, we would be gathering many of our Symposium attendees among the various exhibits and displays at our Discovery Center for our Yuri’s Night celebration but with the ongoing pandemic, we’ve gone with an online gathering,” he explained. “It’s certainly not what we hoped it would be, but this platform also allows us to reach even more people and doing the interactive adventure with Astrid allows the experience to still deliver a personal feel.”
Zelibor noted that participants will be able to help the pioneering astronaut, Astrid, who was inspired by Yuri Gagarin and every space pioneer that has followed, as Astrid seeks to be the first human on Mars.
“Astrid runs into some trouble along the way and it’s up to participants to help her successfully make it to Mars,” he said. “We saw this year’s gathering as an opportunity to not only educate and inspire children and their families about Gagarin’s flight but also take part in mission decisions that will help Astrid get to her intended destination.”
Zelibor added that Space Foundation has used Yuri’s Night as a fundraiser for the multiple education programs, teachers, students and families worldwide. This year’s program, he said, is also about helping young people see their place in the global space ecosystem.
“They all don’t have to be astronauts like our character Astrid, but there are opportunities for them to be flight directors, construction leaders, doctors, climate scientists, geologists, nutritionists and so much more,” he continued. “Today’s generation of children will have more space happenings in their lives than any before it and if Space Foundation and events like Yuri’s Night can help them see that future, we’re going to do it.”
“It is also a moment to give pause and reflect how that first flight changed the world and every person on it,” Zelibor stressed. “Nothing was ever the same after that flight and every bold step we take since Gagarin’s flight proves there’s nothing we cannot do without know-how, dedication and courage. It’s a tremendous legacy.” | <urn:uuid:87c8d412-b35c-437f-90db-e365084400b2> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://eurasiantimes.com/yuri-gagarin-russian-cosmonaut-the-first-man-in-space-continues-to-get-global-recognition/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500250.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20230205063441-20230205093441-00053.warc.gz | en | 0.956567 | 1,734 | 3.015625 | 3 |
Data is life
For many organizations, data is the lifeblood. It’s what keeps the business kicking and breathing. Data not only provides valuable insights into an organization and its customers, but it empowers teams to take action.
However, incomplete or inaccurate data can bring it all to a screeching halt.
The importance of clean data
Clean data — data that is free from errors and inaccuracies — is essential to any sales team. It enables teams to focus on exploring leads, fostering customer relationships, and meeting business goals instead of constantly verifying the integrity of their data.
When data is dirty, it not only affects the productivity of teams, but it can also potentially hurt relationships with customers or damage the reputation of the business.
How dirty data happens
In Salesforce and most other CRMs, the origin of dirty data can usually be pinpointed by one or more of the following behaviors:
- Importing data from varying sources that lack proper structure or formatting rules
- Adding data that lacks proper structure or formatting rules (e.g. international phone numbers)
- Adding the bare minimum data due to an absence of validation rules
- Adding, editing, or deleting data without formal processes in place
- Capturing data without understanding the underlying data strategy or goals
To truly pinpoint how dirty data happens in an organization, it’s important to assess the current state of not only the data, but the process for creating it.
Assessing data health
To understand the health of your organization’s data, start by asking questions, such as:
- What percentage of data is considered complete?
- What percentage of data contains inaccurate, incomplete, or duplicate information?
- Are there sources that are affecting data quality? If so, what sources?
- What makes a duplicate a duplicate?
- Should records be merged? If so, how is a match determined?
- What validation rules are currently in place? Do these help or hinder?
Likewise, take advantage of Field Trip, a free tool provides not only an analysis of how many records each field populates, but how many records have that field populated.
After assessing the current state of data, talk with your team to understand not only how, but why it got that way. The goal isn’t to point fingers, but to reveal the methods and behaviors that led to dirty data.
Spend some time in Salesforce to determine which features are currently being utilized to create structured data. Additionally, determine which features aren’t being utilized; if no validation rules, record types, or page layouts have been defined, then take that away as an immediate action item.
Most importantly, have an honest discussion with your team about what’s working — or not working — to discover pain points, challenges, and issues with the current process. (And if there isn’t a current process, write that down.)
How to cleanse data
Once you understand the health of your organization’s data, it’s time to take action. It’s likely that things are OK; maybe good, but definitely not great. It’s likely your organization could benefit from a data cleanse.
Do you want the bad news first?
The bad news is that “dirty data” means you’ll actually have to do the dirty work of manually cleaning up duplicate, inaccurate, or missing data.
The good news?
Salesforce has made it easy to remove and improve data with a few simple tools.
1. Remove it
Duplicate data can easily take on a life of its own. However, merging duplicate records is key to an effective data cleanup process.
Duplicate Check for Salesforce is a free tool that finds duplicates, prevents duplicate records, and merges duplicate data.
Cloudingo is a tool that not only allows you to deduplicate records, but also allows you to update records in bulk with customized rules, delete inactive or stale records, and schedule automated cleanup.
While removing duplicate data from Salesforce, also take the time to assess if the record is actually valuable. Has it been inactive for over a year? Has the record gone stale? If so, don’t be afraid to remove it.
2. Improve it
Once data has been properly removed or merged, assess what’s left and determine how to enrich it with the most accurate, up-to-date information.
Data.com Clean is a tool not only allows you to understand the quality of your data, but it provides access to data from trusted sources so you can fill in the blanks quickly. Likewise, contact and business profiles are updated with the latest and greatest data, improving overall data accuracy. An added bonus — customer research and insights are also available to build stronger customer relationships and richer pipelines.
If you wish to take the scenic route, another option is to simply reach out to customers. However, be strategic about it. Generate a report of records that contain null values for a field in which you’d like to collect data for. Based on this report, you’ll now have a list of contacts to target for a marketing or sales campaign. While this is an effective way to collect missing data, it’s also a great opportunity to reconnect with stale accounts.
How to maintain clean data
The harsh reality is that clean data is a journey, not a destination. However, you can minimize dirty data by establishing formal data quality standards and processes, educating the organization on the importance of doing so, and rewarding teams for adopting better habits.
1. Establish a process
If you discovered that your organization does not have data quality standards, then now — more than ever — is the time to create a formal process that supports complete and accurate data.
An absence of process or poor adoption of process is what leads to dirty data in the first place. If it’s not addressed, then it’s only a matter of time before thousands of duplicate records appear, beckoning you to dedupe them.
Every organization’s needs are different, but here are some actions that can help establish a process:
- Assign a point person or team responsible for data cleansing
- Schedule recurring events to tackle data cleanup and enrichment
- Schedule weekly team meetings to assess what’s working or not working
- Check the health of new data sources before adding
- Review existing validation rules or set up new ones
- Document any feedback, issues, or areas for improvement
- Create documentation for data quality standards and best practices, including the reason why data is captured
- Share documentation with organization and include in training for new employees
2. Educate the organization
Creating or changing a process can be difficult. Getting people to alter existing habits or adopt new ones? Well, that can be even more difficult.
However, educating teams on why data quality is critical to not only the organization’s success, but also their own, might be a convincing argument. When people understand how they’ll directly reap the benefits of clean data, the more likely they are to get on board.
Don’t be frustrated if it takes time. If you plant a seed, it’ll grow.
3. Reward teams
Besides providing training to new team members, also consider implementing a reward system for adhering to data quality standards. Rewards systems not only motivate, but encourage accountability.
For larger organizations, talk with HR to see what employee programs exist and see if there’s an opportunity to reward teams.
For smaller organizations, get creative and find something that works. Make a leaderboard, track weekly progress, and take the winner out to lunch.
Quality data is success
If data is your lifeblood, then the quality of that data should matter. Success isn’t found in inaccuracies or errors.
Not only does clean data instill trust and confidence in teams, but it empowers them to be more productive, meet business goals, and build stronger relationships with customers.
Maintaining clean data, however, is key to longer-term success. Remove it, improve it, then do it again. But most importantly, remember: it’s a journey — not a destination.
What best practices or processes has your team or organization implemented to maintain clean data in Salesforce?
Also published on Medium. | <urn:uuid:c99f93f6-1727-4145-891a-f7513af9872f> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://galvintech.com/cleanse-data-maintain-data-quality/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500339.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20230206113934-20230206143934-00133.warc.gz | en | 0.923981 | 1,737 | 2.5625 | 3 |
I work at a secondary school in London, England, where my job is not only to teach, but to work with teachers every day to help them incorporate online learning tools into their curriculum. I develop interactive content for students and teachers to use in lessons and for parents to have access to the content at home to support their children.
One of the amazing qualities I admire in teachers is that they are always trying to find different, more effective ways of enhancing a student’s ability to learn content, both for the sake of exams and for learning in general. With e-learning, teachers have a powerful tool to boost learner engagement, support classroom learning, and deepen understanding.
I’d like to walk you through a recent project to show you my instructional design process when I’m teaming up with one of my fellow teachers. Hopefully you’ll get some inspiration for how you can use e-learning in the K-12 setting.
E-Learning for English Class
The Head of English at Chiswick School approached me recently because he wanted to help his Sixth Form students learn and retain information from a play. His goal was to create an application that could use technology to:
- Maximize student achievement and engagement by providing students with videos to learn about the different characters from the play, as well as a small description of each act on the startup screen.
- Provide students the opportunity to study on their own.
- Let students test their understanding and get feedback.
- Enable parents to see and interact with the same content their children would use to study.
- Create a glossary to help students learn the vocabulary necessary to be successful on the exam.
- Have a resources and FAQs section so students could get follow-up information.
So I set off to figure out how to get this done. Here’s the process I used for working with teachers and students.
The first thing I always do is meet with the teacher requesting the project. I give him or her an idea of what is possible digitally and how we can help students be successful.
For a lot of K-12 teachers, this is the first time they’ve worked with e-learning, so they’re not always sure what’s possible. That’s why I give them examples of what I have created in the past. It opens their eyes to the possibilities and really gets their creative juices flowing!
Once the teacher grasps what is within range, we arrange a new meeting where I ask the teacher to bring me a lesson or two from the curriculum. We then look at the curriculum to identify multimedia opportunities for video, audio, and animation.
Together we come up with a storyboard outlining what’s included in the project, such as text, images, and video. Only then can I get a good idea of the scope of the project.
Prototyping and Testing
Once the storyboard is developed and approved, I use Articulate Storyline 2 to develop the project. I like Storyline 2 because it’s so easy to use, and I get such great support from the Articulate community. It makes it a lot easier to get up and running fast.
One of the best things about using Articulate Storyline is the ability to play the content in a downloadable player. With the player, we can easily distribute our content to every student in the school. This also makes it easy to share content with each student’s parents. This is essential because it supports a process where parents, teachers, and students all work together to help students succeed. Priceless!
Using Storyline 2, I create a prototype of the application and share it with the teacher. We work together to iterate the prototype until we’re both comfortable with it. But that’s only the first part of the feedback.
I always want to make sure that the application is suitable for the varied levels of student skills and abilities. In this case, the Head of English suggested that we ask some of the students to work with me to ensure the project would be totally student-friendly. My student partners suggested content to improve the prototype and gave me really great feedback about the usefulness and usability of the application. They also helped test to ensure everything was working correctly.
Lessons Learned: Developing for a K-12 Audience
The most important thing I’ve learned about creating content for the K-12 audience is that you have to be incredibly organized. There are so many small challenges along the way, including finding time to meet with teachers and coming up with an effective content and design approach for the course. Then you’ve got to arrange for students to test the application and share their feedback. And once you’ve got a final project, you need to successfully distribute the application to different devices and troubleshoot any problems along the way. It takes a lot of organization to ensure everything goes well.
The second key takeaway is that I have to continue to expand my skills and knowledge. My subject matter expert partners constantly push me to create more sophisticated interactive content. Thankfully, Storyline continues to allow me to create cutting-edge interactive materials quickly and easily. And I am grateful to have the amazing templates, articles, and support from the E-Learning Heroes community.
The third lesson learned is that empowerment is key to a successful class and school. By providing students and their parents with the learning materials, we empower them to take control of their own education. Learners have a direct say in the learning process, rather than feeling that a teacher is telling them when or how or what to study. We also felt that a mixture of online and in-class learning is best for students, especially those who are getting ready to go to university or enter the world of work. | <urn:uuid:03cb7015-1a38-4635-9d9d-a83621aeca2b> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://community.articulate.com/articles/how-to-use-e-learning-to-boost-engagement-in-secondary-schools | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500628.77/warc/CC-MAIN-20230207170138-20230207200138-00213.warc.gz | en | 0.960402 | 1,201 | 2.703125 | 3 |
An increasingly present and useful technological reality, acoustic levitation has acquired a variety of applications as science understands and improves the resource.
In August, at the SIGGRAPH (Special Interest Group on Interactive Graphics and Techniques) conference in Vancouver, Canada, an international team of researchers will present LeviPrint, their innovative project which consists of a system that uses acoustic manipulation to assemble objects without physical contact.
Developed by scientists from the Public University of Navarra (NUP), Spain, Ultraleap Ltd, UK and the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, the system generates acoustic fields that trap small particles, droplets of glue and rod-like elements that can being manipulated and reoriented as they levitate. According to the website Technological explorationis a fully functional system for fabricating 3D structures using non-contact manipulation.
Unlike traditional assembly and manufacturing techniques, where parts are in direct contact with the machine, acoustic manipulation was used to position and orient parts without touching them during the assembly process.
“We can handle small and fragile parts, as well as liquids or powders, which makes the processes more versatile,” said Iñigo Ezcurdia, NUP PhD student and lead author of the research. “There is less cross-contamination because the conductor doesn’t touch the material. It also allows for manufacturing techniques that cannot be achieved with traditional 3D printing, such as adding elements to existing parts or manufacturing inside closed containers from the outside.
According to Ezcurdia, levitation of small particles and droplets has been done previously, but no existing work has managed to keep the elongated objects in position and orientation. “This research makes it possible to use segments, rods or beams for the fast, contactless fabrication of strong, light and complex structures. “
Some of the techniques offered include the use of a glue that solidifies with ultraviolet light. The system uses the acoustic levitator to trap a drop of glue dispensed from a syringe, which is levitated to the location where the next piece will be added. The system takes a segment or particle, places it next to the previous ones in contact with the glue, and uses ultraviolet light to cure the glue so that the new piece is attached to the structure.
According to the project authors, if Leviprint is adapted to function in an aqueous medium, the system could assemble complex structures in cell culture and possibly even within living things.
Have you watched our new videos on Youtube? Subscribe to our channel! | <urn:uuid:0fc7e380-316c-4f78-89c2-f63a2af89471> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://mergerstation.com/sports/innovative-system-that-uses-acoustic-levitation-to-assemble-parts-without-physical-contact/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500628.77/warc/CC-MAIN-20230207170138-20230207200138-00213.warc.gz | en | 0.93601 | 520 | 3.671875 | 4 |
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